Catch up on Life: Adventurous bike rides

Once again I'm not quite so quick at getting around to writing blog posts. I'd like to say it's because I'm massively rushed off my feet but that's not really the case, although I am kinda busy.



Life must go on despite the other 'things' that are happening though and so I'm going to tell you about my newly acquired friend Denise, my second hand bike.

Our main road has been closed and remains closed all summer, stopping the buses and cutting us off from the easy ways to get to places locally. Since about Christmas time i have been hoping i could get a bike but there was a worry that we had no where to store them if we got them, then we found a secret nook where we could chain them up and Ta Dah we could start looking for bikes.

So a couple of weekends ago myself and the boyfriend decided we would grab the chance and get some second hand bikes from the local bike shop, in the end we had to slightly overstep our budget but it was still a pretty good deal and it gave us the chance to tell all the family that we had spent our birthday monies on something specific and give our business to a local, independent shop with excellent customer service instead of the chain bike stores.

That weekend we cycled a little bit, i completely forgot how tough it can be when you're not used to it!

Old and new contrast

Then we did a little biking adventure, from Greenwich along the Thames to the Thames Barrier, it was so much fun, it's a cycling and walking path the whole way and was such a good way to spend the scorching hot Saturday it was without feeling too hot and bothered. Of course there were multiple stops for hydration, and picture taking but what was most surprising was what a stark contrast that side of the Thames is to Canary Wharf, directly opposite!!

The Thames Barrier

Interesting Sculpture at the Emirates Air- Line

 It was such a good way to see that part of London, i would definitly suggest it to anyone who wants to get out for a couple of hours, even if you don't have a bike, it has some lovely areas with benches to stop and catch you're breath if you fancied walking it.






Since then we have been discovering our area more locally and finding out that there's a lovely cycle path from our local park all the way along the railway track to New Beckenham. We haven't quite gone that far yet but it's a nice way to get out after work and enjoy the bright evenings.

How have you been enjoying the chance to get out and about in this amazing weather?

Chloe x

A day for inspection

I may or may not have said what i do, who i am, why i'm here. I am a full time postgraduate student, in a course that is described as 'full on', 'intense' 'hell'....the last one i added in myself....oops!!
 It is intense and it is full on, it's hell because there is always something that needs to be done, is due in, or something that I'm going to get examined on. Sadly the later is fastly approaching and instead of having the motivation to crack on with the work needed to do it I'm writing this....

I have been on placement for the last 6 weeks, 1 week after finishing a month or more of revision and the worst exams i may ever have come across. I'm a little bit drained to say the least but happily buzzing along like a bee to pollen. I'm on a misson. A misson to pass all these exams so i can get on and enjoy the summer, the sun, and what may possibly be 2 months of relaxation, craftiness, baking and crochet learning....fun right?

Now i don't want you to think i am entirely lazy, even though i confess that although i am a hard worker when needed, i am a lazy soul. I just don't like to feel pressure, stress or in a rush. That's why i get up a good hour before i have to leave the house in the morning because I'm too lazy to want to hurry up so i could get an extra 20 minutes in bed. BUT i have done the bulk of the work for this exam, session plans, a session, creation of a DVD (even if it wont play), and now, tonight i am faced with the task of repeatedly having to watch and listen to myself on video and make notes and create a presentation on it...ugh!

My laziness is not the only thing that has held me back from doing this so far. My casual and laid back manner has also interrupted my progress. Every time i think about starting i think to myself 'does it really need that much work, you know what you did and why, you like to talk in general, why prepare so far in advance?', well stupid brain you are not as laid back as you would like to think, no when it comes to it you're going to forget everything you need to say and get all shaky. Shaky does not lead to good marks.

I've got one more day of placement, three whole days to think about this exam and tonight to make a start on this presentation. Through writing all this down i have managed to get that ol' grey matter of mine thinking, getting used to self inspection and hopefully, ready to start this work.
Fingers crossed i don't bail out of it now!
x