Christian Ainley my day to day

Deer statue  Langley Park It’s my second rest day and the weather is still nice and warm so after a morning spent getting some groceries it was an afternoon walking in the sunshine and some much needed vitamin D.  Tractor sowing seeds  In order to get to the park from the canal it’s a short trip through a retirement village and then through a field last year it was used for maze and after being left all winter it’s now being planted again.  Bee in Rhododendron  In the park the Rhododendron is in bloom and the park contains all the colours of rhododendron flowers it’s a riot of colour, bees are completely focused on collecting the nectar from the flowers to the detriment of everything else.  Rhododendron flower  I’ve made the most of it and captured all the different plant colours I know but it’s something to practice with and it’s colourful and pretty. Plus they’re on my door step so I don’t have to travel far. Bluebell  Ok I’m going to wrap this ...

River Thames Marlow  Today’s village walk was around Marlow in Buckinghamshire. A nice little village on the river Thames which is great for a nice lunch there are lots of restaurants to choose from.  Marlow Bridge  We started off with a walk around the high street and had a General walk around we looked in the charity shops sometime you can pickup a nice surprise in a nice area sadly not today they had been picked clean.   We went for lunch to La Côte Brasserie with their fixed price menu which was really nice and great value. After we walked down to the river had a caramel magnum and feed the geese with some old stale bread, yes it was the geese and ducks not the swans who bully their way to the front !  Poppys with Marlow bridge  We walked along the Thames path to take some pictures and I wanted to get the cards from WeWard the app which I’ve recently downloaded it was a nice walk.  Red phone box  Marlow is a great village to visit and I’d high...

  It was a lot of walking today at work so this afternoon it was rest and recovery. After yesterday cycling and this mornings walking my knees need an afternoon off.  Let’s see what tomorrow brings.  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

  The weather is nice so it’s a chance to get out on the bike, I was in two minds road or off road and in the end I chose to get out on the road bike.  Just a blast up to Bray and back the legs were feeling good, next time up I’ll add in some climbing make it more of a challenge.  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

  I skipped the gym yesterday I’d tugged a muscle in my back and wanted it to settle down. But today I’m better and can get back on it.  It was rowing machine to kick off and 30mins 3683m just a nice gentle row, I need to improve my fitness I’ve gone backwards a bit.  Preacher with an ez bar first started off with 20kg plus bar and walorked up to 30kg.  Preacher with plates next and from 15kg up to 25kg nice slow reps.  Bicep machine next and starting with 20kg and going up to 32kg  Cable curls with the bar start with 20kg and went down to 16 I think I’d don the damage with the machine. Bar curls next and 20kg going down to 17.5kg and killing it off. Some Lat pull downs to finish 42.5kg and up to 50kg and done for the day.  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

Windsor Castle from Eaton It’s a rest day and that means getting out for a walk and writing an article. No driving today just a nice walk to Windsor for lunch and then back home.  Cricket on Eaton playing field  I’d walked this route a few times over the winter and thought how I’d photograph a cricket match being played on the ground, over the last few weeks I’ve watched them prepare the pitch in anticipation of the new season and today there was a match. Not sure my photos do it justice but they’re here.  Hawker Hurricane model Near the Thames Windsor  I went to five guys for lunch a small bacon burger, small fries and a milkshake. I sat down watched some you tile and had a nice lunch. I walked down to Cex to see if they had and nice lens traded in but there was just the standard 18mm-55mm which I already have.  Thames swans courting I went for a walk by the Thames to get some more pictures. The Windsor eye is in Alexandra gardens for the summer but I didn’t st...

  I’m taking the afternoon off and resting in the hole I’ve going for a nice long hike tomorrow.  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

  It’s a return to the gym and today’s its triceps. I started out with cross trainer intervals on 14 it was a nice grind and got my heart pumping.  From there it was onto the tricep machine, starting at 50kg and working my way up to 72kg it’s not as difficult as it sounds.  On to the cable machine next there was a bar already attached so started with that 16.5kg to start then working up to 32.5kg Over head rope pull starting off with 20kg and going up to 28kg it was good and a struggle near the end.  Rope pull downs next and again starting off with 16kg and going up to 28kg it was a grind I seem to be going backwards this week. I’ll try to turn it around.  Bar press and using a 20kg to start then going on to a 30kg it wasn’t to bad I’ll have to push for a 35kg next time. Abs to finish and starting with 65kg and going up to 82kg to finish.  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

  After two days off it was a return to the gym. With rowing machine to start it was a good 30 mins.  On to squats starting off with 50kg and going up to 80kg not my highest it was more a case of getting through it.  Leg extensions next and starting at 50kg working up to 72kg.  Leg extensions curls were a mirror of extensions I try to keep them balanced. I got on to the leg press and started of with 50kg and quickly worked up to 100kg it felt ok I didn’t want to push too hard.  Calf raises and starting with 50kf and going up to 60kg just until failure. It was nice to get in after Easter there’s lots of work to do now let’s see how it goes !  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

New to Disney + and Hulu Good American Family is based on a true story. A family adopt a young girl who suffers with autism and dwarfism called  Natalia. Natalia sets on a path to split the family playing on their psychological neurosis.  It doesn’t take long to develop a wedge in the family and a loving group are soon checking their back and doubting their sanity. This ultimately leads to the family splitting apart and become bitter about each other.  Ellen Pompeo stars as the all American mom, we are used to here as Meredith Grey and this is her first role outside of that franchise since 2013. There’s a fear that if you do a role for six months a year for 20 years you’ll be type cast and while this is close to the Meredith Grey character being a strong loving mom there’s also enough of a difference for a stretch of her acting prowess. If you’re a fan of her in Greys then you should give this a chance and watch.  Mark Duplass plays really well opposite Ellen Pompeo ...

  Tyre repaired with rubber plug !  So on my way home the tyre pressure monitoring system flagged up the I had low pressure in one of my tyres.  I was lucky it was a screw in the middle of one of my front tyres that’s nearly at the end of its life anyway. I got my tubeless tyre repair kit out removed the screw, reemed out the hole and put in a plug. It seems to be holding well yes I know it’s not the best solution but I’m getting new fronts tyres at the end of the month as they are near the wear markers.  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

  It’s been a busy few days and I’m a bit achy and in need of some recovery, as it’s Easter weekend I’m going to take two days and head back to the gym on Monday for some legs!  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

  Just an update on my April challenge it was to complete 92 minutes of exercise 14 times and I’ve completed today 👍🏼

  It’s an afternoon at the gym I had arranged to train legs with Clinton but he backed out. So as I went cycling this morning I thought I’d train chest in the afternoon.  I started off with cross trainer on intervals level 14 just 25 mins to get some blood pumping.  Then it was the wide press machine to kick off starting on 19 kg and going up to 33kg  Flys next on the machine starting off with 42.5kg and going up to 57kg it was a struggle.  Decline press next adding 10kg to the bar then upping it to 20kg  The cable Machine was empty on both sides which is rare in our gym so I grabbed it for cable flys 7.5kg and upping up to 12kg a side nice and slow.  Incline press next and I did the reverse of decline starting with 20kg and going down to 10kg  Narrow press on the machine next and starting off with 20kg and going up to 32kg until failure.  It was a nice session and a lot of exercise today let’s see what tomorrow brings. Have fun stay safe 👍?...

Grand union canal Towards Uxbridge  This morning I wanted to exercise my off road itch so after waiting for it to warm up outside I got dressed and went for it.  I put on my road leggings as I don’t own any baggies to off road with. I put a gel in my back pocket got out. I cut to the canal via Goodman park and it was fun. World war 2 bunker  Grand union canal It was mostly dry and gravel for the start I gave way in places to some other cyclists I wasn’t in a hurry so I could let them by.  As I got closer to Yiewsley the tow path became muddy and when I hit the gravel under the M25 that took all my skill to stay up right.  World war 2 bunker  Grand union canal  It was only a short trip of 10 miles to get some blood pumping I’m hoping to get to the gym this afternoon and train legs with the PT there so have a look latter !  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

  Cookham High Street  Today’s trip is a walk down the river from Cookham to Bourne End and back. It’s a nice spring day. The traffic on the roads was really light I guess all children are indoors on PlayStations. Fish and chips  The crown  Cookham  Before we went for a walk it was a stop of for lunch we went to The Crown pub at the end of the high street. It was fish & chips and if I’m honest I was disappointed. The chips were good as were the minty peas and tartar sauce but the piece of cod was very thick, so the middle of the fish was extremely wet and not a nice flaky texture. You know by now I’m all about textures.  Rusty railings  It was nice to walk down the Thames looking at the expensive houses on the opposite bank and trying to imagine a life in a big house on the river the summer cruises down the river and lazing on the lawn with a novel and a big G&T.  Oil seed rape  On the outskirts of Bourne End there’s a field with rape...

  It’s back day at the gym, I started off with rowing machine at a nice pace. No record today just get some blood moving.  It was into dead lift just 60kg for 7 sets of 12. It took a long time.  It was on to t bar rows, starting with 20kgs and then dropping to 15kg. On to reverse fly starting with 40kg and going up to 60kg it was good.  Rowing next with the machine and starting at 40 working up to 57kg  Rear delta with rope starting light at 17 and up to 30 kg  Rowing again different machine though. Light start at 19 and working up to 30kg slow reps  Some lat pull downs to finish 45kg up to 55kg.  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

  It’s time to do som catch up at the gym.  It started off with cross trainer on level 15 just at an east pace for 30 mins. Then on to traps not heavy starting off with 22kg and then onto 24kg. Some calf raises 50kg up to 60kg it was easy going.  Lat pull downs wide next starting with 35kg and working up to 50kg  Abs machine starting with 65kg and upping it to 72kg.  Not the heaviest day but I went and powered through. Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

  I’ve been pushing it for the last few days and it’s catching up with me. I’m a bit short tempered and achy so decided to take a rest day and I’m hoping to feel the benefit of it tomorrow.  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

  It’s back to the gym as it’s raining outside.  I started off with rowing machine just a nice gentle row.  It was on to squats and as I’d had a couple of long days on my feet I didn’t push to hard. I started off with rowing with 50kg and worked up to 80kg.  Prone leg curls next as the other machines were full. Starting off with 36kg and working up to 57kg.   I jumped on the leg press next starting off light with 50kg and working up to 110kg.  Leg extensions next and with 42.5kg and wirking up to 65kg  Leg curls next 42.5kg and mirroring the extensions up to 65kg.  It was a nice session. Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

  After two tough days of exercise today I just went for a quick blast up and around the studios and back. There’s a tricky assent and it’s a good way of gaging my fitness. It needs work !  Have fun stay safe 👍🏼

Air forces memorial  Just a short drive from Windsor high on a hill that overlooks Heathrow Airport and London beyond there’s a memorial to all the brave airman that never made it Air forces memorial  Names  home and have never been traced their body’s not found. There are 20,000 names on the walls of the airforce memorials just above Runnymede so their names will live forever in remembrance.  View from air forces Memorial viewing area    Inside the memorial there’s a staircase that leads to a viewing area, on a nice clear day like today you can pick out the city of London as well as other nearby landmarks, Heathrow Airport, Wembley stadium, Windsor castle and the giant reservoirs of west London.  Path down to Runnymede    There’s a path that leads down to Runnymede and it’s memorials it’s a bit tricky in places and I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re a bit older as it’s a hard slog getting back up bit a good adventure and definitely ...