August 10th – When you have a Large Munsterlander….

A bit of a weird photo today, featuring a very chewed Croc, belonging to my wife.

It quite often finds itself on the back of the sofa, thanks to Alfie, who seems to have adopted it as his favourite toy……

It is a common occurrence to find just one shoe (usually when you’re in a hurry) and have to search the house for the other.

August 9th – Workshop…

Just a few minor finishing touches required to my lock-down project, but the move from the old to the new workshop has commenced. This will enable us to clear out the cabin and renovate it into a garden bar / summerhouse.

It has been hard work, but good fun. If a carpenter saw it, he would probably be able to find many faults, but it is solid, functional, and hopefully water-tight.

It’s name is Big Eric, in honour of a guy I used to work with in Hong-Kong, Mr Shun.

August 7th – Alfie’s post

Dis is Alfie on pops puter…… He and mama takes us to de seasides today, and we splashes in da seas wiv our friend Sweep. He is sort of a flatcoat with a few bits added. He’s a lucky boi cos he lives by the seaside wiv his Mama Anna. Anna and my mama have been friends a very long time.

I’m not sure Sweep like-ed my singing though – he kept looking for his mama when pops was trying to take fotoe

Anywaze, we had lot’s of fun – Licks and smooches xx

July 29th – This way Dad!

This time last year we came home with this nutter. We have owned many different breeds over the years, including a number of spaniels (renowned for their mad characteristics), but Alfie (a Large Munsterlander) is in a different league.

It is difficult to summarise in words, but i’ll give it a go ….. Gentle giant; talkative; loopy; sensitive; stubborn; clever; playful; and defiant (at times).

If you see him out on a walk, seeing him bound around, playing with his flatcoat playmates, you might think it’s a different dog who snuggles down on the sofa in the evening, hoping his head is stroked.

But the most amusing trait is his vocal abilities. This dog talks, especially if you have something he wants (coffee, tea, your dinner etc).

At 7.30 (precisely) he starts a vocal onslaught. “What do you want Alfie” I hear the wife say. He then looks up at the window cill, where his 7.30 chews are kept for a second before locking eyes again. “Is it chew time, where are they?”. Again he looks, a little longer this time. He knows we are playing….

He is a wonderful dog, a great character that constantly makes us smile, even when he’s being naughty.

Shut up Alfie !!!

August 1st – Data

A bit of a different picture today, as it is from my phone after a spin session. I have really missed the ‘adrenaline buzz’ after a good spin session, and thankful that we can get back in a safe manner, with lots of bike wipe downs and more space between bikes as they have been moved into the covered tennis court area.

I am a great believer in using closed loop data to control effort, so that you work at the optimum level, not taking it too easy, nor trying to kill yourself. Hopefully, I’ll regain the fitness lost over the covid lock-down.