'frog in a puff'

So the first running of BMX at the Olympics happened this last week.. and my predictions were pretty good. Of course I wanted Shanaeze Reade to win, but it was never going to happen. She doesn't know how to ride with her head. All the talent and power is no good if you can't control it. I am not slamming Shinny, and her do or die attitude was awesome, very un-british of course, but said she came for Gold and nothing else. I just wish someone would tell her to turn it down a notch, there was no need to canethe crap out of every lap, nobody, Ann-Caroline aside, is close to her. And why nobody was helping her with her cornering is beyond me. British Cycling's lack of interest I think, get it out of the way and get her into the velodrome. She is a star though and whatever bike she ends up on in the future, I hope she blows everybody away. Liam Phillips had a good ride in the mens, ok he got moto'd and people are bitching about it on the 'net, but who's to say Kelvin would have done different and with the likes of Allier, Dewilde, Prokop and others going out first round, it wasn't a bad effort. Strombergs won and apart from one quarter bobble, he didn't look like losing. Only Mike Day had the ability to take it too him, and he got 2nd, so the best 2 riders were up there. I am gutted for Graves (an Aussie no less), I really like that guy, he's an awesome rider and for Sifosi Nhlapo, he deserved better, but he went for it and nobody remembers second place so why not.

I've been getting back out on the bike, the safety cycle (cruiser) a little. My hand is wrapped up with a brace and supports and actually feels ok. I just can't ride with gloves on with all the strapping which feels a but weird, but it's been good to ride. Had a good session with Chris and everybody at Severn yesterday afternoon, apart from one massive over shoot on the big doubles, all was good and my hand is starting to ease up. I've put a 58mm stem on instead of the 65mm i was running before, huge difference, can manual as well as I can on my 20" now. And some new DXR brakes so I can stop. For some reason the XT's wouldn't work at all.

I desperately need some new cruiser wheels, the hub on the back is shady and making all sorts of noises. I've rebuilt it several times now, they were just cheap wheels and are now over 3 yrs old so i can't complain, they've had a tough time for sure. Still straight tho.

Friday night was Abbey 'funbags' Greenburg's leaving do. She is eloping or something and off round the world. We had a good send off for her, although why we ended up in some euro style club bar I don't know. I couldn't hear a bloody thing. My hearing is going like my mums I think. I am going to miss her funbags though, they had a mind of their own and were all over the place. marvellous.

Saturday, after a nice lie in ;) we went tv shopping and purchased a Samsung 40" LCD HD tv, or something like that. The wife was insistent on 40", i tell her size isn't everything often, but she didn't seem to want to listen so the 40" tv looks like a feckin cinema screen in the basement. 37" would have been ok, but I am really excited anyway. We watched Bank Job last night to get the wide-screen effect. TV was lovely, but i doubt they are going to win an Oscar for the acting. Still Saffron Burrows is a little treacle.

Saturday night we hit an english pub near our old place in DC, called the Commonwealth I think. Had great english food, fish, chips and mushy peas, but we were bloody raped on the bar tab. $108 for about 8 drinks was disgusting and it wasn't like they were serving stuff that is rare over here. I was drinking cider, eric and bep on some ale and C on the wine. Next time I'll have a few sherbets before I go. But the food was excellent and we'll go again for sure, even had 'toad in the hole' although they called it 'frog in a puff'' ?? Seriously.

Today I start my new training program. Chris has written me a training program to help deal with all my injuries so I can still work out and start to get back in shape after a shitty few months. My knee is still odd though, so not sure how the weights will work on my legs, but most of the exercises are non-load bearing or very light weight for the next 3 or 4 weeks.

I've got the first of my permanent residency interviews this thursday, just biometrics and fingerprints i think. I've already done this, but for some reason I have to do it again. Still, the amount of money this is costing me i want to waste their time and get some value.

Work is quiet today, wonder how long that will last? I've designed some new brochures using MS Publisher. All good fun and I enjoy doing that stuff. I'll upload what I've done.

Cheers