Hello – it’s me

I am here.  After a short sabbatical from blogging I am back – perhaps not as refreshed as I’d like but back none the less am back.

Work is still ‘the tiger in the room’ and I am trying to tame it – but it’s difficult. Part of my strategy to reduce the number of hours I work [my contract says 35 but reality is near 60] is to set goals each week for none work activities and stick to them.  We went to see Captain Philips a couple of weeks ago on a Friday afternoon – I had said I would finish work at noon and NOT check email or log back on to work until 8am on Monday – it was VERY difficult but I did manage to stick to it.  I am still waking in the early hours with work on my mind and finding it increasingly difficult not to go into my home office and login.

Money saving is going well – a few wobbles in the last few months but nothing that a months or so of being extra thrifty won’t solve. We have finished paying the community charge so that’s an extra £175 for the next 5 months that can towards credit cards; the final payment on the car loan will be made in a few week then we will be loan free – wooohooo – another £430 for snowballing.

My tin for the Sealed Pot Challenge is still sealed and weighing over 8.5kgs I am really hoping that there will be more than £1,000 in it when its opened on 1^st December – getting excited about it. 

 

Fruit for the Christmas cake has been soaking for a few weeks and I am hoping to that I will be able to make the cake this week.

My mum had her 82nd birthday at the beginning of last month and we spent a lovely day with her and Betty - I made a lovely PoppySeed and Lemon cake; it was really yummy.

 

SonnyHen has started to play rugby again after not playing for a season.  This means that Saturdays revolve around where he’s playing; we all travel together so arrive a good few hours before kick-off which gives DaddyHen and I time to go for a long walk.  Last week we gathered sweet chestnuts (note to self don't gather them without gloves - I still have tiny tiny splinters from the spines in my fingers).  This week there were hips and these purple berries

 

I think they are sloes but not sure - if you know then let me know. 

MummyHen X

We escaped from the coop

Work was getting the better of me and the heat wasn’t helping – so we through caution to the wind and escaped to Jersey for five days.

 

I did do some work but only a few hours each day – the remainder of the time was spent walking, swimming and relaxing

Swimming – the water was very cold but refreshing – I do enjoy swimming in the sea

 

Walking - the Corbière Walk – from Corbière Lighthouse to St Aubin;

 

it is beautiful; lined with trees, a flat well-kept surface which used to be a railway line carrying granite and then passengers, so the slope down the hill into St Aubin is very gentle.

Beautiful sunsets

 

Some delicious food

 

 

We are now back rested ready for what ever life has to throw at us.

 

MummyHen X

Westerham Walk

Didn’t feel well yesterday – I think I’m coming down with a cold (someone behind me on the train during the week was coughing and spluttering) and I was exhausted after a busy week even though last Monday was a public holiday I still worked a full day. Today DaddyHen and I went for our walk another 6 miler.

 

A circular route from Westerham – it’s a hilly walk through beautiful woodlands, bluebells were out, birds singing [really wish Bill Oddie was around] –both DaddyHen and I are hopeless when it comes to bird song, we did hear a peacock and the drill of a woodpecker, the most wonderful vistas.

 

Some to-die-for cottages – right off the beaten track – very chocolate box

 

Do you see The Scream or a baboon face in this photo or is it just me!?!?  You might need to squint - keep squinting, squint harder and turn your head to the right...

 MummyHen X

Darent Valley Walk - part 2

The weather this May bank holiday was gorgeous here in Kent.  Another walk; this time from Lullingstone Country Park (bottom of the picture near Castle Road to Farningham High Street and back - a round trip of around just over 6½ miles.

 

Past Lullingstone Castle and the Roman Villa – we took SonnyHen here years ago when he was doing the Romans at primary school. It has a beautiful mosaic the downside is its now £6.20 per adult.

 

Up the hill (it’s a steep one)

 

to get the beautiful view of this mid 19^th Century 9 arch red brick viaduct crossing the valley

 

Down the hill into Eynsford village – it was packed with people sitting on the grass outside the pub.  We turned left into an appropriately named lane

On to Farningham – passing these Jacobs sheep

 

Unfortunately it’s not a circular walk unless you want to walk along the road!! to back along Sparepenny Lane.

There is a castle ruin on the way – Eynsford Castle built in 11th century – it’s free to have a look round, but the entrance is across the valley and over the river.

 

Back along the river towards Lullingstone passing these Highland cattle - I've been visiting Eynsford for over 20years and there have always been Highland cattle in the meadow along Lullingstone Lane.

 

It’s a gentle walk mostly on the same level – we didn’t need to go up the hill but the view made it worthwhile.  Burnt a few more calories, enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine - it's free to walk.

 

MummyHen X

Darent Valley Walk

Another lovely walk yesterday

After a busy week a few hours in the fresh air looking at the beautiful Kent country side was just the tonic.

 

Having walked up the opposite side of the valley a couple of weeks ago we decided to talk to the White Cross; starting at Shoreham along the river to Lullingstone Castle up the ridge to the White cross and down the hill back to Shoreham – should be around 6 miles.

Walked across fields that looked like they were really struggling with the cold weather we’ve had of late.

Passing vineyards,

 lavender fields - these will look a gorgeous purple in a few months

 

hop strings,

 

 

following the meandering river

 

 

to Lullingstone Castle, home of the Hart Dyke family (comedienne Marinda Hart is related). 

 

We turn here walking up the hill to the golf course, down to the Lullingstone Country Park visitors centre – it looked very nice but didn’t go in – they charge for parking!!

 

Onwards along Castle Farm Road passing a mysterious stone monument (more on this in another post) hidden in the bushes,

 

the White Cross, 

 

 

views down to Shoreham,

 

 

the Kings Arms pub – we did stop for a swift pint and a lemonade before heading home.

 

 

MummyHen X

Otford and North Downs walk

Last week I managed three 2 mile walks – I had to go into the office twice so didn’t manage to fit in a walk on those days. Continuing with our aim to get up out of our chairs and do more exercise we went for another long walk on Saturday. The details can be found here on the Kent CC website .

The website says its 5.3miles but the GPS on my walking app showed 5.9miles (and we cut off the top right corner) actually felt about 50miles. 

The ground underfoot was muddy it was VERY hilly, at around the 1.5 mile mark there are around 145 steps to climb – these were a killer as they come after walking up an incline and then you are faced with these awful steps – cardio work out – I was gasping, but the views were lovely once we got to the top, the Kent countryside is wonderful. We passed a few glades with blue bells but not in flower – sadly.

 

Views over to the cross commentorating the casualties of WWI.  

The trees are still very brown and leafless but the moss and fungi seem to like the damp shady conditions.

 

Have you been for a walk?

 

MummyHen X

Walk this way

Both DaddyHen & I got on the scales on 1^st April to find we had both gained nearly all the weight we lost last year – really disappointed; but we only have ourselves to blame.
 

Out go the wine, beer, cheese, carbs and the picking.  The channel 4 programme secret eaters made us think about our eating habits.  I found nearly every time I went into the kitchen to make tea or put the washing on I found I was opening the fridge. That has to stop.  We both have a weakness for cheese – that’s off the shopping list.  One half wholemeal loaf of bread a week instead of the artisan loaf, and the bloomer and the granary – most of which was getting thrown away; money saving as well as waistline saving.

Not only has the eating changed but so has the exercise; we have been going for 20min walks each day with a longer walk planned at the weekend.  I sit behind a desk for 10 – 12 hours a day, some weeks I don’t leave the house from Saturday to Saturday.  So I have scheduled a meeting in my diary for 30mins every day to go for a walk; start with a 10min walk each way increasing to 15mins in week 3 etc.  The walk is not a dordle or ramble but a brisk walk with the aim to get a little breathless but still be able to hold a conversation. 

 

 

 

With the help of this brilliant app – not in the habit of promoting but it’s free, yes gratis not a penny MapMyWalk – its brill; it uses the built in GPS in your mobile phone to track duration, distance, calories burnt, etc. Give it a go – I’ve only used it for a week but am really impressed.

Yesterday we went for a walk – what I thought was 4 mile round trip but turned out to be 7.28miles – yes I feel tired and a little achy, it took 1:50mins (that included buying some light groceries [I forgot to pause the app] I burnt 1710 calories.  I do like my apps, gagets and gizmos so having this to 'play' with will be good in help in keeping a record of what exercice we have done.

 

Not to mention that yesterday here in Kent was a lovely day just right for walking.

 

 

MummyHen X