This morning I’ve been out with a couple of firm friends, who only met each other for the first time this today… Initially they were quite wary – but in no time at all after some introductions they were getting on famously. Probably bonded by their mutual love of bird watching Boris and Freckles seem … More Introducing friends
One of the things that I’ve been pretty happy about after going up Snowdon last weekend is that instead of being completely destroyed like I’d expected to be the absolute opposite happened – and I’ve been full of beans. Although it may be attributable to further great progress with my weight loss – I’ve just … More Head in the Thorpe Clouds
(We continue our adventures in Wales with the final part – number three) The evening after climbing Snowdon was unexpectedly painful. I’d expected my legs to hurt, but quite without warning when we got back to the hotel room after dinner something in my lower back went into a spasm and I was suddenly in … More Snowdonia part 3
(The story so far) Our intrepid hero was lying in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar hotel room listening to the gentle snoring of his friend on the mezzanine level above him and unable to sleep because he was very excited. He was about to climb a mountain. But not just any mountain – Snowdon!!! … More Snowdonia part 2
It’s 4.22am and I’m lying in the dark typing on my phone. The dim screen illuminates the pillow and sheet of my unfamiliar bed but little else of my surroundings. I should be asleep but I’m not. I’m really excited – and not for my usual reasons. Today is Saturday and I’m like a cat … More Snowdonia part 1
Despite the entire week threatening me with torrential downpours they have (mostly) failed to materialise. This is presumably because I am now the proud owner of some all weather outdoor waterproof trousers and a raincoat – and have been dying to deploy them to test whether or not they leak. On the one day that I … More To queue or not to queue
Over the last few days I’ve started preparing a for Snowdon. Although it’s still a way off I’d rather not be completely crippled by the downhill element of the experience. In the absence of hills on my doorstep this has until now taken the shape of floor exercises such as lunges (which are really good … More Ilmington Downs
I finally addressed my long standing commitment issues today and signed on for the paid version of WordPress. This is mostly in response to several people highlighting to me that my blog was serving those viewing my posts on a mobile browser ‘congratulations you’ve won an iPhone 7‘ spam messages over and over again. I hadn’t … More You’ve NOT won an iPhone 7
Some years ago I had a catastrophic hard drive failure on my PC that wiped out most of the digital photos I’d taken over a period of about 6-7 years. At the time I was really upset that pictures of people I loved had been lost – but at the same time strangely happy that … More Ankles then and now
Although I have come to hate it with a passion there’s absolutely no denying that ivy is great for relieving stress. Not content with working on my own garden I agreed to help a friend out on his allotment today – and it’s nice to finally be physically able to return some of the help he … More Allotment ivy
Yesterday I walked into Sainsburys to get a coffee and unexpectedly walked out with a bag of clothes that I’d purchased because they were half price. This in itself is really not unusual I suppose – as clothes from shops like Tesco, Asda and Sainsburys are now cheap enough to make buying them little more … More Banded demoiselle
My companion were sitting quietly in a bird hide discussing the view in front of us. In particular we were focusing on the two families of mute swans on the opposite bank of the nearby lake. Once more we were visiting the grounds and wildlife reserve at Coombe Abbey – but today were both of us … More ‘It’s a boy!’
The effects of dramatic weight loss are (I’ve found) often unpredictable – and throughout my journey I’ve experienced a variety of odd feelings, strains, tensions and pains. I’ve put a lot of this down to my body weight shifting and stressing different muscles and ligaments in the process. Around the 11-12st mark I started getting a … More Windy day
It”s 9.50am on Saturday and I’m listening to Classic FM. I have my feet up on my POÄNG footstool and I’m in my POÄNG armchair, feeling very Swedish. I’m also feeling very frugal as – thanks to some patient bargain hunting – I managed to get both 2nd hand for a total of £14. This compares … More Swedishly frugal
There’s nothing like an incentive to do something. I couldn’t help laughing when I visited a pub today – and sitting in the urinal was a green splash guard with a tiny goal and a little plastic football. It was an amusing and diverting way to make sure that clients who may be a little … More Towards the future
When I lived in Wales I was convinced that (maybe with the exception of Scotland) I was fortunate enough to hang my hat in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK. I loved every bit of the countryside around Aberystwyth and over the years I’ve continually felt a yearning to return. However over the last … More Coombe Abbey
I was talking to a fellow slimmer this morning about the battle to stay positive – even when injured. I reflected on this afterwards and in truth I remember when it happened to me (thankfully I’ve been ok for quite a while – although my plantar fasciitis never truly left for good) I felt like I’d … More Too busy loving life
My fingers are cold. Now I’m thinner I feel temperature drops in my hands a lot more than I used to and today they’re aching a bit. Rather than turning on the heating though I’ve jumped into some fleecy jogging bottoms and have been warming my frosty digits with a large steaming mug of lemon and ginger … More Sea of velvet
It’s been a soggy, grim, rainy, cold, humid and generally miserable looking grey day. However – I’ve enjoyed every sodden minute of it. Sure – the countryside has been more of a challenge this morning than it would have been on a sunny and dry day – but I’m a believer that not only is it … More Fetishes and man jeggings
I know now that everyone with cautionary comments about my weight and my plans for running may have been right. It was Thursday evening that I made my first attempt – and today I’m still suffering. This evening though it seems like the tail end of it – but yesterday I was really struggling. My legs had completely … More 44 inch victory!
Compared to yesterday the weather today is a riot of blue skies and sunshine. It’s frankly glorious and because of this I was genuinely torn between my ever pressing need to sort out my back garden (which regular readers will know is an objectionable task only because of my continued procrastination) or just dissapear for a walk. Hmm… … More Tinkerbell
Despite many weather forecasts suggesting today would see epic rainfall it’s instead proven to be absolutely gorgeous – and has been the perfect morning to be out and about in the countryside. I’m continually stunned at the wealth of opportunities for exploration that have been (metaphorically speaking) under my nose for years without me once feeling inclined to go … More Kenilworth to Balsall Common
As bank holidays go I’ve zero complaints so far. If the point of such a holiday is spending time wandering aimlessly from place to place with people you like and talking all day long about life and ‘stuff’ then I think so far all the boxes I have are well and truly ticked. Today I’ve been … More Along the Offchurch Greenway
So it’s here. It’s actually a whole year since I joined Slimming World. 365 days have passed. It’s currently 8.21am on Saturday 15th April 2017 – and if I’m completely honest I’m a little nervous about what the scales will say today. I’ve focused so much on walking over the last two weeks that weight loss … More One year on…
It’s not rained for a while. Not properly anyway, meaning that dirt track walks have suddenly dried out and extra bits of the countryside have become accessible. I’ve continued my slightly ambitious walking schedule this week and maybe explored a little more than usual as a consequence. When muddy paths aren’t an issue I’m far … More Pity party
I felt like a broken man when I woke up yesterday. I knew that my enthusiastic tramping around the Malvern hills on Sunday may have repercussions but I was expecting it to be in my knees – and not… well… EVERYWHERE. OK – I’m probably overstating it a little – my upper body escaped largely … More Mostly broken but still functional
It’s early on Saturday and I’ve had a lie in. I stayed in bed until 7.30 – which (to me at least) seems disgustingly decadent. The first thing I noticed when I decided to scrape myself off the pillow was a text from a friend asking if I would like to go for a walk … More Greatest Loser
Something that’s surprised me lately is how I have begun to react to disappointment. I could easily have been criticised in the past for using failure as an excuse to give up. I also actively shied away from competition of any kind because I knew how I felt when I lost. It left me feeling diminished … More Determined
‘The fools.’ I thought as I looked at the salad bar. ‘Don’t they know who they’re dealing with?’ Moments before an innocent young waitress had handed me a large plate and confirmed what I had hoped was true. ‘Yes‘ she said. ‘the salad bar is unlimited – you can go back as much as you … More Excessive celebrating
In an effort to establish a new normal I got up early this morning and jumped on my exercise bike. I plan to start the day this way for the whole week. I’ll admit to being a little worried at the moment about how I’m going to keep my activity at the same level when I … More Summertown
