Tired

I've been to work of some sort every day this week. The days at my place of paid employment were actually the least busy. Crisis is known for its Open Christmas and this time of year is organised chaos. There's a staff team working on it all year round but right now it's the usual problem of trying to find suitable buildings, recruit volunteers, get all the supplies sourced and warehoused and so on. I don't know if it's the same for most charities but we also receive a huge number of requests for information and fundraising packs from people who are doing something to raise money for Crisis in the festive season. I think I spent all day Friday either sending out fundraising things or registering requests for tickets for our carol service in Southwark Cathedral. The latter is partly my fault as I seem to have been very successful with my efforts at getting the event listed on-line! The service is free, there is a collection and also a wine and mince pie reception afterwards. If you're interested, drop an e-mail to events@crisis.org.uk with your postal address and the number of tickets you'd like. [/ad] Oh, and one of my colleagues is busy working on this exciting project.

I've been back on my bike this week, after about 3 weeks off around those long runs. People are bonkers, I don't know how some of them survive. Not just the ones who jump the red traffic lights but the chap I saw twice who had a red light on the FRONT of his bike. Cyclists who wear headphones or talk on their handheld mobile. My main failing is my continuing inability to take my hands off the handlebars to indicate. I make use of a lot of looking over my shoulder and trying to be in the right lane as early as I can. I upset a motorist doing this at Oval one morning, he shouted at me as he went past. I then sailed by smiling when he hit the traffic queue just ahead, next to the empty bus lane where the cyclists go. Sweet justice.

Saturday was miniwomble day. Mega had a puncture so he dragged his bike past the shop to get a new tube while Mini and I did the shopping (you see what I meant the other day when I said he can usually find an excuse not to do shopping?). When it came down to it though, he found the cause of the puncture was a drawing pin and then asked if it were possible to fix the hole "it's only small". Aren't most of them? So, I whipped the puncture repair kit out of the bike bit crate and gave it to him. "How do I do it?", he says. "Ermm, look for instructions?", says I, never having tried this before. Anyway, the tube of glue had the information (in very small print) and away you go. He even went for a successful, fully inflated ride around Richmond Park later in the afternoon. Mini told me about her trip to Thorpe Park on Halloween. Scary, she kept saying!

Having fed them and bade farewell, I made my way to Sevenoaks by train to go to a birthday party. Great fun and I may have drunk more than I should. Possibly.We got back to the house rather late. Any thoughts of a r*n this morning were scotched, mostly by me refusing to move from the bed! And no, a cup of tea won't work as bribery. Tomorrow is a day off, although I'm giving blood first thing. I may well be going to look at a guitar during the day too, should be fun. And I mustn't disturb anyone 'working from home'. Yeah.......

I nearly forgot. The latest environmental madness - plastic tea bags!