insignificant ramblings of a 50-something woman
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What is commuter cycling?
People in English-speaking countries don’t understand commuter cycling. I went into one of those outdoor sports shops this morning looking for waterproof tights. When I cycle in the rain my raincoat keeps my upper body dry and my boots keep my feet and calves dry. But the bit from my knees to the bottom of…
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The sun came out
Daniel said to me yesterday as we were cycling home, “Why is it sunny? It’s not usually like this”. I laughed so much I nearly crashed into a parked car. It has been a particularly dark winter this year with lots and lots of rain and even flooding. However I don’t mind the dark at all.…
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“You can’t carry big loads on a bicycle”, Really?
Originally posted on Edinburgh Cycle Chic: “You can’t carry big loads on a bicycle”, Really? This box wouldn’t easily if in back of a medium sized car, you certainly could get it on a bus, yet here it is on the back of a bicycle. The humble bicycle has all the advantages of car as…
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Have you tried turning it off and on again?
This is so funny partly because turning it off and on again does quite often fix the problem 🙂
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Time to say goodbye to the tracky dacks
I always feel a bit sad after a fun weekend away somewhere and immediately start thinking about the next trip. Where should we go next? I want to see more snow. When we arrived home yesterday there was a present waiting for me from my sister which was very exciting. It’s some very trendy-looking exercise gear…
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William Wallace Monument
We’re in the train on our way back to Aberdeen. Here’s what we can see out the window: Before leaving Stirling we walked to the William Wallace Monument. Is there anyone who hasn’t heard of William Wallace? Think Mel Gibson, Braveheart. Some famous battles were fought in Stirling because at one time it was thought…
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Stirling
9 years ago today I became a mother. Daniel’s birth was very quick and hideously painful. I did not get any pain relief for his birth because although I asked for an epidural, there was no anaesthetist available at the hospital in Christchurch to administer one. It was ghastly. But now he has grown into a…
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The God Delusion
I’m currently reading Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion. I’m already an atheist but have become somewhat interested in religion lately, perhaps because of the rise of ISIS and the violence they encourage in the name of God. What makes someone believe in the supernatural? The existence of a supernatural being is no more likely than the…
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Cycling in the rain: BRING IT ON!
I got completely drenched cycling the kids to school this morning. But as I was peddling along and struggling to see through the curtain of rain battering my face the glass half full part of me was happy about one thing: the fresh, clean air. I, and all the other people in the city, have to inhale the…
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Scamming the spammers
One of my coworkers shared this TED talk which is so funny I want to share it as well. James Veitch, a British comedian-director-writer-producer, decided to reply to a spam email one day and his talk is about the resulting correspondence.
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Ben
In case it isn’t obvious on my blog, Ben is a genius, so I’m going to dedicate this next post to him. After all, who knows all the poems in Lord of the Rings off by heart? Something I haven’t mentioned before is that Ben is an International Chess Master. He’s been playing chess, and…
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Busby: an inside perspective
The kids had my iPhone in the bike on the way home from school today and unbeknownst to me were taking photos with it and even a little movie.
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Robert Burns
It’s that time of year again when Scotland celebrates Robert Burns with a Burns night or Burns supper, as they call it. These are typically held on the 25th January, the poet’s birthday, and each year school children are required to learn one of his poems as part of their education. Last year we had to…
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Baby photos
My father sent me some old family photos. Here are some early ones of me. I think, though I’m not 100% sure, that the first one was taken at my 1st birthday and that’s my chocolate cake all over my face. I’m pretty sure it’s my birthday again in this next one and that’s more…
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The Lord of the Rings
I’ve been reading The Lord of the Rings by J.R. Tolkien to the children at bedtime for the past month or so. We’re just about to finish; we’ve reached the bit at the end where the Hobbits return to the Shire after the quest so today we watched the last of the films since this…
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Interview with Professor Kevin Anderson – part 1
I enjoyed watching this video interview with Professor Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Research in Manchester (Thanks to Manchester Climate Monthly). It’s about the recent Paris climate talks. From what I understand, although the Paris talks resulted in a very ambitious target – 1.5°C – there’s no plan to actually reduce our…
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I’m famous!
I was in the local paper yesterday – the print version rather than the online version. On Monday someone tweeted me this: (thanks, Steve Bloom!) Things are moving by pedal force in Europe. https://t.co/CKeFJvV8nH — Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore. (@joranfagerlund) January 13, 2016 I decided to alert Aberdeen City Council to the article in a…
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Evil cyclists
An article appeared in the Guardian on boxing day which I somehow missed and just read this morning. The author recounts a recent event where she was crossing the road on foot when a cyclist mowed her down, knocking her to the ground. The cyclist didn’t stop while motorists in cars who were stopped got out…
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Elizabeth’s secret admirer and Animals Asia
I think Elizabeth has a secret admirer. Only I know who he is so he’s not very secret. A friend of mine has a son in Elizabeth’s class and my friend told me that her son recently mentioned that he has secret friends and Elizabeth is his secret friend. Then he added that when he’s 18 and…
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Bicycle porn
What’s your weakness? I have several. One of them is bicycle porn. I can waste hours looking at cargo bikes on the web and dreaming of what life might be like if I could cycle everywhere without smelling car fumes and without fear that my kids might get hit by a truck or bus or…
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