falls mainly on the plain.

but here in Brizzle its not so picky!

Weather has returned to these parts, driving winds, cooler temperatures and some damp thrown in for good measure - i guess its fairly normal for the time of year but it still doesn't endear me to it.

So what's been happening? Well, with the wind, although at that point it was dry, on Thursday i found myself doing just a little over 50km, thats like nowhere really but it was far enough when you chuck in some 10% plus climbing and the 20-30mph winds. When i got back i discovered the front tyre was effectively dead, the terrible surface on the local roads having worn through the rubber to the canvas in several places. Clearly it would need to be replaced at some point but i had hoped to get through this month, so it was onto the web, 2 tyres ordered (to get free next day carriage) and another reduction in my bank balance.

Friday was a writing day, in case you missed Friday's missive, i finished #10 of Smell of the Crowd - btw, what do folks think of that as a title?

Yesterday, Saturday, should have been a long ride day but the continuing winds and a forecast promising afternoon rain cyrtailed any thoughts of going far. Instead i kept fairly close to Brizz, a loop out to Bath then west to return via the city centre, getting back even as the first spots of the promised wet arrived. Seventy five K which left me feeling a bit robbed by the weather, but maybe i've got a bit soft, a couple of years ago i would've just got wet and done with it, atm i don't have a specific goal to 'train' for so why get wet if i don't need to?

And so to today. Its been a day in the kitchen, there's a red velvet cake and a tray bake of carrot cake to show for it plus a pan of chicken, leek and potato soup. Its the first time i've done cake in 40 years, so i'm a bit rusty but they look okay if maybe a bit messy, guess i'll just have to practise a lot to get it right, dang, that means having to eat a lot of cake too, oh woe is me!

I've just posted #6 of Gaby - Fame here on BC, Mentor is a bit of a recap and bridging piece so don't expect raging drama, there will be more of that in upcoming chapters!

It looks like the weather may interfere with the weeks bike rides, more wet is forecast until midweek, tomorrow, Monday is a writing day so at least thats indoors! With any luck i'll get another chapter in the can, i'm sort of on schedule but i can't afford to let things slide.

At some point i have a huge job to do, puncture repairs. I usually only do a repair when there's no alternative, fitting a new tube when there is a deflation, as a result i've accumulated a bit of a pile of single puncture tubes that i would usually pass on or even sell. However, my access to cheap tubes is currently limited and even Halfords want a fiver each atm so i'll have to bite the bullet and spend some time with rubber solution and patches, neccesary but not a job i enjoy.

So that just about wraps things up all that remains is to wish you all a good Valentines tomorrow, i'll be back mid week.

Liebe zu alles,
Madeline Anafrid