• Monday, March 30th, 2009
Remember when I rode the Departmental VTT Championships last year? Remember how hard it was? How much I didn’t enjoy it? But was actually pleased to take a silver medal? Well, I did it again this year. It was just as hard. I didn’t enjoy it, and I took silver again.
On the bright side, it was a great course on a lovely spring day. Oh, and just like last year we did the double. Steve came second again as well!
Take a look at the picture. See how much I’m loving it? As I write this, I’m absolutely shattered trying to stay awake. I hate Steve, and Theo for making me do it. Still gonna do the Regionals though! 
Many, many thanks to all the supporters and spectators on the final hateful climb. You really helped me.
• Friday, March 27th, 2009
It’s the Departmental VTT Championships on Sunday! I’m not really up for it. Not really a racer see. I’ve been far too busy gardening. Now, if it was a race to get the circuit planted, mowed, trimmed or pruned, I’d win easily. I love gardening, and that’s the problem. Give me a choice between riding my bike or working in the garden, I’d choose the garden every time.
Not making excuses here by the way. I’m a reluctant racer. I don’t have that driven desire to win. I’m too nice, I’d let you win if you really wanted to. I don’t have that winning streak. Unlike Steve, who’s been training hard, and has a nasty vicious streak that drives him on. I’ve seen him in action. It’s funny how the fitter he becomes the more agressive he is on his bike.
However, I was out for a final training run yesterday, and I felt just great. Plus, us veteran women got our own category this year, so here’s hoping………….. check back on Monday, I’ll let you know.
• Wednesday, March 04th, 2009
We have a couple of huge fir trees in our garden (looks like one tree but is actually two). They block the light, and things growing in their shadow suffer. We’ve been planning on taking them out for some time, but they’re a little bigger than we’re confident of handling. We don’t want them to end up in the pond, break the farmers fence or damage the gorgeous pair of silver birch trees that stand nearby.
Lucien our neighbour, retired carpenter, our ‘professeur de jardinage’, voluntered to fell them for us. So last Thursday at 8am sharp he arrived armed with a deuce of chainsaws, some wedges, and a sledgehammer. Watching him work was a treat. He took complete control and felled both trees inch perfect. He made it look so easy. Once felled, he lopped a few branches, identified the main branches propping the trunk, gave instructions on what was to be done, announced that his work was done, and departed. Over his shoulder he told us that he would be back to make an inspection of the clearing on Saturday.
All day we worked clearing, all day I tell ya, and all the next day, and we still weren’t done. Big stuff kept for seasoning, medium to the déchetterie, and small to to the bonfire pile. By close of business (sunset) on Friday we had cleared one tree. Which meant that as Steve won’t work the weekend ‘cos he’s biking, we still have one tree to clear starting Monday.
Monday saw us make an early start, we didn’t want to start burning the small stuff because our neighbour over the field had her washing out. By late afternoon I went over to ask here if it would be OK for us to start a fire next day. She must have been on the Pernod, as she smelt strongly of booze. However, she said the washing was nearly dry, and a fire next day would not be a problem. She must have gone back to the Pernod because next morning the same washing was still out hanging like a board in the frost. Luckily the wind had changed direction so we were able to get burning, and with sone urgency too as bad weather is forecast Wednesday.
Wednesday morning now, and as I type this the wind is howling and it’s bucketing down. But we have at least two metres of wood seasoning, an improved vista, and no fir tree blocking the sunlight. 
