Food – I Walk Alone

Collecting the marathon pack

5 May 2017

All our miles of walking yesterday didn’t end with the Lost Lagoon. In the evening Jen wanted to take us out for a bite to eat at one of her favourite restaurants. We went in her car but, on the way, we stopped off at one of her favourite beaches, Spanish Banks, named in commemoration of the June 1792 meeting of the English under George Vancouver and the Spanish under Galiano and Valdés. This was the shoreline we’d been looking out at from English Beach earlier in the day. Continue reading Collecting the marathon pack

The land of the ice and snow

19 December 2016

The day began with a foggy early morning journey to Heathrow and a late airside breakfast. For once we weren’t heading for the sun, but flying north into the unknown. Our cases were bulging with thick jumpers and thermals and, despite Commando’s insistence that I wouldn’t need them, I had my trusty Yaktrax in my hand luggage. It seemed to me the clue was in the name. Iceland was sure to be icy wasn’t it? Continue reading The land of the ice and snow

Ho, Ho, Ho

25 December 2015

Our Christmas Day began with a Park Run, at least Commando’s did. Originally I’d planned to get up early with him and go along but, in the end, I chickened out and stayed in bed. There was a great deal of work to be done in the kitchen after all. He came back wearing his Santa hat, just in time for breakfast. He was freezing cold and I was glad I hadn’t gone although I’d have liked some photos of all the runners in Santa hats. In the end I had to settle for one runner in a Santa hat. Continue reading Ho, Ho, Ho

Bear Grylls as a new diet tool – first published 10 June 2013

In early June 2013 CJ accidentally got a taste of homelessness and almost frightened me out of my wits. There was a worrying development on the river path and I seemed to have chocolate on the brain. The latter is probably quite normal. I also discovered that irritating survival expert and TV personality, Bear Grylls, has his uses. Continue reading Bear Grylls as a new diet tool – first published 10 June 2013

A family outing, Port Carling, Huckleberry Rock and Bracebridge

14 October 2015

When we got back to the chalet we found a note from Alan saying he and Maggie would be round to pick us up in about an hour so we made ourselves a coffee and waited. We had both fallen asleep by the time they arrived. Maybe it was the jet lag catching up with us or all the fresh air.
“We thought we’d take you out to see some trails,” Maggie said.
“Not far, just about an hour’s drive there and back,” Alan added.
This was when I realised that not far has a completely different meaning in Canada. In England, not far means a mile down the road, in Canada, if it’s less than an hour’s drive it’s nearby. Suddenly I began to wonder just how long these trails were. Continue reading A family outing, Port Carling, Huckleberry Rock and Bracebridge

Farewell America hello Canada

13 October 2013

It was almost dark when we got back to Central Park after our New York tour and we still had a way to walk from the Columbus Circle. After we’d packed in preparation for the morning and freshened up we went out for a final meal at Spring Natural Kitchen and an early night. Despite being up at the crack of dawn, our last morning was going to be a short one. Our transfer was picking us up at ten forty five to get us to the airport by twelve thirty. Commando wanted to fit one last run in and I had somewhere I wanted to see before we left New York. After the debacle getting into America, I have to admit to a few nerves about getting back out again.

Continue reading Farewell America hello Canada

The High Line and the avenue that coffee forgot

11 October 2015

So far we’d seen the transfer bridge and one of the shunters used by the West Side Line, now we were actually going to walk on an abandoned part of it. We’d reached the High Line, a one and a half mile elevated section of the line which was closed in 1980. As disused railway lines go, this one is pretty special. It was inspired by Promenade plantée, a similar project in Paris, as an aerial greenway, or a park in the sky and the views over Manhattan and the Hudson are breathtaking. Construction of the walkway began in 2006, we were walking from the newest section to the oldest. Continue reading The High Line and the avenue that coffee forgot

Breakfast in America and a walk by the Hudson

11 October 2015

After a shower and freshen up we left the hotel again in search of breakfast. Actually, by this time it was 10:45 so make that brunch. On our evening wanderings the night before when we’d been searching for coffee we’d seen an interesting place called Spring Natural Kitchen on Columbus Avenue, not too far from our hotel. It looked like a nice healthy place to have brunch so we thought we’d give it a try. First we had to do battle with the New York traffic, which was proving to be more than a little confusing. Continue reading Breakfast in America and a walk by the Hudson

problems, fudge and an intuitive eating experiment – first published 5 December 2012

Sometimes a day seems to be nothing but problems. This one, in December 2015 had more than its fair share and most of them came in the form of a certain entertainer. Add worrying about what to put on my Christmas list, the threat of snow and a hamper full of goodies I was desperately trying not to eat and you have a busy day. Continue reading problems, fudge and an intuitive eating experiment – first published 5 December 2012

meet me at Borough Market – first published 17 November 2012

Commando Junior's river photo — Commando Junior’s river photo

17 November 2012

Yesterday I was housebound, waiting for the oven delivery. It was grey and foggy outside, as shown by a photo Commando Junior took from the Big Bridge, so being stuck inside was no great hardship. The oven finally arrived at half past eleven. The delivery men probably thought I was a nutcase, I was so happy to see them. So I have a new oven. Granted it’s sitting in my gym right now but at least it’s in the house. The rest of the day was a mammoth cooking fest, leaving me free to have some fun in London today with the WLR girls. Continue reading meet me at Borough Market – first published 17 November 2012