The bean is on wheels

Hey readers!  I've taken Cyclops out for her first ride.  I went on Saturday with a group of other less experienced riders from my running club.  We rode on Coro Drive and I almost got flattened by a stray scrub turkey that had just been cast aside by a passing car and was busy running back to where he started, only to find me there trying to run him down.  Poor daft bird...  It was a bit hairy though as I am really not used to the traffic and Coro Drive does tend to be busy.  However, I made it back in one piece and I'm looking forward ++ to my next ride.  No riding currently though as it's pissing down with rain.  Fantastic stuff!  Instead, I shall spend my time ogling Colin, seen here accepting his BAFTA last week for "A Single Man" together with Carey Mulligan who won best actress and whose haircut is calling my name.  

I've recently read a wonderful book by one of my very favourite writers, John Steinbeck.  Have I raved about him before?  It was called "Travels with Charley" and was autobiographical and described his journey around America in the early 60's with his dog and his campervan.  I just loved it.  He writes so beautifully.  I wish I could write like that.  His prose is so vivid.  

I am writing like a total HACK tonight because I am so tired.  We were up at 4am driving back from northern NSW this morning.  I am going to curl up in bed and read some more.  I never make enough time to read and I enjoy it so much.  I just finished reading "War Horse" by Michael Morpurgo.  I first came upon him when volunteering at the Brisbane Writer's Festival in 2008.  He is a hugely interesting man who writes young people's fiction - that I love to read! I don't care that I am not in the correct age category.  His books are so enjoyable, though they also tend to bring me to tears.  He has written several beautiful stories about WW1 which make me weep terribly.  Such was the case last week when I started "War Horse" (& I'm not even a horsey person).  It's a lovely, lovely story which has been made into a West End stage production with giant puppets as the horses.  Watching the YouTube video quite choked me up. I would so like to see that show....  

Time to go to bed now as I have running training in the morning, rain or shine.  I have not been putting in the hard yards on my training due to spending Sunday mornings bushwalking or visiting mum etc.  This time in a month we will be in NZ ready to hike the Queen Charlotte Track so we've been trying to prepare.   However, once back from holidays it's time to really flog myself.  I was "starting a diet" on 1 Feb but nothing much happened so I've started again today.  I have no willpower.  What a curse.  I am so undisciplined.  Cheerio!