Slow Living - Doing It Old Style!

Brie

I like to swim underwater.  But that definitely makes it hard to breathe!!!  I can still do a good portion of the smaller pools - maybe half a length of a 25m?  If i have a good push off from the end to start, more if I can dive in.  I did speed swimming in my youth (a distant memory) so know how to do a proper racing dive.  

But it also depends on how busy the pool is - sometimes there's no alternative to freestyle/breast stroke.  If I have the luxury of a (people) empty pool with a decent depth I'll start reliving my synchronised swimming days, never could manage the above water bits (ballet leg etc) but do like to do the tumbles etc.  Drives my OH crazy that I can be floating on my back with my hands behind my head and quickly switch to a lobster stroke* and do a length faster than he can with freestyle.  

*lobster stroke - hands straight above head and doing figure 8s in the water to provide propulsion to move in a straight line, toes first.  

leftatthetrafficlights

I'm impressed with all the swimming! Personally it's not something I've ever been a fan of - I'm just not comfortable in water! 😳

Garden things were done yesterday - I disposed of one if our courgette plants, we planted out some more beetroot, carrots and chard and potted on a few bits that will go into the beds once the squash are ripe. I also stripped all the pods from the runner beans, shelled them and put them in the dehydrator along with mountains of herbs (more herbs to go in today) so we'll have another couple of jars of dried beans and herbs for the winter 😁

There is something magical about grabbing food from the freezer or storecupboard in the cold months that you grew yourself - it triggers memories of the warmer days and the joy of making decisions on what to eat based on what is ready in the garden 😍 I love going out in the cold to pick the cavolo nero, the winter salads, brussel sprouts etc but the choice and colours  are much more limited! 

Today will be a quiet one - I made the stock for the ramen yesterday so other than popping some cavolo nero, smoked tofu and noodles into it I have nothing further to sort food wise. Last nights dinner was a total disappointment - the 'duck' pancakes were okay but the spring rolls and fried rice were a bit naff - I think that there was just too much processed carp involved and my body and brain were unimpressed!! 



In big news - I ordered a rebounder a few days ago and it arrived yesterday!! 🙌 I've had a little bounce on it now that I've put it together and I really like it - I was exhausted within seconds but I'm pretty sure that if I keep at it, my overall fitness will improve - it's also good for improving balance which I'm keen to do! 

Tomorrow I'm starting (yet again!! 🙄🤦‍♀️) to try to live a healthier lifestyle; more exercise, no alcohol and extremely limited/no UPF's. I feel that although the past couple of months have been lovely in many ways, I have lost my way health wise, including seriously overindulging in alcohol and crappy food and I am feeling a bit poop as a result - I keep starting to improve things then I make small concessions over time that build up and lead me to being back where I started 🤦‍♀️ I heard someone say exactly the same thing a few months ago and despite it really resonating with me at the time, I have found it scarily easy to dismiss and ignore hence being back in the feeling rubbish zone again. ETA - I've added this to my signature to make sure I'm reminded of it daily!! 

I lack consistency and I am finally ready to acknowledge that it is a major flaw that I need to address. In some aspects, I'm very consistent - I started daily meditation and yoga nidra practices that I don't skip at all now - but it's the things that I begin that are physically tricky at first that I tend to make excuses about and watch them become a distant memory! 🙄😂 I'm going to think more about it, make some decisions on how I'm going to change it and what I'm going to need to do that.

When my new year begins in a month, I want consistency to be my main intention/resolution for the year - I'm fairly sure that if I nail that aspect of life, I'll be able to achieve all my health and wellbeing goals. I'm going to do some measurements of things (like how long I can do something before getting knackered, the distance I can comfortably walk etc) at the beginning of my new year then redo them monthly to see how much progress I can make when I'm consistent. I know that the past couple of decades of lacking consistency has led me to being the heaviest and most unfit version of me that I have ever known so it's a controlled experiment!! 😂😂😂 

Anyway, latte is calling me so I'm off - have a fab slow day!! 🐌 😁

Katiehound

I swim as my go to exercise- would do Pilates but can't get up from the floor, and on a chair it is limiting whereas in the pool you get to stretch.
I do 3/4 back stroke but yes, if the pool is busy it can be a challenge! The pool only has lane swimming up to 9 am and that is a swim too far. I can share a lane with 1 person but not 3 or 4 as I would be permanently trying to peer over my shoulder!
 My aim is for 20 lengths but if the pool is busy busy will settle for 12 upwards.  The aim is to go 4 or 5 times per week and not waste my membership fees! (saving or not wasting money can be quite an incentive) it can also be an incentive to see how far I have swum over the week......

of course swimming & Pilates & yoga would be the ideal! how many hours are there in a day??

London_1

Gosh I miss swimming I have lymphodema in my right arm ,plus I tore my rotator cuff in my shoulder and because of the lymphoedema they said it would set off more than it would achieve to have it operated on so I can only use my left arm and have family limited right arm strength at all.
I never learned to swim properly until my mid fifties and that was a good many years ago, and I loved it.But now sadly can no longer do it.

But I can still go for a stately hobble down to my local beach (about 10 minutes away ) and sit and watch the liners sailing out on their cruises from Portsmouth (I live now on the IoW) and even if its a bit nippy a stroll along to The Dell cafe for a hot drink blows the cobwebs away

Today I helped my DD do a tip run, well say helped, more sorted out what needed to be decluttered and bagged it up.
She wanted a bit of sewing done on one of her costumes (she does ghost walks ), so I sat in the conservatory this afternoon hand sewing her skirt where a seam had become loose.

She used to do them about 10 years ago when we lived in the Medway explaining the history of the Dockyard and telling different groups the tales of things that have happened over the years.

Now we are moved to the IoW, there is a strong group she has joined, and dressing up and helping to show folk what different parts of the Islands history is about is a great hobby and she loves it. Its all done in costume and is very popular

Her Halloween one is at Ventnor Botanical gardens which has a very interesting history and she is looking forward to it she has two nights there at the end of the month but she will also be doing Carisbrook Castle at some point as well as Arrenton Barns . Bit like Am Dram I suppose.

I have a small pile of hand sewing to do tomorrow morning, and as its due to be a bit rainy it will keep me busy for a couple of hours .The builders are due this week to do some renovations so I will be chief tea maker I expect with the odd bacon sandwich as well (keep the workers happy and they will be happy to work )

Tuesday is a dental appointment but I will have some lunch with DD in Ryde as she works there, I may have a mooch around the Victorian Arcade in Union Street as well, plus there is a CS there I can drop some bits off to as well

generally a bit of a pottering week I think:) 

JackieO xx

Wednesday2000

I haven't done much yoga at all since i posted last apart from the cat/cow pose for my neck. That does seem to work as I wake up with a stiff neck a lot.

It is beautiful weather here today. Sunny and mild. The house feels incredibly quiet now my pets have been picked up for the kennel! We are waiting for a workman to come round later to give us a quote for the decking. I might go out for a quick walk first.

I have lots of food to use up before we go to Cornwall tomorrow. I'm thinking of making potato wedges, air fried tofu and a big salad. I have lots of tomatoes so I might have to freeze some of them. I'm off to Google whether you have to blanch them first.

Nelliegrace

I checked the Met Office local weather forecast, and got two full loads of washing done and dried it outside on the line. I got the last in just before the rain, which was not in the forecast! 

The ironing is up to date, and for the moment the washing basket is EMPTY!

We had our flu jabs done today, all very efficient. 

leftatthetrafficlights

@Katiehound - I really couldn't cope with other people in the pool! 😳 over the last year we booked some sessions in a private pool as our grandbaby loves the water and my dd was going to start him on swimming lessons - four of us in there still felt like too many people to me!! 🤦‍♀️😂 

@London_1 - your description of sitting on the beach watching the liners brought to mind a Vic & Bob sketch!! 😂😂 I'm going to drag out their dvd to watch later this week now,so thank you for that!! 😁 

@Wednesday2000 - have a fabulous time in Cornwall!! 🥳 My dh wants to venture down there soon but I'm trying to work out when it's at its least 'touristy' before I commit! I'd be interested to know how busy you find it - a friend was there in the summer and said it was absolutely heaving so I'm hoping that an autumn jaunt wouldn't be so bad 🤞 

@Nelliegrace - well done on getting an empty laundry basket!! 🙌 I hope you're feeling okay after your flu jab 😁 

Yesterday was a complete washout for me - I woke up feeling dreadful! 🤦‍♀️ The good thing about living a totally slow life though is the fact that I could just accept that I felt poop and do nothing all day so that's exactly what I did!! Thankfully, other than being a bit tired, I'm feeling back to normal today so I intend to clean the house, get the laundry sorted and make something for dinner 😁 I hate the house not being clean and tidy so I'll feel a whole lot better once it's done! 

I've found some rebounder exercise videos on YouTube and will be starting those, along with my other exercise stuff, tomorrow (I think I'll be expending enough energy with the cleaning etc today!). There was torrential rain overnight here so it's probably a good job that I'm not starting my walking etc today - I'd probably need a snorkel!! 😳😂

Yesterday was my first alcohol free day in ages so I'm off the blocks with that finally! 🙌🥳 I had a pot of lemon verbena and hibiscus tea last night and it was gorgeous - I'd forgotten how much I adore it! I have a glass teapot so I love watching the colour of the water change as the hibiscus blends into it - it's one of those things that hits a lot of senses while you make and drink it so feels like a very calming experience. It's the little sparks of joy that make the difference! 😁  

Right, time to get a cup of chamomile and then start the cleaning - I'll check in later once it's done and I've decided on food!! 

Have a fab slow day!! 🐌😁

London_1

Well did a bit more than I expected today got a text from the Drs this morning at 0815.a.m.  (this surgery here on the IoW is brilliant best surgery I've ever been to, and so on the ball and swift)

Last week at the cardio appointment I also did a sputum test as the cardio nurse wasn't happy with my breathing a got a Dr to come and poke me about a bit. Very nice young lady Dr it was as well and she too wasn't happy

The results came back this morning and it seems apart from other problems my lungs weren't working as well as they might and I have a bacterial infection ( I just thought it was a heavy cold that had been hanging around for a fortnight)
Any way the text said I could go to the surgery as she had sent down a script for some strong medication to help clear it up (there is a Boots Pharmacy on site at the Drs, ( another great idea I think as the prescriptions are sent there virtually immediately)

So off I toddled to there, and got my new meds straight away .
Then walked from there into Ryde ,had a cuppa, and then went to the dentists, followed by a nice lunch with DD. Finally got back home around 2.00 and the builders were getting on with stuff which I'm pleased about.

Then the handyman turned up to put new poles in for the pulley washing line, so we can get rid of the wonky whirly gig which is on its last legs anyway.

today seems to have whizzed by and before I knew it DD was home and we had a nice fish pie and veg . Then I dog sat while DD and son-in-law went to her am-dram ghost walking thing at Arraton Barns

This week seems to be galloping by and I've a list of to-do things than as yet haven't been done although I did a little sewing job this afternoon which was long overdue.

Tomorrow if the weather is dry (its been bucketing down tonight ) I have a yen to have another walk along the beach down at Appley which is about 10 minutes walk away. Its such a peaceful place and lots of benches along the front if I get a bit out of puff then a nice cuppa before returning back home again

I looked at my pedometer app tonight on my phone and today I've done just a tad under 3 miles so I'm pleased about that as well. 

Onwards and upwards chums hopefully the new meds will clear the breathing a bit more so I will be walking even more

JackieO xx

leftatthetrafficlights

Yesterday I achieved everything I wanted to - the  house is clean, laundry all done and enough food was cooked to last until Friday! 🙌 

I made cumin and olive fried potatoes, smoky banana blossom with paprika, red cabbage steaks with ras el hanout, courgette and coconut curry and madras potatoes (dh couldn't decide what to have so had a bit of everything! 😂) 



We'll have the curry stuff tomorrow and the other stuff tonight - I've got my ds, dil and grandbaby over on Friday so I'm making a mushroom and walnut bolognese for that. 

Today I am picking up my grandbaby after school for a sleepover so before I leave I'll be doing some rebounder exercise and, as the weather is poop again, a fabulous50s walking video. I'm going to do some reading (I've just bought a copy of Dante's The Divine Comedy so am going to start that) while I recover from the exercise then I'm having a long relaxing shower and doing a yoga nidra practice. It's a pretty much perfect day ahead 😁

Hope you have a fab slow day!! 🐌 😁

Wednesday2000

^ I had banana blossom for the first time last night at a restaurant in Penzance.

I have had a lovely slow day. We walked to see the beach and to the town. I had a Cornish pasty from a lovely bakery and bought a few "new" things from a charity shop. We then went back to the hotel and I had a two hour nap.😁 I'm going to have a shower and get dressed and find somewhere to eat dinner tonight.