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Blog Date 5 Jan 2025
2025, what already?
While I have managed to keep abreast of the updates on here and cast an eye over your murmurings in the comments the more astute among you may have noticed I've not been quite as active as I may usually be. I do rather hate those YouTube videos where the creator makes their excuses as to why they've not been posting weekly but I guess it's my time to create one of them... just in text format not video.
You may recall Sharon and I set out for Spain in the middle of September and I mentioned mother was in hospital as we departed. Long story short mother had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer at the age of 80. Well upon our return the medical types reckoned it'd be a year or two before she died and we thought she'd be on a long and slow path of decline.
She declined rather swiftly. It started with falls and getting stuck in bed and the carers would call me to assist (they can't for safety reasons which I do agree with). So a ten mile ride/drive to mums, hours of faffing and then a 10 mile return leg. Then there's all the shenanigans with medical equipment, medications, confused calls from nurses and mother and carers and uncle Tom Cobbley. If you know - you know, if you don't I hope you never do.
My brother arrived all the way from Sydney Australia, only to find mother had declined and he never got a sensible conversation from her. Another week of round the clock care saw me sleeping (occasionally) on the floor of her kitchen and my brother in her bedroom as mother was on a "hospital" bed in the living room. It was messy.
Eventually we got her into a hospice who did a truly amazing job of getting her pain managed and provided wonderful care. The folks at St Catherine's were fabulous, these people are angels. A further 2 weeks there and she eventually died with my brother and myself present, on the 21st of November.
Mum with her "adopted" daughters - Anita and Olivia.
My brother has returned to his family and work back in Oz and now I've got a house to empty, a myriad of belongings to sort through and eventually a property to sell (I'm afraid I won't be rich, shared ownership single bed property). Since the beginning of December I've been wading through all that - I'm making progress.
Along with that there's my job where apparently I'm expected to do "work"?
And to round the year off I have just returned from seeing my father in that there "daaan saaaaf". I departed on New Year's Eve in the wind and the rain and the weather warnings and made my way to a Travelodge in Marston Moretaine near Bedford. That was an "interesting" ride. New Year's Day got me to dad's place near Worthing which was "wet". I left there Friday morning which was "icy" and rode across country to Alcester's Travelodge. Saturday saw me leave at 0745 to make the 115 mile ride to Millennium Motorcycles in St Helens to meet with my friends for "brekkie". That ride was "cold".
Super Sausage Cafe Towcester 
Choppy seas on Wednesday at Worthing
Sunny and Frosty at Littlehampton on Thursday.
I spent Saturday night at Sharon's as the snow fell. After a great deal of umming and erring I eventually rode home through the rain and slush to get home. That ride was "lairy". I am now in the confines of my abode which after 6 nights of warm houses and hotels is cold and damp and... home sweet home.
HOWEVER!
Fear not dear readers, for there is good news. There is more to come from Upt's trip to Italy. Bogger's sent me a long weekend in Belgium that as you might expect involves beer, and there's still a lot more to come regarding The Dynamic Muppet's Iberian trip. There's also a lot more news from Sharon but she's about as quick at writing as I am at spending money so don't hold your breath...
Back to the usual nonsense now please. Back to bike trips and bodging bits.
Reader's Comments
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ed, unfortunately I do know.
Life's so damn hard at times.
It's character building apparently.
Well done Ed, hopefully you can see the light. We all obviously hope it isn't an oncoming train.
Upt.
06/01/2025 10:03:14 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Commiserations from me too Ren. I have experienced similar and as you say it's so hard emotionally while at the same time there's all the tedious admin etc to deal with. Best of luck for 2025.
06/01/2025 16:06:54 UTC
Steve S. said :-
Sorry to hear of your loss Ren. Lost both my parents years ago.
Looking at your mum’s picture I can see your resemblance to her.
Not saying you look like a woman by the way.
Hope 2025 is a better year for you and all your followers on here.
06/01/2025 17:34:53 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Thank you kind folks.
I was chatting with a chap at Rykas Boxhill in the pouring rain. I wished him "Happy New Year" and he came back with "And you, I'm sure it'll be s### like last year but in a different way, let's hope it's in a way we can manage".
Wow, how negative I thought. Then as I continued my ride I got to thinking. Every year is bound to be filled with problems and struggles and issues and tribulations. But perhaps my cynical acquaintance was right? Some problems bring us down and leave us shattered, other problems seem easy to fix or ignore or deal with. If we get a year with "easy" problems then we'll be fine.
Perhaps the mistake we make is hoping for a year without problems which is impossible. So here's to a year of manageable, fixable, ignorable, and easily dealt with problems.
07/01/2025 08:10:56 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I'll drink to that.
If it's allowed in January of course, the wine police are out there you know.
Although Ed said I can ignore stuff and insufferable wining opinionated do'gooders can definitely be ignored. They're worse than oil threads.
Upt.
07/01/2025 11:21:34 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
You may have problems you can ignore Upt' but it appears much like Bogger's beer problem your wine problem cannot be ignored. Think of your liver! That is my opinionated do-gooder whining done. As for oil threads... I think my 500 is due a change soon. Am I better with olive oil, extra virgin olive oil or go totally leftfield and try baby oil?
If they get olive oil by squeezing olives - how do they get baby oil?
07/01/2025 11:31:01 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Liver, schmither. Now oil.
I'd go for the fully synthetic 0W500 olive oil. I could sell you some at the right price, it's currently 50% off to mates at "only £59.99 per litre, so it's £120 to you.
You're welcome.
And stop squeezing babies, no good will come of it.
07/01/2025 16:12:02 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , so sorry to hear about the loss of your mother , your positive attitude however is inspiring.
Nigel
07/01/2025 16:47:37 UTC
Bogger said :-
Beer problem? I have absolutely no problem with beer at all.
Bogger
07/01/2025 22:07:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Inspiring? Positive attitude? Good heavens, have you read my grumblings nab301? You see unlike Upt' and Bogger I don't drink, I'm beginning to wonder if this is why I am so grumpy? No, I'd just be grumpy with a hangover.
08/01/2025 07:57:45 UTC
Dawood said :-
I am sorry for your loss Ren. Losing my mother was the most devastating event for me. I was 18. I prayer that you mourn her well and recover yourself from grief.
09/01/2025 10:09:15 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I was lucky to have my mum around until I was 53 Dawood. Thanks for your kind words.
09/01/2025 12:53:53 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Commiserations from myself on your loss Ren.
I am sure I don't need to tell you that a ride on the bike is often the pickup you need when feeling down.
09/01/2025 15:27:38 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Thanks Rod - being on the bike always helps but alas the weather is spoiling all the best laid plans of mice and Ren. I can deal with rain and wind but ice, well I have yet to figure out how to ride on ice.
10/01/2025 07:33:40 UTC
BrosSteve said :-
Sorry for your loss. Here's hoping for a positive year.
As for me bikes are in hibernation for the winter. I know, I'm a wimp.
11/01/2025 06:51:34 UTC
KiwiJeff said :-
Condolences on the loss of your Mum Ren, it is never an easy time. Perhaps some trainer wheels off a kids bike attached to the CBF125 would enable you to gracefully pirouette up and down your icy street to get your riding fix? I'm in Japan in a couple of weeks I'm sure those clever Japanese have figured out a way to ride through their icy winter I'll do some research for you.
11/01/2025 21:49:29 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Thanks BrosSteve and KiwiJeff.
Alas and alack I did not manage to get the bike out this weekend. Saturday morning saw another hard frost and with my back passage full of compacted snow (very uncomfortable) it had become an ice rink. All the main roads were clear and perfectly fine it's all the side roads that were treacherous. Anyhow my back passage is clearing up nicely as the weather changes so some motorcycling may be imminent.
If anyone wants to see my back passage I can send pictures? It's a bit of a mess at the moment, I need to get on to the council about it. I do try to keep my bit clean but I'm not cleaning everyone else's mess up. Oh dear...
13/01/2025 07:43:33 UTC
CrazyFrog said :-
Very sorry to hear this Ren. Having to deal with probate and all the associated paperwork and clearing a property after a loved one has died, is one of life's hardest tasks imho.
13/01/2025 09:37:42 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
On the top 10 list of things to do - I wouldn't recommend it CrazyFrog. Thanks.
13/01/2025 13:04:33 UTC
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