Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Early morning golf and evening Gym

Up bright and early again today so went straight off to golf at 6.20am and had nine holes out there in lovely sunshine, but there was a chill in the air so needed some layers. I did okay and had a brilliant tee shot on the 4th to land only 1yrd away to birdie it - pleased with that!

But lost two balls in the water again.

Back home by 8.15am and did a day's work as usual

My new putter was delivered and as it said on the site, it was brand new and in its wrapping - seems okay so need to go an practise with it now.

Got my Kili diary transcript completed which is pleasing but there was an abrupt end to it as I obviously gave up on summit day. I have kept the entry open so I can go an update it from memory. I plan to keep the pages of notes and not throw them away.

Tash was out again all day walking with Anna and then pottered around the house and garden in the rain! Had dinner, and I walked Bess - I decided that Run Club is a bit of a waste of time - thinking about it there's a 2hr round trip as we leave at 5.30pm to join the traffic and get home about 7.30pm having run for about 30 mins. I said I'd rather spend that time here - and I did, I went to the gym and got 90 mins workout done so a much better use of my time. Struggled a bit with the running but rowing and cycling I sweated my bollocks off.

Home and wasting time on my phone, watched a bit of TV and then early night (well 10.00pm)

A decent day all told

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Golf and Kilimanjaro Diary transcribed

Woken up bright and early this morning by the alarm at 5.45am - Tash wasn't impressed..

Got up and did about 20mins work, and then got my stuff and left for the golf course. I couldn't go any earlier as it was too dark, got to Radley about 6.40am and was on the course on my own but it took a while to lighten up - such a shame that summer is on its way out..but there you go.

I had a decent nine holes, although I struggled on the 7th which was annoying. Only did the nine as two groups of old men teed off and it was about 8.00am so thought it best that I get back home to the office.

Traffic was okay and I had a busy day of it

Halfway through I checked the doorstep and sure enough my new laptop arrived - hopefully take more care of this one - and as usual that meant losing time setting it up and downloading all the programmes I need for it, it seemed to go fairly smoothly so that's good - nice to have a proper keyboard that doesn't miss characters when I type.

Work is getting busier but the lads are experienced now so coping with things being thrown at them.

Made dinner in the evening, Tash got wet cycling home, and then went off to catch up with Lucie - I took Bess on a long walk and then home to continue transcribing my Kilimanjaro hand-written notes into this Blogger diary. It's slow going but it's bringing back so many memories, I am so very pleased that I wrote in the detail that I did, it's making everything so really and remembered. I'd spent some of the day doing it and then a couple of hours in the evening as we were waiting for our net Airbnb who arrived at 10.00pm meaning I could go to bed

A long day.

Something I am pleased about is I was able to put into practise some of the golf shots I've been practising at home in the garden - just using my pitching wedge to hit 20ft. It made hell of a difference, I felt confident in what I was doing and how far to pull back my swing when checking out the distances close to the green. Very useful and will definitely continue to practise that going forwards.

Saturday, September 07, 2024

Tonight Josephine and Charlotte late night!

Woke up early as we're off early and have things to do so jumped in the hot-tub for a bit and then I made bacon sandwiches. Got sorted and ready to go and Jodie arrived then Tash and I went to get Sue and Lewis/Jodie got Charlotte and we all made our way to Birmingham.

I dropped Sue and Tash as close to the station as possible and then found parking and went to the pub and had a nice pint of Camden Hells Pale Ale - as good as lager to be far. The girls all went off to Tonight Josephine round the corner and Lewis and I went off wandering around the Bullring shopping.

I was looking for new trainers, found some but couldn't get my size, loads of shops that I could have bought from but was ultimately unsuccessful, back to the drawing board.

Lewis and I then went to the market and as much as I hate it the very first stall had the frying pan fat protectors I had on my birthday list for £3.50 total (for two) so I went ahead and got them.

We then went to Bills for lunch which was lovely - nice burger, shit fries!

Went and met up with the girls when they'd finished their show and they were in a downstairs bar (along with all the other women from the show too) and it was a good atmosphere. Sue had absolutely loved it, Charlotte less so complaining about the food, drinks and music - she wasn't the only one - but they'd all had a good time it seems. Loads of posing and photos and a few drinks but the car park times were running our so we needed to leave.

Lewis and Emily going up North, me taking Charl, Tash and Jodie - stopped for beers and chocolate and wee break and then back home. Dropped Charl at Bicester because Miles was in Bournemouth with his mates and Charl had the taste for it so was going out with Katie, we took Jodie back to her mum's in Stokenchurch and the made our way back home.

Sat in the hot-tub with a few beers and then came in and watched some TV before going to bed.

Got a phone call about 11.30pm from Katie asking if we could get Charl as she couldn't walk or talk - last thing we needed, especially as I'd had a drink, but we had no option and went and got her - sure enough she was a state!

Got her home to her bedroom but she was noisy and it was awkward because we had an Airbnb (I don't think she was impressed as she left the following day and didn't reply to messages..oops!). Finally Charl collapsed and it was quiet, we laid out a towel and bucket and hoped for the best

We did check on her in the night and she was fine. Quite a long and eventful day!

Thursday, September 05, 2024

BBQ in the rain

What a shit day it was today, nothing to do with work - that was fine - the weather was awful.

Miserable and raining and very dark the whole time. I manged some exercises in the "bar gym" which was good but we had Lewis coming down and Charl, Miles and my mum coming over in the evening so I still went ahead and got things readied in the garden to sit out and have a BBQ - I did have an umbrella over it so that was good but no-one was interested in staying outside so we started out - got very smoked out and then ate inside. I think that pissed Tash off.

Nice evening, few beers and bottles of wine drunk and then about 9.30pm people went home. Lewis and I watched the Guy Ritchie film - Ministry of Ungentlemanly Conduct - third time for me and he loved it too. That finished at midnight and he took Bess for a quick walk around the block as she'd eaten so much in the evening

Really nice evening - enjoyed it 

Wednesday, September 04, 2024

JK Run Club

Bit of a nothing day in terms of work - keeping up to date and dealing with all issues and ticking along. 

Been working through the photos I have in iCloud and moving them into folder on OneDrive - amazing how much we fit into our lives it really is
 
We travelled over to Bicester for Run Club, and were v early for once, did the warm up and then it was a straight 30mins run - I came last!! I completed the time but I am so slow, but then I go at a steady pace that suits me, just it's not very fast..

Came home and pottered around, I watched the Deacon Blue concert video I'd recorded which was great fun, exercised too and then another early night.

Monday, September 02, 2024

Afternoon run AND Bootcamp!

Starting to get busier at work because people are coming back after their summer holidays, so it won't be long before we're snowed under again! However, it's been nice to catch up and have a comfortable few weeks.

I went out for a run at lunchtime, got as far as the Trout and then cramp hit my left calf, my fault I am sure as I've not drunk must water today, thought about turning back but carried on and it was okay, it was like a strain but nothing dangerous. Ran to Wytham and back which is what Tash did in the morning so I was keeping up with her.

Tired me out for the rest of the afternoon if the truth be told.

Had a snooze for a bit and then we went to boot camp for our private session! We worked hard today but also felt better during it so that was a definite positive. Sad news as we left in that Steve told us he was moving on and joining Radley College as the Gym Manager there.

Didn't do much in the evening, watched a bit of tv (Celebrity Race Around the World) and then an early night. Will be aching in the morning no doubt!

Sunday, September 01, 2024

Golf and French Bistro evening

Didn't even realise it was the 1st of September until Monday morning (2nd) - how time is flying.

Really good day today.

Up early and down to Wickes and Aldi for shopping, Tash got the food and drink and I got the varnish for the table and back home worked on the table really taking my time and as much care as I could and though I say so myself, I did a brilliant job, the table looks as good as new, really, really pleased with it.

Sorted the garden and then Tash went over to her Mum's to help get things in order and I went off and played golf on my own, it was great, hardly anyone there, so fortunate to have such a quiet golf course. My round was pretty indifferent but I do feel I got some consistency with my driving, not straight but I was able to address/accommodate the pronounced fade that I have in my game.

Anyway, pretty shit round and did 100 strokes, really need to be getting into the low 90's. That wasn't the main story for the day..on the 17th (water hole) I was putting and then heard a crash, my trolley had rolled into the lake and my bag was face down in the water - incredibly nothing was lost but it was all soaking wet! Made the guys on the WhatsApp chat laugh. Plonker!

Didn't go home, we arranged with my mum to meet her at Shotover, Tash and Bess came separately too and we went for a walk around the park, mum was a bit slow and seemed to find it tough going but as usual she plodded along uncomplaining. She asked about Jeff, that was interesting, I didn't shy away from the subject and said what we'd talked about and that we'd arrange to meet up - no idea how she took it, probably pissed that we've not been to see Louise and Joey etc.

We then went home and it was a lovely hot day so I took a detour to Summertown and got some wine because we're out and then Tash did more in the garden and I cooked chicken tarragon and it was lovely. But what made it fun is that I set up the outside garden table as a restaurant complete with napkins and French bistro music on - it was a lovely setting under the grape vines and felt very "international" and "holiday" like. Stayed out and drank more and just relaxed - it was such a lovely (and almost romantic!) evening. 

A perfect end to a lovely weekend.