Getting older is OK. But...

I'm no fan of some of the baggage it comes with... | 13/8/2023
Bliddy Hell! It's nearly a year since my last post! OK, that's kinda in keeping with the theme, really.  As I write, I'm less than a week from my 63rd birthday: and all told, I feel great. But for a fair chunk of the year, ... Read More
Categories Personal

This? Again? REALLY?

I can't help it. I like motorbikes... | 15/10/2022
Bikes. No. Cars. No. Bikes. No. Cars. And now, we're back to bikes! It has become pretty clear that the Vmoto Stash electric motorbike I write about here is not going to happen any time soon - if ever - and I still have strong ... Read More
Categories Personal

Predictably predictable

I'm a bit of a stuck record, really... | 28/7/2022
Just a quick update on some of the things I talked about here. I haven't yet built up the necessary head of steam to get back into learning to drive - got to be honest, I'm enjoying the lack of pressure and the flexibility attached ... Read More
Categories Personal, Fishing

The best-laid plans

Nothing's ever easy, is it? | 26/6/2022
My attempts to get four wheels under me have - to use an apposite term - stalled. I was never of the impression that it would be a straightforward matter, and I was quite happy to make progress in Baby Steps - and indeed, that's how things ... Read More
Categories Personal

Slowly but surely...

I HOPE "surely", anyway... | 14/3/2022
Not having a driving licence at the age of 61 is almost like being a 61 year old virgin, I suppose - there's definitely potential for embarrassment in either condition. The big difference is that it's taking an awful lot longer to do something ... Read More
Categories Personal

Not what I expected

When things don't go as planned... | 19/9/2021
As is my way, I spent the first week of September - the week the kids go back to school - down in Carlton Miniott, staying at Landrace Cottage so that I could have a few days at Woodland Lakes. The cottage was as agreeable as it always is - I love ... Read More
Categories Personal, Fishing, Rants

Walking wounded

The downside to mixing fishing and cycling... | 16/6/2021
Now that I've had both of my Covid jabs and we're oh-so-slowly approaching something like normality, I've been getting in a bit more fishing with my buddy Chris, catching a few pike  - nothing big (the odd scraper double at best) ... Read More
Categories Personal, Fishing

Catching up

We live in strange times... | 17/1/2021
Sigh... I miss The Before Times... It's admittedly something of a contrivance to write a "catch up" blog entry when there's nothing much of note to catch up on, but that's how these things work, so... Firstly, I continue ... Read More
Categories Personal

Boys and their toys

My early 60th birthday present... | 15/8/2020
I've been a mountain biker (to varying degrees of seriousness) for donkey's years - from riding my legs off in Trailquests and Polaris Challenges back in the day; to more leisurely local singletrack riding as the appeal of ... Read More
Categories Personal

But what if..?

A habit I wish I could break... | 10/5/2020
For the most part I'm almost pathologically optimistic - I epitomise "glass half full". I like having this mindset, and it has served me well over the years. But... If I'm allowed to dwell on something for a long time, I always find ... Read More
Categories Personal

Car shortlisting

Musing about what I might end up with... | 7/5/2020
What do I need? Reliability Reasonable load carrying Comfort What do I want? Four wheel drive Fuel economy Affordable insurance Performance/handling Thoughts Do I need 4WD? I really like the idea, but 90+% of what I’m likely ... Read More
Categories Personal

Wants vs. needs

Time to be a grown-up... | 30/4/2020
I've been writing about my aspiration to own a Zero electric motorcycle, and the potential barriers to achieving that aim. Well, it looks like I can drop the word "potential"... Yesterday I contacted the insurance broker to check ... Read More
Categories Personal

Bike insurance woes

My Zero is looking less and less likely... | 25/4/2020
I write here about my ambition to own a Zero electric motorcycle. Well, having spent a considerable amount of time recently assessing insurance options, I think I need to give up, defeated... I don't mind a large premium: in ... Read More
Categories Personal, Rants

Happy retireaversary to me

Not celebrating the occasion in the way I'd hoped... | 8/4/2020
It was a year ago today that I officially stopped being a working stiff. In reality I'd become a member of the leisure class a couple of weeks before, as I'd saved up some annual leave: but Monday 8 April 2019 was the first day of me ... Read More
Categories Personal

Not everyone is an arse

Faith in human nature restored. A bit... | 24/3/2020
I've just been out for some essential groceries - still loads of empty shelves, a Unicorn is easier to come by than a loaf of bread - but I managed:  and I'm gratified to see that at least some people seem to be grasping the ... Read More
Categories Personal

First World problems, I know

The best-laid plans... | 23/3/2020
I know this is not a big issue compared to what is going on in the World right now, but I'm just getting it off my chest... I've been planning for several weeks to wet a line this week: the long-range forecasts all suggested mild, settled ... Read More
Categories Personal, Fishing

Reasons to be cheerful

There ARE some... | 22/3/2020
I've been around long enough to have seen SARS, MERS and Swine Flu come and go - but they were nothing like the current Covid-19 shitstorm. It's a worrying time, sure enough - but dwelling on the negatives; and fearing the worst; are ... Read More
Categories Personal

Still retired...

I've been busy! | 31/7/2019
It's funny how things turn out. I've been getting some fishing in on the waters of my local angling club (which as I mention elsewhere, I co-founded, so I'm rather invested in the quality and appearance of these ponds) and I'm ... Read More
Categories Personal

Early Retirement

A big step... | 22/4/2019
No, a big step. But I had my reasons. Obviously... In one sense it's a no-brainer: most people would - I reckon - be ready for something new after forty-odd years of earning a living with the same - increasingly bad ... Read More
Categories Personal