Clarity

Here's a thing to consider.

You're responsible for your own reality - anyone in it is a reflection of you.

I've heard it said that the things that you most dislike about other people tend to be the things you are most guilty of yourself. I'm not sure if it's true, but on the first pass, it seems to be. For example, I profess to really dislike lethargic, lazy people, yet, if I'm 100% deep-down, brutally honest, I have to admit that I have that tendancy myself and constantly fight against it.

It's also hit me this week that attitude is everything. It can change my world from heaven to hell, without any of the physical or situational facts being changed at all. It can cause me to transform everything, or to live helplessly and inertly in my own emotional amber prison.

My little sister has been a godsend recently. Every mad idea that I've come up with lately - all-day cycling trips at mad distances that we've not done before, tennis, swimming, squash.... she's up for it all. Bless! We've played so hard that we've both been aching from head to foot for several days afterwards. We're aiming to get together for a day of sporting activities once per month. So far we've had 2 all-day cycling trips, a tennis-and-swimming day, and we're planning a squash-and-swimming day next. Wonderful!!

I've also ordered and received a lateral trainer. I'm aiming to use it at least once per week, and I get in about 1300 steps in half an hour. Boy, does it make me sweat! Good exercise.



As soon as I've got another swimming costume (my last one died after swimming at Fleming Park - it decided that it should really belong to a much larger person and I decided that it should be retired before it let me down in a public and unpleasant way - I'm going to investigate the local swimming facilities.

This should keep me going until I join my next place of employment which has many sporting facilities on site which I have every intention of using at every opportunity.

I don't usually go for this sort of thing, but this one was fun.

You scored as Marius. You are the quiet cool. You are so mellow people are lulled into a false sense of security. When you are pissed god help anyone who crosses you. Blade 100% Marius 100% Dracula 83% Akasha 67% Armand 67% Angel 58% Spike 58% Louis 42% Lestat 33% Deacon Frost 33% Whose your Vampire personality? (images) created with QuizFarm.com

The Game.

You lose!! ;-))

I'm still revelling in having some time to myself, even with the rain chucking it down outside. The weather's been foul for the last couple of days, but I love to get on with stuff indoors all cosy whilst the rain lashes and the wind howls outside. Time enough for nore strenuous leisure activities when the sun shows it's face again!

Cid has the right idea - I find it easy to relax when there is an image of such sleepy abandonment cuddled up next to me.

One of the pluses about not working at the moment is being able to cycle whenever (and wherever) I please with friends or family or just on my own. I just can't believe that the weather is continuing so well into October. The countryside just doesn't look like late Autumn countryside. I guess I'd better brace myself for a very sudden turn when it does happen. But at the moment, it's glorious.



My victim of choice to come out with me yesterday was my oldest friend and schoolchum, Lynda. She's recently treated herself to a new hybrid bike to replace the rather rickety old mountain bike that's been in service for a long time, and we were keen to take it for a spin. I thought we'd give my favourite route to Stockbridge a try as she lives in Rownhams (despite the fact I'd done the exact same route with my sister Jessica the previous weekend!! It is a lovely ride.).

As it turns out, cycling with the natives has some very good advantages, especially when it comes to teashops.



Mmmmm, mmmmmmm-mmmmmm!! Quite delicious. I highly recommend this hidden gem of a teashop tucked away in a small garden centre on the A3057 just outside of Romsey.

We had a lovely ride into Stockbridge and back along the wonderfully quiet road that runs parallel to the A3057 for quite some way. We stopped at the John O'Gaunt for a drink. The temperature was dropping on the way back however, and the sky began to cloud over. We were being given a reminder of how quickly the weather can change at this time of year, and a warning not to take the warmth of the sunshine for granted.

We stopped at a farm shop for me to stock up on local cooking apples to add to my panniers, and to giggle at the gregarious chickens wandering the yard.

We walked our bikes up the painful Cemetery Hill and then disaster struck; depending on your point of view! Poor Lynda suffered a CDE (Catastrophic Deflation Event) in her front wheel.



Unfortunately, not spanner nor repair kit was to hand (I only carry spare tubes and have QR on my wheels). The very unfair result of this was Lynda's husband was summoned from only a few miles away to collect Lynda and bike to ferry them home in comfort. I still had the long hill between North Baddesley and Rownhams to ride!

Still, I made it and felt very virtuous. Another lovely day.

Here's the deal. I need to be rich. I would make a very nice rich person, and a lot of money would, actually, make me very happy indeed. I have an idea that if everyone who reads this wishes for my lottery numbers to come up, then it's more likely than if I just dream about it occasionally.

This isn't just for my benefit either - there are two other ladies that share this lottery ticket and we've been a small syndicate for months and months and have only ever won a tenner once.

So please! Look on this as a thought experiment. Wouldn't it be interesting if it worked??