January 2026

 

January 2026

 

I have been trapped by the weather it being too wet or too cold. At the beginning of the month frost and snow enough to have had Observed Sunday cancelled allowing me to stay in bed warm. There are now safety guidelines that gatherings should not take place if it is 5C and below. Sensible really especially in rural areas unexpected pockets of ice can catch you out particularly on Sunday mornings when traffic is light. When it wasn’t freezing there were gray skies and rain, rain and more rain. Not good for arthritis but I managed to do some walking pretty much every day to get rid of the stiffness in my joints. I often feel like I am losing the use of my legs.

Ice on the canal

As the weather was not good I set about sorting out a problem with the showers in the house. The upstairs one works with good temperature control but the thermal valve leaks a little. However the downstairs one gets no hot water at all. After a Corgi call out about it the diagnosis was the upstairs shower thermal valve was damaged to the extent that it allowed hot and cold water to mix rendering all the hot taps down stairs cool. I then set about ordering a new thermal valve. Apparently not the right one. Weeks later I still have not tracked down the right one. I will have to remove the valve, take measurements and photos and to do this I will have to turn the water supply off. No water, you can prepare for but no heating at this time of year is a disaster.

Tap into disaster

On one cloudy but dry for a bit day I escaped on the Buell on a forty mile loop to Amersham and returning via Beaconsfield and a blat along the M40 back home. The roads were dry except one short section which was muddied by HS2 work between Beaconsfield and High Wickham. It stretched from a tee junction over two close roundabouts. Covering the Buell and me with mud splats. It now needs washing as does my gear. The joys of winter riding.

Buell after the ride

Gita and I received a Christmas present that was a Spa break at a Warner hotel. A bit of luxury at a posh hotel that has swimming pool, sauna and massage parlour. We enjoyed it all with lots of food and entertainment. It could have been Hotel California but not quite as the entertainment for Saturday night was Talon an Eagles tribute band and they were excellent. While there we did walks along the Thames which was flowing so fast and only inches away from bursting its banks. It is a chain hotel and there are a number throughout the country it is a thought for other breaks throughout the year and with entertainment.

 I have not used the El Cid or the Burton since last year. After breaking the fan pulley wheel and overheating the engine of the El Cid I thought it would be prudent to change the engine oil. This I did on a cold dry day. Making a mess and just getting everything tidied up before the weather changed it was a chore that needed to be done before I forgot about it.

December 2025

 

December 2025

 

December started in India staying with my sister-in-law, Bhonti her son Ankur and her mother. We had travelled to Delhi for a memorial of Gita’s brother who had passed away in May. Having just got back in April we were unable to go again for the funeral in May. Our visas had expired. Our son Amit was also with us on this trip. He was going on a spiritual experience in Coimbatore.

 At the beginning of the visit Chinmoy and Lakhu from Assam joined us in Delhi making it a very special time. It was a bit like having an early Christmas but being away I missed the December Observed Sunday and the subsequent move from Cobham Village Hall to Normandy Village Hall for the January Observed Sunday. The roads have fewer restrictions and less traffic that should make getting out into the countryside easier and quicker for tuition sessions.

I was back in time for the Thames Tortoises Christmas meal on the club night, third Monday of the month. Only three of us to enjoy the evening, Richard, Peter and myself. I have been given a challenge to take some photos of the modifications made to the El Cid for the Sahara Challenge I did in 2004. This was having installed protection plates for the sump and the petrol tank. I had been warned by the experts that there should be no space for stones to get into. The best thing is to have foam to ensure this. It gives room for impacts from rocks and stones room for the plate to move to and not damage what you to protect. The sponge also stops small stones from getting into that space and causing damage.

The next night was the LE club night and also there was a Christmas meal. Earlier in the evening and not at our usual pub. When we finished we continued at our usual venue, with Chris. Antony, Phil and myself in attendance. It was a very social evening exchanging Christmas cards and knowledge. Another festive night out.

Christmas was a family affair made most enjoyable by having the grandchildren present with all the chaos that surrounds them when they have too much energy that cannot be dissipated in a small house. There were frequent walk to parks and excursions to any activity that kept them busy. The highlight was going ten pin bowling with the kids doing better than the adults at Westfield. What a place and I found the place difficult to get to with the volume of traffic, parking and finding the bowling alley an unpleasant experience. It is just too big with too many people. It annoys me you have to pay a tenner just to park! I can go to Uxbridge, pay £2 for parking and no hassle and still go bowling.

Before that experience it was another French Car Day at Blackbushe airport with another gathering of Citroen friends. It was so cold that retiring to the cafe for a hot drink was essential. We all had a pleasant hour staying out of the cold before it was time to head for home.