“Time is the one gift we can never replace.

There are plenty of things in life we can lose and later replace. We can buy another car, replace a television, get a new phone, or even rebuild a home. But there is one thing none of us can ever replace once it is gone, and that is time.

Time is probably the most valuable gift we are given, yet it is also one of the easiest things to take for granted. We wake up each morning assuming there will be another tomorrow, another weekend, another holiday, and another opportunity to do the things we keep putting off. But none of us actually knows how much time we have.

As I have gotten older, I have become much more aware of just how quickly the years seem to pass. You look back and wonder where the time went. Children grow up, families change, people come and go, and suddenly the moments that once seemed ordinary become some of the memories you treasure most.

That is why I believe we should spend our time a little more wisely.

It does not necessarily mean doing something extraordinary every day. Sometimes it is simply sitting outside with a cup of tea, going for a walk, having a laugh with someone you care about, enjoying a good meal, watching the sunset, or just taking a moment to appreciate where you are and what you have.

Life does not have to be exciting every minute to be meaningful.

I think we can sometimes become so focused on what we want tomorrow that we forget to enjoy today. We spend our lives waiting for the next holiday, the next pay cheque, the next big purchase or the next chapter, without realising that today is a chapter too.

And once today has gone, we cannot go back and live it again.

You cannot put time in the bank. You cannot save it for a rainy day. You cannot buy another hour, and you certainly cannot reclaim a moment you wished you had spent differently.

So perhaps the best thing we can do is make the most of what we have.

Spend time with the people who matter. Make the phone call. Have the conversation. Take the trip. Enjoy the simple things. Laugh more. Worry a little less. And when you get the opportunity to make a memory, take it.

Because one day, those moments may be the things we look back on and realise were actually the best parts of our lives.

That is why I wrote this quote:

“Time is the one gift we can never replace or reclaim. Spend it wisely, cherish the moments, and make every day count.”  -David Wilson

Adding accessories and taking the insinwheel U4 out for its first spin.

I’ve just been adding a few accessories to my new bike. I fitted a frame-mounted bottle holder, an extra bar across the handlebars to house my camera mounts, a phone holder, and my 15-litre rack bag, complete with an additional rear light.

I was planning on doing my weekly grocery shop this morning, but instead, I decided to take the bike out for its first proper run. I headed over to Aldi in Otford to pick up a few essentials and, at the same time, give the bike a nice 16-mile out-and-back run.

So, how did it do?

Excellent!

I have to admit, from the moment I set off on this 16-inch-wheeled bike, I felt comfortable and completely in control. I put a lot of that down to the bike being much better suited to my height and giving me a more comfortable seating position compared with my 20-inch electric bike.

I also really liked the way the three speed settings performed. The top speed in each setting, and the smoothness with which the bike reached those speeds, felt much better suited to me compared with the rather more racy way my Ado 20+ performs.

And the step-through frame? An absolute dream for me. I could simply hop on and off with ease, without having to worry about awkwardly swinging my leg over the bike.

There are also a couple of other features that really stood out for me on this first ride, and one of those is the position of the key.

On my Ado 20+, the battery is housed in the main crossbar, with the key position underneath it. That means I have to bend down to see and operate it. On the iSinwheel U4, the key is positioned just below the rear of the seat, which is much more convenient for me. There’s less bending involved, and I can actually see what position the key is in — whether it’s locked, off, on, and so on.

The ease with which the battery can be removed is another big plus for me. It literally takes seconds to remove. That meant that when I arrived at Aldi, I could simply whip the battery out, secure the bike to the bike rack, and take the battery into the shop with me in my fire-resistant LiPo battery bag.

Apart from being convenient, I think removing the battery also makes an e-bike a less attractive proposition to a potential thief. Obviously, it’s no guarantee against theft, but if the battery is removed, the bike becomes considerably less useful — and that has to be a good thing.

There was one minor issue. I’ll need to adjust the front brake caliper slightly, as there’s a little rubbing from the brake pads. But that’s a fairly common issue with self-assembly bikes and nothing particularly concerning.

All in all, it was a lovely, comfortable and, most importantly, safe 16-mile ride.

I’m really impressed with the bike so far, and I’ll be going into much more detail about how it performed, along with the setup, features and everything else, when I record my full review video. 

New E-Bike - Photo Montage.

My new e-bike arrived this afternoon, so naturally I did what any sensible person would do… opened the box and started assembling it! All being well, I’m hoping to get out tomorrow and start filming my first review video. This is a step-through model, which is going to be a bit of a game-changer for me, especially with my osteoarthritis. No more trying to throw a leg over the bike like I’m auditioning for the Grand National! There aren’t exactly loads of bells and whistles on this model. Although, thankfully, it does actually have a bell! 🔔

Changing my lifestyle one choice at a time

There have been quite a few changes in my lifestyle over the past few years. Not just in the way I think and live my life, but also in the products I choose to put into my body.

One of the major changes came back in 2017, when I quit smoking. At the time, it wasn’t really for health reasons. I was simply fed up with the smell and, more importantly, the cost of smoking. That said, I still vape to this day.

Another major change happened in February 2025, when I decided to take a complete break from alcohol for a month. Well, that one month turned into two, then three, and here I am, 19 months later, still completely teetotal.

My most recent lifestyle change is something I’ve kept pretty quiet about.

After taking enough flak from some of my old drinking friends when I packed up alcohol, I can imagine what they’d say about this one. I had comments like, “You won’t last,” and “Go on, have a drink!” The funny thing is, I never actually said I would last. I wasn’t on some sort of crusade to give up alcohol forever. I simply decided to stop drinking, and it stuck.

But this one might raise a few more eyebrows.

I am now a vegetarian.

Although I should probably add that I’m a vegetarian with L plates.

It’s only been a few weeks, and it’s been a pretty steep learning curve trying to replace the meat products I would normally reach for without even thinking about it. There’s been quite a bit of experimenting, some successes, and probably a few things that won’t be making a return appearance on the shopping list!

For the past few years, the only meat I’ve really eaten has been chicken and ham, with the occasional burger or sausage thrown into the mix. I’ve never been a fish eater, so that was never really an issue.

But, just as I eventually got fed up with drinking alcohol, I’ve also become fed up with treating food simply as fuel.

I now have more time on my hands, and that has given me the opportunity to think a bit more about what I’m actually putting into my body, rather than just grabbing whatever is convenient because I’m hungry.

There’s also been a change in the way I think about animals bred specifically for slaughter. I’m finding myself increasingly uncomfortable with that whole side of food production, and it’s becoming harder to simply ignore those thoughts.

So, I suppose becoming vegetarian is a combination of a few things. It’s about what I eat, how I think about food, and increasingly, how I feel about where that food comes from.

I’m still very much learning. I’m not claiming to have all the answers, and I’m certainly not about to start telling everyone else what they should or shouldn’t eat.

For now, I’m simply making a change in my own life and seeing where it takes me.

As for whether I’ll still be vegetarian in a few months’ time… well, we’ll see.