Did I mention to you that I love water!? I think I may have once or twice...(or even a few more times) here on the blog. However I didn't always. As a kid growing up, I was given the standard swim lessons that everyone had, but could never swim with my head underneath the water. It was only in my 20's (when I joined a triathlon club) that I learned how to breath and to do the crawl properly. It took months of coughing and spluttering before it all clicked in to place and I began to feel like a duck in water. I swam through each of my pregnancies, and after... (to get back in shape) and I feel like learning to swim has been a real blessing in my life.
Now I know that some of you out there are probably saying in your head that you hate swimming and that you can't breath either and have perhaps given up on going to the pool to exercise.
But have you ever considered going to the pool to do a work out in the water instead?
I do like a good day out. It's always great to have a change of scenery, go somewhere different and do something new. Although I've been to the knitting and stitching show at Olympia a few years in a row with my "Crazy Crafter friend" , it's only the last few years that we have decided to try some of the taster classes that they've had on offer. Last year we had a go at Swiss embroidery (aka chicken scratch?) and this year we signed ourselves up for a dressmaking class.... to have a go at making a skirt....
The last time I did something like that was when I was about 14.... I remember making a skirt at school that was far too small for me and that I never ever wore. I hate to be beaten by a foiled attempt, so I thought it was time to give it another go and see if I could do any better. My buddy and I always enjoy a good project (or two) and so we headed off for our day out with high hopes of coming away with a lovely new article of clothing to wear.
I'm now home after a lovely week in the Lake District and back in to catch up mode. I always love to do a few of our favourite walks while we are up there and take in all the gorgeous scenery. This year we did a few of the usual's.... like Grasmere Lake and Tarn Howes. We did however add some new ones to the list because we had to stay in the southern lakes due to the road up to Keswick being closed.... it had fallen in to the lake! (caused by all the flooding around Christmas)
We did a lot of Tarn walks....which included Loughrigg tarn, (and here), Blea tarn, Little Langdale tarn, Moss eccles Tarn (where Beatrix potter loved to go)... and a lovely walk from Wray Castle down by the side of the lake! Some of the walks we took Heni on and others we did on her rest days. We even got to go back to Lucy's again this year for another meal catered to our food intolerances.
On one of the days, we also took a drive up over the hills to Glenridding at the other side of the pass. To get there you have to go up a 20% gradient road, along narrow stone walled lanes that wind back and forth. The climb covers more than 4.8km of twisting road, cutting through what is a stunning backdrop and the road is aptly named...... its called The Struggle!
