guess i'm showing my age eh?

The mid seventies really did produce some classic Christmas tunes, maybe the Wombles weren't quite at the top of the pile but even so, why are modern offerings so dour? But of course the whole nature of Western popular music has changed, the fun element has gone replaced by a lot of navel contemplation and an inability to string two notes together. Perhaps i'm just a grumpy old woman, set in her ways, yeah, maybe thats it.

So its been a funny few days dominated by my attempt to complete ten thousand miles by the end of the year. To that end i've been out for some sort of ride every day, alternately @ 70 miles and 35 miles respectively, but even so there are still @ 700 miles to complete in the next fortnight - yeah, my last ride of the year is likely to be on the 19th. Pressure much! This last minute rush is of course my own fault, i did a lot less riding than usual early in the year and the visits to Yorkshire put quite a dent in the numbers too. Of course there's nothing riding on it, its purely for my own satisfaction, even so.....

Of course, the reason for the reduced number of potential ride days is my Xmas jolly to Old Father Rhein. It'll be my first foreign trip, my first actual holiday in two years thanks to Covid, sorting out the relevant paperwork hasn't been too bad but its added hassle to what should be a relaxing trip. And then of course there's the fuss of arranging tests, getting the booster jab (a week Monday) - add to all that the possibilty that it could still be cancelled, well i'm not amused.

At the very least I will be away though, the bus to Sheffield is booked, arrangements to see family and friends made which is better than last year (of course there's still time for it all to go pear shaped even here). Yep, i'm a bit stressed but not over gifts or what to wear, thats all sorted, its the continuous uncertainty thats gnawing at me.

The weather has, whilst often quite bright, been blighted by strong winds which have kept temperatures struggling to reach 3c. In response, Aunty Bev's cauldron has been pressed into action again today, a weeks worth of lamb stew so guess what we'll be eating all week? Just to put the boot in to my cycling aspirations we've got a couple of wet days forecast this week - wet, cold, windy - mebbe i should just admit defeat?

There is a new Gaby chapter up today, Ride London is the 33rd part of Ontario and the German squad get their first ride on Canadian soil - of course, Gab's has to show off, what did you expect?

That pretty much covers everything for now, i'll be back with more incessant drivel on Wednesday,
Tschussie,
Madeline Anafrid