The Savage Storm – the Italian Campaign 1943-45 – James Holland – he does a good job of weaving in personal accounts from all sides into the big picture of the campaign itself.

And I thought the weather  in West Yorkshire was bad…………

FOG – they aren’t a fancy brand – got them from Amazon £35 – Mia&coco – never heard of them. Second winter with them – 3 settings – never use the highest setting because I then get sweaty hands ! Charge the batteries at work on my laptop.

Good week this week – Mon – Wed – bike to work, Thurs – bike to dentist, Fri Swim – today – Park Run  was -4 at Brighouse – was quite busy – a lot cancelled but good work by the Brighouse volunteers to keep one going. Steady pace (as always) was slippy underfoot.

I’ve always struggled with white finger in the cold – always had it since a kid. Can be painful at times. Tried lots of gloves  – mitts do work – but you lose a bit of flexibility. Finally bought some heated gloves with rechargeable USB batteries – problem is now solved, You don’t really notice the battery weight because it sits on arm above your wrist.

2 hours pootling on dry roads. Stopped for a cheeky coffee.

Park run done – lovely morning at oakwell – cold feet until the second lap. Cold hands – both laps.  That was number 230 for me. 

dont go down the constructive dismissal route – the burden of proof is on her and all he risk is with her- use the internal grievance procedure and map out the case along with any supporting documentation. 

2km in the pool this morning – enjoyed it . Gregg coffee afterwards…..

Missed Monday – work and stuff  the rest of this week  – 3 days of bike commuting – 1 day of walking with Mrs Olddonald – today Park run at Oakwell – muddy but fun.

Park run done – decent turnout at Oakwell. lovely morning for a run.

Echo the comments on the Exposure Toro – broken once – fixed by Exposure repair service – good as new and well over 10 years old – other brands of light are available but nothing has lasted as long.

2 hours on t’cross bike – on the road. Bike commute tomorrow – looks wet all week ,,,,,hmmm

Park run at oakwell this morning.

1500 metre swim – felt like a rest after a tough weekend and the bike commute Mon and Tuesday. Bike commute tomorrow – wet  I guess 

100km on the bike – flatlands out to Donny and back. Cracking day though.

gore – pricey but good – don’t keep you dry though .

15km trail run yesterday in the lakes with 450 other idiots – well organised lakeland trail from Glennridding – weather was great too. Tough in a good way. Bike today

I use Wahoo roam 2 – and Kmoot – bought Kmoot world maps for £20 – toured in the netherlands and Germany using it – I’m not very technical but managed this fine.

9 mile run yesterday – prep for a trail run next week. Bike or weights today

Swim this morning 06.30 – try to do one swim every week – bike commuting Thurs and Fri.

Chuffed yesterday – did a PB at Dewsbury Park run. Not bad for an old lad. Today its very wet – so either another 5k run or weights

What vlad said x2 – so much easier to have one pedal platform

The Eagle and the Lion – Goldsworthy ( Rome v Parthians and Sassanids) – basically 600 years of Empire rivalry and conflict. Up to the first clash as Carrhae 53bc – no spoilers – doesn’t end well from Crassus and his roman Army.

Biggest hill you will climb is getting on the ferry. Easy cycling – never on a road. Nice people . Stayed in campsites and small hotels – Belgian beer is better – I’m sure they know that. WW2 stuff is good – they’ve done a nice job of recognising some of the smaller actions – which you just stumble across. Cake a coffee is excellent. Liked the area around Appledoorn – and the area West of Nijmingen, Roman museum at Xanten is good – just across the border. Regret not doing it with my kids when they were in the teens they would have loved it.

Walked to the coop and back in the rain – even the horses looked p****d off today -never seen them standing in a line along side a barn for shelter before –  so much rain (W.Yorks)

Read that in the Guardian – Gulf stream to end some time between 2025 (!!!!) and 2095 – what tyres for Artic tundra wasteland……….

That’s a tough profile with loaded bikes. Well done.

Great read. Keep it going – and you’re not the only one that greets wildlife, cows , pigs, goats………….

I commute as often as I can – pre covid 5 days a week – now its a bit of WFH and 3 or 4 day per week . Two stand out adventures, once taking my return off road route in the dark – no street lighting between Pudsey and Tong – bumped into a old sow that has escaped munching its way through the undergrowth – and there I stood with the bike and bright white lights ( Shrek -dont go nearly the White light) – I politely backed away and found another route and left the old sow to carry on with her tea.

Another occasion same route, summer evening, bumped into a group of about 10 teenagers all on bikes – thought i was going to be in bother – then saw the one at the back with a flat “hey Mister do you have a pump” – helped the teenager fix his puncture – gave him the spare tube ” hey Mister what’s your name” told them my name – off they all went chanting my name very loudly – made me chuckle.

Swimming and (park) run – though not today – Swimming means I get no back problems and pushing off the wall (60 times plus ) in the pool helps me with running. Did the great north swim yesterday in Windamere – was fantastic weather , org etc – try some open water ? Great Stress reliever .

Reading the Burma Campaign by Frank Mclynn. Good insight into the bonkers politics of the higher command. Slim comes out with credit. Less so others….

Personal connection with “Quartered Safe Out Here” By George Macdonald Fraser – the book is dedicated to my great uncle who was killed in an attack on a Japanese strongpoint described in the book. I think south of Mandalay. Very personal to me – he’s buried in Rangoon (Yangon).

Walking up the stairs at home – wondering what that noise is – oh its my ankles……

Exposure Strada – I commute as much as I can – fun in the snow last night heading home – I’ve used exposure for 10 years now and when they break – they have an excellent repair service – I read about this on STW – its good and a reasonable price. I sent them 3 lights they all came back tip top!

Call HMRC ask them to do an audit – this “arrangement” takes employees below NMW.

Grew up in the 80s – there nowt wrong with hiding behind the back of your settee – it will be fine the government have told us so – or a cupboard, hide in a cupboard.

Have been a silent watcher to this thread, well done all. Park run for me today and park run again tomorrow by insistent daughters. Should be fun. Choir today was nice (Dewsbury- there are dome decent parts)

Covid still a thing – yes eldest daughter tested positive yesterday back from darn sarf. thanks megabus / London…..Kind put a spanner in the works

Yes – go look at the ICO website.

Its not new bike I’ve had it resprayed – look good though.

Park run yesterday round oakwell. MTB round oakwell today – was cold though – struggled to get warm – should have gone somewhere with bigger hills. Nice a dry though not much in the way of ice. Commuting tomorrow could be tricky. Not much snow in West Yorks – not near Leeds anyway.