Losing it[1]

Today, there was a strike on the Metro. I had wondered why so many more people than normal were joining my walk over the Tyne Bridge, until I remembered…

Up until today, I’d still been going home by bus, but as the Metro strike was expected to lead to heavier than usual traffic (and it was already taking far too long to get home some nights), I decided to walk home. And waddaya know, I enjoyed it.

With the traffic being often quite heavy, and with waiting times for buses ranging from zero to twenty minutes, it’s actually quicker for me to walk home than catch the bus. Decide to make a habit of it.

Decided to take things even further, and ordered a rowing machine, which arrived today…

Got plenty of exercise carrying it upstairs and setting it up.

Gateshead Council like to make an effort. To celebrate the New Year, they arranged a number of events in Saltwell Park (and elsewhere, but as the park is at the end of my street, that’s the only bit I took any notice of). It was very cold, and a vicious lazy wind[1] was blowing, so not all the events could go ahead - the trapeeze artist declined to perform in the middle of the pyrotechnics . However, the rather odd “Fire Garden” did happen. Even though it was horribly cold, I’m glad I went, and got these pictures

[1] That’s the kind that’s too lazy to go around you, so goes straight through you instead…..