Decking The Halls!

The Argyll deep freeze continues amid preparations for Christmas. Today's trip to see the Dawn Treader has been delayed as Toby and Freya full of cold...very seasonal. Friday saw the last decorations going into place, after souffle and jacket spuds the tree dressing was well managed by all concerned despite Toby thinking that an owl was more suitable than an Angel as top of the tree occupant.In fact I think I had better check to make sure it has not flown up there again. The forest roads are now covered with a fresh layer of snow from yesterday which gives a little more gripunderfoot. I attempted a run along to the Caravan Park two days ago, only about a 1/4 of it was runnable as I skidded the rest of the way and gave up just past Laura's house. There was a bizarre scene being carried out there as six deerstalkers had forgathered to stalk and dispatch Laura's six cockerels (you just cannot tell what you are gonna get!). Apparently any game is fair game and it was quite surreal to see the camouflaged hunter stalking the oblivious bird. The School Snow Ball came and went for the girls although poor Toby decided to nurture his cold instead.

Snow!!!

The snowy conditions continue with some close shaves for early folk crossing the tops near Auchindrain this morning. The children got a lift into school with John, I suspected that we were going to be very unpopular when the bus did not turn up and they were the only Inverarayites at school but they did turn up very late after fun and games on the way. So most exercise still on hold but I am going back to Boot Camp tonight...thsi could make me ache a lot after three weeks..(or more?) off.

A lazy daisy of a Sunday

A slow wake up...well, it was nearly 8 O'clock when I heard Rosie downstairs which is pretty late for her. After I had whined for a while for a cup of tea it was time to get up and relight the Rayburn. Very cold temperatures again for a change and so the obvious thing to do was search out the skiing stuff and go hit the Claonairigh Slopes....Post ski the girls and I went for a swim at the Loc fyne Hotel and I just about froze my toes off and hair off being dragged outside to the not-so-hot spa..Brrrrrr! Minus 6 when we got home.

Bowing to the inevitable

Of course it was glaringly obvious from about Monday onwards that Sundays Jingle bells run for the jogscotland group would have to be postponed the little optimistic voice inside of me did not want to give in gracefully...perhaps the route would be the only place in the area to be devoid of snow and ice...maybe. Liz and I set off round it on Friday clad in walking boots and many layers to test it out. The snow was the major obstacle (see picture 1) until we hit the shore road when the sheet ice under foot became a little tricky to negotiate causing Liz to do a  small impromptu dance mid path. The snow was falling heavily again by the time we got back to the car and the main road was only slightly visible under a layer of slush, another two inches or so joined the 8 already down although a thaw late on has led to some lovely ice today. On Thursday the last of the Christmas present shopping was firmly bought into line in Oban, we saw these reflections on the way there at Loch Awe which was glassily clear.

Snowy Argyll.....

Finally the snow has arrived in Argyll much to the children's delight (and ours really!) and it all looks so very pretty! The above are from a walk out on Sunday round and about here. Poor Lucy gathered large amounts of snowy balls on her back legs which did not seem to hamper her too much when chasing snowballs thrown by the children. Lucy building her own snowball  The weather has hampered running plans so the treadmill came into its own on Sunday when I managed a 24.36 minute 5k but now feel as though my lower legs has turned to stone. Both running clubs are cancelled this week though so I may be back on it soon.

Boots and shoes

Still taking it easy re the back and so no boot camp...shame I missed the end of session weigh in....just a little run whilst the children did D of E and athletics club. Some soreness but not as much as before so hopefully I am going in the right direction. Good weekend with Harry Potter fest on Sunday at Braehead with the girls after some shopping for Christmas parties etc. Delighted me to buy Rosie's first proper heels..felt like a rite of passage as it is the first time she has entertained such an idea. She teetered around on them when we got home honouring the humble pizza with such glamour. Freya also got boots but not necessarily her first choice as maybe 4" heels might prove tricky when negotiating the forest track on the way to the bus. She likes hers too and has even worn them for the intended purpose of keeping her feet warm for school. An acceptable coat was also found so no more ripped ones of Toby's for her! hey ho...on with the day. Visiting Lewis today.

 LATER As you can see a stunning day for a ride in Argyll....shame the camera chose to focus on Lewis's ears rather than the hills but then again what handsome ears they are.

The dreaded axe of injury

was poised above my head this week as each excursion into running led to a tighter and tighter feeling at the back on my left thigh. Sprints at jogscotland last week in Lochgilphead were very sore and I hobbled my way round the Jingle Bells route to measure it on Friday. Resting over the weekend seemed to help but more sprints on Tuesday stirred it up again. Feeling a fraud or worse wondering if a hamstring was responsible I missed Wednesdays session and got an emergency appointment at the osteopath on Thursday with the girls in tow. Such relief to have a mere sprained muscle in the lower back which affected my leg as it got more and more tight. Considerably relieved of mind, body and pocket we left with exercises and reassurances bound for the best hot chocolates around and some shopping therapy. Obviously with my sore muscle I could not carry the supermarket stuff.....

If a Picture paints a thousand words....

Then none are necessary here!! A great night out at Rocky Horror at the Kings in Glasgow...no running, no cycling or swimming...not even much drinking just a lot of shouting, singing and dancing...GREAT!!

A quiet week........

For a supposedly quiet time of year the days are scurrying past very quickly and I am only just managing to catch hold of the tail end of the weekend. Celebrating our dear friends Howard and Mynas 45 years wedded on Wednesday was just lovely. To anyone who has eaten in The George and there are a few....it is a wonderful place to indulge in good food, nice drink and close friends....especially on a dark November night. I actually made some money last weeek too with several guests including the deerstalkers and a unique couple who are recently retired from running a hostel in the hills of Pakistan for new missionaries undertaking a crash course in Urdu. They were on their way to a church meeting on Islay and she was..rather cold when confonted by an early scottish winter! No real running after wedesday when I did a 4.5 run round as penance for not going to jogscotland, just a 2.68 run round with Liz to loosen up for the weekend followed by a swim. On Saturday night we set up a bonfire in the back field which the pigs minded not at all and Poppy,the goat kept her distance. The latter was not terribly keen on the first firework indicated by her ricochetting off the fence. We duly moved and completed the display elsewhere. After a frosty night we woke to find the pigs comfortably huddled on the warm, ashy remains of the fire. We had no time to admire or even photograph them as we took off for Ormsary with blue skies above and icy roads below. The Tin Farm 5 race is a road/off road/ beach/field muddy five mile run where you also have to ford a river in case your feet are too hot. Freya was alas too young and so we have her to thank for the photos. Toby and Garret definitly had their own agendas to follow and did really well with Toby coming 6th overall and 3rd Male jr. The male junior position is becoming more and more contested each year. Garret beat all his mates that he wanted to/expected to beat (and wasn't beaten by any girlies which is always a boost) and I paced Rosie along her first adult run to first junior female position. So more shiny trophies and a confidence boost all round!!

PS a shame that I have managed to put the bonfire night picture into the race ones but it will take me too long to reload them all....sorry!!

Just a norrmal tuesday!

A day of thunder, lightning, torrential rain...weak autumn sun and then hail...never a dull moment. The first day (for me) of the winter riding and I headed along to the stables to see Lewis who was happily munching away at his hay when I arrived. I spent a very pleasant time re-acquainting myself with procedures and re- discovering the delights of grooming despite itchy eyes and nose. I was a bit quiet on the sing song front but soon it will be time to go full on with Christmas carols. We had a wee amble round the ring remembering each other and our little ways and had a few trots too to remind my legs just what it is all about.
Back home and the first mince pies rolled out this afternoon (puff pastry ones not entirely successful!) then after homework for both girls, shuffling Toby around and about for work, welcoming Howard and Myrna back to our winter routine it was off to running club with Rosie and a good old work out!The map below does not seem to fully capture those skips, step ups, squats and boxing....but you can definitely see the laps round the oval! Full credit to all who turned out on a potentially lousy night, we were very lucky as we escaped with hardly a drop of rain falling and then the heavens opened on the way home.

Never too old for Halloween!!

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 and the finished product(s)!..

 

No running today just a bike ride for Freya, Lucy, Ginny and me through the wet leaves along the track and down to the shore where we threw sticks into a very high tide and walked along the stones a bit hampered only slightly by random sticks placed at or even on our feet. Very peaceful.