And I Walked 500 Miles (well only 20 but...)

                      

                           

                  

I'm not one for epic challenges really. Taking up running this year I've got to admit has been a really Herculean task. I've always been on the other side of that life-defining fence, you know the one you discover at school which puts you either on the sporty or non-sporty side. You can guess what side I was on. And for most of my life, until very recently, I assumed that was the natural order of things and always would be.

I am curvy, asthmatic, completely uncoordinated, so always agreed with that perception that being fast, strong, having endurance etc was a state I just wasn't destined to achieve in life. I'm not blaming anyone, I just did other things instead like helping a friend exercise her horse, swimming in an enthusiastic but really rubbish synchronised swimming team and enjoyed watching hours and hours of cricket (honestly I do love it). 

Last year I got a bike and things began to change. For the first time ever I got that "buzz" thing energetic people talk about. It was hard, but enjoyable. I made some lovely cycling friends and it began to dawn that you didn't have to treat it as a sport or physical torture. I could take myself over that fence all by myself. If I only tried. I didn't need to be picked for a team (something that never happened to be honest!). I could just have a go.

So the running began. Very slowly but I've kept at it with my eye on our trip to Italy this summer and things working. My waist is a remarkable 8 inches smaller, just by eating a bit more mindfully and moving more. People keep asking when I will do a race, 10k? Half marathon? But they're not for me. I admit I shirk from challenges. They loom terrifyingly and put me off, I'd rather just keep on plodding. 

Then Helen rang me. I love her to bits. She's the sort of lovely friend you can't say no to. So when she asked me to join a 20mile walk with her and some friends for Breast Cancer Care, I agreed straight away, forgetting that I just don't do this sort thing.

But I'm really glad I did! On Saturday we met at the glorious Chatsworth House and walked literally uphill and down dale in fabulous sunshine across some of the most astounding landscapes in Britain. It made me emotional, glad to be alive, chuffed to be part of something so powerful. 600 women took part (plus Helen's two border collies) and every time we crested a hill, that snaking line of bright pink bodies pulled us on and on.

But blimey it was hard. After four hours of Helen and I talking the hind legs off each other as we walked, my legs, (well hips), suddenly gave up. I'm fitter but not fit yet and haven't ever walked more than about 12 miles before. After the 11th hilly mile the pain leapt on me and all I could do was hobble. Only half way...another Herculean task. There was no question of giving up. People with breast cancer have no choice but to face the pain head on - get walking Steph!

So I did. Poor Helen, I went very quiet and stopped taking photos (see that's how bad it was!). But she did an amazing job keeping me going, so did the darling dogs who pulled me up the hills I swear.

And we made it, upright and in one piece, just about inside our eight hour estimate (this is us with our friend Catherine who finished miles ahead with some other friends). I can't believe it, can't believe I even enjoyed it. So that old thing about mind over matter is really true. Being on the verge of 40 helps too. I just don't care anymore and I finally feel a little more confident in myself to just have a go.

I've learned a big lesson and surprised myself. How about you? Surprised yourself lately? I'd love to know x

Messing About in a Boat

                     

It was his idea; he fancied rowing a boat for his Father's Day outing, so that's what we did and rather lovely it was.

We headed to Rudyard Lake a beautiful reservoir, just out of town, that's been a pleasure ground for local people since Victorian times. Back then a Sunday afternoon at the Lake was a welcome refuge from the smoke and smog of the city, from it's pot banks and pits. It must have felt like a piece of heaven. Kipling's parents honeymooned here apparently, hence his name. 

My parents remember Sunday school outings to Rudyard and the sides of the lake being packed with thousands of people enjoying themselves.

The sky was low and threatening this afternoon so it was quiet, not busy at all, meaning our hopeless rowing efforts went pretty unnoticed! It was beautifully still, no breeze at all and the lake surface was still as a millpond.

I could have sat back and drifted up and down Rudyard's watery reaches all afternoon, absorbed in the relections, imagining cosying up inside the cabin of a favourite handsome craft, cooking in the tiny galley and sunning myself on the deck.

Our time was soon up though but we'll be back again, with the sunshine hopefully x

At Home

It's been lovely just to potter around at home this weekend and tick off a few things on our very long to do list. 

New sofas and a carpet are on the way at long, long last. After eight years we're finally in a place where we can start to make an impression on this little house of ours. 

Later we managed to stock up in town at the butcher and the green grocer and call in for coffee at our favourite cafe while the rain hammered down.

Sunday so far has been beautiful. Woody ran a half marathon this morning and then we walked across the fields to the new/old village pub for a rather hearty lunch in the sunshine. Just my sort of day.

Thanks so much to everyone for your lovely comments recently, especially on my new look blog and all the local bloggers in this neck of the woods. So lovely to hear from you all, thanks. Hope you're having a smashing weekend too xxx

Moments in May

May's been pretty marvellous I think. It began with cool, dry days that brightened, warmed a little and brought the cow parsley out in foaming clouds.

It's been a month of discovery and making new connections. Blogtacular was brilliant and I'm still thinking often of great people I met and so many things I learned. A big highlight was being asked to join the tremendous, extensive writing team at This is Your Kingdom (you can find my posts through the badge on my side bar). It's a huge treasure trove of quirky, extra-special places to discover, do go and explore.

The best bits of the rest of my month have been spent outdoors. It got really warm and my garden surged ahead. I popped into the city to visit the new garden at the fab Emma Bridgewater factory. It's a beautiful walled garden that is going to mature wonderfully - and the tea and cake is superb! 

I love Bridgewater for their passion and commitment to producing ceramics in Stoke. As the granddaughter of Potters I really admire that; they're great champions of the skills and creative talent around here too. Really looking forward to the Hot Air Literary Festival being held there this month.

Then the sea beckoned. Norfolk for the first time where we fell in love with huge skies, calm sandy beaches, tranquil lanes and great houses. And finally good, old friends came to stay. It was so brilliant to catch up, share good food, potter about the town and walk in the woods together. Pretty marvellous.

You can see more of my photos from May on my Instagram feed via the little camera icon at the top of my side bar x