I'm alive

Well, this potato has officially vacated the couch.

I had my first serious game of squash last night, with no painkillers, no anti-inflammatories and no after effects. Nuther game today lunchtime, again on Thursday. Season approaches and my goal is to be proper fit for it. Now I just need to get cycling to work... ah, it's pissing down.

Got a recording of Lyn and the others' drunken singing at the bitter end of Friday night, before Lyn's 36 hour hangover. It's a poor (not to say tone-deaf) rendition of Knocking on Heaven's Door, with a fair amount of loony laughter from the wifester. I think it's hilarious, but have been persuaded not to post it.

More soon.

Camping

Went to the Bull i'th Thorn campsite near Buxton, for a weekend of camping, eating and drinking with Grant and all his gang, for his 40th. Friday night was great, lots of boozy fun, and a sing-song, of all things.
Unfortunately the overindulgence didn't sit well with Wifey's liver and she disappeared under a duvet until late on Saturday, whereupon we went home. Further recovery was then necessary and we went back to the campsite Sunday morning for the tent and motorbike. Never mind, Lynny, next time we'll make it to both evenings.

Built this on saturday morning, expecting wifey to appear from the tent at any moment.

Car - check. Bike - check. Tent - check... hang on, where's the missus? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Fun with tents on sunday. Lyn flies a real one, Grant still delusional.

September already

Well, here we are at the scrag-end of August, in fact my anniversary, and I made exactly 5 posts in that benighted month. I could use the excuse that not much happened, but for one, that isn't true, and for two you'll be quick to point out that it never stopped me before.

No, the main reason for not posting is a case of apathy. My back's been bad, work was slow etc etc. But now those things have gone away. My back survived a ten-mile walk with ease yesterday - I even carried the rucksack. Then I went swimming today and still no ill effects. I do believe I'm cured. Just in time too - the squash season is rushing up on us fast.

While we're on walking, I posted the photos on Facebook - yes I got lazy - so I'm not about to repeat them all here. I will shove a selection here because of course, this blog will be here long after FB has become no more than a mundane memory. ..

It's a lot further than it looks to the bottom of Kinder Low End. Steep too.

This one looks like we've been put in charge of finding the murder weapon. "Spread out and keep your eyes down".

Happy before the descent. Ooh, my black toes.

The star of the show - Derbyshire

If this wasn't so damned funny it would be annoying.

In other news, Emma has turned 30, so we stuffed some manky old candles in a stale muffin for her. She seemed pleased..



I aslo witnessed the bizarre spectacle of Sharon (of the extremely red hair) attempting to make a napkin levitate off her plate by waving at it and muttering spells..


But enough frivolity. The real news is as follows:

• After much wailing and gnashing of teeth I decided the job in Korea was not for me. This decision was made slightly easier for me by my potential employer, who kindly told me that I couldn't have the job.
• My first and only foray into back pain seems to be over. As previously stated, it will not happen again. I intend to take up yoga, pilates or any other activity which has been proven to prevent it. I now feel like a normal human being again, and I'm ready to start doing some decent exercise. Fitness has been such a huge part of my life for so long, that to have a month off was very very depressing. Now I'm happy again, so much so that I think I'm beginning to irritate the missus. I'll be back on the bike very soon (get ready Lucy) and "Ramping up" to the journey to work. Also doing some squash training, assuming the initial low-impact stuff doesn't cause a reaction. *shudders*
• Me and Lynny have got ourselves involved with some other amateur musicians and an evening of accoustic mucking about has been planned for September 10th at Maureen's house. I'm very excited, Lyn is very scared. Potential embarrassment - what if the others are a lot less amateur than we are? I need practice on the bodhran that's for sure. I will blog about the evening and post any pictures, even some sound recordings.

That's it for now - I'm sure there are lots of other snippets I could put on here, but they will follow, rest assured.

Later, taters

They're here

All set up in my library, records to hand, laptop connected, headphones ready. What's missing? Ah yes, talent. Must arrange some lessons. In case you're wondering the album is Wonderful Life by Black. Proper 80's classic.

I'd been blowing the dust off the drums for five minutes before I was told "this won't work". Apparently my tapping was disturbing her thoughts even though she was three floors away and I had my headphones on. Soundproofing, that's the thing.

and another thing - what is it with me and road debris? Yet another back tyre was (nearly) binned the other day by a 40mm screw. I wondered what the rhythmic "doink" noise was every time the wheel went round. Pulled over to find this...
Scary init? Bike is running well btw, thanks for asking. Finally got it run in. I was coming through Whaley Bridge on 599 miles, approachng the A6 roundabout, and it clicked over to 600 miles. It's left for home through Furnace Vale at 30 mph, or right for the bypass which has no side-roads and rarely any policemen. Guess which way I went?

Later taters.

Transformation

From sensible shopping bike...


.. to mean & moody machine.



The transformation is complete. I love it. I even managed to fit my nice clock gadget to the handlebars.

Sciatica

This business of being a cripple is interesting. I've woken up this morning (4am, thanks for asking) with pain in my shin and the top of my foot. Yesterday those items were functioning fine and dandy. This follows on from the sore hip which came on me unexpectedly at a wedding last week. I'm told the pain will move around as the disc heals, so I suppose if it changes fast it must be healing fast, right?

And to all those people who keep smugly telling me "this will happen again", here's my answer - no it won't.

No drums yet, but expected this week. I've actually forgotten how to use the damn things but will enjoy re-learning it all.

Oman - now there's a thought.

Payback

I just heard on 6Music (which irritatingly enough is playing that effing stupid Gorillaz single 6 times a day, but that's another story) that a bloke has been jailed for one year for "endangering a vehicle". Apparently he tried to stop a helicopter taking off after - wait for it - it blew litter onto his Landrover.

I laughed a lot when I heard this, because I consider excessive car-proudness to be one of the most annoying aspects of the UK's culture, hence the title of this post. This is an extreme case, but I've seen many examples of British people over-reacting to damage, or even potential damage, to their cars. In my humble opinion those people need to give themselves a jolly good talking to. Here ends today's rant.

On the plus side, I take delivery of my new bike on Thursday, and if anyone scratches it I'll personally murder them and their future generations for a thousand years.

Whaaaat?