Comet ZTF is flying by at the moment. It's supposed to be viewable with the naked eye, but there's no chance of that in Edinburgh's light polluted skies. It's not going to be a typical comet with a long tail as it's orbit isn't close enough to the sun, so it's only a smudge. The reason there's a lot talk about this comet is that it gets pretty close to earth, hence why we might see it unaided.
Jim
Cycling in winter sucks, it's cold, wet, windy and dark. If I had the time and resources, I'd do what the snow birds do and move to a warmer climate during the winter months.
Wishing January and February away at the moment. Roll on Smarch!
Jim
Daisy is growing up so fast. I can't believe she's now 12 and she's turning into an adult.
She got loads of cool presents and a new hamster called Hazel.
Click on the pick to see pics of the day.
Jim
Time and family made a flying visit to Edinburgh to catch up.
We took the obligatory large family photo.
Jim
It was a subdued Xmas day this year as we were still recovering from the flu. Carol went back to bed after a couple of hours she was that sick.
Mum and the kids had a good time though.
Click on the pick to see pics of the day.
Jim
Right on cue, flu arrived. I think I picked it up at Daisy's Christmas Nativity last week. It floored me and Carol, me more so cos I'm a man. Daisy also got it. Henry avoided it as he was the only one to get the flu shot this year. As of today it's on the way out thankfully, so only really lasted a week, but man it was intense, way more so than covid. I can't remember the last time I had it, according to a shed post from 2013 that was the last time, so hopefully that'll me be immune for the next 10 years.
Anyways, Mum has arrived for Xmas and we are all ready for tomorrow. It's going to be an alcohol free and slow Xmas this year I think.
I did consider taking a pic of some of the dark green phlegm I'm hacking up, but a miserable pic of me would be more fitting.
Jim
Daisy is currently performing in the musical The Nativity. She's been rehearsing like a maniac and is doing 7 performances. She has 2 more shows to do tomorrow. She's going to be knackered come christmas week. Of the 2 performances I've seen she has been brilliant and she's really enjoying it.
Click on the image across to see some pics of the show.
Jim
The snow is here. There's a 33% of a white christmas in Edinburgh this year too. Can't say I'm too pleased about it, makes cycling tricky, but the kids love it.
Click on the image across to see them messing about in the cold stuff.
Jim
We have been terrorised by a demon mouse over the past 2 weeks. He's been a brave wee shit too and hasn't been phased with me in the room. We got a humain trap to catch him using peanut butter as bait, but he didn't take it. We tried mealworms, again, didn't like them. So yesterday evening, when he was casually wandering about the kitchen, he went behind the fridge, so I popped the trap against the wall, moved the fridge and like clockwork he ran into the trap.
We released him this morning but I don't fancy his chances, it started snowing and it's -1 out. At least we gave him a chance.
Jim
Bike building, it's just like giant Lego, I love it. I'm in the middle of getting a winter single speed built up, see pic across. I had a summer single speed built up this year and it was great fun to ride. As the components on the summer bike are rare and relatively expensive, I don't wont them to degrade with winter use, hence the reason for a 'less precious' winter version.
When I dusted off the green frame, a bit of rust fell out from within the tubes, so going to chuck some rust inhibitor in it to stop any more decay. I'd really like a set of 50mm carbon wheels on it, but that would cost money and the main point of the project is not to spend any. Saying that, there are some 2nd hand ones on ebay that would do the job, will need to sneak them past Carol if I go down that route.
Jim.
Not a very exciting post, but this is the longest I've ever grown my hair. But, being the length it is serves no function, Carol hates it and it gets in the way a bit. So it's time to chop it off.
Jim.
Daisy has started high school. I can't believe my little girl is growing up so fast, it's surreal. She's only a week in and the change in her is evident, being surrounded by a new peer group has already changed hows she's talking and dressing. I suppose this is the precursor to the 'teenage years' - so it's hold on to your hat, here we go time!
Jim.
Another year past and another picture. Henry's growing up way too fast.
Jim.
We took a trip to Gullane Beach for the day. It's a crackin' beach, managed to get the tops of my feet nicely burnt too. Click on the image acorss to see pics of the day.
Jim.
It's the last day before the kids break up for the summer holidays, so Carol and I went down to Laureston Castle for a coffee and I took some picture. Click on the image to see.
Jim.
Daisy and I went for a photo walk yesterday, click on the image across to see my pics. Daisy's images to come soon.
Jim.
Daisy and Henry did well for our School Sports Day, which was the 1st in 3 years cos' of the stupid covid panic. Henry got 1st in everything with the exception of the 3 legged race because Harris fell over, not Henry's fault.
Click on the image to see pics of the day.
Jim.
I'm sooo pleased the P7 Show is done and dusted. Our house has been a pit of tension, not because Daisy is nervous, it was from Carol. She and a few other parents built the sets and did most of the logistics for the show. The show was very good and Daisy was excellent in her role as Donald Duffelcoat.
Jim.
Today was School photo day. Getting the kids to pose together is like getting blood from a stone and it's even harder when they have their school ties on. Hopefully the professional pics come out better than mine.
Jim.
Daisy played her 1st football tournament on Saturday. Their team finished 2nd in their group and she managed to score 2 goals. I did incentify the goals with a cash reward. All in all it cost me £13 this weekend as Henry scored a couple of goals in his game on the same morning.
Jim.
I'm finally getting some results with the grass growing in the back garden. It's been a mud pit for most of the winter with the kids playing football on it.
I've fed and seeded it several times, but of late, we've had a few warm wet days and now it's starting to come through. Soon it'll be as lush as Caley park.
Jim.
My fitness is slowly but surely coming back. Was out with the team last night and managed to bag a cup, so pretty chuffed.
I'm loving my bike set up at the moment. The Hunt wheels are amazing, I smacked a massive pot hole last night and got an instant deflation, but there wasn't a mark on the wheel. Super tough.
Jim.
I was down to do the Etape in Inverness, but because of covid, 2 colds and jiggering my back, my training wasn't sufficient. I went up anyway and did a smaller ride and headed to Paul's BBQ
Click on the image to see pics of the BBQ
Jim.
I'm trying my hand at a wee bit macro photography. The image across is Daisy eye.
If you look closely you can see the photographer in the reflection of her eye.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Jim.
It was a tense trip to Inverness, it's didn't start well, when we arrived Carol asked if we had left the immersion on, then Carol got sick, then Henry got sick and Daisy was in a foul mood all weekend.
Thankfully the images don't convey the tension.
Click on the image to see more pics.
Jim.
I'm pretty pleased with this image.
I'm still learning lots about astrophotography as there is a lot to learn. What I really need to do is get away from the city lights as they really hamper the night sky.
Jim.
Covid finally infected the family in mid-January. Carol was the only one not to catch it, but she's jibba jabbed to high heaven so probably why, saying that, most people I know jabbed have had it.
The kids felt ill for about 2 days and were fine after that. For me, I was ill for about a week and a half. It wasn't much fun, but not as bad as swine flu. It's been 2 weeks off the bike and I'm keen to get back cycling again.
Jim.
Travel back in time with the shed