Friday 16 December 2016

Feeling the Benefit

Hello there! Are you feeling the Christmas spirit yet? Much to R's despair, apart from the Advent candle, I have been postponing putting up the Christmas decorations until E gets home from uni. They're usually up by his birthday on the 14th but E's term doesn't end until the 16th, so we are still (thankfully) a tinsel free zone. 
I have just returned from my final run of the Couch to 5K programme, ie. run 3 of week 9. Looking back to 7 weeks ago, I was worrying about week 3 and thinking that I would never be able to run for 3 minutes. Week 9 is running for 30 minutes and I'm so proud of myself, I could burst. I still don't look the part; I'm all ratty of running gear and beetroot of face, but I'm out there and I am feeling the benefit. 
Last weekend, R and I went for a country walk. He cycles every day and when walking together he's usually forging ahead with me puffing away bringing up the rear. Not so this time, people - I was holding my own with the best of them and felt that I could have walked twice as far. I am feeling so much fitter and it's made every occasion when I've had to drag myself out of bed and force myself through the door worth it ....... and it's all thanks to CT. I have no way of measuring how far I've actually run unless I go to the gym and use their running machines, so I plan to do that next week and keep going until I hit the magic 5K.




 Other happies this week:
Enjoying a Bailey's coffee and a Christmas magazine:
 Finishing my Blueberry Waffle socks in the Holly Berry colourway:
Wondering which ones to cast on next:
 A trip into London for R's birthday. He works in London every day, so I had a day pottering round until he came out of work. I visited Loop for a bit of stash enhancement, wandered round Covent Garden and then went to China Town.
We had bought some last minute tickets to see Simon Callow's one man show. He was brilliant and when I was killing time in the cafe waiting for R to join me, the man himself wandered past. It was a bit of a deja vu moment - in 1987 when R and I were both students living in London, we had booked to see Simon Callow playing Faust at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith. It played over 2 consecutive nights and the first night we had arranged to meet up an hour before the performance and get something to eat before the show. Mr. Callow walked past me once waiting outside the theatre and then again an hour later as he returned. I was slightly less smiley the second time. R arrived late having forgotten our arrangement and, to add insult to injury, had already eaten. It was rather a frosty moment!
Not so on Wednesday. R was on time and we managed to find a lovely Japanese restaurant near to the theatre to have dinner. The play was excellent and as it runs until January 7th, I can thoroughly recommend it if you're in the London area.



On Thursday we saw Harold Pinter's 'No Man's Land' being broadcast at our local cinema from London's Wyndham Theatre. It starred Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen and the acting was superb. Unfortunately, my seat was next to a wall and when I leaned my head against it, I found my eyes starting to close. It would appear that I prefer Dickens to Pinter anytime!

Anyway, that's all for this week. We're off to Bristol tomorrow to fetch E, and probably a mountain of her washing, home for the holidays. Let the festivities begin..................

Toodle pip for now. x


11 comments:

  1. That is brilliant news on the running, I'm sure you will have a lovely surprise on the gym treadmill and go crashing through 5k in under 30 mins. I love the idea of having a pottering day in London. I usually plan my London visits with almost military precision as there is so much to see and do. I used to live round the corner from the Lyric theatre, very happy memories of learning to row on the river and cycling in and out of central London. Can't wait for my daughter to come home for Christmas and cannot believe this is her third year. Have a lovely Christmas Veggie Mummy.

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  2. Well done you. No mean feat to be able to run constantly for 30 minutes. Sounds like you have been doing lots of my favourite things. Sock knitting, theatre going and delicious food eating. Bet your excited about having your daughter home. Have a good journey tomorrow. B x

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  3. I'm so proud of you I could burst! You've done absolutely brilliantly. You should think about entering a parkrun (5k) because you'd smash it :o). Your trip to London sounded lovely. I really should try and get up there more often. Happy decorating with your lovely girl home from uni. We've just put our tree up today xx

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  4. Ps love your gorgeous socks. Clever you x

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  5. Congratulations on your running, that's brilliant! Love your socks too, very festive! Enjoy Christmassifying your home! xxx

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  6. Gosh, this is impressive stuff, well done you on the running. Sounds like a lovely trip to London as well. I Dream of a trip to Loop. One day, one day... Hope you have a safe trip to and from Bristol. CJ xx

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  7. Oh....well done you running for 30 minutes, you should be proud, that's a major achievement! I love your Christmassy socks, how festive.
    I bet you had a frosty moment! Glad R made it up to you. Lucky gal getting to see Simon Callow.xxx

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  8. You're making the most of this time of year. Love the socks.
    Amalia
    xo

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  9. I always love reading about your day trips. Your "friend" Simon Callow sounds wonderful... and the Japanese mean looks yum! Love the Xmas socks! Happy holidays x

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  10. Well done with the C25K programme. It is wonderful, having done it myself a couple of years ago I know how empowering and uplifting it is. Sadly I can no longer run due to foot problems (some days even walking is a challenging and painful business) but I wish you all the joy of running, and the fitness benefits it brings. I love Simon Callow, a brilliant actor. Happy New Year to you and your family in 2017 x

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  11. Well done with the running, it's amazing the difference it makes to your overall fitness isn't it? Although it's mainly (dog) walking I'm doing at the moment. I hope you had a nice Christmas with your family. The knitted socks are gorgeous - very seasonal! x

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