Robin's Bloggin's

A brief visit to the Netherlands with work... Flower Sculpture Outside my Hotel Passing Windmill by the Motorway Lovely Dutch Architecture

My first serious ride for a very long while. A very fresh but beautifully sunny morning with a crisp easterly wind.  I rode down along the Woodford Valley to West Amesbury, then back to Upper Woodford, up the long hill to the A360, down to Stoford and Great Wishford, then along to Wylye, back to Wilton and home via Cathedral Close. A cracking ride on a lovely day. Everything seems to be working alright, and I used pedal cleats for the first time since my knee op, with no problems thankfully. Ulysses on the Bridge at Upper Woodford  Sting’s Place The Long Hill From Middle Woodford to the A360 The Long Hill Down to Stoford Cathedral Close in all its Glory

Dancing lesson with Zoe💃🏻, then an enjoyable lunch in Salisbury. It’s such a nice place to live, especially on sunny, crisp winter days. 

Now that my knee is recovering, I'm really enjoying my morning ride to work, from Southampton station to the office at Whiteley.  This morning was very parky, but beautiful in the early-morning light.  I feel so much better after the ride in than when I battle the commuter traffic and sit in lengthy queues on the M27 motorway.  It's amazing too how you see things from the bike that you would never notice from the car... Weston Shore at Sunrise Netley Hospital Chapel in the Distance Plastic Sinkpots on the Hamble River!

At a training course in Teddington. A lovely riverside walk this morning on my way back from the hotel gym 😁

A great day’s tandeming in the New Forest with Colin and Karen. We hired two tandems from the cycle hire shop at Brockenhurst Station, and followed a lovely trail through the forest to the Oak Inn for lunch and a pint. Then back to Brock for hot chocolate. A really fun day, and we’ve developed a real enjoyment of tendem riding. Watch this space 😁🚴 ......

Kim’s winter produce. Cabbages, leeks, carrots and parsnips.  Soon it will be time to plant up for this year. Traditionally, seed potatoes should go in on Good Friday. 

A hearty  afternoon’s working party at Ashlett Sailing Club, shovelling (scalpings....) and filling potholes in the Club car park. Marvellous!

This evening, Kim and I had our first dancing lesson with lovely Zoe since last September, when we were thwarted by back and knee problems. We were pleased that we could remember some of the basics at least, and managed a respectable rendition of the Waltz, the Quickstep and the Rhumba.  Best of all, Kim got to climb back into her sparkly dancing shoes. Here we go again......

Last night I had the privilege of giving a talk to the Society of Underwater Technology in London. The grand and rather pompous title was ‘Metocean: The Challenges and Opportunities of Big Data’. It was fun and enjoyable, but only about twenty people turned up, so quite a low-key affair in the end.  There was a beautiful clear sky and a fine view of London by night as I walked back across the bridge to Waterloo station. The 21:20 train home was packed to the gunwales. The joys of travel!!

I went to Art Group last night for the first time since early December. I’m keen to try some new techniques this year. Last night I did a couple of quick watercolours of flowers, which I was reasonably pleased with. Sometimes things work for me in art, often they don’t!

I was intrigued to discover that Lenin had a Rolls Royce.  Indeed, not a regular model, but a Silver Ghost, soft-top, specially adapted for the snow, with caterpillar tracks on the back and skis on the front.  Both a paradox and a beautiful engineering masterpiece!  It is now exhibited in the Gorki Mansion Museum.

Last night, at a curry evening with the staff of Salisbury Hospice, Kim was delighted, completely surprised and quite overwhelmed to receive a presentation in recognition of her Chaplaincy work over the years. Kim was given an absolute masterpiece figurine of herself, which is uncannily realistic and beautifully portrays her cheeky being!

A very enjoyable ride from Cardiff to Caerphilly and back along the Taff Trail with Kates last Sunday.