^ That’s great to hear. I’m also a massive fan! 😃

I read The Secret Life of Trees a couple of years ago and it blew my mind!

This exactly! Fascinating book. What sticks in my mind is the way that neighbouring trees could keep an injured tree alive – a community of trees. Have you read this one Bunnyhop? – Strikes me as something you might enjoy too … as soon as I saw the picture in kathg’s post above I said to myself: I suspect Bunnyhop will be along in a minute.

had something of a religious moment with some crisps

😂 Can relate!

Great article. Really enjoyed it, particularly the interview tales. 👍

Sue – that must be hard for you to now find difficulty with these things – particularly reading, as you loved it enough to study English Lit. – and I admire that you do the best you can.

That sounds like a really interesting book – right up my street. I’ve often thought it funny that we come into this life without a proper instruction manual! Thanks for the recommendation.

Thanks for that, Hannah – that’s really helpful – I must have missed it on the main forum. I haven’t had a chance to watch any of the cycling at all, so will catch up with the xc once it’s been on. It was nice to recognise some of the familiar walking and biking trails near the start of the xc course video – amazing how the camera can flatten a steep hill. Also refreshing to watch a video with no music – just the sound of the bikes and some heavy breathing from time to time. Will look forward to watching the pros make it look easy!

Caught up with some of the Jazz Prom on iPlayer last night – Dee Dee Bridgewater with Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra. It was brilliant. So good to see musicians really enjoying themselves. Really enjoyed the arrangement of Feeling Good, with a twist in the tail – worth a watch if you like this sort of thing (about 39 min in). Dee Dee Bridgewater is an impressive lady. She said in the introduction that she is 73, and it was great to see her looking well, in great shape, and bursting with life and energy.

Yup, Anna-B – think I’ll stick with the shampoo! … but it always amazes me how people can adapt to their circumstances and environment. Sounds like an interesting programme.

Oh, not just me then! 😃 My once a year or so films are Pride and Prejudice, Serendipity, and Bend it like Beckham. Also like to rewatch Love Actually, Notting Hill, and The Proposal now and again.

The Paddington books were amongst my favourites as a child, and I thought the films were really well done.

👍 AM.

GolfChick – I struggled with the Witcher too. I enjoyed the first few episodes of season 1, and then slogged my way through the rest of the season. I spent ages saying I’m not going to watch season 2, but eventually tried it … I probably enjoyed it a bit more than season 1, but it was still a slog. I’m not going to even start season 3! It’s a shame because there are some great characters.

Shows – yes, great idea! I saw A Streetcar Named Desire at the theatre a couple of weeks ago. It was superb … menacing and gripping – outstanding acting. Funnily enough, I watched the Pretty Woman film on iPlayer quite recently when I was looking for some comfort viewing … still a great film.

Thanks Bunnyhop! I didn’t realise it was a trilogy … these are great titles! I have no experience with teaching young children (only young adults!) but I just find it so interesting to read about other people’s experiences. And I do like an easy, comforting book – as you say – in between more challenging reading. I’ve never read Agatha Raisin, so I looked it up and really laughed at the title of the first book – Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death! I struggle with crime books (or tv shows) as I don’t cope well with too much graphic or gritty detail – in the past Agatha Christie has been about my limit. These look like fun.

Sounds interesting, Heather 👍. Must be nice to get to conferences again and actually get to speak to others in person about your work.

Every time I come to this thread it’s great to see more and more women appearing. It’s lovely to read a bit about you all. 👋 🙂

Bunnyhop – yes, one of the reasons I enjoy Sewing Bee so much is that it is kind! I am also a fan of a period drama and have wondered about watching World on Fire – I think I will give it a go. Your brother’s book sounds great, and also seems like the sort of thing my Mum would enjoy – I’ll get a copy for her, thanks (and will read it myself too). Would love to have see Blondie live!

We watched Sweet Tooth just recently, Dolcered … it’s one of the few series where I’ve thought the second season was better than the first.

Congratulation on your Masters redsnail – what was your subject?

That looks a bit on the scary side for me, Hannah! Oh jings, Bunnyhop!

I watched the film Yesterday over the weekend … it was light-hearted fun, and reminded me just how many fabulous Beatles songs there are, and they just don’t seem to sound dated to me.

👍 mamadirt. Pics most welcome – always remember your builds being pretty.

Lovely to hear your replies – thank you!

I know what you mean, Hannah – on days when I do more writing, I don’t tend to do much reading! I’ve never really listened to podcasts at all … I’m a bit behind the times really! … off to google all of these! My friend is currently bingeing Lincoln Lawyer too! He’s really enjoying it.

I think making fancy dress costumes, curtains, cushions, shortening things and men’s shirts are all well impressive. I can just about fix a hole! I’m pretty handless – my Mum gave me a wee lesson on how to use her machine … and it’s still not working properly since I touched it! She’s promised to help me with the dress, so there’s at least a chance it will be wearable! Pics of any finished items would be most welcome!

Thanks Zoe! – yes, music’s great. I play the violin in the orchestra. I learnt as a child and teenager, but then my teacher retired and I got busy with life and didn’t really play for about 30 years! I got back to it about 5 years ago and joined the orchestra. It’s really good, as it caters for beginners too, so that people with very little experience of their instrument – or are super rusty after years of not playing! – can join in and do what they can. I’m also very slowly learning the harp. I was given a 3 month harp hire for Christmas a couple of years ago, and as soon as I took it out of the box and plucked one string I knew I couldn’t send it back!

I really enjoyed The Midnight Library too – great book – and I’m glad you reminded me about it as I’ll go back and have a look at what else he’s written that I might like – will look at How to Stop Time. I definitely prefer reading the book first before seeing the film! I also enjoyed A Boy Called Christmas – I may be on the far side of 50, but I can still appreciate a good children’s book! Great to hear your son enjoys being read to – a lovely thing to do together.

I haven’t read the magazine in a long time but had a scan through issue 147 to give you some feedback. I do like a magazine and used to get STW delivered, but can’t justify the paper any more (or the storage space!) and just subscribe electronically – although this does mean that I forget to read it in a way that would never have happened when it used to pop through the letterbox. Since the time I used to read it regularly (although I can’t remember how long ago that was), there does seem to be more content which is more specifically relevant for women – that makes me feel more included.

I liked Amanda’s bikepacking article – it sounded like fun, and the fact it was a group of women made it seem more accessible to me.

I thought I would have enjoyed the article about Jura more. I did enjoy it – but KLF and whisky don’t interest me, so I kind of skipped over those parts. Nice pics and inclusion of info, but it didn’t make me want to visit, which was a surprise to me as I like a nice Scottish island.

I liked Chad Bean’s article – it sounded like a challenging situation … challenge has been my middle name over the last decade or so, and I find comfort in reading about how other people have faced challenges and overcome them, or are adapting to them.

I enjoyed Chipps’ article about living in France … bikes and riding – always good … but with the added dimension of getting to grips with a new environment. Again, a challenge.

I liked the wee In the Spotlight section on Zoë – light-hearted, and always nice to learn a bit about others.

‘Feel the Love’ really made me smile – both words and drawings! Thanks! 🙂

Hi @mamadirt – I’ve been trying to solve the case of the missing external hard drive with no success as yet, so have no access to my bike photos. Will post one when it eventually turns up!

Thanks to everyone who has posted … thanks for sharing. 🙂

Lovely to read all your posts and learn a little about you. It strikes me that everyone has expressed challenges or pressures of one type or another around riding, posting on the forum, or in general … but we’re all still adapting and doing the best we can. It seems that the Singletrack ladies are made of strong stuff. 👍

Coming right up @mamadirt – I don’t have any to hand so will look one out and post it up in the next day or so. Shame about the Tazer – I can relate … I had a lovely Norco 4by and sold it to fund a second hand M1 – worst decision ever! I still wish I’d kept it, and that was years and years ago now. I enjoyed your posts back in the day – seemed like you always had a frame build on the go.

Hello Everyone 😃, I’m Rona – nice to meet you all!

Funnily enough, I do come here often! I love STW, and have been here for about 20 years, but hardly ever post … I’m a sensitive soul! I’m really pleased about the new women’s forum, and I’m hoping I’ll feel more comfortable to contribute more here.

I like MTB riding (also not a fan of road riding), although only got back out on the trails last year after a long pause due to post-traumatic stress issues. This year I haven’t ridden at all due to some weird thing going on in my back 🙄. So, in the meantime, I’m walking and yogaing, and have bought a new swimsuit to tempt myself into the pool. My old swimsuit was older than an old thing, and I did have some fear that it would disintegrate at the merest sniff of chlorinated water – no one wants that! Also, yes … too many hobbies and other interests!

When I’m riding, I can usually be found on a 26″ turquoise Intense Spider – do say hello if you see me out on the trails one day – I’m friendly 😃.

Bunnyhop – I’ve enjoyed your nature-related posts, thank you!

This thread … 😂

Lovely to see the old posts, thanks.

Hey, @Sanny – I’ve never seen your full title before – Sanny the sandshoe cyclist!

Good, and sad too, to see posts from folk I knew IRL who are no longer here – Jenn, and my late partner, Andy.

I’ve been here since about 2002, although I hardly ever post.

^ mugsys_m8 – hope things look up for you.

Congratulations. You both look really happy, and that’s lovely to see. All the best. 😃

👍 Likewise!

Will do!

Brilliant. 👍 😃

Will aim to come by for the start to say hello and wave you off.

Funnily enough, off to visit Andy’s folks today – they’ll be glad to hear this. Thanks.

Off the top of my head:
Abba, Blondie, Duran Duran, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, Pete Townshend, Pearl Jam, Jamie Cullum
Sinatra, Ella
Vivaldi, Tartini, Bach, Debussy, Ravel, Vaughan Williams
Love music. 😃

Will you have a car? It’s about a half hour or so drive to Helensburgh, where you can find Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s The Hill House … currently inside a large transparent-ish box – you can climb the stairs outside the house to walkways and look down on the roof. Quite cool.

I once had a take away sandwich from The Ginger Breadman in Helensburgh – one of the best sandwiches I’ve had, although that was nearly five years ago. They have a wee cafe now – I imagine it’s really good. Also had a nice lunch at Duck Bay on the way home.

This is SUPERB! 😃

It did make me smile, and sent me out this morning with a reminder to face up to the challenges of the day (and of life) as best I can. Inspiring. Thanks for posting.

Wow! The greater flamingo reflected in the water is simply stunning. 😃

Thanks for sharing – your photos are superb.
I particularly like the snow bunting against the white background, the heron amongst the tree branches, and the heads and antlers of the two red deer. The gannet’s head and the mandarin duck are both very striking.
Will check back and look at the other sections when I have more time.
👍

Brain Energy by Dr Christopher M. Palmer. I’m probably about halfway through and finding it to be a fascinating read.

I’m so sorry. Wishing you strength for the times ahead. I lost my partner to an accident almost 14 years ago – I have steady ground beneath my feet now, but it took time. Glad you and your wife’s family have each other for support.

This thread is very entertaining. 😃

However most of you are men and a lot of my female friends like to have a special item (maybe a tea towel or oven glove) in their kitchen which isn’t used for oiling the chain, or degreasing the chain, or spreading mucoff.

Ha ha – yes! I don’t have a special tea towel, but I’m really very keen on drying my dishes with something clean, rather than something that’s been on the floor, or used for wiping anything that doesn’t come under the category of dishes. Call me perjinkety if you must. 😃

Was anyone else brought up to never ever dry their hands on any tea towel, only the kitchen hand towel?

Yes! Still feel guilty if I give my hands a quick wipe on the tea towel after drying some item – in my own kitchen!

How about a thread resurrection? I’ve missed hearing what you’re all reading.

I’m currently reading A Room with a View by E.M. Forster. The back cover says it is ‘a sunny, brilliantly witty comedy of manners.’ Too early to comment, but hoping it will be a tonic. I did enjoy the film back in the day.

Current favourites:
drookit
fankle
heelster-gowdie
skrunkit

Thanks very much @drnosh. Much appreciated. 🙂

Some great badges up there. Daffy / monkeyboyjc – those are superb … wanders off to look up Jen Green. The weird cat one is great too.

I have a lovely Intense badge, but cant get it to stay on. My LBS stuck it back on with carpet tape (I think), but it fell off again – on the kitchen floor, rather than the trail, thankfully. Any tips for secure attachment would be greatly appreciated.

I am disturbed by the wonky beams

😂

Stayed in a place like that in England once (the night before Dusk ’til Dawn IIRC) – beautiful property but couldn’t wait to get out in the morning, away from the weird creaks, wonky beams and general lack of symmetry – made me feel slightly disorientated (and I wasn’t even pissed).

Went to the spanish desert today

A contender for the Arrrgghh! My Eye! thread surely. Can anyone else see the head of a slightly stern sand creature wearing sunglasses?

Edit: Think it may have been TwentyFour12 rather than D2D.

Big bands? I never really got Glenn Miller until I was in the mood.

👏 😃

Thanks for the update crewlie. I’m glad you were able to do your bit as you had wanted to. Sounds like you will have positive memories of the day to think back on as time goes on. Good to hear about your first grandchild and how your wife had known. All the best now for the weeks and months ahead.

That’s the one, I must have followed the more recent link to it, thank you.

Glad to help.

Everyone there will have walked in your shoes themselves, or they’ll be able to imagine doing so, to some extent at least. They’ll all realise how tough it will be for you to say a few words, and will be silently supporting you.

I’m so sorry to hear this. Hope you manage to just do the best you can on the day. I’m wishing you well.

Was it this thread? It’s not a recent thread, but the OP linked to it in a more recent thread about a month ago.
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/im-in-need-of-some-support-from-you-lot-sad-content-im-afraid/

Meeting all these lovely people is also comforting and reassuring. Ive been shown a lot of love and it helps.

👍🙂