Does anyone else think the weather is strange?

This picture was taken this week on the beach at Brook...which is half a mile away from my house. I love the light at this time of year. There's a special clarity and the sun is not too high in the sky.

Obviously we're getting some weird weather. I used to spend a lot of time on the beach, either walking the dog, surfing, or either windsurfing or kiting. Now, I'm never there. I can't blame it on Blair or Gordon Brown. The dog is too old and knackered. The waves aren't big enough. It's just never windy anymore, at least not from the south west. I'm starting to believe that our climate is changing.

What I can blame on Brown are stealth taxes. Does anyone actually believe him when he quotes such low figures of inflation? As for taxing fuel, food, cheap air travel, bin collections and pay-as-you-drive schemes etc in the name of a 'green tax', can he can get away with it? Yes, probably. He has effectively introduced extra taxes whereby we all pay to park at our local hospitals. The NHS staff who work there have to pay to park at work. Yes, they do. But, does any intelligent soul actually believe that these additional taxes in England are going to make any difference to worldwide climate change? The USA are number one global polluters, and they won't sign up to the Kyoto agreement. Now we've got the Chinese economy coming on stream, soon to easily overtake everyone else put together. And I suspect India will follow in due course. And why shouldn't these countries enjoy the sort of economic boom and consumerism that we have enjoyed in the West for the last 50 years? Words such as oceans and urinating come to mind.

Let's get back to cycling.

It's been a strange week. I should be elated, content and confident. I did a 100 mile marathon last Sunday, which is not a bad effort with 10 more weeks to go to the big day. Why don't I feel superfit and confident? Well, I haven't found the time to get on the bike since the 100-miler. So, I've got a nervy anxious feeling that I should be doing more, and that I must get out on the bike as a matter of urgency or my muscles will start crumbling . My lungs will silt up. I remember this sensation from 20 years ago when I trained for the marathon. It's a self-generated pressure as you get yourself fitter, an irrational fear that the new found athleticism hangs by a fine thread. It's crazy. If you don't keep pushing on, ever harder, it's all going to fade away. Maybe it isn't irrational? I don't feel particularly fit. I'm sleeping more than ever. I've got a cold sore (as predicted). I am eating too much. And I know I won't get another big ride until next weekend...if I'm lucky. The May Bank Holiday is pandemonium on the Island with loads of things going on, including two big biker rallys. So, we've got hundreds of motorcycles zooming up and down the small country roads. And there will be a big influx of tourists. So, it won't be a good time to be cycling, not really. I don't like too much traffic when I'm on the bike. So many motorists try and squeeze past.

Oh well. perhaps I will just take it easy. The important thing is that my lad is recovering nicely after his operation. It's my daughter's birthday party today. Her mid-week skating competition in Bracknell was a success with a win in the artistic category. So, she's happy. If my family are happy, then so am I.

I'll just have to accept that there are some things over which I have no control. Including the weather.