Training has started

Did 30 miles on the bike before 7.30am! Did a route that went from here to Ringmer, Gylndebourne , Laughton , Ripe and back via the backroad from the A22. Felt pretty good. Took plenty of drink on board. Disturbed a barn owl from a hedge and nearly sh*t myself. Saw the sun come up on some really nice backroads. Crashed out in the narcolepsy chair in the summerhouse most of the morning. Gill had the cheek to ask me what Id been up to. Shed done a full day in Hastings in her exec head role. Doesnt she realise that being an Olympic Athlete in training means summerhouse recovery time!
Anyway Ive done my housework today..what a good boy so am now in credit.My Satmap 10 GPS arrived yesterday too so Ive learned to use it so i think. Its fixed to the bike and came with a free set of OS maps for GB National Parks which means its got Snowdon on it. So Ill look a right poser walking up Snowdon with it.
Am off for a 20 miler this afternoon on the bike ending up at Pascoes for a cuppa before up the A267 home .Pascoe only works a 4 day week now. 4 x 10 hr days tho. Hes so lightweight! Kaye and Laura coming over tomorrow and Tom for a Sunday Roast so a good weekend is in store. Be good to catch up. Saw Tom yesterday. He exercised the dog in the field before work. He had a really good knock off Wednesday. It must be hereditary! Haha.

What a day!

Well.....Gill has just come back. She took the prefects up to the Houses of Parliament today and decided to walk from Charing Cross to the house.She got to Horseguards and the children were having their pictures taken with the horse. All very well behaved , asking questions , looking smart etc. Gill was approached by a woman and asked if she wanted to come to 10 Downing Street with them! The woman said give me 10 minutes and make yourselves known to the police officers on the gate. Off she went and Gill and the kids were allowed through where they assembled behind the press barriers outside number 10 whereupon the door opened to the tune of 'come on in then!' In they went and had a full tour for 90 minutes were allowed to sit where they wanted , touch what they wanted , had squash round the banqueting table...what a result! Were able to take any pics they wanted as long as they didnt show window views (one of the kids took 71!). They eventually got to the Houses of Parliament late.Haha what an excellent day. Gill is full of it! Top moment.

Cycling to Maidstone

Well less days left now before I leave Suspol. Fascinatingly I ended up working 12 and a half hrs Monday! That with the 4 hrs last week in overtime means I now have another day off to take. How good is that.
Saw Poppy and Laura Saturday and went out for a pub lunch with them and Tom and Emma. Cycled to Maidstone (34 miles)leaving at 5.45am. When i tell people, those that dont know me well look in amazement. Those that know me issue an expletive f*&^%g n*tt=r. I was fine in the legs and puff but shoulders were really aching. Had to stop about 6 miles so I thought from Maidstone to have a quiet word with myself to stop winging. Was fine after that but was in fact 3 miles from Maidstone. About 2 miles from Maidstone is a small village called Lynton..and its got a hill. A bloody big hill..haha. Just what u want after 32 miles.Anyway I amazed myself in going up it...it did help having the newer bike which weighs naff all and has a slightly lower set of gears. In short I pissed it up the hill...focus was well in.Was really proud of my little self.Arrived at Lauras for breakfast! 3hrs. A bit slow but at least I did it. Good prep for cycling with the paramedics in France at the end of May ..3 days 40 miles/day.
Have done a load of odd jobs round the house. Dont laugh..where Tom has been showering his head has touched the ceiling taking the paint off so I painted it and it all wrinkled and fell off! Tried again..it fell off!
Anyway I PVA glued it and its worked yippeeeee. Done a load of other minor bits. Gill has been in her move stauff about mode..paintings etc so been filling holes etc. Boring i know!
Some lady apperaed this afternoon whilst I was in a trance in the summerhouse saying shed put the chickens away. Very nice but they r free range! She said shed found them on the road. I said on the road or by the side of it. By the side of cse cos they never go on it!
She had put three chickens back in the coup!Enticed them with a bit of corn. I was sympathetic to her but I know she was looking at me thinking..'he thinks im a bit of a t%^t'. I did especially when she said she was a lover of chickens! Rnt people wonderful.She had best intent. Even had a bag of corn with her that I nearly made an offer on. Gills just rung...another 13 hr day and she has to get back from Hastings yet. She does put it in the girl.Best get her tea ready..modern man and all that.Its 7pm!

Bits

Had a great suprise yesterday. Id gone round to pick up a new hive from Eric Miller Tuesday pm and had asked him to look at my bees this week. He suggested pm Friday so when I got into work yesterday (Worthing 7.30am! to beat the traffic) I checked to find that I had booked RDs for today and tomorrow giving me a long long weekend.Result so I will see Eric on Friday and he will suggest if we can split the hive into 2 so the new hive can be up and functioning. He collects swarms in E Sx but its early season so hasnt any yet in which case Im hoping to get one when he does.Hopefully loads of honey this year then! Checked my hive Saturday and it already has a load of honey in it.
Call me sad but there is something special about having ur own honey from plants in your village.
Also contacted the Horam Parish Clerk for an allotment. Serious retirement stuff or what.She has put me on the list for a new allotment they are hoping for at Horam Rec. 5 mins on the bike from the house. Perfect world would be to use the field next to the house but not a goer as yet.
All meeting up at Lauras on Saturday should be good.
I see they are selling rugby tckts for a dbl header of the 4 London teams at Twickers on 4th Sept. Tenner a ticket for two games. So got in there and bought 4.
Had my fitting last night for my 1838 clerk to the court outfit in the Waldron play! Just got to find a black waistcoat.ebay beckons.

Busy week

So this is what retirement is all about is it? Looked after the Popster last weekend and it would have been rude not to fotograph now wouldnt it! Poppy has taken to squeaking and squealing. It is funny.Me and Gill had a great time with her and she did too! Went singing last Saturday...have decided not to again. It doesnt help when one cant read music or scales so Ive bailed out. Went away with Gill to warwickshire for a few days too. Stayed at an old favourite B and B not bad for £30 a night all in. Clean tidy with exposed beams, a converted set of barns. Did 8 National trusts in 3 days. Nearly burnt myself out. Gill could do 8 in a day! Went to Mosley Old Hall yesterday which is a Jacobean property. Had a 50 minute talk from a volunteer who was excellent. Charles II stayed at the house when fleeing the war in Worcs. Saw the bed he slept in and the priest hole he hid in. All good stuff for us Tudor age people. Fascinating and worth the trip just for that visit. It has spurred Gill into action to build more box hedges in the garden so we bought 250 box hedges today. Should arrive by JCB by Saturday. Shes well in creative mode as a result of the trip away. Cycling down to Pevensey to see Scott for brekkie in the morning.Catch up on the gossip. Shaun flew to Afghan last Tuesday. Dubai first then Kabul. By chance he met a mate from 3 Para at Dubai airport who is working for another firm so they flew together. He does 2 weeks training then full on. Built a bit more of the rose arbour today. Picked up 20 x 8 foot lengths of chestnut in the back of the BMW!!! I know I know..I shouldnt have! Neighbours are telling me about a drugs raid in Horam last Saturday...what..how dare they. Not in my back yard u dont! P*£s off back to the big towns like Hailsham or Bexhill or somewhere!

Luvvies

I am appearing at the Waldron Village Play this Sumer 14 -17th July....its called the Black Sheep. Interesting the pub is getting some Black Sheep Ale in . Its a Yorkshire Bitter I think and is excellent or it was when I was drinking it! Most people have referred to me as a bit of a drama club so Ive been selected from a cast of one to be clerk to the court in 1836.. abspeaking part so Ive been learning my lines for the last few days. Tom popped round with Maddock late afternoon so I tried the lines out on Maddock (Toms Police Dog). He was impressed. How do i know he was impressed...its because he had a hardon. Ok maybe it was because Tom was stroking him at the time! Anyway went round for a rehearsal in the church at Waldron this evening..slightly nervous (what at my age!). I was impressive so i was told. (I think it was encouragement!) Anyway looks like being good fun with some nice people. Ive got to go to singing practice on Saturday..yes Im in the choir too! I told them Id sung with Katherine Jenkins ..that old chestnut..u know me and 72000 others at the Millenium Stadium. Most of u wont know I was a choirboy once (I can hear the jokes already). Anyway..I can still sing better than Mike Hughesman and hes had singing lessons! I used to laugh...Mikes teacher told him he had a good voice (she was drunk!)....and he used to pay for lessons as a result. Come on Mike!!
Startd a pergola today to replace te one that 'die' in he Winter ue to it being rushed in hesnow. Got some 9' chestnutoles from the ittle man down n Horam o got themain posts in. Rest to follow. I know u all want a picture of it dont you.
Laura and Shaun and Poppy arrive tomorrow . We are looking after the Popster while Laura and Shaun go to London for the night before Shaun goes to Afghan probably next Tuesday. Laura said Poppy went to the London Eye today with Charlotte her carer and in best tradition slept through the ride! Haha..good old girl.
31 working days to go I counted them this morning.

War Horse

Collected the Pascoes at 9am and went with Gill to Haywards Heath and got the train to London for £40 return for the 4 of us...bargain. Went to the matinee of War Horse . Me and Gill had been before and its most unusual for us to see something twice. Absolutely captivating and as good 2nd time round. I think Chris and Sue got well blown away. Got from Victoria to Covent Garden on the bus (recommended rather than the tube) since u see everything. Had a laugh went for coffee and a croissant and in best Pascoe fashion he took the first almond croissant that arrived at the table..so none for me...sold out.After being offered toast which I declined we had a bit of banter and left. Walked round the corner to see a market..dont laugh..it had the biggest bestest tasting home made almond croissants u ever did see, and cheaper too. So in best Mills fashion I had two and waved them in front of Pascoe...hehe...tasty. Post event it would have been rude not to go to Chinatown for the mega buffet.Spicy prawns were excellent.
No fights or ejections on the train coming back, British public unusually well behaved which those of u who know me will know that is unusual for Millsie. Had a bit of an event in a toilet in London though which I know you want me to regale you with but no chance...haha..hilarious now but needed stress counselling at the time! Anyway all in all an excellent day out. I see Chelsea beat Man Utd and Gloucester beat saracens 28-27. Looks like Chelseas title now.

Good Friday

Well its 6am Good Friday...and its raining. Was hoping to meet Tom at half 9 for a cha round their house by cycling down.Might still do if I can pluck up enough courage to get a wet ass! Hughesman is back so was hoping to have a cha with him en route back. Looks like a heavy cha day.
Off to see Dara tonight at Congress...really looking forward to him. Looking out for a double skinned tent and sleeping bag..for my trip to Wales and Snowdon and Cader in June as my retirement week away visiting the old country. When I told Gill she asked if I was going to be a reclusive monk! Perhaps when Im 'naughty' Ive overdone the 'u could have married a vicar' phrase! Laura, Shaun and Poppy down Sunday..really miss them and Pops. Last week before Shaun goes off. His job sounds good fun..just a shame its so far...Afghan!