An early start on this first day of June. I do find it a struggle to get out of bed so early, when most of my peers are most likely have only been asleep for a handful of hours. However, once I am up and about, the rest of the day becomes a breeze. I say that, but today was the start of a new regime in terms of my fitness programme. I would be hitting ‘Workout Two’. I got to the gym before 8am and was actually carrying out my warm up on the bike at 7.48am (BBC News was on BBC1). It was very quiet with only a handful of other users with many more out on the green on this dull morning with their golf caddies. I must say that step-up machine is a strange device, it took me a while to get used to it and even then I do not think I was using it correctly. I kept letting my feet lower to the floor completely instead of pulling them up quick enough. Not much time to learn when my programme on there only lasts five minutes. However, I am going to persevere and not remove it from my programme as I thought I would do earlier. Then it was fifteen minutes on the cross trainer but only at level six (in my cardio programme it fluctuates up to eight!). Then it was over to the weight machines.

I asked for some help to ensure my results were recorded onto my TGS key and was given clear instructions on what to do. Plug in the key, set the seat level, the weight and away you go. The only piece of kit I struggled with was the chest press. My lack of upper body strength makes it a killer to press the 25kg, dropping down to 15kg did help but I still found it a heavy challenge. Apart from that, I whizzed through the rest of the machines and was out the door just after 8.30am. Job done. The time passes quickly as I only have to do two times twelve reps on each machine. An hour and a half later, as I type this blog post I feel good but no pain in my shoulders, arms or legs. Maybe that will come tomorrow morning.

Off for my next piano lesson at 11am this morning. I have to confess I have not been practicing at all really (once since my last lesson on 11th May). With so much else going on, I hardly find the time and just do not have the discipline to sit down and practice (although my teacher will not be able to here me say that). To be honest, I have always found it hard to make time, ever since I started lessons last year but somehow have strolled along making the most minor progress. The grade one exam feels a long long way away from where I am standing.

Euro 2008 starts next weekend and it is the first time in the history of this blog that England will not be at a major international tournament. It does feel rather strange, an almost empty feeling. Sure, the tournament will be great to watch as a football fan but it is not the same when your team is not taking part. Just look at the Champions League final a few weeks ago, great fun to watch but no real care as Arsenal did not make it. We are having a sweepstake at work and unlike two years ago, I know I will not get drawn England. I am hoping for Portugal or Spain but any of the power houses of the continent is fine, just a shame I will not be in the offices for the draw. I remember the afternoon in 2006 very well, I was stuck on the helpdesk on the phone to a client while the draw took place in the meeting room, next door. Chris told me who I had got, while I put the rep on hold for a second, I was happy and ultimately won my money back. Looking back thought he archives, this time exactly a year ago, I had taken the day off to go to see the first full international at the new Wembley Stadium. Funny how quickly time passes and things move on leaps and bounds. (I had a few days to wait before broadband was restored to my home at that time, it was eventually restored on 6th June I believe).

Three more episodes of Greek to watch to catchup on the season so far and be in sync with the States viewing schedule. I must say the show has grown on me considerably over the past week or so I have been watching. Part of me even wants to watch it on BBC3 tonight as the quality and sound will be of much better quality. In fact I may watch them on my Xbox in the lounge, as the rest of the family are out of town today.

It is 8.40pm as I write the final part of this blog post. A busy Sunday morning but a very lazy afternoon. After my piano lesson I looked at a friend’s PC and did some research online on the hardware. Then while having a late lunch I watched the final three episodes of Greek via the XBMC. The quality was very good, perhaps it just looks bad when scaled up on my PC to wide screen mode. Just two more to go until the end of season one. (I may be sad and watch episode two on BBC3 with the rest of the UK viewing public) Feels rather strange but looking forward to England match later tonight. I fell asleep around 5pm for a few hours, after a very tiring day although I thought the weights would have taken a lot more out of me. It is going to be a bit of a split week at work but I’m most looking forward to getting back home on Saturday afternoon then I can look forward to watching the opening match of Euro 2008!