Tour d'France

Number one son has just completed an amazing journey. For the last week he has been part of a cycle group who have traveled from London to Monte Carlo. They have done it on behalf of the Wooden Spoon Society, a charity founded in the rugby community whose aim is to bring help and support to young children from deprived areas either by sports therapy or by enhancing school facilities.

Do view his Facebook page   to follow his story, and if you are inclined please make a donation here.Note the links are not forward loading at the most but hopefully you can work out how to get there.

He was a casual cyclist who started his training around Richmond Park where cyclists in their 50's and 60's pedalled past him, but he got his miles up to about 35 per day by the time he started. It was still a shock though as the stages were an average of 90 miles long.

It got him through the first week but then came three days in the Alps. Just look at the route profiles to see why the pelaton fragmented and it was everyone for themselves. That said,  the whole group made it, and the coast downhill into Monaco must have been wonderful.

Allez mon fils, there I got it right that time.

Its day 9....

In the Mexican Big Brother house. Simon and SWMBO are on the beach, Jackie and Mark are snorkeling and Dave and Lesley are going for their lunch.

So far Big Brother has not evicted any of the housemates, although it was a close run thing on day 4 when SWMBO fell during the dressing up task and broke her elbow.

The BB medical team patched her up and she was straight back into the fray.

Simon was called to the diary room and warned that any more high jinks would result in him being asked to be official sun cream application monitor for the group, and be banned from the gym.

The anticipated hurricane passed to the West of the BB house so the excited American residents have returned to the beach from their shelters.

Tomorrow Big Brother has arranged drinking games in Playa Del Carmen for the residents, we can't wait.

Shedding pounds

Back stuck into building work this week, as the shed continues to take shape. All the brickwork is finished and the base is now laid, so I am confident the timberwork will be able to start at the weekend.

The sunny weather is certainly helping the concrete to set, and given the location of the site, it is not in full sun all day which will mean the muck will not go off too quickly.

The woodwork will tax my geometric capabilities and does make me wonder how they get all the parts for something like The Shard to all fit together. It does help to have the right tools, and I may have to solicit some help from the family when the structure needs to be placed in situ. That might be a bit of a struggle although if I suggest to Kieran that his dinner is ready in the garden that may get him outside.


He has started running and swimming big style, so I suspect he has his eye on a local filly in one of the hostilities he frequents. I think its the equivalent of ladies losing weight, having their hair done and starting to go out more regularly.....er, hang on a minute.........

Hong Kong Fui

Just back from a long weekend in Hong Kong, to watch the Barbarians v The British and Irish Lions in their curtain raiser to the tour of Australia.

It might seem a long way to go for a rugby match, but I had never seen the Lions, and we went with my sister-in-law and her husband, David and Michelle, who lived there in the late 90's. David was in the Army at that time, and was last one out switch the lights off when the former British territory was handed over to the Chinese.

The temperature for the game was about 32 degrees with humidity at 96% so it was pretty hard going for the two teams. The HK rugby authorities did a good job with the hospitality and match presentation , so all the spectators had a good time. Many were there just for the one off, including a group from the Gurkha regiment in Brunei, this lass from Wales, though was in it for the long hall.


Hong Kong are building a new stadium now on the site of the old airport at Kai Tak which will have air conditioning under its retractable roof, so that could see the Lions doing more one-off games in the future.

The attraction to Westerners of Hong Kong has often been the shopping opportunities in Stanley market and other places, rummaging for end of run and sample products from designer brands which use China for their product production. Sadly this aspect of island life would appear to be diminishing as the work moves to mainland China, so if we go again, we may have to travel to Shenzhen to do our shopping.

Other than that, there were opportunities to dine at a 31st floor Australian steak restaurant, and subsequently drink on their rooftop terrace, Fat Angelo's Italian has turned into a Pizza Hut type chain so that was a bit disappointing, but the usual array for Chinese and Thai outlets more than made up for that one blip.

So all in all a great few days, now its back to shed building.