ISLAND MENTALITY.........?

LATEST DELIVERY OF ENERGY PRODUCTS

My Dad always used to call it 'the island or siege mentality'. The desire to stock up on things.
As you can see above I have just received my latest delivery of energy products. It's a mix of ZipVit Energy drinks and bars as well as some Mule bars which I have written about before and a couple of boxes of 'For Goodness Shakes' recovery drink.
There are still a couple more boxes of various energy bars that are due to arrive this week.

I have always been like this - feeling the need to stock up on things 'just in case'. For me it creates a good feeling, knowing that I have things available for whenever I want them.

I was born on the Isle of Wight and this need to get stocked up on things was quite common place on the island. Mind you it was born out of practicality, as during the winter months back then the ferry to the mainland was often stopped during the slightest sign of bad weather. This in turn would affect what was available in the local shops as everything had to be brought over from the mainland. Even after we had moved to the mainland  I can remember my Mother always tended to buy things in twos and threes a habit that she had acquired during  our previous island life.

Nowadays I seem to perpetuate this 'island mentality' when I buy anything. Forget 3 bikes - lots of cyclists have 3 and often many more bikes- but with me it doesn't stop there. 3 cycling helmets (one for each bike) the same with cycling shoes and when it comes to cycling jerseys I had 21 at the last count. I try and explain that one away by saying - 3 bikes - 7 days in a week equals 21 jerseys. No -  that explanation didn't work when I tried it out on Anne either - she just looked at me and shook her head in a despairing kind of way.

Still it makes me feel secure in the knowledge that if washing clothes was banned I would be able to go out on my bike in a clean jersey for 21 days before it became a problem .Not that it's ever likely to happen - clothes washing being banned I mean..!!

All this applies to my backpacking kit as well. Numerous tents- boots - jackets - trousers - walking poles - stoves-sleeping bags - sleeping mats- etc etc... Every interest in my life has multi itemitus. Yes I know that is not a real word - but it describes quite nicely the problem - not that it is a real problem because everything I have does get used. If something doesn't get used at least once in a 12 month period it gets uploaded to Ebay............

 FINAL UPDATE BEFORE HOSPITAL.
JD made contact with me the other day to let me know why he's not been out on the bike for the past few weeks. Apparently he has been suffering with a bad chest infection which is what I thought might be the case. He reckons that he will be out training with me again from the end of February or the beginning of March. Now there's a plus, as that will be roughly the time that I will be allowed to re-start training again.

BIKES UNDER COVER

Speaking of which - above is a photo of my bikes all neatly cocooned in their covers awaiting my return to cycling.
Lets hope that we are not apart for too long...!!