Skip to main content

Runners & Riders

This has taken over a week from posting the photo into the template to actually finding time to write some words... that just about sums up life at the moment. I knew it would be mad for at least 6 months when i took on the challenge of starting a new job, and it certainly is. At least my brain has stopped hurting for the most part and I'm working out priorities. What I love about my new role is that I have quite o a lot of flexibility to do what I want to do. In a company as lean as ours, chances are if you spot something that needs doing in your area of focus, it's unlikely anyone else is getting after it and so you have a clean run at things. the downside is that means just a lot of stuff goes by the wayside! The key is not to worry about the things you can't fix - that way lies madness. At least I've finally learnt that lesson!

Last weekend was one of the kids being busy doing their sporty things, with Abi heading out the door on Friday evening to go to Angie's for a weekend of riding, and Izzy looking forward to the annual school triathlon at Bradfield. If you recall the last time she did this (could it really have been 2 years ago?!?), she got into the pool and duly spluttered and sank after only half a length. This was a direct result of her cockiness that she didn't need to practice her swimming! This time round we didn't exactly get her practicing as such, but we did at least get her into a pool a few times so she could remind herself of what it feels like to swim. We agreed her tactic should be to just take it easily and stick with breast stroke, do 2 lengths, rotate and then do the second 2 lengths of she was ok. She followed this to the letter and did her 4 lengths with no major mishaps - very proud of her. From here they did the bike route with no dramas and then it was onto the running where again she was going out second in her team. She did 90% of the route at a good steady pace then upped it to a brilliant sprint finish - she nailed it! This encouraged the final 2 in her team to do the same and they made up some good time meaning they finished in a very decent place in their group - well done Team Tellytubbies!

Abi had a lovely weekend riding and came home as usual on the Sunday a bit smelly, tired but happy. This time she was there on her own which she prefers - it means she is more like one of the family and it becomes home from home as opposed to when there are lots of kids there and she is one of the many. Thomas had a sleepover so they went and got fish and chips and then he slept in a room with her. Just like having a little brother (without any of the hard work on our part - perfect!).

All this happening while I got over my jet lag from 5 days in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. It was another good trip, again in and out in a blink of an eye but well worth it and minimal disruption to the family which is my preference. The next trip I'm planning is India and HK which I have decided to do a little differently and go mid-week to mid-week. This means I will get a weekend away and a chance to actually see something of the country I'm in. I'm going to spend it in HK - probably easier on the digestive system than India and certainly easier to move around independently. I haven't yet decided what I will do (it's months away) but am going to try and make the most of it.

Right off to Saturday yoga - one of the windows of sanctuary in my busy-busy life. Who am I kidding, I love the busyness of it all. As long as there are enough moments where I can step off and remind myself to look around and appreciate all that's happening around me, it's all good.

You could almost imagine being on holiday -
snap taken at 7am before heading to the office!


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Busy, busy, busy

Full English brunch for these two! Life is VERY busy and I don't feel like we have stopped for weeks (or is that months?) It seems like the 'to-do' list is endless and while I know we don't have to do it all at once, I have taken on the unenviable task of trying to get the Muppet to finish all the work he promised / we have paid for and that has been like pushing a mountain of water up a very steep hill. We've got to the point where I think we have got all of what we are likely to get and the rest we'd rather finish ourselves anyway. The electric gates are clearly a work of his imagination based on the gates / the electric cables he spec'd and the cheapo motor mechanism - there is no way they'll work so we have decided to not bother and source proper gates that do the job and look better as well. Knowing that we are almost at a point where we sever the ties feels very liberating. Looking back this last 6 months has been incredibly stressful and just didn...

Bank Holiday sunshine

Off to meet FiFi and Grumps for a walk  (and yes, she is on the seat) Finally after weeks of rain and cold weather, the tide has turned and we have glorious sunshine for the bank holiday weekend and half term - hooray, it's about time.  Also just in time is half term as the kids were definitely ready for a break. They have both done brilliantly settling into the school, making new friends and finding their feet in an unfamiliar environment. Izzy has just had her exam week and felt it went OK given she hadn't covered all of the syllabus, and Abi's exams start as soon as she is back next week. I hope she's done some revision as she left for Devon with Claire, Adam and Mia today and isn't back until Saturday. There is talk of looking at some of her notes but who knows. My view is that a bit of R&R will probably be at least as beneficial if not more so than cramming all week so she should take the time to relax and have some fun - she deserves it. So we packed Abi o...

Half term

Whatever happened to half term?? It seems to have disappeared in a flash, do doubt partly as I was working having had 3 days off the previous week for Kerrie and Ryan's wedding. The plan was to not have a plan - both girls have exam week coming up and so our major intent was for them to spend at least half an hour a day or so doing a bit of revision. This has sort of worked - we only had one day where I got an irate message from Glenn that Izzy knows 'absolutely nothing' about her maths... we'll see. With half term comes effort grades and if they genuinely know nothing, it's not for a lack of effort. Abi did really well, keeping up her average and getting a 6 (top grade) in French again. Izzy, who we always worry is apt to cruise if allowed, got the first 5.0 average grade we've seen from either of them and 3 6's in French, English and DT - well done Izzy! I tend to assume all the kids work hard but it seems not - according to Abi "all the boys always...