Too cold to ride

I didn't think it was as cold this morning whilst out with Juno just after 7 but by the time I was out on my bike nearer 10, I just managed 5 miles before getting back indoors. My fingers were freezing cold, painfully so, the type of pain that when you run them under a warm tap it actually makes them feel worse. The skies were grey and the most notable birds were magpies and I had hoped to spend a bit more time bird watching.

Once inside I was straight back out for a 5km run which was much more enjoyable, this time with full gloves, not fingerless ones. 

Alison was out for the morning so I got on with making nut rissoles for tea and some lentil soup for lunch. With a bit of clear time in the afternoon I did some more exercises on the trumpet before reading for half an hour and then washing the car which has got filthy from all the muck on the icy roads.

Glen popped in as usual at lunchtime when he had finished work and was in good spirits, looking forward to his gig in Brighton.

Frosty again

After an evening with the four children, we were grateful for them staying in bed until 7 and by the time I got out with the dog, it was properly light for a change. However, it was frosty once again but the sun has been out for most of the day. I took Evie and Amelia home and got the chance to see the loft ladder Joe has just put in working well, allowing him to start boarding the attic for more storage space. 

Once home I was out quickly for a run down to and around Verwood before coming back across the golf course. I did 4.5 miles which is pretty good going after the 5 mile yesterday. I'm definitely feeling fitter than for several months. I was listening to The Thursday Murder Club on audiobook, a choice which has surprised me. I have been avoiding the book after so much hype surrounding it and believing the lowest common denonmenator approach would make it an insufferable read or listen. To my surprise I've been enjoying it.

It was then time for lunch before Maria, Joseph and I set out for Glen's place. Bridie is still isolating after her positive covid test and Alison is feeling rough as, although the LTF tests are negative. We went for a walk with the dogs and loved the bright sunshine, the birdsong e.g. great tit and the wide open spaces for the dogs to really let rip. We did a couple of miles before spending an hour in his new house filling in forms and Glen kindly did the children pizza as they were starving.

Friday walk

It was another frosty morning here in Woodlands when Alison and I set out on our walk which ended up taking us a shade under 4 miles. We took the path towards Mannington before heading back towards Slough Lane through some fantastic woodland which was covered in moss, almost like a rainforest similar to those on Dartmoor. Juno loved the opportunity to bounce into the fields and undergrowth, although she did get a shock brushing against one of the electric fences! Cue yelps and a quick return to us, tail between legs.

I have subsequently been varnishing more upstairs doors, a job that is complete now, and it has made a huge difference to their look. Much improved.

My trumpet playing today was terrible for some reason but I am pretty pleased with how things have been going. Today I just couldn't get my lips working to sutain the notes properly. Sounded dire.

I have also been out counting birds in the garden for the RSP Big Garden Birdwatch and have recorded the following:

Blue tit 6
Goldfinch 9
Chaffinch 5
House sparrow 22
Nuthatch 1
Woodpigeon 3
Long tailed tit 2
Dunnock 1
Blackbird 1
Coal tit 1
Collared dove 2
Great tit
Robin 1
Starling 1

Dis

Thursday supplement

Some photos from the allotment with plenty of garlic and onions doing well and a sunny evening walk with Juno. 
 

Moors Valley - Happy One Hundred

Quite a day with a 7am dog walk to start followed by a 10 mile bike ride to Moors Valley with a stop to admire a nearby buzzard, three moorhen and a group of mute swans. On the way back I joined Alison at her mum's house where we got on with gardening. It was something of a first in mowing the back lawn because the dry weather of January seems to have got the grass growing wildly. I also did some more work in preparing the vegetable beds for spring planting and filled the bird feeders.

Joy doesn't seem to worry about too many veg these days so we will just focus on runner beans, shallots and potatoes for her. The rest of the seeds we plant, like carrot and greens, don't seem to appeal to her any longer. 

I returned some library books on the ride home when we had a bit of lunch before I drove to Wimborne to park to collect Maria later that afternoon. I walked the mile down to the allotment and sorted out the compost heap before doing some more digging. We have new neighbours on one side, the two policemen who have been there before have given up the plot and two women, Rebecca and Ruth, were working on it.

Maria got out of school and we drove home for her tea before she goes off again this time to dance. I took Juno out again and have hit 24,000 steps for the day already. I am feeling tired for sure, and the hundred referenced in the blog post title, that refers to having cycled over 100 miles on the new bike, so over the past three weeks which I thought was pretty good given how freezing cold much of that has been.

Russell Cotes Museum trip

The photos give a sense of the place we visited this morning but it is difficult to capture it truly, although that may be due to us having lived here for years and years and yet have never seen the museum let alone gone inside. Our footsteps have always been downwards from the car park towards the beach and pier so it was strange to take in this rather out of place building sat squarely above one of the premier beaches in the country looking across views which take in the Purbecks and Old Harrys rocks to the west and the Needles on the Isle of Wight to the east.

The gardens will be worth a visit in the warmer weather of months to come but for now we headed inside and were struck by the beautiful objects being displayed and the swathe of art work including a number of paintings by very famous artists including Gabriel Rossetti. There was, as always seems to be the case, so much to see you begin to lose focus as the next artefact takes the attention. We will definitely be heading back soon.

Before this we had got the children on their respective buses and then driven to Joe and Kate's where we were able to surprise Evie and Amelia in walking them to school which was lovely as the sun began to make an appearance. There was a time for a coffee with Joe and Kate before they got with their working from home, which suits them both well.

I'm now just back from a sub 10 minute mile run, 3.55 miles in total, and am nearing an average of 16000 steps a day as we head toward the end of the month. I'm pleased with that. The only resolution I have not managed as yet is to write each day. I'm just not ready for it and am happily reading instead.

One resolution I have kept is playing the trumpet. I am now getting to grips with the notes and can play, after a fashion such classics as Abide With Me, Twinkle, Twinkle, Jingle Bells, God Save the Queen and Good King Wenceslas. What a selection of tunes!

Murmuration

The video was shot early this morning as Juno and I set off down the track for her romp round the woods at Martins Farm. It was still getting light but the rooks and jackdaws were moving off from their roost and making the usual noise, although you can hear a robin singing nearby if you watch the clip.

Once back home I was quickly out for a run which took me a shade over 5km relatively slowly after yesterday's quicker run but I was off road which seems to depress pace anyway. It was noce being able to listen to The Unbelievable Truth as I ran, having already gone through a History of England podcast which is reaching the end of the reign of James 1.

The rest of the morning ha been about the cooking - chilli, humus and boston beans - using kidney beans and chickeas soaked overnight. I am really looking forward to the boston beans, as this is a new one for me. I was intrigued listening to an audio book about food by a section on American foods, largely derived from the times when slavery was both legal and after the civil war when racism was actual rather than legal. It is going to need a lot more study from me to get to grips with the subject but I thought I'd try some recipes which are more distinctly American. This is the start.

January Monday

It ought to be said right away that Monday mornings no longer carry the same weight as in the past for me given that I am retired, so it was lovely to be up after a good weekend to put Joseph on the school bus for the first time; this because being out of catchment he has had to wait for a space, and to then take Juno out for a nice long walk. Once home I took off again for a run which took me just over 4 miles with positive splits including the final third of a mile at well under 9 minute mile pace. Certainly feeling like it is improving but I do keep reminding myself that times aren't important. I want to be able to relax and enjoy what I am seeing as I run rather than feel obliged to go head down and keep plugging away at increasing pace.

Alison and I then drove over to Glen's and spent a couple of hours with him, including a walk along the River Avon with Glen and Rag. Juno was beside herself with excitement and loved the open fields to bounce over.

In the afternoon I got down to cooking fairly soon after returning, lasagne and a few chips, salad, veg for the children and ended up pretty pleased with the resulting tea which Bridie and Joseph joined us for.

 

Bike ride to Edmondsham and beyond

Got the photos sorted again. These are from Wimborne St Giles where I paused during my 12 mile ride this morning. It was marginally warmer today but I still had the long gloves and leggings on when I took off for Edmondsham first and found myself watching a pair of magpies up ahead before taking myself across the main road to Cranborne and down toward St Giles where I paused by the bridge and enjoyed watching a group of about 10 senior citizen hikers piling out of their cars and pulling on their boots, a seemingly endless task. 

I went through Gussage St Andrew and took the road back to Horton before stopping off on Smugglers Lane for a longer look at the birds. There is a feeder on the side of a track next to some woodland and it was perfect for great views of chaffinches, blue, great and coal tits, blackbirds, dunnocks and a great spotted woodpecker, as well as a nuthatch. The woodpecker was dominant with its greater size and would hang on to the feeder upside down scaring away the smaller birds. It did leave plenty of scattered seed on the floor below for other birds to enjoy.

 

No photos

I am not sure why the uploading of photos doesn't seem to be working at the moment but it does limit the posts somewhat. Never mind. It is mainly for my own recollection that I am writing here anyway.

On Friday Alison and I met up with Sandra at the allotment in Wimborne to take the dogs for a walk along the banks of the river Stour. It must have been the hardest frost of the week with really crunchy patches of frozen mud which had begun to thaw by the time we got back. There weren't many birds around which came as a surprise, although we got a lovely view of a little egret. Having a dog which loves to root around at speed may explain why there weren't many birds hanging around to be enjoyed.

Maria has been at dance a lot and has call backs for both solos and these take place after her tap exam later this morning. The number of sessions at Studio One ought to ease back for a few weeks after today. 

The garden is full of birds and I'm hoping for record numbers when we do the bird watch for the RSPB next weekend. There are so many blue tits, house sparrows, starlings, goldfinches and pigeons around, as well as the occasional nuthatch, small numbers of chaffinch and dunnock.

I had a 4.5 mile run yesterday and have been enjoying running or riding everyday again. It's getting me through a lot of podcasts and audiobooks.

Brrrrr - not the best day for the heating to go off

It's been a cold day, after a cold night. Our air source heat pump had stopped but according to the hub, everything was fine. It took a call to the installer to establish the water pressure had dropped for some reason. All sorted now after he talked me through what to do and the radiators are warming up again. I think I'll light the lounge fire anyway so that the edge gets taken off the cold whilst the place heats up again.

I have been busy though. It was quite a day yesterday with a trip up to Southampton to meet with TSP to discuss becoming a trustee in their proposed venture to provide further support for students who are struggling in mainstream school. Lovely to have a chat with Luke and to catch up after our 50 mile walk last May. Not sure either of us has really recovered!

From there I parked at the Horns Inn and walked down the road past the old school. It was very odd seeing Oasis Lordshill again after a few years away and remembering the central role it played in my life for so long. I walked up to the old Oaklands site too and that is now just full of houses and flats. Lots of memories of course, even more so in meeting with JP after a long break due to covid restrictions. It didn't take long before it was all coming back to me and I feel quite guilty about just how much time and how much of me school took. It is such a dominant part of one's life and it doesn't take much for it to become unhealthily all consuming.

Another thing brought home to me was how far I was travelling back then and just took it for granted with a 50 mile round trip, the evening journey home being spent in queues at lights and roundabouts and in slow moving traffic on the motorway and dual carriageway. It seemed to take forever to get home. I'm way out of practice thankfully.

Today is the day we go to Verwood to help Joy and I ran down before filling bird feeders and doing more to the front gates to get them hanging correctly, not rubbing as they close against each other.

Plenty of reading and dog walking too which means I am doing pretty well with my resolutions for the year. 

Frosty Tuesday

Today has been the frostiest of the recent spate of frosty starts and it made for a lovely dog walk just after 7 this morning when once again the huge numbers of rooks and jackdaws were taking flight after their roost and filling the skies with the sound of their calls. 

After a busy sorting out day yesterday with lots of jobs around the house, I was back on the bike today for a ride to the allotment where the broad beans are doing well, protected now from eager mouths by the netted cloche, as are the garlic and onion sets. I found yet more beetroot as I dug over one of the beds and can see there are leeks and turnips to be had still. 

The bike is suiting me well as it gives the option to turn off the assistance, which not only saves battery life but also increases the workout. However, the final push for home is certainly benefiting from the motor and I can ease up the couple of steep hills from Horton and not get back completely spent. 18.5 miles on a very cold morning but I learnt from last time and added an extra pair of socks and a jumper, as well as two snoods, to ensure it wasn't an unpleasant experience.

Monday bonus

I've got a lot of shifting around in the kitchen cupboards done today, made easier now we have a smaller space for gluten free food with Glen having moved into his own place with Harriet. Along with lots of hoovering and cleaning, I managed to fit in a bike ride, just 6 miles, so I could do some bird watching. I ended up seeing a couple of roe deer and watching one in the field happily grazing on the grass.

Over the road the field was full of emergent broad beans and there were plenty of rooks and jackdaws around. The calls of a magpie were repeated several times and I noticed the first catkins of the year, as well as seeds falling from on high, blown by the gentle wind from the honeysuckle. Signs of spring are all around now and the sunshine makes such a difference.

Bursting into Monday

 

It was another frosty start to the day which makes it a pleasure to take Juno out early with the ground hard underfoot and the sun beginning to rise at the same time as the moon is sliding out of sight. The photos get a sense of the frosty ground and of the moon seen through the Martins Farm wood, one of them showing it reflected in the small lake. I was back from my run before the sun really got going too, a 5km run and under 10 minute miles for the first time this year. I am slowly getting back into the whole running, walking and riding routine but I have accepted that as I near 60, I ought to be a bit easier on myself and not push for quicker times, concentrating on just getting out there.

Plenty of cleaning ahead after the best part of three weeks of visitors and time to crack on with the allotment, garden and spring cleaning. I am sure there will be plenty of other things cropping up , and the weather will continue to impact on plans on occasion but the dormant days of winter are giving way to spring and before we know it, the clocks will be going forward once more.

Hale House

Maria enjoyed an extra dance lesson yesterday afternoon as she prepares for her tap exam next Sunday. That gave me the chance to have a 3.5 mile run before we set off to Glen and Harry's new place which is part of Hale House. It was like stepping into the past with magnificent rooms and huge dining table around which we sat for a lovely Indian feast. The place was built in 1715 and, whilst it is in a state of a little disrepair, the rooms are quite fantastic. 

Maria was back at dance for additional tap practice and I took myself off for a 4 mile run before cooking a roast for just the three of us. It is a very nice feeling being back to just the few of us after an incredibly busy fortnight since new year, which was of course after a very busy Christmas time. We definitely need a rest.

Misty, frosty Friday

 

I am trying to capture a sense of the beautiful sunrises at present with no cloud, lots of frost and little wind. That meant we had some mist this morning when I set out at just after 7.15, in time to see the rooks and jackdaws taking to the air once more and flocking towards Verwood. Juno certainly enjoys these walks with plenty of free running into trees and undergrowth, as well as the pathways round Woodlands. I definitely had a busy day on my feet yesterday with over 25000 steps and it has been similar this morning with a trip to Potterne Park where I ran to Moors Valley and back before heading to the supermarket for supplies for the Indian feast I have planned for this evening.

We had originally hoped to have a walk with Sandra but childminding and an extraordinarily busy week have put paid to that until next week. Instead I have been on a litter pick with Juno and am waiting for Alison and Amelia to come back so I can take Amelia to the park in a bit. Maria has her additional dance class plus singing which means a late return home for her. She also has to be at Studio One over the weekend, workshop tomorrow and exam practice on Sunday.

Stepping out for real

I am just back from a long walk whilst waiting for the motorhome to complete its MoT after the work required after last week's fail was carried out successfully. Thankfully it has been a beautiful day again and I enjoyed 4.5 miles listening to a new audible book, In Our Time and Jess Gillam's podcast. The motorhome is now ready for another year and is in good condition still. 

Earlier, I was down in Verwood, a 8.5 mile ride in total after popping into Morrisons and the library, as well as the Tesco Express to return a parcel to Amazon having ordered an additional set of mudguards for Alison's bike when it already has them. I filled the bird feeders at Joy's and did some sweeping up of the moss on the sidepath, presumably pulled off by birds, and tightened the fittings on the garden gates which had been rubbing recently.

Before that I had a lovely walk with Juno as first light came and the rooks and jackdaws took to the skies after their roost. There were hundreds above us as we walked beneath the cloudless sky, hence a hard frost. The light was perfect for some atmospheric photos. 

I've finished listening to 'Beautiful World Where Are You' by Sally Rooney. I enjoyed it a great deal, just like her previous two novels. 

Horton bike ride

It was cold again this morning but I was out on the bike early to make the most of the blue skies and welcome sun. I went round Sutton Holms first before taking myself to Horton where I stopped to take some photos of the tower and the fields. It was a beautiful sight with the sun low in the sky and the grass wet with dew and melting frost. I took a circular route and stopped to get the binoculars out, seeing a buzzard in the distance, several redwing, more starlings and a group of 5 magpies perched in a tree. They were almost completely inactive which was surprising as the first signs of spring begin to emerge, there are green shoots in many places including our garden. With bird song now in evidence I would have thought the magpies would be starting to pair up and would be less tolerant of others.

The rest of the day promises to be similarly sunny which gives me the opportunity to get out again in a bit with a litter pick and more dog walking.