9 - 11 Dec: Zurich, Flumserberg skiing & Rioja

Fri - Caught 6am flight to Zurich where we were met  by Pascale (the swiss au pair we had in SF 25 years ago) and Andy.  Back to P's for breakfast and to see her delightful children:

 Then onto a viewpoint over Zurich

 and into the old centre where we parked and walked through a street market, seeing a cow with wings on a balcony:

 Xmas posies handmade by a guy who spoke perfect english.  Very confused over how much the conversion rate was, but decided just a little too expensive:

 View across river:

 Then up the hill to the square where birds wanted to be in the picture:

 Lunchtime, and its a game of chess:

 We sample the full Swiss cuisine of gluhwien and brotwurst, yummy

 Cherry spots a leather shop where a very talkative sales guy tells her all about the handbag that Cherry buys

 though she is rather spoilt for choice

Drive up the highway to Flumserberg where we are staying at Andy's families apartment, the view from our bedroom bodes well for tomorrow:

 But first a little red wine - Andy is a Rioja fan so it ends up rather more than a little

 and I end up in first in bed as a result

Sat - Its the first day of opening for the season.  It only snowed a few days ago, and there is just enough.  Cloudy but we walk up to the first chair and get on the slopes

 Lunch stop, and another Swiss tradition of 'special' coffee

 After skiing most of the day, we walk up to a restaurant/cheese farm and buy the fondue

 and walk back via some husky bogs that are being used for sledging.

We all with making the fondue

 ...and eating....

 More red wine, and sleep

Sun - but we manage to get up to a brighter day though there are high clouds

 Lunchtime in the hut at the top with a great view:

This picture captures it all - great company, super rioja, lovely view, sunny weather.  Now all we have to do is ski back down.

Drive back to Zurich, quick coffee at Andy's apartment, then catch 20:25 back to Heathrow where 'due due a mechanical problem with the plane' we wait over an hour for our luggage, but manage to get to bed by midnight.

3 - 8 Dec

Sat - What an amazing brilliant day.  Firstly, W2D6 is a rest day, so no need to haul my body round the common, swimming pool or lanes.  Took G&N to Ricky, then to Amersham for Woolovers so-called sale.  I bought a 'dad' style sleeveless cardi, so really am looking my age and era.  Popped into H's to inspect building works, and had a xmas cup cake and designed decking.

Caught 1:32 train into London

 to meet up with Lulu and Ami (the Paris cyclists) to see a matinee performance of the Ladykillers:

Now for the Amazing Co-incidence:  In the original Ladykillers film, Mrs Wilberforce was played by Katie Johnson who is Cherry's Dad's mums cousin:

Kate Johnson

She bears a very close resemblance to Cherry's dad, so there is a family connection.  The new theatre production stars Marcia Warren, who's mum was a neighbour of my mum, so we know her:

Marcia Warren as Mrs Wilberforce

The show was excellent, played with the right combination of seriousness and farce.  The set was a brilliant.  The audience loved it, it is going to have a long run, and is ideal Xmas family fare.  Afterwards we went to the stage door and Marcia kindly saw us in her dressing room.  What a delightful gracious lady.

She gave us a glass of champagne and the director popped in for a quick chat on his way home, we felt a real part of the stage scene.

We then walked via a pub to have dinner with Lule, Ami and Elle (the Paris cyclists who were treating us a thank you for organising the ride) joined by cousin Hannah at The Chancery Retaurant which was very good, with lots of wine and craic.

Tube back to arrive home at 11:45, with no feeling of horrendous London crowds that we got last time we came up (or is it down?) to town.   It has been a fantastic day.

Sun - Tried new trick to clear out gutter leaves by using the leaf blower outside the upstairs windows... only partially successful, and sprayed soggy black mess on garden!

G&N came round to do Xmas cards and presents, the its off to Rose & Crown for lunch.

After the usual nice lunch (I had 2 pints of Wagtail!) we finished off the Xmas cards, took G&N back, then collapsed.  Over for another year, TG.

Mon - W3D1 S29C58 - well I missed the long run yesterday, so went and swam first thing, then out on Common for for 44mins run.  Golly it was cold.  I jogged around, one good thing being the cold meant the mud wasn't mud but was solid frozen.  Managed about 6km, not very good but its still 6 months to go. So I have caught up with yesterday's exercise and am only a cycle behind.

Caught 10:02 train, then tube to Kennington, then to Brixton to pay for extra door fobs for Jon's flat.  I won't go on about the process I then followed.  Eventually I was told it would be up to 10 days, and they would call me.  They did on the way home, they had made a mistake and I could pick up the fobs as they were to be programmed by the porter rather than at the office (where the fob programmer is temperamental).  I think I'll go in tomorrow and fit a new light for Jon in his toilet as well, so popped to Homebase in Hemel to get same.

Off to see/hear the gorgeous Ben Fogle give a talk for the CW Bookshop at RMS

Amazing how he came from nowhere as a guinea pig on the BBC Castaways (the first reality fly on the wall show) programme to be an "adventurer", often with James Cracknell...and a jolly nice chap he was, very interesting, natural and perceptive talk about his life.  Shows that you don't need A levels to get on in life, just a positive inquiring attitude.  A true Victorian amateur.  And a trim body!

Tue - Up to Kenington to get door fobs for Jon's flat and fit new light in toilet.  Back to CW on 13:27 train, walked home via vill to get some shopping.  Mowed lawns and picked up leaves.  Changed into full cover gear for a run round Common (Its W3D2 29R).  Did 3.96k in 30mins.  It was cold.  I think i'll just drop the missed cycle from the last couple of days.  Now to cook myself an early dinner, then off to Highgate for the obligatory Messiah rehearsal....which went fine as I have done this so many times, its a risk though to go onto auto pilot.  Chatted to M&A afterwards, back home by 11:30.

Wed - W3D3 S38C78.  Walked to vill to post parcel.  Into long cycling gear, cycled to William Penn (2.4km), swam (with drills) for 38 mins, changed back into light cycling gear for 45mins spin class, then back into longs for headwind gusty cycle home.  Walked again into vill for another parcel,  I think that about makes up the required quota.

Building works inspection at H's, its really getting on a treat.  Wine tasting in evening, Xmas drinks.  My nose and palate seem crude compared to others as I can't detect as much as they claim, still it was full of interesting info.

Thu - Rest day.  Packed for trip to Zurich, coffee in vill then up to London with Mrs M to see Degas exhibition at RA- he did have a fetish about ballet dancers.  Walked to M&S at Marble Arch, bought myself a suit and Jon some shirts (all 25% off).   Off to Covent Garden to meet up with Nadia, where I left them to drop off champers and flowers for Marcia Warren (its the Ladykillers first night) at Gielgud Theatre, back home by 7:30.  Mrs M met up with Lulu to see Sleeping Beauty.

3 days in Switzerland next!!!!!

27 Nov - 2 Dec

Sat -  Time for the annual 'big push' up to Harlequin for Xmas shopping with Granny & Nigel.  Mrs M was very controlled and keep enthusiastic with the delights of buying presents.  I wandered around with Nigel and let him trample over WH Smiths and Waterstones for hours.  My biggest moan is why can't M&S sort out their order/paying process in their coffee shop?  Every other coffee shop manages to do it, yet M&S has a single queue with complete lack of accountability for who is doing what behind the counter.  And no manager to complain to.  Then lunch back at Darvells.  What can I say, we survived for another year.

In evening, Line Dancing with Choir, great fun.  Chatted to nice people who normally I only see the back of their heads on a Tuesday night.  BYO so a bottle of red wine made the evening go even better.

Sun - Met Nigel at Rootz for coffee and ST Culture read.  W1D5 40R, where I ran down to Chess and up back through CW House, bright sunshine, clear sky and refreshing breeze.  A joy to be out.

Wrapped up some Xmas presents.  Planned how the TV in the bedroom is to be fixed on wall, and cables to be routed.  In evening, meal at Sathi with Georgina.

Mon - W2D1 26S53C, swam first thing (after I defrosted the car, it stayed low temperatures all day), then spin class at lunchtime.  Went fine.  Cabled in TV in bedroom with clever use of ducting, even if I say so myself.  Mrs M was doctoring till 11pm so ate late, and too much in one go, so felt bloated.

Tue - W2D2 26R, much warmer than yesterday, but blustery autumn day, ran round Common.  Cut down branch of tree overhanging our garden.  Choir in evening where I told them I couldn't do the Xmas concert, so I will stop practices now.  Still, have Messiah in RAH on 15&16 Dec to look forward to.  Dr M out for dinner with drug company and overseas visitors.

Wed - W2D3 35S70C.  Missed getting to swim in morning.  Weather was glorious - clear, sunny, cold, so togged up and went for a longish cycle to Hemel B&Q for plasterboard plugs, Chesham to see Nigel at the Endeavour Centre, and dropped into H's for a pit stop and building site inspection.  28 miles in I guess about 2 hours cycle time.

Back for hotub, then put up TV on the bedroom wall, job done.

Thu - W2D4 35R, but as I did a cycle yesterday, I shifted it round and ran to gym (2.6k in 20 mins), had a 35min swim, then ran/jogged/walked back (2.6k in 25mins).  So over the 2 days its been the same.

In evening, went to Alyesbury Waterside Theatre to see the broadcast live of the NT play 'Collaborators'.  Very engrossing play, funny lines but at the end you see the steel single mindedness behind Stalin's lack of humanity.  The camera angles and lighting was fantastic, you didn't feel like you were watching a cinema screen, it was like you were there and could swoop in closeup to the actors.  It was great to see their facial expressions and hear their clear voices.  Will keep an eye out for future such showings, better and easier (and cheaper) than going up to London

Moscow, 1938. A dangerous place to have a sense of humour; even more so a sense of freedom. Mikhail Bulgakov, living among dissidents, stalked by secret police, has both. And then he’s offered a poisoned chalice: a commission to write a play about Stalin to celebrate his sixtieth birthday.

Inspired by historical fact, Collaborators embarks on a surreal journey into the fevered imagination of the writer as he loses himself in a macabre and disturbingly funny relationship with the omnipotent subject of his drama.

Killing my enemies is easy. The challenge is to change the way they think, to control their minds. And I think I controlled yours pretty well. In years to come, I’ll be able to say: Bulgakov? Yeah, we even trained him. He gave up. He saw the light. We broke him, we can break anybody. It’s man versus monster, Mikhail. And the monster always wins.

John Hodge’s blistering new play depicts a lethal game of cat and mouse through which the appalling compromises and humiliations inflicted on any artist by those with power are held up to scrutiny.

Alex Jennings plays Bulgakov and Simon Russell Beale, Stalin.

Fri - W2D5 44S88C - the long sessions - swam first thing, did 2k in about 50mins, but I lost count on my laps!.  Walked to vill for shopping to give frost and ice on ground a chance to melt, then into cycle gear.  It was still cold, but the sun was out and the sky clear.  Almost fully togged up (skin hat under helmet, 2 layer on top, full leggings, sealskin gloves).  14 miles into Watford to buy some coffee beans from Starbucks where it was 50% off (I was told but it was signed) so I bought them out of expresso decaf (3 bags).  On way back the clouds came over and it felt damn cold, so needed the hot tub to recover.  Need to put on windproof jacket next time.

19 - 25 Nov

Sat - Stayed last night at C&L's after Quiz Night.  Came back in time to take G&N to John Fisher's Xmas fair, and then into M&S in Ricky.  Mrs M went into London for Helen's hen party, whilst I cleared up some leaves.  Ran into vill for exercise and some shopping. Relaxing evening watching Seven Years in Tibet on telly.

Sun - Lazy day.  L&J came over for lunch/afternoon.  We took her back in the fog to Newbury, then went out to Sathi's for curry with Jon.

Mon - It seems a long time since Mrs M was Dr M and off to work.  Up for lunch making.  Big start today of the Tri program.  Its a volume plan, increasing by 10% a week with week 4s dropping back by 40%, then week 5 starting at week 3 level.  Each week has a short, medium and long session of swim, cycle, run, then a rest day. Cycle times are twice the swim times.  All quite computable and simple ??

First one is swim 24mins and cycle 48mins (I'll abbreviate to S24C48).  Managed this at lunchtime at William Penn, after swim (which I didn't push but just see how it went) went into spin class with Kelly which was a good routine, time went quickly and I sweated, but I find the music too loud, maybe I'll take ear plugs next time?

G popped round to show me her haircut.  Nice.

Tue - W1D2 - Today its a run for 24 mins i.e. R24.  I'm going after sun rises, its misty and dampish.  It was wet and muddy and slippery on the Common, so I looped back along the path.  Walked twice to vill for shopping during day, it got greyer and more dismal, quite depressing not helped by it being 2 years since Mum died.

Walked to choir in evening - not sure if I am doing the concert on 10th Dec, but am enjoying the practices.

Wed - W1D3 (S32C64).  Went to 45mins spin class (OK) then 45 mins Abs which was awful, I ached and found it really difficult, I am so inflexible.  Changed and 32 mins swim which relaxed me so I ended up feeling invigorated by it all.  When got back, blew the leaves of the front of Darvells Yard, my good deed for the day.

This exercise regime is tough and relentless...maybe I'll slow it down and take more rest days?

Thu - Up late, down to vill with Mrs M for Rootz, then out for afternoon tea with G&P, C&L at Waddesdon Manor, with short tour of East Wing (slightly tacky Xmas decor), to finish with a drink at the 5 Feathers.  Big thanks to P(arker) for driving mi'lady.

Fri - W1D4 was supposed to be 40S80C, but I went out for a 32R and then 60C around Little Chalfont via G&P's to trick up smelly cheese left in P's car last night....sorry Mr P!  Felt energised after cycle, so walked to vill for shopping, twice as I had forgotten an item.

In evening up to London to see Jerusalem - bit of a diatribe and not quite sure what was the point, but worth seeing, quite a few good jokes, but not a believable set of characters in total.

12 - 18 Nov

Sat - Rather an overdose of choral music today!  Extra rehearsal with Harrow Choral Society for most of day.  In evening went to St Albans Abbey to hear St Albans Bach Choir sing Rutter Magnificat and Requiem, the latter conducted by Rutter himself with very flamboyant gestures:

Sun - I wanted to see Drill at RMS so we queued up and got amazing seats on the stage for a great view:

Then walked to vill, met Nigel for coffee at Rootz, and walked back with him home. I mowed the lawn (last time this year?).  The usual delightful sunday dinner at Sathi's:

   

Mon - Up early for final run W9R3 (30 mins 4.17 km peace 7.12 k/min - not as fast as last ones, yet it seemed OK when running, just shows you can't trust ones senses).  Now off to apply some sealant at Thorpedale (good deed of the day), then off to Norfolk!!!!!!  Excited.

Excitement delivered, with Chicken Pie and much wine.

Tue, Wed, Thur - A fantastic few days in Norfolk, with Branson doing the driving.  His pictures tell it all:

Twitching on Cley dyke

Look - no ground contact @ Fakenham races, I come away £12 better off

Early seafood dinner thanks to Colin and TripAdvisor at Ye Olde Forge, Thursford 

Highlight of the trip - Thursford Xmas Spectacle, and what a spectacle it was

Mist over Burnham Staithe

Off we tramp to see the seals

Gill still looking for seals 

Best foot forward off the dunes

Sun set over Burnham Staithe

Cromer groynes after cliff walk, tea and bacon sarnie

Then to Cambridge for dinner with E&M and P&M, 38 years on!

5 - 11 Nov

Sat - W8R2 (28mins 4.05km - the first time I managed an average of just less than 7min K's!).  Followed by hot tub with Mrs M and Jan.  Yard chain gang for maintenance, gravel smoothing and leaf removal.  Walked down to vill for shopping (books for Guy, age 11, in Saudi) and snack at Morgans Deli, previously known as Brown Sugar, previously known as Marcellos.

Bonfire party at No 7, great food and fun.  Too much red wine.

Sun - Jon's 25th birthday.  Cooked mixed grill brunch, then drove into London for afternoon tea at The One, Aldwych.

Mon - Up at crack ro get off the funeral party to Stansted and myself to take Jan to LHR.  When back went for 8WR3 (28mins, 4.4km, 6.45 pace, fastest yet, felt good). Then walked down to vill for quick shop in drizzle.  Mrs M called to say that Easyjet had diverted to Prestwick because of fog.  Eventually they got to EDI and to the service just in time for the key bits.

In evening went with G & G (P was ill) to see Janet Seidel at memorial hall.  The warm up acts were a little self indulgent, but Janet and her trio were excellent, smooth lounge room vocal easy listening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTz1P5wKTDg

Funeral party got back at 11:30 after a draining day.

Tue - Jon & Nadia stayed last night so we went to Rootz and Morgans Deli for a lunch drink/snack.  Electric wall fire arrived and I put it up in study - very good flame effect.

Walked to choir in evening, started Xmas songs, a big change from Bach B Minor Mass, and lots of harmony and cappella.

Wed - Dr M decided to go to a meeting at work.  W9R1 (30mins 4.3 km 6.58 mins/k) Slower than past run but 30 mins didn't feel too bad whereas when I started the program it would not have been possible.  Only 1 week to go, then I start the Olympic Tri program!!!

Went to IKEA to buy a chest of drawers, good experience as I was early.  Then to dump to dispose of cardboard and other recycling.  G&P popped over for tea, buns and chat.   Now to Watersmeet with Eddie & Shirley (plus Nigel) to see Anything Goes performed by the Masonic School.

Great show, and by and Amazing Coincidence starring the granddaughter of a cousin of Mrs M (cousin twice removed?) who was amazingly good.

Thu - Exciting morning blowing leaves around the garden.  Walked into vill in afternoon with Mrs M for Rootz and shopping.

Fri - Grey, drizzly and generally damp.  W9R2 (30mins, 4.35k @ 6.56min/k) - marginally faster than previous run.  Only one run to go then its a week of consolidate (we we are going away to Norfolk) then start Olympic Tri program.

Electrical work around house - changed dimmer switch in kitchen for push on/off, fitted socket in bathroom for hair dryer (not exactly building regs).  Walked to vill to buy a birthday card for Jamie, found one with Olympic theme.

Out to dinner at Georgina's with G&P, sapling her new kitchen: