TGIF

It's Friday! And it's anniversary weekend!

The high of my week was receiving my Dala horse in the mail - I've been wanting one of these for a very long time.  And I got discharged from physio - whiplash injury all better yay :D

The low of my week was feeling tired most mornings.  Not really much of a low so I think it's been a good week.  I am looking forward to having a nice long sleep in tomorrow though.

Something on the internet I loved was this post by Kyla Roma >> how-to-credit-images-on-a-blog.  I have now learned how I should properly use and credit images on my blog.

For my workouts, I completed a mile day and I hurt.  I really felt like giving up yesterday but I dragged my arse out and ended up doing one of my fastest paces ever!

The best money I spent was on a delicious filled pretzel from Popa's Pretzels and having a catch up with a friend for lunch.

image via Heart of the City

My plans this weekend include going on a bike ride with Kane, attending a friends Bon Voyage party, catching up on some sleep and reading.

Currently in ... January

Feeling: Sad that the Christmas season is over.  In previous years I haven't felt too festive because I'm not quite used to a Southern Hemisphere summer Christmas.  So this year I worked hard to add in lots of my favourite things and activities and it worked too well!  I miss Christmas.

Thinking: About how I can achieve the same success with summer as I did for Christmas.  I'm thinking about beach trips, going out for ice cream, day hikes, and bike rides.

Reading: Last Rituals by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir

Watching: Agent Carter, NHL, Downton Abbey, Castle, Grimm

Anticipating: Family coming to visit in February and March!  And all the wonderful things we will do together.


Planning: A trip to Rotorua and some of the things we can do there - like the Polynesian Spa.

Wanting: A new bike helmet but I just can't seem to find the perfect one.

      Maybe this Sawako Furuno one?

      Or a Yakkay one with a cover?

Wishing: For a long warm summer and autumn.

Adventures in Electric Biking!

I got my bike at the end of November and it was love at first sight!

Isn't she a thing of beauty! She's a Pedego Comfort Cruiser.

I rode it about the street for a little while to get a feel for it and to figure out how the brakes, gears, pedal assist and throttle all worked.  Then I decided it was time to take it on a proper outing and I needed to take some books back to library so on I hopped and headed out towards the main road and un the hill.  The bike was awesome on the hill - not fast, but it was certainly manageable.  I used to work at the top of a hill when I lived in Scotland and I always had to get off my bike and walk up the hill.  Electric bikes make hills much more manageable.  I got to the top of the hill feeling pretty pleased with myself and then splat, I tipped over just a few meters away from an occupied bus stop (how embarrassing!)  I scratched my brake handle!

So I've been riding about 300km a week and I was starting to feel pretty comfortable with everything - maybe even a bit blasé?  Anyway, last week as I was zooming downhill on the bike path when I had to brake and next thing I was skidding off the bike path and tumbling over the lovely landscaping!  I do remember giving a girlish scream and seeing my feet and the blue sky at the same time!  I quickly but shakily got to my feet and tried to brush off as much of the bits of bark and plants that had attached to my skirt and cardigan.  My right shoe was shredded and I was bleeding from my hands, knees and the back of my legs.  I rode to the end of the bike path before I had to stop to adjust my brake handle as it had moved during my crash.  My heel started to hurt a lot and I couldn't put any weight on it at all.  I have no idea how I managed to get through a yoga class!  It wasn't until about 10 or 12 hours after the crash that my neck started to really hurt.  I went to the doctor and I got heaps of painkillers, a foot x-ray and physiotherapy referral for whiplash. 

Since then I've still been riding my bike most days but my confidence has taken a bit a knock.  I'm more nervous of going fast downhill and I don't really trust my bike when braking.  I'm covered in bruises, some big and some small and I have lots of little scratches on my hands and legs.  My neck is starting to feel better and I'm getting physio for that and my heel is starting to feel better.  The x-ray didn't show any fracture or anything and I'm able to put a bit more weight on it now - which is good because I've still been running a mile a day as part of the #mileaday and #runeveryday challenges and it's not easy to to do on your mid foot and toes.  Needless to say I've been getting shin splints and calf complaints as a result. Ha! I'm my own worst enemy!

But I'm still enjoying my bike, especially when its warm and sunny outside.  I think I need to be my new bike glasses.