I ended my last post saying I hoped to talk less about vinyl and more about adventure this time. Sorry to disappoint — there hasn’t been much happening on the adventure front. That said, SJ and I went a little stir-crazy and ended up buying a ton of vinyl.
Our latest treasure is our first ever half-speed master — Talk Talk’s Spirit of Eden — and it sounds incredible. (Half-speed master vinyl is cut with the music and cutting lathe running at half normal speed, which gives the cutting head more time to carve the grooves. This can reduce distortion and bring out extra clarity and detail, especially in the treble, which is why these pressings often sound more open and “audiophile” than standard ones). There’s something so nice about chilling out with records spinning away in our cosy lounge, log burner roaring, and just letting the music fill the space.
I think the awful weather might have spurred our vinyl spree. To date, we’ve had just one proper day of sunshine this year! I made the most of that day, heading out for a walk with the Phantom and Ernie. On another “dry-for-a-bit” day, I took Ernie on our usual route around Coughton — and to my delight, we found a fallen tree that made the perfect bridge across the river. Aces!
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| Ernest |
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| The Phantom |
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| Doo |
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| Who knew they grew bamboo over the Studley fields?! |
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| Bruv's by different muv's |
In other news, I now have a lease car — my first ever “brand new” set of wheels (well, technically leased). It’s a Suzuki Swift like before, but this new version feels positively space-age: keyless entry, hybrid (petrol and electric), and no knobs whatsoever, just touch screens everywhere. We’ve named her Fanta Pants, thanks to her brilliant orange paintwork.
Still haven’t been camping — the weather’s been utterly pants. Rob Dog (and Linda) came to visit though, which was lovely. Moo was even more thrilled than I was, though she’s been acting a bit odd recently… I actually caught her helping my dad with the washing up. Or possibly drying.
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| Rod Dog and Moo |
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| Moo and Pa |
As for running, there’s been very little. Outdoors cycling, almost none. Indoor cycling, however, has been full-on! I’ve completed the Tour de Zwift 2026 challenge and was rewarded with a goofy cap for my avatar. I’m currently at level 70, which means just one more level until my avatar unlocks the coveted squirrel cap. How exciting!
Adventure awaits!
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