Tag: Autumn

Lyndhurst, an adventure in Wonderland

Illustration by Gwynedd M Hudson
Illustration by Gwynedd M Hudson

18 November 2014

One of my favourite childhood books was Alice in Wonderland. My copy was a thing of beauty that once belonged to Pappy and had colourful illustrations by artist Gwynedd M Hudson. I read it countless times and it captured my imagination. Alice Liddell, the inspiration for the story, lived most of her life in Lyndhurst in the New Forest and is buried in the churchyard there. As the Tuesday weather forecast hardly mentioned rain at all I thought I’d pay it a visit. Continue reading Lyndhurst, an adventure in Wonderland

the Gosport half marathon

Runners gathering at Bay House School
Runners gathering at Bay House School

16 November 2014

Shortly after eight on Sunday morning Commando and I were in Mattie Matiz setting off for the Gosport Half Marathon. Unsurprisingly it was raining. It seems I’m going to have to learn to love walking in the rain or give up altogether. The first option is difficult, the second impossible. This was the third Gosport Half for Commando and the first one we haven’t got lost getting to. Before you say anything he has always been both driver and navigator. Continue reading the Gosport half marathon

chasing rainbows

Riverside Park
The end of a rainbow at Riverside Park

15 November 2014

Despite it being the first day of my holiday, there was no let up in the rain on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, there was no chance of staying inside in the dry and warm because I’d been invited to my granddaughter Bea’s birthday party. As Commando had an appointment at Commando Senior’s little crooked house this meant a six mile walk for me. Another walk in the rain. Continue reading chasing rainbows

here comes the rain again

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12 – 14 November 2014

There was no let up to the rain on Wednesday morning. My coat was still damp from the Tuesday walk, my gloves and hat still sopping wet. Luckily I have a selection of hats so I chose another but I don’t have a selection of gloves so I had to do without. If this rain keeps up I’m going to have to start a glove collection because my hands were freezing. Continue reading here comes the rain again

Trudging home

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11 November 2014

While the soldiers stood in little knots talking I slipped quietly away from the World War I Memorial at Victoria Country Park. Had the weather been better I might have lingered and looked at the inscriptions on some of the graves. As it was I stopped once to look at the ranks of white headstones on the hill by the entrance then carried on along the causeway back to the park. Continue reading Trudging home

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month

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11 November 2014

This weekend was turning out to be a bit of a washout in more ways than one. The planned Sunday walk was scuppered by Commanndo’s plans and my plan to walk to the dentist and back on Monday fell victim to heavy rain and food shopping. That left Tuesday as my only chance to fit some miles in. The weather forecast was hardly inspiring. Even so I planned out an ambitious walk, considering the chance of heavy rain, to Victoria Country Park. In fact it fit rather well with the date, 11 November. Continue reading The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month

The first frost

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5 – 8 November 2014

Slowly but surely the warmth is ebbing out of the world, well my world anyway. I guess if you live on the other side of the globe it is slowly warming up as spring creeps ever nearer. Wednesday morning was colder than I’d expected and I walked, gloveless, to work with my hands firmly in my pockets. There were no photographs unless you count one hardy flower on the way to work and a very unsuccessful attempt to capture a beautiful full moon as I left the office for my journey home. Continue reading The first frost

How do I get out of here?

Universal Boatyard
Universal Boatyard

4 November 2014

So there I was in Universal Boatyard surrounded by boats on dry land and lots of shipwrights looking askance at me. Uncomfortable didn’t even begin to describe it. According to my pre-walk reading I was supposed to go to the right of the boatyard but there didn’t seem to be a path to the right. I walked this way and that, trying not to look too lost or too suspicious but all I could see were dead ends and boats. Continue reading How do I get out of here?

Echoes, ripples and connecting circles

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2 November 2014

This weekend was supposed to be the Walking Is Exercise Too! November walk. There were big plans for lots of miles. When I woke to the sound of rain dashing against the window and howling wind I revised them. There is only so much water a girl can take after all. After a lot of head scratching and some googling I decided to visit two local places that complete the circle of last weekend’s walk. Continue reading Echoes, ripples and connecting circles

Soaking wet with a chance of sun

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29 October – 1 November 2014

The beautiful weather of Monday was a happy fluke, laid on, it seemed, for the scattering of Commando Senior’s ashes. Not that I’d have had it any other way. Tuesday was dismal and my normal walk was cancelled due to the need to go to the Apple Shop to get my Fuelband replaced. On Monday evening the button suddenly stopped working and a bit of judicial Googling told me this was a common problem. Thankfully the wonderful Apple people replaced it without question. Hopefully it won’t happen again but it does mean I’m not entirely sure of my miles for Tuesday. Continue reading Soaking wet with a chance of sun