Busy!

What can I say, the last few weeks have been extremely busy and the bike has been stuck in the shed as I have been working, training for my new career and squeezing in a short trip to Paris.

We booked a cheap day at Disney Land Paris through the Sun newspaper and booked a motel for a couple of nights so we could take in the sights of Paris as well, photo's from our short trip can be found on my Facebook page here.

Work is great if not well paid, but what a relief it is to not have to put up with the shambles that TNT became (I still hear from ex colleagues who inform me it is still getting worse) I am so glad to be out of it all and able to just go to work, do my bit and come home without any stress.

My new career, well now I can actually talk about it now I don't have the Gestapo peering over my shoulder, I am two thirds of the way through qualifying to become a driving instructor, something I part qualified for in 2000 but didn't follow up as at the time we felt it too bigger risk having to wind up my business to set out on a new venture.  I passed my part 2 exam last week and now just have the instructural ability section left to complete.  Being well and truly shafted by TNT actually has played into my hands as it gave me the proverbial kick up the jacksie to go out and do something.  Back in November I set myself a short target of qualifying and starting out by June this year.  A big ask but achievable if things went my way, well so far they are and we are still on for June, maybe even May!

So unfortunately for cycling this year may well be another wipe out, the next 4 weeks are fully booked with either work or driving instructor lessons fitted in between shifts, some long days for me, but it will be worth it once it's done.  The bike will just have to be patient, I will get on it when I can, but that family/personal balance we all struggle with has to be met.

Finally we come to plot 71, with all that is going on I haven't even had time to think about the allotment let alone get up there and tend it.  I have decided to keep it on this year as once I am set up and running my own driving school or franchise a place to go and get away from it all for an hour or two between lessons when there is not enough time for a ride may be a welcome release.  I am also hoping to rope the family into helping up there as well.  It looks as though I will be more of a weekend allotmenteer from now on though rather than my shorter but more regular visits last year.

So after banging on about how busy I am just now I'll sign off by saying I'm off on a club ride tomorrow morning and jetting off  to Spain next Saturday on a 3 night Stag do, I still (for now) manage to find time to play.