A free (well almost) holiday is not something to be turned down and so when the offer to stay in a luxury room near the south coast is offered, how could we turn it down. With both sets of the little ones grandparents planning trips out while they look after them, I am sure they will have a good time too.
My husband’s cousin is a part owner of a pub and restaurant that has several outbuildings at the back that were being converted into habitable rooms by the previous owner. Planning had been granted for the conversion to an annex but when he later tried to change its use for paying guests that was refused so he sold up. It is quite OK for family, friends, or even strangers to stay there, so long as they don’t pay!!
The restaurant is top class with prices to match, and in this economic climate, I was not expecting it to be packed on a Monday evening. Once I had tried the food, I could see why, it was fantastic. Three nights of this and I will go home 10 pounds heavier.
Back to the room and set my watch for an early start. I had been told that I can run along a footpath to the local village which is a couple of miles away which avoids the narrow roads. There and back should give me about 4 miles which would probably only offset my starter. Working off my dessert would probably take all day!
Up and out early, I found my way through the trees and the narrow gap in the hedge to the footpath. Open fields on one side and the hedge on the other and in the distance, I could see the spire of a church. Off I went, music playing, and I was away. In no time at all I was at the village and not a soul in sight. I turned and headed back.
I must admit, I sometimes have trouble recognising peoples faces, I have to meet people a few times before they sink in. I generally try to remember hair colour as my starting point. When it comes to bushes, they all look the same, they are all green(ish) and leafy(ish). So, when I reached the point where I thought I had originally emerged from the hedge and found no gap I was not 100% surprised. I turned and looked at the direction I had come from and realised immediately it was not the view I first saw. I need to go on further, so off I ran. A few minutes later, things looked familiar, but still no gap in the hedge. I turned once again. Ah!, no church spire. Maybe I have gone too far. I turned and ran until the spire was in sight and started to look for the gap. No gap but then realise I was much too close to the village than I should be. Back I went, passed the point where the spire was not visible and carried on. Sure enough, when I turned again, I could see the spire so started to look for the gap. I was nearly at the point of panic when there it was, THE GAP!! Phew, I am not sure if it was the temperature increasing or the stress, but I was definitely feeling hot and sticky.
I got back to the room and the first thing my husband says is “I thought you were only going for a quick run? We arranged to meet Mike for breakfast is 5 minutes.”. “I got a little bit lost,” I said. I was not going to go into the detail and give him something to talk about over breakfast with his cousin. “You go over and I will have a quick shower.”.
Now, there is more tech in the bathroom than PC World. The bath fills itself (no taps, just a touch screen and it doubles as a TV that you can watch while you soak). The shower is the same. There are jets and pipes with an arrangement of nozzles and not a tap in sight.
So there I am, stark naked in the shower frantically touching the screen hoping that it will do something. I could change the temperature setting, I could select various nozzles and shower heads, I could also link it to an MP3 player, but could I get any bl**dy water to come out, no I could not.
I was now at the point where I either continued as I was in the hope that I got it working or admit defeat and phone my husband to ask him. The trouble was, that would give him even more ammunition.
I gave in and called him. “You see the little silver button next to the screen, press that at the same time as you select the nozzle.” Bl**dy Smart Ar$e, I though that was a cover for a screw or something. Well once working, it was brilliant, I could have stayed there all day. I am still not sure what some of the nozzles are for and am not really sure I want to ask!! I am not fully convinced that changing the colour of the light in the shower heads was really a necessary feature, and who has time to watch TV in the shower, but it was an interesting experience.
Dried and dressed I went over for breakfast. MY GOD, there was only the four of us and enough food for 20. I ate as much as I could without making myself ill. No way was I going to need any lunch.
“So where did you run to?” my husband said. “Down to the village and back.” I replied. “Where did you get lost then?”, “Trying to find the gap in the hedge.” I said in as quiet a voice as I could. Not quiet enough as the other three erupted in laughter.
I have done a lot of walking today on top of my extended run but still not sure it has been enough to burn off last nights calories. After tonight’s meal, I may need to do the village run twice tomorrow to even stand a chance of avoiding obesity.
Birthday Run - did I really run that distance!! 🎉🏃🏼😀
I'm back (again!) and being tortured by the physio :P
And the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all....
An absolute grind of a 5k this morning.
