Unusual photo of the week...

Check out this sunflower growing in the
gutter of my street. Amazing!

Boring photograph of the week

Turn left for Westerham and right for Botley Hill.

Check out this incredibly boring pic. It's a Give Way sign at the junction between Clark's Lane and Approach Road on the outskirts of Tatsfield, but only a few feet from the famous Tatsfield Bus Stop.

New shoes, my foot!

My new walking boots from Shoe Zone in Brixham, but
there's more than one outlet. My last pair of cycling shoes
were bought in a Shoe Zone in Huddersfield – for a fiver!

Jimmy Choo? Not a chance! Timberland boots? Oh, please! Nope, the best shoe shop in the world is Shoe Zone. Why? Because the prices are brilliant and the quality's okay too. Check out what I'm wearing in the photograph above – they're walking boots with steel toe caps and they only cost me £24.99! Ideal for cycling and walking.

For more details of Shoe Zone, click here.

To the Tatsfield bus stop – twice!

I've been on holiday in a cottage in Brixham overlooking the harbour and it was tremendous. I love small harbour towns choc-a-bloc with little fishing boats and people who resemble pirates, and Brixham fitted the bill nicely. The weather was okay. We had a rainy day (last Wednesday) and the rest of the time was a mix of sun and clear skies – I swam in the sea three times, although it was fucking cold – and there were a few changeable days when one minute it was raining and the next it was sunny.

Brixham Harbour from the house we rented for a week.

I didn't really want to come home to be honest, but I had to and now it's Monday evening and that means work tomorrow. Mind you, I enjoy my job, always have done, so that makes things a little better – thank the Lord. Another good thing about coming home, of course, is the cycling. I didn't go last week and I did get through a few Cornish pasties, so a cycle was needed.

Andy and I met at 0730hrs on Sunday, the day after I got back, and headed out (the slow way) towards the Tatsfield bus stop. There was loads to do at home so a longer cycle was out of bounds and, to be honest, I was knackered, having drove the 223 miles home the previous day. Find out more about Brixham by clicking here.

A Bristol Fighter - one of many cars from the company.

We chatted about cars and I said that I was never really bothered about them; I didn't really care for sports cars and if I did have a load of money, I'd never buy a Ferrari; I just don't see the attraction. Andy said that if he had loads of cash he'd buy a Bristol and I think I'd probably do the same. For Andy, the Bristol is a cool car because you don't see many about, they have that classic look and the company builds each car by hand. Click here for more details on Bristol Cars Ltd.

Parting company at the Good Companions, a pub in Hamsey, we went our separate ways and Andy texted me later – actually, very early in the morning, about 0545 hrs, to say he had the flu and couldn't make it. I was so relieved because I'd been at a party until gone midnight and couldn't really face a ride. I turned off my alarm and went back to bed but then, around 0900hrs, I set out alone for the Tatsfield bus stop. I had a plan: take the Saturday Guardian's Review section and a flask of tea and chill out at, yes, the bus stop. But, as avid readers of this blog will know only too well, the Tatsfield bus stop is no ordinary place: it's made of wood, it's covered (providing shelter from the rain and snow etc) and it has a long integral bench. In short, I love it and, while this might sound a little bit sad, bank holiday Monday proved to be one of the best cycling days ever for yours truly. Why? Well, I sat there, mug of hot tea by my side reading Colm Toibin's short story. The sun was shining but there was a breeze, a cool, refreshing breeze, that ruffled the tall blades of grass in front of the bus stop. Click here for more information on Colm Toibin.

Colm Toibin's short story in Saturday's Guardian Review.

I know what you're thinking: little things please little minds, but it was truly wonderful sitting there, blue skies overhead, a mild breeze, a cup of tea and the Guardian's review section. The only thing I missed was Andy's company, our usual banter and, of course, Andy's teaspoon (I had to fish out my teabag nimbly using my fingers).

I left the house much later than usual (around 9am). In fact, it took me just under an hour to reach the bus stop and then I must have been sitting there for a good 30 minutes or more before heading back home (the fast way and off-road, risking a puncture but not getting one).

It was a bit of a lazy day, thanks to that late night, although I did manage to chop down a small tree in the garden (that was encroaching on next door) and then I took a shower and went to see my mum and dad. Jon had been there earlier in the day; he'd cycled round.

...and here's yours truly, writing this blog post.

Mum makes exceedingly good cakes and I weakened and had a slice of fruit cake with my tea. We left around 5pm and then I made a cottage pie for everyone.