How's your year been?

[dan_bo]

¿Qué?

Thick skinned.

 

[dan_bo]

or, should I say, pachyoderm. Get it right Reilly.....

 

[ColinJ]

or, should I say, pachyoderm. Get it right Reilly.....

Or even Pachyderm?

 

[dan_bo]

Yeah. That's 'im......

 

[potsy]

largely a good year for me, but maybe some of that's down to me being a pacoderm. Fambly's good and healthy, (if a little under-employed, but ho hum), riding's been mostly good (which is more than you can say about my punctuation), work's never been busier.

To those who've had a bad time- keep on grinding. You'll get there.

In Wythenshawe? What are you, a copper?

 

[dan_bo]

In Wythenshawe? What are you, a copper?

No.

 

[potsy]

No.

Ah forgot you're a nobble nudger

 

[dan_bo]

Well, a guy's gotta get by somehow...

 

[asterix]

Really, really awful
Roll on 2011...

..are you mad? Or do you live on another planet?

 

[threebikesmcginty]

What's a nobble nudger?

 

[upsidedown]

Blimey J.Y hope next year gives you a bit of a break.

Been an ok year for me, nothing spectacular but could have been worse.

5000 miles on the bike, no car commutes so feeling happy with that.
Birmingham City look like they're staying up.
Kids and other half all happy and healthy, can't ask for much more.

Good luck for next year for all those who've had it tough this year.

paul

 

[dan_bo]

What's a nobble nudger?

Bit of a dark art really. that's as much as I can say.

 

[potsy]

Bit of a dark art really. that's as much as I can say.

How's the pay for nudging nobbles these days?

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Bit of a dark art really. that's as much as I can say.

Is it one of them northern skills by 'eck as like?

[insert flat cap smiley here, I can't find one]

 

[Fiona N]

Let's just say that I, like others here, profoundly hope 2011 is an improvement.

Sam

I'll second that

I've definitely had a curate's egg of a year.

Work was disastrous. I'm effectively self-employed, working on 'projects' for client organisations which might require a few days to a few weeks work, so usually I get whole mix of stuff mainly (for reasons I have no control over) between September and March. This year, however, I had nothing in the winter/spring so when the summer lull came it was a bit worrying but I had workshops planned for late June and September and some teaching in December so things weren't too bad - until these were all cancelled and it was panic stations with nothing on the horizon. I almost regretted buying a new bike - almost Luckily things are looking up for 2011 so I'm able to relax a bit. I don't have kids to support so I find it hard to imagine how worrying looming or actual redundancy must be for those who do.

Set against that I got involved in 'politics' - initially supporting my local MP who had a very slim majority in 2005 over his Tory (boo ) rival. So I got involved in the canvassing and leafleting for the Lib-Dems (yes, I'm sorry too but Tim Farron is a great local MP) and was asked to stand as a local councillor. I was duly elected - on Tim's coat tails, probably, as he's turned Westmorland and Lonsdale into a Lib-Dem stronghold. And it's been a steep learning curve as a councillor with no previous experience. In my enthusiasm, I've probably taken on too much, but it's also interesting to try to apply 'green' and 'sustainable' solutions to local problems. Kendal is a 'Transition Town' so forging links between the town council and the South Lakeland Action on Climate Change / TT organisation seems to me to be both immediately valuable and forward looking. Not only has this meant meeting a lot of new people and making friends with some really interesting folk, both locals and incomers like me, it's really the first time I've felt part of the community rather than just someone who happened to come to live here.

Cycling has been a refuge from reality (apart from car drivers ) as ever. My new bike didn't lead to massive feats of endurance and weightloss but I did feel sparks of the old fire coming back. The fact that I've been able to ride pretty much where and as far as I wanted with no back problems after years of dire warnings from the orthopedic guys is a testament to the expertise of my physio (thanks Alison) and pilates teacher (thanks Jan) and the fantastic job done by Paul Hewitt in setting the new bike up for me. I won't be looking for a place in the Fred Whitton just yet (well, not next year, anyway) but I am hoping to qualify for Paris-Brest-Paris next year although whether I enter the event will probably depend on finances. Now if I could just muster some enthusiasm for the turbo in the garage


So here's hoping for a really good 2011 right across the board - or should that be forum