13/05/21
Welcome to part 9 and it is the middle of the week and this is first part of week 9, work was fine was at Perth on Monday and was fine managed to finish early and next two days well all went to plan. Phoned doctor on Tuesday and have now have two dates to get jab and another to get a lump removed from my back so am very happy with that and hopefully it will make me feel bit more well happy with myself. So onto today and started with 23miles on bike around one of my usual routes and although was still bit cold and arm still in lot of pain i enjoyed getting some miles in and hopefully same tomorrow.
So after cycle was we trip to Glendoik for look round and at last a good cheese scone and a big latte Christ it is an exciting life. On bit of a different note it looks like i may have to bite the bullet and get someone else to lay slabs as arm just not going to take it at moment which is a bloody nightmare as was hoping to do this myself mmmm watch this space. So back home and now chilling before tea.
14/05/21
So today well started with another 22 mile cycle đ˛ which was again good but still having to slow down at times to bend arm just something i shall have to do until i get this jab but still good build up before charity event, day was pretty much like yesterday grey and was still bit cold as you can see from the next few photos.
The car in the photo caught fire while it was being driven we were actually driving down this road one day and had to turn back as road was shut, thankfully no one was injured. So back home then was out for a walk in Dawson park as the colour of the trees up there are magnificent there is a line of chestnut trees which just look great and part of the walk even managed to get some photos of them without people walking under them as you will see in the next set of photos.
So all in all was a good day and on way back we had a cuppa at the docks and managed to capture rig leaving Dundee what a great site to see i really wanted to be standing on the Helipad with the workers as it sailed out thought that be bloody great mmm cold but great, you will see them in the last set of photos. So that’s it for today back home now and waiting to have steak pie for ma tea mmmmmm yum fekin great, and tomorrow it is Perth with Helen to get her scan then it is a few beers with the boys at night and watch smile. Me and H going to make a day of it though and get through early and have brunch and walk round before her scan well why not got to make the best of things and she really does.
16/05/21
Well hello Sunday and it has been a relaxing one after yesterdays shenanigans a get together with mates and brother to watch smile and basically celebrate being Arabs and first time seeing each other in over a year and much fun was had. First they all enjoyed smile and all agreed that our wee Jim was a tormented man at times but was one of the best managers we had and chairman and we will never see his likes again, it was funny and at times very sad but it showed a man with real passion not only for Dundee United but for football he won us the league and our first trophy and he took us on a European dream as well beating the best it had to offer and if it wasn’t for the fact the the Italian bastards Roma paid the ref we would have been in European cup final, but we did reach the UEFA cup final only to be beaten by Gothenburg but what memories he gave us.
So was onto the rest of the night and it was fun bit of music and chat about team and what we had all been up to, mate john not been doing to good lost a fair bit of weight and he was already skinny but hope they manage to find out what’s going on for him, so was a drunken night but very much a Tangerine night and i was bit hyper well what do you expect eah đ.
Home about 1am i think ha ha can’t remember but do remember getting changed and laying flag on the chair nice and neat. So woke up and well felt rough bit of sore head and a mouth like a badgers arse, did not want to sit about so after a nice bacon roll and cuppa tea was out to clean car then oot with H to do bit shopping then back home and now it is time for 40 winks me thinks.
18/05/21
Hello Tuesday and today i am going to concentrate on getting space ready for my man shed then next two day will be cycle days, been an ok start to week working yesterday and all went well i have two days left before i come off on annual leave, so here we go off out to get digging boots on and even though my arm is sore i am determined to get most of this done.
So just about there for shed more digging done and more stuff taken to tip and then trip to b&q to see if could get mesh I am needing for the base but they say they sold out so looks like amazon will be the placed to buy this.
But did manage to get some planks of wood i can use as well from guy at the tip who was throwing them out and if candy use them then Helen wants a box to grow tatties in which is cool as well. So now home cut the grass but feeling bit weary so having a bit of a chill before tea. Good way to ends this bit though as my NADIR T-shirt arrived to day a Dundee united cult hero.
18/05/21
Today started with a very early door knock 7-15am a parcel delivered bloody crapped myself the way they knocked on the door well when i say they I mean a very small lassie with a very big hand to hit the bloody door with, anyway it was a good parcel as it was my Mogwai album which i have been waiting ages on this so did not mind early wake up.
Did go back to đ for while but was up early and after quick breakfast was time for a 30 mile cycle which i had to cut to 28mile due to my hand becoming bit painful but it was a good one today, i decided to head out riverside way past the V&A then on out to do a loop coming back by Tealing. Weather was ok and rain stayed of and when sun came out it was very warm especially on the climb up to Birkhill but was good to get a bit of height, was also good on the road today no near misses and even when on cycle path it was quiet, it was also good to see the progress there making beside the V&A they are building a small beach there which i was a bit unsure about but if we do happen to get some good weather it should look good.
Back home then it was quick shower then take Helen to get bloods taken then onto bit shopping before we headed up to the Murroes and the speckled hen for a braw cup of coffee Helen had tea and a cream scone ooo was nice and Helen had a bit of flea circus đŞ which did look good and well. Now back home to do couple of things and then tea but all in all a pretty good day.
20/05/21
So was up early but rain was heavy so wait until later today to see if can get out for few miles on bike. I thought i would start putting a bit in about the mountains this morning, they were a passion of mine and i hope one day soon they shall be again, ever since Helen was told that her cancer was back and yes i kind of fell to pieces which was not doing much to help Helen i stopped going to the mountains and then cycling took over the reason being when i went to mountains i was away all day and sometimes a few days which at the time of this kicking off i did not feel right doing this, so I got right into my cycling as i was never that far away just in case Helen needed me, don’t get me wrong H is a strong person and thankfully that’s never happened. I love my cycling and I’m so annoyed I can’t get out as much because of my arm but hope that will be sorted soon and i can maybe even do both things a mountain one day then a nice bike ride the following day. My first mountain a long long time ago with my sister in law and her friend Andy who knew the mountains like the back of his hand but i was hooked after this first one I just loved it, i do have pictures of it somewhere so hopefully put one up later. I have done many and mainly on my own which is fine as the silence when your there is great a especially when you. Work in a noisy environment.
Ben Nevis
I have lost count of how many hills i have climbed here and abroad well maybe not so much abroad we shall go into that later. So photo of Nevis was taken from a b&b we stayed at there was actually a rescue that night we watched what was going on then read about it later someone trapped in conditions he should never have been there in.....more about that later to.
Being an amateur photographer this gives the opportunity to take some stunning shots and as i do love winter in the hills especially Glencoe i tend to end up with lots of photographs and i mean lots, i have been spoiled as when i started walking/climbing i was lucky enough to be out with people who knew the mountains and were very good at navigating which i am not great at and with knowing so many people who did i became lazy and never really learned how to navigate properly so when i am out on my own i tend to stick to the ones that i know I can’t do.
Stunning views
I know go walking with my best mate Ken who stays in Ayrshire but due to Covid and Kenny going through cancer as well this also stopped but we do feel we are about ready to get going again, well i know i do and ken has started to ask about getting to the mountains again and bit camping đ so here is hoping soon.
Me at Dalmunzie Munro’s
I am used to walking on my own and find it very rewarding getting to the top of a mountain and your lick is in as you are there on your own it is a great feeling, but when i am out with my mate well what can i say it is fun and there usually a lot of whisky involved if we are camping and also there will be bit more on that soon. The picture above was one of my best days on my own i only saw two other people that day it was very hot and when i got to a little stream i had to take my boots of and dip my feet as they were boiling so i sat and had a cup of tea and enjoyed the silence all you could here was the water it was great, when i got back to car park i went into the Dalmunzie hotel and had the coldest pint of beer it was bloody lovely and ended a great day.
More from Dalmunzie
Well things to do today so more later on it doesn’t look great out so we shall see how i feel when i get back home if it will be an early evening cycle or maybe a walk. So cycle never happened as it started raining and wind got up a bit as well so was out for Helen to get a crack on her windscreen sorted and had to buy a sander for wee project, now back home and time for a nice shepherds pie. Back to work tomorrow so no more until Sunday.
21/05/21
Well was meant to be at work today but i never slept well last night felt bit spaced out and was up to the toilet several times and soon as i lay my head back down felt like i needed to get up again as my brain went into overdrive, the wind and the rain last night never helped either as it was hammering of the front door and blowing things about in the garden we now have what looks like a swimming pool there and it is still heavy rain and strong winds i wonder when this will end and we get some nice weather. My arm was really sore last night so i did take extra painkillers and although not as bad at the moment i am trying not to take them today. I think it will be a day of sleep but first i am going to take Helen to get her treatment just to help her of course but i need fresh air as well. Back home now and have come back to bed as feeling the effects of not much sleep last night, weather wise it has been pretty awful with still high winds and heavy rain but on good side Helens treatment went ahead as planned and was good that she got there with no worries about bus in these conditions. So as i said back home and in bed hoping to sleep well tonight as well and back to work tomorrow fingers crossed đ¤
23/05/21
Well another bit nearly finished, I’m enjoying doing this blog even though it may have not been the most exciting due to lockdown and well other issues. So today as it was windy and still raining i decided to do few things in the garden like put up greenhouse again and build an arch where we can push things up with bird seed up and right enough soon as it was up the birds were back which is always good to see, Helen was out with me potting some plants and were both hoping she does not need to chase the greenhouse around the garden again đ but plenty of weight in it this time so here is hoping. Saturday at work was fine and it was good to see them all again we all enjoyed a McDonald’s breakfast as well and day went smoothly enough. Couple of days off now and dentist tomorrow to have tooth removed 𦷠đŁ hoping to take bike and have a run before appointment. So another one done Helen is away back to bed as usually 3rd day after her treatment she feel bit sick and tired so hoping this will help her a wee bit. Me well i sit here listening to pink floyd the wall and just chilling before my tea... you probably notice i do chill a lot.
