insignificant ramblings of a 50-something woman
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The Herb Garden, Newcastle
We’re in Newcastle! We’ve come down for the DanTDM concert as a treat for the kids. I tried to get tickets to the show in Edinburgh but they sold out in less than one hour. DanTDM is a 20-something British fellow with a YouTube channel about Minecraft which is supremely popular wth 6-13 year-olds. Daniel…
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The condom poncho
I got myself a poncho for cycling in the rain to keep my knees dry. Otto London make some really nice ones and I got the clear Festival Poncho which is only £24. I was thinking I looked pretty cool until Ben asked me why I was wearing a condom. I gave my iPhone to the…
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Duthie Park in October
This afternoon I told the kids we were going to a vegetarian restaurant for dinner and there was an explosion of complaint. I thought I might have accidentally pulled off their finger nails one-by-one given the level of protest. But I checked their fingernails and they’re all still intact. So then I offered an alternative: vegetarian restaurant…
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How can I be an effective activist?
I’m so frustrated with the city council and their lack of action in building cycling infrastructure. We know that cycling infrastructure encourages people to ride their bikes and we know that when people ride their bikes there’s less pollution, less traffic congestion, and less of a strain on the NHS because those people are engaging in physical…
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Harald’s got balls
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Theresa Mayhem
It may not be mayhem in the UK, not yet anyway, but I’m becoming increasingly alarmed by Theresa May. She started off with grand statements about equality and working for everyone but I’ve seen nothing encouraging since then and more cause for concern than anything else. One example was Amanda Rudd’s recent statement about having British firms declare…
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Cargo bikes are the future
This trailer for a documentary about the cargo bike movement makes my eyes all watery but in a happy and hopeful way. I relate so much to what the narrator says – the thought of spending my life taxiing children around in a polluting motor vehicle and living in the suburbs makes my heart sink. I…
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A rainy autumn day on the bike path
We ran out of biscuits today which was potentially disastrous. My choice was either to bake some biscuits or cycle to Newton Dee to buy some more. Of course the virtuous thing to do would have been to cycle to Newton Dee to buy the *ingredients* and then return home to cook them but I’m not that virtuous. And so…
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It’s outrageous!
I’ve discovered a character flaw in myself. I’m not perfect after all. Surprising, I know. What is this flaw, you ask? I don’t like it when I don’t get my own way. How can I deal with this? I see three options. Option 1 Always make sure I get my own way. Sadly, I’m not…
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Moan, moan, moan – that’s all I seem to do
I feel like I’m always complaining to the Aberdeen City Council. It’s just that they keep making silly decisions and not doing what I suggest. This week they announced their plans for pedestrianisation of an historic street in the city centre only their idea of pedestrianisation is to make it a thoroughfare for buses. Don’t…
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On being a leader and Doctor Who
Several months ago I became a team lead at work and I’m now leading a team of five Happiness Engineers. Last week I started a pilot coaching program to become a more effective leader. It’s like having my own personal coach. In fact that’s exactly what it is. The whole program is giving me warm fuzzies.…
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Exclusively Highlands Craft Fair at Drum Castle
We’ve been to Drum Castle more than any other castle now, mostly because it’s so close, but it’s terrific and one of the best in Aberdeenshire. It’s also open all year round although only on weekends over the winter. Most other castles close for the winter. Every weekend I check for events at Drum and other nearby…
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Photos from Aberdeen
I only just discovered this lovely rooftop garden in central Aberdeen about a week ago. A friend tells me it’s fairly new – a year old? It’s just above the St Nicholas centre next to Marks & Spencer on Union St. There’s a children’s playground, seating areas, and a stage. They’ve done a wonderful job with…
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Vegetables that taste like bubblegum?
A Canadian company has produced an interesting fork – Aromafork. Watch the video to see how it works. Is this what we need to get children to eat their vegetables? I feel like I would probably want to vomit if vegetables tasted like bubblegum but who am I to argue with a 7-year-old who won’t…
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Ice-cream or kale, anyone?
On three separate occasions in the past month, pedestrians have called out to me asking for an ice-cream as I cycle by. Does Harald look like an ice-cream bike? Harald: Pashley Classic No. 33: Oh dear! So much for looking cool and trendy. Pak Choi. What a wonderful vegetable. I’ve been craving leafy greens recently and so…
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Super review for airbag helmets
The Hövding invisible bicycle helmet has received a favourable review from a Stanford University team. We found that the airbag has the potential to reduce the acceleration of impact by a factor of five [over traditional helmets]. I’ve been using the Hövding for over a year now and am very happy with it. I’ve never had to test…
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Sherlock Holmes
I was stopped in the middle of the street today by a lovely lady who wanted to introduce herself and tell me she read my blog. See, I really am famous. Tomorrow there’ll be paparazzi camping outside my front door hoping to get a photo of me tripping and flashing my knickers as I fall down the front…
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Bakfiets vs Butchers and Bicycles cargo bikes
I rode the kids to school in Busby today for the first time since March this year. Since then I’ve been cycling Harald each day. Here’s a photo of Busby followed by a photo of Harald so everyone knows what I’m talking about when I say Busby and Harald. Busby: Harald: Busby got sick in…
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When is too old to start tap dancing?
I’ve been having such a nice week. I’ve been gardening, op-shopping, cleaning the house, cycling, doing karaoke, playing the piano, and watching tv. And yes, I had the windows and doors closed when singing karaoke and yes, it would have been very embarrassing had anyone heard. On the gardening front, I’ve caught so many slugs and…
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