I wrapped up my holiday week in spectacular style by visiting the Bournemouth Air Show - not once but 3 times.

Got to see my beloved Red Arrows and some other planes.

Whilst having a fab training session with Wil, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flypast flew over head. The Lancaster flanked by a Spitfire and a Hurricane.

Earlier I made it down to the Radio Solent tent on the beach and was reunited with Julian Clegg again. Was great to meet him again. And lurking sinisterly in the corner was a Darlek but apparently he was house trained and he allowed me to have my photo taken with him.

Friday I went to see the full Air

Show with Mum. We had a good pitch, right in the middle of the 2 piers and apparently the centre of the display.

Heart stopping displays from helicopters rotating and going backwards. Wing walkers doing handstands at 1,500 feet. Full Battle of Britain Flypast, Red Arrows, the amazingly noisy Tornado Euro Fighter etc...

Today I went for a 5k Beach March in the morning. It is a great workout for the legs and glutes and a lot harder than you think. I worked my way round those who were determined to sunbathe even though the cloud was low, the day before holes in the sand, sand castles and small dogs.

After I had finished I just had time for lunch before today's Air Display started. The weather wasn't too good for displaying heavy weapons of mass destruction. The stars of the show turned up to make another spectacular show.

Commentary was great fun, Pilate's taking the p**s out of each other. Also listening into the Red Arrow's orders. So calm for little planes hurtling towards each other at 500 miles an hour.

Great weekender

Just got back from our annual pilgrimage to Greenbelt.
Fellow Greenbelter Stu and I count the year in 2 halves. One the countdown to Greenbelt and the other the countdown to Advent/Christmas. So you can see this is an important part of my life.

It takes me a short while to settle into the rhythm of Greenbelt. It's a great atmosphere, people from all walks of life, shapes, sizes, ages, differing backgrounds, wierd and wonderful and that was just our party!!!

Highlights for me this year -
Concerts with music of Messaien and Martyn Joseph and Christmas Carol singing in the Beer tent - yep Christmas Carols. On Monday night the Beer Tent was officially declared a Christmas Party Zone. After a visitation from the man in red we got down to singing Christmas songs with all the voice we could muster lubricated by organic cider.

It was absolutely fabulous

Two worlds colliding

It's always over too fast

It rained a fair bit not so much that it ruined our time there. Mark and Stu got absolutely drenched walking home after a beer tent session.

Managed to survive the temptations of the food caravans. Really yummy food but I went prepared and had my own style of yummy food

Now it's time to get back to thinking of th next steps in life. Greenbelt is great for reminding you who you are and have a feeling a few things have to change

Channel swimming is on the horizon too.

Here is another Thursday and they always go so fast. Had a good week in terms of fitness and eating. I feel really well, I am sleeping better and I am exercising with a mission on a regular basis.

On Sunday I discovered a beautiful piece of Dorset coast. I caught the train to Hinton Admiral and cycled to Highcliffe Castle. I happened on it only by chance as I cycled past. I followed people in and found at the back of the gardens there was a nature reserve with a pathway that went all the way to Muddeford. Really nice ride. Cycled up the coast around Christchurch and down to Hengestbury Head where I watched the waves for quite a while. Good place for sorting out your head.

Today I had my session with Will. Had a great time of motivation and sorting out of ideas. So I've kinda dropped the idea of entering the Tour de France and Olympic cycling for maybe the London to Brighton cycle ride.

Firstly the swimming of the channel. Starting to build up swimming lengths. On Tuesday I went swimming with a friend from work and did 40 lengths. I got into a zone and just kept going.

This evening we had a family get together to celebrate nephew Andrew's Birthday. OK embarrassing Aunty bit.........I can't believe he is 19 already. He's grown up so fast. He is lovely though, very proud of him.

And as for people growing up fst ....look at Harry. Walking and talking and generally being a right little charmer.

After last week's re-aligning with goals of fitness and health, this week has been a right 'ol challenge.
Sugar - why was it ever invented!!
All my life I have had a close relationship with sugar. I have such a sweet tooth and crave anything sweet if I am not in an inch radius of it.

Well this week's challenge was to reduce the sugar by at least 95%.
Not easy. I could say I went kicking and screaming into a sugar free state of 'Cold Turkey'. No turning to cereal bars or anything that 'Boots' could offer in their diet range.
I even dreamt of eating platefuls of doughnuts. It's hard at work as there is a plentiful supply of doughnuts, flapjacks etc I have got past the point of just picking them up and smelling them. Now I can walk past without looking.

Alongside all that a getting to grips with real exercise in the gym. I have joined the puffers and blowers in the weights area. Although they are making meaningful grunts with 40-50k , I in turn, am going purple and almost blowing a gasket at 6-7k.
Still I am trying - but this time unless I am hanging on to the walls or innocent by-standers as I leave the gym I don't feel it's a real workout -

Had a PT session with Will today. It was tough, we did a PHA work out. My arms got to the point of wobbliness and shaking. I think my strength is improving. I was using heavier weights than usual and managed to get through the sets, just - apart from one little misdemeanor!!!
The hour always goes too fast especially when I spend the whole week looking forward to it.


Last night Gorgeous Stu and I went out on the town and had a fun night. We started of with a nice relaxing swim and then went on into town. We got to see a great cabaret act with Drag Queen Sally Vate. As you can see she has adopted me as one of her own!!!! In the past I have had bad experiences of drag queens and have been allergic to them for long time - Sally is lovely and very funny

New and Big Waves

Yesterday I was back on the South coast. My appointment with the Medical Herbalist was at 10 so it was an early train and a cycle ride from Bournemouth to Southbourne. The wind was strong but behind me so it was an easy ride.

The staff were all very friendly and I had a great chat with the 'Herb' man.

2 major points of discussion are Headaches and Osteoarthritis. I know I take to many painkillers and want to significantly reduce them. It is difficult to pin point the cause of the headaches as I have had them since I was a baby. I have done loads of research on them to see if there was another route rather that aspirin. And I have tried lots of different things but with no success.

He prescribed Guarana a herb that may help reduce the need for so much aspirin.

Also we are going to look at Cranial Osteopathy this sounds really interesting as he said a lot of migraines come from misalignment of the cranial bones or vertebrae

After my session with Will and my talk with 'Herb'man I want to everything that I eat to be as natural as possible.

At the moment it seems a bit of maze.

I need to lose sugar from my diet, except naturally occurring sugars in fruit

that's going to be the toughest

Steer clear from wheat based products e.g bread, pasta, some cereals

Bump up magnesium rich foods

I am also keeping off dairy stuff from animals,

but I am more a less vegan anyway so that's not really an issue.

Eat loads of fresh fruit and veg and try and make as much of meals from scratch as possible.

oohhhhhhhhh and exercise properly as prescribed by the guru of fitness.

When we did our session on Thursday it was tough but that's how hard I should be pushing myself so it's time to pull the proverbial finger out!!

There should be a significant change

After my appointment I went down to the sea front to watch the waves. They were really dramatic. There were some young lads swimming in the sea and enjoying the waves. I was a bit jealous, I remembered how, as children, we used to go in the sea in Norfolk with waves like that.

It was hard to get me out of the sea I loved it so much. The waves would take you off your feet and bounce you around. I could hardly catch my breath from laughing so much and swallowing sea water. I used to use my Dad as a diving board and then he would disappear and then a pair of legs would appear from the sea as he demonstrated the under water handstand!!

So it was nice time there remembering Dad.