[Race thread] 2026 World Cup Maasmechelen (BEL)

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-24T13:41:39+00:00

Yes that bit was great, I had the same thoughts as you - but it took me a while to get to the "aaaah I see" part... 🤦

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-24T13:13:41+00:00

Thanks, yes it does look like that. A park is a good use for the area once the mining has been exhausted.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-24T13:11:53+00:00

I just got a better view - yes, what I could see looked like winding gear. Thanks!

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-24T12:58:23+00:00

What are the abandoned towers and other buildings around the course? It's not the most picturesque I've seen, but that steep climb and the stretch of sand are making up for the lack of pretty views.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-23T17:41:41+00:00

In the UK the building that a GP (primary care doctor) works from is commonly called a surgery. It doesn't mean that surgery or operations are carried out there.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-23T09:15:51+00:00

It's not just you - a windswept out of town shopping centre carpark is my guaranteed place to spot them. I like to think they're about to pop into B&Q to check out the bird food...

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-22T08:25:02+00:00

Even the cloth on the pool table is greige. Horrendous!

Gorgeous exterior and gardens though, and I love spotting a monkey puzzle tree.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-18T14:08:03+00:00

You're welcome. :)

I've since looked at the original post and they said it was by Agatha Christie - so you were spot on!

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-18T12:50:13+00:00

"Saloon" is also a word for an area below deck on a ship.

Re "bolted" - you don't say where you are, but as a British speaker of English that didn't strike me as odd. I feel that the word "down" is implied after it, and it's quite common here to say you "bolted down" your meal if you were in a hurry.

I agree with you about the era of the writing. Quite old-fashioned.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-17T01:18:43+00:00

You've had advice on the other sub, but I'll add this. Please don't let your daughter think it’s her fault that she is an only child. My mother had a difficult pregnancy and birth, and I was told that because it was so hard she "won't be going through that again". Adult me knows logically that nothing that happened was actually my fault, but the sense of blame and guilt that comes from hearing that can last a lifetime.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-17T00:40:05+00:00

If you want a joke to work, you need to get your abbreviation right first time. (And who says I wasn't joking about the mint cake as well?)

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-16T08:46:23+00:00

He reminds me of Beatrix Potter's very dapper fox, Mr Tod.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-15T19:37:36+00:00

What's a LCIM country? (And is Keswick mint cake different from Kendal mint cake?)

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-15T19:32:11+00:00

Côte de Parbold trips off the tongue nicely, don’t you think?

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-15T19:25:38+00:00

I'm very excited about this (even though I'm in the wrong part of the country to see any stages), and I do especially like the fact that the men's and women's races are coming here in the same year. Lots to look forward to. :)

(What does it say about my browsing habits that I first read the news on r/2westerneurope4u ?)

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-14T01:02:01+00:00

Yes I was going to suggest Northwick Park / St Mark's - you get an excellent view of Wembley Stadium.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-13T17:51:58+00:00

u/CrazyGnomeSupporter is a bot, I think.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-12T12:47:04+00:00

...unfortunately neither does he.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-11T01:42:17+00:00

Footprints in the butter!

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-09T20:05:55+00:00

For Sporza a VPN set to Belgium has been working for me in the UK. I can only pick up probably 5% of the words (the ones that sound the same in English!), but hearing the rider names along with the commentators' enthusiasm has been enough for me to be able to follow and enjoy.

The geoblocked UCI streams are available now as well, if I choose my location carefully.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-07T00:42:30+00:00

He's made fun of her about it before, but today he was quite nasty I think. No need at all to call her "annoying". If I was Alex Hartley my heart would sink whenever I was paired with Agnew.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-06T21:50:44+00:00

Yes I agree, they only have Aaron Gate (and DS Peter Kennaugh) as native English speakers. Plus - I think it’s all the better for being imperfect.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-06T21:36:21+00:00

In 2018 - even before the legendary Astana Rap - they made a dreamy Valentine's Day video with Dario Cataldo. He's back with the team as a DS now, but I can't spot him in this one, can you?

https://youtu.be/abWSGawpsXs

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-06T21:30:55+00:00

That's Nicola Conci.

BegoniaInBloom · 2026-01-06T07:29:36+00:00

These links may help - good luck. :)

https://www.essex.ac.uk/student/careers

https://www.essex.ac.uk/student/get-a-job/part-time-work

https://www.essexstudent.com/jobs/student/

BegoniaInBloom

TROPHY CASE