To Austria after two longish daysof travel. So today is free to do whatever so we take the gondola up the local 1700m plus mountain - pretty tame really except it was snowing at the top. Not just a dusting either as we found out when we took the short scenic walk as a) it as still snowing so blanking any views and b) we were pathfinding through several inches of the white stuff on a rocky and rooty route. That meant that Dad was struggling a bit in places as he's not brilliant on his feet but we made it none the less.

Dressed to Kill, the next Gaby chapter is now posted.

Sorry but its likely to be another couple of weeks before the next posting as I'm away for most of the next fortnight.

Hopefully you'll get some holiday snaps from Nena, new Gaby chapter and who knows what else at that time.

bye for now

Mads

So Welcome to Yorkshire, the latest Gaby chapter is now up for your delectation and delight!

Yep, a quick heads up for all the Gabfen out there, the second part of Book 21 will be available from tomorrow in all the usual formats, Kindle, Lulu tree and digital.

I will of course post links here and there will be more free Book 15 as well.

So watch out tomorrow, be the first to read what Gaby did next!

Ciao for now
Mads

to The Real Thing, the next action packed (!) chapter of the current Gaby book,

The latest book is progressing, with a following wind part 2 will be ready next weekend,

But for now, relax and enjoy the latest chapter here.

Tschussie
Mads

Yes indeed its all change with my plans!

So here we go, the next chapter of Gaby, Media Circus - I think the title says it all!

I may be able to post on Sunday, think I've mixed up the date for Blenheim and apparently its to go to the Country File Show.

See you soon

Mads

Hi folks
the keen amongst you may have spotted a new Gaby chapter has been posted.

You may also have noticed that the posting is a bit, er basic.

Well my excuse is its been posted from a laptop with a mind of its own when it comes to scroll controls and getting this far has been interesting!

So enjoy the words, i'll get it properly formatted when I've got a properly user friendly interface.

Anyhow, after a two day journey we arrived in the Pyrenees, had my first view of the Med on the way and we're just enjoying some downtime before dinner.

Well i'm getting a bit jiggy on three fronts this weekend.

First is the possibility that Chris Froome will, in less than 48 hours take his 4th TdeF title. Yep, just 22km remain to affect the result - no one's daft enough to race on Sunday other than the sprinters. The race hasn't exactly been action packed, the loss of some exciting riders early on has coloured that but it certainly shouldn't detract from the achievement.

Monday was okay and yesterday was quite productive but today - well today has been less good. Its four weeks tomorrow that Mum died, four weeks ago today the last time I spoke with her, we just made the usual noises of goodbye, nothing different to thousands of times before, I somehow feel guilty for not saying more, a simple 'love you' or parent/child kiss. But that's not my family's way and I feel that I've been robbed of that intimacy, its not going down the same with #1, we are much more huggers.

in that I've started writing Gaby book 21 and I've started riding again this week - oh and I nearly forgot, there's a new chapter of book 15, Torture uploaded here today!

That's it for now, more on Sunday I hope!

Tschussie
Mads

The cycling afficionados amongst you might well already know but history was made today in Düsseldorf.

In a totally unexpected result nearly man Geraint (G) Thomas won the opening TT stage of the TdeF by a hefty 5 seconds! The first Welsh rider to wear the Yellow Jersey he had to beat several TT world champions and indeed the recently crowned UK champion to get his Lion!

Whether by chance or design Team Sky placed 4 riders in the first ten ahead of all the other GC contenders some of whom lost more time today than Froomies winning margin last year!

Yes, thank you to everyone who has offered condolences etc over the last fortnight since my mother passed away, it was very much appreciated.

We had the funeral this afternoon, a simple cremation as she wanted, the assembled mourners were largely family but also included many people from councillors to foster children whose lives she had touched.

I'm sure there will continue to be dark days but I think the darkest are past.

It occurred to me yesterday that part of the reason people find bereavement so difficult is down to a lack of knowledge. Over the last couple of weeks we've come into contact with various agencies and I have to say they've all made things as easy as possible. However it's been a bit of a game of join the dots - take this, go there, ring this number - oh i'm not complaining but at times its not helped having to wait to see people because you need paper A to get paper B to get result C.

So here I am, ten days after my world was turned inside out.

I'm still getting infuriated by my leg, still getting weepy for no apparent reason, still.......Yes, things are getting better, tomorrow should sort out most of the financial stuff and then its just getting through Thursday. I'm expecting to be a mess on Thursday in front of the relatives but sod 'em, we need to move on and if that means a good blub so be it.