Coming home from time away always means a lot of faffing around catching up and getting things straight. It's been that sort sort of week. Add to that my telephone landline was faulty and my internet connection was thus interrupted too. I managed to beat the lawnmower into submission and it eventually roared into life and the grass has been cut. With two windless days of glorious, warm sunshine I managed to clear eight builders rubble sacks worth of vegetation etc from the garden in addition to a large wheelie bin of grass cuttings. The pond has been cleaned and the stream is flowing and aerating the water and allowing the birds once again to drink and bathe.
This morning I popped into town for odds and ends and a coffee at The Woodlands. Afterwards I was in town looking at the bikes for the
Harris Tweed Bike Ride 2019 when I met friends. We stayed chatting for a while then decided to go for coffee at The Hub at BeSpoke Bicycles. Excellent coffee in excellent company. The rest of my day was equally ordinary and enjoyable.
So I have arrived at this evening feeling that the week has been one of happy achievement. Can one ask for anything more?
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| You, too, can play the bagpipes on the back of a tandem |
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| A bevy of cyclists? |
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| What no lycra? |
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| Now I've never seen a bike like that before. |
Love your folks on bikes, helmets optional. Great variety of bikes, too. I notice one person already has the Yellow Jersey and I'll back the little girl in the green helmet for the White Jersey.
ReplyDeletePauline i see you are up with your jerseys. Having cycled in New Zealand I still can't understand why helmets are not mandatory here. I know someone from here, now dead, who's life and that of his family was altered when he came off his bike and landed on his head. It was many years ago and there might not have been helmets. Why would anyone now take the risk?
DeletePlaying the bagpipes on the back of a tandem bike would be a wonderful thing to see and hear. My husband rode his mountain bike every day for 20 years, often over hill and dale.
ReplyDeleteTerra, it was certainly an unusual sight. I'm ashamed to say that I've ridden neither my road nor mountain bike for several years. The roads around me are single track and the wind is always blowing. I'm also too lazy to put a bike rack on and off. So I just walk in the woods instead.
DeleteRichard told me years ago that a tandem bicycle is what we call a bicycle built for two. Not that we discuss bicycles that often! Love to hear bagpipes.
ReplyDeleteKay, as a music lover, you either love or hate bagpipes. They do divide opinion. However the skirl of a pipe band is an amazing event.
DeleteI would not like to be riding in that bevy of cyclists. It's too crowded.
ReplyDeleteBut, Red, very slow moving.
DeleteSounds like you've had a good week and the cyclists appear to be enjoying their ride.
ReplyDeleteAmy, I think that it was a question of happiness all round.
DeleteA 15-ish year old neighbour passed by a couple of days ago with a three wheeler he'd made. He was pushing it, so I imagine the peddling system requires a spot of tweeking; but it looked great.
ReplyDeleteCro, I've sen a couple of tricycles in Glasgow with people out shopping and there were a lot in New Zealand. I think I'll stick with two or four wheels though.
DeleteLooks like fun. Pity having to pedal.
ReplyDeleteAdrian, one of the friends with who I was having coffee had just taken back her hired eCycle. She was a professional years ago but has a heart problem now. She said that the eCycle made her feel young again. I've ridden a friend's in New Zealand. I'm going to have a go here one day too. It's good because you still have to do some work but get help up the hills and against the gales.
DeleteI am tempted with an electric bike. If you get the off-road models then they aren't speed limited and I doubt plod could tell the difference. Trouble is electricity is way overpriced so petrol may be the way to go.
DeleteThe guy in the kilt on high has my vote. As to the bagpipes the old joke rings true for me. A man may play the bagpipes, but a gentleman never does.
ReplyDeletePotty, I think the same chap has my vote too. Rather like riding a penny-farthing, I should think. I've not heard that saying and this would be a dangerous place to try it out in public!
DeleteIndeed, what more could one ask for!
ReplyDeleteI am impressed by what you managed to do in your garden in such a short space of time. How much we wish we could bring my parents' allotment back to its former glory!
The bike ride looks fun. Is it for charity?
Meike, I think it's just publicity for Harris Tweed. My garden is a far cry from your parents' allotment. It's sad that it takes so much more work than you Dad can manage now. As I was working during the week, I was thinking about the amount of work in my much more modest area and wondering for how many more years I could keep it going. Gardening can be hard physical work.
DeleteIt sounds as though you had a perfect day. I love the photos - good, innocent, joyful stuff that lightens the heart!
ReplyDeleteThank you JayCee. It was pretty good. I often think that there isn't enough good, innocent, joyful stuff around these days. In reality it's probably that there is so much evil which gets the publicity.
DeleteLooks like a fun event. I'd just be watching (and taking photos) as well, though... I got rid of my bike when I moved to my present flat 11 years ago, not having used it for years already by then. Too many hills in this city and nowadays so much traffic that I wouldn't feel safe even on flat ground...
ReplyDeleteLike you, Monica, I don't use my bikes (on road and off road bikes) either. I don't like the single track roads around my house and I don't have a bike carrier on this car (which could, of course be remedied if I had the inclination). I don't think I'd feel safe on the town roads either. So, in short, I should get rid of the bikes but I just don't seem able to do so. I've already used 'dont' 5 times in this comment: too much negativity.
DeleteHappy achievement is a good way to spend a week!
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is, Kylie.
DeleteI didn't realise that residents of the Isle of Lewis were so wacky! One is wearing a kilt and as you pointed out another is playing the bagpipes and crazier still, some are wearing cycling helmets! Good free advertising for Harris Tweed Hebrides.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, YP, the whole event was, I think, organised by Harris Tweed Hebrides and everyone was encouraged to wear tweed. I can assure you that there are some very wacky residents on this Island. There always have been but the huge recent influx of incomers has contributed to it. You have to have a certain 'something' to live here if you weren't born here. The thing is that now more than ever before, I think, youngsters born here are leaving and not returning in their retirement.
DeleteIt sounds like you've had a lovely, somewhat relaxing time...except for the telephone/internet hiccups. I always find that to be very...very...frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a restful, enjoyable Easter, Graham. :)
Lee, on the whole I've had a very mentally relaxing time but it's been a time of hard labour in the garden after my morning walk in the Castle Grounds.
DeleteHappy Spring! Playing the bagpipes on a bicycle is so unique! Makes me smile
ReplyDeleteThank you
Maywyn, it was rather unusual to say the least.
DeleteThe last few months I have been guilty of reading blogs, but not commenting. Trying to rectify that, just wanted to say thanks for your posts. I do love your photos and the glimpses of island life that you share.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you Jayne. I hope that you continue to enjoy the blogs you read and also enjoy the conversations that some posts engender.
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