After watching the English beat the Hun on a smallish tablet in a Pizza Express, followed by seeing Romeo n Juliet at Regent’s Park open air theatre… as I commenced by trip back home, my friend Nicola said ‘ hang on, something has fallen off your chair’.

Now had my front wheel ( there are 2 small wheels at the front of every wheelchair ) fallen off 30 seconds later, then I’d have been 1/ alone and 2/ I’d not have realised it.. and this problem would have been a very large one.
As it was, Nicola found the wheel, and also the little axle. What was missing was the bolt that held the wheel on, that having been the bolt that had worked loose and come off.

With my triride on, the front wheels are off the ground, so it’s not a problem, but obviously I have to get the triride off once home, and then I’m missing a wheel… and cars/ wheelchairs don’t go very far on 3 wheels.
I managed to find in my toolbox a bolt though- I have an awful lot of bolts…. but literally ONE of the correct width – an M6 ( that’s 6mm calibre ). What I need is a 16mm length, but the one I had was 40 mm long.
Anyway from a lying down position in bed I managed to get my wheel back on my chair. Tbh I’ve never had a ‘ help ‘ that can do anything at all practical, so I’m really all by myself in this situation, and thankfully I’m pretty resourceful…

As the bolt is sticking out way too far, it’s not ideal, and will get snagged on stuff for sure, but I’ve been online and found M6 16mm bolts at Screwfix. My help, Gorana, is currently collecting a box of 20 …

If I wasn’t reasonably adept, as many aren’t, id be on the phone to a wheelchair company, and they’d be charging me £200 to come out in 3 days to put my wheel back on… but for £3.50 I’ll soon have solved the problem.

I could have done without the drama to be honest 🤦‍♂️

And I got a ( brand new ! ) train to Oxford yesterday. Well ok it was 2 trains, and the second one wasn’t new ( either ).

Anyway it was quite easy – BECAUSE the station in Ealing has been all modernised (!), including having LIFTS to ALL platforms…. As opposed to NO LIFTS TO ANY PLATFORMS …, so for me, that’s brilliant. Suddenly my ability to travel is better than it was!

Gawd, Oxford is a beautiful town. I’d not really looked around it before, but true to form Lily was far later meeting me than we’d arranged, so I had time to wander.
As I know Lily will NEVER be on time, I don’t stress in the slightest about it. Ok so 2 hours later than arranged is a lot, but it doesn’t matter …. 🤦‍♂️

I’m so very proud of Lily, and her work ethic that got her there. I certainly didn’t ever apply myself in the way that she has/ does. That ethic, combined with a real flair for English, has got her into a place that only the best of the best get to savour.

She looks so happy, is clearly having a brilliant time, had made loads of new friends, and academically is really impressing her tutors. (That last bit is EVER SO impressive).

And YET AGAIN… the train service staff let me down.

The onboard service and pleasantries don’t count for much when they forget to get you off… and you end up 20 miles further from your destination than you intended.

And I never learn. EVERY time I am gracious and thank the staff that work for the service that go on to let me down

And we laughed.

My eighth anniversary is today.
Eight years ago … at this moment…I’d have been just getting on my bike.

Good to see my ex employee the other day.

Uttam is now all grown up, married with a daughter, and with his own optical practice. Last time I saw him I think I still had to wipe his nose for him !

Congratulations Uttam!

I had to file a complaint to the police last week

When I’m out attached to my Triride, I get a fair bit of ‘ attention’ from other road users. Until now, all positive or neutral… but last week – oh wow.
I was heading to Ealing Broadway station, for a look. It’s part of the Crossrail project, and as such has been massively upgraded, including having lifts to all platforms. It’s odd isn’t it, that ‘ main ‘ stations can NOT have lifts, in 2021, but lots actually don’t.
Now it HAS though, which means I can leave town by another route, far more easily.

Anyway, on the way there, I got properly harassed. It was a 20mph zone, and I was doing 20, keeping to the kerb as a cyclist would.
This Audi A3 3.5 turbo went past me at at least 50, with the horn pressed for a good 10 seconds. To be honest I thought it was probably a bloke just saying ‘ cool chair mate’ cos that’s what I always seem to get.
Of course in London you always catch up with cars at the inevitable next traffic lights.. so when I did, I passed just car and tooted my own horn as I went passed. Their window was open and what I got back was ‘ FUCK OFF, YOU C*** ‘.
Well that was a surprise tbh… and I then got the same flak when the car soon passed me again.
At the next lights I pulled alongside, and asked the ( young – 30?- ) slight female what her issue was. I said she was harassing me and I’d report her. She said ‘ too late, you C***, I’m already reporting you!’ I asked ‘for what exactly?’ She said ‘ for being on the road ‘.

Well that’s a first… evidently I’m supposed to just stay in and watch Countdown, until I die… and not venture out unless it’s on The Sunshine Bus.

When you fill in the online form for the police, almost the first question is ‘ Are you disabled?’ Disability hate crime is obviously being addressed then. ..

So I got a visit within a few days and well, they take it seriously, as they should. I can’t imagine for a minute that she’ll be prosecuted, because it’s my word against hers, and she’ll lie. But if she gets a talking to, and thinks twice next time then that’ll be a victory.
If you are on a bike tho and see an Audi, Reg no below..

do watch out.

She’s an angry one.

🤷

I met up with someone I know in Regent’s Park yesterday.
Well it’s a lovely place, and it’s not that far. A couple of tubes and a bit of Triride’ing.
Anyway… come going home time I realised that they’d locked all the exits. People were climbing over the high railings all over the place. Well how am I gonna do that !!?

I was about to call the Fire Brigade!
Then I saw a fella in a Warden type jacket…. And he let me out… I mean they COULD have someone going round with a loudhailer, giving a 15 minute closing warning. I mean surely that would be reasonable? How long before someone sues them for ‘injuries sustained during an escape, after unexpected imprisonment ‘ or something?

Another adventure… almost! 🤦‍♂️😂

I had a Christmas party last night!

Presents and Slade, and Shakin Stevens etc etc. Even a Secret Santa

For a few years now I’ve held a little dinner thing at Christmas for about 10 peeps – always the same ones, but of course it was all COVID cancelled in December..

So I had it last night.
Well I tell you, having Xmas in warm weather is much better! Outside In the open air.. bloody marvellous.

That’s what the Aussies do, right?

We shouldn’t find out when the Aussies do their Xmas and do the same….
🤪