2420 - Rainy Sunday afternoon

Amazingly escaped the showery rain
With Josie in the park in Cheadle Hulme
Managed to get there and get back again
Without a soaking. We had an ice cream
It was pleasant, even sunny at times
Josie talked of cross-country runs at school
And later on we acted out this theme
Jogging out of the park back to the rail-
way station, her in Ugg boots, our hands full
With coats, not dressed for running. Looked insane
To all the passing traffic, I assume
Press-ups on the pavement, and then a girl
On a bike rang her bell to get past. When
Dermot's back, our comedy will resume...

2328 - Ice cold in Stockport

Hired car at last minute to go sledging
With Jo in Lyme Park, and it was brilliant
Quick snack, loo visit, and then we're climbing
A steep slope, so slippery under our feet
The night's snowfall turned brown, smoothed and flattened
By slithering sliding sledges by the score
Like a free ride, circus without a tent
Funfair without a fare, ten times or more
You can climb then slide down again, the roar
Of ice beneath, improving like skating
Josie practised, and soon lessons were learned
No injuries, crying, wet feet, or sore
Stinging fingers, just laughs, when I'm running
Down the icy slope, couldn't stop, puff, pant!

2293 - Mr Muscles (not)

Been out to Wilmslow on the train to see
My almost-ten-year-old daughter again
Swimming club's paying off for my Josie
She does a mean butterfly, did a length
Or two in well under a minute, then
She told me her fastest time at the club
Was twenty-eight seconds. I realised when
I struggled to climb out of the pool, sub-
Standard fitness levels have now crept up
On me over time, though every work day
I walk for at least forty minutes. When
I ran and cycled, I was fitter. Stopped
Those, and also exercises daily
I'll start the latter again, build my strength

1998 - Omagh God

Saddam opposes inspections, then caves
Water on the Moon? Good Friday, Belfast
Suharto goes, Pakistan misbehaves
With nukes, Tsar and kin reburied at last
French World Cup, Congo war, Yangtze outsplash
US embassies bombed, East Africa
Omagh high street bombed, meanwhile Google starts
Hugo Chavez wins in Venezuela
Deaths of Pol Pot, Ted Hughes, Frank Sinatra
George Michael caught in Beverly Hills lav
Tommy Lee beats Pammy. I run quite fast
Up and down Snowdon, and round Stockport where
I now live, with a lodger, and I have
A second job (promoted in my first!!)

1695 - Running on empty

I've not drunk much this month, hardly at all
I've turned it round from almost every night
Since I bought booze on the first of April
It's now the twenty-sixth - I'm doing alright
The only other time I drank was quite
Forgiveable - a works meal out in town
I had four pints but I managed to fight
The urge, borne out of habit, to compound
The drink's effect with cigarettes. The pounds
I've saved this month mean my wallet's done well
Nearly a hundred and fifty - not slight
I've run a few times on the grassy ground
Of Heaton Park, cleaned and tidied, and filled
Free time usefully, when I read or write