Bl**dy typical

I have trekked to Everest Base Camp twice. I have Climbed Kala Patthar in Nepal at an altitude of 5.5km above sea level. I’ve scaled Ben Nevis twice. I’ve done Snowdon 8 times, including the Crib Goch ridge twice. I’ve done three other Munros, the Carneddau, several Wainwrights and most of the mountains in the Brecon Beacons. I’ve got to the top of Pen y Fan 44 times and Corn Du 35 times.

I’ve completed three Gower Gallops – over 30km each. During the preparation for the treks, I regularly walked 16km a day. In May I hiked 128km. I did 60km in one week with Rufus.

In all that time I haven’t really had any serious injury. For that I’m grateful.

But now I have Housemaid’s Knee! The following space is the space I give you to laugh.

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Housemaid’s Knee! The doctor stifled back a snigger as he asked whether I spent a lot of time on my knees. I have the sudden urge to get a feather duster. I may scrub the porch steps later this evening. As a bloke I refute the existence of dust but as a housemaid, I know dust exists. I am confused.

Below is a picture of a Housemaid’s Knee. You can see the swelling (it’s soft and watery to the touch) beneath and slightly to the left of the kneecap. It aches a little.

Housemaid’s Knee.

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Chilled out Sunday

Sunday morning. There is already a ‘Groundhog Day’ feel as Rufus nuzzles my hand with his nose at 5.10am. I resist until 5.30 when we venture out into the pre-dawn morning so he can satisfy his need to clear the garden of all creatures. The birds were singing the dawn chorus and over the bay, a pinkish glow heralded the sunrise, which wasn’t due for a while yet.

Back in bed, I’m nice and warm again and Rufus settles back on his bed for a lie in until about 7am. Rufus scorns his breakfast until he has watched me eat mine and had his two little bits of toast. Only then does he devour his food.

I had originally planned to go to Whiteford but it would mean a 45 minute drive each way and as I had plans for the afternoon, we’d only get an hour or so there.  So Cefn Bryn became the new destination. 20 minutes to get there gave us more time to actually walk and enjoy the early morning. We had the ridge to ourselves and we walked unhurriedly along.

It was grey to start with but as we walked, so a break in the clouds approached from the west. In front of it, the clouds formed odd wave-like patterns that looked a bit like the patterns formed in sand by the tide. Between the cloud waves, the sky was a deep blue.

We spent nearly two hours on the common before most people had stirred. Birds foraged on the ground and only flew off as we got close. I watched three buzzards circling on air currents  and in the distance sheep grazed and some horses watched us walk by.

Back home, we chilled on the sofa for half an hour before I took Rufus back to his own house. Then it was off for Sunday lunch in a lovely old pub near Ewenny with a friend followed by a visit to Ikea. I was looking for a chest of drawers and managed to find one. But the box was so heavy and lacking in grip that it proved almost impossible to get it into the car. Only the laughter of my ‘friend’ fired me up enough to get the package into the boot.

Once I got home, I had to carry the box up the steps to my house. Once again the lack of anywhere to grip the box made it a nightmare to carry and it was heavy enough that I could feel my back beginning to hurt. Inside, I checked the package weight. 94lbs. Perhaps it should have been in two boxes! I left the assembly for tonight. I think it can wait while my back recovers.

All in all, a most enjoyable Sunday.

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Olympic Flame

Whatever you think about the Olympics, it’s a great spectacle and it brings people together.

In the greater scheme of things, it isn’t important. Today the news is of a terrible massacre of civilians and children in Syria. Go and read about that, please, after you’ve read this, or I will feel guilty.

But in my little world today, the Olympic flame passed close to my house and I decided I would go and see it. Hundreds of people lined the streets. Traffic was halted but I saw no bad feeling or anger. Families were out together. There was cheering and clapping. The atmosphere was friendly, there were lots of smiles and laughter.

Is there anything wrong with that?

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