Saturday 7 March 2009

Living and Learning

Minty rolled in something disgusting - I mean really gross and smelly, way worse than her usual foulness. As a result, I was paranoid about her jumping up on any passing walkers so had to call her to me and hold her collar several times, all the time gagging at the stench. She had a big shower with shampoo and everything when she got home, which served her right!! (You can see what she rolled in in this photo...how gross is that??!)


This was the steeeepest part of our walk - Minty was a bit irritating here - bounding up the hill then sitting down and staring at me as if to say "what's the hold-up Mum??"

Look - it wasn't just me; even the mentalist mountain bikers had to carry their bikes up this particular field!!

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We're on the part of Win Hill that overlooks Lose Hill which is the pointy hill in the background of this photo (yes, there really was a battle on the 2 hills, hence the name). It's called Hope Brinks which I think is a great name.


Today has been a pretty good day. I could have done without the incredibly sore and stiff buttocks, back and shoulders from playing squash yesterday but, all in all, a pretty good day.


I slept. And slept some more and really enjoyed my lying in. I needed it. But, even so I was up and about by 9ish and out walking on the hills by 10am. A little later than I wanted to be out but not bad. I chose a 5 mile route which I haven't done before. I've probably walked parts of it before but not that particular route. It was great - really steep to start with, probably a good mile and a half of solid uphill; then level for 2 or 3 miles; and then the final mile was a pleasant downhill.


I really needed that time in the open air, just me and my dogs. I wasn't analysing or thinking much about anything but I was totally, whole heartedly appreciating the countryside and the exercise and the fun of nature, both the scenic side of things and the damn dogs.


There were so many people out and about enjoying the same thing - walking, mountain biking, running, road cycling, parascending, all sorts. It made feel very lucky to live out here.

Food wise, today has been good. I did have a chip butty before the football, but didn't eat all of it and, apart from that, I've eaten very sparingly. I just wanted a day when food was not uppermost in my thinking.
I went to the pub and had a very pleasant couple of hours out with my mates. I ended the evening with Sammy who has been an inveterate smoker for 20 or more years but has recently given up (9 days and counting). We were talking about the cravings and I was passing on the Beck stuff and the wisdom I have gleaned about resisting cravings over however many years that I have had food issues. It made me laugh (somewhat hollowly) when he asked whether it was the same??! It was like he'd never realised that I was going through basically the same things he is going through now when I dieted and then have worked to keep most of the weight off.

This is a man who I have known really well for 15 years. He's known me fat, thinner, very fat, fat, and then all the way through Lighter Life! How can he not know that food is a big issue for me?? But he genuinely didn't until I pointed it out to him in terms that he could understand (ie. in connection with his smoking...). Hey ho....

4 comments:

Unknown said...

This is one of those wonderous things which always amazes me!! I was a very heavy smoker as well as being very overweight nearly all my life when I smoked I was a 40 a day plus at a weekend and many years of being a landlady smoked even more. Yet, in a click of a finger I stopped. Just like that no cravings no wanting no nothing I got up one day and decided I am not going to smoke anymore. The will power was and still is phenominal. So I ask myself why the heck can I not stick to a healthy eating dieting regime, why am I always looking for fixes, miracles, new things on the market, pills, equipment and Lighterlife... Then when I lose 6 I put 3 back on and I am constantly in a battle to get it off again with out running back to LL........... I said it before chuck and I will say it again! these things make our life more interesting........ Wonderful photos as usual and loving the girls. Have a good weekend. Amxxx

Peridot said...

Yep, my mum's labs like nothing more than a decaying carcass or some fox poo to roll in. And they're trickier to bath too (have you ever lifted a hefty lab in the bath whilst trying to avoid the smelly bits?!).

You ate PART of a chip butty? That's amazing. I have this stupid innate ability to carry on eating something - even if I don't like it much - until it's gone. Madness.

love
Peridot x

PS Glad I'm like a slap in the face .... erm, maybe.

Pam said...

What beautiful pictures. You certainly deserve to lose weight with all that exercise.

Dogs, like babies: a sign of true love, to love them even when they're smelly...

Mrs said...

Bonsoir Lesley!

Your Friday post sounded sad but THIS post sounded much cheerier. How are things?

Sleep and exercise and leaving part of a chip butty??? Pretty fab in my eyes, too. Keep on trucking, chuck!

What have you decided as your way forward? (no pressure, just interest!)

Photos, as ever, GORGEOUS!

Big kiss.

Mrs Lxxxxx