The life list so far: 7 months in

Original photo collage was here. I've added a few experiences since. Exactly seven months today: March 1 to October 1.

Click on the image for a closer look. Clockwise from top left (months are first encounters, but not necessarily last):

• budgie-hooping (circus aerial hooping) (March)
• Go Ape circuit (April)
• scuba try-dive (April)
• indoor climbing (March)
• snorkelling with seals (September)
• cycling (April)
• Nordic walking (September)
• spend a night under canvas (May)
• walk 15 miles (September)
• open water swimming (May)

Plenty more to come...

The Bike: first try

I have absolutely no idea why it took so long. Way outside my comfort zone. Back on 1 May (yup, two months ago) my lovely BFG sorted out all the adjustments, got it all ready, gave me a lesson... then back it went into the garage. Until now.

Just back from a week's holiday and with a lot to do today. Called in to see mum, who seemed more interested in the fact that she'd run out of cigarettes than anything else. I promised I'd drop a single pack in later in the day and get her usual supply from the supermarket later.

To save time, once I'd got back home and picked up my purse, I decided to cycle down to the shop, back to mum's and back home. Just under a mile round trip. A bit wobbly. But OK. Nice day. New muscles to work.

The village is a nice quiet safe environment. Real roads may be a different matter.

Now I've started, there will be more.

The life list so far

Just over two months in (1 March to 2 May) and here's a quick collage...

The Bike: help from the expert

So the BFG kindly comes over to Winterton to help set up my 'new' bike. He gently explains that the front wheel goes the other way round... that's a good start.

He then goes through a bewildering sequence of checks and bolt-adjusting, seat-moving, chain-cleaning-and-oiling.

He explains about the 18 gears (in Norfolk I'm less likely to make full use of those!); ah, so it's not that far removed from the way they're used in the car. We talk about maintenance and the sort of kit I'll need (helmet being priority, followed by padded shorts...).

I try a quick ride around our drive, and all the adjustments have (of course) improved matters considerably - not to mention having the front wheel the right way round. Duh.

So next week it's off to an appropriate shop to get the lid and a few other things; then I'll take a cautious ride through our village and see how I get on.

Ride a bike

I didn't have a bicycle when I was a child, for the very sensible reason that we lived on a large major A-road in east London and my parents didn't much like the idea; I couldn't blame them. I used a bike occasionally during my twenties, as my first husband was a keen cyclist and we used the machines mostly to get to the pub... However, it's never been a method of transport I've felt very confident with, and I haven't tried it much since - and whenever I have, I've been very wobbly and way out of my comfort zone.

So: time to get a bike and get over my fears. I consulted with my good friend Huw (known as the BFG): a startlingly fit cycling nut of 6'5" (as well as being one of my most useful singers, as he has a splendid bass voice). Huw took a look at some of the secondhand bike adverts, recommended a 'hybrid' type (for town and trail, it turns out), and off I went.

I got this lady for £40 and was well pleased. Those of you who know anything about bikes will spot that the front wheel is actually the wrong way round; having got it out of the back of the car, I didn't realise that it COULD go the wrong way round.

So that was why it felt odd trying to ride it. Well, what do I know?!

Now to get the BFG over to check it over, adjust seat height and anything else that needs adjusting, explain to me about gears (apparently it has 18 of the things), recommend kit...