As I prepared some lunch and a cup of tea on Friday it was, for the first time since June, to the pleasing lack of any knocking coming from the gas cupboard. That gas cupboard was, by then, the home of a new regulator, although that piece of kit turned out not to be the problem. Rather, some oil (from the LPG) had settled in the low point of the gas pipes. The thrumming and pulsing was the gas pushing its way through that oil. We now have a spare regulator as given the choice between having the old regulator re-fitted (which would have involved having to take the whole refillable gas system back out and then refit) or having the spare, it seemed the better option.
That lunch was had in the uninspiring location of a retail park, shortly after I’d given Decathlon a bit more business by buying myself a nice fleecy-lined pair of winter running tights (oh, I miss those summer runs in southern Germany!). Then we found ourselves with a lack of anything to do for the rest of the day and little idea as to where we might spend the night.
After a few false starts, a number of height-barriered car parks and a bit of driving around, we resigned ourselves to a night on the side of a street in Wolverhampton, finding ourselves a spot that wasn’t outside anyone’s house. We had a surprisingly peaceful night, after a late afternoon walk around the local streets, ogling some impressive houses, but not quite dodging the regular showers.
Saturday morning started with Wolverhampton parkrun, which (surprisingly) we’d never done before. It’s three laps on tarmac, around West Park, which sits a few minutes walk from the city centre. With just the smallest of inclines on the perimeter path, it’s a fast course, allowing me to achieve my best time since early September. Mick resolved to take it steady, having only just recovered from the injury he incurred in Stirling in October. That resolution didn’t come to fruition, but I can’t blame him for his accidental speed as he did exactly what he said he would and stayed behind the 27 minute pacer, who came in a minute and a half ahead of schedule.
We had no time to hang around after the run, needing to zip off to my Aunt’s house for the first visit of a busy day. It was whilst we were there that I had a search around Bertie for my fleece jacket only to remember that I’d left it at the start of the parkrun. Doh!
The second activity of the day a low-key party (for ‘party’ read ‘sitting around a table eating cake’) with various family members for my grandmother’s 98th birthday. I hope I don’t need to point out the birthday girl in this snap:
Various family members with my gran. She lost her hearing aid last week, so communication was difficult, but we all came away feeling sure she’d enjoyed herself.
By the end of the day we’d stopped for a meal at my sister’s house near Stoke and made our way up to Halifax to spend a couple of nights on Ma-in-Law’s driveway. Mick’s older brother and his wife, who we don’t see very often, was up visiting, so we thought we’d nip up to spend some time with them. I intended (but failed) to take a photo of the two boys with their mum.
The main activities during our 2-day stay were chatting and eating, although I did also take myself out for a little jogette on Sunday morning. With Bertie having been lashed by wind and rain all night, Mick questioned my sanity, but I think my reasoning was sound: I needed some exercise at some point during the day and by running I would be out in the weather for less time than if I went for the equivalent walk. I had rain, hail and stop-you-in-your-tracks wind on my undulating route (there are no options from Ma-in-Law’s house that don’t involve noticeable undulations). I arrived back refreshed and wishing I’d worn those new fleecy-lined tights!
We’re now back home, but it’s only a month before we’ll be off again. I must book our Channel Tunnel crossing…
That lunch was had in the uninspiring location of a retail park, shortly after I’d given Decathlon a bit more business by buying myself a nice fleecy-lined pair of winter running tights (oh, I miss those summer runs in southern Germany!). Then we found ourselves with a lack of anything to do for the rest of the day and little idea as to where we might spend the night.
After a few false starts, a number of height-barriered car parks and a bit of driving around, we resigned ourselves to a night on the side of a street in Wolverhampton, finding ourselves a spot that wasn’t outside anyone’s house. We had a surprisingly peaceful night, after a late afternoon walk around the local streets, ogling some impressive houses, but not quite dodging the regular showers.
Saturday morning started with Wolverhampton parkrun, which (surprisingly) we’d never done before. It’s three laps on tarmac, around West Park, which sits a few minutes walk from the city centre. With just the smallest of inclines on the perimeter path, it’s a fast course, allowing me to achieve my best time since early September. Mick resolved to take it steady, having only just recovered from the injury he incurred in Stirling in October. That resolution didn’t come to fruition, but I can’t blame him for his accidental speed as he did exactly what he said he would and stayed behind the 27 minute pacer, who came in a minute and a half ahead of schedule.
We had no time to hang around after the run, needing to zip off to my Aunt’s house for the first visit of a busy day. It was whilst we were there that I had a search around Bertie for my fleece jacket only to remember that I’d left it at the start of the parkrun. Doh!
The second activity of the day a low-key party (for ‘party’ read ‘sitting around a table eating cake’) with various family members for my grandmother’s 98th birthday. I hope I don’t need to point out the birthday girl in this snap:
Various family members with my gran. She lost her hearing aid last week, so communication was difficult, but we all came away feeling sure she’d enjoyed herself.
By the end of the day we’d stopped for a meal at my sister’s house near Stoke and made our way up to Halifax to spend a couple of nights on Ma-in-Law’s driveway. Mick’s older brother and his wife, who we don’t see very often, was up visiting, so we thought we’d nip up to spend some time with them. I intended (but failed) to take a photo of the two boys with their mum.
The main activities during our 2-day stay were chatting and eating, although I did also take myself out for a little jogette on Sunday morning. With Bertie having been lashed by wind and rain all night, Mick questioned my sanity, but I think my reasoning was sound: I needed some exercise at some point during the day and by running I would be out in the weather for less time than if I went for the equivalent walk. I had rain, hail and stop-you-in-your-tracks wind on my undulating route (there are no options from Ma-in-Law’s house that don’t involve noticeable undulations). I arrived back refreshed and wishing I’d worn those new fleecy-lined tights!
We’re now back home, but it’s only a month before we’ll be off again. I must book our Channel Tunnel crossing…
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