A trundle through the vineyards with Grandma.

[mfamilias]

When I headed off this morning, I was surprised to see Smelly Dog catch up with me. She'd spotted the trainers on my feet and had given up her usual begging routine at the neighbour's front door in favour of a walk with Mfam. In for a penny in for a pound, I told her that she could come if she wanted, but I hoped she remembered the reason we gave up on running C25K together as of week 6 - she's getting on at the grand old age of eight, runs in a full fur onesie, and has the attention span of the average two-year-old when it comes to ignoring the exotic smell of fox poo in a hedge.

Nevertheless, I stretched and warmed up, and off we went. We passed a pack of runners going in the opposite direction after 500m - they were already laughing to see Smelly dog lolloping along behind me with her tongue hanging out. This was at least a sign that I have improved, as on the first three weeks of the programme she was waiting for me every time I arrived, choking my lungs up, at the end of each short running period. Ha ha, FINDUS! (success on a plate, for YOU). She kept up for a while, then I had to slow down for her after 4K because although I'm called Joanna, I'm no GI Jo, and I didn't feel up to running with 30 kg of smelly, drooling dog draped over my shoulders if she decided to give up.

So today's run was an amble, and a very pleasant one too. Temperatures are cooling off, and the grapes are maturing nicely, which adds to the beauty of the run. The recent storms have topped up the babbling brook that Smelly Dog likes to cool off in. Here she is in her favourite stream. The Purple Perils are included in the pic.

PS. The site appears to be one can short of a six-pack at the moment - apologies to those who commented yesterday evening, because when I went online this morning to reply, your comments weren't visible. I can't get the drop-down list of notifications, when I click on the top menu bar nothing happens.... is it my computer trying to stop me procrastinating, or is the site still having problems?

[Dunnja Graduate]

What a lovely pic and post.

Looks like a very beautiful place to run.

The site is still not right as I have still lost some comments on a post.

Xx

[mfamilias Graduate in reply to Dunnja]

It's gorgeous here, but a tad hot in the summer. I'm waiting for Autumn so that I can crank the speed up (says she hopefully). It's a bit of a bummer to see comments disappearing into thin air - hopefully it's sorted now.

[Anaverageman Graduate]

Lol decided to change headline from ' out for a lumber' then? ( good idea as in Scotland to get a 'lumber' means colloquially to pick up a member of the opposite sex!

Lol

Nice post and pic though

[mfamilias Graduate in reply to Anaverageman]

Yup, I posted on the wrong forum, and had copied the text in case the site swallowed it with out posting (gremlins seem to be at work in cyberspace). I wrote a new title because I couldn't remember the previous one. Thanks for the new vocab - I'll be careful about what I say when I want to go for a gentle run in Scotland, then

[Noaky12 Graduate]

Morning Mfam. That looks glorious I'm a bit jealous of smelly dog being up to his oxters (another good scots word) in cooling water.

How do you stop yourself from picking the grapes on the way past? I would just want to scoff the lot. Yes even before they become wine........ 😆

[mfamilias Graduate in reply to Noaky12]

HER oxtors. She is my second daughter - Calculus balked at the idea of a fourth child, and got me a golden retriever instead Admittedly she was able to walk on her own and sleep full nights much faster than a human, and didn't ask us to take her trike on walks only to use it for five minutes and leave us to carry it for the next 5 miles, but she sheds hair all over the place and stinks to high heaven after rolling in badger poo and lying in puddles. She's always happy to see me, though.

I don't even think about eating the grapes- many of the the locals spray their vineyards, and some of the grapes are as thick-skinned as the guys who planted them

[Noaky12 Graduate in reply to mfamilias]

Oops sorry. Her oxters, I couldn't see her lucious feminine eyelashes from the pic.

I've had 4 legged sisters around all my life but haven't graduated onto a daughter yet. One day when I can either work from home or when I retire I shall have one. They are wonderful aren't they even with the hairshedding, odd eating habits & even odder smells! If nothing else you have someone else to blame for farting. I just blame the hubster right now. Sadly, he blames me........

[mfamilias Graduate in reply to Noaky12]

I work from home, or rather I do when she isn't nudging my forearm with her snout for attention She's a sweetheart. As for the farting, the two girls in my house fart innocuous glitter rainbows. The boys (and smelly dog) fart green, swirling toxic-laced smog.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

lovely pic and a great post too...well done

[mfamilias Graduate in reply to ju-ju-]

Ta JJ! Hope the weather is lovely in Cornwall. Say hello to the seagulls for me (cue emotional sniff).

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Lovely photo and post MF. Don't you just want to dip your toes in that water after a run?

[mfamilias Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

I do, but I'm too scared I won't be able to fit my plates of meat back into my trainers afterwards

[chalfont_chump]

Well done you, just sitting relaxing after Park Run this morning and a coupe of hours of gardening in the mid day sun (mad dogs and Englishmen) so its nice to read a lovely post. Lovely to hear Mad Dog kept up.

I keep having trouble with the site and not being able to see comments, I use Apple Safari most of the time and but when I get this problem I change to Google Chrome and it seems fine. Although I did write an epic post last week and it vanished. It is always so frustrating when you are about to start into a .............

[mfamilias Graduate in reply to chalfont_chump]

Sounds gorgeous, CC! Stormy and grey here, with an amber weather warning when I've planned a cycle ride. Grumble grumble.

I'm on Apple Safari too - could be an apple issue, then. Thanks for the tip!

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

Fancy a staid sensible runner like you have such bonkers shoes!

I love your tags!

[mfamilias Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

I love bonkers shoes, which is just as well - I have big feet so I wear stuff from the men's shelf A friend in Florida has just informed me that I run wearing the colours of the Florida Gators - yoh, too cool. Maybe it's lost on the Hérault, though.

[mfamilias Graduate in reply to mfamilias]

PS. Hadn't noticed the tags, they are a perfect description of me