SomersTownLisa

London Life
2021-05-04 11:18:03 (UTC)

27th April to 6th May

Tues 27th April 2021
Got a train to Dalston and seemed to have plenty of time to walk down to the canal for our canoeing session, so we stopped at a vegan place on the way. They took a while and suddenly we were short of time so had to hurry down Haggleston Road, but when we arrived only Pete and Simon were there. I had wanted to get there early to talk to Anika, who I’d never met before but had managed to look up online as she had an unusual surname. Turned out to be Graham’s girlfriend. I said hello to her and she said she’d been “dragged along”.

Surprisingly no-one fell in the canal, even though we had to get in and out three times, because of a lock. Caroline really enjoyed it. I thought it was fun, but it would be a bit boring to do it regularly. Jack was talking to Mali about our holidays. I thought everyone had left their phones behind, in case they fell in, but Pete had brought his, so there were some pictures after all.

Wed 28th April 2021
I had to do the long run scheduled for Sunday, when we were away, and we went canoeing yesterday, so I had to fit it in between work and a task in Islington. I ran along the canal, along the river and up through the City, concentrating on getting to the task in time rather than completing the whole 22.4km distance. When I got there, they were still doing the introduction and I’d done 22.1km, so it was perfect timing.

Thur 29th April 2021
It was my birthday so we had the day off work, got up a bit late and went to Marylebone looking for a place for breakfast. We cycled the length of Baker Street and had almost given up and were about to go to Pret, when just in time we saw the Soho Coffee Company who did a avocado and tomato breakfast. Jack also ordered some along with his porridge, but his never arrived so I had to give him a piece of mine.

We got a train from Marylebone to Great Missenden, a journey where Jack was fascinated by the electrical wires on the Underground lines, for some reason. He’d see that three of the best villages near London (as mentioned in Time Out) were close to each other in Buckinghamshire so wanted to take me on a ride around all three of them.

Great Missenden had two nice unspoiled streets and a Roald Dahl museum, and we cycled up to the old church, before sitting on the green by The Stamp for a while. We came through Prestwood and diverted to see the town, but it didn’t seem to exist after than a few houses on a main road. I got thirsty again and stopped at a Spar in Great Kingshill. They wanted cash when after paying, I spotted a vegan choc bar for 50p, and I spilt my change everywhere, so the assistant went crawling on the floor and moving a skirting board to retrieve one of my pound coins – possibly looked up my skirt as well. They had a parish election where the result for 6th May was already announced – presumably no-one had stood against the incumbents before the deadline.

It was hard to avoid High Wycombe, which has car-free roads in the centre at the expense of choked roads on the outskirts. We eventually got off the ‘A’ road and made it to Cookham and Marlow, which justified their mention in Time Out’s list, then got the bus back to High Wycombe.

Fri 30th April 2021
I knew I’d have a busy day as I had to sort out the insurance payment, do an article and work on the Top 100 almost from the start. Luckily my boss was off so didn’t bother me. However I was unable to pay the insurance as the card had run out. The broker has been trying to get hold of me about the payment. I tried my own Halifax card and Jack’s credit card, but they were refused by the site. I phoned the broker and the same thing happened, but he told me not to worry so I’d have to wait for my new card – I phoned Barclays who said they’d send me another one. I worked hard on the Top 100 and loaded it in the evening after my task.

Earlier I ran to a task at Tufnell Park, Jack coming part of the way. I didn’t want to run too far after doing 22.4km on Wednesday and a marathon distance to come on Sunday, so it was a good short distance. I ran into the place but only David was there so I went out to the meeting spot as I wanted to see Ellie. Simon and Steve were there, also Alison from Bristol who’s now in London but was quite hard to talk to. Eventually Ellie arrived and I talked to her on the way to the task and started working with her, but I didn’t want it to look as if I was following her around so went to carry some stuff round the back, with the local works, and left her to do some other work.

I came out and she was talking to Steve and in the end I felt I’d wasted a lot of chance to talk to her, leaving her to head off towards Caledonian Road (with the others) to do shopping while I headed to Kentish Town where I wanted to pick up Time Out and the New Journal. However I felt an ankle twinge so walked back from Kentish Town station. I probably should have got a bus to protect the ankle.

Sat 1st May 2021
Despite injuring myself last night I went to the training session at Victoria Park. I couldn’t take part because of my bad ankle, which was now hurting as well as aching – I thought it might have bene all right today - but I cycled there along the canal. Unfortunately, I suddenly got a big puncture and had to hobble there from Haggerston. I wrote to say I’d be late, but in fact I got there soon enough after 10:00 to be surprised that no-one was still at the meeting place. Then I realised it actually started at 10:30, but I still didn’t see everyone arrive until I spotted them all together.

I walked over with Becky G, and for once the conversation died a couple of times, though Matthew joined in also. There was some people from Hainault: Sarah-Jane, an older runner, James, a large, xxx runner and Linda who was quiet and quite slow. I was doing lap timings, was sure I’d got it right but James disagreed.

Becky J was also there but although she’s one of my favourite people I didn’t talk to her much. It was interesting to watch Eilish. Matthew was tucked in behind her the whole run and I was assuming he’d overtake her at the end, but she did a spurt on the final lap, in which he said they were at the pace for an 18-minute Parkrun. Her running style was so efficient, with good use of the arms.

I chatted to her while we were queuing in the café and got a filled croissant, not something I’ve had before. It was filled with vegan cheese, tomato and lettuce. The strange thing was that the croissant was sweet and the salad savoury. Simon was telling us about his map screen-printing business, and I was trying to keep Eilish in the conversation as she’s quite quiet.

Afterwards I hobbled along the canal to a bike shop south of Kingsland Road but he said he couldn’t do the puncture today. I went to Haggerston station but there were no trains between there and Highbury & Islington which really put me in despair as I didn’t want to walk all the way home. But to my surprise the trains were still running from Dalston Kingsland.

I was just getting off the train when Jack rang – he’d just seen his friend off near the station so we went to Pritchard & Ure by the railway.
Surprisingly the company bank card arrived so I was able to pay for the insurance. But only through an online page – the card reader wouldn’t work. Dom got a sectional plan of the 50km race, which seems to be downhill overall.

Sun 2nd May 2021
I had been planning to do a 42km training run today but my foot still feels bad. I decided to do it on the 16th and was wondering if there was any organised marathons. There was one starting in a village near Reading which didn’t start until 09:40 but it was full. There was another in Northamptonshire through beautiful countryside which included the Civil War battle site at Naseby. However it starts at 08:30 and the nearest available place to stay is 8km away. But at least I’d get a medal for my efforts. Instead I worked out a route taking in all the places I’ve ever worked and that came to 39km, probably a bit more once I actually run it. I also caught up with setting up new release playlists. We did cycle down to Notes for a coffee.

Katie, Clare and Charlotte have entered a 10km race at Brockwell Park. I entered, then told them “I’m doing that” as if I’d been doing it all along. I’d put an Alexandra Palace 10km up a few weeks ago. Charlotte immediately entered but no-one else put their names forward so I cancelled it on the site (where Charlotte hadn’t signed up anyway) as I needed to do a longer run that day. As it turned out Clare ran it also, so I wished I’d at least have gone to see them do it.

Mon 3rd May 2021
We had a leisurely day out, of the sort that used to be a nice change, to slow down for a Bank Holiday, but are a bit routine now. Because of my bad foot, we went by train to the Black Cat, after I’d checked on Insta that they were open, they said they were open “all Bank Holiday weekend” which I took to be “all the Bank holiday weekends” and as it was almost their last entry, I assumed it referred to all Bank Holidays this Spring. It was actually shut, and it seems they were just referring to Easter.

So after stopping at Hidden Coffee we got a train to Hackney Wick, where I got my bike caught in the ticket gate as I didn’t sue the wide one. We headed for a fairy-cake vegan place off Mare Street, but it didn’t seem to be there so we actually went to Wave (We Are Vegan Everything) next door and sat round the side, next to two girls in mini-skirts. I had some curry but it wasn’t much for the price, and a smoothie resembling mango lassi.

Jack also wanted to take me to a café called Barkney Wick, at Fish Island Village, which he’d been meaning to show me for a while but closes at 15:00. This time we just got there in time, via Victoria Park, and found a way to go under the A12, rather than the long, non-direct path which goes over it. I think the problem before was that I went too far down the River Lea before crossing; I should have gone up the Hertford branch and crossed the bridge. It was a good value café but in rather boring surroundings, next to new flats.

Jack suggested going back by train, to rest my fot, but I was all right cycling. We sat by the river at Barge East for a while, then cycled back along the canal to Islington Green. We got some essentials at Waitrose and some samosas at the market, and I spent most of the evening catching up on the Observer and Guardian, while Jack did his puzzles.

Tuesday and Wednesday
After feeling tired all day, with my ankle still bothering me I cycled to help at a school on the Camden/Islington border. The second girl to arrive was a North American girl, Victoria, doing her first task. She was standing outside the school so I went and introduced myself before leader Simon arrived. After weeding with Rachel, Samantha (much more easy to talk to actually) and Marie, I felt my spirits lifted. On Wednesday I got the train over to Stepney, where the rain stopped just before I go there. Becky was there as usual and Ceiling arrived late, so I had to let her in. I was speaking to a German girl, Nina, who turned out to be from Nuremberg, which made me think I’d spoken to her before. I worked with Tracey to shovel hay and earth from one bay to another.




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