Thanks guys, I think Hora has hit the nail on the head, this is a long term stress thing, yep, I work in sales, yep, I’m very successful and yep, I have thrived on stress situations for years and years and loved it.

Now its just getting out of control. Shouting at people in the car, chasing idiot drivers when I’m on the bike (dangerous and stoopid I know) and it feels out of control. The smallest things make me feel sick.

Just too much stress over the past few years (moved country twice, moved house 5 times, had a house in Australia that took over 3 years to sell, lost a fortune on it, had to evict three people for non-payment of rent in Aus, nearly went bust at the end of last year, sick wife with Diabetes and Rheumatoid Arthritis etc, etc, etc)

Thanks so much for all your thoughts guys, really, really glad I wrote the note ! I’ll see a Doc next week.

As for the office thing, I am seperate and we used to have strict rules, 11 years later, its all very blurry and I want to help out as much as I can because she has crappy days with her health, but it just seems to be getting way out of hand. Problem is feeling like I do, communicating in a normal fashion is not that straightforward 🙁

The problem is that I work for myself and I work from home all alone, I am therefore around the house and around my wife all day, every day. Part of the problem is that, no question and given I am around all the time when I disappear for 5 minutes to the shed for a quiet fettle, she is out in 10 finding out where I am, its maddening.

The other part at this time of the year is just that exercise bit, you guessed it given where we all are (on this forum) cycling and in particular road riding which is more my thing these days is out of bounds, so no fun to be had.

I hope its a seasonal thing, it seems to be much worse at this time of the year.

So just like the Spark then. But good coverage ? I can’t find anything online about spread patterns for these two…..anyone point me in the right direction ?

Just what I want to hear ! Thanks groovers. Love your work.

S

Interesting Clong, the breadth of field is pretty important as well, although less so than the depth from bottom to top (if you get my meaning) is it (the diablo) more of a circular beam spread ?

Any clues as to when that will be released ?

Thanks guys, still a bargain, but less so with giving the govt their cut, questionable sizing on the frame (weird combination of short seat tube and long top tube road bike) so probably give it a miss, but worth a punt at a later date. Still much, much cheaper over there.

On another idea, what about if you are travelling to the UK, take a bike bag with you (with a crappy old thing in perhaps)and you buy something over there ride it around to get it mucky, you likely to be able to bring it back in duty free or are they onto that ? 😉

Apparently the ones that I have been using are the latest silica hydrogel ones, I am now waiting for 2 new types, one of the older hydrogel with a higher water content and another SH version with (apparently) higher water content ??

Driving me nuts and the optician was looking at me like I was some sort of trouble maker. Fed up.

I’m not using specsavers at all, good reputable independent optician who got my prescription better (more accurate) than in any time in the past 15 years of wearing bins. But I have to say IMHO he has not been fantastic in the contacts side of things in the 2 weeks I’ve been going through this anguish. Back to my bins again today (2 pairs – one short and one long) at least I can see and don’t feel like punching anyone.

Wow ! That sounds amazing, bloody hell you can get anything out there can’t you !

Blinking, I blinking never stop blinking at the moment, people I am interviewing think I am winking at them and blinking in most inappropriate places (I run a recruitment company, so not helpful !!) I look like a freak ! 🙄

They sound the business, the ones I have are supposed to be excellent Comfilcon I think they are, but they are definitely too dry for my eyes, but I had no idea that they came in different “wetnesses” (ooh er Missus!)

They are monthlies, but you put them in and out every day.

I’ll try some of these daysoft ones next !

Wow, how blooming sciency this is !! No, no blotting paper and those monthlies sound amazing.

With eye drops in, I can see perfectly and I get the whole idea of these contacts, they are awesome, but really, I am getting 10 minutes of perfection followed by hours of miserable itching and sad-facedness !

Wrong eyes methinks !!

Alarm bells ? Definitely !! Why do you think I am posting desperately on a mountain bike website for eye advice !!!!!!!!!!!! Hilarious really, they should just lock me up !

Thanks heaps guys.

T666DOM, great info, thanks and to all of you, I knew I’d get the answer here !!!

There is no question that 1 short day and 1 longer day, they are feeling much, much better. I really did think I was going mad and they were a complete disaster, brain I guess is an amazing thing.

I always though the astigmatism in my right eye (dominant and therefore distance) was worse than that in my left, maybe not !

How long should I wait before keeping them in for the whole day and into the night ???

Didzy, that is just what I want to hear !!

I believe that Costco is the very best place to get contacts, they are bargain buckets of joy ! I have been quoted £30 a month from my optician, so even £18 sounds a bargain !

John_drummer, Didzy (and my) Toric lenses are more expensive than the standard single vision ones.

But try Costco, they are brilliant and there is a few around the country now, worth checking on your location.

LOL !

Thanks guys, I have now put them in again, so its day 2 with the Comfilcon ones (on the reading eye) which are definitely better, I’m not having problems with dry eyes, but whilst my distance eye is perfect, the reading eye is no question weird. In short, with the contacts in my general eyesight is IMHO worse than without. I will give it a week of wearing this every day and see how it is then, I am still not wearing the reading one for a whole day yet (there is no way I could anyway,they are doing my head in !!)

The toric lenses are what I have now and they are way better than the standard spherical.

My God, what we go through just so as not to have to constantly have 2 pairs of specs all the time !

Thanks Tim, unfortunately though Brants link doesn't work…..anyone got the paperwork they could scan and send me ? 😉

It was the concave washers I was missing ! Much more straight forward now !!

Now I just need to get the bloody things bled !

My mother-in-law (an incredibly fit and healthy and vibrant old bird at 86) was put on statins last year for raised cholestrol (I think), she went downhill like a bloody rocket, felt sick, woozy, lost muscle control etc, etc.

Came off the statins, now good as gold.

Me, wouldn't touch the bloody things with a stick (in my purely ignorant opinion) unless my life literally depended on them.

Its basic and it will be heavy, but it might be solid and reliable. Depends on what he wants to do with it. It'd be fine if he's a kid and just wants to get into road riding, but if he's experienced and wants to race, it'll be junk.

As per usual, buy the best bike he can afford. IMHO I would be much more likely to buy a second hand better quality bike. There are plenty out there for a few hundred quid with good quality steel frames etc that are probably cheaper and definitely better quality.

Good luck

There is no brake adapter on at the moment, just a standard disc block and rotor (165mm) but I also have a 185mm adapter and a 185 rotor, but I can't get that right at all…..

I'll try it at 165mm with the concave washers. Is it just a case of hit and miss ?

3 hours to Afan, over 6 to GT

Good advice there, the one slowing us down…..will be me 🙁

GT I agree is great and a good blend of tough and twisty and doable. He is 14, good bike handler, but its me that falls off all the time…..broken shoulder and hand last time we went to GT…..now that was a tough drive home !

Like the sound of the XC90, the CRV is just too small my kids are 11, 15 and 17 (same with the Freelander). Bit of a squeeze in anything smaller than my Merc. I'll get to looking on the XC90 trail.

Agreement on the X5, love them, but electrics not supposed to be all that when they get a bit older.

The good news continues, Jules has lost 7kg+ to this point, I am down 10kg and we are both feeling fantastic. Thanks to everyone for their help and advice.

Happy trails

Ahem….should have checked tool box, I also have loads to choose from…..what an idiot !

Question, can you stick a 185mm IS extension onto a post mount adaptor, or is it (like I think it will be) too dangerous have 2 adaptors together ?

Yeah, I meant the caliper (dozy me) so the post mount calipers are newer are they ? I'll check on CRC or the like then. Thanks (other) Sean !

Cheers
(this) Sean

So what is the best Chip to go for ? I am horribly confused, I just want something pretty fast….. 🙂

Thanks Clubber, I only just got the frame and absolutely love it, it deserves better than the MXComps it has on at the moment !

What would be the most I could run ?? 140mm ? Or would that ride like a chopper ?? What was it made for ?? 120's ?

Renton, you are not alone, I am here typing with a dislocated shoulder and a badly mashed wrist, face and leg after completely cocking up a set of doubles at Glentress yesterday. Long drive home to London OUCH !!

Still could have been worse.

Me ? I'm going around them next time. Pushing down and using rebound seems like the easiest thing to say in the world, but if (like me) you just don't get it…..you're stuffed !

Ride safe and keep your wheels on the ground there fellas !

Too old to hurt myself this badly……again !

Bugger. X-9 shifters, never mind, love my X-7 rear mech, just a bit shagged.

Anyone need a lovely new(ish) XT shadow rear mech ? 😉

So, an update, she is off the booze, eating all sorts of stuff I never thought I'd see her stuffing down her neck (blueberries, porridge etc) and has lost 3kg and is on target to get her weight right down. She's walking 30-60 mins everyday and I have been doing my bit also and have lost 6kg as well !

Thanks for all the advice guys, I can't believe the change. I guess the time was just right for her to finally hear it !

Thanks
Sean

Thanks again guys, where do I buy this heavy oil ??

Also has anyone got a wand thingy that they could lend me ? I'd happily pay postage and buy the guys a beer, or we could meet in London and I'd buy you a beer, or I live in Harpenden so anywhere near is good for meeting !

S

Thanks guys, I'll get to it. As for my pedalling style, as my name suggests I am a big time roadie and a real spinner these days which is why I struggle so badly with the boingy boingy nature of these bad boys !

Ta again.
S

There is no way she wants to chuck in the towel. I have to say, she has put the "F*ck you Diabetes" coat on and is getting seriously kick arse about it, which was just what I had hoped would happen.

She is demanding that I take her for an hour walk every day and make her porridge (which she absolutely hates) after nearly blowing chunks all over the kitchen forcing it down yesterday, sod me but today she came back for day two and PUT RASPBERRIES ON IT !! We have been together for 22 years and it is the FIRST PIECE OF FRUIT I HAVE EVER SEEN HER EAT !!!!!!! (except lime in her Barcardi and Diet Coke !!

She has been put on Metformin 500mg which she has taken before (apparently, I just thought it was one of the several million RA drugs she has been on over the past 15 years) As for injectibles, she has no probs with these as she injects Methotrexate weekly into her butt and Anti TNF weekly into her stomach, so she is tough as hell.

I honestly cannot believe her attitude since the first really BAD day, she has just got the fight in her that I have never seen her with this, she knows she has to get on top of it. She has set up a weight chart (she reckons she needs to lose 10kg – which she is determined to do) and if she can keep up the kick arse nature, she will do it. She is incredibly determined in everything in life, but has always completely folded about this in the past, so thats why I've been so worried.

Okay, so onwards and upwards. I'll drag her around the farm once a day and force feed her porridge, but the big question is what do we do when we go out ? That has always been her biggest issue, as she doesn't want to starve herself, but feels that when she is in the "good eating" mindset, she is an Exocet missile and cannot ever deviate. I don't think this is healthy (if you know what I mean) and she can surely have a night off occasionally or am I wrong and she is right. She (and I) love a drink (not too many, but probably too many to be the right amount), can she still have a gargle when we go out and about.

I want to somehow make this "new" life as bearable and realistic as possible for her. She has got it, will stick to what she needs to do (for the moment), will need dragging back online when she deviates and will need me for support (I hope) but this is long time change. I know it will help me, I mean I have given up the booze for Lent and have already lost 1.6kg for Gods sake !! Last time we took this seriously I went from 110kg to 84, I'm 90 now, I'll be bloody Damiano Cunego next !!!

Thanks guys, to all of you, even the Tough Love guys, it all helps. Things like this are a real pain and because she is such a private person, I can't really talk to my close friends about it, because she wants it kept to herself, distant friends like you guys are the best kind in this situation !!

Cheers
S

Thanks for your thoughts guys, there is no way however that me shouting at her and telling her to sort herself out is going to help, she is too raw for that. She knows what she is doing wrong and has done incredibly well in the past to control what she eats, she is not massively overweight, a bit, but she is 50 and has had 3 kids as well as rheumatoid arthritis for 15 years, so can't run or walk too far.

What I am really looking for is support in helping me help her and there has been plenty of that here, so thanks for that. I know that in part she has brought in on herself by her shite diet, she knows that too and hates the fact that she can't increase the good portion of her diet. I just want to keep her "up" she will, I know from past experience, sink into deep depression if I hassle and harangue her, its about slowly slowly catchee monkey.

Thanks for your thoughts, we both know how serious it all is, I guess that's why I am worried and she is desperate to put it right before it's too late.

S

"Yes it's both knees but more on my left knee, down the outside and slightly below them."

Just a point, but if the pain is below your knee, it won't be ITB problems, that is ABOVE the knee as the ITB runs from the outside of the knee to the hip, the rubbing is caused where the ITB runs over the Lateral Condyle of the knee (if I remember my anatomy & physiology correctly)

I have had this problem for 25 years, DO NOT run the half marathon, get it some RICE, some physio and see someone about orthotics, they may well help. It is one of those buggering parts of the body that really don't heal and stretching is a bit of a misnomer from what I remember of my reading into the problem.

In short it is a pain in the proverbial and the most agonising pain I have ever had in my life, be grateful you don't get it on the bike as well. If I move my saddle more than a couple of mm, I am in big trouble.

Don't run again until the pain subsides, anti-inflams just mask the problem.

Good luck !

Hi you guys, thanks for your thoughts. As for how she knew it was coming, she had pregnancy diabetes with our 3rd bambino, they think she was undiagnosed with it for our second, hence him being 9 weeks early and she developing Rheumatoid Arthritis after it.

As for the "ordinary" diet, I meant that sardonically ! It is crap (her diet that is !)

I will get in touch with Diabetes UK, I just want to help, I agree completely with DickBarton, that she needs to pull herself together and as Chopper Reid said "harden the f*ck up", but she is in denial and in a bad place with this one. If you knew her like I do and see how she deals with the RA every day, it would probably be easier to understand just how unlike her, this attitude is, she is already beaten by it and she's just kicking off.

Thanks again groovers. It's Type II BTW and has been controlled well by diet in the past, but it (the change of diet) is what really gets her down. That and she is sh*tting herself about the future.

Sigh.

Thanks
S

Pat Boone – Enter Sandman !

Absolutely brilliant

As is anything that Hayseed Dixie does.