This week has been a rather unexpected (but welcome) change of pace – and quite out of the blue I have seen my circumstances totally change. Back in my very first post (here), way back in February 2016 I had a plan. I’d decided that I’d leave my job and that I’d spend a year … More Davey and the holy grail
Although I didn’t get upset about last Saturday’s unexpected weight gain I’ve been trying really hard to focus over the last seven days on forward momentum – and making each day one that I consider to be positive so that I can turn things around. Although a well rounded ‘positive’ day is also an emotionally … More Sweet Sixteen Stone
Fundamentally this week for me has been about forward progress, challenging some thought patterns about what I need from life and focusing on self improvement. I’ve felt like I’m at something of a pivotal point in my personal ‘journey’ (I rather dislike that word if I’m honest but rarely know what to substitute it with) … More Slow mo me
One of the things that I’ve sometimes found difficult with my weight loss progress is how to judge success. It’s a really malleable and ethereal concept at times – and I’m continually struck by how small and unexpected things often mean much much more than the massive ones. Last week I (very unexpectedly) put weight ON … More No limits
Today was supposed to be more inclusive of gradients and hills – and I was originally planning another exploration of the hills and tracks around Ilmington – however at 5am I was awoken by the hammering rain outside my window. Fields full of livestock don’t make for particularly good walking after a huge downpour – and you … More Wyken Slough nature walk
Although occasional insomnia sucks the catch-up sleep that follows it (at least in my case) is glorious. It’s now 6.25am on Sunday, the sun is coming up, birds are singing and I have about 11.5 hours of solid grade A shut eye under my belt. Honestly I feel like I could conquer the world! But … More Wardrobe malfunction
My usual Friday night insomnia has been more rampant than usual today/tonight/this morning or whatever it is now. I suppose that it’s Saturday (regardless of what my brain thinks) as I’m currently sitting outside Sainsburys waiting for it to open at 6.25am. I’ve been up all night faffing about – simultaneously too tired to do anything … More Fragrant butts
There are few more gratifying things in life than seeing the long term benefits of choices you’ve made come home to roost. Real, lasting change takes time to achieve and I honestly don’t believe that there are genuine quick fixes to anything – just continued perseverance in the right direction. The more you do the right … More Diabetes progress report
Today has the capacity to be a downbeat one – but honestly I don’t plan to let it get the better of me. I dislike dealing with officialdom at the best of times, and today is unfortunately one of those days where I have to. Although I often find that the reality of such encounters … More Transportation upgrade
It might be going to rain later on, but when I woke up this morning the weather report had changed slightly (it looked awful on yesterday’s advance forecast) and the worst didn’t seem to be arriving until after midday. Furthermore my bedroom was full of sunshine! I resolved to get up immediately and go for a … More Hero clothes
I did something I swore I would never do again yesterday. I’ve cautioned others against this behaviour in the past, so it’s only fair that I ‘fess up’ and be completely honest about falling off the wagon. I’ve been a very naughty boy. After I dropped my Dad off at the train station yesterday I … More Very naughty boy
As regular visitors (and subscribers) to this blog have probably noticed there has been a higher volume of posting than usual this week, and I heartily apologise if you’re getting sick of hearing from me. A few more introspective posts have left my drafts folder than normally would primarily because the last seven days have … More Au Revoir Supercoat!
Boris is getting fitter. The poor little mite’s suffered quite a bit of late with some spinal pain and has been seeing a doggy therapist. With some physio he’s managed to progress from yelps of pain when moving to a noticeably more bouncy gait as he trotted around the park and today, as I walked … More Mint on saucer
There are lots of after effects when you do something negative in life – and over the years I’ve carried around more than my fair share of regret about lots of things I’ve done – or (more often) not done. Right up until the day she died my mother was trapped inside memories of her past, … More Snowdon epilogue
(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
Although I had a great win on the scales yesterday in the end (rather surprisingly) I found that my real moment of triumph came later on in a different non-scale victory that stood completely apart from my fifteen stone certificate. It’s odd as I reflect upon my feelings in Saturday’s post (link) that I started … More Penguin in a dell
I spoke too soon about the rain holding off yesterday. When I woke up this morning it was chucking it down – and the whole world looked damp and miserable. I know that this is a stark indicator of my potential mood for the day because on any other morning I’d look out of the … More Fifteen stone certificate
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
It seems a bit odd to me as I type it but somehow almost half a year has passed since I last visited Burton Dassett in February (link). Back then I was beginning to think of inclines and was already mentally leaning towards what I’d eventually need to be capable of when it came to climbing Snowdon … More Avon Dassett to Loo of the year 2005
Yesterday was an empty day. After a wonderful night out with ex colleagues on Thursday culminated in an unusually late night (I fell asleep in a Diet Coke related heavily caffeinated state after the sun came up on Friday morning) I really didn’t feel like doing anything of consequence. Caffeine wasn’t the only thing keeping me … More From 66 to 42
I feel somewhat re-energised this week. My feet are almost recovered after their Sunday shredding and it’s becoming a bit less onerous to go for a walk now. Today it’s been absolutely sweltering – with a clear blue sky. In this respect it’s not been the best day to attack the garden – but the … More Chair repairs
This is unlikely to come as a surprise to anyone that’s been following my blog since it started but I miss my Apple Watch. The poor little thing is unwell currently and since Sunday afternoon has been with Apple to be repaired. In some ways it was a good thing that this happened because its presence … More Bare wrist
I’ve got Vaseline between my toes and it feels funny. Although I have my moments this isn’t me pandering to a weird fetish (for a start there are no llamas nearby) but trying to make absolutely sure I don’t get blisters. At the moment I’m sitting outside The Hatton Arms, rather cheekily sipping my own … More Warwick to Solihull via Apple
There are few better places to reflect on things than a graveyard. I started writing this post in the middle of an early morning walk, sitting in the shade of a nearby church with my flask of coffee and thinking about why I felt so down yesterday. Just in case my current setting may appear … More 99% are really really good
I’m beginning to think I’m the wrong shape. Actually – scratch that. I know I’m the wrong shape. I don’t for a minute think that I’m particularly unusual in this – but it’s not doing me any favours at all when it comes to finding outdoor clothing – which I need to buy relatively soon for … More Looking for the spark
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
Last week I took another huge load of clothes to my chosen charity. It’s always a bittersweet moment for me because although it’s all for a good cause none of what I have left now represents ‘old money’. Around 65% of the items in those bags were purchases made within the last six months. It’s … More An eye for detail
Well my week’s experiment has concluded. After a somewhat disappointing 1/2 a pound loss last week I had been looking at what I’d been eating and also what I’d been doing for exercise. Since the 22nd May I’ve been gardening in earnest – and because of the time involved there has been less walking in … More In the teens!
So far It’s been a good week for walking and exercise (I’m up to 51 miles so far) – and despite the heat I’ve put in some lengthy single day distances – on Tuesday doing the perfect walk (8.5 miles) for a boiling day – almost completely in the shade to Balsall Common along the Kenilworth … More Sockfail
‘I’m melting’ has been a common text / Facebook status update today – and I can wholeheartedly agree with those who’ve shared it – particularly as I chose yesterday and today as my pivot point away from the garden (for a while) and back towards the open road. I’ve been putting in the walking miles … More Moob sweat
