Thanks Sanny. 👍

Enjoyed the article, Sanny – thanks. Great to see pics of so many familiar places. I had to do a double take … it looked like Dave was coming out of my old close … but same close, different door. Just round the corner I should think. That was braw looking cake … might have to swing by next time I’m in that neck of the woods.

From our last conversation … I did get back on my bike … could have done with an ebike … had to keep stopping on the climbs as my heart threatened to rattle itself loose. Absolutely loved it once I finally remembered how to ride a bike. 😃

Hi renton – hope you’re recovering well, and hope you get your rhythm issues sorted. As longdog said … I found the emotional recovery far more of an issue than the physical recovery after heart surgery. Wishing you well.

👍😃

👍 Thanks.

Hello @singletracktech – same for me. Thanks very much.

Bon voyage. Will enjoy reading your updates. New flag?

Happy Birthday, Hannah. Hope you have a lovely day and get your tea made for you. Many happy returns. 🙂

Interesting what you say about goldfinches, Bunnyhop – I saw one in the garden just the other day and remarked to myself that I hadn’t seen one in quite a while. Always a treat to see them.

That’s exactly what I felt as “Song to the siren” was played at Carolyn’s funeral, I almost broke down but had a huge surge of power from the effect it seemed to have on everyone

MrOvershoot – great song, and hopefully that positive feeling will be one of the first things you remember when you think of that day. When I think back, the first things I remember are the kindness and care of the people, and the feeling of strength and hope from that music – and also for me, the fun and light-heartedness and mischief of that music played on the organ in that solemn setting.

Lovely photos MrOvershoot. Congratulations on your retirement – mixed emotions for you, I’m sure. Hope you can make the best of it.

Great review – thanks Hannah.
Great to think about the enhanced confidence these could bring to many people … I liked this from the website: ‘Proudly owned and designed in Australia by real people with leaking bodies’.
Also great to see a website with people of all ages, shapes and sizes modelling the products. 👍

Sorry to hear about your Mum – my best wishes to you and yours.

The funeral service for my partner was in the university chapel – it was great to hear the organ belting out the Star Wars main theme as we filed out. He would have loved it, and it made me smile on a challenging day.

I was there yesterday. Red and blue open – just a tiny diversion on the red – from this page:

https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/forest-parks/tweed-valley-forest-park/glentress#bike

You can scroll down for info about trail closures. Have a good ride. 🙂

Edit: top of that page has ‘Latest forest information’ – car park closures etc.

Ah ha, I hope you enjoy it! I thought it was great, but then I do rather have a fetish for Japan… 🙂

That said, the language learning has gone on hold – off to France this summer, so switched to French. I shall go back to Japanese at some point! 🙂

👍 Much to interest me too in Japanese culture … so I suspect I will enjoy this book. Would like to visit some day. Hope you have a great holiday in France. 🙂

Currently reading Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce. It’s interesting and quite unexpected.

Next up is Walking in Circles by Todd Wassel – recommended on here some time ago by @pondo. (How’s the Japanese coming along?) 🙂

Not on your route, but wishing you a great adventure. 👍 😃

No Mow May could require a combine harvester by the end!

This! The starlings looking for worms are managing to sneak about pretty much undetected.

I’ve got the usual suspects – daisies, buttercups and dandelions; but also some forget-me-nots and daffodils, and a geranium which set up camp a few years ago and I just mow round. I’ve got some poppy seeds which I’ll sow shortly.

SaxonRider – I’ve always really enjoyed your contributions to the forum and it doesn’t surprise me at all that you have such an interesting background. It sounds like a great idea – hope it is successful for you.

Great to hear from you, Sanny. Thanks for the encouragement. I’ll look forward to part 2 – that sounds right up my street. I’ll post an update once I’m back on the trails. 😃

Enjoyed this, Sanny – thanks.

It struck a chord with me as I’ll soon be out on the bike again after too many years of being unable to ride. I can’t wait. Sadly, I won’t have an e-bike to help me up the hills, but I’m hoping my massive grin will be enough to keep me going. 😃 I’m picking the bike up from the shop this week – after following an old recommendation for a bike shop from you on here – thanks for that. 👍

Great news ton.

My very best wishes to all on this thread. It’s scary to have a heart issue. I’m a member of the Zip Club too (love that!). For me it was a congenital plumbing issue – some abnormal cardiac geography! – which didn’t become apparent until I was in my late 30s. I think my first question to the surgeon was: will I still be able to ride my bike? The answer for me was yes, and I’ve been very grateful for that. Yes, a massive thumbs up for the NHS.

Most days – porridge – rice flakes, oats, coconut milk, various additions.

Now and again – toast, butter, jam.

At Christmas – hot mince pie and cream.

deconstructed sausages

😆

More than one answer today? A friend got a different answer to me.

stevenmenmuir – same here (for yesterday).

I LOVE custard. 😍

That flan looks amazing.

Best thread ever.

Older than Kylie, younger than Madonna

Pretty much the same age, height and weight as Kylie. Not nearly as cool though. (Do people still say cool? – possibly showing my age). 😃

Sounds like you need clarification.

😃

Two words I mispronounce regularly are:

statistics = stastistics

fritillary = flitillaly

I can say them properly if I speak really slowly, but if I try at normal speed they just don’t come out right.

Also, I say skel-ee-t’l – taught to me by a prof of muscle physiology … most people seem to say skel-eh-t’l – which seems quite sensible based on skeleton. Finally checked the dictionary today and, if I’m understanding the phonetic symbols properly, it seems that both are fine.

@Rona shop rice pudding doesn’t need warming.

Och, I’m not so keen on it cold!

Now, your name reminds me … the other day I finally gave in and tried a cheese and jam sandwich for the first time … michty me, it was fabulous … but, on the theme of a preference for warm rather than cold food … has anyone tried a cheese toastie (grilled, not toastie-makered) with butter and jam spread on the top? Seems like something I should try.

I like Rachel’s rice pudding, warmed in a pot. Happy days. 🙂

^^^
That third one has some lovely features.

If you’d like the ruin of a 15th century castle in your garden:
https://search.savills.com/property-detail/gbglrsgls220031

If you’d like a castle to live in:
https://search.savills.com/property-detail/gbedrseds100218
https://search.savills.com/property-detail/gbedruedr210024

If you like quirky décor:
https://search.savills.com/property-detail/gbedrseds170248

If you like golf:
https://search.savills.com/property-detail/gbedrseds210291

Ballet last night 😃

Aching this morning 😬🙂

I used to struggle to get to sleep at night – anxiety, mind not shutting down. An early bedtime – light off by 10 pm – has had a transformational effect on me, and I now fall asleep easily most nights, even with anxiety.

The other thing which has made a huge difference is eating my main meal at lunchtime (middle of day), as others have said, and having a light dinner (early evening) … so I’m not trying to sleep while digesting a large meal. A porridge breakfast means I don’t need to snack before lunch, and a substantial lunch means I don’t generally feel inclined to snack in the afternoon. This change took a real shift of perspective, but I wouldn’t change back now. When I used to work outside the home this required planning, commitment and a food flask! Harder with a busy family life, of course.

This works for me. Hope you find what works for you.

Sorry I can’t help with advice, but your story about helping your elderly neighbour has restored my faith in the human race today. 🙂

are you aware that you dont need to check with a dictionary?

Thanks, had forgotten! Do like to expand my vocabulary … although I can’t imagine slipping today’s word into conversation any time soon!

Yes the last few words do seem more obscure.

I had to use the dictionary this morning to check my final guess was actually a word.

I phoned Apple recently and was given a choice of musical genres for hold music … classical, jazz, &c. … I was also given the option of waiting in silence … lovely. I started the call in a calm frame of mind. Impressed.

In the last 12 days I’ve only managed to play twice! Busy, and have been prioritising other things for leisure time. I’ve been finding it useful to keep a note of when I’ve played so I can clearly see if I start to drift away from it, and can refocus. I’ll get back to it tomorrow.

But if I ignore it, will it still exist? 🤔

Day 20-26 … have played four times in the week. Progress is slow, but it’s all I can manage for now. Also enjoying, so all well.

👍 😃

(The vid … not the green stripe on shirt comment above. 😂)