Saturday 31 December 2011

Final Post of the Year - Goodbye 2011

Not a great year - but not too bad - survived at work! Thanks people if you are reading this - you are seriously the best! Don't forget staff development! Dealing with challenging behaviour (like an inspection!)

Quite a lot of biking - spent on bike too - felt a bit stronger too, no long rides Run a bit more too - Not so many marathon walks, but felt pretty pleased with the Rossy Way and the Gingerbread. Did not really like the Beacon Bash - bad attitude from the organiser. Loved the Peelers too - back on home turf! Got up Peel Tower!! Highlight of year - sorry really bad pun! Another of the old stalwarts gone - Boyd will have been waiting for you Bill!

The 2 unexpected trips out! The first to Edinburgh  - Thanks K & J, rats to forgetting the camera on the last day . Obviously not a pro - must never let THAT happen again! The second to London - thanks too - not for this blog. (There is no way I would have been to the places I went - really grateful and appreciated)

Great acquisitions - Shares that are going well against the flow if the BKIR picks up Whoopee! but the others are doing OK too.

Strange spending all that money on Solar Panels, never stopped raining for - well it seems weeks! Now obsessed with the meter thing - bluetooth argh - cant believe it won't talk to my phone - its a metre apart, my phone talks to the lift at work??

Mildred - you and I are going to have a great meaningful relationship - "menage a trois" with the Lady of my Life.  Hard to believe I've just used French!!

Figures for the blogs  187 posts, 7510 hits. 3 payments, unexpected progress from Amazon. I have broken even financially. This really was only 7 months. But lots of great feedback from an appreciative audience. My next blog will outline the targets for the year 2012.

Goodbye 2011! you were great!

Sunday 25 December 2011

Well its Christmas!

Its almost time for all those New Year Resolutions and the dreams that go with them. A complete of the Fellsman is the number 1 challenge - this may get me to the Wenlock Olympics - we shall see.
Had payments from LinkGrand and also Clixsense as well as Vale - Wordlinx is coming along too!
Think I will add a page on these really dependable sites and circulate it on a new page. Every click through payout has gone into Kiva.  - Its a great way to save and play my part.

No Snow - Mildred has now a new battery in the engine compartment too. Bit cleaner and all the habitation area is cleaned up too. Faced with 4 or 5 new tyres - as well as welding. Have to see my Mech about the welding - could be dear.

Money over Christmas spent on tools 3/8 sockets for the Millie van - possibly some into the current account for the general web bills and stuff.

Incidentally this build of Ubuntu is just flying along!

Thursday 22 December 2011

Linux and all that!

Well - have to be honest Debian was just toooo fiddly - nice distribution and all that but almost everything has to be fiddled and I really don't have the will to dive in through the terminal for almost everything. Tried Fedora very likable, elegant but not really me. Quite liked the Gnome 3 desktop - some strange quirky stuff there -but OK. Took 8 mins to install !!!!
Jumped onto Suse the green chameleon thing. Loved the desktop but the KDE job is really mysterious - decided to persist but getting the flash p;ayer to install was a real pain - sometimes it worked and other times it kept asking for codecs that didn't exist.

Finally loaded Ubuntu 11.04, took time to install, but worked a treat - really happy everything worked - now I just have to figure out how to get the network printer to work I shall be a happy bunny.

I will load up another PC with some other distro and see if I can get them to talk to each other.


Well the Fellsman is the 28th and 29th of April. Could easily my only chance of a completion. I got further each year.

The Logo from the Fellsman Website

Felt quite good on most of the runs last year.Training starts Boxing Day - a week early.

Have pencilled in some runs before this event to see how they go? And I want to have a go at the Jake of Winter Hill challenge! as well. As always this time of year is optimistic as far as the running is concerned!





Wednesday 21 December 2011

Shortest day of the year!

You can tell its Christmas - its dark - but it means so much more! New beginnings - running again perhaps, looking forward to the Fellsman - my major event of the year - I hope. Not sure I will get many more attempts at this.

Been to the Bike meeting - not one person turned up on a bike!

However made another loan on KIva. This is my 9th loan.

La Esperanza Group


They market and sell milk in Paraguay!

We got a nice letter of thanks from a lady in the Philippines about her loan. - It's great to know we are helping people. I shall save that for another mail.

Thanks to Clixsence providing me with a payout I have passed it along, someone else will benefit.

Perhaps I should make a page in my blog about PTC sites and also traffic generators.

Managed to solve the leaks in Millys roof, discovered the air in the tyres was only 28 psi when should have been 40 - 45., Varnished the floor and started putting the curtains up. Few major jobs to do - like Cambelt and tyres. Next year a good run and possible welding.

Friday 2 December 2011

I'm back

Playing with Anti-Matter
Still nursing a gigantic cold - did Edinburgh, that was fun. Went to places I have never been to before. Plans went astray but spent a seriously great 3 hours in the light thingy next to Edinburgh Castle. Played with AntiMatter - see photo. Got my run in and managed to get to the Dean's Cemetary but it was closed at the unearthly hour I was there in the morning.

I had forgotton how steep the hills were there. But other runners were pretty friendly. No cyclists are on the pavements there! The pavements are pretty well laid too. But the cobbles are seriously slipy. Rats didn't take my camera - quite racked off as I visited some interesting stuff on the way back, but I didn't catch it. However Edinburgh is still going to keep me busy.

To my follower, managed to run all the way way up from Waverley station up the secret stairs to the top - back along the bridge and to the hostel on Market street the same day. Going back for my lungs later! Going to update this with some more photo's later when prepped. Off to London tomorrow on a Family History job, but not sure that I can publish that STUFF here!



 

Sunday 20 November 2011

Back to Work and as usual other stuff

Well laid up with Asthenia - even had an ECG. Doctor said - Oh by the way the tickers going fine, just a bit slow! Apparently he  and the nurse could detect extra beats in the heart that I couldn't. Have had a revisit to the doctor full of a cold - suggested I returned when I felt better! It is to check over the BP not to check I have a leg or an arm sticking out at each corner.


Citroen C15D
However the important stuff. We did the first trip in the little white camper. All the way to Skipool - no photos. Expect to join the Romahome club shortly. Lovely little thing but there is so much wrong at present - nothing insurmountable - just expensive. Bought a new leisure battery - there's a few quid gone. Am going to need a charger too.... How about wheels?

View from the front
C15 Romahome
Been on the bike today 12 miles to a car boot sale came back loaded- as in loaded up - legs turned to jelly.

Been a while since that's happened - Of to Edinburgh with students - in a hotel! (I unwittingly wrote hotel here! Its a hostel - there was I lounging in hot baths going to the gym deli - foods of choice evening bar - escorted tours - that much is true.) ( have to be fair I quite enjoyed it clean, tidy room was pretty secure - would I go again YES! - prices good too- food could be awsome!)  Chance to run and take photos - for the blog.

At last some proper work. I hope things have been done while I have been away.

Go Tux Go
After 20 years of telling students not to spill drinks on the computers - spilled cappuccino on mine. I now have a nice Applemac look alike one on my rig now. But the keyboard is all spongy just like an Apple. ARRRG!! Its a Linux machine!! This can't be right!

Tuesday 15 November 2011

Off Work!

Seem to have got some sort of virus! Seems to be in the post stage and I will get better. Blown up 2 modems with big spikes on the phone line - where are those suppressors Amazon! Hurry! But producing electricity - need to check that both banks are producing power. Will post pictures.

No runs or rides - Having cabin fever here. Left people in the lurch running around after me not so good... No pictures to add - and not a lot done to the blog.

There will be another Kiva loan in the next couple of days: That will bring up 8 in all. Will post a picture. Seems to be another Bee keeper! Good luck Alen. It will be 2013 when you have paid off your loan to all of us.

Thanks to the PTR's who unknowingly support the Third World edge a little closer to a realistic and decent way of life!
Alen is engaged in beekeeping. He would like to expand his business, for which he needs some financial investemnts. With the requested loan Alen plans to purchase beehives. Additional beehives will allow Alen to develop his beekeeping business and increase his income. This is very important for Alen and his family, as he plans to get married. Additional income will help his family in the future. Alen lives with his parents.

Will be putting video on more blogs from now on. The first vid seems to have gone down well. Having a bath and an early night. Reading Shackletons Antarctic adventure - what an amazing leader of men!

Sunday 13 November 2011

Lighteach Flattened

Sorry to say that "Lighteach", a fine old Victorian house on the Promenade has been flattened! Pictures of the original are here

On a lighter note the solar panels are up and producing electricity - but they are taking out the ancient breaker. Big bill tomorrow to renew this.

So have had 1 day of free electrickery! Then the RCD blew. However the sparks are coming back to replace the consumer unit with a brand spanker. Not in the budget so its extra! However it has taken out the Modem. I didn't know this at the time and just decided that it had thrown its hand in... Bought a new one breaker went again... Modem broke. Realised the problem, blagged my way with PC world and got my money back. Bought a Belkin wireless modem that is flying along. Fitted downstairs. Plenty of research later discovered that large spikes of voltage and current can cause these issues. Have bought myself a £10 surge adapter for the mains and I have a couple of Ethernet and Phone protectors coming from Amazon. I will add more to the blog when these things are understood. Also when the solar panels are actually producing power. I think the new rate at 21pence was probably a goer too - but it has sure taken heart out of the industry. Guess lucky to have it fitted in time for the higher rate.

So a good idea, but again it costs!

Lastly Mildred has moved in a 20 year old campervan has taken up residence in our drive. Disheveled orphan and has got more oversteer than a 32 wheeler. Goodness knows how she drives in the snow! Needs lots doing but we have big plans.

Monday 31 October 2011

Kiva Loan, Running and riding the bike

Hey busy - half-term ended and did several runs and a long wet training walk.
Pleased about the 10 mile walk went well, found every puddle there was. The 5 mile run was good as well as the 10K. All pretty slow but OK.

Got a payment from my Pay to Click sites so it went onto a beekeeper Sarik.
A loan of $1,350 helped Sarik Kostandyan
to purchase beehive boxes and hay.
Note I put up a very small percentage Kiva does the rest.
Traffic fine on the road but got a bit caught out in the traffic on the prom. Came back in the Illuminations traffic.

Published on my blogpage 2 articles one on Wesham Hospital and one on Fairways in St Annes. Both destined to be closed!

Hopefully ride tomorrow so I can start to climb up the table of My Cycling Log. Now at least off the bottom.

Thursday 27 October 2011

Archiving

Archiving information is a huge problem, however I have my own solution. If any one wants to copy it great, improve it even better. Take the photographs in the camera(s) and upload to the hard-drive. Make new folder with a suitable title say (Hollymount) and drag in all the pictures (p300056.jpg)that relate to that folder.

Inside that folder make a folder with the suffix web (Hollymountweb),
Photoshop/gimp all those photos in the (hollymount) folder and reduce to webready size and add web suffix again(p300056web.jpg) and then save to the hollymountweb folder.

You now have a folder with raw images, nested inside a folder of web ready images. (p300056web.jpg)

Upload to blog add text.

Save the Blog page in the ....web (hollymountweb).

Save this folder to CD rom and/or cloud/external drive.

OK works for me.


Monday 24 October 2011

New stuff again

Well its half term and a chance to get things done.
Have done quite a few posts in the serious side of the blog.
Quite a few runs, walks too. English Heritage has looked at the pictures of the cross pedestal at Singleton and are going to put them on their pages. Whoopee a serious link!!!

Pedestal to a wayside cross, probably medieval!
Last officially seen in 1957 for what it is.
Probably a wayside cross.




Weight now down a bit more too after a long walk last night - feeling seriously hungry today! Have weakened and had 2 biscuits!

Added pictures to Wikipedia of St Peters in Mithian. The reference is here
My blog is here This blogpost is now an artifact not a memorial.

Waldie
Put a picture in of the dog we all loved. We all miss you mate - You weren't exactly a hunting dog - unless it was biscuits, chocolate or any food whatsoever. This is for you. We got extra some time together....
Going to do another Kiva loan tonight keep you posted.

Seems the solar panels are on their way : Carbon Neutral blogging!

Thursday 20 October 2011

More Stuff

Did not manage any serious biking but got out for a run. Pretty much did something every day though. Losing a bit of weight too! Published 32 pictures in the Datastore of Birkenhead House - the Land Registry.

Its a Huge '60's Building - so much concrete....
Outside the main entrance
32 pictures in all, Used to work at Cooksons Bakery next door. At the Datastore is also the sales PDF from the agents - So if you have £3.25 million doing nothin' - bargain of the century.....

Sunday 16 October 2011

On the SandDunes

Well did not run the "Bottom's Up". Perhaps it was the new tablets the doc given me for my blood-pressure. Tiring just before half term - guess a mixture of all this things. However the weights falling off. Well not exactly falling off! but it is definitely coming off.  92.8 K. Thats about 1 k less than last week. I am amazed how little |I have eaten. Cheese is going off in the fridge, Corned beef thrown away. Loads off bread left, Tea-cakes gone hard. Two days of salad in a row.

Managed to run last Saturday night - the same day, the old dog was put to sleep - I dedicated the run to him. Gale force winds one the Monday and Tuesday. But I did run at night. Back on the bike on Thursday and Friday and agin on Saturday. Did nearly 50 miles in a week! So ran the sand dunes twice today. A sort of punishment for missing "Bottoms Up". There is nothing wrong with it, except it is just too muddy for me. Here are some pictures from a couple of years ago!

Houghton Towers

Salmsbury Bottoms

Salmsbury Bottoms

Witton Park

Owl at Witton Park
So managed to crank out a double run on the sand dunes at Lytham. Not bad Guilt solved and one week to go to half term Woopie Doo!

Friday 7 October 2011

Airshow 2011 at Blackpool - These were not models!


Good to try out the new lens for the camera. Seems to work out fine!

This was the last airshow before the Red Arrows pilot died!

Bond Helicopter

Breitling Wing walker

Stunt plane

Right in the middle of the airshow a Manx2 plane landed!

Friday 30 September 2011

The start - Again

This time it's serious, The first target is to complete at least 50 runs before christmas. Try and run every night - at least Gollum. I suppose the trip around the Rossy way was my last serious effort and that was not too bad. I was on course again for getting around in under 12 hours.

The plans for the next 12 months are
Bottom's up
Christmas Walks
Anglezarke Amble
2 Crosses
Spring into Old Hutton - favourite of all time!
Fellsman
Woldsman
possibly 3 rings of Shap
if I can blag an entry int 100 miles
Rossy Way

Weigh myself tomorrow morning and get that FAT off!


Here is 2 disgusting pix of me on the Rossy Way. 'Fraid you will have to guess! ( Not too hard)

Keep you posted!

Tuesday 23 August 2011

Selling Stuff and feeling down

Managed to sell my wheels on ebay £52 is OK for the pair. They came off the Giant Defy, and although they are good wheels they take up space. I do not think they are as strong as the ones I built. Haven’t run at all for 10 days feeling very tired, but I have ridden the treader to and from work. A few ominous creaks... and I got my first puncture in the Schwalbe Marathon pluses! Back tyre too... However I have ridden a whole season on them and this is the only time I have had a puncture. About 2000 miles. Doesn't seem to be any wear on the front and only a little on the back! What a pig to get off!

Just bought a Cateye 610 2 led front light. Pretty big let you know how we get on. So bright it hurts my eyes.

The next Challenge event is "Where Eagles dare" in the lake district. Hopefully have company for this. Traditionally it was always the weekend of "Boyds Memorial Skyline" and the weather is good.

But on the Bright side - all my A Level students passed well in this summer's exams Well done people and good luck!

Monday 15 August 2011

Hello World - Raining again!

Pretty Hectic few days!
Ran on Saturday - Slightly longer than usual... Slow but OK.
Sky ride Blackpool on Sunday. Had both grand nippers got out at about 10 AM - Rode to Blackpool and joined the ride about 10:20 _ Expected to see eldest son about 12pm, but didn't show till a bit later! Meanwhile I had gone round and round and round about 11 times in all. Got captured by the watt meter people and forced to do a sprint on a machine for 250 yards. Pretty pleased to discover that I was only 2/10ths of a second slower than the actual winner in the 50 year old bracket!

Birley Street Blackpool

Stanley Park

Stanley Park Cafe
 These are not my Pix - came from Sky website - Not on any of them.

However they don't have a section for over 60's! Fairly miffed as I had already done 40 miles at this time and ran a time trial the previous night!
Got home fine! Weather was good too!

First day at work today! Cycled in legs shredded! Phone call at work came home early!

But another 10 miles on the clock.
http://kiva.org/invitedby/jol1784



Another loan to Kiva $25 to a Paraguayan lady who runs a shop - impressive business!

Hopefully sort out some of the pix from Truro now!

Should run tonight - but will run tomorrow - that’s a promise!! - Started Medieval Latin course today!

Hoping to have twitter back soon!






Friday 12 August 2011

Back in the swing!

Three runs in the past week! All went fine, pretty wet underfoot but OK. Longer run on Saturday. Sunday its the Blackpool Skyride - Same day as Blackpool’s first home match. Cracking organisation that!

A quick pic to remind me of summer hols

Hi Pamela! St Agnes style!


Rain pelting down as I write this!

Sunday 7 August 2011

Been away!

Have done what I thought was some serious running but in reality it is fairly rubbish - however some of the photography has been pretty good. Cornwall is just stuffed with old artifacts.  On the way down stopped at Brean One long road Caravans and tents all the way down to the beach - However the campsite was really good. Got the tent up and manageed a run. The church and the memorial was an added bonus. The real article will appear in Stonechaser

However a 16th Century church!
St Bridgets Brean
Very rarely run with the camera and the light was going.

Wednesday 13 July 2011

Cycling Updates

Managed to complete the last 15 miles of the Manchester to Blackpool Cycle with Kyle - Rode out to Kirkham and picked him up and rode back. Have now done about 15 miles on the cycle to work challenge, was in 8th position but it is sure to slip. Ran as well a couple of times. Going fine. Also visited Millfield school to see an unveiling of a roll of honour. Details will be posted on the Stonechaser blog. Busy week with paperwork, being the last week at college.

Monday 27 June 2011

The White Bear way

Set of pix from Whitebear way2011

2 Lads hill, supposed to be  the burial graves of a Saxon King's sons. 




Two Lads Hill, But there are 3 Cairns

Looking Back Rivington hill in the background.

Looking back, the pursuit is on!

Reebok Stadium in the distance

Winter Hill mast

Looking from the mast at Winter Hill back towards Belmont. A good place for racing cyclists to train

From Winter Hill, it can be pretty desolate at times

Its a big thing!

The main mast, We thought it was swaying, but it was us!

The memorial is on the wall

A Radio Ham's dream

Past the mast

Looking towards Hordern Stoops, but we don't go that way its a dead drop off the edge!

From Hordern Stoops, looking up Winter Hill

Wellington Bomber Memorial looking towards Winter Hill, looks a long way - it is

Anglezark Resevoir - Adlington is 2 miles away as the crow flies, Yeah right.
Started at Adlington Scout hut, crossed the Railway and the A6 and then the Leeds Liverpool Canal. Along the Canal, Up two Lads and then Winterhill, Rivington Castle stuck in somewhere, great big circle round, find canal and back home. Not so tricky nav, found yet a new route from Jepsons gate and then seemed to forget the last bit. Went with Kyle, a bit of running in the middle, good pace. Met some old acquaintances, back home for pie and peas. A seriously good day and quite reasonably quick. Will probably do this as an unsupported run at the end of the summer. Thanks to Adlington scouts for a really good day out.

Monday 6 June 2011

Lytham Run

Seemed to be out for a long time. Managed to crank out just over 9 miles. The lorries from the moscow state cirdcus were flashing their lights and waving at me as they drove up to Lytham. Not bad run - notmuch seems to hurt although I felt tired all day

The 18th of June is the White Bear Way. Pretty flat - should run quite a way.

Saturday 4 June 2011

Hottest day of year!

Shipley was good, did lots of photos. Di spent lots of money! Great cafe on way home at Gisburn called the" Strawberry fields" Not a Beatle in site, good service pleasant conversation and very clean and orderly. Will definitely go again.

Found the place with lots of help from Knickers the Sat Nav. Will add a couple of photos here when I get chance.

The BAttery pack for the camera arrived today. Fitted a treat. Impressed.

Ran JEB tonight fastest time info underneath






Wednesday 1 June 2011

Visiting Gollum again

Seemed like a good run, late at night as usual and didn't really want to go however got out and quite enjoyed myself. This is my seventh run and I am starting to feel that I belong again.
Once more on Mapmyrun. Nearly completed the doors in my shed. Archiving can start!




Monday 30 May 2011

Long Run

Spring Bank holiday is here and it is pouring down, however lasy night was quite clear and dry, which gave me the opportunity to bash out a fairly long run. 7.5 miles in 1 hour 26 mins. Certainly not exactly quick but, but OK. Felt fine all the way round, and managed to speed up at the end. My longest none stop run for nearly 2 years - certainly from being a 60 year old! - Lost a kilo too. The trick now is to keep the weight off.






Did some more work in the shed, preparing the the archive store and will break down all the old papers int plastic pockets in some sort of order. There is some much material there, keep me busy for years to come!

Going to rationalise this blog and try and make it keep up with some of the other blogs. Why have I got Spanish on my tweet feed?

Wednesday 25 May 2011

Running again, in a sort of Gingerbread way


Completed the "Gingerbread round " in the Lake district, those are pictures from it.  Got to admit that this was seriously taxing. My uphill muscles stopped working followed by my downhill muscles. However got some good pix.
Fairfield heading towards the pass, takes you back to Grasmere
Loughrigg Fell
Heading up Loughrigg fell from High Close
Beginning descent of the fell
Can spot the bridge thet heads towards Easdale Tarn
Loughrigg steps towards Grasmere
Grasmere from Loughrigg


From Loughrigg, Grasmere on the left


Cafe Treff Hanglider

Cafe Treff Hang-glider


Cranking out runs regularly. Very slow but I have managed a 5 miler. Didn't do the Fellsman though.  The next major run on the itinery is the "White Bear" way followed by the "Rossy way in a day"