59 to 60 P3

 

                                                                               23/03/21

So welcome 3 and to start i would like to say something about today, it is a year since Lockdown so today at 12 in work we observed a 1 minute silence for all who have passed due to this awful virus and to all us frontline workers and also tonight at 20-00 we light a candle a shone a torch in the air as well. It has been a quick year but also been very sad at times but as i have said in blog 2 it has brought us all closer at work and we all hope there is not another lockdown 3. Not much else to put in as been back at work and it has been fine and two more days before i come off for a while. So for today i leave you with a little thing i made up

                                                                A candle lit a torch shines bright

                                                                 And on this day and on this night

                                                                 We remember them 🕯 

                                                                                 -

                                                                          25/03/21

Well my 4th day finished and i am now off for 10 days but i have to say it was a good 4 days busy at times but no real issues and i also have managed to use most of my annual leave. Today started well as on my break one of the nurses who went to buy something for her breakfast came back with a white coffee and a bacon roll for me and it was bloody lovely and a very nice thing to do yes it was 😋 and as i said was a good end to working week. So days off now and still very little we can do but hoping a lot of cycling and bit walking but it would have been nice if we were able to get away for a while but i am sure we will find things to do and of course hope for some good weather although this weekend sounds as if it could be a cold one.

Well i have been listening to a podcast which is called The Battersea Poltergeist based on real events, now i am unsure about ghosts i think i may be one of the you have to see it to believe it.. but got to say this is a good and very interesting podcast. 

There is 8 episodes of this and it is based on real events and here is a bit of what it says about it. 63 Wycliffe Road is an ordinary house on a quiet London street, but in 1956 it became famous as the site of an alleged poltergeist. The strange events focus around a teenager Shirley Hitchens. Now i am not sure how this ends as i have one more to listen to but if you like the supernatural or if you like podcasts then i would recommend this, it has me hooked and it is quite scary to listen to and part of me wants it to be true as when you listen to it and here their  story you just want it to be true and not some sort of prank, I don’t want to say anymore but if you have the time put your headphones in turn the lights off and have a listen.

These are the things i am doing during lockdown and in a way it has been good to discover other things to listen to as I usually hit my ears with loud music which does not help my tinnitus but hey i love music so can’t help myself. So onto tomorrow lets see what the day brings hopefully not

                                                                              26/03/21

So Friday arrives and what to do well first is to have a good breakfast mmm in bed me thinks and after this was up to do bit of moving about in back room where i listen to my vinyl, i have cleaned this room at least three times, I have so much stuff and have already given a load to charity especially clothes just crazy what you find when you look, so time to clear out more but have to wait for the charity shops open again. Back home now after going out and having a coffee. So i am a big lover of whisky i like most and have a small but nice collection.

It has taken a while to get used to the different flavours as i used to think it all tasted the same but now i try to take my time to get used to the taste of each one even the blended whisky, i have to say my favourite is the Macallan this is a fine fine whisky a very smooth whisky with a lovely taste i have a bottle of the gold probably the cheapest of them all but don’t let that sway you as it wont let you down and hopefully i will add more to my collection, another favourite is Tomatin  Legacy a nice rich nutty whisky and also the Dalwhinnie winters gold or the 15 year old single malt these are the ones that i just love to sit with and just chill to some music and relax mmm and usually after a few i am well relaxed 😌 😂 but truthfully i just like most as you can see from the picture, i have to say though i have a bottle of the naked grouse the first time i bought this i did really enjoy it but i recently bought another bottle and it tastes different to me and it looks a lot darker and i am unsure if i like this now or not even though the bottle in the picture is near finished i find it a strange taste now. Some people always say the only thing that should go in whisky is more whisky mm well true but i have to say a little drop of water in a whisky improves the taste and i do mean a little. Ice is another thing I don’t mind putting in my whisky but this does tend to be the blended whiskies ones like dewars white label a very nice whisky this and very nicely priced as well.

Well not much else going on today and for tonight well it is another night in the house as still everything is closed, at the moment i sit listening to the Beatles doing a blog that i am not sure if i should share as lets face it it is not the most exciting as well nothing much going on, no cycle today due to strong winds sleet and hail but if i do post it and someone reads it i hope soon i can make it a bit mor exciting.

                                                                           27/03/21

Well bike today but was very windy and my tennis elbow flared up as well but still managed a good 25miles. Headed up to Monikie and all around that area came back past Crombie park but wind was blowing a fair bit mmm and so was i, had a couple of glasses of white wine last night so was a bit blah at start.

But few miles in and felt ok was hoping for around 35 miles but was getting to stage of this is just a push all the way so was happy with what i had done. Back home gave bike quick wipe down before i was off out again to get few things for eating.

Pictures from todays ride they look good but believe me it was a tad cold as well. So out in car and away to the farm shop in Inverarity for some fresh stuff and after that well was back home and now chilling before tea...  Chee life’s a gas at the moment so it is. 

                                                                        28/03/21

Today started with some sad news, a cycling friend who i first met while cycling around Invergowrie collapsed and died while cycling with a group i cycle with as well, i heard through one of them that i think every thing was done to try to revive him but to no avail. I did not know John really well as we just met through. Cycling and he stayed not to far from me so every time we met in the Ferry we stopped and talked and every time we cycled and stopped he sat and chatted away and even one time I remember we extended a cycle together and i got to know him a bit better even discovering that he was friends with some of my old teachers from school. John was very fit i think he was a coach and still did a lot of work on this as well and he was a great cyclist very fast but would also stay back to help the ones who were not so fast ( like me). I am glad i met him and finish part 3 with a picture of John.

                                                                            R I P John

 

.

 

  

59 to 60 part 2

 

                                                                      14/03/2021

Hi welcome to part 2 and if you read part 1 hope you enjoyed it, i know not very exciting as well there is not much going on at moment as far as mountains cycles and beer. Busy day yesterday at work but bought the nurses there breakfast just a wee cheer up as these days we can all do with bit of hope no matter how small gesture. But all in all not a bad day but was good to get home and open a nice bottle of red and just unwind. 19 crimes one of my favourite red wines. 

So onto today woke this morning hoping to get out on a cycle run but arm was really sore not sure what happened it has been ok the last couple of days but no cycle today. So out for a walk to put a flower pot down at mums for Mother’s Day we went to the shops for flowers but every shop we went to had no flowers left i have never see anything like that before but we all know why this ha happened BREXIT. No more at this point shall i say on this. So was just a small pot of flowers for mum but a massive thank you for all that she has done for me and fair to say miss her big time. Well who doesn’t miss there maw.

So back to work for the next two days still in Perth then i have 3 days off so hoping arm is ok by then so i can get out and have a cycle as i do miss getting out, problem is even weights or  any kind of lifting is out due tot his arm being sore so my only exercise i either out for a walk or a good cycle run with few good climbs. Was windy today though so might have been a bit of a push. Tonight well it is a school night but i may well treat myself to a wee dram mmm maybe two and just gaze at the TV its a rock n roll life style at the moment.

.

During these blogs I will post a lot of photos as i am a amateur photographer i love getting out with my camera and taking photos i tend to do mountains or nature but recently old buildings , one of my favourite photographers is Danone-Dan Oude Elferink if you ever get the chance to look at his photos then do it they are stunning.

,

Just a few of mine the second last one Arbroath Abbey is one of the first i took when i first bought a DSLR. I have now changed to a Olympus O-MD which is a great camera and very easy to use. So i hope as i go on with this blog you enjoy the photos. All for now as well not much else happening at the moment.

                                                              17/03/2021

So two days at work done not much to say about it except it went well and even managed to get some more of my annual leave used up which was good. So the next three days off and today after taken Helen to here appointment at hospital then we went and had bite to eat from Clarks Bakery was nice panini and then a big cream cake, also went to spokes to pick bike up after few repairs and new chain, we headed to Riverside where we ate lunch then when we finished Helen drove home and i headed out to do a cycle run to Invergowrie it was a beautiful day. 

34 miles today around a circuit we use in the club we call it the Dundee Thistle apr route, its a nice we route and keeps you mainly in the countryside and a day like today well there were some great views to see and it was warm at times as well. Although this is a kind of head down and see how quick you can do this but having dropped a light then being slowed down by traffic mmm well never did as fast as i would have liked but a good day

I think my cream cake and Panini did help today as felt good all the way round this route. Well its been not a bad week and were slowly coming out of lockdown which is good as my life seems to be taken up with work and when i am off if weather is bad there is not much to do or like today which has been good but was back home for three and well sitting writing blog which i do like doing. Have been up early so feel a quick power nap would benefit me soon mmm or even now. Dentist tomorrow can’t say am looking forward to that, and if weather stays ok then may get few more miles on bike.

                                                                    18/03/2021

Not bad start to the day was at dentist and was worried about losing my tooth or being charged privately to get it filled in, but no he managed to cover the whole without any jabs or drilling all for £15 so no bad.

                                                                    Rigs on the Tay

Home then out for 10miles on bike just a wee circuit i like to do just wanted some exercise and it is a lovely sunny day first time in shorts and i am now sitting here sweating 😓 woo hoo first time again. Not many plans for today but few things around the house i should be doing one of the reasons i only did the ten miles today. But first back to my work, I received an e:mail from work yesterday they had asked Nurses and care assistants how they feel and how they have felt during this COVID times i was working in Perth so never had the opportunity to answer but i have to say reading their answer is exactly how i would have answered. This is from renal where i worked they were asked COVID one year on what has impacted you most about COVID? I’m only going to put few up as i am unsure if i would be allowed to put these up.

Fear of the unknown and feeling unable to reassure our own families. This is the way i felt i was worried about what i would bring home i was also worried for Helen of course and worried about my work colleagues.

Another which affected me was not being able to go to certain areas due to things that have gone on in our lives. But again never once did any of the staff i work with say a thing to me actually they were fantastic and always asked about how things were and i was also able to help in Covid annex and help free up nurses and technicians to go to these wards.

Also feeling helpless when it came to our patients and distress watching them suffer with Covid we see these patients and do develop a close relationship with our renal patients and knowing there is nothing you can do to help them was very new to us all as we can normally ease there pain. This second wave hit us hard it has been really sad the amount we have lost some really nice characters and it can be weird going in and not seeing them in there usual places in the unit.

They were also asked any positives ? Below is it in a nutshell

We feel like we have been in a fight but together we have shown resilience we have been there for each other and the camaraderie we have has grown stronger. My feelings is this team i work with have made me proud to be part of it they have shown how great they are at there job they have gone above and beyond the call of duty and stayed strong in the face of adversity and one day soon i would like to buy each and everyone of them a drink and tell them how i feel, as i am sure

at times when they got home and sat down and thought about things they probably did cry they probably did curl up in a ball and just wanted to scream and who can blame them. I stand and applaud them my renal colleagues and every nurse that has gone through this every care assistant you all should be proud of what you have achieved.

So back out this afternoon for walk around Baxter Park with Helen the costa coffee sitting at the beach best day of the year weather wise and good to see Helen out walking and actually enjoying it was also Good to see lots of people out enjoying the sun as well. So all in all not a bad day and tonight i may treat myself to a dram mmm maybe even twa. SAOR ALBA.

                                                                          19/03/21

Well Friday has come and once again it was up breakfast and the a 20mile cycle around wellbank way just another wee circuit that i like to do, truthfully was going to have a day rest but felt ok this morning and although was bit cloudier this morning was happy that i decided to do this today.

Nice country roads and was bit busier today lots of cars and some of them do boot it up this way as very rarely there is police cars up this way so always pay bit more attention when on this road. But i do like it up here as there is plenty of routes to do and as always stop to take some photos. Third day out on bike and takes me to around 60miles this week and if weather holds out will add few on Sunday as tomorrow sees me back to work my last day in Perth. 

So not loads to do after this took Helen to get her bloods taken then nip to shop for some msgs and 🍰 mmmm 😋 and sit down near the docks for while with cup  of tea, rock n roll lifestyle at the moment.. NOT. So back home now and couple of paracetamol as i had a optical migraine this usually starts at side of my left eye then just grows and its like a kaleidoscope of colours last for about 15mins but when it subsides  I’m usually left with a sore head on the right side, i have not been having them for long just early last year it started and was at work when i lost my sight in my right eye it was scary i thought i was having a bloody stroke but was sent to see the doctor and he confirmed it was optical migraine mmmm boy that was a bit of relief 😅 so will have 20 min shut eye in hope it calms down. At moment i know these blogs are not most exciting but hopefully when lockdown calms a bit more there will be more to write ✍️ about.

                                                                    Sunday 21/03/21

Well have woke up to a lovely sunny day and hoping either to go out on bike or long walk. Saturday at work was fine and managed again to get away early but that is me finished in Perth for 2 months now i go back to the main renal unit tomorrow and it is right into it as they have given me 4 straight shifts in a row but at the end of it i have a few days off which will be good. So like i said good day at work and it was good to see all again for last time for couple of months. Got home last night and was happy as team won as well 1-0 against the Dons so was looking forward to seeing highlights and have a couple of cold beers.

Was a quiet night really basically few beers and watching football highlights then kip. This morning started with a bacon buttie and some tea listening to some vinyl Mottt the Hoople choice for today just to bring up some memories of my youth and well good way to start a Sunday.

So not much else for today was out at shops then back home to watch a bit of fitba but before that as i cloud not get out on bike due to arm being sore i decided to do a bit of bike maintenance and cleaning as it was a nice day, and gave me an opportunity to make sure all was ok on bikes and all looks good.

So on to tonight and looks to be a quiet one as work tomorrow and for the next 4 days. Sundays are a good day to relax though even if your not working, having nice glass of white wine just to finish the wknd is definitely a good way to chill.

Stay cool.

Dundee thistle apr and bit more

 

Hi well todays cycle would be a favourite and although it is the furthest away from house i decided as i was picking up my bike from spokes i would do this run, it would take me along riverside rd down to Invergowrie and down into kingoodie where the APR would start. It is a great place to start the views from here are great looking across Invergowrie bay and on a day like today it was grand.

So from here i cycled along the road over to Inchture junction where you turn left heading towards Inchture if you turn right this will take you to Errol another great cycle this way as well. As i cycled i was trying to keep a good pace but had to stop after hitting a pot hole my light fell off back of bike, i always try to do this at a steady pace as i like it as a challenge, it is around 18miles so it is good to get your head down and just keep the legs turning, normally i would be with a group which makes it easier mm well until i start to struggle to keep up with them but i just try my best and try and push on.

Cycling along heading to Inchture until you come to the roundabout turn left here and head over the flyover once over turn right at roundabout and then not far down take a left this takes you on a great part of the run your on this road for a fair bit heading towards Rait just follow this road and when yo see sign for Rait turn left here, if the cafe at Rait is open it is worthwhile going and having a bacon roll on a rustic roll there bloody delicious. 

Once you’ve turned here then your heading back to Kingoodie  once over the flyover head towards Errol station along the grange then you will reach Inchture roundabout sprint, i was going quite fast but as came to bend i hit a group of pot holes luckily i stayed on bike but i was on them before i saw them but as i have said was lucky and bike was fine as well.

Once back on inchture rd it was time to head back to Kingoodie by Errol junction turn left then have a wee go at the level crossing to level crossing sprint then next time try it again see if you can improve on your time mmm don’t think i did but it has been a while since i did this run. The road winds on back to Kingoodie heading along the Carse and head from there along roads that you went out on. Extended to get back home went back through Invergowrie back onto riverside drive straight along to the V&A have a stop here for some photos especially on a day like today.

So from here it was back to Broughty Ferry and home. A very good 33 miles on a very nice sunny day.

All in all a great day and was good to get back on roads that i have not been on for a long time, bit of a head wind but nothing to bad and it is always great to get out when the sun is shining and on a bike that has just come out of shop with new chain and tyres redone.