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

Not sure I can call it fishing...

Surely that should involve some FISH? | 19/3/2021
Now that my protracted skin problem is under control, my buddy Chris and I have been hitting our local Pike and Carp water a bit lately - it's only five miles away as the crow flies (and it's the only Pike and Carp venue within about eighty ... Read More
Categories 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

The Lockdown law is the law

Is night fishing allowed? I'm going to argue NO... | 26/6/2020
I'm writing this here so I can use it as a one-stop expression of my view that the Angling Trust has done the angling community a gross disservice in advising anglers that night fishing is now allowed. Note that I'm certainly not trying ... Read More
Categories Fishing, Rants

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

I'm Getting angry now

People will DIE because of your selfish stupidity... | 29/3/2020
Although it seems to be the case that most people aren't determined to be self-centred, socially irresponsible, downright dangerous twats during the Covid-19 lockdown, there's a depressing recurring theme in the news, this being just one ... Read More
Categories Rants

Prejudices confirmed

Dog-owners are retards... | 26/3/2020
After getting some air and exercise tonight, I was walking down a paved bridleway along the edge of Blyth golf club - a popular place for dog emptying, if the amount of dogshite all over it is any indication. I found myself approaching a cluster ... Read More
Categories Rants

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