Just back from a few days in the Yorkshire Dales near Skipton in our aged motorhome. A lovely five van site on a farm with a farmer who gave you the feeling, and I’m sure he was, a very kind chap. He did though utter some racist words I’ve not heard for years and also liked killing things. I took my road bike and went out on it for short rides, the first time for several years. I rode right up to Malham Cove, on the footpath and met many happy smiley people (yes, I know it’s a footpath) I was on 28mm Bianchi Reparto Corse tyres and it was lovely. I had some other short rides around the area and had only courteous behaviour from other road users, perhaps because there were lots of other cyclists about people are used to us? If last week you saw an aged chap in full Bianchi kit, including matching socks, helmet and tyres around Airton, and you smiled and waved. Thank you!
I will go back to the same campsite and when I get to know the farmer better I’ll start to gently bring him into the modern world – or at least my version!
Take care you all.

All is good in the world when you can watch Bo ripping.
#kidsonbikesrock

Needs a bump.

Yes it is cold – but my word it is beautiful out. This morning has the clearest blue sky above us in Stirling.

Tru dat Matt,even saw some of the meteor shower early on,followed by a beautiful sunrise that will have had sheperds on full alert 😉
We are baking and prepping all day for the Xmas fair this weekend #scentofcake 😆

Oil boilers are a new thing to me, and all of a sudden I needed to fix ours.

Bit of YouTube, I’m in there cleaning out the soot, changing the nozzle, adjusting the electrodes and changing the photocell.

Guess what, it now works, and it’s been a lovely crisp clear day outside working on it.

Off to Wales tonight crampons and axes maybe for first time in four years!

Lovely day working in the garden, pruning some of the birch, ash, sycamore and oak to let a bit of light into the central clearing and to stop branches rubbing. Did it all from a wooden ladder that must be over 70 years old and using hand tools as I don’t like the noise from power tools on a weekend. The prunings will be shredded this week with my very quiet shredder/grinder or will supplement the dead hedge’s I’ve created. Lots of sunshine and birdsong, a very satisfying and uplifting day.
How are you all doing?

Trying to look after my health a bit more, weight down this last week but more importantly blood pressure readings consistently down as well, its all very slow but as long as the trend is down it puts a smile on my face.
Took the little un along Newbiggin prom, had some photos with ‘the couple’, then on the bikes around QE2 park to finish off a rather lovely day :-)

Ah, Northumberland, one of my favourite places!

Great ride at dawn this morning.

Later today … fingers crossed… I should find out whether our 11 month 2 day wait to get our insurance claim is finally sorted. We already have a builder lined up and then we should finally be able to get on with rebuilding our house and moving back in. Will be happy with Christmas 2023.

Went for a ride on the road today on my aged “hybrid” Marin San Rafael. A circular ride from near Allonby to Aspatria and Maryport and then back along the excellent coastal bicycle path, everyone I met or encountered on the road and path were considerate and pleasant. Even on the section of main road, lorries, buses and cars hung back until safe to pass and give me plenty of room, no fast jets without hooters or bell’s either.
Well done West Cumbria, I am encouraged!
It was a bit uppy and downy though..

A full year on since I started this thread. I’ve been doing my annual bramble pull in the sunshine and listening to the birdsong. Retreated just in time to the workshop now as it’s hammering it down – still nice though being dry and listening to the rain on the roof.
Any other positivity flowing around?

Went out for a ride with my mate last night. By the time we got to the high point, the clouds had rolled in, scuppering our stargazing plans, then unexpected rain chased us home and soaked us through. But we got time before the rain for tea with honey JD and a jam sandwich and we gassed all the way round as we hadn’t been out in ages. All in all, it was a jolly good night. :)

My car has finally been cleaned inside and out. 😃 I have a feeling the last time it got a good going over was in autumn 2022.

Five months of biking and sailing circuit detritus is now gone. Scrubbed up pretty well for a 12 year old silver eurobox. Reminds me I don’t need a newer one. Small victories and all that but after a very difficult end to the week it’s good to get one.

In the garden yesterday, amongst the other birdsong I thought I heard something different. I tuned me tabs in and sure enough there it was, a Chiff chaff. Later on in the year its loud monotonous call will irritate but for now it’s a cheerful portent of spring.
Get outside y’all, look and listen. It’s free and doesn’t wear out!

The curlews have been back for a while by us.  I’ve taken to going for an early morning walk everyday which has done wonders for my mood and usually hear their distinctive call while out. Skylarks are also out in abundance. We are eagerly awaiting the swallows which should show up any day now. There have already been sitings near us.  They nest in an outbuilding and shed of ours every year.

I have also been pulling up brambles for a couple of days and really made a dent in them. Looking forward to a good bonfire to get rid of them on the next dry day, accompanied by a couple of beers and some boozy fireside contemplation and meditation.

Also, the bluebell shoots are sprouting in the woods! No flowers yet.  So much to be thankful for this time of year! Great thread, thanks👍

The forecast for the next few days is looking pretty decent for bike riding. Dry with not too much wind. That’s got to put a smile on people’s faces.

Indeedy. One of my mates, who I’ve not seen since before lockdown, is up from London and bringing his bike with him so we can head out riding on Saturday

Also: all my daff and tulips that I planted last year look like they’re about to flower this weekend, so we’ll have a garden full of colour :D

Have a great weekend you lot!

Working at the garden centre always has delights. Today we uncovered thee new Koi as they have acclimatised and are through quarantine. Looking at them in the sun was a delight. Why do we need things as beautiful as them or peacocks except to bring joy to the world?

A couple of weekends back I took my oldest son to swimming training on Saturday morning. Needing something from the fruit growers cooperative nearby I dropped him off and then walked into town. As I walked under a bridge I saw a line of swallows nests and then several swallows doing their thing. One of the them had a good sized white feather in its beak. It let go of it about 3-4 metres high, flew loops and then caught it again as it drifted down. This it repeated two or three times. ‘Twas marvellous.

I’ve seen a few complaining threads on here recently so thought I’d give this a bump. My positive thing is as simple as messing about with my two boys in the pool on holiday. I say “boys”, but they’re 18 and 16. It’s the first time I’ve been able to play fight with them without holding back. So much fun and we were laughing so hard. Sometimes it’s the simple things.

Good idea.

Productive and pleasant weekend here, lots of little jobs sorted a trip out for some plants and a bit of BBQ / smoker window shopping (how much?!),  family walk yesterday and then a bike ride with eldest this morning and an unproductive fishing trip this evening with both the boys.

Also chuffed I set a new PR down the final descent home today from our ride and beat a few segment times including on a number of climbs from the previous ride we did about a week ago.  I don’t go in for Strava obsession but I really felt slow and uncomfortable the last couple of times out and it’s reassuring to see evidence that I am not just feeling better but actually going better.

What a freakin’ amazing thread ☺️ I have nothing to add but keep on keeping on folks 🤗 Sometimes social media does have its benefits ☺️

Positivity. OK. I’m lacking in that right now as regular readers might understand.

I have a girlfriend I love, and who loves me, but cross-reference back to the menopause thread.

We have cats who are variously pricks and adorable.

I have a new house as of a couple of years ago which is amazing but I’m desperately hoping isn’t secretly ****ed.

I have friends who are, honestly, here’s your solid positivity, just bloody amazing from those I’ve known for 30 years to those I’ve known for 30 days. I’m looking at you, Pete.

But aside from the primary issue, I wouldn’t change any of it. I’m going to bed shortly, I’ll have at least one purring idiot coiled up next to me inside of about three minutes, and you know, I’ll take that.

TL;DR

Friends.

Grab them with both hands because they come from the most unexpected of corners.

Just had that thing where you walk into a cafe and a tune you like but isn’t too popular comes on and it makes you feel like you’re in a film… albeit not a mainstream one.

A great weekend with an away day club ride that stopped for lunch in the small town I grew up in and haven’t been back to in 25 years – so many good memories.

Marshalled a club TT and hill climb yesterday, helped gave 30+ riders aged 9 upwards a good morning. Was stopped as I was leaving by the former national hill climb champ to thank me for marshalling, which meant a lot.

Eldest came back from Edinburgh whete he’d been playing in a show at the Fringe – it’s rekindled his love of performing and they got great audience reviews.

https://www.railtech.com/all/2023/08/29/british-high-speed-trains-set-for-mexico/

My dad’s trains are off to Mexico.

¡Arriba, arriba! ¡Ándale, ándale!

Had a glorious day on the pedal iron yesterday. Good group out riding some old Wharny classics, everyone was on a heater too.

Weather was a bit meh, but the apples are nearly there and so we make apple chutney from some windfalls and manky looking ones (cutting out all the manky bits obvs).

Had a lovely phonecall today. We were booked into a campsite in early November, part of a tour after all the crowds have gone in a very popular part of the country. Perfect location as my wife would be able to walk to the cove and good views from the site – part of a short tour in our aged motorhome. Last week we were contacted to say that they’d made a mistake and the site was actually closed! I was friendly and polite and asked about alternatives as all we need is a place to park and empty the toilet every couple of days. The wardens have made every effort to find us an alternative pitch but everywhere is closed in the area. The site (I can’t say where as the corporate bods might not approve) rang me today, offered me a pitch, with hook up, free!! It made me inordinately happy and I’ll make sure to take some nice presents for the wardens!

Since we were getting in at silly o’clock from a flight, we’d booked into a nearby Travel lodge for a sleep before we did the journey home the next morning.  We woke up earlier than expected so decided to have the breakfast there before setting off.  After buying the ticket and heading next door it turned out that the breakfast had shut 15 mins earlier.

The lovely fella from the breakfasts went back to the hotel with us to get our money back then made us free takeaway butties with the left over breakfast bacon.  Free bacon, the best way to start the day.

To all the lovely people at Llandegla today. Thank you.

I was there with a kid who’s had tough times, who doesn’t trust any strangers and doesn’t feel safe on the streets of his home.

So to turn up to Llandegla and have loads of you say hello, some of you cheer his (endless) wheelies, someone ask him about his bike, a family ask him to take their picture, and generally a lovely positive vibe was ALL THE AWESOMES.

We had a deep chat on the way home about how not everyone in life is an arsehole or a gang member, and how he could find people through sport that would be as lovely as today…

So to turn up to Llandegla and have loads of you say hello, some of you cheer his (endless) wheelies, someone ask him about his bike, a family ask him to take their picture, and generally a lovely positive vibe was ALL THE AWESOMES.

Wow! Positive vibes indeed and a great lesson to the kid that not everyone is an arse!

On another note I’ve exercised (all be it lightly)  everyday for the last 9 days which is more than I’ve managed all year!!

A friend of my partner offered to take the kids to Manchester for the weekend. They’ve had an amazing time. (We live in Aberdeen so not a quick jaunt.) It’s something we would really struggle to do because of work.

Me and my wife went to Bakewell town hall on Friday night to see Rosie Jones.
Brilliant, if you get chance go and see her!

We have recently come back from a family holiday with our daughter. This may not sound anything extraordinary, but to us its a massively positive thing.

I’ve talked on here before about our adult daughter who is Autistic, ADHD, and has a learning disability.

Her reactions to anxiety can be very challenging, resulting in violent, inappropriate or self-injurous behaviours. This means she needs constant 1:1 support in her home and 2:1 in the community.

We haven’t been able to take her on a family holiday for over 10 years. This has been due to her own anxiety surrounding going to somewhere different (and the build up to it), and also us not being able to safely manage some of her behaviours in unfamiliar surroundings. We have tried the odd night away over the last 10 years, some have been more successful than others!

For about a year we have been planning with the care manager to take a 3 day holiday with our daughter, two care staff and some of our extended family.

We have recently come back and it really couldn’t have gone much better. We all enjoyed family meals, swimming and woodland walks together. It was a massive personal achievement and self confidence boost for our daughter ( she hasn’t stopped talking about it since we have come back), and something my wife and I wouldn’t have thought possible a few years ago. We’ve learnt not to expect too much, but hopefully we can do similar next year.

A big thank you to all care workers out there, you do an invaluable job.

👍👍👍👍👍

We’ve learnt not to expect too much, but hopefully we can do similar next year.

We’ve family friends in a very similar position.
Thier daughter, after gentle holidays and building up things for a few years, has just returned from a month volunteering at an elephant sanctuary in Asia….

Burntembers – a friend of mine is setting up a holiday place exactly for kids with autism, sensory difficulties and challenging behaviour.  Should be open in the spring.  It will be self catering accommodation with a small ” safe” garden and a larger adventure garden ( still safe but will require supervision) with a petting zoo, jungle gym etc.  she is doing this because she has her own severely autistic daughter and there was no where for them to go on holiday

PM me for details – central Scotland