Back on the bike soon (fingers crossed)

The high winds that kept me off the bike through December and the start of this month have stopped.  Finally.  So, the plan is to get back on the bike in February.  I would be using it again already, but I bought a month pass for the train as it was cheaper than the equivalent in weekly passes and a lot cheaper than paying on a daily basis.

The only thing that might stop me is that I’ve heard there’s a chance of snow this weekend.  I can believe it, the temperature has taken a sudden drop, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it did snow.  If it does and it’s over by the 5th, then that’s fine, as that’s when the train pass runs out.  Got all the wet weather gear for the bike, so it’s just wind, and snow/ice that are potentially delaying my return to two wheels.

Fingers crossed February is decent weather-wise.

One door closes, another opens

My recent post have been about friendship and how some people don’t seem to value it particularly, and are happy to let you down and think you’ll be ok with it.

One of the side effects of one of the two people who have let us down lately, is that my wife is no longer able to play tennis.  She had started playing tennis for the first time, and was getting reasonably good at it.  I am hopeless at tennis, so that’s not an option.

That’s the door closing.

The opening door, is that I used to regularly play badminton, and I can book a court in my work.  So, one new racquet later, I’ve got a new badminton partner, and my wife has a replacement for the tennis she was playing.

Our first game is on Sunday.  She’s never played before, so there’s going to be a learning curve, and I think it’ll be a couple of weeks before she starts playing seriously, but it’s all good.

Friendship is a two way street

A couple of months back, we had arranged to go out with some friends.  When the day arrived, I sent one a text to remind him of the time we were meeting, and got a reply saying that he was “going to have quality “ME” time” and wasn’t coming, but thanks for the invite.
When I pointed out he’d already agreed to this, he went off grid for about ten minutes before coming back with “I have no messages from you regarding this”.

That was because it was arranged IN REAL LIFE and not online.  Long story short, he never turned up and hasn’t been in touch.

Yesterday we bumped into him and his wife, and he joked “I suppose you’re not speaking to me”.  My wife replied “Don’t be stupid”, before pointing out to him that we just weren’t contacting him as friendship is a two way street, and that the only times we saw them were when we arranged something.  We also told him that when you only live 10 minutes from someone, there’s no excuse to have an “on-line” friendship, and that if he couldn’t be bothered making any effort, then why should we.

His only response was “OK”.  No attempt to apologise or make amends, just OK.

Well, it looks like that’s a friendship finished.  C’est la vie.  Time to move on.

I’m actually disappointed that someone who is supposed to be a friend, can’t make any effort to stay in touch without it being via facebook.  The fact that they can’t make time even once a month to meet up, is pathetic.

This year.

This year, is going to be all about taking control.

Taking control of my finances (properly), taking control of my diet, taking control of my exercise, taking control of everything that I can, that I’ve been lax about over the last few years.

This year I’m going to get back on track with a purpose.  I’m going to spend more time outdoors, either just in the countryside or up a mountain, it doesn’t matter which.  I’m going to go camping, I’m going to spend more time on the bike, I’m going to run again and try doing some trails instead of just pounding on pavements.

This is going to be my year.  Any problems will be faced in as calm a fashion as possible, and stress will be kept to a minimum.

At least, that’s the plan…..

Intermission – Update on the “Getting rid of baggage” post

One of the people I was referring to in the previous post has outdone herself, and has simply made our decision to walk away from that friendship all the easier.  While I will miss the company of her husband, she will not be missed.  You can’t treat people the way she has and expect them to stick around.

It’s pretty clear now why the friends they have, all seem to be her husbands, and any she has are family, which she rarely sees, and actually complains when she has to.

One tie severed, and no guilt attached.  The weight off the shoulders is quite substantial.