Ordered 5 for 25 for the family from PlanetX yesterday. I like the stupid designs

4 weeks ago! Dammit!

This won’t really help, but..

My 40th was at very start of June. Everyone was asking me, “ahh no, what you gonna do? that’s a shame”. Without wanting to sound like a miser, as I’m really not, I was secretly delighted to still be in lockdown!!

In line with most you you, I don’t like a fuss. My perfect birthday would of been all day on the trails with my biking buddies, then pub/curry later with very small group of friends and close family. I don’t drink a lot, growing out of hangovers.

There’s a weird thing, where you’re expected to make a big thing of it, not for me!

As it happended we were temporarily living with the in-laws as mid house move. So had curry takeaway and few beers with wife, kids and in-laws – it was perfect.

..all that said, I agree, let her make a fuss of you!

Loads of options to look at – thanks folks!

From what I saw, DFS did seem to hit the sweetspot of price/current style and comfort really well. We looked in Sofology, Harveys, Next etc

Just ordered 2 new sofas from DFS, last pair of sofas were from DFS 10 years ago and are now looking tired, but 10 years if fine with me. We have just moved into a new house, so bought the old ones along and held off ordering until we were in. I didn’t have to be so careful moving them then.

We went to all the large sofa places, and just sat on every one that looks the right style for us, you just know when it’s right.

A bonus was the one we liked was on the cheaper end of things.

It’s south coast, no city/ULEZ concerns yet.

I do prefer the way diesels drive, more relaxing. The road flows well most of the time, a few over taking opportunities along the way but mostly no need, just cruise and enjoy the music.

I’d just read a few pages on DPFs, DMFs, swirl flaps etc that rasied concerns. The car would have enough time to get hot. I guess once you get down to this level it’s pot luck anyway.

We have a nearly new Dacia Stepway, it’s not nice to drive on longer runs. Wife can have that back!

Trying to avoid hijacking your thread @slackman99, but I had similar questions re. mileage.

We’ve just relocated, bought a new house closer to family but I’m staying in current job. Now need to buy a second car (we managed with 1 car within the family previously).

My commute isn’t anywhere near yours, it’s exactly 60 mile round trip on flowing A roads, so not a problem really. Around 40 mins each way.

What I was looking at something like a Mondeo, a nice comfy cruise and room in the boot for bikes/dog/kids crap etc.

Getting to the point…for my £3k(ish) budget, the cars are all around the 100K mark. My thinking is, if it’s got full service history 100K on a 10 year old car isn’t too bad?

@thisisnotaspoon

I believe there’s also huge benefits to the long easy rides, as part of the 80/20 principle. Something to do with cellular adaptation – MCT1 and MCT4, lactate transportation, the body being able to use the by-product of lactate produced as further fuel so you can go harder and longer blah blah blah…

So Seiler still puts a lot on emphasis on these long easy rides, as not just recovery.

Polarised training always seemed worth trying, if you’ve got the time. You’d need a heart rate monitor and a power meter.

You’ll want to do some research as it’s a bit of a project, learn how to implement it for yourself. It uses a 3 zone model, where your supposed to spend the majority of your rides at or below zone 1.

Zone 1 in this model is up to or just above zone 2 in the usual 5 zone model. The Zone 1 pole (polarised) stops at lt1 (lactace threshold 1, there are actually two lactate thresholds). You’ll know when you’ve gone passed lt1 as you’ll be breathing heavier and HR will begin to rise. You should be able to ride along at a pace that allows you to nose breath (mouth closed) in this Zone 1. It’s hard to do actually, as naturally you want to ride harder. But once you get accustomed to it, it’s nice! Take in the sights and smells, hear the birds etc. Lovely.

So you’d do 3 or 4 of these zone 1 rides in a week, they’d need to be a couple hours I’d think at least. You’ll do two hours, and you should not be tired.

Then after a rest day, you do one VERY very hard interval session per week. Something like 4x8min, with 2 min rest @ 105% FTP (need power meter).

You don’t want much time at all in the middle ground, it’s supposed to be lots and lots of easy riding, and 1 really horrible, bleeding from the eyeballs, hard ride.

After a period of 8-10 weeks the speed of the easy rides will have risen.

Research 80/20, and Stephen Seiler. There are many podcasts regarding the subject on Fasttalk.

Shame there’s no “like” button! Some lovely bikes here

@claudie

are you running your hutchinsons tubeless?

No, I’ve not gotten around to it yet, was meaning too. They’re great tyres, will be buying again. They are “Hutchinson Fusion 5 11Storm Performance”.

I love the bike btw, currently has 28mm tyres, I think 32mm will fit no problem.

My lovely Tarmac!

I expect you’d be more likley to get injured cycling to your place of work though. Or even driving to work

They use their feet too to operate the water flow!

SEEN IN KIGALI: To prevent the risk of #Coronavirus outbreak, passengers at the Kigali Bus Park have to wash their hands before getting onto buses.#Rwanda has recorded NO case of the epidemic but the country has stepped up vigilance. pic.twitter.com/tb7cfUNj7K

— The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) March 9, 2020

No!

Interesting short podcast on it.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2020/mar/05/covid-19-where-in-the-body-does-it-infect-us-science-weekly-extra

If it has to be over 60, I’d have to be buying cask strength whisky or Absinthe!

Or this…

https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/p/15105/spirytus-rektyfikowany-rectified-spirit-95-polmos

That’s a really shitty attitude.

I completely agree – If this was my wife I’d be insisting she stay home, regardless of c19. The employer can go f…

Loads of places have this attitude towards sickness, generally horrible. But come on! It’s plastered over every TV, sm platform, every discussion I hear around the office! It is a really really stupid idea to force someone matching the syptoms to come into the workplace!

Thanks for the alternative solutions, something to think about

Cheers, sounds like a fun little project. Trickiest bit is probably mounting the panel!

@flaperon not sure, I can see their point. The house is finished bar kitchen fitting. Walls are finished an decorated.

I could make a big fuss, but tbh I’d rather they get the place completed on time.

Yes I did have a lot of reservations about buying from them, but trying to be positive about it, surely not every new house is a nightmare! But I’m sure there will be issues to resolve.

Heard back. They’ve finished first fix, so it’s no go. I’d rather they crack on and finish the house anyway. Garage has nearly been completed today too. So I’ll have to get an electrician around afterwards and see what he thinks. That or the leisure battery solution.

I’ve asked them again, Will see what comes back. Might pop to site and see if I can find the site manager.

The house does comes with lots of stuff chucked in, kitchen/bathroom, flooring, downlighters (meh), outside tap etc. But weirdly not power to the detached garage.

The sales girl was acutualy pretty good, making it clear it’s a lot cheaper to get trades in afterwards for anything not in. Appliances are crazy prices!!

I love Bob, I think he’s just brilliant!

This show is the best thing on TV. I dare say it gets rubbish viewing figures when compared with more popular sheite. But it’s just so lovely.

This and The Detectorists!

I’ve never played with it…but can’t you turn your FileMaker solution into a runtime for distribution? I think it’s only apllicable for single user environment. Might work though

@IHN Same here!

It’s very boring, but it pays OK. I go through periods where I get very down/depressed with the situation – don’t know what elese to do/need the salary to support family so can’t just leave and try something entirely new. Cliché but stuck in a rut.

But I get other times when I’m working on a new project and I’m actually enjoying it. I get far more enjoyment out of the creative side of things, as in a creating systems/work flows etc. I guess it’s enjoyment as I’m engaged

I’d love to try a new career at some point, I’m approaching 40! Still time

@uniqueusername

Most TVs have a sleep function. Every TV I’ve ever had has anyway. Set it to 30 mins, pop on something rubbish, happy days.

Always had a TV in bedroom, it’s great. Have done since a kid, so now it’s part of my falling asleep routine! Not great if you ever sleep somewhere else that doesn’t have one though.

Get a firestick or chromecast for it though…Although there’s nothing better than Newsnight to send you to sleep

I’ve been through loads of battery powered clippers and all I can add is have a spare to reduce the chance of comedy half haircuts.

I had a pair break/fail once mid cut! We were supposed to be going out for the day (cue the “you always leave it till last minute!” bollocking). I had to cover up as much as I could with a woolie hat and dash to argos.

Mains powered Wahl now.

Used to have it 9mm (what’s that grde 3?), as the hair has slowly given up it’s gone shorter and shorter over time, now a zero but don’t think I’ll ever go to the razor..

I had one similar that I ignored, just kept riding and it wouldn’t heal. Docs gave me antibiotics which didn’t touch it… I had to have it cut out. Bag stitched up. Not riding for 6 weeks. I’m very wary of any little bumps that appear now!

Bepanthan (the yellow one) is the best cream though.

Well yesterday I replied to the agent, offering the prospective buyer 50/50 split, £335. He was trying to keep me sweet, as he knows we’re still on the hunt for a house.

Let’s see if the buyer comes back. I very much doubt it.

So much mud! Urgh. It’s just so wet all the time! The rain never ends.

I don’t mind getting filthy on a weekend so limit MTB to then, no chance am I going out in the rain and mud in the dark after work though. Plus the wife gets pi55ed off with muddy stuff hanging about the place, which is fair enough.

So winter road bike fitted with mudguards. Very little cleaning required post ride with this. Getting some cracking solo miles in, around the New Forest. The roads are much quieter this time of year. Plus the forest smells fantastic when it’s all wet and Autumnal!

Also rowing…I’ve just joined the gym adjacent to the office. They’ve got a bunch of Concept 2 rowers. I’m staring easy and I’ll see how it goes. Could be good fitness/cross training for cycling.

@wrightyson That is a total nightmare!

Enough to send anyone running for the nearest new build box.

Sure, anything can happen with houses. And they need money spending to maintain, but nobody in a standard family home can budget for that situation!

It’s basically the equivalent of the OP getting a half-price survey on the next money pit he takes a fancy to!

But they’re so pretty 🤣

Awesome – thanks for response all. I feel better now.

I wouldn’t trust the report commissioned by the person selling the house anyway

This is a good point^

It’s such a fantastic place! I love all the popular stuff; Sa Calobra, Puig Major, Cap de Formentor, Port De Valldemossa.

Hoping to get myself back out there next year for a 40th birthday treat