The Pinfield Phantom |
Moo's sting |
New paths to Court |
Merlot (Doo Little), SJ and Spoon |
Who inspired who? |
The Stinkers |
The Capybara's |
''I dunno why anybody's doing this''
The Pinfield Phantom |
Moo's sting |
New paths to Court |
Merlot (Doo Little), SJ and Spoon |
Who inspired who? |
The Stinkers |
The Capybara's |
Ninety-one ParkRuns done,
Daventry was a first,
Five kilometres on varied paths,
Through tarmac, mud, and thirst.
Bridges crossed and grassy trails,
Shale beneath my feet,
A warm and sunny morning,
Made the run complete.
Seventy-fourth I finished,
In 26:28,
A steady pace, a solid time,
No slowing, (hmm, debate?)
Each run a step, a challenge met,
New course to explore,
Daventry’s mix of paths and views
Adds something to my score.
I always swear I’ll eat my greens,
Jog a mile, cycle through the scenes.
But every time I make a start,
Fate intervenes and breaks my heart.
My latest try, though met with woe,
Turned out to be adventure—so.
Phantom and I, with hope anew,
Set off for lanes with skies of blue.
He let me pick the winding way,
Webheath’s lanes where songbirds play.
Fifteen kilometres, all was right—
Sunshine, birdsong, pure delight.
Phantom and Merlot (previous adventure) |
But then, a brown bug, sneaky chap,
Slipped ‘neath my jersey for a nap.
Bite, bite, bite!—a burning flare,
I flapped my layers, bug took air.
The stings swelled up, I groaned in pain,
Phantom, patient, heard my refrain.
Bug(ger) |
First-aider’s wisdom, dock leaf found:
“They’re named for use, so rub it round!”
Still, pain persisted, sharp and hot—
“Could you ignore a poker? I cannot!”
We cycled on, I tried to cope,
Stopped to spy some beasts through hope.
A fox? A deer? We couldn’t say,
But then a crow, as black as clay,
Appeared and fixed me with a side eye—
A sliding glance, both sharp and sly.
It chilled my bones, I joked, half-breath:
“That’s surely now the crow of death.”
The Crow of Death |
A taste metallic, ears on fire.
My face went numb, my chest grew tight,
Phantom saw my swelling plight.
“Let’s call for help,” he calmly said,
While swelling crept from toes to head.
Shoes off, nausea, itching scalp,
Saliva pooled—I needed help.
SJ arrived, antihistamines three,
Then off to A&E with me.
At hospital doors, I shuffled in,
Reported symptoms, pale of skin.
IV fluids, steroids, pills,
Paracetamol for extra ills.
They scolded me for pills I’d had,
While pumping more—how very mad!
ECG and low SATs too,
Hives appeared, then slowly withdrew.
Sent home with swelling that would last.
A strange adventure, not my plan—
Was that bug the crow’s own man?
The crow of death still in my mind.
Not one for luck or superstition,
But since that day, I’ve faced attrition:
Internet dead, CT scan delay,
Family struck by Covid’s sway.
Not the adventure we’d have picked—
But life, it seems, is rarely strict.
Birthday girl enjoying a knight in the Brecons (see what I did there) |
So, let me go back a couple of weeks and blog about a birthday in the Brecons. This is starting to be a 'thing' as a few folk I know have spent their birthday in the Brecons. This birthday was SJ's and we wanted do something special. This birthday trip formed part of a long weekend and didn’t disappoint.
Dinas Castle ruins |
We stayed at the Plough and Harrow for 2 nights which was a very cosy little pub ran by Sue and her four-legged side kick Paddy. This pub hosted nice views, awesome food and a comfy bed. We might well return and spend another adventure here.
Day 2 was SJ’s birthday and what better way to spend the day than to climb Pen Y Fan. This was a tough climb but thankfully was much cooler than yesterday. Incredibly windy at the highest point in South Wales! This climb was interesting and I loved the way it had a twin summit, the second summit is called Corn Du and was formally referred to as Arthur’s Seat.
Spent the afternoon strolling around Brecon Town Centre. We ate and drank much and did a little shopping. The highlight of out shopping was purchasing the portrait of Judith the cow. This awesome painting cost less than £20 from a charity shop and was a way better painting than those selling for £100’s in the nearby shops.
Day 3 was a really easy day. We went to the Weir Garden, a National Trust property in Hereford. The walk here felt like it was over before it really began. The garden was real pretty and we were pleased we didn’t have to climb any massive ascents today.
Completed the birthday weekend by tank-busting and then going for a quick spin on my bike (Eleven) on the Sunday. Such a great weekend away with SJ, can’t wait until our next adventure! Meanwhile, I must try and muster up some motivation to eat well, cycle and run more and try not to let work get me down.The Pinfield Phantom After months of little cycling, eating decent grub for short spells only, then slipping back into dodgy foods, plus onl...