A trip down Memory Lane

also known as falling off your bike for the first time in about 15 years.

Yes, I actually fell off my bike this afternoon when I was cycling to trampolining class when I went round a corner and my back wheel slid out from under me on a patch of mud. I skinned my knee, hurt my palm a bit and bled everywhere, but nothing that wont heal and form a badass scab...

And, AND! I didn't cry at all and I even went to trampolining even though I fell off my bike. Because I am A Big Girl.

Admittedly, I did go "Aaaaargh! Owwwwww!" and glance around to see if anyone was there to look worried and ask if they could help/call an ambulance/give me a cuddle/kiss it better, but sadly I was alone and my manly whimpering went unheeded.

My bike feels weird, though - all wibbly and unsteady (or is that just me?) so it's a trip to the bike shop to have it checked over and my front brake fixed again (remember how the kids playfully sabotaged my brakes? Well, they're still dodgy).

In other news, last night I went to the Tall Tales Oscars with Lovely Kal, at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on the Royal Mile. It was a fun night where storytellers competed to tell the best tall tale, for the honour of winning a trophy shaped like a gnome. Lots of jokes and very good fun, and obviously good company.

Tomorrow I have about 4,000 people coming over to value the flat, give estimates for work and so on, I have to get a passpor application form because my passport's still in my maiden name, have lots of passport pictures taken, and other wee jobs like that. I also need to make another appointment with my lovely doctor as my voice is still fucked, and I think I'm in need of a higher dose of anti-depressants. Training in the evening, and sorted.

The Life of a Cyclist

I have always had a bike, and until recently I used it just for getting to and from training for a wee bit of extra exercise, but after getting a new one a couple of weeks ago I've taken to cycling everywhere...EVERYWHERE. Since Tuesday evening I have cycled......wait for it......62 miles, and I must say I'm *rather* proud of myself :)

The downside of cycling so much in so short a space of time (aside, of course from the permanent bike-seat impression which has been left in my butt, and the windscreen effect of bugs splattered all over my face) is that it's all too easy to begin to take liberties with fate, and get a teensy weensy bit over-confident.

For example, I am normally not the kind of person who relishes confrontation, but cycling 20 miles in one day will erode your patience for spotty-faced, tiny-dicked, wimpy little men who drive sporty-looking-but-cheap-and-cheerful red sportscars.

So, when the little snot-stain pulled out of a juntion without so much as glancing left, nearly tranforming me, magically, from the wonderfully unique human I am into so much road-kill (I can see the headline now: Young Newlywed Primary Teacher Killed in Tragic Accident by Waste of Space) , I was more than happy to catch up with him at the next set of traffic lights and give him my best Primary Teacher "you should be ashamed" row. Ok, I didn't say that, but I did demand an apology, and would happily have dragged him out of his car and spanked him in front of a crowd, forcing him to repeat, with every stroke, "I", "Will not", "Be such", "A dick".

However, this is apparently forbidden by law, both inside the classroom and out (who knew?), so I didn't. And that's the only reason why not.

So, as you see, cycling lots: good for the thighs, bad for the soul ;)