Jan - after stroke

Its 12 months after stroke.

Lots of Speech and Lang time. I know what want to say?  Scambled,
I think what's the only thing wrong.My brain is OK. My Arms and legs are OK. I am a lucky chap!

I running OK!  bit week, but picking up a pace weekly (month..) Beaverbooks 10K is on horizion.

. Volodymyr Petrovych Kuts
"After retirement, Kuts worked as an athletics coach. His stomach pains led to alcoholism and loss of job. Kuts suffered a stroke in 1972 and died in 1975, in an apparent suicide from mixing sleeping pills and alcohol" 
Olympics and World Record holder

Emil Zátopek " Zátopek died in Prague on 22 November 2000 at the age of 78, from the complications of a stroke."

I hero of mine, I when to see him at Blackpool. He jogged a bit at Pontins. They chanted ZA-TO-PEK 

I read all I had. 

https://chorley6hourroadrace.wordpress.com/ caught my eye.   

On Step Beyond - Stroke

 Late on Monday 12th  March, I awoke feeling my back along my couch. Then is 10pm at evening. At woke feeling drunk. I  raised for support on knees, I worked my way down the backdoor, I somehow I lock it. I dropped the keys numbers next  just a number of times. I was readily quite annoyed. Try as much as  I slipped the keys for floor.
Staring down felt quite sick as me confused. Quite long time passed. Gently, confused
I reached the standing postion, my way by the sink, vomited in sink, get a bedroom quite got knees I recalled face done one with bed. Di obvious  knew I you quite unwell. It hard toward reflextion in coming in and out look comatose.

Been a While

Lots of changes to my life!

Diagnosis of osteoatheritis on my right hip - pretty much knackers the running. Type 2 diabetes, pretending to ignore this though, much to the fury ofthe other half.

The ancient camper-went off to another home, where it is doing stirling work as a sound studio. Been replaced by AutoSleeper Pollensa. Quite old, Nice inside, but appalling power 110hp, and it shows, plans areafootto fund a bigger motor.

Calligraphy

Done it. Retired  ... well I thought I had. My really excellent HOS talked me into teaching a year of maths! So I did or am doing. However life is frantic. But started a new pursuit or actually an old pursuit rejigged - I did calligraphy at school. So here is the blog Longhand Penman. Supported by Wordpress. Sorry blogger but it sort of just seems the place to be for this kind of thing.

Nearing the end!

It has been a while since I published on Blogger. At Christmas took the big decision to retire. I knew that I had to give 3 months notice. July the 8th is my final day. It seemed so far away. But not now. Revived my Amateur radio career, I was licenced as G6KTO in the early 80's. Many things have changed.  Running and training have been difficult, motivation most of all, however the 2 Crosses done. That's it for now - the blog continues.

Infrared Photography

This is Blackpool around the Solarium.
I am using a Canon SX150IS with the IR blocking filter removed and a IR filter added - thus extending the bandwidth.

The Two Crosses

This is a photographic trip through the 2 Crosses on the 23rd of March - I can still feel the miles in my legs! The event was wonderfully organised by the East Lancs LDWA.

The first 4 photos are panoramas and are still in order but not in the order of the main body of shots. Hopefully annotations will help!

 Interesting to see that I was almost stationary for an hour. Photos and eating!

Heading towards checkpoint 2.
This is the little white blob above the pond against the trees

Entwhistle Reservoir, after the food stop, just past half way.
Looking backwards along the route

This is looking towards Tottington. In the middle and slightly to the left.
Peel Tower is to my back, and the path

Further on down the hill. Just over this flat bit is the descent to the bottom of Reddisher Woods

Right at the start, about half a mile in.

The route doglegs around a field

Lots of Mud!

Up towards Affetside. A turn to right at the top.

Just after the PackHorse a turn left and a descent to the Jumbles,
The sign says:
THIS RESTING PLACE WAS BUILT
BY THE RESIDENTS AND FRIENDS OF AFFETSIDE
IN MEMORY OF
MATT COBB
10-6-71 -  12-8-03
ALTHOUGH HIS TIME IN THE VILLAGE WAS SHORT
HIS WARM SMILE AND GENEROUS HEART BROUGHT JOY
TO ALL WHO KNEW HIM
LOVED AND REMEMBERED HERE EVERY DAY

Heading towards the first checkpoint at the entrance to Turton Tower

This would make a great check point!

The route takes us down the road to the stile and then up to the skyline
There was a large plantation on the left when I first did the walk. Now the new trees are starting to grow!

These next 4 pics takes us to Entwhistle Reservoir over a quite steep incline and through a clip point. Its quite long and moderately muddy. The weather here has been very difficult on the top.
Today it was really good although probabl;y the coldest part of the walk.

The route took us round this side of the reservoir. Previously it went through the tree on the left to the checkpoint on the carpark. 

Looking back!

The edge of the dam. We walked along there. There is a pano at the top.

Sensational food!

Kiwi Fruit, Grapes, Apples - Seriously,
Never been at a checkpoint like this

Amazing range of sandwiches too!
Am I in the wrong place?
More like a wedding reception, running buffet....

People didn't want to leave... perhaps they are still there.

Entwhistle Reservoir from the food

The path away from the food

From the dam at the reservoir

Crest on the Reservoir wall

Strawbury Duck - there were a lot of people here.
Entwhistle station is just to the right

Away from the 'Duck, just above a little wicked incline

Entrance to the next checkpoint

Serious mud!

Looking back... The style is halfway along the wall.

Bull Hill is the Lump on the right. The path skirts around the left corner.
This was about 6 to 8 inches deep the whole way to the corner.

Just about the corner of the hill. Looking down into Helmshore.

Windy path down to the checkpoint.

Pilgrims Cross. Straight on to Peel Tower. The red flag means the Army needs target practice.
I don't believe that guff about using blanks!

Past the cross

There were sleet showers moving alongside me in the valley, looked rather nice.

Descent from Peel Tower. The Peelers route goes the other way

Looking back from the same place

The top of Reddisher Woods, steep wet descent

Not sure whether the solitary stone is a stoop.
The whole of this part of Lancashire is criss-crossed with Pack trails.
I just don't see why a trail would be here.

On the way to Greenmount Golf club. These two old gateposts still standing.
A small piece of the old agricultural landscape

A big bird - A checkpoint bird,
you can see where this is going, wouldn't want to pluck it though!

Heading off the estate, built up vegetable beds.
I had a very good friend who lived to the right. He had a great den.

My old school!

The old railway line from the top of the bridge. Only there is no bridge any-more.

Looking back