Mike's musings

18.45 miles

(backposting) That's how far I cycled this morning. Went to meet Miri and Mel at Sudbury library for the toddler's song and story time, and was loudly dressed and sweaty at them. Miri enjoyed it. Also bought a pair of deck shoes and a pair of walking sandals.

Labels: bike

"God just wants me to be a bridesmaid"

One of Jo's great lines.

I cycled to Clare and back today: gorgeous, and one of the houses on the way had a basket full of free apples. Gorgeous: and being warm was an extra positive, oddly. I've decided not to work it too hard, but to keep the work-rate up. In other words, I don't want to pull anything, but I want to keep it nicely aerobic.

And now we're watching The West Wing on DVD. Again. Great.

Labels: bike, Jo

Biking

Yesterday I bit the bullet, stepped up to the plate and mixed my metaphors. I decided it was time to start taking some exercise, and got my bike out. I don't think I've been on it for 8 or so years, since we moved to Great Yeldham. Went to visit Simon from Castle Hedingham, who wasn't in. But he was in today, and he helped me to pump up the tyres. I thought I'd done an OK job, but they were both at less than 1 bar (surely that's 1 bar over atmospheric...?), and should be more like 4 bar. It was a lot easier riding back.

I decided not to ride too hard either today or yesterday. I made that mistake in my mid-twenties when I thought I'd try rugby again. I still _have_ the muscles, so I _could_, but it would really hurt. So I didn't.

Yesterday Charles, Victoria's son (hi!) came round to try to build a new machine. It didn't work. Catherine laughed. A lot. She's mean.

Oh, and the girls are sleeping really well at the moment. Pretty I'm not. (NOTE: this is a typo. I'm meant "Pity I'm not". Whoops).

Labels: bike, sleep

Renewal of baptismal vows

Went with Jo (who slept through past 0600 today, as did the dog!) to a service at Long Melford today which including a renewal of baptismal vows. Ian, the Rector, had worked very hard not only on the liturgy, but on the numbers. He told me that he'd personally invited at least 300 people, and there must have been around that number there. The service was very good, and even though, at an hour and a half, it was long for the younger members of the congregation, it all went very well, and there were things for them all to do. We all trooped past the font - and a mini-font for children - signing with the cross ourselves with the water that was there, and after communion, we were all given a candle, and they were lit from a flame which started at the Easter candle. We sang a hymn, and finished off the service with a blessing. It was a very good service, and I was very impressed.

After that, I picked up Moo and Miri and went went to Freeport, via The King's Head at Gosfield, where we enjoyed a very good meal (particularly the puddings!), despite some rather weird company on neighbouring tables... Only bought a pair of sunglasses at Freeport, and Moo spent most of the time feeding Miri in Starbucks. It was beginning to rain harder and harder, Moo lost it a bit with Jo (who was playing up), and we went home. Jo watched a little TV (CBeebies), and then, despite the rain, came outside to play on her new bike.

Once Jo finally went to sleep, I took Buster out for 50+ minutes. It rained very, very hard. No, really. My Akubra (hat), Drizabone (coat), Brashers and moleskins (trousers) did stirling service, but by the time the dog went into the lake, it was unclear whether it was making him wetter, or the other way round.

Labels: baptism, bike, dog, placement, services, weather