Progression

It's an odd thing suddenly becoming 'single' again, and I all of a sudden realised that it's very easy to just disappear, in the sense that you can easily hole up at home all week and do naff all apart from watch TV and surf the t'internet.

The former I admit I could happily do. There's little or no TV signal though in sunny Calverley but I've managed to connect up the NTL box that I found in the house. I guess NTL are meant to come and pick these things up once agreements run out but if not then one can access a decent package of free channels ie. most of the ones on Freeview. And in cable qualty digital quality. Handy. Best bit though is all the radio stations on it. Whacked through the hi-fi amp Radio 6, Q Radio and Kerrang all sound great.

As for the t'internet I have made the decision not to bother as it's too temptin a thing to just stop in and write crap on blogs and trade on the (admittedly excellent) Rush web group (www.t-n-m-s.com) etc etc. Single bloke at home trawling the internet - I think not.

So, what else is there? A social life in general means 'down the pub' or so it seems. Everything seems to start with drinking. Not that I am specifically against drinking or pubs but that's what we all seem to do - a lot. A mate comes to stay and we go - to the pub. Jo next door comes round and we go - to the pub. I got and meet some people from Leeds mountaineering club (LMC) and it's - in a pub. Seems that I'd just gotten of of the habit of going to the pub and it's one habit that I am not that keen to get back into to be honest. Having said that I look forward to my Friday nights out locally with Jo in the local(s)!

Away from the pubs I have re-joined the LMC and that sets me up for their hut meet weekends away which are excellent. There's a string of privately owned climbing club huts all over the UK in wonderful locations and the clubs all book them up for weekends the year. The LMC's next meet is at the K Shoes hut in Duddon valley in the Lakes (nearish to Conniston), and their half term meet is 4 days in the fabulous Lagangarbh hut at the foot of Buchaille Etive Mor in Glencoe. Can't do the K Shoes as Liz is away but may do Glencoe for some Scottish winter stuff.

This Sunday coming I'm doing an "Adventure Race". This 5 hours of mountain biking and/or running orienteering starting from neaby Hebden Bridge. A chap from the LMC is partnering. Should be great fun. With a bit of luck we'll be able to do as little running as possble and lots of biking! What with this kind of stuff; the mountain bikers regular jaunts out; staring to go to the Leeds (climbing) Wall again and the Pudsey Pacers runners (who I still actually haven't met properly yet) there's plenty of scope for a decent social life. And it'll all keep me fit.