My Day

[TheQ]

Thank you to all our visitors to the Broadland Model Railway Club show yesterday, it was a good day.

I'm some what tired though, it's a long day.

All the clubs layouts now need reassembling in the club house and some minor repairs carried out.

 

[grendel]

well it will be 7 weeks that i have had the bike tomorrow, and today I clocked up a running total of 220 miles, thats an average of 31.4 miles per week, I dont think thats too bad really, my record day so far was over 23 miles.

am I losing weight? well maybe a few pounds, but nothing spectacular

[kpnut]

1 hour ago, grendel said:

am I losing weight? well maybe a few pounds, but nothing spectacular

Maybe not Grendel, but your heart is being exercised which can only be a good thing. It’s a muscle like any other and needs exercise. 

[grendel]

literally just checked my blood pressure, 127/73 isnt too bad I guess, and I know my cholesterol is good too (though I was told that the HDL (Bad) cholesterol was too low). not doing too bad for someone as overweight as I am.

[kpnut]

37 minutes ago, grendel said:

HDL (Bad) cholesterol was too low).

HDL is the ‘good’ stuff. Hence why you want it higher (within reason). 
 

Bottom line Grendel is you are doing something to help yourself get fitter. It takes motivation, so well done you. 

[grendel]

10 hours ago, kpnut said:

HDL is the ‘good’ stuff. Hence why you want it higher (within reason). 

just logged on and reread the report, yes, my HDL was 0.93 and they would prefer it to be 1.03, my total cholesterol was 3.39, the LDL came in at  1.85 (smack in the centre of the green band) so my only sub optimal Cholesterol result was the slightly low HDL.

[kpnut]

Wish my cholesterol level was that low!

My high reading is cos of the reverse of yours. HDL being very high. The higher the HDL, the higher the total reading. So they also do a ratio reading of HDL compared with total. 

I got kicked off a medical trial once when it got to 10.something. But then got told it was nothing unduly worrying ‘cos of that ratio. When I then screened for a medical trial that needed people with previously diagnosed high cholesterol levels, I was too low for their parameters!!!!!!!Typical. Goodness knows what reading they needed. 
 

You’ll probably find the increase in exercise and the decrease in pounds will naturally increase the HDL, especially if you tweak your diet to a lower fat content. 
 

Bearing in mind, I’m not a medic!!!!!!!!

Good luck, the consideration of   It all along with your bike excursions are the good first step.

Keep telling us all about it and it’ll be even more motivation. I like seeing the photos you take on your trips out. 

[grendel]

I think its nice that I have national bike trails in every direction, and all of them within about 2-3 miles I can be in peaceful countryside, heading North I have the crab and winkle line route to whitstable, head north and slightly west I can be in the blean forest (ancient woodland) with some decent cycling trails, just off the crab and winkle route I can tour around some woods with nice wide trails.

heading west along the stour valley towards Ashford, is a reasonably flat trail for the first 5 miles, then after a slightly hilly 5 mile section takes to the country roads along routes I grew up cycling from the other end.

East takes me to herne bay and ramsgate way, I have yet to explore far in that direction, 

and finally if I head south I can head towards dover along some lovely bike trails and back roads, again through the beautiful kent countryside.

I am really lucky that if I wish I can be on a woodland trail not more than a few hundred metres from my house, and that does boost the motivation a fair bit.

[kpnut]

I think it was you that posted some lovely photos of woodland last year when you were out walking. 
My godmother lives in Westgate, I might look up some of these places you mention when I visit her later in the year. My mum’s family were fishermen out of Ramsgate, unfortunately her grandad and 3 uncles all drowned in the same trawler sinking. 

[YnysMon]

Woohoo! Just got some brilliant news! I've had confirmation that my application for the fancy sounding MARS (Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme - i.e. voluntary severance) has been approved. So I should be retiring at the end of September at the latest, depending on whether I take outstanding leave in the summer or leave it until the end.

Feel like...

[ZimbiIV]

I don't know, retirement not what it is cracked up to be.

For a start you lose all holiday entitlement, bank holidays you have stay at home because everybody else is out.

Family think you are always available for child sitting.

You lose all track of what day it is.

You start hobbies that can take over your life.

I know because I retired for the second time 10 years ago, 10 years early.

Wish I had done it 40 years earlier.

The worst thing is, once you make the decision time seems to stand still until the day of freedom eventually arrives.

paul

Ps. enjoy the planning but remember you will have to time to be flexible with plans.

[YnysMon]

17 minutes ago, ZimbiIV said:

I don't know, retirement not what it is cracked up to be.

For a start you lose all holiday entitlement, bank holidays you have stay at home because everybody else is out.

Family think you are always available for child sitting.

You lose all track of what day it is.

You start hobbies that can take over your life.

I know because I retired for the second time 10 years ago, 10 years early.

Wish I had done it 40 years earlier.

The worst thing is, once you make the decision time seems to stand still until the day of freedom eventually arrives.

paul

Ps. enjoy the planning but remember you will have to time to be flexible with plans.

I will bear all that lot in mind. LOL.

Somehow September doesn't seem that far off. Sad I know, as I'm not wishing the summer away. 

[grendel]

well where to go today on my cycle ride, was decided by the postman, who delivered a letter for my daughter that I surmised had a new bank card in it, I contacted her and indeed that was what she was expecting, thus my mind was made up for me, a quick google gave me a route, which I instantly rejected, a because it has no cycling signs, and b, because last time I went that way the nettle monster got me, and now the nettles are twice the size, so an alternative main road route was planned (at least for that part of the route) I did stop a couple of times to get pictures en route, and I have added a few from my trip to Whitstable at the weekend, 16.5 miles total today, managed in just about 2 hours.

[JanetAnne]

1 hour ago, grendel said:

 

 

 

If you're going to attempt those jumps can you make sure the GoPro is running 

[YnysMon]

Phew. A hot afternoon, involving a 20 minute or so walk along the Grand Union Canal as far as the new pub: The Warbler on the Wharf, which has been built alongside the new Campbell Wharf Marina. Harry's band was book to play there from 3-5 this afternoon. Luckily the rest of us and the dogs got a table in the shade. 

 

Ooh, and a bit of news. Before they got going I had a word with the conductor and soprano cornet player (the people in charge!) to ask if I could maybe rejoin one of the training bands, thinking maybe start again with the 'C' band. Turns out they have too many trainee trombonists already in C Band and need a trombone for B band, so I'd best start practising! I'll be rejoining late July. 

 

 

 

 

[grendel]

it was a tad warm today when i went out so I opted for the flat route along the river, just 8.8 miles, called in the cycle shop on the way home and purchased some chain lube.

[Paul]

10 minutes ago, grendel said:

called in the cycle shop on the way home and purchased some chain lube.

is that code-speak for "called in at the paddle makers arms and purchased some operator lube"

[kpnut]

It certainly was warm. Yesterday morning I went out in my winter fleece across the fields. Today short sleeves. Winter to summer in 24 hours. 
First peas and strawberries picked at the allotment.
And after 6 days work, I have caught up enough to be able to return to the boat later in the week, leaving Tony in charge of harvesting and processing the above produce, along with broad beans, rhubarb, salads and spinach, I don’t really like missing out on the harvest, but most will be eaten by Tony and friends or frozen and the strawbs will end up as icecream, so not a bad deal. 

[kpnut]

48 minutes ago, YnysMon said:

Turns out they have too many trainee trombonists already in C Band and need a trombone for B band, so I'd best start practising! I'll be rejoining late July. 

Just in time to get sucked in to the big commitment of the banding world on your retirement. I’m surprised they have too many trainee trombonists. It’s a scarcity instrument across the country. 
Did you see that video of the poor trombonist at the trooping of the colour rehearsal. He fainted. Once they’d sorted him out, a trumpet player stepped forward to play his trombone. Only thing was the slide inner had ended up in the sand/dust so I expect the trombonist won’t be too happy with his colleague once he finds out. Grit on the slide is not good news. 

[YnysMon]

11 minutes ago, kpnut said:

Grit on the slide is not good news. 

Definitely not! The thing about trombones is they are just about the most delicate instruments in a brass/silver band. Woe on you if you accidentally tap your trombone slide against anything, you’ll probably have ruined it. 

[YnysMon]

Actually, I feel a bit guilty about posting that particular clip of the band. Not the finest moment, but I messed up other video attempts.

[kpnut]

That was jolly Helen, enjoyed it, just right in a sunny afternoon. Nothing can beat a brass band for cheering you up. 
Funny how you can always tell when a brass player is about to start playing again, the licking of the lips gives it away!

[grendel]

today i got out earlyish (8.30am ) for my ride, up through the university, then out to blean forest, where I spent a while exploring some of the tracks, 12.7 miles total, i only got the single picture today, but downloaded yesterdays pictures from along the river too.

[kpnut]

You do have some beautiful places round you Grendel.

Are they hopvines or grapevines in that photo of the sloping field?

[grendel]

22 minutes ago, kpnut said:

Are they hopvines or grapevines in that photo of the sloping field?

I believe thats a vineyard