WordlessWednesday Marina D'Or

#SilentSunday

Reasons to be Cheerful: Running and Dr Who #R2BC

The hop is still being hosted by the lovely Jo at Ojo's World and she is doing a great job this month at encouraging us all to share the happiness posts. So here are mine for this week:

1) Parkrun

We finally got a South Lakes Parkrun and typically it rained! But it was amazing to be part of history in the making at a debut run and my son was amazing. Hopefully once he starts his fell running training at the Helm Hill Runners he will learn how to run faster and better - leaving me in his wake..

2) Dr Who

My children and I were all very happy that Dr Who featured at the Comic Arts Festival this weekend. My son had 2 visits as his school went during the week and he travelled back in time to see the dinosaurs being wiped out apparently! I was just chuffed to get in a T.A.R.D.I.S.:

 3) School Trips

Workout Wednesday After Dark Running

I have already posted about the great morning at the Fell Foot Parkrun on Saturday which was the highlight of my running week! After that I have managed to twice get out after dark to do proper training runs. My app now has me running 30 minutes non-stop and the rest interval has dropped down to 2 minutes with a 15 minute final run. Of course being me I haven't stuck to this...

My planned run would have taken me on a route which is just about perfect for this training schedule. However, I had to detour to my parents' house to drop off some things that had been forgotten. This added an extra 1-2 km to my plan. As it was dark and wet I really didn't want to walk home too far so I added an extra 10 minute run onto the end of the training programme:

It turned out to be a pretty good run despite carrying a backpack for the outward leg. I broke my PR on one stretch and hit my 3rd fastest time for a couple of others (even if I don't run this route that often!):

The Lakes International Comic Arts Festival

We had fun this weekend when the Comic Arts Festival had a Dr Who section at the library:

I wasn't going to let my children have all the fun:

My son was chuffed to meet a dalek even if it was just a cardboard cut out:

#SilentSunday

#CountryKids Fell Foot Parkrun

Today saw the very first parkrun at Fell Foot Park finally an event close enough to our home to get there for 9 AM! So I had added my son to the register and we all headed off through intermittent drizzle to the south end of Windermere. We were surprised by the number of people who had turned up in the wet to kick off this new event. My son was raring to go:

After a pep talk by the lead organiser we were set off to go around the beautiful grounds and into the neighbouring meadow. The runners were all ages, shapes and sizes from babies in buggies to one gentleman over 85. It was such a friendly atmosphere as we ran, jogged and staggered along. I kept my son near me until the last 500 m when I let him run on ahead as he had more energy left than me! I did find the energy for a final sprint as I was being cheered on by over 100 people at the finish... My son looked very pleased with himself for finishing just under a minute ahead of me:

#CountryKids at Kendal Wool Gathering 2014

Last weekend saw the return of Kendal Wool Gathering at K Village to celebrate the town's wool heritage. It is a great mix of showing both a variety of sheep and the goods that are created from their wool. Our first port of call was the sheep tent:

There were several different breeds being shown by their owners. Not sure I can remember the names of any of them!

My daughter also got to hold a recently hatched chick:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Birthday Edition 2014! #R2BC

The super duper Jo is still the host for the blog hop this month. Make her day and pop over and say hello! As for me I have been smiling for most of the last week as 2 out of the 2 of us have had our birthdays. So here are the reasons to smile:

1) My birthday

Apart from the fact I am a year older I love having a birthday! I was spoiled with breakfast in bed and lots of cards and some lovely gifts. Some I will use towards my student bits but I did treat myself to a new sewing box as mine was broken:

2) Big girl's birthday

The day after my birthday my daughter turned 11. It was an odd day for me as I only saw her for 10 minutes at breakfast time but I was able to watch her open some cards and presents:

She then headed off on a school residential and only gets home on Friday!

Workout Wednesday

Last week turned out to be pretty poor exercise wise with just the one run! This week I was determined to do better but with birthdays and ill children I only marginally improved..

Last night I went to part 1 of 3 free taster sessions of circuit training at PB Fitcamp. It started off gently enough on the warm up and then we were shown the various parts of the circuit including:

• press ups
• Russian twists
• military press
• burpees
• squats
• lunges
• lateral jumps
• and a thumbs up back stretching thing!

We had to do each exercise for 20 seconds during the circuit and then had 10 seconds to get in position for the next one! I have to say that I was better at squats and lunges but totally useless at burpees... After a drink break we repeated the circuit 2 more times. At the end we had a legs finish with repeated squats and a loooooooong hold in the lowest position. My legs were burning so it must have been good!

I get to repeat this on Thursday evening (indoors) and Sunday morning (outdoors) to complete the 7 day session. I have to say I am tempted to go regularly but maybe just once a week! Today I found it increasingly hard to change from a sitting to standing position and vice versa as I had worked my muscles so hard.

Tonight I finally got out for a run and with a week off was a bit worried about having to move up to the next level. The programme was for a 30 minute run, 5 minute walk and a 15 minute final run (with warm up and cool down walks). Unlike last week it was a dry night so I set off on to my slightly longer route. I was very pleased with myself for not feeling like I was dying when the app beeped at me to slow down and walk, although it was great to have a 5 minute recovery! A good temperature for running though I still worked up a sweat. Not my fastest ever time but I do feel like I am getting there again:

With my first Parkrun at Fell Foot park this weekend I am feeling a bit more confident that I won't embarrass myself - although I bet my son will beat me! 

No Sew Bunting

My daughter asked me on Saturday afternoon to help make her some bunting for her school residential which she needed by today! Now I currently don't have a sewing machine and I've never made bunting so I had to think laterally...

We went into one of our local discount craft supply shops and picked up some ribbon and some squares of cloth for under £5. Once we got home I got my daughter to create a cardboard template for the shape she wanted the bunting to be. We then folded the cloth around the card a few times and cut out several triangles at time.

Once we had enough triangles I dug out the badge glue from the drawer and used it to stick the ribbon across the tops of the triangles in a repeating pattern. Then I put them outside to dry in the sun:

Not too bad an effort for an non crafty mum! To recreate you will need:

• ribbon
• fabric to cut to shape
• cardboard template
• fabric/badge glue

If I can do it anyone can!

#SilentSunday

Reasons to be Cheerful: Smiling Despite the Rain #R2BC

The lovely Jo is hosting again this week and she has such lovely reasons to be cheerful herself! As for me it could have been hard to still be smiling after a series of illnesses and injuries to all three of us but that's the joy of this blog hop it focusses on the positives. 

1) Beautiful mornings

Yes its been a monsoon mostly since October started but we have had some stunning frosty mornings. Looking out of my kitchen window to views like this starts my day with a smile:

2) Mended phone

I finally gave in (as my iPhone screen was so badly cracked it barely worked) and got my phone fixed this week. I had felt so awful not being able to text, take photos or answer the phone.. So I coughed up to get the screen replaced and its such a relief to have it back. It is on its last legs as the battery randomly discharges but at least the majority of the time I have a working mobile!

3) Student finance

After 3 months my finance is finally approved!! OK so its not reached my bank account yet but I know that the children and I won't be starving as I study! Just have to remember that I have to pay half of it back eventually..

4) On the run

You may have seen yesterday that I managed a run after a week off. Despite the rain it felt really good. Just hope I don't have to wait a week until the next one..

Have you got reasons to be cheerful to share?

Workout Wednesday: A wet one!

Its hard for me to believe sometimes how much I miss running when I can't do it! Having to take of my children more nights this week plus being unwell meant that I went a whole week between runs. My body missed the kick of endorphins and I was definitely feeling a bit down and struggling with sleep. So tonight even though it was starting to drizzle I headed out of the door...

As I followed the next step of the 10 k training programme I really felt energised and ran the fastest I have this side of the summer holidays. I was getting wetter and wetter as the rain got heavier but this seemed to boost my running instead of slowing me down! The schedule was for 25 minutes of running then a 3 minute walk and a further 15 minute run. I wasn't sure that I would achieve this but in fact I managed to cover a slightly longer distance than the week before when I had a 4.5 minute walk in between.

I think you can tell I was pleased with myself:

Onwards and upwards and I just hope I don't have to wait a week for the next one..

Tuesday Thought for the Day

5 reasons all parents should learn First Aid

I was lucky as a teenager that I learned First Aid at both the Red Cross and in Guides. I never really got the chance to use it in anger apart from the odd sprained ankle and a few rugby injuries though.. Once I became a parent I considered re-doing my first aid training but there never seemed to be time to do it. Luckily some of the basics had always stuck with me, so when my children had some potentially scary accidents I:

1) Didn't panic

When my son was 3 he had a tumble on a friend's trampoline and came into the house with blood everywhere from his head. Thanks to first aid training I knew that 

a) head wounds usually look worse than they are 
b) applying pressure with a clean cloth will reduce/stop the bleeding 

So I sat quietly with my son on my lap and he calmed down whilst the pressure worked - on this occasion it was just a large graze!

2) Reassuring for children

Both my children have had the kind of knocks and bumps that have required the simplest forms of First Aid with a clean up, a plaster and maybe something cold to sooth or take down swelling. They feel that I know what I am doing which is reassuring for them.

#SilentSunday

Reasons to be Cheerful: It's October #R2BC

A change of month means a change of host (and badge!) so I have handed the reins back to Jo at Ojo's World. Please do pop over to her blog as she loves visitors! I can now chill for a month and enjoy the start of my favourite season... 

Here are my reasons this week:

1) Natural beauty

I am lucky to have inherited some gorgeous roses in the garden and seeing them still flowering makes me grin: