Toasty cosy warm I'll be :-)

GORGEOUS new sleeping bag, it's super scrumptiously soft, really quite roomy and a jolly pretty colour I think. Thank you Alpkit! Ok, so it cost me almost as much as our king size down duvet, but was considerably cheaper than the North Face one I had my eye on previously - everything's relative when it comes to a bargain. And being warm is my absolute number one priority so at cost per comfortable night its well worth it I think. The next items on my list aren't quite so exciting - hubby told me yesterday I need a whistle, head torch and survival bag... now, what colour whistle..? Pink? Red? Green? Decisions, decisions.

I want almost everything....

.....in this shop: Bobbin Bicycles - check 'em out! Especially this helmet - although, as I'm tall with a particularly fat head (all those brains dont'ya know), I will no doubt look as daft in this as any other helmet. A bit of retail therapy would cheer me up - feeling bad because I didn't go near my bike this weekend but its back on the training plan this week with a vengeance. Two short months today we will be camped out in the wilds of Cape Breton trying to get some sleep before setting off on the long road south in the morning. Very excited and very scared.

Alcohol is baaaad

It's a perfect spring day and here I am sitting on the sofa with my laptop (not for long-I'll be out there in just a minute, honest) feeling exhausted and mildly hungover - slept in until 11am, shock horror - was it worth it for a bottle of champagne on Thursday and 3 glasses of wine last night..? The jury is out. It was great to catch up with friends in London and then enjoy some quality (?) TV time last night, but I feel like shite today and horribly guilty for wasting a beautiful morning on half a hangover. Did I really need the booze to enjoy it all? Not really. Not at all.

So - off on my bike to wander around the country lanes and get my feelgood factor back. I need it - we set off to Nova Scotia TWO MONTHS FROM TODAY - eeek!

Now that's what I call cycling gear

Well they are called pedal pushers after all! Had to invest in a pair of these, after all I will be the hostess with the mostest at our fabulous fundraiser in London on April 2nd. Truth is, I've been hankering after some of these for a while, I think they're very pretty in a 50s kind of way and rather elegant, which isn't usually me. So I ordered some in red/white gingham and they arrived today! Haven't dared try them on yet in case they look horrid. I have a nifty pair of red pointy shoes that I think will go rather well with them and now I just need a new top - Saturday training ride might have to be combined with a spot of shopping...

Picnic Party Prizes

Big thanks to Thor at Druid Cycles and Lewin at Look Mum No Hands - we now have some brilliant goodies to help raise money at our London party on April 2nd - what lovely people! I went to see them both at the weekend and came away with a thoroughly smiley feel good feeling, not just because of their generosity but because it was so good to see two quite different enterprises put together so well - may you both live long and prosper! So - if anyone is looking for a bike with soul, get down with the Druids, and if you want some cool gear and some excellent spiced apple cake and café latte, Mum's the word.

Let them eat CAKE

Training plan interrupted due to valiantly fending off a bit of a bug - on Sunday I thought perhaps it was the very delicious fish and chips I had for lunch on the seafront at Bexhill (a fitting reward for a 2 hour cycle around Pevensey marshes) that gave me a belly ache, but 2 days later it was still with me. However, on the bright side a few days of physical inactivity allowed me to put a bit of thought into the Pedal Pushers Party - the promise of cake and picnic games requires a spot of planning! On the cake front I'm thinking Bara Brith (but made with cider instead of cold tea), chocolate cake is always a winner and perhaps some carrot-cake-cupcakes. On the games front - hmmm... indoor picnic games... I have some ideas, but you wouldn't want me to spoil the surprise, now would you...?