It's Christening time this weekend! Just a low-key affair with closest family and a few friends, but nonetheless an important day. The missus, of course, has a stinking cold, although the lad seems to have got over his so at least he's not likely to drop a load of snot in the font...
The lad obviously has no idea what's coming up, but he's got used to being in church so I don't think it's going to phase him - too bad if it does, really!
Under normal circumstances we'd be in a less than sober state at Glastonbury this weekend, but 'retirement' from all that nonsense acted as something of a precursor to the arrival of Junior, and having him on the scene guaranteed we'd stick to our guns.
I know the missus is having pangs about missing the festival, but I can't say I am - too old for that shit these days.
Although he's the only 'NCT baby' not yet crawling, I can't say I'm too fussed. He can virtually stand on his own so I guess he just couldn't be bothered with all that crawling malarkey, choosing instead to go straight through to walking.
He has developed quite a sense of humour, finding almost everything absolutely hilarious, particularly anything that involves me whirling him around or pretending to drop him then scooping him up again. If he gets fractious come Christening time perhaps I should suggest that the vicar gives this a go....
Friday, June 22, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
No sex,no drugs, no rock 'n' roll....only cycling
"Do you miss us?" asked the missus plaintively, on the first evening of a brief sojourn at her parents' place with the lad.
"Not had time to" was the honest answer, hardly surprising since pretty much every waking hour of my life is dominated by bloody cycling at the moment.
And it's her own fault - she was the one who clipped out a competition in The Independent to win a place on the British Cyclosportive, just the 120 miles of timed cycling that traces the route of Stage One of this year's Tour de France, from London to Canterbury (and for the benefit of overseas readers, yes I know that's not in France, but the race has a habit of dipping into neighbouring countries along the way, Britain included).
What a wheeze, I thought, despite not actually owning a road bike or having ridden any notable distance for a decade or more. And never in semi-competitive conditions...
But of course I won, and now, having had a racing machine cobbled together for me by my trusty local bike shop, I'm trying to cram a lifetime of road racing into about six weeks.
It's already taken it's toll - saddle-sore arse and aching knees are just the half of it. I even managed to acquire a kidney infection along the way, which resulted in my first ever trip in an ambulance as The Patient in 40 years on this miserable planet.
I'm crapping myself about my chances of completing the distance. I can foresee a tearful, humiliating exit via the 'broom wagon' (a support vehicle that sweeps up riders who abandon the stage) and I'll never be able to tell the lad "I've ridden a stage of the Tour - it was easy" when trying to encourage him to get off the couch and do some bloody exercise.
Wonder where I could buy some EPO.....
"Not had time to" was the honest answer, hardly surprising since pretty much every waking hour of my life is dominated by bloody cycling at the moment.
And it's her own fault - she was the one who clipped out a competition in The Independent to win a place on the British Cyclosportive, just the 120 miles of timed cycling that traces the route of Stage One of this year's Tour de France, from London to Canterbury (and for the benefit of overseas readers, yes I know that's not in France, but the race has a habit of dipping into neighbouring countries along the way, Britain included).
What a wheeze, I thought, despite not actually owning a road bike or having ridden any notable distance for a decade or more. And never in semi-competitive conditions...
But of course I won, and now, having had a racing machine cobbled together for me by my trusty local bike shop, I'm trying to cram a lifetime of road racing into about six weeks.
It's already taken it's toll - saddle-sore arse and aching knees are just the half of it. I even managed to acquire a kidney infection along the way, which resulted in my first ever trip in an ambulance as The Patient in 40 years on this miserable planet.
I'm crapping myself about my chances of completing the distance. I can foresee a tearful, humiliating exit via the 'broom wagon' (a support vehicle that sweeps up riders who abandon the stage) and I'll never be able to tell the lad "I've ridden a stage of the Tour - it was easy" when trying to encourage him to get off the couch and do some bloody exercise.
Wonder where I could buy some EPO.....
Thursday, June 07, 2007
History already...
Since the lad was born I've been making a few home movies from the video of him we've shot from time to time. These have previously been circulated to relatives, but last night I finally got round to burning some DVD copies for ourselves, and watching them made me realise how much he has already changed, how many stages have been passed even in these few months.
It's made us more determined to be quicker with the camera in future - as once a moment is gone it's gone forever, especially with my sieve-like memory these days!
Looking back at the very early footage, he seemed to specialise in just lying there dozing or not doing very much. He's a lot more of a handful these days, but all the better for it - life with him now is a very interactive experience, his means of communication so much more than sneezes, yawns and yelps.
In just over two weeks he gets his first big moment in the spotlight - his Christening. Although not a massive affair, it is bringing the respective parents together for the first time since our wedding, which should be interesting! Hope they don't fight over time with the lad!
I'll be the one at the back, keeping out of the way, I think
It's made us more determined to be quicker with the camera in future - as once a moment is gone it's gone forever, especially with my sieve-like memory these days!
Looking back at the very early footage, he seemed to specialise in just lying there dozing or not doing very much. He's a lot more of a handful these days, but all the better for it - life with him now is a very interactive experience, his means of communication so much more than sneezes, yawns and yelps.
In just over two weeks he gets his first big moment in the spotlight - his Christening. Although not a massive affair, it is bringing the respective parents together for the first time since our wedding, which should be interesting! Hope they don't fight over time with the lad!
I'll be the one at the back, keeping out of the way, I think
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