Sunday 25th October to Saturday 31st October

No updates for a bit - Gone Fishin!!






Thursday 29th


Been a good run up town, about three miles I reckon. Then been getting stuff ready for a fishin trip. Yay!





Wednesday 28th


Not much to report today. Just a walk up Snelston hill and back. Then took Lucy to see 'UP' at the flicks which is really,really good. Quite poignant too.





Tuesday 27th
Better, four mile run round Ashbourne picking papers up on way. Quite pleased with that!

Monday 26th
Legs as stiff as boards this morning so just walked up town and back. Three miles better than nothing I guess. Gym after work for 35 minutes was all I could do. Swimming did for me on Sunday I reckon.

Sunday 25th October
Am in a bit of fog about things at the minute. Am having one of my moods for some wierd reason (work I think). Anyway ran round Snelston and back picking up a load of chestnuts along the way. Thne spent next hour or so clearing the garden (we've had hedge ripped out ahead of a fence going in).

Me and Lucy went swimming around 11:30am (when we finished the pool was empty but for us and it was dead good!). We did twenty lengths each Lucy doing front crawl mainly and me limping along behind doing breast stroke. Anyway, was good to see Lucy going so well. In afternoon I polished off a bottle of red on my own (jeez Louise) but washed both cars as well so not too bad an afternoon. Was rotten seeing it go dark so early.

Sunday 18th October to Saturday 24th October

Saturday 24th October
Another bad night, got up at 4am and had a couple of ibuprofens and then things were a bit better. Took Phil to work at 6:15. Yay. Weather is dire so not sure what am going to be up to today. Well golf went to hell in a handcart so that was that. But, as had a few hours to spare I thought I'll go to the opticians so did that, left eye has got a couple of steps weaker but the optician lady said to expect that (way she talked you'd think I was 60 not 40 and a bit!).

Friday 23rd October
Woke up with mega pains in my ribs again so just hobbled along two miles up town and back today. Didn't get to gym, had a really bad day and by 6 o'clock I'd had enough, frankly.

Thursday 22nd October
Got up early doors and got down to the Gym at Celtic Manor - did forty five minutes split on treadmill and exercise bike - very good Nautiless kit including the U916 bike which unlike the machines I'm used to doesn't need to be connected to mains. Then a hotel breakfast which probably wasn't ideal then off to do the business and then back up the motorways to Derbyshire. Funny sort of a day and missed Janet's group.

Wednesday 21st October
Same 3.75 miles as yesterday! Cool, set the Giant FCR1 up last night, four lights it's got on it so should be well-seen when riding into work on Friday morning. On road for Caldicott tonight so will see what tomorrow brings. Well forger what tomorrow brings, ended up having a few beers before getting to bed at Celtic Manor Resort Hotel. Very Nice.


Tuesday 20th October
Solid run for a change - 3.75 miles steady as a rock no stops other than to get papers and tie up a shoe lace. It's coming back! Am off to Caldicot for work tomorrow, stopping over at Celtic Manor and then coming back Thursday evening so have got plans afoot that unfortunately don't include golf but will include riding to work to fetch car back on Friday morning all being well. Am going to be waking the sleeping Giant FCR1 for it's first outing in nine months!! Yay.







Monday 19th October
Another 9 hours plus of sleep I reckon (bed before 8pm and up before 6am). Went out with the base layer first thing and am so pleased am going to get another one! Only the usual dash up town and back but am getting better at it which I think following yesterdays up hill and down dale run shows signs of fitness returning. Pleased at the mo. Good gym session after work - 15 mins on rower, 25 mins on bike.

Sunday 18th October
Tested the base layer our this morning that I got from the mighty Aldi for a tenner and it worked very nicely. Need to get me self a bit fitter to test it over longer distances but this morning I did a comfy three miles, stopped to get a load of sweet chestnuts over towards Norbury and never felt cold once. Could have done with a size smaller in the bottoms really but you can't have everything. Went to bed at 7:30pm yesterday and had fifteen minutes short of 12 hours sleep. Awesome. Think it's just what I needed.

Sunday 11th October to Saturday 17th October

Saturday 17th October
Been to Lumbards to fetch bike bits back from Ashbourne. As alluded to earlier in the week the Incognito aka slow and comfy bike has shot it but I had a couple of good years out of it I suppose. So am looking to treat myself come Christmas all being well. Don't tell the missus.

Golf very hit and miss unfortunately, hit some belting drives and got 7 pars overall including four on the trot on the back nine but only scored 26 points off a three quarter handicap stableford with about five blobs along the way so not sure what to make of it all.

Friday 16th October
Yay, no rain. Ran up town and back to start the day, didn't get to gym. It's been a grind all October so I though sod it and went to Aldi instead. Have got a base layer for running in the Winter. Am going to give it a go Sunday all being well.

Thursday 15th October
Rain again so gym again. Solid 50 minutes worth - rower and bike today.







Had a frenetic day (which I don't mind, don't get me wrong) then went to Janet Carey's group in Alfreton of which I'm a member. Only lost half a pound but that's took me to a half stone in about 5 weeks (with one non-attendance due to being in Guildford). Perhaps more realistic for me to aim for a stone by Christmas rather than two stones, am not committed enough really but at least I've not put any weight on in the few weeks I've been back. Feel like I'm letting Janet down a bit but my head's still not quite there, won't be long though am getting it back slowly.

Wednesday 14th October continued.
Did a 2 mile walk in the evening while England game on - couldn't see em losing so no need to watch!

Just been looking into my diary for November and have got to give a presentation to the Environmental Committee (I may have got their name slightly mucked up but such is life) on the Cycle2Work scheme. This is a government-backed scheme which encourages employers to offer a sort of cycle hire service in which both employee and employer get tax breaks on purchase of a bike and safety gear. If my bid is successful I've got my eyes on the Giant Roam 2 (pic below - click on it for a bigger image) which is like a hybrid with 700c wheels with wideish tyres but front suspension too to make it a bit comfier. We'll see how successful my presentation is. Am already canvassing folks who I think might be interested. We'll see!!





Wednesday 14th October
Raining when I got up so into gym first thing. That's better. 45 minutes, treadmill, rower, bike, shower. Good. Just been contacted by one of SW's top Consultants Ursula who has come across my blog in setting up her own - check it out at http://slimmingworldstneots.blogspot.com/ you will rarely come across someone as positive and empathetic as Ursula - she's very good indeed as thousand of successful slimmers in St Neots will testify.

Tuesday 13th October
2.5 miles up town and back again, running a bit better, right knee was giving me a bit of jip but seemed fine today. Went 2 mile walk in the evening which was okay as had another It Bites album arrive off of Ebay to listen to.

Monday 12th October
Ran up town and back to start the day off. Got to work and have left most of my notes at home. Bugger. Walked up golf course in the evening and it was gorgeous, went dark quick though.

Sunday 11th October
Not done much really - got up at 5:45am to take Phil to work again. On a Sunday!!! Glossed skirting board in bathroom, regripped a set of irons with sharpro multi-compound grips I got off Ebay for £16! Wrote up minutes from a meeting on Thursday. Did nine holes before it went dark and played much better.

Sunday 4th October to Saturday 10th October

Saturday 10th October
Took Phil to work at 6:00am again. Grand. Walked to Sides Mill and back to get some more chestnuts -still waiting for the first frost I think but got some. 18 holes of golf in which I struck ball well but putted like a fool. So things are improving.

Friday 9th October
Had to drive over to Darley Dale and pick my dad up to drop him off at work to pick a car up I bought off the fleet for him (he paid - it's complicated!!). Then, work so no exercise again. Then at 5pm one of my guys deletes a table (or as good as) so ended up being here til 7pm. Great start to the weekend.

Thursday 8th October
Been to Guildford today which meant getting up at 5:30 and not getting back to the office 'til gone 6:30 so didn't get anything done of note and didn't get to group either but I'd already let Janet know so not end of the World. On the scales at Head Office I'd only lost a half pound but that still equates to half a stone in first month which is better than nowt.

Wednesday 7th October
Ran up town and back to start day off. Still can't get out ot bed in a morning. It's doing my head in. Have been in bed by 9:30 every night at well.

Tuesday 6th October
Hacking it down with rain. Went gym instead 40 minutes done. Better than nowt!

Also got Gym member of the Month award for September which was nice! Fifteen attendances in a month is most I've done before so quate pleased am I.

Monday 5th October
Got up mega early to finish off a presentation which absolutely did me in for rest of day which was bad as had a presentation to do!! Never mind. Did a two and half mile run early doors which was as much as could do. Felt a whole heap colder this morning. Not a good sign!

Sunday 4th October
Not done much, took my dad to look at cars in morning. Took Lucy another Chestnut gathering walk which was less successful than previous day but at least the tree has been ticked off my list.

Monday 28th September to Saturday 3rd October

Saturday 3rd October
Golf in a gale-force wind. Played pretty well in terms of ball striking but couldn't get the ball in the hole - chipping and putting were blooming terrible. Finished off Ian Rankin's new book 'The Complaints' which was excellent as usual. Me and Lucy went to see if we could find some chestnuts which we did. About a week or so too early mind.

Friday 2nd October
Backlash of not sleeping properly at Sunderland meant I couldn't get up in the morning. 6.15 before out of bed, managed to run up town and back in the most direct route to fetch papers and back in time to get kids up which was okay. Am a half pound of losing half a stone in three weeks which I should be happy with and today is 2 years and three months since I last had a smoke so that's good too.

Reasons to be happy are many!


Thursday 1st October
Another month passes by. Woke up in Sunderland - stopped as a Premier Inns hotel but didn't sleep all that well (don't believe that Lenny Henry). Anyway went for a walk at 6am then off to observe a super group in Sunderland. Got back around 4pm in Alfreton.

Went to Janet's group and lost another 1.5lb Not quite as much as I'd hoped but better than might have been expected after all that food and drink at the weekend!

Got home after 6pm to find out that have not been successful in the ballot to run the London Marathon next year which is a bit of a disappointment BUT it was less 4-1 against getting into it so was at least half expecting it!!!


Wednesday 30th
Four mile (I think) run first thing, a good start, getting my legs to remember the miles again!! Gym at lunch time all being well then off to sunny Sunderland to visit another group of the year!

Tuesday 29th
Got up early, ran the best part of four miles so that's on the up and up. Have got a trip up to Sunderland on Wednesday night which will interfere a little with the plans but hey-ho, that's life. 40 minutes in gym after work, all going well.

Monday 28th
Didn't get back home til 9:30 last night after a very strenuous couple of days so was impressed at getting up at 6:15 and out on the bike. Finished the day off with a 40 minute session in the gym and according to the scale haven't put any weight on over the weekend which has me worried - I reckon there's a delayed reaction coming but we'll see!!

Saturday 26th to Sunday 27th Stuff!!

This was the Rockers team after cleaningout the Rhino house at Knowsley Safari Park (I kid you not).


Mr Middleton with his new friend. Did you know these poor creatures are being decimated by our overuse of anti-biotics - no?? You do now.


Had a walk around the grounds on the Sunday - what a plot of land.

Me and the missus are deffo gonna put an offer in for it. It'd do us nicely I reckon.

Guess where I was at the weekend!!!

Not got time to update just yet and need to get me pictures in order.

Sunday 20th September to Saturday 26th September

Friday 25th September
Didn't get to bed til nearly 1am so not surprised at it being a struggle to get out of bed. Still got on the bike and fetched papers from up town which was better than nothing. Will definitely get to gym later on.

Thursday 24th September
Ran up town and back again which is the new longer run. Next week make it a bit longer again by going down Watery Lane to Mayfield road which will add a mile every day. In a month I'm intending on being back to the daily five-miler. Went to group on way home, only lost a pound but it's still in the right direction even if the distance isn't great.

At night time went to see It Bites at the FlowerPot, Derby - it was awesome. The Genius of it All.


Wednesday 23rd September
Didn't do anything after got back from London, I reckon lugging two laptops around London counts as exercise at some level and seeing as I didn't eat anything bad all day I reckoned that was enough. Wednesday morning I got up 6am'ish knackered but decided I'd run up town and back which is a bit further than have been doing maybe 2.5 miles so a little step up. So not a bad start to the day.

Slimming World's Head Office 40th Birthday party today, stopped for 45 minutes then had to get back to the gym and did a solid 40 minutes in dedication. All good - only had a diet coke when red wine offer which I think was pretty darned good!!

Tuesday 22nd September
2 mile run again first thing - am so unfit it's untrue. Then 7 holes of golf which could have been nine holes if Liz had told me the correct time of the train to London this morning which was 10:18 not 10:00. Hey ho. Anyway she got firstclass tickets for only £27 which I think is very good.

Monday 21st September
Good stuff thus far - 2 mile run then up town and back on bike. A bit nippy but at least ran okay, no stops and a steady pace. Still pleased at improving golf swing last night - more I think about it the more obvious it seems.

Sunday 20th September
Started off with roadwork - a 2 mile run, not much but all I'm good for at the minute. Then went to paintwork - undercoat on two doors, a coat of gloss would come later. Then had kids for day while missus went shop, shop. In evening did a few holes of golf which was a ton better than yesterday when I was pitiful at best. Improved things by taking club back much straighter, I've been rotating too much and getting the club back far too much on the inside. When got back me and Lucy went for a little spin on the bike which was alreet in the last of the sunshine.

Sunday 13th September to Sat 19th

Saturday 19th September
Have updated the Sky Fantasy Football team. Had to drop Adebayor as he's suspended (bloomin liability he is) and have brought Andy Reid into the midfield (he'll probably get injured in the warm up today with my luck). Drogba has been slotted into replace Adebayor. Who am I most diappointed with? Almunia should be doing much better but Arsenal are just rubbish this season.

Me and Lucy have been up town to fetch newspapers and get breakfast at the mighty Busy Bees cafe near the bus station.

Friday 18th September
Aaaaagh, up late again so just up town and back on bike. Didn't get to gym - v busy today.

Just downloaded Rainbow Anthology off Amazon for 79p! 28 tracks for 79p Can't beat that for value!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001KNYKNO/ref=nosim/?tag=hotukdeals-21



Finished this week's book - "The Poet" by Michael Connelly, a not bad FBI serial killer thriller diller.



Thursday 17th September
Got up late, so just biked up town and back steady. Weigh in day later so am hoping a couple of pounds gone. Gym record looks like it'll stop at 9 working days in a row - no chance of getting in there today but it was a good run while it lasted! Start again tomorrow.



Went to group - week 1 weighin 4lb loss. Acceptable. Read the Ashbourne stunner and got a bit miffed as it said It Bites were at Derby Assembly rooms tonight but it's wrong it's next Thursday. Yay. If can talk missus out of going shopping I reckon I'll go. The last album 'The Tall Ships' is ace.

Wednesday 16th September
Ursula's group last night in St Neots was excellent as always, an inspiring Slimming World Consultant, she is for sure. Anyway, had diabetes clinic this morning at 9:30 so went out and played nine holes of golf before going up town for the clinic. Parred 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th but lost three balls on the other holes so still plenty of work to be done! Health checkup was darned good - 146/70 for the blood pressure, 5.9 on the blood sugar, all the other tests checked out super only one letting me down is Cholesterol which is up but you can't have everything. Another forty minutes in the gym - all bike but was drenched at end of it so it must be good. Nine in a row.

Tuesday 15th Sept
Ran a couple of miles and then biked up town and back. Good start. Going to one of our flagship groups in St Neots tonight to see Ursula so am going to get into Gym at lunchtime. Did gym at lunchtime - the record is increasing.... 40 minutes - 25 on bike, 15 on rower.

Monday 14th Sept
Brilliant night's sleep for a change. Struggled to get up in morning but got on bike and did a long ride through Mayfield, Okeover Park round Mappleton, into Ashbourne and back for 7 or 8 miles. Not a bad start. Haven't touched a drop of alcohol for over a week now which is also progress, bit miffed that no progress on the scales but it'll come. 40 minutes in the gym again. 7 business days running now - every day a new Sid record.

Sunday 13th Sept
Bit of cycling with Lucy in the morning maybe five miles, then Festival of Transport at Darley Dale, then 2 mile run at night which I struggled with.

Sunday 6th September to Saturday 12th September

Saturday 12 September
Busy bee today. Missus and kids gone to Skeggy on a day trip so whole day to mesen! Hoovered through. Got two tubs of blackberries picked, fixed yesterdays puncture, fetched papers then up t'hill for 18 holes of golf. Not bad stuff either - didn't lose a ball but found half a dozen played steady in one of those four-ball better-ball bogey comps where you play against the course - if you win a hole by birdying the hole (after handicap taken off) then you get a plus, if you par then it's zero, if bogey or worse then you get a minus. We ended up with +2 which was okay but both John and mesen had three putted when we should have had pars which would have made us at least two better. Plus when we cocked up a hole we both seemed to cock the same holes up. Never mind. I got a two on the 6th which means a couple of quid back from the twos' pool which is worth mentioning. Parred the first, seventh, thirteenth, fourteenth, sixteenth as well which was steady.

Book this week was "A Darkness more then Night" by Michael Connelly which was good, new author for me.

The only bad thing about today was the bloomin lawnmowers conked. Bloody thing.

Friday 11th September
Slipped up today, couldn't get out bed until 6:15 so that was first thing, went out on bike, puncture up town, pumped it up and had just enough pressure in it to limp home second thing, crappy Derby papers weren't in was third thing. Not a great start to the day. Still pleased at getting back to group now there's another good habit. Another 40 minutes in the gym - six working days on the trot now. Good.

Thursday 10th September
Same again barman, got up before 6am, set off for a run and then rode up town and back. Habit almost. Run was better as have been banging weight on since running marathon in April and have lapsed going to group. All this needs to change.

Got into gym and did another forty minutes worth then hightailed it to Janet's new group in Alfreton. Couldn't stop long as it's shopping night but at least I've drawn a line in the sand. Just got to get back on plan again now!!!

Wednesday 9th September
Up at ten to six, missus wants waking at 6:30 so got to box clever this morning so went run for a couple of miles, got back, woke missus then cycled up town and back on a loop that came back along watery lane. Good stuff. 40 minutes on bike in gym, absolutely drenched good. In evening me and Lucy did a ride around the farm loop.

Tuesday 8th September
Up at 6am which is a slight improvement, lots to do today with kids back at school. Should have polished shoes last night really but not to worry. Road up town the long way, picked up daily paper (crappy Derby paper not in yet) then got back. All's well so far. Gym again for another forty minutes, one more day and it'll be almost habit. We'll see.

Monday 7th September
Couldn't get out of bed again, so only whizzed up town and back on the bike. Did 40 minutes in gym before coming home then took Lucy on a little bike ride down to the end of watery lane and back.

Sunday 6th September
Not much to report, walked up golf course to get even more blackberries with Lucy, then cycled a bit from Longcliffe to Darley Dale.

Sunday 30th August to Saturday 5th September

Saturday 5th September
Better round of golf today i.e. didn't lose any golf balls. Went round in 95 off the whites and that included some crappy putting to say the least (e.g. on in two on the 13th hole and then four-putted for a double-bogey). So progress there. After golf me and Lucy cycled up to Dobbin Horse lane and got a load of blackberries.

Friday 4th September
Cycled up town to get papers then walked miles round Alton Towers and ended coming home very wet indeed. Endless fun.

Thursday 3rd September
Went to bed last night and it was raining so bad I was looking in the yellow pages for Ark builders, got up this morning and it's only lightened off a bit so didn't do much this morning, 60 biceps curls with some heavy weights which is a start I suppose.

Got into Gym, thirty minutes on bike with nasty program selected then ten minutes on rower, was plenty. Progress!

Wednesday 2nd September
Cycled up town and back and that was all. Went back to work and it was okay if a bit fraught. Such is life. Chucked it down when I got home so nowt in the evening.

Tuesday 1st September
Cripes, September already - cycled up town and back with Lucy, stopped for a bite to eat at Busy Bees Cafe, got papers, rode back. Very civilised. Cleaned downstairs windows which as you'd expect brought on the rain. Excellent. Walked a couple of miles in evening after 'My name is Earl' finished.

Monday 31st Aug
Bank Holiday -cycling, lots of walking.

Sunday 30th August
Well, back from hols so on with business. Got up 7am and did a two mile run which was interrupted with some walking as am out of shape. Intend on doing this every day.