Death From Above

Morning folks.
In an aim to be able to get up early this week to swim or cycle before work (different days - I'm not THAT energetic!) I've been getting up at 5:30 this weekend (it's only half an hour earlier than usual, not too much of a shock to the system). Yesterday it worked out OK, I got to head out on my long training ride nice and early before there was any traffic. And the sun is up then, so I'm enjoying lovely bright morning.
But today is a rest day so I've been up for two and a half hours, I've had breakfast, I've tidied the front room, I've weeded half the back yard and I'm just settling down to coffee and toast before starting the actual "day" part of the day. And it's only just coming up to 8am.

*sigh*

The cycle ride was good yesterday tho. 35 miles, lots of lovely back country lanes through the flat bit of Wharfedale (v rich agricultural bit, excellent hedges, good grass). The hills were AWFUL. I had to get off and breathe 3 times going up the East Chevin Road. It's a 12% and my legs are NOT strong enough for that yet. Feels OK now tho. Good recovery. Good legs.

1) Today I put on the penultimate batch of 'todes of the current insane workload. Woo yeah, almost over.

2) I also decided that as I had done most of the work on the other microbial stuff (minion assisting) I get all the data. All mine. Yus. Delicious data.

3) I am soooooo up-ish right now. Even with being good and not having ANY caffeine today. Lalalala, emotional imbalance, I has it. I can do ALL the things! At once! And it feeeeeeels so good!

4) The winter cycling suit came from Wiggle. I sat and looked at the box for a while because it was a VERY small box. But eventually I braved the unwrapping. It's actually pretty cool. Kinda like a wetsuit to struggle into up to the waist and then turns into dungarees. Very warm. Fleece lined I believe. If only the arse padding didn't look quite so much like a skull in clashing orange and blue I'd be over the moon. As it is I'm perfectly happy with it. Can't wait for the weather to turn cold enough to actually wear it.

Anyway. Four good things is a lot for one day. Have a post. :D

In amongst all the rage-y stress and panic of last week (see flocked post below) I did manage to do some important good stuff.

1. Rebooked the opticians appointment that I COMPLETELY forgot last Sunday. Thank you Specsavers for not being grumpy at my numptyism. You are verrah kind.

2. Booked the surfing lessons for next weekend. OH YEAH, I'MA GONNA LEARN HOW TO SURF. Cool. I has it.

3. Got a lift sorted for the massive bike ride of massive that I'm doing tomorrow. (It's not really that massive, I'm only doing the 50 km, my lift person is doing the 160 km - they're insane, it has mountains!).

And that's the "3 points make a post" !!!

*posts*

er yeah, life is NOT very exciting at the moment.

I get up, I go to work, I come home, I watch the Tour de France, I go to bed. Lalalala WhingeCakes.

Mind you, watching the Tour is making my cycling into work better. I'm tending to keep it in the harder gears and go for my bullbars to push on through the uphil parts. Oh yeah. I'm as hard as a Tour rider (in my mind).

Discovered the scent explosion of new Dove Deoderant last night. Call me sad, but I was lying on the couch wallowing in the fact that every time I reached for the remote I smelt pretty. (and today at work at least ONE person said "you smell nice". So ner).

This post brought to you by Curry and Beer night. Corona's are in the fridge if you want one. And feel free to try leftover chapattis with marmalade, it's an unsuspectedly awesome taste outcome.

But on the plus side, I did count ALL the invisible wiggly worms today. 60 tubes of wiggly worms counted. Boo-Ya.

And I'm making curry.

In my impartial view, I win the day. :D

and we did ALL THE TOURISTY THINGS. Which pleased her mightily.

The weather stayed good (i.e. only a wee bit o' soft rain) and there were even moments of being a smidgeon too warm! There was walking and cycling and pottering through town and browsing and eating (lots of tasty eating) and touristing and laughing (she nearly fell off the bike for laughing at one point).

We found the shop with all the "kitchen things that you didn't know you needed until now" and enjoyed both the coffee house of posh and the delicious restaurant of locally sourced produce.

Oh, and one day I must tell you about her new venture, smuggling donkeys on the ferry over to the UK. It's all planned out. Really. There's even a role in it for you, SwissBoy, when she expands into New Zealand.

Swapped out to third at the last moment. SHAME!

And where did Azerbaijan come from? That was a surprising outcome. Very pleased the UK gave Moldova 8 points. Our party gave them the full 12. Oh yes, guys with ginormous cones on their heads. Now, THAT'S real Eurovision. As were the cool assortment of people including the woman in red who was really going it some with her tambourine.

UK didn't do too bad! More points than we've had for ages and on the lefthand side of the screen! But still beaten by the Gaga-esque catastrophe that was Jedward. Terrible.

Don't even ASK me about Russia, someone needs to grab a video of that, cut out the sound and switch in "Greased Lightning".

Anyway. Yes. Party. We had Bockwurst and red cabbage to be eurovisionary. And I drank beer. Good night. Had to wait for the rain to stop before cycling the 20km home this morning. Kinda feel the need to go back to bed, but there's the hoovering to do, some food shopping required and I MUST remember to watch the repeat of Dr Who tonight.

I have socialised. I have familied. I have celebrated (well done parental units! 40 years!) I have eaten, I have drunk and I have incidentally missed Doctor Who.

I have flown (Air Lingus! wider seats, emptier planes) and I have travelled on a million and one buses.

But now I'm home again and tomorrow I'm going on a MASSIVE bikeride to enjoy what's left of the sunshine.

Oh, and the bay is full of boats. BOATS.

Cold mornings, insistant rain and STRIKLEY back on the tele. And Ann Widecome was actually watchable! Eee, she's a game old bird.

Must get the SAD light out of storage, I've been impossible to live with the past week. This state of affairs cannot continue. Will get the base layers out while I'm there. Mmm, base layers. Went cycling in the short period of dry yesterday, but leftovers of Scotland still impinging on enthusiasm for bike related exercise. Only stayed out an hour. Still, there's the hope of bagging one of the three peaks later on in Oct so that'll be something.

Status Quo on Wogan helping with the autumnal blues, if only it would stop raining!


Oh, and in the continued vein of yay dancin' (with thanks to SMTB's Friday Videos)

I managed to wear shoes all day today so you may have some more of the epic saga.

Oh! But first I have to add the bits in that I forgot about the first day.

1. The finish was at the TOP of a wee mound in Fort Augustus. THE TOP. We complained most bitterly about this as we staggered up the gravel path. But the lovely ladies with the bipper (time stopper thing) were very smiley and encouraging and gave us little packets of Haribo. Mmm Haribo.

2. We did draftin'! I was the front wind breaker and let her Ladyship hang onto my back wheel because I am kind. It was the evil moor bits above Loch Ness and the persistent headwind that plagued us. We found a pair travelling about the same speed as us and hung onto them for a good 10 mins. Cruel maybe for the one in front but we were tired! To that lady we say THANK YOU!!!

( Now Read On... )
One thing I will say however. If you're ever in Glencoe, go to "The Glencoe Hotel", look like you're going to order some food or drink and then go up to the barstaff and tell them you would be buying something but due to their FASICST POLICY about not serving food to starving people if they order 5 mins after the 8pm cut-off, you won't be bothering.

Seriously. A sandwich would have been fine. We were NOT in any kind of position to be fussy. We would have looked on leftovers as heaven sent. But apparently the kitchen couldn't help us. THANKS FOR NOTHING GLENCOE HOTEL.