Happy New Year!

2026 has started fairly quietly for me, a morning at home with the boys, then over to Partho’s for a catch up and tasty home cooked lunch. Although I took my camera with me, I did not take any photographs today, so do not have anything to include at the top of this post. I have also got three more days off before I go back to work and the boys go back to school, so hopefully there is still time to squeeze some fun in…

Like last year, we do not have much planned ahead for the year – we know that we have got a lot of work to do on the house, and a list of trips that we would like to do. So hopefully we can get through both of those lists. Owen turns ten this year, so I am sure we will do something to mark that in June.

As in previous years, I have set myself some goals for the year ahead:

Spend more time with my friends

A carry over goal, but something that I need to remember, as it is so easy to get carried away with day to day life. Seeing Partho today was a good start though.

Make my blog more robust

Another carry over from 2024, but I did not get around to it – I have an idea of how I want to do it, and it should be easier than my previous plan.

Refresh my photography portfolio website

Like the previous goal, it is carried over from previous years. This is lower priority than my blog, so I will likely tackle this once the blog has been updated.

Get the MR2 to Wales

The MR2 was mainly used for commutes and school runs last year, I really should take it out for some proper drives.

Ride three new pump tracks

Owen has been asking me when we can next go ride at a pump track – I do not remember riding one at all last year, so that needs to be remedied. There are a few new pump tracks locally so we should try them out. I just need to rebuild my Clockwork Evo first…

Sort out cycle speedway bikes for the boys

Last season the boys both borrowed bikes for cycle speedway from their club – as I did not want to have another two bikes to deal with whilst moving house. This worked OK for Owen, as they had a few decent bikes in his size, but Henry struggled with the only bike the club had available in his size.

Ride at Bwlch Nant yr Arian

A goal carried over from 2023, Bwlch Nant yr Arian in Mid Wales has some great looking trails, and is also known for their daily Red Kite feeding – which is enough of an excuse for me to go for a ride. It also seems like somewhere that might be worth visiting with Jen and the boys as part of a Mid Wales trip. What makes this trickier is that it will likely need to be a weekend away, as it is a bit of a drive from Coventry.

Ride in the Peak District with Partho

This has been a goal for a while, but we never quite get around to it, we always end up being tight on time, so end up at Cannock Chase. Must try harder in 2026.

Finish my garage

I was hoping to have the garage finished this autumn, but other jobs in the house ended up taking priority, then it got too cold to paint. The electrics, lights and doors are sorted out, I just need to finish painting the walls and floor, give everything a thorough sort out, add some bike storage and get the personnel door replaced.

Complete the front bedroom project

The front bedroom was meant to be the first project we did on the house – we left it empty when we moved in, with the expectation that it would be the master bedroom when we rearranged the layout upstairs. Except that our planned layout would not work – so we have got a new plan… We think that the front bedroom used to be two rooms, a double bedroom and a box room. We are going to revert to that layout, and have Henry in the double room, with the box room becoming my office. I miss being at the front of the house, and I think it will be easier for running network cables etc. My current office at the back of the house, will become a dressing room – hopefully that will also be completed this year!

Get my weight down to 90kg

Is it even a new year without a plan to lose some weight?

The lack of any firm plans for 2026 is exciting, I just need to work out how to combine all the potential plans in my head with the work needed on the house. The year has started well, and hopefully that will continue.