“I feel a ‘90’s Binners’ pic should be posted, to further mess with folks perceptions”
What, like on this thread ? (sorry, couldn’t resist)

“. . .  Dougie Lampkin (ask your dad)”
Ask your dad?  I’m old enough to be Dougie’s mother!

At least if I came on a RUCKUS ride, you’d all realise that you’re a LOT better than you think you are.

“Never make a defence or apology before you be accused”
(King Charles 1 in 1636)

During the Siege of Paris, starving residents resorted to eating “street rabbits” (allegedly).

@rascal . . . PM sent

Chunky Chipps? He’s being forced to eat all the doughnuts! ;-)

Yup, sounds like hypoglycemia . . . but the interesting question is, why do you react like this, when others don’t?

I’ve just been reading about the work of Prof Tim Spector on our individual reactions to different foods. He suggests this is linked not only to our genetic makeup, but also to our gut microbiome.

So perhaps a fecal transplant from one of your doughnut-eating “loved ones” might solve the problem? ;-)

For clarity, this is NOT “a good reason to break the rules” because it’s WITHIN the rules.
Compassionate visits

To summarise, you can gather in larger groups or indoors to:
– visit someone who is dying
– visit someone in a care home, hospital or hospice
– to accompany a family member or close friend to a medical appointment

I hope you manage to visit your parents very soon, aP.  Do you need to arrange compassionate leave from work?

How sad. But don’t worry about breaking any rules, as there’s always been an exception in these circumstances.

Nice curtains!

There’s a nice Islabike in the Classifieds at the moment – if anyone in the Midlands (Matlock) could help with posting or transport?

I hoped this was going to be about the Red-Nosed Rock Borer (Hiatella arctica).
Silly name for a real creature!

Ours just eat them, mixed in with a few Dreamies.

But the standard dose made the smaller cat very drowsy, so maybe she’ll need a half-dose next time.

Are we talking about a pavement (USA: sidewalk) at the side of a road?
Or a dotted line across an OS map?

Despite being female, I don’t often comment on these threads. I am an old lady. Yes, a real one, not one those those fake 40-something “old ladies” – I even have my state pension!

So I accept that I’ve been “beaten down by sexism since the day they were born”, and younger people might find my opinions outdated, or just plain weird.

However crazy-legs analogy with cycling fits neatly with my approach. I used to ride a motorbike every day, and tried to practice “defensive driving” techniques. So I assumed that every other road user was an aggressive idiot, out to kill me, and made sure to stay away from them. For example, simply let them overtake, rather than me accelerating away, to get some space between us.

I also dressed in an appropriate fashion for motor-biking (eg no bare arms or legs). And I tucked my long hair out of sight (mainly to prevent it going ratty) which affected other people’s perceptions of me.

I’m happy to be cautious on the road, and on my mountain bike, and generally when “”out and about”. It’s kept me relatively safe so far, and I no longer have to even think about it.

So there we have it, just one old lady’s observations . . .

On the subject of gender stereotyping . . . I remember hearing a tale, about a child growing up in the 1980s:
“Mummy, could a man be prime minister one day?”

Sealskinz also make non-waterproof socks!
Quick-dry knee length socks

“My parents still use bottle banks. I have no idea why, they get recycling collected every fortnight along with everyone else.”
Errr . . . maybe they don’t want you to see all the empty wine bottles . . .

Mister-P, my mother insisted that “everyone she knew” diluted the washing up liquid (into two bottles, 50:50 with water). I had NEVER heard of this before, and was tempted to ask all her friends.

Ampthill, Supernova – where did you buy the fabric, please?

Might you be able to adjust some of your existing bags, to improve them?
Are any a good size and shape, but maybe the fastenings aren’t quite right?

I’ve been making outdoor stuff for decades, but bags are still a fiddly challenge.

I’m sorry for your loss, Big John.  My mother died in October, so I’ve just been through this exact process with her estate, and came up against the same issues.

Once you’ve printed off the forms, check them VERY CAREFULLY.  I found some very bizarre errors appeared in the paper copies.

But the good news is, the process was very quick. HMRC did their stuff in less than two weeks, and probate took 17 days from receipt of the form on January 4.

Yes, and I’m looking forward to riding with you again!

What does your boss think about your plans?
Because employers now have a duty of care for employees whilst on business travel.

If I may drag this thread back to the subject of parish councils in Cheshire . . . Osama Bin Laden’s daughter-in-law (Jane Felix-Browne) was a councillor on Moulton Parish Council.

“Wow. But then, Cheshire.”
Penketh Parish Council
(Penketh is in north Cheshire)

Oooh . . . a Crinkle Crankle Wall !

I’m disappointed . .  I thought you’d bought this house

“Please be aware this property is being sold by family members as part of a relatives estate. It was the deceased’s wishes to be buried in the garden as he was born and died in the house. This wish has been carried out and the property will be sold as is.“

I guess it would look a lot worse today . . . if you could get anywhere near it, given the widespread flooding in Cheshire and South Manchester . . .

Depending on how agile your parents are (at the moment, and in the future), the Islabike eJimi might be of interest. Their Icon range is specifically designed for older riders. Slightly over your price limit, though.

I had similar, back in September. The flu jab was fine, and the pneumonia jab itself was okay . . . until the following day, when the injection site turned into a hard red lump (5cm x 8cm). It gradually faded, but was still noticeable three weeks later. Not exactly painful, but definitely uncomfortable to lie on.

Oh, and I was unwell for several days afterwards, with mild flu symptoms. I really hope the pneumonia jab caused this reaction, as it’s a one-off, rather than an annual injection. I’ve not had any problems with the flu jab before.

My dentist seems to charge a flat rate £15 for PPE, on top of the normal prices. So that’s insignificant if you’re having an expensive treatment, but a lot when it’s only a hygienist appointment.

Planet X gloves are brilliant for warm fingers, and only £15.
Reflective silver, black or fluo yellow.
Crab rather than lobster, so no one-finger braking!

(Haha – as recommended by Kerley)

At least it wasn’t a baby!

Beautiful sunny day here in Cheshire, perfect for slithering around in the mud.
Two of us, riding a Spesh Fatgirl (aka Hellga) and a Charge Cooker.
Hope you all had as much fun?

“I don’t want to go to school!”
I was expecting you to tell us that you’re the teacher . . .

Oooh, I’d forgotten about GFBD!  But I’d already arranged a ride on the “brown snow” in Cheshire.

“so washability is not really a factor anymore”
Well, no, but dry-ability is still a factor, and wool takes AGES to dry.

Matt is right about base layers. Your dad needs a couple of string vests!
Brynje vest