14 – 17 January 2015
When I woke up on Wednesday morning the headache was still there, which was rather disappointing. The problem is the pills that stop my stomach producing acid so the damaged lining can heal also stop my food being properly absorbed and digested. Amongst other things, this leads to a magnesium deficit, which, in turn, leads to headaches. Continue reading Under a changing sky
When the clocks went back in October 2012 it left me feeling tired and grumpy. A wet walk to work didn’t improve my mood but going through the parks and a friend with far worse weather problems to worry about soon had me counting my blessings. There is always someone worse off. Continue reading lighter mornings, darker nights and a ‘famous’ actress – first published 29 October 2012
Oddballs, people who don’t quite fit in or seem, at first glance, a little strange are everywhere, I might even be considered as one of them. Without them the world would be a far less interesting place in my opinion. After all, the oddballs and weirdos are often the artists, poets, writers, inventors and the people who have ideas that change the world. Ok, so being odd isn’t always good and some weirdos are probably best avoided but a post from the end of October 2012 celebrated some of them. Continue reading Job hunting, walking and weirdos – first published 26 October 2012
11 January 2015
It’s no secret that I hated working at Mad House right from the outset. In fact I only applied for the job because of a rather spooky coincidence that had me thinking the fates were trying to tell me something. My temporary job was coming to an end and my lovely boss, Mac, told me I should apply for a job at Mad House, “you’d be brilliant at it,” he said.
“A call centre! What gives you the idea I’d be brilliant in a call centre?”
“Well, you’re good at talking.”
“Yes, I learned at a very early age.”
“On the phone I mean, you have a lovely phone manner.”
“I worked in a call centre before. It was awful. I hated it.” Continue reading Coffee tastes better with friends
7 – 10 January 2015
When I wrote about my Tuesday walk I mentioned that I’d paid a visit to the doctor and promised to tell you more later. Well, it’s like this. Since my stomach bug in late November, just before we went off to Paris, I’ve been suffering on and off with an intermittent stomach problem. It seems to ebb and flow like the tide with a few days of pain, burning and feeling nauseous followed by a few days of slowly feeling better before it all starts over again. Thinking it might be something I was eating I looked closely at my diet but, to be honest, half the time I didn’t really feel like eating anyway. Continue reading All things must pass
Mostly I walk alone, hence the name of this blog, but it’s always nice to have a little company on a walk. For some strange reason not a lot of people like going for long, rambling walks so it isn’t often anyone wants to walk with me. Occasionally Commando can be persuaded but I always know he’d rather be running. My boys, on the other hand, are all quite fond of walking. Maybe it’s because I dragged them all on walks from an early age. When Commando decided a second training run in the New Forest was in order, my son Bard jumped at the chance to come along and join me for a walk. Continue reading A forest walk in good company – first published 14 October 2012
Living just a few miles from the edge of the New Forest, as we do, means we tend to take it for granted. People come from all over the world to visit the lovely forest on our doorstep while we drive through on the way to other places and forget how lucky we are. Isn’t it always the way? Occasionally, we remember it’s there and have a little wander to remind ourselves just how beautiful it really is. The end of September 2012 was one of those occasions. Continue reading A nice walk in the New Forest – first published 30 September 2012
29 December 2014
On Monday I took my snotty nose and hacking cough out for one last gasp attempt to make one hundred miles in December. Technically it wouldn’t be my last walk of the year but it would be the final opportunity to put in some long miles. Given how rough I felt, it remained to be seen just how many miles I’d manage, especially with thick frost still sparkling on the pavements. The Riverside walk seemed like a good place to start and that was about as much of a plan as I had. Continue reading Last walk of the year
27 & 28 Declener 2014
On Saturday I had to go back to work but consoled myself with a reminder that we were all allowed to go home two hours early so I’d only be working nine to five. Unfortunately this reminder put the Dolly Parton song in my head and it followed me all through the cold streets to the office. Winter appeared to have arevived overnight and, although we had no snow, or even frost, the wind that kept me awake by trying to blow my house down was icy cold. The sunrise photo I took on the river made it look far warmer than it felt and, up on Horseshoe Bridge , even the bars of golden light shining through the struts couldn’t make me hang around to try for a decent photo. Continue reading Light and shade
You may have worked out by now that I have a shockingly terrible memory. It’s something I wish I could change but I can’t so I’ve learned to live with it or work round it. Back in 2012 I saw a TV programme that got me thinking that having a poor memory might not be as bad as I’d thought. Thinking about this somehow got me thinking about happiness and what I could personally do to make the world a happier place. Continue reading memory, happiness and being creative – first published 27 September 2012