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I try and get out cycling whenever I can although my wet weather radar is set reassuringly low. An essential piece of equipment for each ride is a cycling computer or trip meter that measures speed, distance, average speed, and various other indicators. I fitted a bike computer from the start which means that whenever I leave home without it, I feel like I am not getting the best out of any ride.

There are a wide range of cycling computers that you can get these days. From basic speed through to models with wireless technology and even models that will display your heart rate. I’ve not been brave enough to measure heart rate since I was cycling up through Macclesfield Forest with a monitor strapped to my chest. The rapidly increasing numbers were a bit worrying as I approached the top of the hill!

Apart from the heart rate measurement in some models, the other indicators like speed and distance are things that I need to know on every ride … even if they are not particularly high figures! If I have not ridden for a while, I use the average speed to tell me how (un)fit I am. Otherwise, I just like to see how far I have cycled.

Evans Cycles has a reasonable range of bike computers. Try the Cateye Enduro 8 (above) for a reasonably priced example.

I was a bit of a latecomer to the Welsh pop singer Duffy. Sure, I’d heard the eponymous first single from Duffy’s debut CD Rockferry but initially it did not grab my attention as much as it might have. Subsequently, the second single Mercy hit the charts in a massive way and this was followed by another single Warwick Avenue. I started to listen a bit more!

After this, it was only a matter of time before I bought Rockferry and I think it’s a great album. Most of the song styles are heavily influenced by the 60s. That’s not normally my kind of thing but I have been converted! There have been comparisons made between Duffy and Dusty Springfield. Perhaps, but those kind of comparisons don’t tell the whole story. This is a modern CD that highlights a great vocal talent.

Even though the single Mercy is probably the biggest hit from the album so far, the rest of the CD is closer in style to the singles Warwick Avenue and Stepping Stone than the more foot-tapping Mercy. That’s a good thing in my view because it really suits Duffy’s voice. For example, the song Distant Dreamer is a favorite of mine and the chorus really emphasizes Duffy’s vocal.

Duffy has a great future and I’m looking forward to her second album already!

More: Duffy on Wikipedia · Duffy official website

I’m always looking for cookbooks that provide relatively simple and quick recipes. If there’s one thing that I find frustrating, it’s when you slave away in the kitchen for several hours … only to eat the food within what seems like a few minutes. At the same time, with everyone’s busy lives, it’s often difficult to find the time in the first place.

So, I reckon that Nigella Express might be just the book for me. If you have watched the TV programme of the same name, you’ll know that our domestic goddess Nigella makes it look ridiculously simple and quick. Granted, that might be because she is a domestic goddess after all …. but I must have half a chance of finding some quick and simple recipes in this book.

I’ll put it on my Christmas list!

Previously on this blog: Cookbooks by Rachel Allen

I’m a bit of a fair weather cyclist. However, I will be joining some friends for a little cycling trip round the Isle of Wight in a few weeks time. Fingers crossed for good weather but it’s October after all. So, I figured I should buy a lightweight, windproof, waterproof cycling jacket for my trip.

After a short journey to my local Evans cycle store in Gatwick, I’m now the proud owner of this Altura Nevis jacket in blue. It seems to be a very good jacket for the price (£50) and I’m pleased with the purchase. It’s not the most expensive jacket in the world but I did not want to pay more than £100.

The jacket feels very comfortable, it’s breathable and it has reflective piping for those October  evenings. On my trip, I’m hoping to be in the bar by the time it gets dark (!) but you never know whether you might be delayed by punctures or map reading on cycling trips…. so reflective material might be useful. I’ll also be taking lights and other reflective gear as well.

All in all, I feel ready for anything that the Isle of Wight and October’s weather can throw at me….

We replaced our old washing machine with a Bosch washing machine recently. We chose the Bosch WAE24363GB from Sainsburys Kitchen Appliances because we had read that Bosch were good machines and we already had a Bosch fridge that has worked well.

The reviews of the Bosch WAE24363GB were pretty good and in our experience it has been impressively efficient and very reliable so far. It’s difficult to get too excited about something as domestic as a washing machine but the Bosch is quiet and seems to just get on with the job. It’s easy to programme and clothes come out quite dry even on the lower spin speeds.

One thing that is a good idea with the Bosch is that spin speeds can be changed during the wash cycle if you need a higher speed. Another good feature is that the machine tells you how much time is left during each wash.

It’s a big improvement over the old machine!