New Resolutions for a New Year.

I love the New Year. It's a time for fresh starts and new resolutions. Since turning 50 last March I have slowly begun to realise my own mortality. I don't want to sound morbid, but the chances are that I'm over half way in this life of mine. More than one friend of mine has faced serious illness this year and that has made me value my health and family more than ever. Age has never bothered me - it's just a number - but the number I now own doesn't seem to match with who I am... How odd to be a 50 year old! Inside I am far younger. Anyway ... this year I am making resolutions, but not resolutions which will deny myself things. This year I resolve to enjoy every moment of my life. I want to be positive and strong.

I have never been one to live in the past. Nostalgia is really not for me and this year more than ever I plan to live in the Now and yet look to the future. I plan on learning new things, new skills. I am continuing to walk when I can and my husband and I have set a day to swim although this is clashing with my ballet classes... aaagh!. Last year I started yoga and I love it. I plan to keep on practising and attending classes, getting better and more flexible. Part of yoga that I love is the relaxing, meditative aspect and I have been using this to help my sleep. I hope to start running again too. If I can regain my love of it I will be thrilled!

If I am looking after my body with exercise then I need to think about what I am putting into it in the way of food and drink too. I have only one body and so far I have been extremely fortunate to be fit and healthy, but, to be honest, I have been a bit of a pig recently! I love good food and wine and have rather over indulged in both over the last few months!! I am going to try to drink more water and less wine! I want to eat more healthily too... smaller portions, more fruit and veg, more fish, less red meat. I think the key is forward planning and I have been enjoying some delicious recipes recently - full of fresh ingredients, fresh herbs.

In April I am booked onto a Hypnotherapy course and I cannot wait for it to start. I love the thought of learning something new and, eventually perhaps, changing direction career wise. Taking on a year's course is a big challenge and the fact that this is more science based than my usual love - the Arts - is not a little frightening! It is, perhaps, the fear factor that excites me just as much as the thought of a new skill, new knowledge.

self portrait courtesy of christianhook.com

I also plan on visiting more exhibitions this year. Last year I went to a few, but this year I want to see more, in particular Ai Weiwei at the Royal Academy and Christian Hook at Clarendon Fine Art. The older I get the more I realise how little I know!

I want to keep my mind open and push myself to make the most of every day. I am going to keep reading as much as possible and I plan on editing the book I wrote in November during NaNoWriMo. I feel like Ernie Wise talking about "The book what he wrote"!! I enjoyed the discipline of writing and, you never know, I might write something else... although I don't think JK Rowling or Stephen King have anything to fear!! Writing a novel in the month of NaNoWriMo certainly makes one appreciate the skill of real writers!!

I also want to cherish every moment I have with my family. As time goes on I am reminded every day just how lucky I am. My husband is my best friend, my rock and I love his company. I want to spend as much time together as we can. My boys are getting older and the time when they will leave home is drawing ever closer. I want to enjoy time with them too. I am determined to be more fun when we go skiing this year. When they ski over jumps I am going to follow them. Oh God! That really is scary!



So... those are my resolutions. I hope that I can look back in a year's time and see that I have lived a healthy, positive life, full of enthusiasm!! I will try not to be too annoying!!

The Lake District - one for your bucket list.

When I was little my family and I used to go up to the Lake District every Easter. We would stay with old friends and go boating on Lake Windermere. Now that I have my own family we carry on the tradition of travelling up to the North of England to visit the Lakes, these days staying with my cousin and her family. We usually go up some time around November and it is one of my most favourite events of the year.

Lake Windermere from Gummers Howe

If you have never been up to the Lake District then I can recommend it mightily! For us, from the Home Counties, its a pretty long drive, about five or six hours depending on the traffic, although for those of you from the USA or Australia this probably seems like a trip to the shops!

Lake Windermere

We usually turn up at my cousin's house just before midnight and settle down for a nice glass of wine and a chat before bedtime. The next day is a day to go for walks and there are so many to choose from. If you go onto the Lake District website there are lots of walks to choose from - from hard core walks to pleasant strolls. We tend to tailor our walks depending on which members of the family are with us!

We love to walk on the estuary at Greenodd, as well as walking the hills and around the lakes.

We are all keen photographers and the Lakes provide a never ending treasure trove of images. There's just nothing more wonderful that being outside with your family, breathing in the fresh air, taking photos and then, maybe, having a pint infront of a roaring fire in a local pub!

looking out over Windermere from Gummers Howe

On the way up to the top.

We usually have a big bonfire on the Saturday night, standing in the dark with sparklers and damson gin ... maybe some hot homemade soup too. My cousin makes an excellent butternut squash and chorizo soup!

There are lots of books and websites about the Lakes and I am no expert, but if you haven't been then you are missing out!! You don't have to be a huntin' fishin' walkin' expert. You just need to make sure you choose the right walk for you, whether its round the shops or up to the tops, and wear the right clothes for the walk you choose and the season you are in.

Secret Housewife and my Man.

The sites I have linked to are full of information, but really, if you've never been.... go! Its one of those places that should be on your bucket list. We tend to go when its quieter - fewer tourists, but any time of the year it's gorgeous.

Changing lifestyle & Walking to be Fit.

Over the years I have been fortunate to be pretty fit and healthy.I have tried my hand at various sports and although I've never been particularly brilliant at any of them I've not been awful either. My basic level of fitness has been good. Six years ago I ran the London Marathon and before that I was running four times a week in order to train. I've enjoyed playing football once a week, tennis, skiing.

Blimey! I sound like a complete sports freak!! But I'm not and as I say I have never been particularly brilliant at any of this. The main thing thing though, and the most important thing, was that I was getting out, trying my best and having fun. My heart, lungs and muscles were active, as was my mind.

Over the last couple of years my activity has slowed down, dropped off and has been replaced by ... well, basically by sitting on my fat backside eating crisps and drinking wine...

This has begun to worry me. I am 50 now and I don't want to turn into a big fat unhealthy couch potato. I find running harder these days because I end up with sore knees and hips and its just not as enjoyable as it used to be. So I have started to create a new regime of exercise. I have begun yoga classes once a week and plan to practise yoga at home too. I have also started adult ballet classes once a week.

But I have been wondering what else to do that will raise my heart rate, be enjoyable, but not pound my joints. I read a really interesting blog post from Morgan Prince today over at Shaking Away the Cobwebs. She was saying what I had been thinking. She goes out walking, makes time for a 30 minute walk each day and she has started yoga. She shared a great yoga video for beginners too. I read it and thought Yes! This is the way!

The thing is, we all are in such a rush these days. My Granny used to walk everywhere, even into her 80's and she was as fit as a fiddle. Now we want to get everywhere quickly. The journey is an inconvenient part of our day that we want over as quickly as possible. Even the times I have walked to work I have been worried about how long it has taken, how long it will take me to get home. Hurry, hurry, hurry.

So today I have decided to take a leaf out of Morgan's book and make time for myself. My walking will be 30 minutes to an hour of exercise, probably 3 or 4 times a week - sometimes more, sometimes less. And in that time I can take photos, fill my lungs with fresh air, think and get my heart working. I went out this morning ...

I had such a lovely walk and my heart rate went up, my muscles were working, my lungs were working. It felt great and I could wear my normal clothes. No changing into sports bra and running kit - just put on my walking boots and head out the door. I came back happy and full of beans. 

If I can keep doing this I will be walking about 6 to 10 miles a week as well as my ballet and yoga. And the walking is free, which is excellent! I am determined not to let my body go to seed and I want to invest in my future. I don't want to look at myself in 5 years time and think "God! What went wrong?!"

We only have one body and I have been lucky enough to be fit and healthy for the last 50 years. Now I need to make a conscious effort to try and be fit and healthy for the next 50!

A healthy week all round...

I can't believe it has been over a week since my last post! Time flies and all that... Still, it has been a good week. I have walked to work and back ( once only, but hey, once is better than nothing!) and I even went for a run. If I haven't lost weight when I weigh myself this Sunday I will scream!! My appetite seems to be shrinking too. I am actually enjoying what I am eating - lots of fruit and veg. My portions are soooooooo much smaller, but I don't feel hungry. I am trying to eat more slowly, to savour my food rather than gulping it down like a dog!!

It is incredible how I have let myself get into the habit of grazing constantly. I feel much healthier eating the way I have since I started my diet.I think I should just eat like this forever.Really.

I think that so many of us in the Western world have it so easy. We have no idea actually how much food our bodies need to live healthily. We no longer eat to live, we live to eat.The flavour and texture of foods become what we crave, rather than eating to give ourselves energy to live.

My veg box arrived this afternoon and I was excited to open it.It comes from a company in Devon called Riverford. I have had my veg from them for years now, but it still delights me to see how fresh and plump their veg are.If you get a veg you don't know what to do with you can just go to their website and click for a recipe. I recommend that even if you don't get your veg from them! This year, for Christmas, they sent me through a lovely folder to keep my recipes in. They send recipe cards each week. I love their whole ethos about organic and recycling.I now cook things that I never would have gone out to buy by myself - purple sprouting broccoli, beetroot, asparagus, different sorts of cabbages. And I like looking forward to the seasons when certain veg will reappear - wet garlic,hispi cabbage,new potatoes. Yum.

I plan to grow my own potatoes again this year. Last year they were very successful. My garden is only tiny so I grew some in containers on my patio and they were delicious - easy to grow too.There really is nothing quite like digging up some spuds just before you cook them.Ho hum... I am turning into quite the hippie!!

Book Club and walking to work.

I am just about to go to my Book Club.There are ten of us who meet at alternating houses with our books and diaries tucked under one arm and a bottle of vino tucked under the other.We discuss the books ( one per 4-6 weeks) for about 20 minutes and then spend the rest of the evening eating, drinking and gossiping.I don't know about you, but that sounds like a good evening to me!

Tonight I am very lucky that my lovely neighbour is babysitting for me. I have rushed back from work, hurriedly downed a plate of turkey curry, defrosted rapidly, left over from Christmas, rushed to band practise with my son and then made my way home.The kids are showering as I type and I will leave soon.

The book tonight is "The Go Between". I have completely forgotten who wrote it, but I enjoyed it.It was a pre First World War story of love in the Summer months as witnessed by a young boy staying as a guest in a country house.It was an easy read with no great drama or thrills, but the period it evoked was dreamy. I would love to spend my Summer in a house in the country, riding and playing tennis!!

I am tired from my day at work, but looking forward to time with my friends. I have walked back and forth to work twice this week and have thoroughly enjoyed the exercise. I think I will do it more often.It only takes 25 minutes, even in the snow and if I did it each day it would mean walking 15 miles a week. That's got to be good for the old muffin belly hasn't it??