All or nothing

My nan reckoned her motto was everything in moderation - and she didn't do badly on it, living into a pretty healthy ripe old age.
Sadly its not genetic and I'm more of an all or nothing girl myself. i think for moderation you have to be organised, self disciplined and well controlled, not do as I do which is leave things til the last minute, live in a constant rush, and actually enjoy to some degree organised chaos (despite the despair of my boss it does tend to work for me and i never miss a deadline).

But most recently this attitude of extremes has resulted in a painful lesson for me. About 3 months ago I decided to sign up for a 10km run, to help me get fit and healthy and raise money for a good cause as well. Three months seemed ages to train and take up regular running to get me fit enough to do a respectable run. I started with the best of intentions, sorted out some routes, started going 2 or 3 times a week on a run with Mutt and Son for moral support. Then I forget what happened - bad weather, long hours at work, weekends away, Son not around to join me... all feeble excuses but it lapsed. So with just over 3 weeks to go, panic set in and so started an extreme exercise routine - running x1 per day and other exercise session x1 per day (cycling/ step machine/ or the dreaded gym).

At the same time I decided I'd had enough living in a bedroom with bare floorboards, three different types of wallpaper and obvious markings where I'd pulled out the fitted wardrobes when I moved in. though one of the joys of being single is not having to share a bedroom I had lived with it long enough and finally got round to decorating. Tackling it with the usual extreme attitude i decided to do it in one week so had an intense seven days of steaming off wallpaper, painting, wallpapering, moving furniture around the house, more painting, trips to DIY shops, more furniture moving, trips to the rubbish dump.

The combined effect of the extreme exercise and extreme decorating have taken their toll and I have I believe what is medically termed 'done my back in'. Not being very medically inclined but I have worked out I've done something to a muscle - and realised that muscles in your back are connected to pretty much everything apparantley so if I move my arm, leg, head or even sneeze im at risk of yelling out like someone's just stuck pins in me (gosh maybe it is voodoo). Over the past few days I have dropped dinner plates, given up jogging, struggled to pick up Mutts ball much to his frustration, cancelled horse riding, not been able to take the handbrake off in the car, and have to sit down very carefully! Am too impatient to be a good patient, and this is my only week off in the summer hols and have plans to do lots. so i am taking a mix of strong painkillers during the day and alcohol at night which go some way to numb whatever it is that hurts. Feels pathetic complaining about a bad back but have never had anything like it before and am very surprised at how painful it is - and how debilitating!
Never mind, if it all does get too much and I have to take to my bed I have a beautifully decorated bedroom to lie down in!

Faking it

My brother has just turned 40 - yep the big 4-0 (he is my older bro I hasten to add - oh so so much older than me...!)
I think that I am not v Grown Up, and indeed feel a bit of a fake really. Reasons for this include the fact i have never had a Dinner Party (BBQs and friends round for lots of wine and then when feeling snacky raiding the crisp cupboard dont count); I do not possess a Cake Tin (I think its rude not to buy them from shops when they're already made for you but i do get v excited when someone produces genuine home made ones); i don't do Couply Things with couples (and I'm not in a couple); I do not have a dish washer (surely a basic mod con these days); I have never been one of those Proper Mums that is always at the school gates, goes on school trips, signs Son up to every club going or makes birthday cakes (no cake tin of course); I definitley do not have a Barker and Stonehouse house (would I want one?).

But my big bro I think beats me at Faking It, tho I dont often say he beats me at many things, and I realise all is not going to change when I hit the next Big Birthday. Yes, he has a job, car and mortgage. But he, for instance, is so not a Grown Up, that he doesn't own a tea pot (his partner took the last one when she left - but that was about a year ago); his biggest/ only responsibility is two cats (but only by default as the ex girlfriend left them behind when she took the tea pot); he enjoys many a boys night in when him and pals play into the early hours on their playstation games (even more so since ex left); and he can still throw a fabulous strop at the end of his own - very long and liquid - birthday party and disappear to bed without saying anything to the guests who are still drinking and making merry on his behalf (and not remember why he did so in the morning - exactly like his 18th b-party and many others since).

I wonder if its something in our genes, generation, or whether our parents did something for us to turn out this way - nature or nurture - I'm sure my mother must wonder at times too.

IT lows and Irish Highs

Gosh, it's been more than two weeks since i last blogged (how much like the start of a confession does that sound!!) this being thanks to a couple of weekends away and many technical problems happening when i have been at home. My old - and only - techy solution of turning everything off and back on again has taken several days to come good for me, but it never fails.. eventually! I have spent a lot of time staring at the screen/ plugs/ box thing as if that would suddenly make it right again - much like anytime there's a problem with the car i can open the bonnet and look at the bits.. and that's about it. But still, the staring solution sometimes works.

Spent a great weekend away in Northern Ireland, i love going places I've never been before and this didn't disappoint at all. Definite highlights included a trip to the Giant's Causeway - to keep in with the theme of the last post.. and see if I could find the matching cutlery. What an amazing place, life always get put into perspective when I see something phenomenal that's all thanks to nature, (bees, sunsets and the moon are a source of constant fascination!!) It was really peaceful as well in an odd way as waves were crashing onto the rocks and the place was swarming with blooming tourists (I know, i did get reminded that i was in that category as well!)

Stayed in Belfast which was a first as well, and a really fascinating place. Its obviously right in the middle of regeneration with tons of investment being poured in, from new shopping centres, to five star hotels, to the ubiquitous riverside luxury apartments. Took a trip around 'the murals' up Shankhill Road and Falls Road which was a great reality check although the tour guide used rather Orwellian sounding language like 'the process of normalisation'. It was also an ignorance check as I hadnt realised that the communities live literally next door to each other and the roads run parellel, nor that there was and still is a dividing wall - or 'peace line' according to the guide - between them. Its worrying sometimes how ignorant i think you can be about things so near to home.

The place is great, I'd highly recommend it to anyone who hasnt been to go before it gets too 'developed' in the way many of our cities in England have, though I'm sure the fantastic old buildings that are around the city will remain. The people, craik, food and drink all fabulous - and can particularly recommend Benedicts for a good meal and night out. No idea where it is, but it was lively!

I think next year I'd like to hire a car and see much more of Ireland, having only been to Dublin before this trip. There's a lot lot more to see. Think I'll add that to the 'to do' list - better get cracking on this list as the health and fitness bit of it has suffered a severe set back after the past couple of weekends of excess enjoyment.