Botley instead of work? I haven't got any work!

A pint of Pale Ale from the Westerham Brewery.

It's Thursday. I'm in the house, sending off emails and generally considering my future. Last night I was on the radio, BBC Five Live, talking about mobile phones. I'd got back home around 1am in the morning (it was a late-night chat show) and went straight to bed. Waking up around 7am, I took a brief drive locally and returned home. After sitting at the computer screen for most of the morning, I decided that I had to get out of the house.

I jumped on the bike and headed for Botley Hill Farmhouse. Or rather the roundabout beyond and then, on seeing the pub, I decided to indulge myself and order a pint of delicious pale ale, brewed locally by the Westerham Brewery. It was a light, pale ale and absolutely wonderful. I ordered a chicken and bacon ciabatta with chips and brown sauce and decided to sit outside and brave the windy conditions. The alternative was sitting inside, as suggested by the waitress, but that meant leaving the bike, unpadlocked, outside.

The Scrap outside the pub.

The food was great, but the beer was better and I toyed with the idea of another one, but decided it would be a mistake.

The journey back was very pleasant. I went off-road, risking a puncture but not getting one and even the ride from Warlingham Sainsbury's to home wasn't as dangerous as I suspected. Kids being ferried home from assorted schools in the area meant there was more traffic than Andy and I experience on our weekend rides, but I reached home safely, feeling good about getting out on the bike mid-week. Perhaps I'll go tomorrow too, but only if the weather's good, like it was today.

Looking outside now as I sit here in the conservatory, there are blue skies and scattered clouds and while it must have rained last night, it's dry now.