"Winter's Coming"

Cast your mind back a few months to the cheerful spring-like days when the thought of summer brought a smile to even the most miserable faces. The time when we got solar panels fitted....remember that?

Anyway, that was five months ago. Five fairly sunny months give or take a few gloomy days here and there. Five months where OH looked at his 'energy generator' app and enjoyed the smugness of knowing that most of our electricity use was for free. Not that it stopped him reminding me that It was time to put another load of washing in, or to turn off the oven.

However, as we know fine well, good things never last - especially when it comes to sunshine and the North East of England. August and September have been a bit slack on the sunny front. OH and his 'app for that' are going through a rocky patch. More red than green on his chart means no lecktrickery for things like washing or heaven forbid drying clothes.

Tonight I was cold. The house was full of damp washing and I was slipping into hibernation mode. I even offered to cook tea so I could warm up in the kitchen. I could tell OH was considering putting on the heating...but it never happened. I resorted to having a bath. Even the dog keeps trying to get under her blanket.

It's only September. The temperature hasn't even dropped below double figures but the thought of having to spend the next six months wrapped in blankets, in the bath or cooking just to stay warm isn't exciting me in the slightest.

So if you're thinking of getting solared up. Just remember the following:

- Don't get him an 'app for that'. What he doesn't know won't hurt him. But if he has to have one...

- Stock up on slankets and fleeces
- Get used to wearing fousty smelling, damp clothes
- Find yourself lots of friends with warm houses to invite yourself to.

It's going to be a long cold winter........

Stepping up for the Stampede

That's how long it is until the day I haul myself around Newcastle Racecourse with over 1000 other people who have nothing better to do. Look at all those smiling faces...hmmm bet that wasn't taken at the end.

Training has stepped up a gear and involves an extra fit camp on a Sunday morning which concentrates on crawling and running and getting strong enough to climb up 12 hay bales. This morning Dean' the machine' as Vicky calls him had 11 of us on the grassy bit by Blyth Beach Huts. Huffing and puffing our way through 60 minutes of all the above and more.

What makes all this easier is that the rest of the people at fit camp are really nice and friendly. None are super-fit, most are like me, a bit out of shape, struggling with some of it but determined to do this. I know I'm really enjoying this kind of challenge. Beats a gym or aerobics class any day. 

Dean  is just a normal (super positive fitness machine) friendly guy who really does want us all to make the most of our health - of course it's his business to do that, but you feel that he gets a real buzz from us achieving our goals. I also love the 'say it as it is' motivational e-mails he sends out through the week to keep us on our toes.  

On Stampede day I know we will all be there to help each other through it. So bring on the mud, the water tunnels, the slippery slopes and the hay bales.  We are all warriors - or will be in 34 days time! 

This will be me then.

If you would like to make a donation to the British Heart Foundation and sponsor me that would be lovely. Here is my just giving page.

Well Shod

Yesterday was winter shoe shopping day.  

Those who know me, will agree that I am no Imelda Marcos - I only require the bottom of a small wardrobe to house my handful of shoes and boots, mostly black and to be honest mostly boots.

I like boots. I like Crocs. I don't like high heels, strappy sandals, nor flip flops.

Once a year, maybe twice depending on the state of the previous year's flat sandals I heave myself off to Clark's to buy my winter footwear. I have long since given up on trawling through other shoe shops because they just don't fit right. Clarks and Hush Puppy are the only brands that I can wear and not give me cause for complaint.

Believe me, if I'm wearing uncomfortable shoes you know about it. I can't comprehend women who cripple themselves daily with blisters and bunions just to wear shoes that look good.  Besides, high heeled shoes these days make most women look ridiculous except for when they are standing still.

Maybe I need to learn 'How to Be a Girl' and watch more videos like this?

My 'shoe' thing stems from being a tom boy as a child and then going into the Navy, where my job meant wearing safety boots or flat lace ups every day.  Not being a 'girly' girl meant I rarely wore dresses, so had no need for heels and such like. I still don't wear dresses, except when I need to and am at the age now where I like to be comfortable when I'm out so opt for jeans and long skirts...so I can wear boots!

Yesterday I did quite well, coming home in a reasonable fettle after a couple of hours in the Metro Centre with three pairs of footwear.  

Brogues with heels...yes 'heels' but I'm going to use the video above and learn how to walk properly in them. These are all the rage at the moment, so I'll be  quite 'with it' when wearing them.

  I think I may spend most of the winter in these beauties. I'd have bought a black pair too but might have to sneak them in at a later date.

and so that I can train effectively for my Stampede in 5 weeks time...a pair of trainers. My old ones are 'old' and will be the ones I do the Stampede in and will be thrown in the bin afterwards, as I've been told they are fit for nothing having been taped to your feet and traipsed through water, mud and goodness knows what else.

Not a wedge or stiletto anywhere...maybe one day I might be forced to buy some, maybe when one of the boys gets married or something...maybe I will be so old by then I can get away with my slippers?

There and Back Again.

Another before dawn start today. No wonder I wake up at 5 am every day of the week regardless. Monday, Wednesday and Friday is 6am fit camp and today I'm on a 0625 train to Birmingham.

Recently my company split my sector up into two regions. North and south. Strangely it seems they think Birmingham is the central point of the north as that's where we have team meetings and other events and hence my seven hour train journey there and back again. I have however suggested that maybe them in the south may like to experience the delights of the proper north and meet in Leeds next month. No point in suggesting Newcastle, that's like going abroad to the southerners.

Anyway without my regular 'Awaydays'... Remember that advert? I wouldn't have the opportunity to people watch. Trains are a great place to do that as people don't realise you're watching them. Like the girl opposite me who is doing her best to read the girl sat next to hers' texts.
Or the man behind who had the whole carriage listening to his phone conversation with someone who had thought they had found his lost cat. Turns out it wasn't his but the story of what had happened had us all choked. Unless you had earphones in.

On the return leg a woman behind me insisted no one sit beside her at the table because she was working and needed the space. I'm surprised so many people took notice, I'd have found it hard to resist sitting there just to annoy her. She proceeded to make several calls to chastise her 'minions' and then spent a good 15 minutes talking to a travel agent booking a holiday for her silver wedding anniversary in far off places like Sri Lanka and the Maldives, stating loudly that she was only interested in five star hotels that are adult only.

Just left Leeds, so another hour and a half to go. Weary people have replaced miserable ones. I wonder what time of day the happy people travel by train.  Of course I'm forgetting the 'happy' drunks in their race day finery who fill the train from York sometimes. Hopefully
not today. They are a bit too happy in their hats and heels to be honest.

I'm now sitting here in that numb state you get on long haul flights. Can't be bothered to play games on my tablet or read my tweets. Even my long standing epic 'New York' novel doesn't hold my interest. I also need the toilet but am convinced that one day while in there the automatic door will open and all the standing up folk in the passageway will catch me unawares. Will just hang on a bit longer.

Might have a nap - hopefully I won't wake up in Edinburgh Waverley Station.