Not a lazy weekend...

Jogging with A on Friday evening – we didn’t get anything like as wet as I thought we would, given that it was raining en route to A’s. I’m now in non-thermal tights as the weather is gradually improving. A’s waterproof is looking huge on her now – she’s definitely starting to look more svelte and trim.

Digging on Saturday – planting potatoes at the allotment. We’re doing charlotte for the 3rd year, but are experimenting with pink fir apple as a maincrop. None of us eat masses of spuds and M has an aversion to floury potatoes – so having 2 lots of salad varieties will probably suit us better. Good to see D down there – who was the beneficiary of all the spare chitted seed potatoes.

And boogying too on Sat – saw a Guns’n’Roses tribute band at the Brook then went to the Dungeon. I danced lots (well, bounced around lots) and was sporadically joined by J, S&X. Very grateful to S for the lift home.

31.7 km mountain biking route from the house on Sunday morning. A wasn’t feeling good so M&A headed back around the halfway point – which was a shame as the 2nd half was so much easier than the first. I’m starting to think that getting all who set out to complete the route is turning into a new major objective! I’m enjoying the routes from the house – so good not to have to mess about with roofracks & to spend time driving to the start. It’s a good reminder about how much countryside we have on our doorstep.

Sunscreen – must start using it again! Didn’t this weekend but looking at the area on my face that was most mushed in my accident, it’s now discolouring, giving me white patches. Discounting leprosy, I figure that it’s worth re-discovering my factor 40 as something I don’t leave the house without applying…..

Black Eye and Raspberry Pink Insoles

Thursday – went to gym but only did a little CV work as I wanted to focus on weights. Used 4 machines (more than my usual 1) but I struggled to fill an hour. If I do this again, will ask Husband if he doesn’t mind a shorter swim.

Friday – gym again as Husband was feeling guilty about the bacon cheeseburger and chips he’d had for lunch! 20 mins Xtrainer, 22 mins interval jogging. It was a great opportunity to try out my beautiful new trainers – Brooks Addiction again with even more technical features in the spec of the 2007 version to deal with my extreme over pronation (I run like a penguin – but without the iceberg belly slides!). Sadly, I’m equally impressed with the raspberry pink insoles…

Saturday – shovelling s**t! Moved a heap of manure from a field in the Meon Valley to the allotment with Husband, M&A (with cars – that’d be a long long walk with a wheelbarrow!). Managed to get bitten by something just under my left eye – and thanks to my immune system’s over reaction, I now have a puffy black eye…
Great lunch afterwards courtesy of A.

Sunday – should have been cycling but cried off after looking at the forecast of heavy rain & wind. M&A still went – but for a shorter, less exposed route than the one we’d planned. Went to the gym instead. Very pleased as I was able to up my interval training session on the treadmill up to 24 mins at an average of 10kph! So long as I keep pushing up the times, 5K in 30 minutes by July looks eminently achievable.

Theme for Sunday: Mud!

Started with a couple of hours at the allotment - digging & weeding. Husband seemed to spend most of the morning chatting to other allotmenteers. I managed to chat to M (well, insult him mostly - but he doesn't like it when I'm nice to him...) and work simultaneously - proof that women can multitask!
We went cycling in the afternoon- v.enjoyable 12 mile circuit from Preston Candover. Lots of opportunities to practise cycling in ruts - having to decide:

• Can I get the pedal down?
• If not, can I get it part way down & apply flat partial pedalling?

If no to both of these, resort to hobbyhorse riding technique! It all got very muddy and Husband's Shiny New Bike (hereafter SNB) was christened. It's definitely getting colder - I just had a long sleeved base layer on top which wasn't really enough.

Huge sloes this year - I guess the mild October, wet August & v.hot July suited them.

Summary of week's exercise

Swimming on Thursday - I was fine but Husband had to give up early due to cramp.
Gym last night - cross training & another pleasing interval session on the treadmill.
Today, I've done some gardening & lots of tidying which should count for something.....

Belated Birthday Celebration

Saturday was good - even the weather behaved - surprising as there were many heavy showers, but none that hit us whilst outside!

14.5 mile bike ride - even better as it was from the house so no funny business with bike carriers involved. We skirted north of Bishopstoke Woods then took a tree root infested lane up to Owslebury. Climbed even higher onto teh chalk downs followed by a speedy descent, mostly on quiet & pretty lanes. I can't believe how much stronger A is now on her bike. M, Husband & MS did over 16 miles as they can't read maps....

In the evening, got drunk at Mudeford beach in great company. I'm not going to reel off a list of initials but G will be miffed if not mentioned (only coz she reckons she's not been referred to so far in this blog!) - it was brilliant to see her & everybody else. It wasn't warm, but it was mostly dry. Played swingball, boules & rounders & ended up bringing vast quantities of sand into the house. Grateful to M & A for driving.

Sunday was active too - dug up potatoes at the allotment and then spent time sorting out the debris at the side of the house - it almost looks tidy now! This did entail evicting a large hedgehog so we are hoping that he finds another home in our garden soon....

3 Times This Week

Gym last night - 45mins cycling, 18 on the cross trainer. Might compensate for not doing much exercise this weekend!
Made it to the allotment on Wed night & did a brief spot of digging - prepping soil for Husband to plant purple sprouting seedlings into.
Had a disproportionately good feeling last night - tried on a red sundress that I wasn't expecting to fit into until mid Sept - but it fits now - yay me (to use my Baby Sister's phrase)!

Virtuous Weekend - mostly

Gym on Friday night pre pub - normal bike/x trainer/weights routine followed by only 1 G&T and 1 bottle speckled hen.
Gardening on Saturday - planting and watering.

Highlight was bike ride on Sunday - 10.8 miles from Butser hill. Route was odd - serious downhill at the start folllowed by a mix of up & down, then a seriously uphill bit where even Husband walked, finishing with a level/ gently rolling section.

Track was in a very dodgy state in some places - as you can see from the photo of Husband stuck in the mud! One bit would have been more aptly named a bridle ditch than a bridle path. Bikes got caked in mud - so lots of digging out mud with sticks at break points. Pity that Husband did such a good job at cleaning them on Saturday (which was much appreciated)....

I did wimp out on one uphill (the serious one) and on some of the downhills - in one place, in order to enable me to get off the path to let some dirt bikes past - I'm glad I don't cycle with an ipod as the path was narrow, bendy with sightlines obscured by trees - I heard their approach so could get out of the way.

Went with Husband and M. M insisted on telling me about how his bottom ring was claggy and his underhang was smeggy - I do feel sorry for his wife at times - but apparently, he was referring to his bike...

Fab views from Butser hill - south down to Portsmouth and the sea, north over rolling downland.

Not very much nature noticed - the ragged robin and cow parsley are now dominating the hedgerows. I heard a blackbird at one stage - no it's not unusual, but no more gorgeous to hear for that.

We dig dig dig

4 hours hard labour at the allotment - digging, weeding and sifting soil. I didn't realise why my husband was taking a close interest in my soil sifting technique until afterwards when he confessed to having been fixated with the way my chest was moving around as I shook the sieve....
My thighs hurt!