My morning so far

[juliet]

08:03 Leave house for schools course in Muswell Hill.
08:18 Just past Tower Bridge, realise have left photo ID & CRB number (both required by school) at home. Phone P for CRB number, but if I go back for my passport will be hideously late, so plough onwards hoping that we can sort something out when I get there.
08:50 Halfway up Hornsey Rise, something goes spang in my knee. Ignore it & press onwards.
09:01 Arrive at bottom of Muswell Hill. Reflect that Muswell Hill should come with a health warning, & specifically this health warning should read "TAKE THE GEARED BIKE NOT THE FIXIE, YOU DOZY COW, EVEN IF YOU DO HAVE TO GET UP 10 MIN EARLIER TO SORT OUT THE SADDLE^*". Nevertheless, start riding up Muswell Hill.
09:02 Begin standing on pedals.
09:04 Realise that a) Muswell Hill is about 3 x longer than I thought, b) that it is only getting steeper, and c) that I can no longer turn the pedals even when standing on them. Give up and walk.
09:11 Arrive at top of Muswell Hill, which is bloody hard work even on foot. Dash into newsagents to acquire restorative sugary beverage as can already feel precipitous decline in blood sugar. (Note to self: the muesli isn't cutting it, back to the scrambled tofu.)
09:15 Arrive at school, on time hurrah. School very quiet, and curiously dark.
09:16 Informed by very apologetic teacher that school is shut for the day as their power & thus heating are out of action. No idea what has happened to message to this effect sent to office/emergency phone.
09:20 Lead instructor & I are taken round playground, school, etc by apologetic teacher, then shown the staffroom and offered tea. High quality sofas in staffroom, good stuff. Have gossip meaningful discussion of work-related issues with lead instructor.
10:05 Leave school again. Zoom down Muswell Hill cursing traffic jam that prevents real actual full-on hurtling, spinning out, & other such excitements.
11:05 Arrive home, having made brief detour via Spitalfields Health Shop. Put kettle on.

So, hm, yes. I think I deserve a nap or something.

* Someone nicked the saddle & seatpost off Cepheus before Xmas, & I have still not put the replacements on. I worked out this morning that this is because if I don't put them back on, then Cepheus will stay safely in the house & no one will steal any more things off him. Obviously I need to get over this.

Comments

[mrs-leroy-brown.livejournal.com]

Blimes, more than deserved! What a morning you had! Sounds like all the DNW :( Hope you have a restful afternoon.

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Time to use this icon and hope the rest of your day goes better!

[kauket.livejournal.com]

We live up 'da hill' and it was a real pain to cycle up. Although on the road from Highgate you can sometimes get a bit of momentum by zooming down the first bit :)

It's hilly to keep it all exclusive, darhlink, we don't want just _anybody_ coming to Muswell Hill ;)

[juliet]

I'd have made it up on the geared bike (strenuously, but I've cycled up as bad before :) ).

It really is a very hilly hill, though! I commend you on your hill-related exclusivity. I live below sea level & thus in a place which is not exclusive at all...

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

My 125cc scooter struggles a bit with it!

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

How did they manage to offer you tea with no power? [grin] Were they using science block gas taps? [grin]

[juliet]

Power upstairs (where staffroom is), no power downstairs. We did wonder that initially as well!

[d-floorlandmine.livejournal.com]

Ah! [grin]

Cepheus

[geekboyoz.livejournal.com]

Cepheus is a big boy now. He's travelled the world and seen all sorts of sights and wonders (albeit the last part from the inside of a dark cramped box). I'm sure he's brave enough to go outside.

Not only that he's lived in Sydney, and he laughs in the face of hills!

*hugs* on your frustrating morning.

Re: Cepheus

[juliet]

This is true! And indeed I did finally sort out the new saddle yesterday, so well done me :)

Muswell Hill beats all the Sydney hills I've ridden up hands-down, sadly.

[e-dan.livejournal.com]

Sounds like quite a morning ;)

Related to saddles, I stopped getting quick-release brackets on my saddles about 15 years ago and haven't had a saddle stolen since (after having plenty nicked before that).

[juliet]

I too stopped using QR a fair few years back; this particular theft required at least one allen key to be used to get the seatpost out :( Am now upping the security to run a cable through the saddle when I lock up. Grumble grumble.

(Levels of bike theft seem to be higher in London than in Sydney & I assume in Melbourne; or at least, acceptable/reasonable bike security levels are lower over in Sydney/Melbourne. The most expensive D-lock they were selling in Sydney wasn't one I'd use in London (far too weak), & I never saw *anyone* else locking up with 2 different locks, which is getting close to being standard over here now.)

[e-dan.livejournal.com]

Re allen key theft - nods, damn :(

Yeah, bike theft is lower in Melbs than in Perth as near as I can tell. So is the vandalism of bikes on the street (you know, the old hilariously funny 'bent tyre' trick). I used to use a D-lock AND a serious multi-strand lock when I cycled a lot, yes.

I actually went for a very nice ride with M on the weekend. Felt really good to be out on the bike! I've also got myself a locker at newish_work for my suits and shirts, and am booked in for the 'cycling building induction' next week on Tues 2nd. Which then means I have access to the secure bike parking underneath the skyrise [which is a terribly 20th century word].

After that, all I need to do is remember how to do the 'clean clothes shuffle' in terms of rotating shirts etc. into work. I'll probably find a local dry-cleaner who also do washing and ironing.

xxx