I Ache...........

............ but I really don't mind as today I swam 60 lengths which seems much more like it to me. The 10 minute walk home from the pool was a very slow one and I'll certainly sleep tonight but at least I'm starting to see the benefits of the past weeks activity.

Perhaps I should point out that as a teenager I did train fairly seriously as a swimmer getting up early and swimming before and after school, hence the ability to do what to others seems like a silly number of lengths. Yes that does mean most of them are front crawl, with head in water and tumble turns at each end ,which explains why my arms are aching like crazy at the moment. However the words of my swimming coach are ringing in my ears:

"You only get out of the water what you put into the water."

I could also apply that to walking as yesterday I went for a walk in Lathkill Dale. I knew I was moving fairly fast but it was only when I got home and worked out that the route was 8 miles that I realised how fast I was moving, I did it in just over 3 hours.

Lathkill Dale

Limestone in Lathkill Dale from Cales Dale

Last Friday Husband and I did a 10 mile walk that included two climbs, one to Shutlingsloe and then a climb up to Shining Tor right at the end of the walk.

Shutlingsloe

The last climb to Shining Tor was a real effort for me and I was really struggling as my legs really didn't want to go up, on the flat they were fine but lifting them uphill wasn't good.

That last climb to Shining Tor

The lack of hill walking was showing, time to get the Rosemary Conley DVD out. I find doing the exercises tedious but I have to admit the programme is great at building up not only stamina but also the leg and thigh muscles that are essential for saving knees going up and down hills. It seems that the combination of the DVD and some easier daily walks around my local streets is already paying dividends. Now lets just hope that the weight starts to disappear as well.

A few weeks ago Son finally removed his train track from the lofts floor and so I was able to get to my jigsaw box which I haven't been able to reach for the last few years. So last week I enjoyed an old hobby and did my Charles Dickens jigsaw.

I'd forgotten how addictive they can be and found myself suddenly having spent an hour doing it when I was only going to put one piece in. Sorry Bilbo put your definitely taking the blame for this, posting pictures of your completed jigsaws on your blog started me off on this jigsaw. I daren't start another until I've got a few jobs out of the way.

I have been sewing but I can't show it as it will be a gift for someone who reads this blog, I just haven't decided who yet.

Fitness, Neighbours and Some Stitching

Considering I planned on losing about 3 stones this year I can safely say I am nowhere near to achieving it. Injuring my back at the start of the year certainly knocked me back two months but for the last two months I have been seriously lacking in the motivation required to get out of bed and down to the pool or gym first thing most mornings. I've also found that I'm even lacking the inspiration to hit the hills which has meant I have kept going in a downward spiral.

Two weeks ago I finally dragged myself down to the pool and just about made my way through 40 lengths or 1 km. Given that 50 lengths is my normal easy swim this is not good, even worse I ached all over the next day. As the first step is always the hardest last week I made it down to the pool twice and managed 50 lengths each time but I can definitely say it's going to be a long haul before I'm back to where I was this time last year.

When I'm getting over a back injury I also try to make a walk part of my daily routine. As I live in a hilly part of town I can make this easy or hard by varying the route to include as many hills as I want. Today I finally managed to get myself out for a walk so that's another step in the right direction. Two months later than it should of been but I'll let myself off that one as I have been doing a lot of walking anyway delivering flyers for Husband. Once I've got my swim up to a decent distance I'll head back to the gym which is the real test for my back and level of fitness.

I thought I'd share with you these roses, which aren't from Husband put a thank you from one of my neighbours.

I spent 5 hours on Saturday painting/staining the fence at the side of her house. As we share part of the fence with her I felt it was only right that we painted our part of the fence. As she didn't like the first colour she had already put on half of the fence I actually ended up doing all of the fence and not just the bit we shared with her but as it was a glorious day I didn't mind and I certainly wasn't expecting anything for it.

I have started a new stitching project, but I can't show you it as its a gift for a reader of my blog.

As promised here is a picture of Celtic Autumn which is the major cause of my lack of sewing this month.

She now needs to go onto a scroll frame but I just can't bring myself to do it even though I know I must if I don't want to end up crushing the metallic threads.

I've also made one small addition to my stash. Its a new Lizzie Kate design which I just had to get as nearly everyone of them is made for my shopaholic, shoe, bag, clothes and make-up loving Daughter. My idea of hell her idea of a great time.

Be Glad Your Not Here

Firstly yes I'm still alive (just) and although there's not been much sewing going on I have been out walking a fair bit, whilst also catching up on weeding and reading. However since 18th April there has been no hope of any sewing being done, or much else for that matter, as the World Snooker Championships are on. The red button has been very active, unlike me, but snooker and sewing don't go together so the sewing is being neglected. It's no coincidence that this post comes on the day the semi-finals start, as there is no morning session.

Last Thursday saw husband and I heading to Sheffield, not for the snooker but to see The Specials who were on at the O2 Academy, opposite The Crucible. The tickets were a Christmas present from me to husband and whilst we both enjoyed the gig the after-effects we're not so keen on. As it was a sellout the place was packed and boiling hot. On Monday evening we both started to feel somewhat unwell, with sore throats, coughs, and aching muscles. We have concluded that we must have both caught something off someone at the gig. The last few days have seen us both suffering with flu-like symptoms. Not what you want when the news is dominated by talk of a flu pandemic!! As we are both on the road to recovery I'm assuming its not the dreaded Swine Flu. If it is then a good chunk of the UK must be contaminated by now as we can't be the only ones who left the gig having caught it.

Since my last post I have fitted in three walks, although one of them still needs to be posted on my website. Husband and I enjoyed a walk along Derwent Edge on a lovely summer-like day and both ended up sun burnt.

Ladybower from Whinstone Lee Tor

The next two walks were done for the magazine I write for, one was a local walk to Alport Heights and the second was an unusual route above Dove Dale.

Dove Dale from Bunster Hill

Alport Stone at Alport Heights

Once I have finished writing up the Dove Dale walk I will be 4 months away from needing to submit my next walk, which will give me an opportunity to get on with the walks for next years editions. This feels incredibly organised for me.

Sadly the walk in Dove Dale also saw the stitching on the sides of my walking boots give up and split properly. On average a pair of walking boots lasts me a year so it's no surprise they have started to go but it's an expense I really could do without at the moment. Thankfully our local cobbler can restitch them and at the very reasonable cost of £2.50 it works out much cheaper than a new pair of walking boots. It does, of course, remain to be seen if the stitching holds, but as my birthday is relatively soon if it doesn't a new pair of walking boots will be my birthday present. I really hope the stitching does hold as they are by far and away the best boots I have had for a good few years now.

Sewing wise I have done some more work on Celtic Autumn but I can no longer avoid transferring her to a scroll frame so I want to give her a quick iron and take one last picture of her before she goes onto the scroll frame.

For anyone who is into beads a store just selling beads opened up in Belper a few months ago and I finally remembered to go and have a look in it the other day. It has an excellent selection of beads that will suit both stitchers and jewellery makers, although I don't think I'll be buying any of the Swarovski Crystals that they keep locked away in a display cabinet. A new craft shop has also opened up further up the road but when I called in it really didn't have any stock or anything of great interest for me.

I have also finished three books over the last few weeks. The first was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, if you've not read it do.

It wasn't at all what I expected and acts as a reminder that there is suffering and loss on both sides of any war.

I then read a very short Maeve Binchy book called The Builders. As with all of her books it was very enjoyable but so short it only took me one hour.

Having been told that The Cipher Garden by Martin Edwards was no longer in print I reserved it at my local library and have now read it.


I have to admit I didn't find it as compelling as the first book in the series but it wasn't bad enough to put me off reserving the next book in the series from the library, which I plan on picking up tomorrow along with my boots.

Right off to catch up on some housework, assuming the shakes and sweats hold off.

Prepare For A Shock

Well it has finally happened, yes, I have actually been stitching. Your shocked aren't you. You thought I was never going to stitch again but you were wrong. Well you weren't alone, I was beginning to wonder myself.

I didn't get to do any stitching on Saturday as I hoped. Sunday saw a family member admitted to hospital so a trip to the QMC to help out meant no stitching but on Monday I started stitching and have done some everyday this week. As usual Celtic Autumn jumped into my hands and I have now finished all the swirls on one side of her dress.

I'd got to a really fiddly bit whereby doing 4 or more stitches in one colour in one go felt like a long row of stitches. Having stuck with it I'm now looking forward to doing some of the bigger blocks of colour although I suspect that by the time I've finished the first lot I'll be sick to death of ecru.

Today is our wedding anniversary and we are treating ourselves to a meal out tonight and I have just been given a lovely bunch of flowers by Husband. He wasn't meant to be getting me flowers as we had bought the new U2 album as an anniversary present to each other. I'll let him off as he also combined it with a sales pitch on a website for the flower shop LOL.

Everyone Has Been So Generous

As you may have noticed my blog has been somewhat neglected over the last month but it is for a good reason. After Husband and I attended the sales and marketing course we decided to go for a new image and complete relaunch for his company. Over the last few weeks I have been been doing a lot of research and writing to helping him redesign the website. We have also designed a new logo to go with the new look and just sent the final design for the new flyers off to the printers. The next job is a new company brochure but that will have to wait for a little while.

We launched the new website earlier today so at long last I can catch up with my blog. I might even get time to do some sewing as well, or maybe that's just me getting carried away!!

Well I might have disappeared from the world of blogging for most of this month but I certainly haven't been forgotten. Over the last few weeks so many nice things gave happened to me but before I tell you all about them I must say a massive thank you to everyone involved and apologise for appearing to ignore you.

The first nice thing to happen was when Karen has given me not one, but two awards. Thank you so much Karen for thinking about me and I'm so sorry it has taken me a month to acknowledge them via my blog.


The first award which was given to me on the 26th February says. "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these kind writers. When you pass the award along please include these guidelines. I am to choose eight friends to share this with."


The second award which she gave me on the 4th March asks you to list your top 10 blogs. Now I have to be honest I don't have a top 10 set of blogs as I like all the blogs I read equally, some of which are on my blog list and some of which aren't. Each blog appeals to me for different reasons and picking my 10 favourites is a bit like trying to say I like one child more than another, which obviously I don't. Now this isn't a habit I intend to get into but on this occasion as I know if you have commented on my blog or registered as a 'follower' of my blog I visit your blog on a regular basis please consider yourself as one of my favourite blogs.

Next Helen let me know that I'm going to be running the bank in her village that she stitching for the Me Myself and I Round Robin blog. Apparently I got the job because I was the first to apply but I thought it might have been because I promised to lend money to small businesses and not take a big bonus!!

The next treat was when Sally sent me this wonderful biscornu she stitched as a PIF for me.




She knew that I'm developing a passion for Shepherd's Bush designs and so she stitched me Woolpack Sheep and I absolutely love it. It's my first biscornu and my first Shepherd's Bush design. Thank you so much Sally.

When we had finished quizzing on Thursday the landlord of the pub gave me a heather for my garden.


Only the day before I had been thinking that it would be nice to have some more heathers in the front garden and then one appears out of the blue. It will be planted in the front garden next week.

Then yesterday morning the postman knocked on the door with a parcel for me to sign for. I hadn't ordered anything so I had no idea what to expect. It was a free copy of the OFC's Photographic Annual.


Apparently Peter who set up the OFC and a few other OFC members had decided I should have a copy. Now I'm not sure what I did to deserve a free copy, when everyone else had to pay for their copy, but it really made my day. I don't know who the 'others' are and as I only know of one OFC member who reads my blog I'm hoping Peter got my email saying thank you and has passed my thanks on to the relevant people.

So as you can see I have been completely and utterly spoilt over the last month or so and I don't know what I did to deserve it but thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone involved.

One other thing that was shared with me was my father-in-laws cold. We invited him to dinner last week and he had an appalling cold and cough which he has very generously passed onto me. That I'm not so happy about LOL!!

Now I know I've said this before and nothing has happened, but if I whisper it may be it will:

'I'm off to do some sewing'

Don't tell anyone.

We Won

I guess the heading says it all.

Last night with a perfect score of 10/10 we won the Beer League. We were playing away from home but rang up a team member who wasn't at the game and they joined us back at our home venue for a celebratory drink or two. Well everyone else had a drink, I couldn't as I was driving. Our home venue is on the opposite side of town from our house and Son, who normally picks us up, wasn't available as he was out with his friends.

Husband and I also attended a sales and marketing course earlier in the day and it was certainly worthwhile as we have come away with plenty to think about and do.

Right housework and Sainsburys beckon, then maybe at long last I'll get some sewing done.

I'm Still Here

The time just seems to be disappearing on me at the moment although I was busy last week sorting out Husband's accounts and writing up a walk for a magazine.

I still haven't found any time to pick up my needle and I've managed one walk and to read one book since my last post. The walk, last Monday, was a 9 miler across Longstone Moor, through Cressbrook Dale and back to Longstone Edge via Monsal Head.

St Peter's Stone, Creesbrook Dale

Monsal Viaduct from Monsal Head

Having worked all weekend Husband joined me on it and we were tempted into the Stable Bar for a drink after the steep climb up from the viaduct to Monsal Head. It's ages since we have sat alone in a bar together chatting over a pint, so it made a real change.

Tuesday to Thursday was then spent either doing the accounts or writing up the Crich Stand walk. Friday was a catch-up on the housework and shopping day. Saturday was meant to be spent, with Husband, on a Sales and Marketing training day. Having got up early and driven the 30 miles to Buxton we arrived at the hotel to find out there was no course running there that day. When we got back home we discovered we'd been sent the wrong details and should have been in the university buildings. Anyway we are now doing it on Thursday in Chesterfield. We're both looking forward to it as we know we will come away with a marketing strategy and hopefully a good collection of ideas for promoting the business.

Thursday is hopefully going to be an exciting day for us as it's also the last day of the Quiz League and we are top of the Beer League. With the exception of the previous two weeks we have been top all season. Having regained the top spot last week we are determined to hang on to it this week so we have been truly sad spending the evenings looking up Double Troubles . To explain, the Beer League runs after the main quiz and is one round of fun questions with the losers buying their opposite numbers in the winning team a pint. Now John and I have argued that we have had to win it out of necessity this year as if we are both playing and lose it's goodbye to £10.00. The question setter gets to choose the format of the Beer League and this year he has done 10 Double Troubles in alphabetical order. A double trouble is a question with a two worded answer where both words start with the same letter, e.g Q: Where do Derby County play their home games? A: Pride Park. As we are weak on Reality TV, soaps and as I'm not playing there will be nobody with any knowledge of Harry Potter, Husband is now mugging up on all the possible answers/questions these topics could throw up. We need to get 8 points to win and as it will be our first title for a good few years we're taking it quite seriously. As I'm the Results Secretary if we get less than 8 points I will know before anyone else if we have won it or not.

The only book I have finished was Escape to London by Mary Jane Staples and set in Vienna just after Germany has invaded Austria. Sadly I can't really say that it was a great read. Whilst it was easy reading it wasn't really believable, so that ruined it for me.

In my opinion it was bit like reading a Mills and Boon whereby you always knew the girl would get the bloke in the end and for a war-time story this one was just too nice. I've since started the Book Thief and that is far more to my taste.