17 April 2010 (Saturday) - On Yer Bike !

Despite a late night last night, I was wide awake at 6.30am because “My Boy ^TM ” got up silently, and was delicately loading his fishing gear into his car. For some inexplicable reason, the phrase “as quiet as a mouse” didn’t spring to mind. As I was wide awake, I spent a few minutes (an hour) having an avuncular perusal of one of my student’s friend's post-graduate work.

The chap who should have been doing this mentoring doesn’t do it. He does what the hell he likes, when he likes, and if he doesn’t like, he just doesn’t do it. If anyone dares question him, he just rants about various random employment laws and legislations and everyone kow-tows to him on the assumption that he knows what he’s talking about. Over the years he’s lodged so many formal grievances and complaints that nobody dares upset him because of all the paperwork he generates. I can’t say I like the fellow, but I have to admire his stance. He always gets his own way.

In the meantime I’m spending my Saturday morning doing what he should be doing. Who’s the daft one? But his students (more than one) have asked me for my help and advice. And have (on several occasions) asked me for tutorials in their own time. I can’t really say no to them, can I?

Yesterday I ranted about failings in the UK political system. Today I find it’s got worse. In the constituency of the Cities of London and Westminster it would seem that the pirate vote has been split. There is a candidate for the “official” pirate party (a bunch who are out to legalise free downloads for everyone). And there is a candidate for what I can only describe as “proper pirating”; the chap who runs International Talk Like A Pirate Day – Mad Cap’n Tom himself. I know who I’d vote for – after all, “he has policies, he has experience, he has a duck on his head”.

And then on with the business of the day. Last year we started cycling early. In the snow in January. This year we left it somewhat later, and an entertaining few minutes were spent tightening nuts, loosening screws, adjusting brakes and attaching trailers (!) before seven of us cycled off to Shadoxhurst. There was a minor hiccup when the blossom-tandem capsized, but that was nothing that couldn’t be put right. And I’m sure that Singleton Hill has gotten steeper over the winter. But despite two chains coming off, we eventually made our destination where the motoring contingent met up with us.

The Kings Head in Shadoxhurst is (usually) too close to home for a weekend cycling destination. It’s somewhere that we call in for a crafty half on the way back from another pub, or somewhere that me and ‘er indoors ^TM visit on a mild summer’s evening. The place is unusual for a Shepherd Neame pub in that it always has a good selection of ales, and we’d heard reports that it had won awards for the food. We weren’t disappointed – the food was excellent, and a couple of pints of “Dragonfire” (brewed for St George’s Day) slipped down well.

The plan was to come home via Great Chart for a crafty pint, but somehow we missed that one. So on the spur of the moment we got the barby out and cooked up some burgers and sossies. A wonderful way to spend the evening.

And then we sat down to watch Doctor Who. A week ago I commented that Matt Smith was too similar to David Tennant. I stand corrected – he’s great. Tonight’s episode was good; I liked daleks being relegated to just one mid-season episode. But weren’t the daleks great? If you’ve not seen the episode, activate the BBC i-player. Now!!!

And then having said goodbye to everyone, I went to work for two hours to deal with a totally predictable problem. Work owes me three hours for today. I wonder when I will get my time back……