Nosebleeds

A week or so ago I was showering and realised that I hadn't had a nosebleed for ages, which was a surprise. I've suffered from random nosebleeds since I was a teenager, especially when stressed or when I have a cold, but for several months I haven't had a single one. I guess that it was down to the drugs I've been taking for my hypertension.

Then yesterday whilst at breakfast in Bratislava, my nose spontaneously started leaking blood, huge drops of the stuff on my plate and napkin. It must have been because of the humid warmth of the restaurant contrasting with the crisp cold air outside - we'd been for a fifteen-minute stretch before eating - but whatever the cause it was still annoying. Fortunately it was as painless as usual, as were the subsequent sessions by the Soviet war memorial. Let's hope that it heals again.

One week later - no re-occurrences. There's a tiny part of me that puts the bleed down to another, paranormal, reason. But I'm unlikely to discover whether that's right or not.



:o\

Zipties

I went off to the Welsh mountains cycling with the lads again last weekend. Although we started off as one big party, as usual we split into smaller groups after the half-way (ish) point, so that the weaker (or more realistic, or wiser) members could take an easier way back. Just Antony & I decided to retrace our path along the ridge of Offa's Dyke, so we cycled and talked together. I was explaining my love of bodgery and simple mechanics when we heard a loud bang, and my rear tyre immediately flattened & weaved from side to side.

It turned out that it wasn't simply a punctured tube, but a 3" split in the tyre wall itself, not reapairable. It was going to be a long walk back to our base, probably eight miles. So I improvised. I always try to carry a number of zipties with me as they are so useful for odds and ends. I was so grateful to have them with me this time, as after replacing the tube I used three zippies to bind the tyre and to stop the inner from bulging out like an embolism. We cycled slowly back, with me trying to put all my weight over the front, and being extra-specially careful over the bumps and edges; but I made it.

Frankly, I was really pleased with myself, both for having the zippies and for thinking up the idea of how to use them. Smug is not the word.

:o)