Hello, friends!
It's been a while since I updated this journal, so hello everyone! Most of you I will have spoken to since my last entry, but for those who don't get regular injections of personal trivia, here it is.
The specific stimulus for this entry was a crazy journey upon which I embarked yesterday. The idea was to go from Penrith to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway at Dalegarth to represent red squirrels for the last event of National Red Squirrel Week. The actual event in itself was a success and given how I love to hear the sound of my own voice, chatting about squirrel conservation in Cumbria was a doddle. No, the point of this entry was the journey itself. Now, most of the audience viewing this journal will be unfamiliar with Cumbrian roads, but there may be something equivalent for those who drive elsewhere.
The quickest route between Penrith and Dalegarth is to go via the Kirkstone Pass to Ambleside - windy, but generally doable, if your brake is in order - and then the fun begins. The two passes - Wrynose and Hardknott - were quite an education. You think you're driving along a quiet and out-of-the-way road when, all of a sudden, you're negotiating hairpin bends on 30% gradients with next to no visibility. Never before have I driven so...carefully. I think we travelled 5 miles in half an hour, all in first gear. Quite an education. You'd certainly get good at evasive driving and hill starts living in that part of the county. And I thought starting on a gentle slope at traffic lights was stressful!
The next few weeks should be relatively relaxing compared with the last couple of weeks, which have been somewhat busy, the odd quiet day aside. I've a few red squirrel talks booked in, one in Ulverston - in the south of the county - which will be a long and tiring day. Le sigh. I don't feel that I can cry off on that one, though, as it's been booked in a while now and it is a Trust support group, so it's a higher priority than otherwise. Should be fun.
CAB continues well, with lots of varied experiences. I learn so much. Scouts continues well also. Tomorrow, I'm the man in charge. We're doing a collectors' badge, so it should be fairly easy going. The cubs will stand up and present their collection to the rest of the group and the leaders only have to sort out the grand howl and a couple of games to fill in the rest of the time and give the cubs something to which they can look forward.
I made the mistake of stepping on the bathroom scales the other day. Suffice it to say I will not be doing that again any time soon. It gives me the shivers!
That's all - exciting, isn't it? There's a Halloween party coming up at the end of the month. It's been a while since I've been to one, so it'll be interesting dressing up like a twat again. Ah, to be young again. I have definitely become a bit of an old fart in the last year or two, which does worry me rather.
My brother is planning a house full of hormonal and moody, selfish and impulsive teenagers on the 27th, which gives me a headache. I wasn't consulted so I reserve the right to be a pain in the arse to limit the damage on my part on this issue. Kids, eh? I didn't like teenagers when I was one and I like them even less now.
Well, that pretty much sums up the recent developments. Life goes well and long may it continue to do so. Anon!
The specific stimulus for this entry was a crazy journey upon which I embarked yesterday. The idea was to go from Penrith to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway at Dalegarth to represent red squirrels for the last event of National Red Squirrel Week. The actual event in itself was a success and given how I love to hear the sound of my own voice, chatting about squirrel conservation in Cumbria was a doddle. No, the point of this entry was the journey itself. Now, most of the audience viewing this journal will be unfamiliar with Cumbrian roads, but there may be something equivalent for those who drive elsewhere.
The quickest route between Penrith and Dalegarth is to go via the Kirkstone Pass to Ambleside - windy, but generally doable, if your brake is in order - and then the fun begins. The two passes - Wrynose and Hardknott - were quite an education. You think you're driving along a quiet and out-of-the-way road when, all of a sudden, you're negotiating hairpin bends on 30% gradients with next to no visibility. Never before have I driven so...carefully. I think we travelled 5 miles in half an hour, all in first gear. Quite an education. You'd certainly get good at evasive driving and hill starts living in that part of the county. And I thought starting on a gentle slope at traffic lights was stressful!
The next few weeks should be relatively relaxing compared with the last couple of weeks, which have been somewhat busy, the odd quiet day aside. I've a few red squirrel talks booked in, one in Ulverston - in the south of the county - which will be a long and tiring day. Le sigh. I don't feel that I can cry off on that one, though, as it's been booked in a while now and it is a Trust support group, so it's a higher priority than otherwise. Should be fun.
CAB continues well, with lots of varied experiences. I learn so much. Scouts continues well also. Tomorrow, I'm the man in charge. We're doing a collectors' badge, so it should be fairly easy going. The cubs will stand up and present their collection to the rest of the group and the leaders only have to sort out the grand howl and a couple of games to fill in the rest of the time and give the cubs something to which they can look forward.
I made the mistake of stepping on the bathroom scales the other day. Suffice it to say I will not be doing that again any time soon. It gives me the shivers!
That's all - exciting, isn't it? There's a Halloween party coming up at the end of the month. It's been a while since I've been to one, so it'll be interesting dressing up like a twat again. Ah, to be young again. I have definitely become a bit of an old fart in the last year or two, which does worry me rather.
My brother is planning a house full of hormonal and moody, selfish and impulsive teenagers on the 27th, which gives me a headache. I wasn't consulted so I reserve the right to be a pain in the arse to limit the damage on my part on this issue. Kids, eh? I didn't like teenagers when I was one and I like them even less now.
Well, that pretty much sums up the recent developments. Life goes well and long may it continue to do so. Anon!