retirement

My dearest Eve takes her last day of paid employment today. I do hope she will enjoy a very well deserved and long retirement - probably out on her bike more,

In celebration, Eve here eats a cream covered scone at The Hub cafe.

Trains and boats and planes. Buses and cars too

That's the way we do it from the Western Isles.

Piste

While I was slumming it in Derby the other day waiting to say final goodbyes to my uncle, I tootled along to the new Velodrome there. Lovely building and track. lo and hold there was an old pal Chris Pyatt coaching a session including this fast looking Paralympic rider. Tooked with the Olympus XA.

Just walk on by. We have messed the world up too much already

Yes, it was me. Did a bit of flying down to Englandshire, helping create more CO2 and everything. Sorry about that. I didn't buy anything though. Which airport / retail zone was this then?

The Chat went ok I think. No-one fell asleep, some people liked what I do and one lovely lady wants to paint [portraitise] me. How good is That? Very since you ask.

You didn't come to my little chat did you?

I know, there was love island or somesuch on the tv. The Archers had something exciting going on on radio 4. Eh?
Better than my chat was it?
Actually I'm sure it was. Trouble is you missed why I choose this snap today. And a different one yesterday.

We love it here.

a chat to myself - probably

Today is the day when, this evening I shall do a wee illustrated chat at an Lanntair arts centre.
I might say something interesting so do come along.

Someone saying something interesting a few weeks ago. I can't remember what it was he said but it was interesting.

We've all grown older but probably not wiser

The solo Crofter.

And since you ask, yes it was film

Horses, horses horses.

This is Horse.
There are more here in the village.
Lots of them.
and it's lovely to see them as they get ridden and not eaten.

Of course I don't know what it is

I like it though.
I might have to auction it up!

Yes, we get fog

Yes, fog is a thing in North Tolsta. Even when everywhere else is crystal clear Tolsta may well be fog bound. The bus still run although the council is doing its best to stop them

barrel scraping

I may be scraping the barrel but i am enjoying doing it. I have things to do, places to go to and things to think about. I will be back at the snap-face soon.

Shopping; what's the point?

A chance to take snap that's what

The day we sailed the Thames with a queen

Londinium

I lived there once for a few years - never again. I have been known to visit now and again like here in 2012.

We met some lovely people that day and saw some fine bicycle riding.

chat

I seem to have been talked into giving a mild chat about my blog in An Lanntair next Thursday 25th. It's supposed to be an artists talk but they are making an exception for me. I must try and think of something to say :-)

Gala

I haven't been to a gala recently. The last one was at Carloway here. And yes, i did have a sort of camera with me.

Ron

This Ron, Ron the builder. This was Dec 2007 don't you know - at Garry beach.

I met Ron again today. In An Lanntair and no, he is not a builder now but a tinkerer of 1 and 0 s. On the web and all that. He looks the same. Ron remembered my name too. Well, he remembered I had a name anyway. I shall try and photograph his new vehicular project soon. stay toned.

I like it here

When the sun shines - as it does for a couple of days a year, this island is the perfect place to be and ride a bike. So those days, when and if they arrive we make the most of the place. Have an Olympus XA in the pocket is nice too.

Sleep deprivation

I've not been sleeping of late. it's not from the lack of trying. Exercise, rest, meditation all helps or not but mostly not the the moment. As a consequence I've been wandering round like a zombie. This is something that I enjoyed for years - all part of my seemingly ongoing, reinvigorated M.E.. It will pass - it always does but in the meantime .....

We, my dearest Eve and I did get out for a little potter on the quiet roads hereabout the other day. On Monday one of Eve's pre-retirement days off. Oooof, twas lovely even if I despite an electric wheel on the bike did have to come home to have a rest immediately afterwards - and it was only a 6 mile ride albeit a tad hilly. Hardly TDF stuff !

Bicicletta Maru

So, if you are in the Itama area of Osaka, don't miss a visit to this lovely bicycle shoppe just opened by ex keirin racer and former world masters sprint champ. Here I took this snap of the great man - yes he rode for our track racing team, Yasumitsu-Schlapp - at the Manchester Velodrome where we made friends.
I might add, for those who care, this was taken with an old 5x7 soviet shutterless camera on Ilford glass plate. As you do.

folds

we weren't there today but sunning ourselves suitably whilst riding our bikes round the Bhaltos Peninsula. Dearest Eve is working down to her retirement in a fw weeks !

Bikist with pizza

Not sure if the pizza had pineapple on - it might have since we are a tad behind trend. However, I was wondering why he was cycling towards the pizza place rather than away from it.

yep, bikists

We might have gone here

Actually, we did go here. Nice and quiet and everything. Lovely people if you see any.

No performance

Just a wee pedalling as  snapped them up.

I like bikes and cyclists. Did you know that?

Wheelie nice

it's amazing what you can do with an XA when that's all you had at the time. These lads performed on request for me the other day. Many thanks lads.

Flaneuse

Ooff !

An Island Flaneuse.

I have to say I love this image - taken again in Stormoway with the XA and Polypan-f. As I do.

Biking

25km I did the other day [for me that's good, trust me]. In Harris and not a flat bit of road. Right lovely and everything. Sunshine, Eve cycling with me, a gentle breeze and virtually no traffic. What's not to like?

this snap wasn't take there. It was in Stormoway - with the XA and Polypan-f. as if you care .

Starsky

To be honest, that may not be the over-grown poodle's name but it should be since his human pet is a police-person from Welsh Wales up here on their hols [so they told me]. Starskys pet human's partner was there too but it was the end of the film and was cut off!

A stroll on a beach

A relatively warm morning prompts a stroll on the beach with the Hassie.