Soul Food from the Sole!

Over the last couple of years, running has become one of my best friends. At school I was an avid cross country runner, but sadly somewhere down the road (it was probably the road to the wine lands in Cape Town...), I got distracted by life and my passion for the sport started to dwindle.

However, rediscovering running has been of the best things that could have happened to me. After a busy day in the office, or even bright and early on a Sunday morning before the world has woken up, I love nothing more than grabbing my trainers and hitting the open road. I'm very fortunate to have miles of beautiful countryside literally on the doorstep, so within five minutes I can find myself surrounded by nature in her full resplendence without any people or cars in sight for miles. Bliss!

It's not just the endorphin kick that makes running so rewarding - I also find it does wonders for the soul. My mind has a tendency to permanently race around at about 1,000mph and running really helps to slow it down. I use my time out on the hills to work things through in my head (whether it's something that's bothering me, something I need to find a solution to, or even just creating a to-do list for the day!) and by the time I've finished my run, my head is cleared and my legs have had a good stretch!

In June this year I ran my first 10k at Westonbirt Arboretum and despite the fact that the weather was beyond atrocious (think mud bath...), it was such a liberating feeling. I've already set my sights on The Wolf Run in Leamington Spa in April 2013 (Wolf stands for Woods, Obstacles, Lakes and Fields...) and plan to complete a similar challenge every year.

It takes time and commitment to get back into running after having had a break from it, but if you can push through the initial difficult bit, then there's no looking back. I know I certainly haven't.

Image from dreamstime

My Week in Photographs: 10th - 16th August 2012

Being the delightful creature of change that I am, I’ve made a slight amend to the current format of my ‘Photo of the Day’ posts. Rather than uploading a daily picture, I’m doing a weekly round up, all in one neat little post!

It can be challenging finding something interesting to photograph every day, but it's also rewarding as it makes you seek out a little a bit of magic amongst the mundane. It also serves as a reminder of just how much happens, even in a seemingly quiet week!

So, without further ado, here are this week's photographic highlights:

(The above photograph is of my cousin's beautiful kitten. I loved the way the cat was sprawled out on the floral duvet as it made for a glorious mish-mash of colours and patterns.)

I photographed these horses whilst on a walk in Frampton. It was raining at the time and was the second storm I got caught in whilst outdoors sans an umbrella that day!

I came across this magnificent tree on the same walk. The English countryside is resplendent at the moment. Everything is lush and green as a result of all the rain we have had recently.

The family pets fighting over a stick. I don't think I'll ever fully understand why dogs are so  fascinated with sticks, but on the plus side, it's preferable to cats playing with mice!

Beautiful sunset over the lakes. Occasionally it doesn't rain in England!

Here's my lunch after a client meeting, purchased at Starbucks in Surrey. I tried these interesting new crisps that are popped (using pressure and heat) rather than fried or baked. Oh, and the gap at the top of my wallet is where my debit card used to live... I realised on Tuesday that I'd lost it! (Possibly as a result of drunken trampolining at 3am on Saturday morning....)

This caused a lot of laughter in the office - my colleague Suze borrowed a pair of shoes from the tallest person in the company and wore them for a large portion of the day...

My mid-week respite - an evening of escapism on the lakes in South Cerney. We ditched the kayaks this week for a lesson in canoes instead which was great fun - apart from the bit where we had to stand up in the canoes and paddle at the same time. Wibble wobble!!

I came across these beautiful buildings whilst on a walk in Cirencester park. I love the light in the photograph of the bench - it made the picture look almost as though it had been sketched.

And finally - here are the the 'walking club' boys posing outside the rather prodigious entrance to the Bathurst Estate. What a door!


So there you have it - a few little snippets from my week!

All About... Are you Flowin'?

It's been a while since I last shamelessly 'Bugged Another Blogger' with a list of random & nosey questions about themselves, which can mean only one thing - time for another interrogation!

Today's blogger is the talented and lovely Sarah (check out her awesome blog, "are you flowin'?" here). 

Here are her Q&A's:

1. If you weren’t doing the job you’re currently doing, what work would you be doing instead? I wanted to be a marine biologist growing up, not sure why, I think I thought it meant swimming with dolphins every day (in reality it’s more about cataloguing plankton)….  but if I had to choose a new career right now I’d love to be an art therapist

2. Who knows you best in this world? My best friend Alison, or my other half Jay, too close to call it

3. What’s the biggest ‘fashion disaster’ that you’ve ever sported? Probably my favourite outfit in my mid-teens – baggy yellow jumper, tight yellow leggings, yellow stiletto heeled pixie boots – with hindsight, I probably looked like a streetwalker version of Big Bird from Sesame Street :D

4. Are you an optimist or pessimist? Bit of both!  I’m fairly happy most of the time, so I’m not a negative ninny, but I tend towards realism rather than outright blind optimism

5. What is your favourite creative outlet? Am I only allowed to pick one? J  How about a top 5?  Collage, painting, jewellery making, photography, fabric art

6. What’s the last book you read and enjoyed? I’ve been mainly reading non fiction recently, the last book I read was Water Paper Paint by Heather Smith Jones

7. Have you ever walked out of a cinema? I don’t think so – I am always convinced that a bad movie will improve before the end (maybe I am an optimist after all!)

8. What event in your diary this year are you looking forward to the most? A week in Cornwall (5 days away and counting!), and Vans Warped tour in London in November

9. What did you buy today? I should have filled this survey out on a more interesting day!  A bottle of orange squash, some Coco Pops and a ream of printer paper J

10. Who or what would you like to come back as in your next life? Ooooh, good one ……..  a golden eagle I think ….. flying looks like fun, and nobody messes with those fellas


About the picture Sarah picked to accompany her interview: "The photo is my drawing of my favourite trainers ….. kind of a self portrait as Converse and Vans are all I ever wear, and it’s an example of my main hobby, drawing and painting stuff J"

The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)

What it’s About

The Alchemist is a story about a young Andalusian shepherd named Santiago who has a recurring dream about finding treasure overseas. It follows his journey to Egypt in pursuit of his destiny and elucidates how the universe shall open up a path for those that have the courage to pursue their dreams.

Why Read it

Of the novels I’ve read so far as part of my 100 Must Read Books Challenge, The Alchemist is by far my favourite to date. It’s an uplifting, spiritual tale that has turned me into an instant Paulo Coelho fan.

Favourite Quotes

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”

“People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.”

“We are travellers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.”

“The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.”

“I don’t live in either my past or my future. I’m interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man. Life will be a party for you, a grand festival, because life is the moment we’re living now.”

“Intuition is really a sudden immersion of the soul into the universal current of life.”

"And, when you can't go back, you have to worry only about the best way of moving forward.”

"You will never be able to escape from your heart. So it's better to listen to what it has to say.”

The Natural History Museum, London

At the beginning of this year I decided I was in dire need of a little more culture in my life, so whenever I head into London  now I always try to throw in a visit to one of the renowned museums or galleries dotted about this remarkable city.

Most recently I visited the Natural History Museum on Cromwell Road. I only had a few hours spare but with the help of a  map of the museum I managed to see all of the key attractions, albeit without stopping to smell the roses along the way!

The museum is cleverly divided up into four colour zones (spread across four floors) to help you find what you’re looking for. Unsurprisingly, the children head straight for the dinosaurs (blue zone!), so this tends to be the busy area, but it’s definitely worth a visit. The ‘living’ T-rex is particularly impressive.

I loved the mammals’ gallery, which includes a life-size model of a blue whale (the largest creature in the world) suspended from the ceiling. Other highlights included seeing the dodo bird and taking the escalator up through the prodigious sculpture of the Earth, which felt rather like being in a sci-fi movie!

The celebrated Animal Inside Out exhibition was still on display while I was there but sadly I didn’t have time to visit it. The exhibition is adapted from Gunther von Hagen’s ‘Body Worlds’ and shows the intricate insides of a variety of the world’s creatures. (An admission fee applies.)

I’d certainly recommend a visit  to the Natural History Museum to anyone as it’s a fascinating place and is undoubtedly one of Britain’s best national treasures.

To visit the NHM’s website, click here

If I was a Rich Girl....

I'm forever stumbling across really fabulous (read 'expensive') things on the web, so decided it was about time to add a section to my blog dedicated to cool stuff that, 'if  I was a rich girl,' I would buy in the blink of an eye. The more outrageously expensive, the better!


My first acquisition would be this breathtaking penthouse apartment in Hyde Park, London. Apparently it's one of the most expensive flats in the world, costing a cool £6,000 per sq/ft. It has security gadgets that would rival James Bond, and of course boasts spectacular views across London.

Yes please!


To read the full article on this apartment, click here

Etsy

Recently a good friend of mine introduced me to the fabulous world of Etsy.

Etsy is an online shop where you can buy unique handmade and vintage items directly from independent sellers around the world.

It sells a huge range of items from jewellery, clothing, art, wedding goodies, right through to gorgeous items perfect for your home.

I particularly like its search features – for example you can search for handmade or vintage items– or my favourite – locally sourced items made in my own hometown!

It’s also very reasonably priced, which means you can pick up some fabulous items at respectable prices. A little patience is needed though as there is an almost overwhelming volume of items to look through and not all vendors dispatch to the UK. I could easily end up spending all day on this website!

To check out Etsy for yourself, click here

(Above dress/ image from Graceloveslace)

Photo of the Day - Thursday 9th August 2012

I went out for lunch with a few work colleagues today - we headed to the recently refurbished Pizza Express In Cirencester's town centre. I was pleasantly surprised with it's new look (although the construction worker helmets as light shades confused me a little...).

The pizza was pretty good though and that's the main thing!

Photo of the Day - Wednesday 8th August 2012

The renovations to the church in Cirencester's town centre took place some time ago, but even now, whenever I walk passed it I still can't help thinking how the front of it looks like a sand castle compared to the rest of the church.

I was also checking out one of the local bank's mortgage offers this lunchtime, but one of my colleagues had other ideas!

Photo of the Day - Tuesday 7th August 2012

Today's photo is borderline dreadful! Actually no, it IS dreadful! Despite having the perfect photo opportunity at lunchtime today (drinks with the girls at the Fleece Hotel), I somehow forgot to take a picture and only realised late this evening on my way back from a friend's house. So I took this photo on the walk home - the street was really eerie and it was misty (British summer??!!) but unfortunately as this was taken on my phone camera the effect was more dark and blurred than spooky!

Photo of the Day - Monday 6th August 2012

I stumbled across this dog having a little nap right in the middle of the pavement in town today. It was totally unfazed by shoppers passing by. (And no it wasn't dead - I checked it was breathing!)

Photo of the Day - Sunday 5th August 2012

My first kayaking river trip today was rather immense - it was meant to be a chilled out paddle down the Thames in Oxford but the weather had other ideas! We had downpours of monsoon proportions, wind, sunshine, lightning; you name it!

However, aside from the crazy weather it was an amazing experience - the Thames follows a beautiful, meandering path through Oxford, under quaint little bridges, passed the university buildings and along tiny little canal paths behind houses and pubs. It was truly breathtaking in parts.

We stopped in a park for a picnic lunch (it was sunny at the time fortunately) and also managed to moor the boats at a local pub for a quick visit. I'm not sure what the trendy locals thought when a bedraggled, exhausted bunch of kayakers descended on their local watering hole!

Photo of the Day - Saturday 4th August 2012

I'm doing my first all-day kayaking river trip tomorrow in Oxford - which means lots of prep today! These are just some of the bits I'm taking along - gloves, hat, dry bag, spraydeck, flask, money, spare change of clothing, camera, food, buoyancy aid.... bring on the carnage!

Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)

And so, the great book challenge continues! I finished Memoirs of a Geisha some time ago but have only just got around to writing up my thoughts on it now (so many books to read, so little time!).

What it’s About:

Memoirs of a Geisha is the story of Sakamoto Chiyo, a young girl from a poor fishing village who is sold by her parents into a geisha house in Kyoto at the age of nine. It follows her struggles in her new life and her eventual transformation into the exquisite geisha Sayuri. As a new geisha, the doors to the exclusive teahouses finally open up for her- holding an array of experiences and surprises in their midst.

Why Read It:

If you love a sweeping tale, then this book is a must. Although it’s a work of fiction, Arthur Golden researched it heavily and has succeeded in bringing to life the extraodinary world of the geisha.

Favourite Quotes:

There were so many in this book that it was hard to choose! Here are some of my favourites:

“At the temple there is a poem called "Loss" carved into the stone. It has three words, but the poet has scratched them out. You cannot read loss, only feel it.”

“I had to wonder if men were so blinded by beauty that they would feel privileged to live their lives with an actual demon, so long as it was a beautiful demon.”

“Grief is a most peculiar thing; we’re so helpless in the face of it. It’s like a window that will simply open of its own accord. The room grows cold, and we can do nothing but shiver. But it opens a little less each time, and a little less; and one day we wonder what has become of it.”

“If you aren't the woman I think you are, then this isn't the world I thought it was.”

Cranial Implosion on Aeroplanes

It’s a cruel world for a person consumed with wanderlust but overwhelmed with an irrational fear of flying.

In short, that person is me. I’ve always loved the excitement that visiting a new country brings. My senses come alive and I lap up the intoxicating sounds, sights and smells that abound on foreign soil.

Unfortunately there’s the little matter of getting there first and with time this has become a concern of increasing magnitude for me. Yesterday, I was telling a friend about my flying phobias and it ended in a fit of uncontrollable laughter because my list of flying fears is quite ridiculous. In fact I am surprised my brain doesn’t explode on an aeroplane considering all the things I worry about. Here are a few of the best ones:

Low cost airlines – despite the fact that many of the low cost airlines in the UK have flawless safety records (yes, I research an airline’s safety record before I will fly with them), I just can’t help feeling that they must be cutting the cost somewhere. So I spend the entire flight watching various parts of the plane to see if bits rattle/ fall off/ explode.

Counterfeit aeroplane parts – this links in with the point above. But the truth is counterfeit parts have resulted in unnecessary crashes over the years. Read ‘Airframe’ by Michael Crichton if you want to join me in this phobia.

Aeroplane toilets – this one is a double edged sword as I hate public toilets anyway as a result of my aversion to germs. Add to this an impossibly small cubicle, turbulence, queues, oh and a toilet that sounds like it’s going to suck you out into the abyss when you flush it and the result is me sitting cross-legged for the entire flight.

Terrorists – does anyone not fear this on a flight these days?

Gradual loss of cabin pressure – if you’re flying, take a bag of unopened crisps with you. If they burst then there is a good chance the cabin hasn’t pressurised properly. Hopefully you haven’t got hypoxia by this point though or it’s too late anyway. I remember reading an article years ago that said that oxygen masks only come down in an event of sudden loss of cabin pressure, hence the need for a bag of crisps as back up!

Hitting an air pocket – This can result in a serious, sudden drop in altitude - made even worse if you are squatting over the toilet trying not to touch any germ-ridden surfaces at the time.

Losing my passport – imagine reaching your destination - having survived the ordeal of flying - only to be deported (and placed back onto a steel-caged death trap of an aeroplane) because you have lost your passport along the way. My idea of hell.

So there you have it. An insight into my overactive little mind. Fancy flying with me? Didn’t think so!

image from dreamstime