Giant Surprise

We have giants! I have had mice before (which was fun for the cats), and slugs (very unpleasant for everyone) and occassionally the animals have had fleas. But never before had giants. The proof is in the pudding - or rather the 3 metre high steel pudding spoon stuck in the ground, which we happened across while out on a run/jog/walk this week. It is in the middle of nowhere and is for no apparent reason. So we think it may have been left behind by giants while out on a picnic. Or perhaps they have buried something there and wanted to make sure they could find it again (wonder what that could be). It was all very Alice in Wonderland and just in case anyone accuses me of suffering from a lack of oxygen due to excess running, photographic evidence will be attached if I can work out how to do it.

The aim of going running is to get fit and make sure i can do a 10km in Sept without embarrasing myself more than necessary. But its also becoming very educational and entertaining. As well as discovering giants exist (who would you ring to share this discovery with.. David Attenborough?) I have learnt that my arm can swell up to the size of a baby elephants leg (no kidding) when I get bitten by some unseen insect that I'm clearly allergic to.

I've also learned that my son and dog are increasingly similar. The Mutt has lost several balls while accompanying me for a run - he insists on taking them out, which is fine as gives me an excuse to stop while I have to pick it up and throw it for him. But then he will get distracted, go off after smells and other interesting doggy things, and re-appear without the ball. He then gives me a look which definitley says 'where's my ball then, what have you done with it.' and looks indignant when I tell him he has to find it. He half heartedly snuffles about and fails miserably. This lack of responsibilty for his own things, habit of dropping stuff and expecting someone else will pick it up, and expectation that I somehow know where everything is, are all traits shared with Son, who's exhibited them since he was old enough to crawl. I wonder if its a boy thing or whether its just creatures who live in my house who develop these characteristics. Even though the cats lack possessions they too tend to just drop small furry things that they bring into the house sometimes, with no regard for putting them away or tidying up after themselves. The goldfish seem tto be the only ones unafflicted with these bad habits - so far.

Long summer days

Tomorrow I will definitely have that Monday feeling - and it'll be Tuesday. I have had a day off work today and it's been fabulous. A long run - that sounds too professional, its actually a bit of jogging along and much walking - with Team B first thing, then into town with Son where we visited a couple of interactive science type places which in my day were called museums but are much more entertaining these days.

Back in the miserable month of February I had a fantastic idea. Well it cheered me up at the time. I booked two weeks away in October - 2 weeks at this time of the year is actually cheaper than just one in the middle of the summer hols. We're going to a Greek island, the weather forecasts are still good at that time of year. My parents decided they'd like to come too which will be lovely as we havent had a holiday together for ages. But i forgot how much this would complicate the juggle that is the great six weeks summer holidays.

My parents, though in their 60s, both still work - despite me telling them they really can pack it in now - they're taking the whole working class thing too far. It means they're limited to how much time they can take off work during the summer holidays as I am. This week sees me off work today, grandpa in charge tomorrow, Son staying at friends on Weds night, grandma picking him up on Thursday, and me working at home on Friday. I'm lucky in some ways- I have my parents who help out and I'm in a position where I can be flexible and bring work home sometimes. But its still a logistical nightmare.

Never mind, Son is enjoying the idea of lots of different days out with different company - and I have a short week this week!

Small steps

First week of my new fitness lark and it hasn't been too bad. This is all relative - in five days I've been jogging twice and horse riding once. The running thing wasn't as bad as I expected, bearing in mind the (non healthy) things I've put my body through over the years. I had the support of Team B - the Mutt running along with me and my Top Son on his bike shouting encouragement like 'see those old women who've just gone past, they're going much faster than you'. Cheers Son! I'm sure we looked an impressive outfit, as if preparing for the 2012 Olympics, me well out of breath and gasping after a few hundred metres (and still no sports bra), Mutt soaked from jumping into every bit of river/ puddle/ flood he could find, and son zooming past waiting for no woman or dog on his bike shouting his supportive comments.

Indeed Son has turned into Mr Motivator (some would say he's just very bossy, no idea who he gets that from...) as I got home after work and a supermarket trip after 7pm one night and really did not feel like going running. But my lack of enthusiasm was met with a disgusted look and comments of 'But you said you were going to get fit and do this run really well.. you'll never do it if you don't practice'...etc. It was enough of a telling off and echo of things I might say to him, to make me pull on those trainers and trackie bottoms for another Team B outing. delighted when Son told me the gadget on his bike said I'd done a mile, bit disappointed when he said this was actually the total - and it'd been half a mile there and half a mile back. Never mind, small steps...

Also done the horse riding thing again... and much less face redenning than last time (that definitley was the sun!) A bit nervous going along to a group session as I feared it would be filled with young daft girls all really good riders and show offs, so I was relieved and pleased to find its only a small group and we're all of a similar age and just there to enjoy it. The others same as me rediscovering something they enjoyed 20+ years ago. I was worried that if I didnt enjoy it I'd be put off going again, but was great fun and great company, so think the Tuesday Trotters will be a regular thing. Best get myself hat, boots and stuff now so i don't let the group down in the style stakes!

Should improve the eating habits a bit more I think... trying but must do better i think the phrase would be. As an instance, the other day had a healthy salad for lunch and snacked on fruit during the day (very good), then finished work, dashed to pick up son, pick up friend and then onto the cinema to see the rather long Harry Potter film. We got home after 10pm. As a result my dinner consisted of salted popcorn and two scoops of ice cream (very nice but not very healthy).

But I've discovered M&S do something v nice called Blueberry Wine Cooler, which looks like a bottle of wine but isn't really - its only 4% alcohol & obviously has lots of fruit in it eg blueberries-so it must be healthy. Bought lots of this as have decided that this is an acceptable substitute for proper wine. at least during the week. Small steps, after all.

This is my first time

Very excited that I have got this far so far into the world of Blogging. I think even if noone else reads it I'm going to find it useful, I guess similar to keeping a Journal but different in that my diaries in the past have come with a lock and key and say keep out, private, its mine, you will die if you dare look in here (that one was used many years ago when I was an over-reacting teenager). I guess this is public but in a private way. I feel if i say in here that Im going to do something then Im going to feel more motivated/ pressured to do it.

I had no idea what to call this either - i wonder if other people struggle or have a Eureka moment, or maybe its just blooming obvious to them. I also struggled with the description - i guess i tend to describe who I am depending on who is asking and why - I am a senior manager/ I am a single mother/ I am single/ I am mid-late thirties/ I am all sorts of things...

I think the age thing is difficult at my age (38 in a couple of months). What do you say? So am I middle aged/ thirty something/ nearly 40? I probably prefer to think 30-something is the best description as I definitley do not feel affinity to the others - and because of the tv programme ages ago that I think made it all seem a bit glam. So I guess thats actually not a good description of me then!

I genuinely tend to forget my age when asked, so keep trying to get myself to remember that am nearing 40 as i think I'll be able to remember that one. And I obviously look my age - the nice (young) chap who came to look at my car on Friday when I dunched it (thats another story) didnt even bother asking but had me down on the forms as 'Mrs'. I have never been, and am unlikely to ever be a Mrs, due to not seeing the point of it all. But guess i must look like i should be/ have been married by now..!

I like the sound of being in the summer time of my life - middle aged sounds so, well,.. middle aged (and isn't 40 the new 30..?!). If we're averaging a life of 80 years now (at least I will be when I get on that health and fitness regime), then I guess 38-40 must be the May/ June time of life. Makes me think of sunshine, long days and light nights, BBQs... except for this year when its been a horrific washout of course...

Red faced

I have a friend who is avidly getting into 'life coaching'. Having another moan that Im fed up in my job, dont get out enough, need to lose a stone, etc etc. she told me i should look at coaching and something called the Circus of Life. Actually I misheard and she actually said Circle of Life - but i still like the idea of becoming a ring master/ mistress - not too keen on the top hat but like idea of the boots and whip! Anyway the idea is that if you want to change something you look at all areas of your life and you can find that making changes in one part lead to or help with changes in other areas.

So one of the areas in my life that i want to do something about is health and fitness (ie I dont have much). Giving up smoking - nearly 100%- having a long term fondness for alcohol and high calorie food, and something akin to an allergy to most forms of exercise, have all taken a toll. This toll shows up around my hips and belly mostly and i reaslied recently that i must have what is quaintly known as 'middle age spread' which actually sounds like a mouldy margarine.

So to give me a goal - if I am to be the circus master/ mistress of my life I must set goals and then work out the do-able steps to get me there - i have signed up to do one of the Cancer Research 10Km runs. (if i can work out how I'll link to their site as they're happening all over the country). It feels like I am making myself run before I can powerwalk, but I now have a goal and it also raises money for a very good cause. But realistically I have to start exercising every day - while I'd love to break a record, I dont want it to be for the longest time ever to do 10km. Like that man who took 5 days or something to finish the London Marathon, but he was dressed in an old fashioned divers costume so had an excuse (theres a thought)

My Mixed Up Mutt will love me even more if thats possible as I'll take him running with me. In fact given that he goes for walks twice a day and i cant think of any exercise i really like, these could turn into twice daily runs. Could. Maybe. I joined a gym several months ago, knowing that i hate it and the last time i joined one many years ago i went 6 times and gave up. And surprise surprise - have done exactly the same thing this time. Am now pondering whether its legal to sell on the other 6 months I have left on the membership. And note to self - dont ever ever ever fool yourself into joining a gym again - you really do hate it.

So today I went horse riding..this can be part of my fitness regime. I know that this seems like cheating, it's the horse getting the exercise but trust me, its made me feel muscles I didnt know I had (and reminded me that I have been single a v long time!!). This is the second time in about 20 years I have been on a horse - but between the ages of about 9 and 12 I was one of those obsessed young girls whose dream is to have their own pony and who spent every weekend literally shovelling shit (some things never change...!) at the local stables. Its like riding the proverbial bike - i managed to remember most things today - and even better, i still love it! I want a pony!!! But of course I'm grown up now and realise this is never going to happen (which is very sad).

I was on the horse for about half an hour, most of that trotting including the dreaded sitting trot - must get myself a decent sports bra - and I was all out of breath and jellied muscled when I got off. Some small girls stared at me - thinking she's a bit old and unfit to be riding, so i thought - and the lady I paid made the comment that i looked a bit hot (I was - very). But what I wasn't prepared for when I got in the car and looked in the mirror was the fact that I had morphed into a lobster, I seriously looked like I'd stuck my head into a pot of pillar box paint, I was soooo red.

This is a v dangerous condition as i kept having to check in the mirror whilst driving home to see if i was getting less red. I had wanted to pop into the shop for a paper on the way but didn't want to scare small children. I decided apart from not being a good look, being this red must mean I:
have developed v high blood pressure (its usually low but admittedly isn't something that's regularly checked)
was suffering after effects of last night's wine (its hard not to finish the whole bottle when there's noone to share it with), or
have burst all my blood vessels as a result of the riding malarkey (I burst them in my eyes when I was giving birth and looked like James Nesbitt does in his Jekyll character for weeks after).
I then remembered when I'd been out earlier walking Mixed Up Mutt it had been extremely sunny and while i had put sun cream on my arms and shoulders I hadn't put any on my face.

As it has now been several hours and i have a red tinge remaining I'm very happily telling myself that it must have been the sun, mixed maybe a bit with the exertions of sitting on a horse (honestly it really is tiring!). At least I hope it was the sun as I've signed up to join a Tuesday night riding group where they are starting to do jumping - imagine the colour I might be after that session!