The view from my window

The view from my window
The view from my window

Monday 6 January 2020

I guess all you have to do is ask!

My classes are all starting back up again this week so I had yoga first thing this morning and boy was it good! Even just missing two weeks over the holidays I really felt the difference. I tried to do a bit during the break but it's obviously not the same as a formal class. At the moment this class is, of necessity, quite small as our teacher is giving the classes in her home while she is having a yoga room built in her garden. In fact there were only two of us today so it was almost like a private lesson! The other lady that showed up was Sylvie, who also takes the same Tuesday afternoon class as I do. She is also the lady that asked me if I would be interested in joining the group snow-shoeing outing in February. So this morning I told her that, weather-permitting, I was going to do a trial run with a friend on Friday to see if I liked it, but it turns out this outing was fully booked up before Christmas so we're both too late. I did get chatting to her on the way out and told her that I was going to go walking immediately after yoga because I needed to get a few km in! Somehow we got around to talking about various off-the-beaten track walks that I could do as she knows this area well, having been a primary teacher up in the mountains in the village where my ex-husband lived for quite some time after we divorced. As we were saying goodbye, she asked if I would like to go walking with her sometime - so I said yes! Now she's still working at the moment doing day care for school-age children. She doesn't take babies and won't have children all day, but I get the impression that she will take them before and after school and during the lunch break, so I guess she is somewhat limited to the days she can go walking. But, of course, there are always the weekends and the school holidays so I look forward to going out with her soon.

Anyway, after yoga I decided to spend an hour walking around the two small lakes I checked out yesterday called La Motte Longue which are only a couple of km from the yoga class. These were more like "large puddles" than small lakes to be honest, with one being exclusively for fishing and the other used as a swimming hole by the locals in the summer. But, this place was situated between the motorway on the one side and the crematorium on the other, so I scored a bit of an own goal by choosing to go walking here - it was hardly the most inspiring of walks! Still, I was already there so I decided to go for it. Three circuits round the lakes bought me an hour's walk and 5,000 steps so I can't complain in the end, but by golly it was cold! My car indicated it was -2°C and in just the short time I was gone the rubber seal around my car doors started to freeze over again. Actually it was so cold that I think if my nose had fallen off the only way I would have known about it would have been by hearing the "clunk" as it hit the floor. Anyway, it wasn't the most scenic spot I've ever been to but at least it upped my mileage for the day!

Then tonight our sewing club started back up again. There were only eight of us this time as some were sick and some were working but they are all nice so we always have a good get-together. Anyway, one of our new ladies, Marylise, was telling us how she had been walking in the mountains on Sunday and how beautiful it was, so again we got to discussing different places I could go walking without necessarily being stuck with all the skiers, and she asked me if I would like to go walking with her at the weekend on occasion. So I said yes, yet again! It's amazing to me how as soon as you start talking to people and/or asking for their advice, "something" comes from nothing and you end up broadening your horizons again and making a new friend!

It did dawn on me that having had a couple of weeks with no classes and therefore relatively quiet, I'm going to be out five times during the day this week and four evenings also! Crikey! Tomorrow night I have the first of my monthly patchwork classes so that will be a late night, then Italian classes start back up on Wednesday and then the Strauss concert in Geneva with my friend on Thursday. It's all go again! Actually he has been sick these last few days so I'm glad he got that out of the way before the concert as I think we both would have been disappointed if he had had to miss it!

And finally, as I was taking the various Christmas decorations down to my basement I realized what a mess it still as after having shoved so much stuff down there when I had my new floor laid. I guess it's time to get back in the saddle on that too and start shifting stuff and hopefully pitching a lot of what is down there. It's a never-ending job isn't it, but thank God I'm retired!

14 comments:

  1. I have two outings this week, which is a lot for me. I slowly am refilling my calendar after the holidays. I wish I could find a good and consistent walking buddy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Two outings is a lot because you're still working. You have to have some down time when you are still working full-time. Would any of your local friends be up for walking with you maybe even just once a week? Do you want me to ask them for you (you know I'll talk to anyone right)?

      Delete
    2. One of my trivia friends might be game. She works sort of from home (A family business that offices on their property.) She has 6 grand children and 7 on the way though, so often takes one of her daughters children particularly when her husband, who travels for their business, is on the road as she likes the overnight company. I could go out to her place and walk with her-that's a good suggestion! I have one friend that we schedule every year, go 1-2 times and then she starts cancelling. Maybe it's me!

      Delete
    3. So there's a start. And I often the friend that keeps cancelling is just someone that you can't count on - you kinda get to know who they are don't you. It's not you!

      Delete
  2. You are so much more social than I am. We are opposites in that way. I can't bear the thought of walking with another person. I just want to be on my own with my thoughts and whatever book I'm listening to. But I admire the way you go through the world, enjoying activities and other people, making new friends.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm more than happy to go places on my own too as I quite enjoy my own company (I don't listen to audio books though). But I figure I like these ladies anyway and they know places that I don't so why not give it a shot. And don't forget I live on my own, so while I'm very happy to be unhitched it can be quite isolating if you're not careful. In any case, it takes all sorts doesn't it!

      Delete
  3. I love a walk. Years ago I lost about 50pounds from walking and have kept it off because of walking. I like the walk alone because it's kind of a meditative time for me, but I als0 like a long walk with Carlos … and the dog.

    And I do yoga at home, though I am looking for a class nearby so I can really know if I'm doing it right!

    We took our Christmas stuff down and looking at it all, I gave quite a bit away to Goodwill. And yet we still have a lot.I think it multiplies during the year it's being stored.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would like to lose some weight too and if not now then when, but I'm trying to walk more to get fit. I reckon I live in such a stunning area it's wicked not to take advantage of it and age certainly isn't going to improve anything otherwise is it. And I'm quite happy walking alone too - the only drawback is that, sadly, as a woman I'm wary of being in certain areas on my own. And as for the Christmas stuff, I reckon those little buggers just multiply in the basement for 11 months don't you!

      Delete
  4. If you really want to get your steps in, you should work retail :). Today I walked 11,956 steps at the store. And I tried yoga once, it is really great for staying limber.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Even though I had an office job I would easily get in 7,000 steps a day just from that so it didn't take much to get to 10,000. Now? Not so much. You don't get many steps in moving from the couch to the kitchen do you?

      Delete
  5. My goodness, you've got a busy schedule. I'm definitely more of a homebody, but I do enjoy my knitting group.

    As for walking, it was -20C this morning so there was none of that here today! I envy your good weather as -2C would have felt balmy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I found when I first retired that I was quite happy to be at home and just "slob around" ('cos that's what I did), but soon realized I needed more routine and discipline. So far it's working for me. But -20°!!! Oh my god, I wouldn't be out in that. I remember we got -15° one year and it was FREEZING!

      Delete
  6. You are keeping very busy. I don't like if I have too much on in a week. I walk every day with our dog, just in our local urban area but I enjoy it. My art class starts back up next week and at the moment thats the only class I'm going to which suits me fine! You sure are making lots of new friends which is a wonderful thing. Enjoy! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I guess I've made my week pretty full with regular classes but then the "extras" all seem to come along at the same time at the moment, but that's fine with me. In fact I just got back from the Strauss concert and I'm on a high!!!

      Delete