Old member returning after a prolonged absence due to health issues.

[K Simmonds]

Thanks for the good wishes Lago Blue, much appreciated.

The mountain bike suggestion is excellent as I do actually have a very decent 1990's MB tucked away, Shimano XT group set, 21 gears, no suspension, very little to go wrong. It needs a couple of new tyre's/tubes, a brake cable and new pair of pedals as the bearings are shot in the current ones. I've only just about got enough use of both my hands to able fix it myself now, though I'm a little skint ATM, the next spare funds I get should really be spent on purchasing the parts required.

As you say it's low impact, great exercise and make a pleasant change from walking everywhere as I currently do, haven't got to worry too much about studded tyres over here in the UK, though lights would probably be a very good idea now it's winter!

In fact now you've reminded me I'm going to go onto eBay and price up all the parts required to get it fully functional now, thanks for the push in the right direction.

[Lago Blue]

Hi Mr. Simmonds,

As I recognize your name from reading old forum posts when digging for info, glad to hear you and you're presence are on the mend. I recognize the mental good it does one to be able to focus, write constructively and thoroughly about one's interests. I can empathize with the sustained effort required to make a journey of this sort. In the spirit of Rikki's suggestion above, I might mention any old decent name-brand mountain bike, suitably tuned-up and equipped might also be low-impact therapeutic fun.

With studded winter tires, fenders and lights, until the snow is heavy and deep I'm more secure and much farther ahead on the bike than when on foot. If the roads are clear, I ride helmeted, mostly both hands-free and sitting upright without having to engage my upper body for much from a lovely Brit bike seat. The frame geometry is such that it absolutely encourages this. Bikes about the same vintage as these cars can be technically deep and found cheap. I've got adjustable air-oil / poly suspension at either end and decent cable operated rim brakes with seasonal pads and an entirely sufficient and precise old-school indexed 8-speed rear mech.

On clear roads, I'm now "no-hands" and going by the seat of my pants uni-cycle style before the second pedal stroke, steering with just upper body placement, just touching the bars for brakes, shifting and brief feet-up stops and uncertainties; but wasn't always. The practice is great for balance and the physical rush gives me a great chance to just let the mind wander whilst holding the "line", and going quickly. Once a week there is the opportunity to meet-up early (still in the dark of late) with a good bunch for an hour's scenic ride, a quick cuppa and home again. I'll ride (or try to!) almost every day right through the dark of winter, it's shorter going that way.

Stay well sir.

[K Simmonds]

Rikki mate, after a Doctor recently prescribed me a combination of drugs that could quite easily have killed me, which I knew but he didn't, I have close to zero faith in them getting what I need for my head right. I literally had to tell them what drugs I need for myself this time around, after they yet again tried to prescribe new generation SSRI's which I know make me even more prone to psychotic episodes and a totally emotionless zombie when I'm not punching holes in walls etc... Really sorry to hear you wife got F'd up by them, my poor farther also suffers with depression (as did my grandfather on the male side) and has taken whatever they've given him and I know it's made him worse, he even agrees with me finally.

I hate to say it, but I trust my knowledge of psychoactive pharmacology more than a GP's, I've done a lot of research into the field as I want to know what's wrong with me and how best to treat it. That hasn't stopped me from making some very stupid decisions in the past, but that is just that, the past, I'm not going to dwell on that too much as is pisses me off.

If one can get moving then exercise is a great treatment for depression as well as anxiety, get's the body's natural endorphins going and given that they're basically natural opioids (same as morphine etc) produced by the pituitary gland it's not surprising they make you feel better. If I don't go for my daily walk, well it's turned into more of a march now, I feel noticeably worse and can't sleep as well etc. Upper body wise I'm limited to stretching (which is surprisingly good for muscle tone), sit ups and forearm/hand exercise's as it's only been two months since I had multiple broken bones in my arms and my bloody elbow is only just healing now. I'm a strong swimmer, but at the moment would really struggle in the water due to my elbow, I'd end up going round in circles, in seriousness I could probably still rescue myself but it would risk damage. As for cold water swimming I've tried it and don't doubt that it's beneficial but I can't stand the pain in my balls!!!

And Alex, thanks mate, great to see your still on her as well. Hope to catch up in person sometime next year.

[Rikki Kitto]

Tell me about it Rikki, they dish out SSRI,s and other new drugs like sweets, some of which are highly addictive, a lot with with very questionable research conducted by the same company’s that markets the crap…. That’s one of the reasons it’s taken so long to get somewhere near the right meds, the stuff I’m on is pretty old school with no profit in it, I don’t actually take everything they give me, just what I feel I need. And yes, exercise and diet are my main priorities, done 300 sit ups, 700 rep’s with a heavy hand spring on each hand and walked five miles today, some days I do even more. I think the exercise is doing me more good than anything else.

We had a nightmare bro for over a year meds really foooked my missis up turned her into a bit of a zombie but all good now using the cbd oils thank god, plenty of fresh air and exercise releases endorphins as you probably know the brains pleasure Chemical. Might sound a bit mad but have you tried cold water swimming

[Error404]

Hey Kit, glad to see you back mate - you were missed.

[K Simmonds]

Hi again Kit,
no need to apologise!
I felt bad about making a noise when not getting my parts- heaven's it's just metal and £s. Mates are far harder to replace.
Great you've got another pooch- hard to replace former dog though isn't it. Yes, got another Spitz- type beastie, he's 7 now &came from Leeds and needed re-homed.
No S2s but one of those 'modern' (electronically risky!) Audis, 11 yrs old now. It had all the 'chocolate' engine parts and dodgy ancillaries replaced. Best handling car I've ever driven.
Get in touch if you're heading North!

Nice one Colin, thanks for understanding mate.

I probably get on better with dog's than I do with people to be honest, glad to hear you've rehomed a dog, bet he has great time out in the forestry with you.

Like I said I'm going to take on a rescue Staffy or maybe a cross of my own, depending on what comes up once my arms are both working again. My left elbow is taking forever to heal, at least it is getting better slowly now I've stopped trying to do to much with it. still got to wear a brace the whole time though. The X-rays of my right wrist/forearm taken last week show the bones have nearly healed completely, though it kinda looks like I'm now some sort of bionic robot, a couple of plates and a lot of bolts.

I'll be sure to give you a shout when I'm heading up.

[K Simmonds]

Remember the doctors are there to push big pharmas products not necessarily get the patient better, where's the profit in that , keep strong eat healthy get lots of exercise and sleep well

Tell me about it Rikki, they dish out SSRI,s and other new drugs like sweets, some of which are highly addictive, a lot with with very questionable research conducted by the same company’s that markets the crap…. That’s one of the reasons it’s taken so long to get somewhere near the right meds, the stuff I’m on is pretty old school with no profit in it, I don’t actually take everything they give me, just what I feel I need. And yes, exercise and diet are my main priorities, done 300 sit ups, 700 rep’s with a heavy hand spring on each hand and walked five miles today, some days I do even more. I think the exercise is doing me more good than anything else.

[mackenzie50]

Hi again Kit,
no need to apologise!
I felt bad about making a noise when not getting my parts- heaven's it's just metal and £s. Mates are far harder to replace.
Great you've got another pooch- hard to replace former dog though isn't it. Yes, got another Spitz- type beastie, he's 7 now &came from Leeds and needed re-homed.
No S2s but one of those 'modern' (electronically risky!) Audis, 11 yrs old now. It had all the 'chocolate' engine parts and dodgy ancillaries replaced. Best handling car I've ever driven.
Get in touch if you're heading North!

[Rikki Kitto]

Remember the doctors are there to push big pharmas products not necessarily get the patient better, where's the profit in that , keep strong eat healthy get lots of exercise and sleep well

[K Simmonds]

Excuse the beer mugs , as they're inappropriate now!

Heya Colin!

Great to see your still about as well mate, thanks for the positive vibes man! Your one the poor ******s who not only got pissed about but also got sent stupid/troubling messages. Again, I really am sorry but as you could probably tell I was in a very dark place.

Hope you and your dog/s are well, I've forgot what you've got now but I do vaguely recall you saying you've gotten another canine friend(s), our poor old Staffy had to put out his misery last year, he'd gotten to 15/6 years old so he'd had a good innings. We've now got another old one, again a rescue, but a bitch this time, she's about 10 and hasn't had a very nice life until now, she lives with my folks as frankly I've been too mental to look after myself let alone an animal.

Things are so much better now I could look after a dog myself but I don't have the strength in my arms ATM to be able to handle a young Staff/cross (my choice of breed) safely when out walking, however that's getting better all the time and I hope to have one at home with me next year. I have so much empathy with animals that I can't loose my temper in front of a pet as I don't want to scare them so having one around full time will do me the world of good.

No worries on the beer mugs my man, I appreciate the sentiment. I don't even want to drink these days and I've got to be able to handle being around alcohol socially as it's everywhere, it's not for me though. As Ozzy Osbourne rightly sung, one drinks too much but ten isn't enough for people like me.

I hope to make it up to Scotland next year in my Audi 100 as I can easily live in that, so much space in the back and it's super comfortable, to do the north coast 500 for about the seventh time as it's my favourite drive as well as part of the world. I'll be sure to give you a shout.

Have you still got an S2 or other old Audi?

[mackenzie50]

Excuse the beer mugs , as they're inappropriate now!

[mackenzie50]

So glad to see you back Kit ,
and hear that Life is worth hanging around for.
Not on here much now myself but yeah as the others said, the forum needs you , and your wealth of knowledge on these old motors!
All the very best

[K Simmonds]

Hey, glad that you are doing better now, keep it steady and strong. Also I was one of those who didn’t got the parts from you, but that is nothing in comparison to the problems you had to deal with. Sometimes there are bigger and more important things in life to concentrate on, so like the old saying goes: “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice”

Thanks very much for your understanding, that's a really nice post, I'm very sorry you got mucked about and I do hope you were refunded. But as I said in my first post I really didn't know what the hell was going on for probably the best part of six months, if wasn't for the fact I could just hid due to the Covid pandemic I would absolutely have been sectioned. Then I dealt it with by drinking myself half to death, in one of my final weekends drinking I put away four 75cl bottles of 40% spirits, (Gin and Vodka) 6 bottles of red wine and 48 bottles of 4% larger, the hangover was something else and I came out in rash all over my body, a sure sign that my Liver and Kidneys were starting to fail.

I don't see any point trying to hid it, in fact it helps being able to talk about things, it's just a pity it took me smashing myself to bits to get any proper help after years of being mucked about and fed drugs that made me worse by stupid doctors. Still apart from the physical injury's I'm recovering from I'm doing much, much better than I have in years, life seems worth living again.

[quattrito]

Hey, glad that you are doing better now, keep it steady and strong. Also I was one of those who didn’t got the parts from you, but that is nothing in comparison to the problems you had to deal with. Sometimes there are bigger and more important things in life to concentrate on, so like the old saying goes: “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice”

[K Simmonds]

Again, thanks for the supportive post guys, good to see another couple of old faces are still here and I've meet Gav a couple of times in person, though it's been quite a long time... I don't do Facebook, I'm not really a social media fan at all, I actually think it's harmful or at least it can be.

Cheers struikie! I couldn't go on as I was mate, I was literally killing myself either with alcohol or, well, lets leave that bit there...