Musings on bottoms amongst other things

Just how long do you need to know someone before you feel comfortable to discuss your bottom with them? This is a question I am sure many people have asked themselves...it being a sensitive area to chat freely about, not many of us would not suffer a quick nervous pang if having to, for example visit the Dr with a bottom related complaint. But not for us sporty types..oh no straight after breakfast this morning I was swapping sore bottom stories with a guest staying the one night and so with whom I can only really claim a passing acquaintance. But here is the key...and it is a crucial one to unlocking the bottom conversation lack of embarrassment factor...he rides a bike too!! Simple as that, and was full of useful advice and sympathy. This very recent conversation was uppermost in my mind for some reason when I unexpectedly (lack of concentration due to chatting to Liz, no, not about bottoms this time) hit a pot hole on the triathlon route this afternoon..suffice to say I shall be taking up some of his more useful tips. The training continues on despite being stalled partly by missing yesterday due to the Oban Games (don't think that the 40 yard dash really counted). Liz and I managed the cycle and run today in quite warm blustery condition...fighting against the wind in one direction and running in an airless vacuum the other. Swimming tonight whilst Freya and Toby are karate-ing and that will be the day done and dusted!Only a 40 minute cycle and 10 minute run tomorrow. Can feel my bones groaning already.

Out and about with fellow joggers again

Wednesday sessions are up and running (spot what I did there with that clever pun??) again. The three boot camp refugees Davy, Liz and me all aching in the same places (arms and upper body generally feeling as though in an iron straight jacket), Bill and a new girl Carol along the canal for a warm up and then a fearsome 2 mile trial (14.10) with me eating Carols dirt but the girl power (apologies for that phrase ther...so loathsome of me)....ummmm feminine force? "leg"endary ladies...anyway the girls won through for once and I managed it in 14.10. It was a lovely night and the run was along the Crinan canal, which once we got our breath back to chat was very nice. the evening is a typical pre autumn one with clear skies and a wee nip of cold. perfect for running. Garret has done his 22 miler today which he endured manfully but in no way enjoyed...roll on October 3rd!

Officially old

So, the start of another term and the endish of another B and B season. The flow of guests has hotted up over the last week or so with us fully booked until the 30th and then NOTHING!! for a couple of days anyway and then the usual September laid back guests drifting around. Freya has taken her next big adventure in her stride hiding nerves under a thin veneer of lip gloss and beautifully applied mascara...whereas I just crumpled watching at the window with sausages in one hand and hanky in the other the three of them heading off to the bus. How did I get to be old enough to have such big kids and to make matters worse my MARRIED nephew is coming at the weekend...married!!! No one had better even consider making me a Great Aunt just yet or I will have a good big foot stomping tantrum....imagine having a sister who is a Grandma?! Not that she is yet but the way the wedding rings are flashing in her family it might not be long...Training continues apace for the triathlon for me and the marathon for Garret, we could safely say that he is not enjoying the training having never been one to enjoy the shackles of a routine of any kind. The 22 miler today will be his high point and he is soooo looking forward to it. Had a trip to Glasgow on Monday for a unique experience at the garage when a standard £150 service turned into a head reeling £1,400 plus bill which amazingly got reduced to £900.17 after I crashed to the floor in disbelief and a conversation with him in doors. Forget university all you A level and Highers folks scrabbling for places...Mechanic, that is the way forward. In fact I may retrain myself, bit dirty though for me, oh and cold. All those draughty garages, but still £900!! and 17p...... Ah well, rooms to do and guests to chat to, (talking of which we have had some ace ones recently, you know who you are and thanks for the pleasure of your company) must be off.

Arggghhhhh

No time, no time...normal service will be resumed when the summer holidays end.....

Sunday, sunday

Waved goodbye early this morning to Dan and Julia (not as early as they planned...) off on the next bit of their trip. What a lovely couple, people whom we have met through this slightly odd way of life or ours who have enriched it in no small way. As they went so early we had the room done as a team by 9ish and then a steady flow of runners went out for a 3 miler not necessarily together. Rosie went first then was caught by Toby who ran with her a little way and then when they got back Freya and I repeated the run...the dogs were surprised but pleased to go again. We avoided the rain and had a nice "Ahhhhhh" over the new chicks at Laura's house.Freya filled me in spectacularly well on the Philip Pullman book she is reading which took 1.5 miles whilst I did less well remembering all the twists and turns of my Harlan Coburn thriller. A fast and furious game of monopoly has left us all exhausted and I am slightly surprised by the previously unheard rule that the loser tidies up.....

Catch up time

Ooops let a week slip by without an entry...I shall blame the kids...and my mother now visiting from Essex having returned Toby to us. we have had the Inveraray games blighted a bit by showers in the morning but redeemed itself in the afternoon. Garret manfully entered everything he could and won the 200m and came second in the 400m which surprised him as this has never been his distance really. The kids earned a bit more...and then a bit more at Mull two days later. The weather was boiling hot and all got caught in the sun coming home glowing...or more than glowing in Garret's case....Closer to home Dan, an American guest who stayed here before two years ago with his lovely mother, and with whom we have remained in touch visited again with new partner Julia and proposed! The ring had been sent over before hand to be held here nervously by us until we could hand it over and PHEW she said yes!! Another big run yesterday ending at Lyndsay's house for a much needed foot bath, shower and lunch. Not so relaxing as last weeks run and was 1.6 miles longer. Meanwhile Garret, Richard and Naomi cracked off a 16.7 hilly run over Lochgilphead way.

The longest long run

Interesting run this one...a planned 14 miler for Garret and Richard as part of their marathon training. No Naomi today, and if I am honest she is faster than me especially at the start so I was on my own! Planned 10am start became 10.30 and the run loomed large in my mind...the furthest I have ever run but with a get out for the first 8 miles to cut back and do less, so did I? I set off ten minutes behind the boys to enable me to take the dogs, the distance coupled with Garret's pace is too much for them and I prefer to run with them rather than solo. First problem....I wanted to listen to an audio book via a free iphone app...enter Sherlock Holmes read really badly by an American guy....did not realise that the app depended on a connection and constant downloading which was fairly ineffective in the hills round here so I ditched that and listened to repeats of " The Now Show" and "The News Quiz". Once I took the decision to enjoy the run and stop if I wanted to take photos etc things began to gel and I managed fine and dandy all the way to miles 8.5-9 when I could not remember if I had plotted the route up to the Dun Na Cuiche field or not. I nearly did go that way but in the end did not and so avoided going over the 14 miles. The Castle was shrouded in mist and being heavily photographed by Japanese tourists whom I fear I frightened considerably by looming out of the drizzle bedraggled, wet and giggling at Sandi Toksvig....Along The Avenue and homeward bound...3.5 miles to go. The dogs were still perky and despite dragging myself through brambles and low flying branches I was feeling not too bad. The Dalchenna road was as always long but the last mile came and eventually went..home and lunch, more lunch and then a bath...Yey...My longest run ever over and done in 2 1/2 hrs!