Cold

Whilst I'm loving being back in the sea on a regular basis it has been difficult to find the time to both run and swim so this morning I decided to try doing both. Mertz agreed to meet me on the beach so that he could carry my rucksack of wet towels home after the swim and I would then be free to go for a run. All very good in theory but what I hadn't accounted for was the drop in temperatures today and the fact the cotton socks may be great to run in but they don't warm your feet up.

I struggled into my running leggings/tights, not an easy task on the beach in 3 degrees when you are still slightly damp, and put on my trainers ready to go but couldn't feel my feet... running on the spot didn't work either. 15 minutes of jogging up and down as Mertz walked alongside didn't bring the necessary blood to my feet so I think it's going to have to be one or the other whilst the temperatures are this low.

It's still pretty miserable out there, with lots of cloud. I really hope it clears tonight as I'm planning an evening on the green roof with the telescope, the ISS is due to go over again and there were some great sightings of Discovery docking yesterday. I missed that but I'd still like to see its journey.

It's particularly poignant as I associate all space exploration with my Uncle Clive, who died yesterday. He was involved in the Apollo moon landings and once sent me a postcard from Cape Canaveral during the launch of Apollo 12. He was an innovator and inspirational man who will be missed by friends, associates and our family. A glass will be raised, even if it's just water.

Uncle Clive messing about with jet engines, as you do...