Friday Aug 1
Overcast, showers. Did weights and Pilates at the gym. Had dinner at a new local restaurant, Gina. It opened a few weeks ago but we had to wait for a reservation. Very good! Place was full, service was excellent, and food faultless! Above: pork platter, Gina's famous chocolate cake with cream and ice cream, and rice pudding.
Saturday Aug 2
My new ebike's battery is ready for shipping, although I may not get it until Aug 22. A bit disappointing. The eike arrived 3 weeks ago. Cloudy. Did forest walk with John. Regrettably trod in dog's dirt. Neighbour gave me flowers and a bottle of wine for giving my (analogue) bike to her daughter.
Sunday Aug 3
Very positive Gina restaurant review in the Sunday Times! Had blackberries with yogurt for breakfast, foraged from waste ground near the house. Did an early bike ride with J to Lee Valley Whitewater Centre. Kayakers were out. Roast chicken. Couldn't resist buying a new faux fur coat in yellow at 50% off. (Sent it back as it didn't have any fastenings and was very oversized, making me look like Big Bird).
Monday August 4
Cloudy. Used pyrolytic clean function for 1st time. Had to take out and clean the shelves. Have a list of things I want to achieve this week, so oven is a tick.
A year ago today we started the 3 week, 1100 mile (1770km) bike ride from Land's End to John O'Groats. A fantastic experience. Here we are at the starting point.
Tuesday Aug 5
Sunny start. Did bike ride, Lee Valley, 23 miles. Approved for new Ian McEwan book, What We Know, after 2 week wait. Raced through my current book so I could start reading it.
Battery for bike finally shipped today. Should arrive on Friday.
Wednesday Aug 6
Lovely day 23. Did forest walk, 6 miles. Saw the cygnets at Connaught Water. They're quite big now. Spent afternoon weeding back garden and trying to get rid of violets which are everywhere.
Thursday Aug 7
Cloudy, muggy. Went to gym but had no energy. I don't sleep well when it's too hot. Went on 2 machines, none other available. Thought I would use free weights instead but the ones I use weren't there. Ho hum. Only managed 5 mins on elliptical. Totally spent. Drank protein drink and went home!
Friday Aug 8
Had been going to a Meetup but didn't get a time slot, just "all day" for ebike battery delivery. Didn't think it fair to make J stay in all day so cancelled the Meet Up. A wasted day, as the delivery never came.
Saturday Aug 9
Bike ride. Booked a stay in the Lakes next month. We'll be taking our ebikes and have several wonderful rides planned.
Sunday Aug 10
Had lunch at the local pub, the King's Head. I love seeing my oven clean, so I'm not happy about cooking a roast! J has been cleaning the car to prepare it for auction. The leasing term is nearly up. I'll be sorry to see it go. As you can see, it's a beaut, particularly for an electric car.
Monday 11 August
Start of another heatwave. We did a 30 mile ride, leaving earlier. Complained to Canyon and UPS again as no update on shipping of battery.
Tuesday 12 August
Email from UPS, the parcel is considered lost and I need to send a claim form. Grrr. This process takes 10 biz days. Plus maybe another 3 weeks for a new battery. Not happy. We did a forest walk in shade, 5 miles. V hot today.
Weds Aug 13
Forecast was for continuous sunshine and high temps but it rained in the afternoon (I was at South Woodford). We did shortish 20 bike, 20 miles. Submitted claim to UPS but it pinged back saying I had to ring them. Turns out Canyon are supposed to make the claim. You couldn't make it up. Emailed Canyon again.
Invited to a L'Oréal Paris event next week. How exciting!
Thursday Aug 14
Cloudy am. Went to gym. Free weights area unavailable but gym wasn't too busy so went on 3 machines and the Pilates. Got email in evening to say battery is being delivered tomorrow.
Friday Aug 15
Hot and sunny. Battery arrived at 2pm. Very difficult to get battery to clip in. Was having to contemplate riding bike to Leyton to a dealer, without the battery in.
J had lunch with Rachel at Gina.
Did ironing and watched last episode of And Just Like That. Did a pedicure - quite pleased with the result, it was as good as the professional pedicure I had before our Greek holiday. Chose outfit for tomorrow. the big Hyde Park colour club picnic which I organise every year.
Saturday Aug 16
A lovely day. 23 ladies attended. The weather was cloudy, but at least not too hot and better for photography!
Sunday Aug 17
Sunny. Lunch at the Royal Forest today. This is a very large pub/restaurant about 15 minutes walk. Lunch was delicious. I had a cheese souffle followed by roast pork. We shared a pistachio souffle for dessert.
Monday Aug 18
Overcast, 21 degrees. Had Cobra coming in the morning to check the alarm. Prepped my blog post for tomorrow. Did a walk in the afternoon. Saw the longhorns.
Tuesday Aug 19
Still overcast. Took new bike out for 1st time, 20 miles. John managed to shoehorn the battery in using a tool. Enjoyed riding the new bike, it's lighter and faster on the flat stretches. It is not as powerful as its predecessor but was still OK going up the very steep Lippitt's Hill.
Wednesday Aug 20
Became sunny by 3pm. The car was collected and driven away after being sold to the same dealer in Leics who bought my Golf GTI.
Did walk, saw lots fungus. Leaves now falling. Changed date of June holiday. The outbound flight changed and was too early for our liking
Lovely day. First met a former colleague for coffee. Haven't seen him for 9 years. Then met Annemarie at Victoria and we went to White City for the L'Oréal beauty event. First a MUA showed us how to use some of the products. Then we had a pres on how to use Tik Tok shop. Refreshments and goody bag. We had dinner in The Broadcaster, top floor, in sun. See more in my post
here.
Friday 22 August
Became sunny. My heart rate variations were poor in my sleep because I had 3 cocktails last night (1 drink was free because we waited so long for the food). Just shows how damaging alcohol is. I hardly ever drink. Went to gym for Pilates.
Saturday August 23
John and R took my old ebike out and then we had coffee. She likes it so it's hers. Went to a barbecue for the second birthday party of one of the grandchildren (not named or pictured). The weather was good.
Sunday 24th August
Tired today, happens when I don't exercise and then sleep badly. Did walk. 5 miles. Steak for lunch. Still keeping the oven clean. Wrote bonus blog post about Boomer junk.
Monday 25th August
Went out for ride. Was a bit breathless at times. Realised my bumbag was too tight around my waist, ans the handlebars need to come up a little. My diaphragm was constricted. 20 miles. Wrote a blog post.
Tuesday 26th August
Sunny intervals. Had to stay in for delivery. Changed bed, did some cleaning. J pruned a lot off the hawthorn. I had to chop up the branches. Loads more to do. Watched one of J's lame films, The Map that Leads to You. 4 out of 10.
Wednesday 27 August
Did bike ride, R came too. Heavy shower, fortunately while we were having coffee.
Thursday 28 Aug
Did forest walk, 5 miles. Back on my old ebike to go to Halfords to pick up child seat. Rachel will give Olive, 3, rides around the forest and to and from nursery.
Friday 29 August
Raining, which makes a change, and much needed. Gym session and Pilates. Delivery of my favourite colourful Lazy Panda socks from Sock Shop.
I'll be updating this post to include tomorrow (a trip to Wanstead Vintage) and Sunday.
WHAT I'VE BEEN WEARING
WHAT WE'VE BEEN WATCHING
Hostage (Netflix)
A much trumpeted arrival starring Suranne Jones and Julie Delpy. It's rather stiff and stilted, with abrupt transitions moving the plot on. Suranne is definitely more decisive and assertive than any of our recent PMs. We watched it to the end but it was a 6 out of 10.
Beyond the Bar (Netflix)
On Saturdays we have Mr Joon! I love this Korean legal drama. Don't be put off by the first episode, where a newly qualified legal student is seen arriving flustered and late for her interview at legal giants Juim. The legal battles featured are genuinely fascinating, and the relationships develop. Mr Joon, the stern and cold associate in charge of the litigation division, is secretly nursing heartache. Miss Kang Hyo Min develops a reverse mentoring relationship with him where she gives wise advice over late night cups of tea in the office.
Rivière-Perdue (Prime)
A classy French thriller. Two young girls have been missing for several years in the Pyrenees. One of them, now a teenager, turns up unexpectedly in a car crash. What happened to her friend?
Fisk (Netflix)
New series (3) of this offbeat, quirky Australian drama set in the office of solicitors Gruber and Tudor-Fisk, shared with mediator Ros at Conch. Episode 4, where they have to hot desk off site, is a classic. I was roaring with laughter. I'll never see a gavel in the same way.
Alien: Earth (Disney)
It's 2120 and five giant corporations run our planet. A scientific spaceship loaded with er...critters....crashes. That's Episode 1 in a nutshell. I had high hopes. You know how I love aliens. But I have to say it's a 5 at best.
Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser (Netflix)
I used to watch The Biggest Loser- US and British versions - and could never decide if it was cruelly exploiting obese people, or genuinely helping them. The Guardian's review asked how TV had sunk so low. As suspected, a lot of what went on behind the scenes is shocking.
A few who lost massive amounts of weight are featured having regained it all.
I often wonder what happened to the relationships of those who had radical makeovers on another cringeworthy show, Extreme Makeover. Not to mention the confidence of those who participated once their surgery wore off.
I hope you enjoyed my review of August. What were your highlights? Any TV recommendations? Do share in the comments.
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