Week Commencing Monday 14th April 2025

 I feel like I ought to be getting back into the blogging mullarky a bit.  It's that time again. 

Monday 14th April 2025

So this week what's been going on - bit of a downer after the golf weekend to go back to work but that's life.   Up at 5.15am, walk done. Potted up some courgettes and have just three runner beans working at present.  Sheesh - me dad say the compost these days is rubbish and I'm inclined to agree. 

Total of 15,163 steps done. 

Tuesday 15th April 2025

Up at the crack of dawn. Usual walkage. Full moon fever.

- put some more runner beans (Lady Diana) and some dwarf french beans (Tendergreens) into pots hopefully these beggars will kick on.  So far I have a ruck of tomatoes going, have got spuds in the ground up at the lotty (late but am not bothering with main crop this year just first and second earlies).  Have got a couple of cucumbers on the go.  Have four courgettes doing well. 

Lucy drove to and from work in her little Fiesta - all good she's getting better but has a bit of a migraine so we will give driving on Wednesday a miss. 

Steps: 15,450

Wednesday 16th April 2025 

Up super early - usual two miler done.  Potted some more runner beans after finding some harvested ones from last year so am hoping to have some Scarlet Emporer and some white Mergoles runner beans sprouting soon, touch wood.    I drove in today as Lucy wanted a day off driving.  Never mind. 

Forest Pines Golf Weekend - 12th and 13th April - Sing when you're winning!

Yes, I know I haven't updated in a while - it's a busy old time these last few months let me tell you.   Anyhoo, played at Forest Pines up near Suncthorpe, Lincolnshire over the weekend - and despite the usual confidence issues managed to win both of my Ryder Cup style matches including a singles on against a lad playing off 15 who had been an 8 handicapper a couple of year before but wasn't playing much.     

Also won two of the 9 closest the pin on par three competitions include the 8th hole of the Forest Course which was our 17th (they have three nines at Forest Pines - the Pines, the Beaches and the Forest nine and they send you out on different combos over two days so you play all three nines including one that you play twice).   I had been 4 up with five to play against Scott and then lost three on the bounce so was stood on the 17th tee 1up with two to play.  Scott hit his tee shot probably a 7 or 8 iron (I hit my four iron to 5 foot past the hole to win the match 2 up and win another nearest the Pin)!   

Great weekend, great company - the golf course could have been in better nick but it is bone dry at the minute.

 

This looked a killer par 3 - I took three wood and hit it through the back (Pines Course I think) 

Most of the motley crew - three of them couldn't be extracted from the bar though

Odd to say "shame it was so dry" but this course needs a bit of a drink!

You want a tight finishing hole - course you do!

This was a great dog leg par four on the Forest course which I played to par so one of my favourites (trip organiser Rich teeing off and hitting a beaut that unfortunately found the bunker on the corner)

Our group on the final day - Me, Bazza, Rich and Scott. 

God knows what I was doing here - dodging a bullet perhaps?

  Steps: 21,422 on Saturday, 18,043 on Sunday. 

June 2022

 What happened this month?

First eagle on the golf course.  Playing the 465yd par 5 11th at the Manor, Kingstone.  Decentish drive, nice 5 wood about 10 yards short of the green, chipped in. Eagle easy as that.   A disastrous front nine meant it didn't make much ordds but the back nine was solid. 

Golf Weekend at Windmill Village Hotel, Golf and Leisure Club,
Coventry Sat 11th & Sun 12th June. 

Saturday round was horrendous.  This is a tight little course that doesn't really suit me.   Sunday was much better so let's focus on that round!

Food was great, company excellent, accommodation was okay, course was a bit of an accident waiting to happen but fortunately none happened.  

If the devil cast his net....

Sunday's round was better, much more relaxed and better still we reached the 18th tee all square never having been more than one down and being two up at times.  I don't think me and Andy B (blue top) above have ever beaten Johnno (25 handicap but hits it miles, had four birdies over this weekend) and Bill (red top) who plays four or more times a week (Jammy so and so) which makes him very consistent off his 14 handicap.   Anyway down the 295yard 18th at Windmill I hit a decent drive in the fairway, hit a pitching wedge over the bunker to just off the green top side,  although couldn't see it from where I was it would roll onto the green and just three foot past the pin.   I missed the birdie putt but made par, a five for Bill and Johnno meant Andy and myself won for the first time ever.   It had to happen! 

Thursday 16th September 2021 Golf at Nefyn

Played Nefyn, tee off 10.20,  set off from C Bay at 07.50, breakfast in Carnarfon on the way. What a day what a course,  what rubbish I played (often due to the hundred of people walking along the paths through the course - I bet we spent twenty minute plus waiting for dimwits with no awareness of what a golf ball travelling at 80 miles an hour can do. 

March 2021

 March 2021

More walking and a start on the lotty All good stuff!  Am thinking of putting some of my walks onto a seperat blog site.  

February 2021

To Sunday 14th February 2021

Lots of walking.  Not much else to report.   Watched some films with Lucy.   Watched as much Endeavour as I could - I prefer it to Morse I have to say.   Excellent TV; Roger Allum and Shaun Evans are superb in it. 

Saturday 13th February 2021

Had a good day of repairing - fixed the CCTV (another camera given up the ghost) and fixed the GTECH hoover - the footswitch had gone.   Had a cracking walk 6 miles after a 3 mile paper walk in the morning got home in time for the Rugby by a couple of minutes can't argue with that can you!

Sunday 14th February 2021

The usual dog sleep interruptions.   Another whopping great big walk 7 miles plus and loads of intrepid exploring on paths I'd not been on.   Excellent. 

Monday 15th February 2021   - Had a good evening walk - just under 4 miles cross-country making a total of about 8 miles on a monday. 

Tuesday 16th February 2021  - up at 4.10 - pesky dog - usual 3 in the morning, 3 in the evening - absolutely drenched - Derby scraped a win over Wycombe four minutes into injury time making up for the disappointment of a poor performance by England against India. 

Wednesday 17th February 2021 - didn't get up to 5.51!  Walked, watered and fed Ruby.   Walked to Mayfield for papers on the daily 3 mile loop.  All good. 

Saturday 20th February 2021
Walked to Maryfield first thing, 3 miles in the bag. Then after brekko went on a much bigger walk 

6.34 mile walk Saturday

Sunday 21st February 2021

Just one walk today 6.3 miles with the big lad. Up through Darley Moor Motorcycle Track again - ace!

Weekend of Feb 27th and Feb 28th

Janette's birthday weekend.  Had Phil and Catherine over on Saturday night for takeout from the Royal Oak - very nice it was too!  Ten miles of walking of Saturday and about 8 miles on Sunday.  Washed J's car.  Very, very tired due to pooch not being the best sleeper.  Hey ho.

Total numbers for February

January 2021 Week Commencing Sunday 31st January 2021

Let sleeping dogs lie

 

Sunday 31st January 2021

Made a bit of a rash decision last night and bought another kit - it's a beauty though!  Went over to me mum and dad's with some supplies first thing - saw a Jay in their garden, what a beautiful bird they are. When got back took big lad for another four mile walk.   Found 9 golf balls as came down the golf course.   Still some snow on hills in the distance. 

Still a bit of snow on the hills north of Ashbourne.

Tama Starclassic Maple drums in Harvest Dusk Burst finish - as pretty as they get . 

Monday 1st February 2021 

Up at 5:30,  dog nearly slept through!  Walk up to get paper and back.  Have got no damn Times vouchers,  rang em Saturday, if they don't arrive in the post today they will be getting another call at lunchtime!   Noticed how much lighter it's getting in the morning barely used head torch today - which is great in my book!

Derbyshire Ice Field

Cleaned up the snare drum the chap threw in with the kit (as well as a ton of other stuff).  I think it's a 14x5" Premier 1005 or something like - a few scratches here and there and the internal damper has been removed (but in these modern times that's not a bad thing). Anyway it cleaned up quite nice I think. 

Tuesday 2nd February 2021

Up at midnight with the hound and then 5.15am - the joys of owning a dog.  Snowed a bit in the night, very slushy and damn slippy.   Missus up in good time so papers fetched for 7.50am.    All good stuff!  Very wet evening walk but can't be helped, clocked up another 3.5 miles so 6 miles in total.  All good stuff.   Did a little bit of tuning on Tamas - not too much to get in trouble with the boss - I think I'm going to replace the batter heads which have been on them for 11 years!

Wednesday 3rd February 2021

Little dog a bit better, had to come back down within 10 minutes of going to bed but apart from that she was good until 5:50 which ain't too bad.   Missus got up early too so got 2.5 miles walked and papers fetched before 7.30!   Now back to the same old, same old!

Total Walking Numbers for January 2021

January 2021 Week Commencing Sunday 24th January 2021

Only me!

Sunday 24th January 2021

Not getting a paper today so first thing went for a walk up Ashbourne and back.  Was a bit slippy so went steady.   Beautiful sunset.

What a sunrise. 

Then went on biggest walk so far this year.  Mainly roads but a bit of fields/woods too which was a mistake as they are still absolutely sodden.   Just over five miles in total.  Used that damned OS Maps app again and it drained my battery again - once it starts you can almost see the battery draining, ruddy poor coding. 

Snow came down in a big way in the afternoon - three or four inches which was a little bit unexpected. Dog loved it. 

Monday 25th January 2021

Payday!  Up at 5:30 wee dog making her racket.   Dressed and took her out - very cold.   7am did the paper walk and that's 2.5 miles in the bag.   Ready for work at 8am and first day of the week is on its way. 

Looking over towards Sides Mill Farm from Church Mayfield

Tuesday through Thursday

The same sort of thing every day - lots of work, lots of walking, the usual treadmill sort of life continues. 

The Henmore Brook running mighty high (Thursday)

Friday 29th January 2021

Up dead early. 3am with the dog and then 6am with the dog.  Happy days.  Bosskat got up early too so went for a walk to get papers really early which was nice!

Moonlit morning for a walk with less torch!

Saturday 30th January 2021

Not quite the usual, 4.5 mile walk.  Dropping back down the golf course.  Found a dozen balls. Ace

Watched a film with bosskat in the afternoon - Saint Frances it was called - very highly rated not really my cup of tea.  Such is life.   

January 2021 Week Commencing 17th January 2021

Week Commencing Sunday 17th January 2021

 

Sunday 17th January 2021

Up at 2.30 then up at 5am - great to have a small dog back in the house!   Walked, fed and watered her. 

Went a big walk with next door's dog, just shy of 4 miles - when weather gets better I will take him across Wyaston Flats and make this walk a bit longer.

In the afternoon got cracking on me damn tax return.   Hate doing them even if they come but once a year.  Never mind. 

Monday 18th January 2021

Up at 6.15 (after a 2am dog attending session) - dog walked, fed and watered then walked to Mayfield to get papers (2.5 miles before breakfast)!  Didn't need torch on way back as days are beginning to get lighter which is great!

Sunrise at 7:50am getting lighter every day!!

Tuesday 19th January 2021

What a difference a day makes.   Non stop rain pretty much - flood conditions - got all the mileage done so rain can naff orf. 

Wednesday 20th January 2021

More of the same - wet, wet, wet walking but getting it done. 

Thursday 21st January 2021

Up at 3:30 with the dawg.  Marvellous, back to bed aty 4am then up at 6.10am.  Never mind.   Dog fed, walked and watered.  Then walk to Mayfield and back to get papers and that's 2.5 miles and 6,000 steps in the bag.  Fields are flooded but there's snow on them hills!

River Dove at Mayfield - very high

Fields flooded - snow on hills in distance

Walking back in a morning there's always hundreds of crows (a murder of) about - what a noise.

Friday 22nd Janaury 2021

More of the same, plenty of walking, all good stuff.  Bulls Eye during the Friday night call which was good. 

Saturday 23rd January 2021

Fetched papers first thing for 2.5 miles then took the Big Lad on a walk round Snelston which was another 4 miles in the bag.   Watched some nonesense on the telly box then bed early with the happy knowledge that DCFc had lifted themselves further away from the relegation zone by beating QPR which was nice (Rotherham have a few games in hand though so perhaps a false feeling of safety). 

Bit of an oxbow lake going to form there I reckon (back lane near Snelston)