Kelp Help

The weather this Friday is so different to the weather last Friday. I even have high hopes of seeing Saturday, which is not how I felt this time last week. Of course, I did get to see last Saturday, but it was only because of the building skills of the local builders, who built the walls and the corrugating skills of the local corrugators, who did the steel roof.

So, survive we did, and then when we braved the icy temperatures outside, some of us kept warm by dragging kelp along the beach:

Wet kelp is heavier than it looks (and it looks pretty heavy). A few hundred metres dragging wet kelp along sand in the wind is equivalent to doing an Ironman.

If you’re very-nearly-almost-six-years-old, anyway.

First week nerves

The first week back at school has gone swimmingly for the boy. But then he finds himself in familiar surroundings surrounded by familiar people. Monday was Scoop’s first day at “big school”.

Before and even during arrival at school, she was excited and upbeat. I captured this as she lined up for the first time, ready to go into class and, I guess, as the reality of the situation suddenly hit home. But there were no tears. She’s a tough little thing and by Wednesday, we were dropping her off at the front gate and she was making her own way through to the school yard – albeit with her big brother by her side.

I imagine that there will be another little dip in confidence on Monday morning, but all things considered, she’s settled really quickly and we’re proud of them both.

One quick mention for Pammie-Jane who is (health willing) going to be playing with the sharks in the waters of East London (and more!) as she attempts another ridiculous Ironman. Good Luck!

Good luck Pammie!

While I’m not lazing in bed on Sunday, 6000 miles…regular and blogrollee, Ordinary Life (aka Pamie Jane), will be spending (she hopes) around 14½ hours swimming, cycling and running around and around the sleepy village of Port Elizabeth in the Ironman South Africa triathlon.

For those of you who are wondering, that’s:

  • 3.8km swim (through shark-infested waters, nogal!)
  • 180km bike ride, and then, just because you do,
  • a full (42.2km) marathon.

Nuts. Completely and utterly nuts.

If you want, you can track Pamie LIVE on the day via the ATHLETE TRACKER link on ironman.com.
Her race number is 875.

Good luck Pamie, from all of us at 6000 miles…

Note: regular readers will be aware of my dislike for large-scale athletic events which disrupt the daily lives of local residents. This event, however, is completely fine by me as it is some 750kms away in PE.