Contractual obligation blog #2

I won the wine again last Friday, which is ideal for a teetotaller (of fairly recent vintage, for all those tempted to say "oh no you're not!"). So again I find myself blogging, although noone else who wins the wine seems to bother. Perhaps I will start a trend.

I am well into the third week of my concerted green / health drive. Last year I lost 2 stone between August and October by walking most of the way to work each day (roughly a 31/2 to 4 mile walk each way - Brooklands Metro station to Old Trafford Cricket Ground, in effect) but during the winter I put nearly a stone of it back on, as I was back on the Metro. As I badly hurt my leg in January I was also struggling to walk, but no problem now. I have got the walk down to about 50 minutes or a touch under - got down to 45 minutes last year. Also using public transport to go to see people - very good system in Manchester, but you sometimes have to go into the centre to get out again in vaguely the same direction. My carbon footprint is thus now about a size zero - my children aged 9 & 6 have never flown, and nor have I since about 2004. In fact the car wouldn't start the other week, as I hadn't used it at all for about 3 months.

The big plan is to lose another 2 to 21/2 stone, which would put me at my (ridiculously low) target weight per the Wii Fit. I reckon I will do this by autumn, particularly as I have also taken up karate with the children, which is hard work but great fun and good for fitness also. Also trying to eat more sensibly, whuich wouldn't be difficult - MBBC bacon butty and croissant still a Friday morning must though!

Someone told me there was an election on, but until yesterday had seen precious little evidence in Altrincham, Sale or Stretford (all safe seats). However, went to Didsbury yesterday (Manchester Withington, Lib Dem/Labour marginal), and awash with posters for those two parties. My wife says Lymm is similar in Warrington South, so clearly depends where you are. My claim to fame is seats I live in going LibDem shortly after I leave - Crosby, Oxford West & Abingdon and Teignbridge, so watch out David Cameron, because I used to live in his Witney constituency. Love the statistics of election night, but could do without the 4 weeks of politics first!

Enough waffle - back to work.

Mark Simpson

Simpson Burgess Nash

Chartered Accountants

22 April 2010