To paraphrase a famous Klingon “Today was a good day to lie“* as was ably demonstrated by my announcement into a late afternoon conference call. “Yes, Alex here – I’ll go on mute, it’s a bit noisy“. Not so much a lie really, more taking the thing we call truth and treading it into sodden soil while I walked over it looking for somewhere to live.

And while the phrase “Log Cottage” dredges up memories of fetid riding accommodation and over-sized saunas, this Family sized cabin offered much in way of temporary stabling for man and bike. Included are far reaching views, three ponds, – one big enough to swim in if you’re some kind of cold blooded nutter – endless garden and sufficient wood to cement the link between house building and the deforestation of the Amazon.

It’s really too expensive even for the two years months apparently required to nail down the house contracts*** but Carol will be negotiating hard and I’m fairly sure she kidnapped the renter’s much loved family dog and stowed it in the boot. Ransoming that hostage to fortune is likely reduce the price – failing that it’s a meal for 4.

Still this is mere displacement activity to stay my surfing fingers from the weather forecast centered on Shepton Mallet. This much misunderstood home of a famous tool represents the closest habitation centre to the CLIC-24 course. Currently, most authoritative sources call for a week of high pressure, low 70s temps and floor to sky sunshine.

Until Friday. When the pressure falls off a cliff and a phalanx of impatient depressions launch themselves at the epicentre of 500 people riding. Bringing with them, wind, rain and, er, depression for any of us still out on the course. I know long range forecasts are rubbish BUT only when they predict sunshine. Otherwise, they tend to the knob-on-block accurate.

Not content with impotent railing****, my pro-action has seen the cat sporting a hastily nailed lucky horseshoe on a spare ear, and lucky rabbits feet***** are being eaten by the warren-load. I’m considering this as a new form of Blue Sky Thinking.

I stole that line from Nige Parker. That’s if you’re groaning right now. However, if your response was more “that hedgehog bloke occasionally comes out with some right crackers” then Nige provided a very basic idea and I professionally polished it. Just so we’re clear.

I’ve nothing else to say on the matter. In fact this whole post is merely a wide eyed ramble in response to chugging back an industrial strength “Guatamala Elephant” double espresso at 9pm.

Probably time to wash it down with a beer.

* As opposed to yesterday where I battled the Ferengy sausages screaming “Today is a good day to fry“**

** Any Trekkies, feel free to go and get a life somewhere else. You should know, I print out and eat all hate mail.

*** I am well up for applying the same technique to the seller.

**** A fine name for a band.

***** But not for the rabbit. Obviously.