It's amazing how the Universe can send you little impromptu messages...

My first post of 2020, it's not that I haven't been doing anything in fact, quite the opposite, today is actually day 81 of riding my bike or should I say bikes. The majority of my riding being indoors upon my road bike, set up on a turbo trainer, and then a little more out on my mountain bike.

Oh and today is day 34 of me being Vegan. Now when I say Vegan I am trying my best and can pretty much maintain it whilst at home, however, there are bound to be some people who point their finger and say "you are not a proper Vegan", generally as they tuck into there BigMac with Cheese or their extra greasy KFC family bucket for one. So let's just say I have most definitely been a Vegetarian and a practising Vegan. It's a personal choice after watching a documentary on Netflix, called The Game Changers.

Netflix actually gets me in some way onto why I am writing this blog. Usually exercise and Netflix you wouldn't associate with working out and trying to get in shape. Well, when I am on the turbo as I don't get to see, smell and hear the beautiful outdoors I have taken to popping something on and watching it as I spin away.

So let us start from a bit earlier this morning. I have been on annual leave, and as such really enjoying my lie inns. At about 11:00am Ern and I headed out into wor back yard and uncovered Myrtle my 65 Bug. She has been under a cover for some time now awaiting heading back to LVH Engine and Resto for some follow-up fettling. Ern got into Myrtle and I have to say I was very impressed when she practically started 1st time. Once she had ticked over for a little bit, Ern reversed her out, drove her a little way down the street and then reversed her back into our yard, now ready to just drive out tomorrow when she goes to LVH. Whilst we were on with Myrtle I had a little fiddle with the settings on her Air Ride, just to get her sitting even. Part of the job required is to fit new extended control arms, as at the moment poor Myrtle is listing to one side. Ok enough about Myrtle.

Whilst I was out in the cold I could see poor Tango my Smart car was feeling a bit left out. She was filthy so I decided to give her a wash. Not exactly the best day to wash a car as it was Baltic. Nevermind I grabbed Tango's keys and proceeded to jump in her. After getting her started as I put her into gear and went to pull away, she just wouldn't move. I then tried her in reverse and exactly the same thing. She was in gear with the engine running and just no drive. Just the other week I had experienced the same problem and had had the car down to Darlington. I was informed it could be a number of things, all of which are very expensive...well of course they are. I turned her off waited for a little while then tried her again. This time she popped into gear and I drove her off the grass and over to the opposite kerb outside our house, where both Ern and I gave her a lovely wash. Anyhoo after her wash, I went to move Tango and again she just would not drive whilst in gear. This is one of those "Fuck, Fuck, Fuck moments. I have waited for ages to get Myrtle sorted and been saving like mad, then the very day before she is due to go in, Tango decides to pack in. The bill is going to be close to £1000 to get her sorted. That is for labour, a new clutch and an actuator, oh plus I now have to rent a trailer to get her moved to the garage Lol, so that is another £50.
 
Something else I have been doing since 26/11/2019 is writing a scripting journal. I have discovered by doing this it has calmed my mind and it allows me to be much more reflective and see things for what they really are. When looking at a car, for instance, it is a piece of mechanical technology, that can have parts replaced and therefore fixed...So no big deal...
 
Now then moving along to this afternoon and going back to Netflix. For some reason as I searched for something to watch I recognised an actor who used to be in Spartacus, his name, Andy Whitfield. The title of the documentary was called "Be Here Now... The Andy Whitfield Story". It was on like an hour and 49 minutes so I began watching it downstairs on the TV, then decided it would be something worthwhile to watch as I worked out.

The first thing that made me go "Omg" was when I discovered that the documentary was actually about Andy fighting against cancer. I mean I had just put this show on and didn't have a clue what it was about. I just liked the guy in his role as Spartacus. I then discovered Andy was fighting Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. This is the same cancer I had or have I mean I am in remission, however as far as I am aware the kind I have is incurable. Obviously, there are different forms High grade and low grade and various stages from 1 to 4.

Man it is a heartfelt documentary, very sad. I could really relate to some of the things Andy and his wife spoke about. In hindsight probably not the best thing to watch when you are trying to lift weights and you are crying.

You are probably wondering where my title comes from "It's amazing how the Universe can send you little impromptu messages". Well, I give thanks to the Universe each day. For me coming across this film, whether by chance or design. It just made me think of all the things I have to be grateful for. I have been one of the lucky people to receive treatment and get to spend more time each day with family, friends and in doing my job trying to fix people. So the whole car thing now just pales. No matter the odds, having a positive mindset sure beats a "why does this always happen to me" one

Sometimes we get so caught up in the everyday, mundane, take it for granted shit, looking way off to how things used to be, or imaging how things might be, that we just lose all sense of the here and now.

I suggest if you have taken the time to read this and it has made you think a little, go and find someone you are close to and tell them how much you love them, give them a cuddle. I'm off to tell my dad how much I love him right now, he is 80 years old this year, and there he was on a freezing cold day, whilst it was starting to rain lying under my car trying to sort it out for me.

Thank you Dad xXx