Victory

On the bus today. The bloody annoying girl with phone was there again but it was her friend who supplied the gossip today. It was only the second time I'd heard her speak, I assume because normally MFG (mobile phone girl) doesn't stop talking on her phone long enough for her to get a word in. From what I can gather this girl has just spilt up with her boyfriend and he's trying to get her to give him back the car that he bought for her. She says to MFG "she'd spent an entire weekend thanking him for the car in ways that he could only have imagined about". Forgive me but isn't that called prostitution?

The pillock of a driver ‘shortcutted’ through Chaddesden and made everyone late for work. I've been doing the Nottingham to Derby route for twenty odd years in one form or another and I know that there are no shortcuts when you get that close to Derby. No matter how bad the A52, the only way is to stick with it.

L's done her long power walk with Doggo this morning. It was so long she had to ring her apologies for lateness through to daughter who was about to leave for school. Then she managed to fit in a gym session as well. She keeps saying that whenever she goes it’s only women there. Which I don’t understand. L reckons they're all students and housewives. You would think that a room full of sweaty women would pull the men in. Particularly if they're young students and as for housewives, well we all know what housewives are like. I for one am considering nipping over in my lunch hour.

L's also come to what she says is a momentous decision, that she's not contemplating any more triathlons until Derby in September. By which time she hopes to be 100% injury free. This leaves me to carry the triathlon baton in our household, at least for the time being.

A friend of mine turns down the chance to see Modest Mouse on Monday. Saying at £15, for a new band, they are taking the Mickey. Then he re-invites me to see the Manics tonight. £25, for an old band, they are taking the Mickey! Touché.

I put in a good performance at squash which coupled with a bad one from my opponent sees me taking the first two games and almost taking the third but losing it 15-13. Then I bounce back to take the fourth. Thereby sealing the match 3-1. I am always told by my opponent that it is the first five games that constitute our match e.g. first to three wins, therefore any wins in the subsequent games don't really count. There maybe a slight coincidence that as I am fitter than he is, I usually win these latter 'irrelevant' games. Well today he wins the last two games but we won't count them. They're both close anyway; I'm sure I could have lifted my game and took them, had they counted.

As he's now moved house again, we have to find a new pub and we head into Ruddington. We attempt to go the back way. We have to scale hundreds of mountainous speed bumps, more mountainous than usual because they've scrapped the top of the road surface, to get there. Only to find that Clifton Bridge is shut and we are diverted over even more speed bumps back onto our usual route.

We try the White Horse which impressively has five real ales unfortunately they've gone for quantity not quality. Bombardier, Deuchars, Batesmans XB, Black Sheep Bitter and a guest of Jennings Cumberland hardly set the pulse racing.

Home to L, spicy chilli and a glass of red.