I ran!!
And, I did my 2 (ish) mile block and only walked once! It's easier going clockwise because although I still have to go uphill it's a shorter hill than going the other way and it's at the beginning of the run when I'm not so knackered. I had to walk once I got to the top of the hill but only for about 2 mins, then I ran the rest.
Feeling very pleased with myself now.
No reply from the running club yet though. I expect they're trying to figure out how to tell me to bog off without seeming rude!!
Friday, 28 January 2011
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Feeling bad
I really should have gone for a run tonight, but I stayed in and ate chocolate instead. Now I'm feeling bad about that. Oh well, there's always tomorrow I suppose.
I wish I enjoyed running, I just can't seem to motivate myself to go but it's the cheapest form of exercise around. I like going to exercise classes but at £6 (roughly) a time that's just not possible without giving something else up first which I don't want to do.
There is a local running club but reading it's website, it doesn't appear to cater for complete beginners like me. It does say it has a run for beginners which lasts about 30-40 minutes but I can't do that long yet - I wouldn't call that a beginners run!! I know I should email them and ask for more specific information but I never seem to get around to it.... a bit like running itself!
*Jackie opens the chocolate tin again to console herself*
Update 20.45: I just sent an enquiry email!!! Don't feel quite so bad now (she says, reaching for the chocolate again!!)
I wish I enjoyed running, I just can't seem to motivate myself to go but it's the cheapest form of exercise around. I like going to exercise classes but at £6 (roughly) a time that's just not possible without giving something else up first which I don't want to do.
There is a local running club but reading it's website, it doesn't appear to cater for complete beginners like me. It does say it has a run for beginners which lasts about 30-40 minutes but I can't do that long yet - I wouldn't call that a beginners run!! I know I should email them and ask for more specific information but I never seem to get around to it.... a bit like running itself!
*Jackie opens the chocolate tin again to console herself*
Update 20.45: I just sent an enquiry email!!! Don't feel quite so bad now (she says, reaching for the chocolate again!!)
Monday, 24 January 2011
Recent jewellery
Here are some pieces I've made recently. This one was a gift for my niece for her 18th birthday. I wasn't sure if it was really her style, but she seemed to like it. I did give her something else too! (click on the photo's to see them full size)
Another one I made recently is this one, which is for me!! I am planning to make earrings and a bracelet too as I like sets, but haven't had time yet.
I also made a long necklace for my Grandmothers birthday, but didn't have chance to photograph it. Shame really because I really liked it, it was brown with gold wire.
I've blogged about my jewellery before here, here and here if you want to see any more of it.
Another one I made recently is this one, which is for me!! I am planning to make earrings and a bracelet too as I like sets, but haven't had time yet.
I also made a long necklace for my Grandmothers birthday, but didn't have chance to photograph it. Shame really because I really liked it, it was brown with gold wire.
I've blogged about my jewellery before here, here and here if you want to see any more of it.
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Running again
I'm trying to get back into running. I don't really enjoy it, but I need to get rid of the christmas pounds I've gained, and I need to get fitter. Most importantly, running is free. I have a treadmill which I have blogged about before here, but I'm having a go at outdoor running at the moment. I prefer my treadmill as I feel self concious outdoors, but it makes a change to go out sometimes, especially when my self motivation is low.
Anyway I went out on Monday and it was OK, I took Tarka though which was a mistake as she hated it and refused to run on the lead. I had to take her back home and go out again on my own! Tuesday and Wednesday are badminton nights so I ran again tonight. I took a longer route (but still short in running terms!) since I found Monday to be OK, but today I struggled. I think the new route had more hills which I struggled with - you don't have hills on a treadmill (unless you want them!). I was fine with the flat bits and downhills!
I guess it'll come with practice.
Anyway I went out on Monday and it was OK, I took Tarka though which was a mistake as she hated it and refused to run on the lead. I had to take her back home and go out again on my own! Tuesday and Wednesday are badminton nights so I ran again tonight. I took a longer route (but still short in running terms!) since I found Monday to be OK, but today I struggled. I think the new route had more hills which I struggled with - you don't have hills on a treadmill (unless you want them!). I was fine with the flat bits and downhills!
I guess it'll come with practice.
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
I completely forgot....
...what I was going to blog about!!
When I was driving back to the office today I had a blog post all planned out in my mind, I just had to come home and type it up.
Now I have no idea what it was to be about at all.
Oh well. Another day perhaps.
When I was driving back to the office today I had a blog post all planned out in my mind, I just had to come home and type it up.
Now I have no idea what it was to be about at all.
Oh well. Another day perhaps.
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Photography
This is a hobby of mine, but I don't have a fancy SLR or an awful lot of knowledge either. I also don't put enough time into it to warrent a fancy SLR or to gain any knowledge!
So, I find that a decent photo package on the computer is a godsend at times, and am posting this to show a friend what I mean.... white balance!!
The photo's and the cookies are both hers and not mine - sadly!!
All I did was adjust the levels and straight away you have a less yellow, brighter picture.
It's saved many a photo of mine from the recycle bin!
You can achieve the same or better results by setting the white balance on the camera for the light settings you're photographing in. It really does make all the difference to your pictures and is very easy once you know which buttons to press. Let's face it, even I got the hang of it!!
So, I find that a decent photo package on the computer is a godsend at times, and am posting this to show a friend what I mean.... white balance!!
The photo's and the cookies are both hers and not mine - sadly!!
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| Before photoshop |
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| After photoshop! |
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| Before |
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| After |
It's saved many a photo of mine from the recycle bin!
You can achieve the same or better results by setting the white balance on the camera for the light settings you're photographing in. It really does make all the difference to your pictures and is very easy once you know which buttons to press. Let's face it, even I got the hang of it!!
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Sad Anniversary....
....to me.
Yesterday was the 14th anniversary of the day I got Pippa.
She was 7 months old and was my 25th birthday present to myself.
She was 7 months old and was my 25th birthday present to myself.
I remember the day as if it were yesterday.
I wish it was yesterday.
Sleep tight sweet girl.
Monday, 10 January 2011
Happy Anniversary....
....to me!!
17 years ago today I was the new girl at work.
Yep, I've been there 17 years today.
Yep, I've been there 17 years today.
My first day - 10/01/94
This is Zed, my first training dog.
Name: Zed
Date of Birth: 30/03/93
Entered training: 31/3/94
Advanced training: 04/10/94
Qualified: 02/02/95
Retired: 07/09/02
Died: 13/03/06 (aged 12 years 11 months)
(that makes me appreciate how much training times have reduced since then!!)
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Mundane stuff
My new boots are now tried, tested and muddy! I'm back to work tomorrow so needed to be sure the boots would be conmfortable. I wore them on a couple of dog walks and I've worn them all day today, so I know they'll be fine for work tomorrow.
Monday will be an office day with very little (nothing in fact!) to do. Tuesday I have to go and collect my new training dogs, so then I'm back into the swing of things after that.
It seems very quiet in 'blogland' at the moment. I have quite a lot of blogs I read regularly and no one seems to be posting much at the moment. I guess it's that time of year where everyone just sits back and tries to get everything back to normal after the upheaval of christmas and new year.
Friday was my birthday. I went to the dentist - not my first choice of activity but they couldn't fit me in any other day that week - then for lunch with Mum, Dad, Sister, Sis-in-Law, Nephew #2 and Grandmother. It was very nice, I had lasagne and chips. Then some of us went for a walk with the dogs, and then some of us went late night shopping to M&S. I didn't get much, but the others did!!
Monday will be an office day with very little (nothing in fact!) to do. Tuesday I have to go and collect my new training dogs, so then I'm back into the swing of things after that.
It seems very quiet in 'blogland' at the moment. I have quite a lot of blogs I read regularly and no one seems to be posting much at the moment. I guess it's that time of year where everyone just sits back and tries to get everything back to normal after the upheaval of christmas and new year.
Friday was my birthday. I went to the dentist - not my first choice of activity but they couldn't fit me in any other day that week - then for lunch with Mum, Dad, Sister, Sis-in-Law, Nephew #2 and Grandmother. It was very nice, I had lasagne and chips. Then some of us went for a walk with the dogs, and then some of us went late night shopping to M&S. I didn't get much, but the others did!!
Thursday, 6 January 2011
New boots
I had this week off work and today I went shopping. I had some M&S vouchers to spend but couldn't find anything in there, so am going to go to a different M&S tomorrow night and try again. I did however find a nice pair of walking boots in the sale. As you can imagine with my job, I do an awful lot of walking and mainly on concrete footpaths so I do wear boots out, mainly by wearing the sole away. My last pair have done me a year although the 'spring' in the sole went quite a while ago. I got this pair in Millets, they were £100 reduced to £60 in the sale. I also had £40 christmas and birthday money to spend so have put that towards them too. They're really nice and very comfy. They're the only pair I tried on and I bought them straight away which is not like me at all! (normally I go to about 3 shops, try 3-4 pairs in each shop and then go back and buy the first pair I tried!) Anyway they fitted the bill perfectly in size, price, style, sole type and colour so I decided to cut to the chase and just buy them. Besides, it was lunch time and I was hungry. I haven't tried my new boots yet though, I took Tarka for a walk when I got home but it was so muddy that I wore my wellies. Well I didn't want to get my new boots dirty!!
Sunday, 2 January 2011
A blog makeover!!
I finally figured out how to add different backgrounds to my blog! It's taken me a while as always, but I found the basic mistake I was making and now it works.
So, today is 2nd Jan 2011. Another new year and another notable lack of resolutions on my part. I don't bother with new year resolutions, they're always the same and I never do any of them so what's the point?
I should have been at my cousin's 3rd birthday party today but I have got a full blown cold and while I'd probably be OK myself to go, I don't like the thought of spreading my germs around my entire family ranging from ages 2 to 93 years. So I am going to console myself with a hot water bottle, box of chocolates and a DVD. Not a bad second choice of activity!
My 'happy new year' post yesterday was from my phone. It will let me log in and type a title to post, but I can't actually write in the subject box yet (something else I still need to figure out). Had I been able to, I would have posted this picture, taken when I went to bed after celebrating new year's eve with friends.
So, today is 2nd Jan 2011. Another new year and another notable lack of resolutions on my part. I don't bother with new year resolutions, they're always the same and I never do any of them so what's the point?
I should have been at my cousin's 3rd birthday party today but I have got a full blown cold and while I'd probably be OK myself to go, I don't like the thought of spreading my germs around my entire family ranging from ages 2 to 93 years. So I am going to console myself with a hot water bottle, box of chocolates and a DVD. Not a bad second choice of activity!
My 'happy new year' post yesterday was from my phone. It will let me log in and type a title to post, but I can't actually write in the subject box yet (something else I still need to figure out). Had I been able to, I would have posted this picture, taken when I went to bed after celebrating new year's eve with friends.
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| My clock radio, showing the date. |
Saturday, 1 January 2011
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