Hockering

On a sunny but cold day in February, as part of the girls' training regime, the three of us, plus two dogs, did our Hockering circular walk again.  This walk is all done on lanes, so the boys are on the lead the whole time - doesn't really suit Finn but I was very proud of him this time.  I don't always say that about a walk on the lead!

It was very crisp but gloriously sunny and dry.   It really felt like spring had finally arrived - there were hundreds of snowdrops around as testimony to this.

So, training is going very well and we're getting some exercise and fresh air at the same time.  What's not to love?

Charity Bake Sale

As part of Amanda and Shannon's big sponsored walk in May, I wanted to help as much as I could with raising money and helping out with the training walks.  I love baking - but, left to my own devices, I would gorge on everything I baked.  So I needed an excuse to bake cakes and let others eat them!  Despite working for the NHS and supposedly being concerned about health generally, in our office cake is considered one of our five a day, so my colleagues are the perfect customers for anything especially calorific! I've done two bake sales so far - three more to do - and have raised a total of £110 so far.   Well worth doing.  And of course my house smells wonderful!

I've got another money making venture planned for the last bake sale of this campaign - I'm going to print out the recipes and sell those for pennies too, it's all for a good cause.  And who knows?  Maybe my colleagues will start to bake their own!

Under Siege

As the builders were here for a week in February to plug the hole in my roof, I took a week off work to make sure that Finn didn't try to help them!   And to add to the chaos, I decided that, as the house was already reeking of paint fumes, I might as well add to the scenes of devastation and decorate my bedroom at the same time.  It was all a bit last minute.com, which is why it wasn't done too neatly, but it's all done and I can always tidy it up afterwards.

I've gone from a playroom style lime green and cream with lots of clutter to a more grown up coffee and cream.   Also with lots of clutter!

I turned the room round too and put some little tables in as I was hoping to have a sewing area - however, it very soon became apparent that this wouldn't work - not enough room.  So the tables are pretty redundant at the moment - really need to rethink the sewing/ craft area set up.  

I finally have no scaffolding though which is good - it only took an extra five weeks for the scaffolders to take it all away after the roof work was finished - and my front garden is now looking lovely with all the spring bulbs again.   All in all, it was a pretty painless experience, but not one that I wish to repeat any time soon!

Bure Valley

The Bure Valley walk follows the nine mile route of the steam train that runs from Aylsham to Wroxham.  Our plan had been to park at one end, walk to the other, and then get the train back to our car.  Sadly, though, the trains don't run in January!   The day itself was cold and dreary, but dry.  Although the paths were really churned up and muddy and caused much slipping and sliding.   It didn't affect our spirits too much - well certainly not for the first half of the walk.  Amanda and I kept Shannon entertained (or so we tried to kid ourselves!) with our singing and harmonies.  Apparently not. 

Amanda and Shannon followed the signs too literally it seemed to me - there were lots of them exhorting us to stop and wait for instructions. Being a bit dim, it took me a while to work out what these two comedians were up to, but I eventually got there and every time we came close to one of these signs, I yelled at them to "keep going!"  

By the time we got to the end, we were glad to finish.  It wasn't a particularly challenging walk, but conditions underfoot caused a few injuries - all that sliding about and then trying to over-compensate our stride, so as not to fall over.   Still, a very good day all in all and this is the reason we're doing it .....

Mattishall

Training continues apace for Amanda and Shannon's big walk in May and I've been in charge of finding training walks.  Depending on weather and terrain, the girls let me know what sort of mileage they want to walk and I find somewhere for us to go.   We've had an awful lot of rain and our coastline has been really battered this winter, which is why we've stayed inland.  And because the footpaths are still really churned up, slippery and muddy, to avoid injury, we've stuck to lanes and pavements.  Not the most exciting walks but we're having a good time with it - singing, laughing, chatting as we go.   Goodness knows what people must think as three hysterical women pass by singing!  

One of our favourites - we've done it a couple of times now and feel quite drawn to it - is a seven miler around Mattishall and Hockering.   We pass five churches, which explains why the girls are praying at one point - I was informed that they'd "come over all holy"!