Biking in the Dales

I went up to the Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales this weekend with a bunch of friends to do a spot of mountain biking. It was a great weekend, some very tough parts though. But that was balanced by some insane down hills that threatened (on more than one occasion) to chuck me flying into some very unforgiving looking landscapes! I didn't have my computer on (broke the sensor and tumble-dried the main unit - don't ask) but one of the guys hit 39mph on one downhill spot. The worst bit was at the end of an awesome run I realised that my brakes were shagged from overuse and there was a sharp turn at the bottom into a closed gate.... I just about held it together but it was a very wobbly finish with the back-end sliding all over the shop.

The scenery in the Dales is stunning, I believe the correct term is rugged natural beauty. However, there were a few parts that were a little more rugged than we could manage to cycle (see me in pic above).

Michele is married!

My baby sister got married last weekend! How weird is that, properly grown up now ;)

It was a lovely day and she looked absolutely beautiful and so happy. It was a great day celebrating and I didn't even mind dad's dancing (although mine was no better!). The "offical" photos will be up soon...

Grand Slam!

I managed to get a ticket to go and see Ireland play Wales in the 6 Nations this weekend. Super Saturday turned out to be absolutely amazing with an incredibly nervous nail-biting finale to the competition, but we won! First time that Ireland has taken the Grand Slam since 1948 and I was there! An absolutely amazing day and night - had to have a Guinness to celebrate. Just the one of course... ;)

More pics on Flickr.

Ouch

I had to pick a hobby that would hurt. Went out biking at the weekend with R & J and just towards the end managed to fall off because my pedals jammed (rock in the chain perhaps?). Not only that but I, once again, managed to do so on the hardest part of the run - that is to say on a road between one field and another. I went through all the really difficult, muddy, rutted and tree-root-studded areas without a problem and then fall of at low speed on tarmac. It was very sore but when I got home I realised my tights were welded on with dried blood and my knee was not a pretty picture when I got them off. It is still swolen and bloody today and missing a large patch of skin. I think I'm a little mad to do this for fun! ;o)

Hurumph

So I've lost all this weight and bought loads of new clothes (probably more than I should have given that I am continuing to lose weight) but the girls in work have decided my new clothes are apparently "old". The particular items in question are all new season but my secretary has made a fuss of this as she doesn't like my cords or belt and once she started all the others felt free to chime with their two-pence worth. Various descriptions including dad, grandad, 70's and sack-of-potatoes were used. It now seems that every day there is a new problem. Today it is the belt and my hair - I'll be off to get it cut next week and in the meantime it is neatly combed. Seems that is also a problem and topic for ridicule.

One is not amused. I can't imagine what the reaction would be if I pointed out to any of the girls that what they were wearing was not fashionable (although I probably wouldn't know) or that it made them look frumpy or old. At least when I was fat everyone was too polite to point out that I looked like a hippo or comment on my clothes :(

Cookbook madness

I was out for a wander yesterday, bored and avoiding doing the housework. Apart from being reminded that St. Evenage is the pits, I was in Waterstones and browsing the cookery section as I often do and saw an interesting title that promised recipes "Just like Grandma Used to Make". The cover stood out from the bright modern titles around it and I had to have a look. I was expecting good old pies, stews, steamed puddings - hearty artery hardening fare resplendent with lard and suet. I was rather surprised to find the first recipe I turned up was a roasted butternut squash risotto. The second (random page turning) was a hot & spicy prawn dish. Very much not what you would expect (unless your grandmother was Italian or Chinese). Despite the cover, the inside was presented in a bright modern fashion with photography to match (not quite minimalist but getting there). Overall, tres disappointing and definitely not like granny used to make... fresh soda bread, vegetable roll and champ please!

Published!

Although I've written a few articles in the past but I've now got one in a client's publication that is widely circulated in the shipping world :o) If you fancy reading about charter cancellation (slim possibility I know) a link is below (I'm on page 5)

http://www.standard-club.com/pdf/StandardBulletin/StandardBulletin-Dec08-2.pdf

And yet more changes...

An yet more shrinkage. I have now lost around 7.5 stones (or 105 pounds to those in the USA or 47.6kg to the rest of the world). I've got a little way to go yet to get where I want to be but it is really making such a difference. I am now onto my third wardrobe - the "fat" clothes are gone, and the new ones I bought to replace them are now themselves too big.

I've had to have my work publicity re-shot (vain I know) but it is a real difference as you can see from earlier shots (see http://awsemo4000.blogspot.com/2008/06/what-difference-year-makes.html). Below is my current and the last shots taken.

From Life the Universe & Everything

Charming...

I have just had a conversation with a partner who stated that sometimes clients want the organ grinder (him) and not the monkey (me). Charming. Of course I had to say that I understand and it is only natural that they will want the partner there etc etc. BS I know but such is life.

Ships

Things have been really busy at work recently but I managed to get off to Greece last week to work out of the office there, meet some clients and go crawling around a bunch of ships. It was really good to get to see all the ships and the different bits and pieces that go to make them up and make them move. I took loads of photos (yes, I know some of them are a bit nerdy such as ladders, cranes and inside tanks), which are up on flickr but a couple below give you an idea of the things I work with everyday. The crankshaft I am sitting on below was worth about a million dollars until the steel in the centre cracked (doh!).