Boom!

Looking forward to Friday… (Coincidentally, my first ever proper barber given wet-shave).

We were 36th in the D class – that was bloody cold!

One…

And I am hugely surprised how many other STWers admit the same – I’d have assumed that people would exaggerate or just keep quiet.

However, I’m happy with one though – I bloody love you Mrs Tarka!

Blimey! This is quite cathartic isn’t it…

I used senditnow.com last week. I purloined a free box from Halfords, stripped the bike a bit, plenty of bubblewrap, 19Kg – £14 on a 48 hour UK delivery.

That’s a very valid point; in my case, I have teenage relatives older than my frame; so I’m in no hurry to upgrade it. But I might well (given my crash record) smash it to pieces… :-(

I’m still using C2s, though the spares situation gets worse with time.

Yes!

Here’s mine: Linky

I don’t know if you’re interested – but I bought a Tescos down bag last year for the OMM, used it once indoors, and then lost my nerve and bought a much warmer one for Scottish October hill use…

You can have it for £20 washed and posted if you want…

I had a new Focus Carbon Raven Pro (all XO, XTR, SIDS, FSA carbon) pinched, and because I couldn’t afford to replace it – my friend has lent me his 1999 Trek 8900…

The Trek is without question the best bike I’ve ever ridden.

Also, it’s worth considering the cut too, if you’re not the sort of person who wears a suit all that regularly, buy something classic, then you’ll get years of wear out if it – I’ve got a three-piece pinstripe that’s about twenty, and a tweed that’s older than me, both of which are very wearable. So try to avoid anything too trendy – very slim-cut for instance, or in my eyes even worse – trousers that are slightly too short (the horrible Thom Browne effect).

But, it’s a very personal thing – john drummer likes a fine pinstriped navy suit, but I like them plain – try a few on and see how you feel.

Charcoal and navy are both excellent choices – black can be problematic – it shows dust and dandruff, and can look really, really cheap – a bit “waiting staff” – it only works properly as a dinner suit (which is better in midnight blue TBH).

They do come up quite small – I’m a 41 typically, but a 42 in Sidi (and I like them quite snug)…

I’ve got a Billingham Hadley Pro Camera Bag…

Surely that’s a butch enough solution to carry my handcream/ super new red Moleskine etc.

p.s. I know the purple carpet’s vile – I’m at work, so ti’s out of my hands…

Currently wearing brogues and a knitted tie – check
Ridiculous floppy haircut – check
In a choir – check
Works in the media AND for a charity – check

I bought Mrs Rotter the red one for Mother’s day; and it has been borrowed since by her mate, who’s a fashion director in that there London…

How about a Cambridge Satchel?
£100ish, cool and practical…

I’ve got the Gentleman’s Globe Daily 1 (yes I know, I know) that CFH has mentioned…

It’s ace, and you can get a bottle of wine and a takeaway in the basket – which is more than I can say for some of the carbon monstrosities I’ve pottered around on in the past.

Oiled Timberland deck-shoes:

Teamed with chino shorts, and a worn rugby-shirt (collar up natch) – ROCKING the preppy look! *Shoots self*…

Standard issue honking posho floppy hair here I’m afraid…

Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a winner, we’ll have a go with a long toothed chainring; and if I get horribly killed, I’ll rethink the plan!

That is really tidy Keva – I was really trying to avoid a chain guide – but a bashring’s alright, and I’d never seen those little jump stops before…

What a coincidence – I was just thinking abut the excellent value worktops from Worktops R Us – as a regular customer I was amazed at the friendly service and great, great prices… See in store for details… Offer must end this Saturday… The value of your worktop can go down as well as up… Terms and conditions apply ect ect.

Also, if you’re being particularly hardcore about the whole formal dressing thing, you should wear opera pumps:

I kid you not – cool huh?

They’re a step too far for me – and I wear a low-cut dress waistcoat with a pocket watch.

Martinb – “fally off” – moi?

My ridiculous cream Rapha waterproof is going to look a treat come Sunday morning, covered in blood and mud!

I'm in London's fashionable Leighton Buzzard…

There are simply loads of specialist tonewood suppliers – David Dyke, Touchstone Tonewoods etc. etc. Just put tonewoods into Google.

Stewmac in the US (stewmac.com) are very good for specialist tools and supplies.

Although personally, making the specialist jigs and tools is half of the fun – I'm looking for a bit of 4 inch diameter aluminium pipe at the minute if anyone knows where I can find a bit, to make a bending iron.

Yes, I do; in actual fact I'm currently converting my garage into a workshop just for that purpose, as I've got a bit carried away!
I've only actually finished one so far(an electric ukulele to match my Telecaster – a "telelele" and started another couple – an 8 string ukulele and a tenor guitar.
I'd only started making instruments because I couldn't buy the specific instruments that I wanted, for instance although you can buy fully electric ukuleles – they tend to be a bit shonky, whereas mine's got a mother of pearl inlaid fingerboard, hand carved maple neck etc.
Give it a year or so, and I'll be able to answer loads of questions ;-)

FWIW until about a year ago we lived in a frankly enormous (and freezing) detached house in Germany – then moved back to the UK, struggled to get a mortgage as we had no UK credit history, and so bought a standard victorian mid-terraced cottage.
Admittedly, we've got super neighbours, but our gas bill has dropped from a golden bucket full of diamonds every quarter – to about 6p a year – our house is always toasty warm in the winter – and so I'd never (unless I became rich beyond the dreams of avarice) live in a detached house again.

My mixing desk works, my clean feeds are set up, my ISDN lines are tested, I've got the Internet – but I can't get the coffee machine to work – NIGHTMARE!

I'm sat in a radio studio next to the control tower; I think we're planning to get here by 07:00 tomorrow and Saturday, to avoid the crush.

As I remember, it's a harrowing expose of the trials of growing up disenfranchised in the urban jungle; but I may be thinking of "Hot Tub Time Machine" – I'm always getting those two mixed up; well them and "Battleship Potemkin" anyway!

I think the above commenters are wrong – I think you're thinking of "Snakes On A Plane"…

You know he is…

He really is…

:-(

"Model" for an art school life-drawing class. Paid hard cash to show tiny-tarka to a load of old ladies; and those rooms are COLD! You don't look your best :-(

What size is it? Soprano, concert or tenor?

How much did you have in mind?

But then, I dress like a farmer – so what do I know :-(

I've only got one truly bespoke piece – a tweed hacking jacket, and it really feels much nicer than any of my "tailored" stuff – but, and it's a big but (he he, I said big butt!) you could have a bought a usable second hand car for the price.

Alternatively, buy a good quality second hand bespoke suit from Hornet's in Kensington, for £100 or so, then get it altered to fit properly (Coleman & Son's in Leicester are very good) – then you can have a really, really nice piece for a couple of hundred quid or so…

Assuming of course that you don't mind wearing dead men's clothes (I don't).

I had some last night in fact, and they were aces – bang goes the diet then…
I don't think we've met – we only moved to LB from Germany last October; but you often mention local landmarks, and I'm sure that once you said you lived in Linslade.
To be honest, I had wondered offhand if you were my mate Chris before that; but he lives on Grove Road.
I sometimes go out with some lads on a Thursday night in Woburn or Totternhoe, but I'm still finding my feet a bit in the local area.
So if you ever fancy having an XC Jeyboy along (I climb like a goat on crack, but descend like a old-lady goat with a fear of falling off) – I'm always up for a ride (leave-pass from my wife notwithstanding).
Incidentally, are there any decent local clubs about?

Oldgit – North Sea Chippy? Are you mad?

Lords' Fish and Chips from the van parked outside the Falcon on a Monday night every time – om nom nom ;-)

And Happy 2nd Birthday to my boy Henry (Henry Dai naturally)…

I had to pull over at the end of tonight's episode for a cry…

I am SUCH a wuss :-(