New Year's Day 2019 – to mum's!

A later start than normal and Andy wasn't going so it was up to me to motivate myself. I'd had a late night by my standards, staying up and watching Hootenanny, a programme I despise because it's so corny and stuck in the 1980s. The music's not stuck in the 80s, just the people on the programme, they all seem to be people from that era; it's normally the likes of Jennifer Saunders and husband Ade Edmondson, but last night it was comedian and writer Alexei Sayle. Nice people, I'm sure, but, well, I don't really know, there's something about Hootenanny that I don't like. I switched over a couple of times to watch Madness on BBC 1 –  Suggs never seems to age. The BBC has replaced the word 'Christmas' with 'Oneness' and that annoys me.

I must have hit the sack around midnight thirty, possibly a little later, but I didn't sleep well and there were some pretty loud fireworks outside too, but I got there and suddenly it was almost 0800hrs and Radio 4 was blaring out, if that's what Radio 4 does. I suppose it doesn't really 'blare out', that's more for Radio 1 or Capital, but the clock radio is set to come on around 0700hrs, so I must have been sparko for a good 45 minutes after the radio had activated itself.

Purley playing fields on New Year's Day

I jumped out of bed, feeling fine as I hadn't been drinking. In fact, as avid readers of this blog will know, I haven't had a drink for 14 months. In fact, later today I found myself on LBC talking about this; I'd pulled up the car in a side street and dialled the number and then found myself broadcasting to the nation. What were the benefits of not drinking? Seemed like a reasonable question. "I get a better night's sleep, I don't make a fool of myself and I have more energy," I said, just before the midday news. I think it was midday, it might have been 1pm, I can't remember.

But let's get back to the morning. I had my usual porridge, grapes, blueberries and sliced banana (all in the same bowl) and accompanied by a large mug of tea in my favourite Kath Kidson mug. I was considering not going cycling, but it was later than usual, I felt strangely energised and decided to head for mum's. I rode down West Hill, left on to Essenden, right on to Carlton, left into Jarvis Road, across the Brighton Road and up Hayling Park Road to the roundabout. I crossed straight over and skirted the playing fields until I reached the A23 where traffic lights halted my progress, but not for long. I turned right and then left and emerged on the Stafford Road heading for the top of Wallington High Street. I rode up the hill and spied a Sainsbury's Local, open on New Year's Day. In I went having padlocked the bike outside. I felt as if I was dismounting a horse and tying it up outside the General Store, just like the cowboys do in the movies. I bought two bunches of bananas, two cartons of organic milk and one of those high-fibre nut bars and then headed out of the store having used one of the automated check-outs.

The ride continued. I rode up the hill and turned right into Crichton Road, following the road round to Carshalton Beeches station where I turned right and free-wheeled down the hill towards the Windsor Castle pub where I turned left at the lights. I sped round the corner while the lights were green and then turned right on to Shorts Road, a one-way street and I was riding the wrong way, but there were no cars and it saved cycling up the hill to Alma Road. Soon I was passing St Philomena's school, under the railway bridge, left and then left again – it was at mum's.

Christmas cake awaited me and a cup of tea. This year mum didn't make the cakes, but my niece made one for mum based on mum's recipe. It was good. Very good. And much appreciated. After tea and cake I munched the high-fibre bar and then bid farewell to mum. What followed was the same ride but in reverse, stopping briefly at the Cambridge Garage, now known as 'the BP garage', but only to see if they had a jet cleaner – they didn't, so I rode up the Cambridge Road, turned right on to the Banstead Road, through Carshalton Beeches High Street and then left and up the hill towards the Village Bakery and Crichton Road. I reached home and then went in search of a shop so I could buy bread and soup for lunch. The Co-op on Warlingham Green was open and soon I was enjoying lunch back at home – minestrone soup and bread. I had a shower and went for a drive, but the teashops were closed and we'd already enjoyed the delights of Chartwell just a few days ago.

It's now Tuesday evening and it feels just a like a Sunday night. Work tomorrow, but fortunately a short week, just three days. Can't say I'm looking forward to going back, but only because I've enjoyed slobbing around and now I've got to look sharp, be in the shower at 0730 and on the train by 0818. The slog begins, and it's going to be a busy old year.

It's been a good festive season of cycling. Andy and I have been riding alternate days ever since the weekend before Christmas, although we both took Thursday and Friday of last week off (Andy was working and I needed a lie-in). Check previous posts for further details.