Wednesday 25 February 2009

Happy birthday to me


Yes, it’s my birthday today. 43 years young. And I don’t look a day over 42… well, maybe just one day… Here is an article from Glasgow’s Evening Times : http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/features/display.var.2491065.0.i_scrabbled_across_the_usa.php, which came out a couple of days ago. Very well written it is too. Don’t forget that you can see 195 of the photos from my bike ride at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoz261, where you can see them as a slideshow.

As for my news, I’ve been trying to get the blog published, but no publishers or literary agents, have actually said, “Yes please” as yet. I’ve had lots of people staying in my flat for one, two or three nights at a time. This has been through www.couchsurfing.com, which I used in America and had adjusted my profile to say that I was no longer travelling and willing to accept visitors. I didn’t imagine I’d receive any messages from people wanting to stay in the East End of Glasgow in the middle of winter. There have been requests almost every day! So far I’ve hosted individuals, couples, and a father & daughter, from France, Germany, Latvia, Australia, Hungary, San Francisco and Connecticut. Remember that anyone who played Scrabble with me or who accommodated me in the States is very welcome here as well.

I’ve been very lazy on the cycling front unfortunately, partly because it’s been so cold in Scotland since I returned, although that’s a pitiful excuse from someone who braved 25 mph headwinds in the wilds of wintry Wyoming. I have been playing tennis once a week since the start of the year at least, so gradually building up my fitness. I meant to go on a 60 miler on Sunday; that is 30 miles in any direction from my home and back again, but I only made it to 20 and back, partly because it was a tad windy. It felt good though, to be out there, gliding through the countryside on two wheels.

No more plans to do another big trip like this one, although I’ll keep you posted about future activities. I might be riding round Ireland in the summer, which will only take a fortnight, and I’m not sure if there will be a Scrabble component to it. I will be back in the States in August however, but will be on foot, for my brother’s wedding in Boston.

Keep Scrabblin’!