What have you done today thread?

[Wossname]

What I’ve done today is drive from Birkenhead to Swansea. But it’s not quite that simple. Been on the N coast of NI on holiday for weeks, got the overnight ferry from Belfast. Heading for breakfast at Prees Heath as usual, doing about 60 on the A41… BANG! Pothole. Swerve, stop. Front OS tyre (nearly new) has a split, wheel damaged but hopefully not terminal.

Wind back 6 years… we bought a new Up GTI, and traded our High Up. New car came with a can of goo and no spare, old car has a full size spare. Had a chat with the salesman and did a swap, having checked that the spare fitted the new car (on the back, as it happens). We’ve done 67k miles since, and never needed the spare. But today - jacked the car up, emptied the (FULL) holiday boot in the rain, and discovered that the spare doesn’t fit on the front as the GTI caliper gets in the way. In the middle of reporting to AA the embarrassing fact that I’ve got a spare but it doesn’t fit, when my lateral brain cell said “put the spare on the back, and the back wheel on the front”. So today I’ve changed 2 wheels at the side of the road, in the rain, before breakfast. What do I win?

So: pothole >> flat tyre - BMP. Spare wheel/goo swap - “ITTYMM happy”. Split tyre no good with goo anyway - BMP (especially as the tyre has a weird profile (45?), also hard to find off the shelf so AA would have struggled to replace it) - BMP. We sorted the problem ourselves - ITT etc. The Raven cafe - brilliant breakfast - ITT.

That’s what I’ve done today. I think “happy” won in the end, but it was close.

[DefTrap]

Loafing in caffs in Cabanas de Tavira, boat trip to the island beach, then loafing by the pool.
Knackering.

I have to pay for my beer and cocktail ingress by going running in the morning.

[Cousin Jack]

Been out on a ride with about a 1000 bikes. Martin Jennings Memorial Ride, see Faceberk for details.

[Taipan]

Today we went to my daughters for a BBQ. Absolutely lovely day really, even if it didn't end so well. Highlight of the day was talking to my great-nephew. He's just started senior school so I asked him how he was getting on? With all the innocence an 11 year old can muster he said, "Its okay Uncle Tai, but I don't think its for me"! I gather he doesn't like the structure and not being able to talk in class etc. Bless him!

Downside to the day was my f-i-l saying to my wife, that her memory fog could be down to dementia as her mum has it and its hereditary. FFS! My wife is inconsolable now and is going to the doctors and ask for a dementia test, as she rightly says, if she does have it, the sooner she starts the meds the better.

[Noggin]

Today we went to my daughters for a BBQ. Absolutely lovely day really, even if it didn't end so well. Highlight of the day was talking to my great-nephew. He's just started senior school so I asked him how he was getting on? With all the innocence an 11 year old can muster he said, "Its okay Uncle Tai, but I don't think its for me"! I gather he doesn't like the structure and not being able to talk in class etc. Bless him!

Downside to the day was my f-i-l saying to my wife, that her memory fog could be down to dementia as her mum has it and its hereditary. FFS! My wife is inconsolable now and is going to the doctors and ask for a dementia test, as she rightly says, if she does have it, the sooner she starts the meds the better.

That's horrible to deal with, BUT, most cases of dementia in women are caused by the lack of treatment for the lack of hormones for menopause.

If your wife isn't on HRT already, she should look into it. I'll send you a PM with a link to an FB page that is incredible for support and fact based info. They will be able to help and also advised. Hopefully that will help put her mind at rest.

I watched both grandmothers slide into dementia (one a LOT worse than the other) and can see a little of it in my mother. But all three were of an age when women were not given treatment for lack of hormones and the resulting health issues weren't known.

Please reassure your wife that there are options and that whilst it seems hereditary, there is a very high chance that she is in a position to protect herself

Huge hugs xx

[Pirahna]

If your wife isn't on HRT already, she should look into it.

Doctors are reluctant to prescribe it. The guidance on HRT is fairly negative, even if it prescribed it's usually for a very short time. The positives are largely ignored.

[Noggin]

If your wife isn't on HRT already, she should look into it.

Doctors are reluctant to prescribe it. The guidance on HRT is fairly negative, even if it prescribed it's usually for a very short time. The positives are largely ignored.

My understanding is that this has changed in the last few years. Recommendations from NICE are now that women should be prescribed on symptoms (because blood tests don't show proper hormone levels in peri-menopause) and that they should stay on HRT for life - no point having hormones for a few years! You don't 'go through' menopause. You go from fertile - peri menopause - menopause. Menopause is the lack of hormonses. HRT doesn't return fertility (Thank FUCK!) but it does rebalance the hormones and give women their lives back. Some of the symptoms are debilitating, having more than one of those is life changing and far too many women choose suicide over living with symptoms.

If a woman's GP won't prescribe then he/she hasn't kept up with the new guidelines (talking about the UK, no idea about other countries) and that woman should find a decent meno specialist. (I'll find the main two later, gotta get ready to leave for school in a mo!)

Honestly. The scare stories of 20+ years ago have caused so much damage. Along with the fact that medical trials have historically been 90% done on/for men. Women are not just smaller men. They have completely different ways of using various hormones, and despite what various french medics/pharmacists have said, we also NEED testosterone - that is NOT exclusively a male hormone!!

AND older women can also start HRT (5+ years post last period) - there are a couple of tests to do first (mostly to do with heart I think).

Might put up more info in another thread later in the week as most of you will know a woman who might need the info!! LOL Weird on a bike forum, but could be useful!!

If I'd had the info I have now 10-15 years ago, I could have saved myself a LOT of physical and mental issues, and stress. Looking back there are a lot of issues that could have been prevented with HRT but it wasn't so known about then and also had the old scare stories attached. But it's sad to look back on what I dealt with - more so to look back and see what could have been prevented in my grandmothers and possibly for my mother (who won't listen to me so I've given up!)

And it annoys me that so many friends don't want to try HRT because they want to do menopause naturally - so, diabetics or people with thyroid issues shouldn't have hormones cos they should do it naturally too?? FFS

Anyway - lecture over! I'm off to shower and got to school!

[Count Steer]

If your wife isn't on HRT already, she should look into it.

Doctors are reluctant to prescribe it. The guidance on HRT is fairly negative, even if it prescribed it's usually for a very short time. The positives are largely ignored.

There can be an issue with that. Some patients are very reluctant to stop the treatment and pressurise doctors into continuing it citing things like 'Oh, it helps my osteoporosis'. One of our friends said 'They'll have to take my HRT out of my cold, dead hands'. She's just had a mastectomy and axillary lymph node removal. Another long term HRT friend recently had a breast lumpectomy for breast cancer.

2 cases aren't proof but the long term increased risk is well documented. The shorter the term the lower the risk.

[Noggin]

If your wife isn't on HRT already, she should look into it.

Doctors are reluctant to prescribe it. The guidance on HRT is fairly negative, even if it prescribed it's usually for a very short time. The positives are largely ignored.

There can be an issue with that. Some patients are very reluctant to stop the treatment and pressurise doctors into continuing it citing things like 'Oh, it helps my osteoporosis'. One of our friends said 'They'll have to take my HRT out of my cold, dead hands'. She's just had a mastectomy and axillary lymph node removal. Another long term HRT friend recently had a breast lumpectomy for breast cancer.

2 cases aren't proof but the long term increased risk is well documented. The shorter the term the lower the risk.

No, it's NOT. That's the old HRT and even then the scientific results were mis reported.

Current HRT (topical Estrogen applied to the skin and Progesterone tablets taken orally or vaginally) are SAFE.

These two posts explain why so many women still suffer. EVERY DAY ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT. Why so many women kill themselves due to symptoms - pain, lack of function, lack of ability in the brain. The numbers of women who quit work purely because lack of hormones causes lack of brain function. Not cos it's you two but because that is how HRT is perceived by both sexes and most doctors (who haven't kept up on the new guidelines)

I really will start a thread with full info on all this - probably not till Weds cos of school. But this has made me realise that the info isn't getting out there and if I can help some other women by posting info on here (even if you lot don't read it, I'll have tried!! LOL) then it's worth it!


Honestly - the risks of HRT are way less than the oral contraceptive. But no one worries about girls/women taking that for 30+ years cos, you know, condoms aren't very nice


I really am going to get ready for school now!!

[Count Steer]

The 'scare stories of 20 years ago' weren't based on oestrogen-only HRT which IS low risk. The risks and associated stats of combined HRT are well documented.

[Noggin]

I’ve given up arguing with people (mostly women!) about this as if people have fixed ideas it’s impossible to change their minds.

However, for balance. The important words are transdermal estrogen (NOT oral) and body identical HRT (NOT synthetic progestin). Most risks from HRT are not transdermal estrogen or body identical HRT

This is the first info on Google from Dr Louise Newsome - the stats show that body identical/transdermal has less risk than not taking HRT. Remember that every medication has a risk - it’s about balancing the risks against the quality of life without!

The “well know facts” are generally outdated and information has been learnt, investigated and updated in the year - even the last 6 months

On thé short term thing, no one would ever suggest that a diabetic only took hormones for a few years and then just got used to their symptoms!!

So, respectfully, I’m not arguing and do not want to argue, however I am putting further info that is from a respected specialist because it might help other women connected to this forum. And as a woman in menopause and on HRT, it is a subject I’ve read up on a LOT and is obviously close to my heart (and health!)

[gremlin]

Booked some bucket-shop flights with the most bucket-shop of bucket-shop airlines: VietJet!
Check out their awful website: https://www.vietjetair.com/en

That said, £38 from Phu Quoc to Saigon is too good a price to turn down. What do you mean 'tight bastard'? I paid the extra £6.61 for a checked bag plus the £1.05 to pick where we sit.

[Pirahna]

Booked some bucket-shop flights with the most bucket-shop of bucket-shop airlines: VietJet!
Check out their awful website: https://www.vietjetair.com/en

That said, £38 from Phu Quoc to Saigon is too good a price to turn down. What do you mean 'tight bastard'? I paid the extra £6.61 for a checked bag plus the £1.05 to pick where we sit.

Me love you long time. A shame they don't fly into Europe, cheap to Oz though.

[gremlin]

Booked some bucket-shop flights with the most bucket-shop of bucket-shop airlines: VietJet!
Check out their awful website: https://www.vietjetair.com/en

That said, £38 from Phu Quoc to Saigon is too good a price to turn down. What do you mean 'tight bastard'? I paid the extra £6.61 for a checked bag plus the £1.05 to pick where we sit.

Me love you long time. A shame they don't fly into Europe, cheap to Oz though.

Used them in Thailand with no issue at all. New fleet and everything.

From what I understand you have feck all in the way of comeback should there be any problems, but for that price, I'm not surprised.

[Yorick]

Got stuck. Got rescued.

Took my mate Pete out for the day. On way home I took a "road" that I don't normally choose. The wind blows hard there and surface is soft. But was slightly downhill and the car's momentum and 4WD is usually OK.

After half mile I could feel the sand sucking us in. Full throttle but just slowed and stopped.
No matter what we did, it just kept sinking in the super soft sand.

My pal Pete has just had massive back surgery so had to get him safe.
My pal lived a mile away. Called him and he left work early.
We set off walking to his house but he was in a lot of pain.
Half way there the road became much firmer so asked Hippy to drive to us.

In meantime I asked on local FB group.
Loafs of helpful replies. Including one from lad with a Disco and ropes.
So Hippy took us both to a local meeting place, then he took Pete home to Costa.
It was on way to meet his missus at airport.

Lad arrived and went to car. Even he said it was super soft
Took 4 goes to pull us out. Then he pulled me half mile to harder surface.

Just about 90 mins from breakdown to recovery

I was really worried at first, but there's some good folk about.


Yes. This is a legal road.

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[gremlin]

The Not-So-Mighty Duster?

[Yorick]

The Not-So-Mighty Duster?

The diff-locks lock the diffs together. So 1 wheel on each axle can spin. Never been stuck before.
Even matey in Disco was struggling and he knows that road.

[mangocrazy]

I thought the sand on the Canaries was all black volcanic sand?

[gremlin]

I thought the sand on the Canaries was all black volcanic sand?

Look closer and you can see edge of the sand pit. Yozza just doesn't want to admit his roughty-toughty 4x4 got stuck in the equivalent of 80 grit sandpaper.

[Yorick]

I thought the sand on the Canaries was all black volcanic sand?

Look closer and you can see edge of the sand pit. Yozza just doesn't want to admit his roughty-toughty 4x4 got stuck in the equivalent of 80 grit sandpaper.

Ooops. You got me. About a mile away, there's 100ft sand dunes made from wet n dry