HOT!

A very warm day from the get-go (HATE THAT EXPRESSION). After our early walk, I was browsing exercise cycles, as I do frequently. I have, for a long time, regretted leaving my exercise bike by the bin for the next lucky person. I really need to do cycling, to improve my leg muscles, but without walking. JR keeps suggesting that I join the gym again, but at £40-odd a month, I'd only be using the bikes anyway - the treadmill is too difficult.

I have been looking at bikes, but always just got proper 'Peloton-type' bikes, costing £100s... but this morning I must have put in a more precise search and up popped the wee fold-up bike I used to have. £99! Bargain. And I could pick it up at Argos in our nearest shopping centre. We shot over there and picked it up, and after we'd struggled inside with it (it's quite heavy) I set to, putting it together. BUT... No Allen key. No spanner. No thingie to hold the monitor. No knob to keep the saddle at the right height. I eventually got the correct phone number, and spoke to a chap who has ordered me a new bike, pick it up tomorrow. But NO! - I don't need to bring the bike back, I can open a new box and take the bits I need!! Result!

In the afternoon we all popped round to Abi and Ferg's for nibbles and gins. And yes, as we were laden with flowers and a bag of goodies, Archie KNEW... he BARKED the whole way round to their house. We pass their gate every day, and he doesn't even look in, let alone bark. But when he realises that we're actually going there, he gets SO excited.

It was SO WARM! In fact, JR at one point had to move and sit in the shade. Very nice nibbles and G&Ts (Irish measures...) Archie LOVED poking around in Pip's garden. It's much more interesting than his own garden, where he's not allowed to poke around in the flower beds - they don't have flower beds.

The new fitness regime starts tomorrow!

Archie is wearing a damp cooling scarf of Pip’s