Ready, Steady, Cycle!

Alone in Reading on a summer evening!  What should I do? Hire a Ready Bike of course!

The hire scheme is fairly new so I hadn’t heard of it before my recent visit but I spotted a stand of bikes on my way to the hotel which roused my curiosity.  A quick google and minutes later, I’d signed up for a day pass. The only downside was the lack of a helmet but as I was intending to stay off road and cycle along the Thames path, I risked it.  It was a splendid way to spend a summer evening

Mr Glis, my roadie

I’m always very thankful that Mr Glis keeps my bicycle on the road.  Being a daily cyclist in all weathers, my machine takes a fair bit of wear and tear and things regularly fail or need replacing. Without his good offices, I would be off the road for indefinite periods as apart from  basic maintenance and puncture repair, I really wouldn’t know where to start on the rest.  So with dodgy brakes causing me some concern just before Christmas, I was hugely grateful that the other day he put up the stand and gave me back my stopping power!

Brace yourselves!

I’m looking forward to our dinner tomorrow as we’re having quail for the first time.  We were given a brace of pheasants along with a brace of quail on Friday by a colleague of Andy’s.  As we were going away for the weekend, I hung them in the shed from my bicycle handlebars as I didn’t have time to pluck them. (Personally, I don’t think that’s extraordinary but my colleagues in the office found it bizarre.) Tonight, I’ve prepared the quail which are now reposing in the slow cooker, dressed in red wine and tomorrow, I’ll deal with the pheasants.  

The Bicycle Repair Man

In an earlier entry, eagle eyed readers may have spotted bicycle brake blocks, reposing on the kitchen counter in a photo shoot, for in our home, such eccentricities are the norm (PLEASE don’t mention the cordless drill saga).  But unlike the aforementioned drill, their residence was short lived for yes,  it’s “bicycle service time” again. Although the brake blocks were for Mr Glis’ bike (I’m a disc brake girl myself), as a daily cyclist, I am hugely fortunate and grateful that he is an accomplished repair man, for it is he who keeps me on the road all year round