Sunday 8th September 2013 to Saturday 14th September 2013

Sunday 8th September 2013
Up at 7am!  Took dog out and what have you.  Mooched about a bit then down to allotment for the rules and regulations talk.  All good stuff have got me allotment and it's a bit of a mess but such is life. It's got some rasberrys on it which is good and I dug some spuds out of a raised bed which is also good.  Lot of work to do but it'll all be good - have a shed sorted! Wahey.

Odd raspberry on the allotment patch

Wise Owl keeping an eye on proceedings

Took the family to Stepping Stones for tea.  Went really well for a change - got Lucy's maths homework finished while we waited for courses.  All good stuff.

Monday 9th September 2013

Went to bed early last night so I could get up early and get a delayed run in.  So was up at 4am to wake Phil up and then on the road about 4:40am.  Have lost enthusiasm for training which is not a good sign. Still got 7.5 miles done this morning before getting back to take the dog out to fetch the papers. All good, really.  

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/243294860/7469884

Went to allotment and did a bit more clearing up - getting there now!

Tuesday 10th September 2013
Up early to get Phil off to work. Back to bed.  Up at 6.20, dog out fetched papers.  In to work early as need to get away early.

Got a mention on the Ashbourne News Telegraph website but they've not mentioned that sponsor sheets for Defibrillators for Ashbourne are at Shenton's and Preston's garage.

http://www.ashbournenewstelegraph.co.uk/News/Great-North-Run-charity-challenge-20130909141815.htm

After work we went to visit Janettes' brother Paddy over in Swadlincote.  Seeing the other patients in this excellent respite care place made me realise how bloody lucky I am and how sad it is that through bad luck or medical accident or whatever people come into this world mentally handicapped.  Really, really sad for them.

Got back in time for second half of England match - 45 minutes of dullness I'll never get back!


Wednesday 11th September 2013
Up early to get Phil off to work, back to bed, up again to fetch papers.  Have made it into the Ashbourne Stunner not just the website!   All good stuff.  Breakfasted and into the office for 8:30 got to go to Kingsley this afternoon to sort some paperwork out.   Got tickets for Reginald D Hunter at Buxton Opera House.  He's quite funny but it will be a bit rude I have no doubt.  Went down the allotment to put some stuff in the shed and bring some stuff back!  All good.  Got a groupon deal of six months of Sky Movies on demand for £15 on NOW TV.  Bargain! We watched the Three Stooges film that me and Lucy went to see at the cinema (exclusively ours as there was literally no-one else in the theatre). The NOW TV thing works through our TalkTalk YouView box so we don't even need the PC to watch stuff and it streams almost instantly - very impressed with it so far.


Thursday 12th September 2013
Up early.  Took dog out.  CycletoWork day today so thought I'd better make an effort - hit EVERY red light between Belper and Alfreton - Belper, Sawmills, Excavator, Swanwick - every single one and some halfwit pipped at me for no apparent reason - tosser.   Never mind.  Took fifty minutes with all the road jip on the way.  Such is life.

Pleased to see the bottom cycle shed pretty much full up with 7 bikes in on CycleToWork day!  Result.

The ride in on mountain bike : http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/244972216/7469884 and back  http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/244972216/7469884

Have still got some back jip going on which is a bit of a worry - only a few days to go until Great North Run which apart from the back issue I'm quite looking forward to.

Friday 13th September 2013

Woke up at 4am to get Phil off, back to bed for a bit.  Up at 6am.  Took pooch out, fetched papers.  Went to group at Belper, lost half a pound not impressive but then again drank a bottle of whisky this week.  Not very clever, not sure what I'm trying to achieve half the time.  Fool.   Into office for ten o'clock, rush job first then phone calls.  All good stuff.   Back from work - bloody raining again.  Wait until 9.20 for rain to stop then went out for a couple of miles to test some new running kit out.

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/245365792/7469884

Saturday 14th September 2013
Up early to get Phil off.  Dog walked, papers fetched.  Off to Allotment - got garden rubbish to Recycling. Picked another tub of Raspberries.  The allotment that keeps on giving!

The plot from bottom up to the greyer coloured shed is mine. mwah ha ha!
  

 Took nine bags of cak to the recycling and there's still loads to do.  The raspberry bush in the foreground is going (might rehome it at Clifton) so that the front bit is all clear.  Am going to measure it all up and make four distinct patches so we can do a bit of crop rotation.  The bean rows will be coming down the front I think for next year so I can get all the damn weeds up that under them eaiser and to fit in with rotation.

Spotted a lone courgette on the plot thats hopefully okay!

After a bit of allotmenting it was time to get loaded up and off to Newcastle for the Great North Run.  We got to Washington where we were stating at about 2pm then went to Newcastle to get a GNR advance ticket for the following day.   Stopped off at the Angel of the North before driving back to the hotel for dinner and an early night.

We had a wee look at the Angel of the North

16/6.5

Sunday 1st September 2013 to Saturday 7th December 2013

Sunday 1st September 2013
Up early due to a distinct lack of sleep.  Got packed up, got paid up, got off home!  Think was back for about 1:30 .  Took pooch a walk in the evening, dug some spuds up, cleaned car out and then washed it and that was sufficient, bed early to catch up on some sleep.

Monday 2nd September 2013
Dog walking.  Damn tired today.  Got stuff ready for Cycle2Work on Tuesday.

Tuesday 3rd September 2013
Up early.   Dog walked, papers fetched etc.   Cycle2Work from Belper, average 14.5mph which will have to do. http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/237563546/7469884

Busy, interesting day in the office.  Then CycleBackHome to Belper, averaged just over 15mph (more downhill coming back - but hit all the red lights and did a small bit of exploring trying to find shortcuts - you can't cut through Warwick Court onto Sleetmoor Lane it would appear!

Wednesday 4th September 2013.
Woke Phil up at 4am, got up before him, running at 4:30am!   6.5 miles in just over 10 minute miles pace - pleased with that - no walking or messing about just steady running.
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/240906119/7469884
Dug most of the spuds out- all good stuff - just one tub left to go.

Thursday 5th September 2013
Knee jip today, that needs to go away.  Dog walked as usual.  Chopped down a putter for Doug's ten year old grandson and regripped it.

Friday 6th September 2013
Up early as usual.  Chucking it down with rain.  No likey.  Dog walked over a short distance and much drying afterwards.  Dropped putter at Doug's on way to Belper.  Put half a rotten pound on. Such is life.  Home on time, Doug's golf got cancelled due to weather.  Dog walked but nowt else to report.

Saturday 7th September 2013
Up early, harvested last of spuds, moved tub they were in, painted fence all good. Phil finally got up - went to PiccyBs for breakfast.  Fishfinder in the afternoon in amongst many trips to Homebase / Halfords for bits.  Eventually we got it all wired up and it works.  Need to work out how to make it work with the yaks next.

Picture of fishfinder Lowrance Elite 4X Dsi (with Pooch)

The one I've gone for is called a Lowrance Elite 4x DSI the DSI bit stands for down scan imaging I think and it uses two frequencies to get a detailed image of what's below as well as the depth. This will come in handy in finding features that may hold fish.

Anunexpected benefit of it all was getting the road bike in for a service at Halfords - must remember to pick it up again on Wednesday!!!

16/7

Sunday 25th August 2013 to Saturday 31st August 2013

Sunday 25th August 2013
Up early dog walked.  Six mile run at a slow pace.  Doveleys Dog Show - Lily got fourth in cutest bitch competition - result!!!

Over to mums for tea. Another walk for the pooch.

Monday 26th August 2013
Got Phil up at silly o'clock.  Got up at 6am proper.  Took dog a walk, got papers.  Did a bit of work on repairing the Penn beachcaster.  Watered everything.  Harvested some spuds out of one of the tubs.  Later in day strimmed round the garden - that machine is a pain in the ass and no mistake.  Then mowed outside, front lawn, back strip of lawn and down the side lane. Fence painting after that and another coat of varnish on the Penn.   Later in the afternoon went for a walk to Osmaston Lakes with Lucy, Lily and the boss.  Beautiful spot I've never been to before.  Twenty plus years and I never knew there was a watermill down in Shirley valley?

Tuesday 27th August 2013
Up at 4am, woke Phil up, then up again at 5:15 as Phil hadn't actually got up and his mobile was ringing downstairs.  Got him out the house in a hurry, all good stuff.   As bosskat was going up town I thought I'd not take the dog up town but let her have a run round a nearby big field - however Lily dug her feet in so put her in car and fetched papers anyway, evidently she likes a walk up town!   Visited the Consultant at a group in Heage then into office.  All good stuff.  Had intended to go running but didn't - did a bit more walking though.  Few jobs at home then loaded car up with the Boardman Comp ready for cycling to work from Belper.

Wednesday 28th August 2013
Up early to get Phil up - he got off okay today, bless him.  Took dog up town to get papers.  Got off to Belper - dropped some documentation off at a Consultant's house.  Cycled in to work from Belper - according to Strava I had 6 personal bests, a 2nd best and two third best performances today so quite pleased with that all things considered.  http://www.strava.com/activities/78131916

Thursday 29th August 2013

dog walking etc. 

Friday 30th August 2013

Dog walked. Dropped paperwork off at a Consultant's house for a special project. Off to Hollie's Belper group.  Stayed the same - as much as I deserve. Got home, got loaded up, went to Wales - camping in 20 mph winds - must be mad.  Hardly slept all night. 

Folks surfing, Holyhead mountain in the distance

Saturday 31st August 2013

Up at silly o'clock as didn't sleep a wink hardly.  Went to Holyhead, stopped at maccadees for Breakfast then up Holyhead Mountain.   Beautiful views and a decent three mile walk. 

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/239914733/7469884

One of the many paths all over Holyhead Mountain

Looking towards the area they call the Range in the distance - the bay is called Abraham's Bosom I think. 

Holyhead Breakwater in the distance

The summit, looking towards Holyhead Breakwater

Afternoon, sat in Sun reading paper, drinkie or two.  Fishing at high tide - avoided blanking with a decent size rockling (half a pound perhaps but that's big for rocklings).  Another night of no sleep to follow - pesky wind also stopped any chance of getting out on the yak.

16/6.5

Sunday 18th August 2013 to Saturday 26th August 2013

Sunday 18th August 2013
The day of reckoning arrives.  Up at 4am - got Phil up.  Back to bed, up at 6.20, took dog out, got ready went at 7.20 to do .... the Belper Rugby Rover.  Nearly killed me but I think I ran it better than last year.  For those who don't know what the Rugby Rover is let me tell you it's 18 miles of up hill pain. 4hrs 19mins to finish it which I feel is better than last year - can't find last year's time but it'll be somewhere.

Somewhere over top of Blackbrook looking back towards Turnditch (I think)

Crich Stand in the distance - this was about ten miles in, I reckon

This was me after 11 miles carrying too much weight and looking thoroughly knackered - it didn't change really in the next seven miles!!!

I think this guy is the probable winner - he sailed past us in Ambergate Wood and didn't seem to be breaking a sweat!

Monday 19th August 2013

Up early but only 6am as Phil's not on early earlies.  Took pooch to get papers - all good stuff.  Off to work nice and early.  Did a bit of a workout in the Gym 

Tuesday 20th August 2013

Other than taking dog walk in morning I got nowt done.  Slimming World best of british party at Derbyshire Hotel in the evening so did that and so to bed. 

Wednesday 21st August 2013

Up early. Pooch walked to get papers. Into work good and early.  Bit of a workout in the Gym then off to support Tanya Tuck in her group at Mansfield.  

Have got a Garmin 210 on a special offer from Sweathshop - think it was £120 in total.   So trying that out. Took pooch for a walk then a bit of golf practice. 

Thursday 22nd August 2013

Up early.  Walked the dog.   

Pooch approaching at speed!

Into work good and early.  Visiting groups in Hatton and Rocester this evening.  All good. 

Friday 23rd August 2013

Up early.  Dog walked.  Visited Hollie's Belper Group (with pooch).  Visited work with Pooch to get some paperwork sent off.   Got back a bit late but tee'd off at about 11:35 with my dad.  A steady round with a few pars and a beer afterwards, all good stuff. 

Saturday 24th August 2013

After hardly playing any golf this summer I've had two rounds in two days.  Played 18 with Doug, 29 points scored so not exactly to handicap but good fun and honours even when all said and done.  We were all square on the 18th tee with Doug having two shots and me only one.  He was at side of green in three, I was close to green in two, he chipped to 12 foot, I chipped to 10 foot, he drops a 12 foot putt in to put pressure on me (the thought of paying out a pound, cold sweat and all that), so I dropped my 10 footer in - all square and a parr on the last is always fun. 

16/6.5

Sunday 11th August 2013 to Saturday 17th August 2013

Sunday 11th August 2013
Back from Wales and time to get some training in.  Did a steady 11 miles in 2hrs 4mins.   Okay it's not fast but it's all I have time for.
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/228892849/7469884

Did a ton of jobs round the garden, washed the car, watered everything.

Monday 12th August 2013
Got Phil up at 4am.  Back to bed.  Up at 6am.  Took Lily out.  Fetched papers walking wee dog a bit at the same time.   Into work for 8:30 all good back in the groove by lunchtime!   Legs are a bit stiff after yesterday to say the least! Load of gardening when got home - tied down the beans which were flapping about in the wind - same for tomatoes - have been very good on the food and drink front - need to be for next Sunday.

Tuesday 13th August 2013
Up early doors to get Phil up, up proper at 6am.  Took dog out to do her business then up town to fetch papers.  Cycled in to work from Belper - 47 minutes for 10.25 miles on the Urban Mountain Bike.  http://www.strava.com/activities/74305995 - shower at work then weetabix for breakfast.

Went back through Ripley which involved a 4 minute climb up Butterley Hill and a load of new route exploration.  A few times I overshot a turn or had to have a quick look so it took a lot longer than I'd have hoped for - also one bit was on a farm track so it's going to need a change or two for the road bike!

Wednesday 14th August 2013

Had to get home early so no Cycle2Work today and not looking good for Thursday with wet weather predicted.  So took some kit with me and went to Gym for first time since November 2011.  Was okay but the treadmill packed up on me twice - maybe I'm too heavy.   Went to visit Lynne Riley in Eckington and then visited Hollie Majthenyi in Belper.  All good.  Watched England play Scotland - great to see Rickie Lambert score at 31 on his debut (or dayboo as they say in Australia).  Put 1.5lbs on while holiday so that's a result but am carrying too much weight at the moment which will be greatly highlighted on Sunday.

Thursday 15th August 2013
Up early with dog.  Wet though and she wouldn't go further than the Church so not much mileage in the bank.   Into work early - lots to do.  Did another yum session - cool!

Friday 16th August 2013
Dad's birthday so dropped a load of stuff off on way to work.  Work, gym, home.

Saturday 17th August 2013
Ashbourne Show - Lucy showed Lily in the Terrier and Puppy classes and she got a 'Special' award rosette! Cool.

Picture from out of the Ashbourne Stunner - the fox terrier with the chap in the cap won it.

Saturday 3rd August 2013 to Saturday 10th August 2013

Was on me hols in Anglesey (quelle surprise)!  Not much exercise but a bit of fishing and quite a bit of kayaking done. 

Over the week we caught 1 x bass (really close in) , 2 x plaice (v small), 2 x pollock (one tiddler, one 3lb both from kayak in deep water), 1 x dogfish, 1 wrasse at low-water - around a pound.  All fish went back apart from the 3lb pollack which went on the BBQ.

Was surprised that there weren’t more fish about really - think it’s the quietest week we’ve had in August.  It might be due to the masses of weed that were being washed up?  Still the night-sky was awesome with no end of shooting stars on a couple of nights - sometimes you don’t have to catch it’s just nice to be out there.

And must mention my first smoothhound which was caught from a rocky mark at about half an hour after high-water.  It went like a train and I thought for a moment it was going to be a decent sized bass - still nice to get a new species.

Climbed Holyhead Mountain (almost to top) with Janette, Lucy and the pooch but couldn't remember how you get up the last bit and it looked a lot more of a climb than it did last time so we called it quits at that. http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/229919195/7469884

Climbing Holyhead Mountain, almost to the top!

Lily keeping an eye on the sea

Yum yum weed!

My bro holding the Smoothhound what I caught!!!

Dogfish - saved a blank

Sunday 28th July 2013 to Sunday 4th August 2013

Sunday 28th July 2013
Woke up in Anglesey.  It rained a bit in the night but morning was beautiful just like the thunderstorms that the BBC had predicted.  Got warmer and warmer as day went on.  We took the Big Game kayak out for a bit of a paddle - it was a bit rough for fishing really so just had a tootle about.   Took little dog a walk.  Packed up.  Took tent down and let it dry for a bit then into the car and off.  Straight forward drive home no great delays.

Monday 29th July 2013
Nothing to report really.  Went to work. Busy as hell.  Got home.  Had tea.  Took pooch out. Went to bed.

Tuesday 30th July 2013
Up early.  Took dog a walk.  Didn't fetch papers as missus is going up town.  Loaded the MTB into the car.  Cycled2Work from Belper.  Damn good fun.   The MTB means I can take a lot of shortcuts that aren't available to the road bike so might even be a bit quicker than the road bike on the way home.  We'll see.

Wednesday 31st July 2013
Not much to report.  A bit of dog walking.  Tons of work.  Tea and a bit more dog walking.  Let her off the lead round the cricket pitch. To finish day off though, leaving us all feeling a bit sick the dog fell funny and hurt her leg - seemed better when she went to bed though hopefully she'll be okay.

Thursday 1st August 2013
Up early.  Let dog out and she's seeming better.  I think Janette will take her to vets anyway but she's much improved.  Biked in to work - feckin endomondo didn't work again.  Bugger.

Sunday 21st July 2013 to Saturday 27th July 2013

Sunday 21st July 2013
Up early, feeling knackered.  Took pooch out.  Went for a ten and half mile run at about 8:30 - stayed cool so no worries.   Took Phil's old bed and some more old tat to the recycling.  Various gardening jobs then bbq tea with me mum and dad coming over.

Monday 22nd July 2013
Up early.  Took Phil to fetch a tractor as he'd left his keys at work on Sunday (genius).  Took pooch up town to fetch papers.  Loaded bike up and went to Cycle2Work.  Endomondo didn't start unfortunately (my fault for not being patient).  In the office and at my desk for 8:30 though so good going in my view!  Fecking Blackberry paused endomondo pretty much as soon as I set off which is a real shame as I came home a different way finding a neat little route that misses out most of the crappy traffic that clogs up Somercotes - instead of turning off Birchwood Way I go right to the end of it (not the best surface but such is life) then take a little path that joins up to Birchwood Lane. I also went down past Butterley Reservoir and made the mistake of going down Butterley Lane which is not really good enough for a road bike.  Went through Heage on the way back and had a climb to the top of Belper then loads of braking into Belper - still need to find a more gradual decline on the way back - think the A610 is going to be the answer!

Tuesday 23rd July 2013
Up at 5am - thunder and lightening.  Thought Lily would be freaked out but she's been pretty okay with it all, really.   Fetched papers - supposed to be playing golf with Mike at work but think it's likely to be cancelled!!!  Sure enough no golf mullarky.  Such is life.  Got some stuff ready for Friday - all good.

Wednesday 24th July 2013
Up early to get Phil up.  Took dog out.  Got dressed, took little dog up town to get papers.  Put her in her cage.  Got bike loaded up and then road in from Belper as I like to do.  Really pleased this morning as did it in 45 minutes which is quickest I've ever done it.  Super Cool.

Got up the Pentrich Hill in just over six minutes as well so pleased with that!

Uploaded it to Strava and it showed 4 PBs on various segments:

Back home pretty much the usual way - just went round Bichwood Way and up the little path to avoid much of the traffic that crawls along between B&Q and the little roundabout in Somercotes.

Thursday 25th July 2013. 

Up early.  Got Phil up.  Took dog out.  Got off to work.  nothing to report. 

Friday 26th July 2013

Up early.  Getting roofbox on the motor.  Took dog out.  Took missus car' over to Stoke on Trent for 8am service.  Mooched round Stoke a bit.  Got home too missus, lucy and the pooch to Wales for a weekend of camping.  Good weather, well behaved hound ace, and we're going back next week - can't wait!

Saturday 27th July 2013

Funny night's sleep in the tent but such is life.  Breakfast, walking the pooch.  Went to Penhros Country Park for a good walk with the dog.  Should have gone kayaking - it was like a millpond but that's the way it goes!

Love this picture - Lily's King Canute moment

Lily trotting along by the sea

Lily in flight - playing fetch

Get those ears!

Keeping a wary eye on anyone who dares to infringe Siddall airspace!

Sunday 14th July 2013 to Saturday 20th July 2013

Sunday 14th July 2013
Up early, took dog out.  Kids in tent - all quiet - should be they were chopsing til 3am!  Went out for a near nine mile run before it got too hot.  Was dry as a bone by time I got done but at least have got the miles done.

Finished off by taking little dog a walk round the block.  We let her off the lead on the old railway line and she was fine. Planted some more lettuces and raddishes on the bosses instructions.

Monday 15th July 2013
Up early - Cycled2Work again - took 54m 04s going and 46m 15s coming back - that's what the hill up to and through Pentrich does to your times!  Back home for about 6:30 so the Cycle2Working is going just fine.   Took Lily for a walk round the block again, let her off her lead - fine again!  Went and did a  bit of golf - really need to work on getting a proper swing.

Tuesday 16th July 2013 
Up at 6:15 halfwit wouldn't wake.  Blamed me when he finally did get up, the little toad.  Took Lily with me to fetch papers - all went well.  Unexpectedly had opportunity to Cycle2work so I did.  Took 53 minutes dead on to get to work this morning so knocked a minute off yesterday and I had to stop at two sets of lights along the way as well.   All good. Experimented a bit on the way back - not a complete success however I reckon there's a better way to get in to Swanwick.  Watered everything then took the pooch on the little loop letting her have a run off the lead.

Wednesday 17th July 2013
Up at 4am to get Phil up for an early.  Got up at 6am, took pooch out, fed her but she's not eating that much at the moment,   Off to work not biking as got some jip about it.  Home early to fetch a bed for PJ.  Then off to Costco to get a load of stuff for PJ's 18th.  Took dog for a little walk as it was getting dark, watered everything and that's about your lot!

Thursday 18th July 2013
Up at 4am to get PJ up.  Back to bed then up at 6am.  Opened up the shop, let the lil dog out she did her business, fed the little beggar.   Got everyone up at 7am. Had a slice of toast and cup of coffee then loaded up the road bike for a Cycle2work experience.  The road bike will get me to the office five minutes quicker than the Urban Mountain Bike so it's bloomin marvellous in my view.  Am still rather unfit so more work needed!

Friday 19th July 2013
No cycling today - Phil's birthday so all sorts of getting readiness on top of doing work and stuff.

Saturday 20th July 2013
Continued Phil madness - put him a new bed in.  18 holes of very average golf - have become the king of the three-putt unfortunately.


16/6.5

Sunday 7th July 2013 to Saturday 13th July 2013

Sunday 7th July 2013
Up with the lark.  Did a load of tidying up.  Coffee and toasted tea cakes for breakfast - marvellous.   Got some stuff packed away, ready for a quick exit after going out on the yak.  The blackberry tosspot phone had run out of charge at lunchtime on Saturday so no pictures but it was perfect conditions for the yaks - millpondesque.   Think we did a couple of miles paddling down the coast and back again.   All good stuff.   Got everything put away, tent down, bottom dried, packed away on the road for 12.30 back in time to see most of the last set of the tennis.  Well done Andy Murray - what a performance to beat Dvojovic.   Awesome.

Monday 8th - Thursday 11th July 2013
Work, work work.  Nowt else to mention!  Went to see Ursula's group in St Neots on Tuesday other than that not much to report at all.  Did a bit of work in the garden but yikes it's way too hot!!

Friday 12th July 2013
Up early.  Dog business.  Cycle2Work after visiting Hollie's group in Belper.  Didn't weigh this week as I've been real bad for ages! Cycled back home then began the process of putting the big tent up for Lucy's weekend camping stopover for her birthday.

Saturday 13th July 2013
Lucy's birthday bash big tent all set up - beds blown up, sleeping bags at the ready, chairs up etc.etc.  Went and played some average golf in the baking sun - lost two balls in the jungle.

Wasn't too bad tee to green but couldn't chip and putt to save me life - this is what you get when you don't play for five weeks!

16/7