The blog is brought to you by the number 1000

1007.4 to be precise and also B5087. But more of those later.

But first I need to finish off what happened yesterday. The observant amongst you will have noticed that the blog was posted around dinner time (that's in the middle of the day oop north) and that I made reference to a beef stew.

Here's the beef stew (or what's left over for tonight's tea)

Ever willing to take a bargain, Gel and I were in Sainsbury's and there were a couple of packs of rather nice looking stewing steak reduced from £4.50 to £3.50. Not a fortune, but enough to draw me in. I had recently made a nice chilli but using mince, and wondered if a "lumpy meat" version (must copyright the name while I think on) might be nice. However I was persuaded to try a nice beef stew with dumplings, and this one came courtesy of that nice Mr James Martin.

While the stew was, er, stewing, I took the opportunity to give the lawn a last (?) trim before the raw winter sets in. When the weather is like this, it is too good an opportunity to turn down. Looking at a raggy lawn all winter is not good for the soul.....or the lawn.

After tea (that's the early evening meal oop north) we had some splendid news from the far north (Keswick). After losing dear Pouncer in the summer, we are finally just weeks away from adopting two new cats.

It has seemed very odd not having a cat in the house, having had the company of Apple, Mac and Pouncer over the last 20 years. So it looks like we'll be picking up Poussey and Boo when we come back from the Lake District in a couple of weeks.

Poussey is the grey and white female, and Boo the black male. Sweet or what? Not having had kittens for so long, we now have to do some research into what we need to do to make them safe and welcome.

So that was a VERY nice way to end what had been a productive day. Thanks to Phil and Julie Mann for helping that happen.

And so to explain the numbers above.

Having been an intermittent cyclist over the last few years - commuting to work a couple days a week, the odd weekend jaunt - this year has seen an increase in the number of miles I've been doing. Partly to prepare for a Coast to Coast ride, but also it became clear that I was probably going to have some form of treatment and that it would benefit me if I could increase my fitness. Just last week I was looking at the 'history' on the app I use to track my cycling, and noticed that I wasn't far off 1000 miles for the year. Now for most keen cyclists this isn't a huge amount but looked like an interesting figure to hit.

I set out today knowing that I needed about 16 miles to hit 1000 for the year. The route took me to Alderly Edge, which is where the second number comes in. The B5087 is the road that takes you from Alderly Edge to Macclesfield. The first bit is VERY steep, taking you up to the "Edge" of Alderly Edge, and I'd vaguely thought about trying to go up it in the past. Today seemed like a good time to give it a go. I had hoped to make it up in one go. No stopping. But unfortunately about 100 yards from the top, I simply ran out of puff.

Here's a target for next year when I'm back to some semblance of full fitness.

Sill, I eventually made it, carried on to Macclesfield, and back via Tytherington, a flapjack stop in Prestbury, Adlington and back to Wilmslow. Just short of 23 miles to give a grand total for the year of 1007.4 Lets see how far I can extend that over the next few months.

Yay me.

Today's flapjack was a Holland and Barrett Cappuccino one (there's a Date and Walnut one left in the cupboard). Now I like both flapjacks and cappuccino, and while this wasn't foul, I'm not sure I'd have one again. A touch too sweet. Yesterdays was a plain one from B&M bargains in Wythenshawe. I think I got four for a little over £1 so wasn't expecting much, but it was edible and gave me that energy boost to get me home.

Before I sign off today, I thought I'd tell you about my latest cycling related injury which I picked up a couple of weeks ago. At work we have a neat little changing room with three shower cubicles, some lockers, benches and a heated towel rail. I was drying off after my post commute shower - worrying as I often do about what to do if the fire alarm went off while I was in the buff - and leant over to dry between my toes when suddenly I felt this searing pain.

I now have a long red scar where my buttock came into contact with the heated towel rail - which was set to "nuclear".

I hope to give you a blog tomorrow, but maybe off my tits on dexamethsone, a steroid which is designed to counteract some side effects of the chemo, so don't set your heart on it.

Tomorrow is a pre-chemo visit to the Christie to have my bloods tested and for them to discuss with me the weeks ahead. Thursday 9am is my first chemo session.