I’m back

Blogging has been a bit scant recently. Unfortunately the thunder storm that poured through the ASDA roof also flooded some of the classrooms at Jarrow School, so my youngest has effectively had an extra week of holiday. Childcare for an autistic child is incredibly difficult to organise at short notice. No childcare = No blogging.

Things I have discovered today

The new ASDA roof leaks - badly.

Read all about it...

My mate Tim has got his photo in the Gazette. No, not the Shields Gazette; the North Island Gazette. Tim got bored with upsetting the great and the good of the opencast coal industry in this country so went to live in Canada.
Flicking through the on-line version of the paper I was distracted from Tim’s mountain running exploits by the main headline of the day: ’84 year old man survives four days down well’. Now that’s what I call a story!
Of course if you really want to get the feel for an area from a local paper you have to check out the letters page. It didn’t disappoint.

Scaling the heights of mediocrity (but not for a while yet)

The Gazette linked two stories on its front page on Saturday which for me encapsulates the total lack of ambition of the present generation of councillors. The first relates to the rebuild of South Tyneside College being shelved for two years. Looking at the economic situation you might as well replace the phrase ‘shelved for two years’ with ‘dream-on, it ain’t getting built.’

The second concerns the possible building, at some unspecified date in the future, of a six lane 25m pool. That might have sounded impressive in the 1800’s, but not in 2009. Yes we desperately need better swimming facilities. But if you’re going to do something at least do it properly.

50m pools are the future, or the present if you happen to live in Sunderland. Just to add insult to injury, if this out of date pool ever does get built, it will be an after thought to an ‘income generating fitness facility’. No doubt with extortionate private membership fees.

Heat-wave?

I heard that soft spoken weather man on the radio yesterday warning everyone of the impending heat-wave approaching the UK. It hasn’t reached Tyne Dock yet.

I’m in the middle of a critical week and a half of triathlon training. My goal for this season is to complete an Olympic distance triathlon without any major dramas. My ‘A’ priority race where I intend to achieve this is coming up soon, and success or failure partly depends on what happens over the next week.

When I went to bed last night it was foggy; when I woke up this morning it was foggy. Not good for open water swimming or cycling. All good training plans need to be flexible so I will adjust accordingly. I’ve still got some key cycling/swimming sessions I need to get in before Thursday though, so I will be keeping a close eye on the tides and weather forecast.

Camping it up

Mash it up.

The Good, the Bald and the Ugly