Treadmill running.

I have got a treadmill. It's old, but it works and I do use it.  The only space I have got to keep it in is the conservatory so some days it is too hot to use it, but most weekends I can have a run or two. I try and run on the days when I'm not doing anything else exercise-wise.

I've started off slowly and have been building up both my distance and speed. I also bought a proper pair of running shoes which has made a difference too. The treadmill only measures in miles but that's OK, I can run in miles and convert to km later if I want. It counts laps, and each lap is a quarter of a mile. So now, my running plan looks like this:

Lap 1 @ 3.5 mph walking warm up (need to extend this to 2 laps)

Lap 2 - 9 @ 6mph running (2 miles)

Lap 10 @ 3.5 mph walking cool down

Lap 11 @ 3mph then 2.5 mph walking cool down 

As with most exercise I don't look forward to it and I have to make myself do it, but once I get going it's ok, and I'm always pleased with myself afterwards. I have been building the speed up slowly and today was the first time I did the full 2 miles at 6mph. I'm going to stick with that speed for a while now and work on distance I think.

 This is Woody's idea of a good use for a treadmill....

Feeling sad.

Today would have been Pippa's 14th birthday.

Pippa.

30/05/96 - 22/02/10

Baking again

I made pretzels today, the soft American style ones, not the little crunchy ones you get here in packets. I first tried these in Las Vegas in 2007 and loved them, so finally got round to having a go at making them. It took me ages to find a UK recipe since I don't understand USA recipes, but today I found one and here is the result!

The shapes aren't quite right and I used a bit too much salt. I also forgot to oil the baking tray and they stuck. Apart from that though they're great! I've eaten two already...

Spam

The only acceptable form of spam is the kind you put in sandwiches and eat.

I have re-enabled comment moderation which is a pain, but necessary.

Why do people have to be so annoying?

Another migraine.

I hate migraines. They're better since I cut artificial sweeteners out of my diet, but I still get them. I take medication when I get one, but that makes me feel weird too. I can't win.

Anyway, this is a bank holiday weekend so I get an extra day off work. Not sure what the weather is going to do as reports are mixed. Sunday I suspect will be a day to stay home alone, it would have been Pippa's 14th birthday. I miss her so much.

I love this song...

What a scorcher!!

Today is the hottest day of the year so far with temps reaching 26 degC, far in excess of May's usual temps of around 16 degC. I got up early today and yesterday and walked the dogs before it got too hot. Today I have also done 6 loads of washing and got it all dry, and I cut the grass - by hand with shears as it had been neglected for far too long!! Yesterday I also did 2 loads of washing - I don't think I have a stitch of clothing, a sheet or a towel that hasn't been washed this weekend!! Next on the list I need to clean out the rabbit, and then I need to get the spare room ready as I might have a visitor tomorrow for a few days.... my friend from Guernsey is over here and was supposed to be on a course, but her van has broken down. She should have been travelling home tomorrow but is now stuck until her van is fixed.

I have got a dog from work staying at the moment. Her name is Gretel. She's not one of mine, a colleague is training her but isn't able to take her home herself so I've got her. Gretel has been dirty overnight with the boarder which is a concern, thankfully she's been clean here with me so hopefully a few weeks with me will re-establish a routine and it won't be a problem again. She's a really sweet girl, a black Lab x GR.

Ouch....

Toothache again. Third lot of anti-biotics. Let's hope this lot actually works this time!! Toothache is one of those horrible pains that just aches and aches. I'm quite fed up of it to be honest. Still, I know the anti-biotics will kick in within the next day or so and until then I am taking ibuprofen alternating with paracetamol, so hopefully I'll be feeling more comfortable fairly soon.

I think an evening of lying on the sofa feeling sorry for myself is in order....

Root Canal Treatment part 1

Today I went back to the dentist for part one of my root canal treatment. It's not very nice, but the dentist was very gentle and made sure I was OK throughout. I thought I was very brave....

Tarka has now officially retired from agility. It was a decision I was dithering over because I really didn't want to make it, but in the end there was no choice. She'd not been training for a while due to on and off lameness, but I took on her Thursday last week as she'd been sound for two weeks. She did 4 runs on small jumps and that was all. By bed time she was very stiff, and then she was lame up until Monday. I'm very sad about it and she did have a great time on Thursday, but I can't let her carry on doing an activity that is obviously doing her damage. I am not ready to go down the 'athritic dog' road again quite yet. I'm still going to teach for the time being and will stay on the committee until the AGM then decide whether I want to continue or not.

Maybe it's time for a new activity on a Thursday night..... any suggestions?

Photo's from Wales

View of my friends house from Carew Castle. It's that little white dot in the middle of the picture...

Carew Castle, picture taken from the field behind the house.

Tarka enjoying the sea air.

The coast where we walked.

Archery at Carew Castle. See the target on the far right which is just a cross in the board? I got an arrow through the cross into the target behind!!

A May morning....

I'm sure that title will mean nothing to my friends who read this blog (if anyone still does!!) but it's a tribute to 'Robin of Sherwood' which was a programme I adored back in the 80's, and caught up with on the internet the other day..... ahhhhh, the nostalgia!!!! It still has that magical quality about it that I remember so fondly...

Anyway, back to reality...

Finally got the result from my last assignment and got 78% with some really complimentary comments which was great, the bad news is that it wasn't my final assignment like I thought, I have one more to do!!

Also, more bad news. My bad tooth flared up again so next Tuesday I am booked in for root canal treatment.... eeek!!! I have had it before so know what to expect though, it's not as bad as it sounds.

Tarka is finally losing weight. She gained quite a lot when she had surgery back in January and I had to change her diet, but she's lost one of the two kilo's she needs to loose. It's easy with dogs, you just reduce their food and treats, increase their exercise and the weight falls off. How come I can't be so methodical about it for myself?

Last bank holiday I went to stay with friends in west Wales. The scenery there was stunning, so just to make everyone (including myself) jealous of their new home, I'll try and upload some pictures tomorrow. (Can't seem to do it now...)

Time for a change...

...well, blog-wise, anyway!!

I haven't blogged for a few weeks, too much on my mind really and no desire to write about it. But, here I am, back again and giving my blog a facelift. Change is as good as a rest, so they say! I'll make a few more changes too if I can figure out how to...