A few years ago, running 10K would be nothing to write home about, a regular, weekly occurrence, but over the last couple of years my running has got shorter and slower. But my running mojo is returning – the “slower” bit remains, but I’m finding it easier to clock up the ks, and today I cruised round another 10Km loop. (Only slight irritation is that my map my run stopped working shortly after I had passed the house at 7K, so my times for the last 3 kms are lost to the mists of time. But these days I’m less bothered by the timings.)
After another wet day yesterday, today dawned cold, clear and windless and it was a nice day to pound the pavement. On my return, and after doing two loads of washing, a got the ladders out to put up the Christmas lights. Before I put the lights up, I took the opportunity – with the ladders out – to wash the upstairs front windows and clean the guttering and facia board on the extension, before finally putting up the lights, extending a 30 minute job to a couple of hours. But the suns was shining so it made for a pleasant morning chore, whilst getting my winter daily dose of vitamin D.
Its hard to believe that its December tomorrow, and in five days time we break for the Christmas holidays. At the tail end of this week, Becky went to Cardiff to stay with Sophie for a few days, Sam has been working long hours into the night as its Christmas party season at school and I have been slowly learning a few words of Italian when not at work.
This week, as forecast, the cold came and Tuesday and Wednesday nights, in particular saw a frost that has turned many of my unprotected plants to mush, The Bizzie lizzies have gone, along with several geraniums towards the bottom of the garden. But those that I have protected with my fleece blanket remain in cheerful bloom, as if nothing untoward has happened -it would be good if I could see them through to a new flouring season.
But Friday night into Saturday morning the weather changed back into the more normal heavy rainfall and grey skies. After a showery start to today, it has unfolded into a blustery but bright day and, around lunchtime, we were treated to the magnificent rainbow pictured above.
My legs held up yesterday, refereeing a fast and fit U15 side, so today I went for a run – my first in November. Nothing special, but a fairly comfortable 7K and I did toy with the idea of carrying on to make it 10K, but that thought didn’t win out!
My battle with fungus gnats continue – I have them quashed, but not totally defeated and today I watered them with a BTI solution to further my cause.
Hard to believe that we only have two weeks of term left and inspired by our trip to Lucca two weeks tomorrow, I have begun to learn some Italian – molto buono!
After Sophie’s birthday at the start of last week, this week ended (on Friday) with Becky’s birthday. The weather, though, was terrible, with biblical rainfall (which led to bad flooding in Monmouthshire.) On Saturday she went to Bristol to meet Sophie and see Mamma Mia, before rendezvousing with Sam and all of them coming home on Saturday evening.
The weather has been unseasonable pretty much all year, and that has continued with a very warm week, certainly it hasn’t felt like mid-November. Plenty of my plants are in still in full bloom, although next week the weather is set to turn, with the cold arriving and the possibility of overnight frost – and snow if you believe the hype. So today I took some time to move my geraniums from the front to behind the gate in the hope that I can over-winter them.
On Wednesday evening, Sam was sat outside and had company:
and the ‘hog returned again on Friday night:
I didn’t run today as I have a “tight calf” (left leg). I first noticed it whilst refereeing last weekend, and it was quite sore on Wednesday evening (having ref-ed that afternoon) Yesterday it wasn’t too bad until about 20 mins into the second half when my right leg slipped and I felt a stabbing pain in the back of my left calf. I probably could have run today but wisely chose not to (and went for a haircut instead!)
My war on the fungus gnats has definitely swung in my favour – too early to claim total victory, but certainly far fewer of the little buggers.
On Monday it was Sophie’s birthday – 26! I do find that hard to believe: that I am a father to a 26 and 23 year old! Sophie and Becky went to London to see Benson Boone, and by the sounds of it, it was an excellent show! Brian May was a guest appearance at the end, accompanying the boy Benson in a rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody.
For me, a far more mundane week, with a return to school, and dark evenings to walk home in. It does, however, remain remarkably warm – still no need to break out the winter clothes and coats. In the garden, my geraniums remain in full bloom, ably supported by the Bizzie Lizzie’s that keep on doing their thing, and offset by the lush green growth of some nasturtiums (which are also sported the odd orange flamed flower). There is a general dampness to the weather (and we’ve just had a quick downpour, soaking me as I rushed to retrieve the washing) but its not been too wet this week, although that is due to change in the coming days.
Progress is being made in the fungus gnat problem, the sticky traps are showing a much reduced incidence of the annoying insect, although I did give up on my avocado plant today, and took it to the compost bin: it had suffered through my reduced watering regime, with leaves curling and blackening, plus it still seemed to have a significant infestation, as manifested by both the the number of gnats on the yellow sticky trap, plus you could still see the little blighters crawling around the surface. For recording purposes, I took some photos of some of the yellow traps in my room before I replaced them today, after a week. (The one’s in Sam’s room I changed on Wednesday)
Today, I refereed on the Bridgwater District League – was aske by Keith to do so on Wednesday as they were short of refs, so I agreed. First ten minutes I was doubting my decision, but once I’d established myself on the game, and everyone recognised my levels and tolerances, I did come to quite enjoy myself. Of note was when one player commended me on a good advantage played, another when, with only about 10 mins to go a player from the losing side (8-0 down at this stage, ended 10-0) asked if I was a new ref. I explained I used to do this league, but hadn’t done for a while – he was very complimentary, him and his mate agreeing that I hadn’t got anything wrong. I’m not going back to doing this every week, but I am enjoying my refereeing at the moment, at whatever level.
On Friday we headed up to see ABC at Cardiff Arena. I’m not really sure if Becky enjoyed it, but I did.
We travelled up to Cardiff that day, dodging (well, not really) the showers, crossing the bridge, and meeting up with Sophie, who very kindly was hosting us for the evening.
We had a nice meal at Honest Burger, before she left us to head to the show, and was waiting for us in her nice warm flat afterwards – was good to be “home” before 11pm having been out to a concert!
On Saturday, after breakfast of Lidl’s pastries (delicious!) all three of us headed back over the bridge to Bristol, Becky & Sophie going to the theatre to see the Book of Mormon (coming out after the show, they both said how good it was) and I was left to do some shopping on a Saturday afternoon in Bristol. The first couple of hours were fine – purchasing from Primark, and the perusing a few other stores, but then my enthusiasm began to wane and I wandered aimlessly before rewarding myself with coffee and cake, and then just sitting on a cold stone bench in Cabot’s Circus waiting for the show to end. It wasn’t tooo bad, but I don’t think I shall be rushing back to a shopping mall any time soon!
Before we went to Lisbon I dug up the front bed, so that on our return from Lisbon I was able to plant up all my spring bulbs, now we just need to batten down the hatches, endure the dark, cold winter to come, and await their colourful arrival next year.
Inside, I’ve been waging war against a legion of fungus gnats that have been plaguing the house – bought in, I think, when I re-potted all my Monstera plants. Although harmless, they are a bloomin’ nuisance, buzzing around your head. I’ve employed a three pronged plan to eradicate them: I have bought a load of yellow sticky traps -it is quite amazing (not sure that is the right word) to see how many of the little flies get stuck to these, I’ve applied a physical barrier of gravel on the tops of each worst affected plant, in an attempt to stop the adults reaching the soil and laying their eggs, and, most recently, I have tried biological control by watering Bacillus Thuringiensis Israelensisonto the plants in an attempt to kill the lava in the soil. I think I’m winning with the plants in my room, the verdict is still out on the infestation in Sam’s room.
On our trip to Cardiff, we had hoped to dovetail in a visit to the house she is buying, but we couldn’t be accommodated on that day. However, the day before, she had had her info back from the solicitor, and it stated that the garden was at significant risk of flooding, so after much heart ache and discussion, she is pulling out of the purchase. That does leave us with a big box of loo paper that she had purchased and delivered to our house – I do like the picture above of Sam taking delivering!
Half term has finally arrived, and I took the opportunity of a dry day yesterday to begin clearing the front bed ready for my spring bulbs to be planted. I cut down the sunflowers – one was still flowering so I cut off the flowers to bring indoors (pic above) and have also hung up a couple of big heavy seed heads out the back, and also out the front and I was encouraged that today a couple of Great Tits seem to have found the ones in the back to start feeding from.
Bumped into Sam delivering team – teas at Kingweston on Wednesday. He’s on a term-time only contract so is also enjoying half-term, yesterday he went up to Bristol. In true start of holiday style, after a prolonged period of dry weather, today has been wet, with heavy mizzle pretty much all day, which has now turned to proper rain. Tomorrow and Tuesday don’t promise to be much better so my trugg clearance and bulb planting will be on hold until after we return from Lisbon.
Today I ran 10K for the first time in over a year – 17 months to be precise. Checking my logs, I last ran 10K on 12 May 2024, and today is 12 October 2025.
As I wrote last week, my running has picked up of late and whilst I have been thinking that running a 10K is no too far off, I didn’t intend to do so today, however I had a bit of a Forest Gump moment and it just seemed right to keep running. After about 5 or 6 K I was thinking I might add in the extra K on top of my seven to make an 8K run – a stepping stone to future distance – but as I ran up the hill, past our house to the traffic lights it just seemed right to keep going straight ahead for the 10 rather than turn right to make it 8.
It had promised to be another nice day – yesterday afternoon was sunny and warm and today’s forecast was for similar so I set off running in two t-shirt layers which was fine, apart from my hands which were cold for most of the time, only warming up for the final three kms. The promised burn through of the sun hasn’t happened, and I would say its been cold today, with a stiff, chill breeze. Becky also got up early to go for a walk along the river, hoping to see the mist lift. It was just damp! But she did get the above photos of a sign that has appeared on the bypass roundabout.
The garden, particularly out the back, continues to bloom and flourish, my Bizzie Lizzies flowering fully, and the geraniums still looking strong and colourful. The sunflowers at the front are still bravely blooming, but they are beginning to look a little threadbare. There days are numbered – soon I will be taking them up to get my spring bulbs planeted.
The trees are defiantly all turning, time to soak in the sight of their colourful display as, before too long, they will be bare and barren – summer is over, autumn is upon us and winter is coming! The pic above is of the tree on the road outside the house – taken today 12/10/25, full of berries!.
Today, I went for a run – 7K, not especially quick, but for the first time in a long time (say about a year or more) I felt strong and fit, and that I had something left in the tank at the end of the run. None of my splits were sub 5 mins – those days seem an age ago – but most were sub 5m 10 sec. I’ve also felt quite fit whilst refereeing of late, still able to put in a sprint in the last 10 mins or so of a match. I’ve also been doing some weights – that probably sounds more than what I am doing, but after my run today, and a few evenings (when I have remembered!) I’ve spent 5 -10 mins with x 2 3Kg weights, and also have done a few sit ups as well. Looking back through my exercise logs, I think things really began to drop of throughout 2024, which was then compounded at the start of this year when I seemed to be pulling muscles for fun in the first few months of the year. I do feel fitter than I have for a long time, and that feels good.
Sophie’s also been exercising, her is a picture of her following her first Korf ball fixture of the season.
Weather wise, its been a typical end of September and start of October. Monday morning we woke up to cobwebs festooned across the garden …
and then the day ended in still, calm sunshine …
Note how the Tor has returned to green from the summer brown …
and we’ve been treated to some beautiful fiery orange, or perfect pink, sunsets.
… and then the next day dawned with the Tor emerging from the mist
Then, on Friday and Saturday, the first storm of the season struck. Friday was very wet, Saturday was very windy, and today has been, on and off, pleasantly sunny with a stiff breeze.
And Becky was delighted today to discover a second, if small (circa 3 or 4!) crop of figs
And the sunflowers keep on flowering (along with the geraniums and Bizzie Lizzes) – the pic at the top of the page was from today, the garden still looks lovely in full bloom.
In the week, Take That announced a tour for summer 2026 and so, on Thursday, the scrabble for tickets began. Neither Sophie nor I where successful, but Becky managed to bag a pair of tickets for her and Sophie to go and see them in Cardiff, and then another two for me and her to see them in Southampton – crucially, during May half term.
It has been a week of looking ahead, and our schedule for our summer Ionian excursion is beginning to firm up and today we booked two of our accommodations:
This, in Spartochori on the island of Meganisi, and this in Fiskado on Kefaloni:
After an early September dominated by rain, this last week has been sunny and pleasant, and today the sun has been beautifully warm, allowing me to sit outside, read my book and chill in the radiated warmth and glow of late September sun. The garden continues to flourish with flowers in full bloom, the geraniums and Bizzie Lizzies in particular providing bright splashes of colour. And a number of sunflowers, both front and back, continue to throw out new flowers – the flowers are not big, but it seems the multi-headed flowers are the success story of late summer blooming.
and although this should have probably have been in last week’s post (it was at a BBQ on the Thursday before we broke for exeat) I thought I’d post it here: father and son at work together!
Its exeat weekend, and Becky and I took the opportunity to go to Bristol to watch Starter for Ten an the Old Vic.
It was excellent – a great show, I really, really enjoyed it. Its a long time since I read the book but I could pretty much remember the block of the story as it unfolded. I didn’t really know what to expect before we went, but it was musical theatre, in a wonderful small venue; I do think it is the best bit of theatre I can recall seeing in a long time.
And to conclude the day, we went to The Stables to eat after the show (we had been to the matinee) I had beef nachos, Becky had a pizza, but it was so big I had several slices of that, too.
Today, I refereed on the Bridgwater & District Sunday league – they were short of a ref, I was asked and agreed to do it – enjoyed the game. I ran yesterday morning and I do think that my level of fitness is returning to a level I haven’t enjoyed for maybe a year or so. My running times are inching down, and when refereeing I am finding I can, once again, turn on that little burst of pace when needed.
This afternoon I spent a happy couple of hours in the garden, mainly tidying up the “raspberry patch” and then planting last year’s bulbs, in the hope of some Spring colour.
Medical: my right arm, and neck/shoulder area hurts, I think RSI from using a computer and mouse without giving myself the necessary support. Will monitor and report back.
