March 2026

 

March 2026

 

March started like February but Observed Sunday was not quite so wet. I used the car again and was learning the route to Normandy Village Hall. Perhaps next month I’ll use the bike. This month I felt I didn’t contribute much to the shop but it was a very social gathering.

For some reason the drive was very tiring this day and it was Tuesday I went for a blast on the Buell for about 40 miles and an hour in the sun through A roads and lanes around Beaconsfield and Amersham. I always think of the Missenden Flyer, when I see the signposts for Great Missenden, and Geoff of the biker scram. On Thursday I did the same again.

This was the week of computer woes. Not only having problems with Gita’s laptop and connectivity with her phone to make Whatsapp work consistently but my Windows 10 PC  did not want to perform at all and required Microsoft Edge to be re-installed to undo the update that had caused the problem in the first place. It is so annoying when these children do not think things through properly causing me hours of unnecessary work. I know it is going against the trend but I going to give Linux a go as an operating system.  I am fed up with the straight jacket that Microsoft has pulled us in to forcing us to use software that is so invasive that you have to pay for everything you use on it and filling up my memory with unnecessary programs that deliberately slow my PC down.

I have been working at doing more exercise after not being feeling great for much of last year it was time I made an effort to improve my fitness. I tried some walking programs, speed and navigation. And finally settled on the Ordinance Survey maps and navigation which has a cumulative distance program for your activities that is not just for hiking. I think it is helping my knees and I have clocked 87 km with this  hiking program for March.

Just before Christmas I saw an offer for 4 to 10 year olds 15 minute driving course in a proper half size car so I signed up Ena and Bipin for a session at Kempton Park. They were able to do the session together getting more time in the car. It was a cold day and rained after they had finished. I suffered from getting cold watching the kids go around the track. It will be some time before we see the value of doing this course.

Getting cold messed up my week. I did not feel right on the Monday so missed the 2CV club night but feeling better on the Tuesday I went to the LE club meeting at the Land of Liberty, Peace and Plenty at Chorley Wood and got cold again. A traditional pub with traditional heating. I was still ill at the end of the week and missed the French car day on the Saturday at Blackbushe Airport. The next week was no better I had a proper cold with cough and we were both invited for a long weekend away with the grandchildren in a “caravan” in Wells next to sea in Norfolk. We did not make the decision until Saturday and drove up on the Sunday feeling a bit better and able to drive. Arriving at lunch time and ready to eat the day was filled with a walk around Wells and in Holkham Forest and along the beach followed by fish and chips to complete the holiday mood. This was especially good for me to do some driving which I had not done much of over the winter. Longer days starting earlier transforms what you can do even better when it is warmer.