Friday 24th September - Let's go on a walk

 At the moment I'm on a roll; I am reaching my step count most days (having adjusted it to something more attainable) and going for a walk most days.

Here's where I went today:

Like everyone on this side of our road, we have a back gate giving access onto a network of footpaths and public open space. Access to some of it has been under threat while the council tried to persuade us all that putting several thousand houses on the council owned golf course bordering this space was in everyone's best interests but for the moment the land is saved.

We have deliberately created a concealed access, so most people waking, jogging or cycling past wouldn't notice it; we have surprised a few as we suddenly appear from the thick undergrowth. First you make your way along the top of the bank, near the fence and ducking beneath the hedge

  then you cautiously push through the branches and brambles, clinging on to the branches to descends a slope that becomes slippery after rain

and emerge, blinking in the strong afternoon sun.

This path is popular, but not crowded. It is a cycle track, dog-walking route, jogging route and just 'let's get out for a bit of fresh air' route. The houses are on the right, up the 2 metre bank (I would have said 6 feet, but Boris Johnson has this mad plan to make us all use imperial measurements again). To the left, through the trees, are a couple of shallow streams, with just enough water to trickle over the stones. 

We call this 'The 'Ricketty-Racketty Bridge'; when we first arrived it was an unstable wooden affair, and we used to play out the story of 'The Three Billy-Goats Gruff'; the children crouched under the bridge, dipping the hems of their coats in the water pretending to be trolls and leaping out with terrible shouts as we innocently walked across. 

I followed one of the tracks though the woods and came out in a corner of a meadow. There is a bench, but it was already occupied - it usually is. Teenagers 'hanging-out', parents and toddlers having a half-way snack, someone reading or scrolling through their phone.

I went as far as the golf course - everyone knows what golf courses look like - crossed over the fair way when no-one seemed to be actually hitting a golf ball in my direction. There were a couple of players in electric golf buggies circling round each other, as though limbering up for some kind robot wars tournament at the fifteenth hole. I waited to see if they would start jousting using golf clubs - not today.

So, I went back through the woods along a different path until I reach the bridge again

You can see the gully is 2-3 metres (7-10 feet) with the sweet little stream meandering through. When the children were young we used to wade upstream as far as we could, pushing through obstacles, scrambling up the banks. Don't be fooled by the tranquillity; every Winter, when there's been enough rain, the stream becomes a broad, dangerous, turbulent, fast-flowing river, rising up and over the banks in a matter of hours and flooding right across the cycleway you saw at the beginning.

The run-off from building one thousand houses on the golf course would all have down come this way, choking the bridge downstream, roiling up over the main road and into the houses along the way.   

We've a few months yet before we'll wake to that sight again.

1500 steps, just under three-quarters of a mile. Sorry, i should have written 1.13 km. 

Sunday 19th September - Another week...

 It's been a funny old week, but I think it is often like that at the beginning of Autumn, when Summer seems reluctant to end, and yet the sun rise is later, dusk is earlier.

I can remember as a youngster shivering along to school wearing Summer uniform in the morning, and sweltering home in the afternoon as the sun had burned through the Autumnal mist and brought Summer back. Or, even worse, mooching along comfortably in winter uniform and sweating home wearing coat, felt hat and brown knitted gloves (it was that kind of school - blazer and straw hat and white cotton gloves in the summer, and woe betide you if you were not wearing hat and gloves.)

The air has seemed somehow 'thick', or maybe 'dense' might be a better word. I have been beavering away at my step count, but on a couple of days I have struggled to motivate myself. Today, for example, it is well into the afternoon and I've only notched up 550 steps from pottering about house, and I've already promised myself that I can have a Sabbath Rest today. At least I have found a way of switching off those pesky 'motivational messages' that kept popping up all the time.

The Book Club choice for last month, as I think I have mentioned, was 'Precious Bane' by Mary Webb. In another frame of mind I might have read it, but I gave up three pages in, unable to plough through the admittedly beautiful but archaic language. Instead I have been reading several books in the 'light romantic style', all reprints of popular novels of 60 or more years ago.   

I think 'Business as Usual', recommended by a friend, was the most successful of this bunch, and enjoyed it very much. 

I may be ready for something meatier, or maybe not. I have started this one, by the same author as the 'Shardlake' series. There's a sense of foreboding -  I have a horrible feeling things will come to a sticky end for several people and only a quarter of the way through... 

 I didn't go to this month's Book Club meeting as we are now meeting indoors again after a year of zooms and a couple of 'in the garden' meetings. This month's book is by Graham Norton, called 'A Keeper'. According to the 'blurb' is it 'creepy, atmospheric, and impossible to put down'. 

Maybe I'll read a few Mary Stewarts first and build up to it?

The 100 day dress challenge continues; I'm still not bored with wearing the same dress, I've still not had to wash it as it still looks and smells clean. This is only day 16 - so far, so good.

One bonus is that I scroll past all the advertisements from favourite companies without a qualm - no point looking, because I won't be wearing anything different for another twelve weeks!  

Sunday 12th September 2021 - Autumn is underway

 I have survived the PCR test, and the trip to London for routine clinic appointments and tests. A friend drove us in her campervan, so that social distancing and avoiding public transport could all happen without any stress - so appreciated. At the hospital 'proper' mask wearing was almost universal - obviously more relaxed near the coffee shops (how else can you drink your coffee and chomp on a sandwich?) and it felt - safe.

Attempting a 6 minute walk test (where you walk as many times as you can up and down a measured length of corridor in 6 minutes) should never be done while wearing a FFP3 mask. Trust me. This could be why the result of that test was lower than expected, and generally oxygen readings were lower. I did peel off that mask and replace it with an ordinary one, the same as everyone else, after that experience.

The results were all slightly lower than last time, which was back in 2019, and could be down to any, or all of, wearing the FFP3 mask which is significantly harder to breathe through than the ordinary one,  ,  change in heart or lung function, or just generally becoming unfit from having stopped work and being sat sitting around in a state of sloth for 18 months. The cardiologist relaxed somewhat when I showed him the walk tests and so forth that I had been doing at home, and prescribed '5000 steps a day, but work up to it, not all at once'. Ah. That is quite a lot of walking for me... 

Talking of masks, I have made this; 

a short crochet strap with a button at each end. You fix the over-ear loops of the mask over the buttons instead of round your ear, which massively simplifies things when one already has hearing aids and spectacles hooked over your ears. The tab in the middle is because this is the prototype and was a little too long. I shall make another in due course. (I'm not the one with hearing aids!)

The walking and paying attention to regaining fitness is continuing, with a blip when I had to isolate for a few days between PCR test and going up to London, and another blip yesterday when I decided to have a day off. Although I have discovered a pulmonary rehab exercise video made by NHS Scotland, which is very good.

I have finished the slipover I have been working on for ages. The yarn is much thinner than anything I have every used before, and progress seemed very slow. I'm pleased with the result, and, as you can see, I am persevering with the 100day dress challenge. The dress if brilliant, so far, in hot weather and in cool.

I know it is the second half of Summer when these yellow flowers appear. They are humming, buzzing with bees. 

I was given some cucamelon seeds for Christmas, and the other day I discovered that the vine is covered in them. I tasted one, and was not impressed; rather sour, I thought. Perhaps it wasn't ripe. 

Nope. This is the size they should be, and it turns out they are meant to taste sour, so I have been looking information on what you are supposed to do with them. Apparently they are a 'superfood' and 'packed with anti-oxidants'. So I will have another go at eating them. Somehow.  

Saturday 4th September - Some drawings and a new dress

 I'm  still plugging on with walking a decent distance every day. And every day I'm  surprised that I'm doing it again. It's mostly rund the same couple of streets near the house; it's surprising how different the front gardens look when you walk past from  the other direction. So, that's another mile added to the running, or rather Walking total. 

I'm really pleased with yesterday's drawings;

The lesson was on volcanoes and mugs; I added the cup and saucer and the jug. They didn't take long. It makes such a difference when you find the how-to-do-it book that is right for you. 

I've been wondering about the Rowena swing dress 100 day challenge for a while. I remember an Australian newspresenter (male) admitting to wearing the same jacket for a whole year, while his (female) co-presenter's outfits received constant comments from the viewers, especially if she wore the same clothes.

 Can you really wear the same wool dress for 100 days in a row?

After a year of mulling it over I bought the Rowena dress and have started the challenge today. I tried the dress on when it arrived and it is supremely comfortable.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thursday 2nd September - New Enthusiasms

 It's been quite a good week, all in all.

I've just got one loose end left after the flurry of activity relating to my hospital appointment in London next week - arranging a local PCR test. It seems you can't book these more than a day or two in advance (why?) so that has to stay on my HOT to-do list for a few more days.

(Knock knock do a great range of sticky note pads, planning pads and downright silly pads...) 

The most recent useless financial expenditure I have indulged in is signing up for a virtual trek through the Dutch bulb fields. This is in lieu of one of a number of holidays that are on another to do list that I daren't look at too often in case I jinx it.

The idea is that you fork out your dosh, download the app and choose your trek. Mine is 41 miles through fields of tulips in Spring time. - I update the app with how far I have walked that day, and it moves my avatar along the route. Today I received a virtual postcard and an interesting potted history of the town I am passing through. When I have finished I will get a medal!

 I have set a target of 7 weeks to complete my walk so I'm not in any great hurry.

One of the features is that you can 'see' your route using the little yellow man on google maps. So it looks as though I have been ambling along a pavement/cycle land in a quiet street with houses along one side and woodland along the other. 

Another great thing is that it will always be the right time of year - and the walk 'feels' completely flat - well, it would, being the Netherlands. But supposing I had picked Hadrian's Wall? Or Mount Kilimanjaro? Neither of these are a realistic possibility for me, but now... If you are inspired by this, have a look at www.theconqueror.com

Other news -  the cuttings I took yesterday of the lavender, and the the day before of the salvia armistead plants haven't died yet. The little green 'toy' watering can is proving to be one of my 'best buys' this year.

The passion flower is making a brave attempt, nothing like as rampant as last year, (that's one of the salvias beside it)

The fuscia is having a second go at flowering, and, hello, a nasturtium, self seeded from last year.