Go Easy on Me...

... I've not done this before. Or, at least, not for a long time. It's been so long since I've blogged I've forgotten how to do it. So I'm going to just roll with it a while if that's okay with you.

Biggest problem has been that I've really lost the will to sit here and churn out stuff that is simply to keep a weekly schedule intact. 'Every Monday' it says. Well, I used to go to the pub 'Every Friday'. Then I didn't. Now I do again. We go through phases where we don't do things because we somehow fall out of love with them.

Of course, certain things are worth working at to ensure you never find yourself turning away from them. Marriage for one. Fiona and I have always worked hard at our marriage, to keep it on track and (hopefully) fresh. Takes some doing that. But it works. As a result we've been happy together for three years.

Just kidding - it's close to twenty nine years we've been together now.

With triathlon itself, I allow myself to drift in the off season. That's where I am now, just drifting. I've been drinking a few beers, eating a few (proverbial) pies and putting on a bit of weight. And that's cool because I know I'll come back strong in January for six months of hard yakka.

So I guess that's where I've been with the blog. Just taking it easy. I hope you'll forgive me for its absence and the slightly pointless ramblings of this week.

But hey... I finished my book! 90.000 words of children's adventure. Not only that but I've also read through it, made notes and have started to polish and re-write. So that's kinda exciting. I want to plop it down on my agent's desk (the book, that is) in the new year. I'm feeling kind of energised by it and am so glad I persevered. There are a few things that don't work but not half as many as I thought there might be.

Erin, Alice and Fi are well. We had a great time in Paris recently and the girls continue to act as living, breathing reminders of how great this life is. Photo this week is of me, Erin, Alice and Fi on the steps at Sacre Coeur.

One of my closest friends (who doesn't want to be identified) has been very sick recently so that's been playing on all our minds. We are delighted with the progress they've made and are a hundred percent dedicated to doing everything we can to ensure a complete recovery. Please pass on positive thoughts. Everything helps.

I feel better for sharing. Especially that last bit.

There could be something in this blogging business after all.

There are many congratulations due and I'm going to forget so many. To my mate Tom, who's now writing for Triathlonplus magazine. To Brian Payne, who did so well in the 70.3 World Champs in Clearwater. To Jamie H. from Team MK who did a 9:49 in IM Florida. To all of you... whatever you've done. Congratulations on doing it and may you do many more things.

It's good to be back and I'll try to be more focussed next week.

Oh, yeah. Isn't 'Tiny Dancer' by Elton John a great song. The guy is kind of a figure of fun now but go back and remember he wrote 'Your Song', 'Daniel', 'Candle in the Wind', 'Tiny Dancer', 'Crocodile Rock', 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' and so many others... all before he'd turned 25. I'm not sure there's anyone in recent years that's come close to that kind of output.

Told you I wasn't focussed.

Toodle pip...