Ok so here we go.......
January 1st was day one of training and as Paul (my coach) said "Every session counts" so off for a run I duely went! I was in a really good mood and you know 9am on New Year's Day is a great time to run - it was so quiet!! I posted on twitter that I was feeling virtuous - Soph you were right a better word for it was smug!!
I had a lovely run but need to see the osteopath to get a few bones put back into the right place after a few skiing crashes!! But day one of training - not too bad!!
Day one of New Year's resolution not bad too - lovely walk up to the pub with Jo, Amy and Jennie for a fab lunch and tons of giggling! Just lovely!!
January 2nd... bike ride! Wow what a lovely day for a bike ride! A few of the Evo crowd went out today and it was just a gorgeously sunny ride over a great route!! I love days like today on the bike... but blimey do I have some work to do.... 9hours on the bike sounds like a big ordeal at the moment!! Need to train hard for this!!!!
January 3rd.... back to work!!! I was actually quite excited about going back to work - last year I was bored and seriously thinking its time for a new job - luckily someone changed my job so now I have a new one so new job without the hassle of having to leave the company and write a cv.... although I know that is on my 2012 resolution list!! Anyway started the day with a Mark style spinning session which was (fun!??!) and then went to work.... it was crazy busy....... so much for finishing off the remaining chocolates and easing in gradually - No chance!!! Just managed to escape at 6 for my pilates session!!
If there is one session I cannot drop in the next 7 months it is Pilates - I really feel that I have missed it in the last few months so its good to be back although my glutes and stomach muscles didn't think so at the time!
And just to round the evening off I went for a swim.... Pete had volunteered to give me and Paul a lesson as we need some help.... I spent an hour on my extension -ie driving my hands forward as they go into the water.....!! This could be a long process!!!
Wednesday morning I woke up feeling quite rubbish - full of a cold :( woe is me! Berocca and Vicks were consumed in vast quantities but had to admit defeat and skip training.... running hills in the rain not ideal really! And this is where I really should have listened to little Jo.... but instead of getting an early night I decided to keep going and meet up with a friend for a drink (IMA not taking over life!) - it was a lovely evening and I stayed on water but paid for it later in the week!
Having not really slept much on Wednesday night I decided that swimming was a good idea.... so 6.30am saw me getting in the pool at Hillingdon and completing my 2km set before work! I loved this swim... it felt really good stroke wise and was just a very nice way to start the day! Not sure it helped the cold though... it definately brought it out!! Thursday night..... shattered (are we surprised?!) so sofa and an early night!
If you asked me to rank the triathlon disciplines in order of favourite at the moment I would say run, swim, bike..... will be interesting to see what I say at the end - I think swimming could hit the favourite spot!!
Friday night I decided to get another swim in - it was definately favourite sport this week! Pete and I headed to the pool and I thought I was doing well - even got a compliment from Pete... but this man kept tickling my toes in the pool... not for fun either but in a get out of my way angry mode! Anyway with reluctance I moved to the medium lane :( great swim though and eye candy alert in the pool!! Ladies don't search the bars of Windsor for hot totty go to Windsor Leisure Centre!!
Friday night I had a cheese fest - LUSH!! I had bought back a load of cheese from the ski trip so had a friend over and ploughed our way through it over a bottle of wine and a lot of chat! Lovely Friday night!!
So now we come to Saturday........ today.... and I smile as I write this thinking... ummmmmm yes its all quite clear isnt it!! I woke up this morning at 9 - went for a run and did my strength work and then thought Im tired I think I will just have a quick nap!! 3 hours later I woke up!!
So lesson from week 1.... I don't want IMA to take over my life BUT equally I have to when not feeling 100% STOP and REST!!!
Right on that note - back to the sofa I go!! Why do I feel like I am being lazy? Planned hours training = 12 Actual = 10.5 not bad for a week with a cold!! Doh!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
2012...... will be a journey!
2012....I am excited about!!
Gosh how different the start of this year feels to the start of last year... There are numerous reasons for this... namely I feel way more settled and sure that the UK is where I want to be and I love Windsor being my home, so much so that I bought a home... and as I sit here writing this in front of my open fire in my cosy lounge I feel really at home! The friends I have here are brilliant and we had some really fun times in Windsor and far away too! The friends I have from days gone by are close enough to see whenever I want too which is wonderful! Life is good and although there are days when I don't feel that and I want other things in my life (gorgeous man and kids - just in case you were wondering!!) I am truely blessed to be living the life I live....!!
So 2012..... well as I found out with Jo and Amy on NYE I have a few New Year's resolutions.... but the biggest is to not let Ironman Austria take over my life!!
Ironman Austria.... Yikes!!! July 1st 2012... Klagenfurt, Austria!!
Back in July a few of us did something amazing/foolish/exciting.... (insert words as you feel fit!!) we signed up for an IronMan..... for the record this is a long distance triathlon..... and will see me swimming 2.4 miles in open water, cycling 112miles and then running a marathon.....
To date I have completed 5 sprint triathlons, 3 olympics and 1 half ironman.... and I have been doing this for only 18months.... however I love it!! I love being part of a club (Evolution) I love all the friends I have made through this club and I also love being fit and healthy and of course the endorphins are pretty cool too!
Having seen my wonderfully amazing and inspirational friend Sophie complete her Ironman in Mexico (well I wasn't there but I wish I had been!) the seed was well and truely planted and I knew (just as I knew after my first half marathon that I would run a marathon...) that I would be signing up to do an Ironman.... so which one.... clearly it has to involve travelling somewhere because its got to have some benefits!!
IM Austria (IMA) is a really popular event and relatively close, flat (ish!) and has an incredible atmosphere.... so that is the race of choice...... July 1st 2012 I hope to hear the words "Joanne Shearsmith.... you are an IRONMAN!!" Having seen the footage of the World Champs in Kona this year and getting goosebumps I feeling the fear, the excitement, the pain of this statement....
One thing I am very concious of is that IMA doesn't take over my life.... I know it will... but I want to still socialise and be there for friends and family as needed to chat with, laugh with, cry with and of course and eat and drink with.... probably a glass vs bottle this year though, explore parts of the UK and the world that I haven't seen yet and generally have fun and not just become totally one dimensional!! So dearly amazing friends and family.... I am asking for your support.... you are hereby entitled to get me talking about interesting things that have nothing to do with IMA, I would love to hear the words, can I come round for dinner and a catch up or even better - let me cook you dinner tonight Jo :)
As we all know.... life is a journey... its a roller coaster.... we have to enjoy the ups and downs.... and I know that the next 7 months will hold lots of ups and downs as I journey across the miles of training in the pools and lakes and on the roads and I am excited about it but I am also excited about all the other things that are going to happen this year and I can't wait to find out what they are...!!
So wonderful supporters.... I know you all think I am mad but actually you thought that before I signed up for IMA!! Thank you in advance for your support.... its going to be fun!! And on that note... I am off for a run!!
TONS of love xxxx
Gosh how different the start of this year feels to the start of last year... There are numerous reasons for this... namely I feel way more settled and sure that the UK is where I want to be and I love Windsor being my home, so much so that I bought a home... and as I sit here writing this in front of my open fire in my cosy lounge I feel really at home! The friends I have here are brilliant and we had some really fun times in Windsor and far away too! The friends I have from days gone by are close enough to see whenever I want too which is wonderful! Life is good and although there are days when I don't feel that and I want other things in my life (gorgeous man and kids - just in case you were wondering!!) I am truely blessed to be living the life I live....!!
So 2012..... well as I found out with Jo and Amy on NYE I have a few New Year's resolutions.... but the biggest is to not let Ironman Austria take over my life!!
Ironman Austria.... Yikes!!! July 1st 2012... Klagenfurt, Austria!!
Back in July a few of us did something amazing/foolish/exciting.... (insert words as you feel fit!!) we signed up for an IronMan..... for the record this is a long distance triathlon..... and will see me swimming 2.4 miles in open water, cycling 112miles and then running a marathon.....
To date I have completed 5 sprint triathlons, 3 olympics and 1 half ironman.... and I have been doing this for only 18months.... however I love it!! I love being part of a club (Evolution) I love all the friends I have made through this club and I also love being fit and healthy and of course the endorphins are pretty cool too!
Having seen my wonderfully amazing and inspirational friend Sophie complete her Ironman in Mexico (well I wasn't there but I wish I had been!) the seed was well and truely planted and I knew (just as I knew after my first half marathon that I would run a marathon...) that I would be signing up to do an Ironman.... so which one.... clearly it has to involve travelling somewhere because its got to have some benefits!!
IM Austria (IMA) is a really popular event and relatively close, flat (ish!) and has an incredible atmosphere.... so that is the race of choice...... July 1st 2012 I hope to hear the words "Joanne Shearsmith.... you are an IRONMAN!!" Having seen the footage of the World Champs in Kona this year and getting goosebumps I feeling the fear, the excitement, the pain of this statement....
One thing I am very concious of is that IMA doesn't take over my life.... I know it will... but I want to still socialise and be there for friends and family as needed to chat with, laugh with, cry with and of course and eat and drink with.... probably a glass vs bottle this year though, explore parts of the UK and the world that I haven't seen yet and generally have fun and not just become totally one dimensional!! So dearly amazing friends and family.... I am asking for your support.... you are hereby entitled to get me talking about interesting things that have nothing to do with IMA, I would love to hear the words, can I come round for dinner and a catch up or even better - let me cook you dinner tonight Jo :)
As we all know.... life is a journey... its a roller coaster.... we have to enjoy the ups and downs.... and I know that the next 7 months will hold lots of ups and downs as I journey across the miles of training in the pools and lakes and on the roads and I am excited about it but I am also excited about all the other things that are going to happen this year and I can't wait to find out what they are...!!
So wonderful supporters.... I know you all think I am mad but actually you thought that before I signed up for IMA!! Thank you in advance for your support.... its going to be fun!! And on that note... I am off for a run!!
TONS of love xxxx
Sunday, January 1, 2012
2011 recap!!
I know its the first day of 2012 and I am only now going to write about 2011... Oooops I wasnt very good at blogging was I!! But this year I am going to blog again..... Why?? Well I have signed up to do this thing called an Ironman and I just think I may need to have a way of expressing what is going on!
But first... a recap!!!
January was dark..... wow did I struggle to get my head straight..... It wasn't helped by the fact that I couldn't run but even so it was not my finest hour... Having spent so many years doing something BIG this year seemed like it was going to be quite dull!! HOW wrong was I!!!! So January was spent reflecting, baking (!) and generally being quite low!
February.... I could run!! Hooray!!! Gosh how I missed it.... Marathon training commenced..... I was given the gift of a place in the London Marathon from a colleague -
March..... marathon training.....
more to come on the rest of the year!!
April - London Marathon, Cooking with Mum and First ever trip to The Lake District oh and making an offer on a house!!
May - Baking with the Em & Liv, Hazel, Westonbirt Tri
June - Croyde, Windsor Tri, Ascot, Wakeboarding
July - 13 Rectory Close, Chichester Tri, Polo
August - Slovenia, Rugby, Housewarming
September - Hosewarming, Provence
October - The wheels come off! Curtain Making
November - Morocco, Lille and turning 37
December - socialising, skiing and Christmas
Even just by writing the highlights without mentioning all the chats and laughs over lunches and dinners you can tell it was a great year... sometimes you just have to trust!! Thank you to all who made this year so great and my home so homey!!
Word for the year.... SETTLED!!!
But first... a recap!!!
January was dark..... wow did I struggle to get my head straight..... It wasn't helped by the fact that I couldn't run but even so it was not my finest hour... Having spent so many years doing something BIG this year seemed like it was going to be quite dull!! HOW wrong was I!!!! So January was spent reflecting, baking (!) and generally being quite low!
February.... I could run!! Hooray!!! Gosh how I missed it.... Marathon training commenced..... I was given the gift of a place in the London Marathon from a colleague -
March..... marathon training.....
more to come on the rest of the year!!
April - London Marathon, Cooking with Mum and First ever trip to The Lake District oh and making an offer on a house!!
May - Baking with the Em & Liv, Hazel, Westonbirt Tri
June - Croyde, Windsor Tri, Ascot, Wakeboarding
July - 13 Rectory Close, Chichester Tri, Polo
August - Slovenia, Rugby, Housewarming
September - Hosewarming, Provence
October - The wheels come off! Curtain Making
November - Morocco, Lille and turning 37
December - socialising, skiing and Christmas
Even just by writing the highlights without mentioning all the chats and laughs over lunches and dinners you can tell it was a great year... sometimes you just have to trust!! Thank you to all who made this year so great and my home so homey!!
Word for the year.... SETTLED!!!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
January! Biking.... Baking...
Ok sorry I've been rubbish... I just haven't felt like blogging really!
So January..... 2 words sum it up really Biking and Baking!
January was a struggle.. not gonna lie... I wasn't the happiest of people! I just couldn't really see what would be WOW about this year... on reflection now that seems like a horrendously ridiculous state of being because life is an amazing gift and should be lived to the fullest but I wasn't in that space... I just looked at my life and was like ummm is this it.... work, triathlons and time with friends and family... ok thats good but is that it... don't get me wrong I am REALLY happy that I am at home in the UK and surrounded by friends and family who I adore spending time with doing so many fun things with but I guess I was just looking at life thinking ok.... so what is going to be different at the end of this year vs now... It will be interesting to see I guess but you know me... I like a plan, I like having something to aim for and somehow a 70.3 wasn't cutting it... (that's a half ironman for those not in the know!)!
Soit was quite amusing to me when on January 4th having spent the first few days of the year pondering the year ahead and wondering what I could / would do I was offered a place in The London Marathon..... didn't really have a good excise to turn it down....
So that was Tuesday.... then on Thursday I went to see the physio because my hip had been really really sore since skiing.... he said - don't run..... ummmm not the right answer....
To cut a long story short.... the dark days of January really weren't made any easier by not being able to be able to run... at all!!!! Biking - whilst I love it just isn't running!
There were moments of happiness though... as always the kids made me smile! I went to see Susie, Hamish, Polly and Mima and when i knocked on the door I was met by Jemima saying 'I'm answering the door because Aunty Jo is my God Mummy!' How cute?!?! It was a lovely evening and day of playing Aunty JoJo!
Teh other good thing about January was a new found love of baking... there I was watching tv one night and I saw this program about baking cakes... so I got baking! My next door neighbour and other Windsor friends now keep asking me... what cake are you making this week Jo!! I have to say I am really enjoy not only the relaxation I get from the baking but also (of course!) the eating and the sharing with friends and family!
So that was January - a big low... a big reflective month.... glad its over and also glad I have great friends.... oh and a therapist - did you ever think I would say that Denise!!!
So January..... 2 words sum it up really Biking and Baking!
January was a struggle.. not gonna lie... I wasn't the happiest of people! I just couldn't really see what would be WOW about this year... on reflection now that seems like a horrendously ridiculous state of being because life is an amazing gift and should be lived to the fullest but I wasn't in that space... I just looked at my life and was like ummm is this it.... work, triathlons and time with friends and family... ok thats good but is that it... don't get me wrong I am REALLY happy that I am at home in the UK and surrounded by friends and family who I adore spending time with doing so many fun things with but I guess I was just looking at life thinking ok.... so what is going to be different at the end of this year vs now... It will be interesting to see I guess but you know me... I like a plan, I like having something to aim for and somehow a 70.3 wasn't cutting it... (that's a half ironman for those not in the know!)!
Soit was quite amusing to me when on January 4th having spent the first few days of the year pondering the year ahead and wondering what I could / would do I was offered a place in The London Marathon..... didn't really have a good excise to turn it down....
So that was Tuesday.... then on Thursday I went to see the physio because my hip had been really really sore since skiing.... he said - don't run..... ummmm not the right answer....
To cut a long story short.... the dark days of January really weren't made any easier by not being able to be able to run... at all!!!! Biking - whilst I love it just isn't running!
There were moments of happiness though... as always the kids made me smile! I went to see Susie, Hamish, Polly and Mima and when i knocked on the door I was met by Jemima saying 'I'm answering the door because Aunty Jo is my God Mummy!' How cute?!?! It was a lovely evening and day of playing Aunty JoJo!
Teh other good thing about January was a new found love of baking... there I was watching tv one night and I saw this program about baking cakes... so I got baking! My next door neighbour and other Windsor friends now keep asking me... what cake are you making this week Jo!! I have to say I am really enjoy not only the relaxation I get from the baking but also (of course!) the eating and the sharing with friends and family!
So that was January - a big low... a big reflective month.... glad its over and also glad I have great friends.... oh and a therapist - did you ever think I would say that Denise!!!
Monday, January 3, 2011
The end of 2010 and the start of 2011
New Years Eve.... Burlesque style...... Good friend's Good times!
Bring on 2011 lets see what it has to offer!!
Christmas 2010
Woooohoooo we went skiing!!!!
The snow was predicted to arrive in the UK the week before we went skiing - and snow it did!!! We were worried about escaping England for France but luckily by getting on the road by 6am we were an hour ahead of the snow and we had a snow free journey over to Dover and down to France! We stayed Saturday night in an F1 near Chambery and were on the road at 6.30am Sunday morning to ensure we got to the resort for a full day's skiing!
Terry and I hooned around checking the resort out for the day well til lunch time and then we had a lovely lunch in a restaurant on the slopes that was to become a favourite and then we did a couple more runs before meeting Mum and Dad for a beer and then another beer.... and then we checked into our chalet and had a glass of champagne! Tough day!
The chalet was really lovely! The staff were great fun and the food was delicious too!!
So the week in a nutshell went like this....
Monday
Started out together Mum and Dad skiing and Terry and I snowboarding with Steven and Tim the ski hosts for the morning and then Terry, Tim and I went to play off piste! It was great fun being on the board again.... we had so much fun on and off piste and I was pleased with how quickly it came back having not been on it for years! Mum and Dad's confidence soared as they got the hang of the resort too - great to see! And Terry - with his HD camera's filming our every move... looked awesome on skis but his moment of glory for the day was chatting to someone in the hire shop and scoring a seriously phat pair of skis 147 waist.... insane!
Tuesday
Terry and I get back on the skis and basically do what we did the day before ie play in the powder!Terry cut through the crud and powder like there was nothing there... that's what these phat badboys do for you!!
Happy Shearsmith's!
No wonder he was so fast!!
Wednesday
Terry decided to go out skiing with the boys and I decided it was time for a chilled day with Mum and Dad - both of us had a great day! Mum and Dad were skiing so well - so well that off piste was on the agenda even!!
Smiling Mum in the sunshine!
Thursday
The snow was getting a bit patchy so we asked if we could go up the mountain a bit to Val D'isere... Steven and Chris obliged so off we headed! Terry and I hooned around after Chris all day - who the heck put a black run at the end of the day with moguls on it I don't know but we were all in a lot of pain by the end of it and well deserved the Vin Chaud and beer!! Oh and the hot tub!!
Friday Christmas Eve
So I went to bed thinking I might just have a day off and chill... or at best do a telemarking lesson....when we'd left the pub afterall it was raining!! But Mum woke us up saying there was fresh snow and indeed there was...... so off we went!! Powder baby!!! We went up on the mountain with Mum and Dad and Pete and Jeremy and basically did one piste run before we went and found the powder fields, gullies and tree runs! We had fresh tracks all morning.... then we had a quick lunch and Terry and I kept going all afternoon - practically until it got dark! The chalet guys didn't come out - more fool them!!
Pretty!
How much snow!!??!!
Fun in the trees!
Saturday - Christmas Day
Santa came with a big dumping of snow... it hadn't stopped since yesterday morning!! woooohooooo!! We opened presents and then hit the slopes! Mum and Dad rocked the off piste with us until CHris and Tim showed up and then we went and flew through the trees and down the gullies and across the powder fields! We didn't even stop for lunch - just a coffee at 11ish - no friends on powder day - or lunch it seemed!
By the end of the day though the boys had to go get our dinner ready and we had agreed to meet up with the children from the chalet - it was great to see them ski they had improved so much over the week and definitely had the ski bug big style!
We eventually got home to a veritable feast - god job we didn't have lunch because dinner was 8 courses!!! It was lovely and a really fun, lively evening! Great Christmas Day - couldn't have planned it better!!
Sunday
We checked out of the chalet by 8.30 and by 9 we had met Yann our guide for the day!! Yep we had flashed the cash and were going for an adventure!!!! Yann took us up to the top of the resort and then we went off to the right through some powder fields - the snow was amazing!! After that run Yann decided we were going to the back of the resort.... it was amazing - no one had been there before us and we skied down some amazing areas, across rivers and through this incredible valley which was just a perfect winter wonderland! Stunning!
At the bottom I was quite frankly done.... this was the 8th day skiing and my legs were done in - add to this Terry had never had a guide before so I gave him the guide for the afternoon and off they went! And WOW did they have a great time!! Lets just say it involved a hike and then a couloir!
Spectacular bluebird day!
Mont Blanc.... never fails to impress....
The dot under the mountain is Terry hiking!
This is THE colouir!
Terry at the end of a best ever day!
Monday
A very quiet drive back through France to home.... we were shattered after a GREAT week's skiing! Probably the best week's skiing ever!!
Thanks Mum and Dad for a lovely lovely Christmas present!
The snow was predicted to arrive in the UK the week before we went skiing - and snow it did!!! We were worried about escaping England for France but luckily by getting on the road by 6am we were an hour ahead of the snow and we had a snow free journey over to Dover and down to France! We stayed Saturday night in an F1 near Chambery and were on the road at 6.30am Sunday morning to ensure we got to the resort for a full day's skiing!
Terry and I hooned around checking the resort out for the day well til lunch time and then we had a lovely lunch in a restaurant on the slopes that was to become a favourite and then we did a couple more runs before meeting Mum and Dad for a beer and then another beer.... and then we checked into our chalet and had a glass of champagne! Tough day!
The chalet was really lovely! The staff were great fun and the food was delicious too!!
So the week in a nutshell went like this....
Monday
Started out together Mum and Dad skiing and Terry and I snowboarding with Steven and Tim the ski hosts for the morning and then Terry, Tim and I went to play off piste! It was great fun being on the board again.... we had so much fun on and off piste and I was pleased with how quickly it came back having not been on it for years! Mum and Dad's confidence soared as they got the hang of the resort too - great to see! And Terry - with his HD camera's filming our every move... looked awesome on skis but his moment of glory for the day was chatting to someone in the hire shop and scoring a seriously phat pair of skis 147 waist.... insane!
Tuesday
Terry and I get back on the skis and basically do what we did the day before ie play in the powder!Terry cut through the crud and powder like there was nothing there... that's what these phat badboys do for you!!
Wednesday
Terry decided to go out skiing with the boys and I decided it was time for a chilled day with Mum and Dad - both of us had a great day! Mum and Dad were skiing so well - so well that off piste was on the agenda even!!
Smiling Mum in the sunshine!
Thursday
The snow was getting a bit patchy so we asked if we could go up the mountain a bit to Val D'isere... Steven and Chris obliged so off we headed! Terry and I hooned around after Chris all day - who the heck put a black run at the end of the day with moguls on it I don't know but we were all in a lot of pain by the end of it and well deserved the Vin Chaud and beer!! Oh and the hot tub!!
Friday Christmas Eve
So I went to bed thinking I might just have a day off and chill... or at best do a telemarking lesson....when we'd left the pub afterall it was raining!! But Mum woke us up saying there was fresh snow and indeed there was...... so off we went!! Powder baby!!! We went up on the mountain with Mum and Dad and Pete and Jeremy and basically did one piste run before we went and found the powder fields, gullies and tree runs! We had fresh tracks all morning.... then we had a quick lunch and Terry and I kept going all afternoon - practically until it got dark! The chalet guys didn't come out - more fool them!!
Fun in the trees!
Saturday - Christmas Day
Santa came with a big dumping of snow... it hadn't stopped since yesterday morning!! woooohooooo!! We opened presents and then hit the slopes! Mum and Dad rocked the off piste with us until CHris and Tim showed up and then we went and flew through the trees and down the gullies and across the powder fields! We didn't even stop for lunch - just a coffee at 11ish - no friends on powder day - or lunch it seemed!
By the end of the day though the boys had to go get our dinner ready and we had agreed to meet up with the children from the chalet - it was great to see them ski they had improved so much over the week and definitely had the ski bug big style!
We eventually got home to a veritable feast - god job we didn't have lunch because dinner was 8 courses!!! It was lovely and a really fun, lively evening! Great Christmas Day - couldn't have planned it better!!
Sunday
We checked out of the chalet by 8.30 and by 9 we had met Yann our guide for the day!! Yep we had flashed the cash and were going for an adventure!!!! Yann took us up to the top of the resort and then we went off to the right through some powder fields - the snow was amazing!! After that run Yann decided we were going to the back of the resort.... it was amazing - no one had been there before us and we skied down some amazing areas, across rivers and through this incredible valley which was just a perfect winter wonderland! Stunning!
At the bottom I was quite frankly done.... this was the 8th day skiing and my legs were done in - add to this Terry had never had a guide before so I gave him the guide for the afternoon and off they went! And WOW did they have a great time!! Lets just say it involved a hike and then a couloir!
Mont Blanc.... never fails to impress....
The dot under the mountain is Terry hiking!
This is THE colouir!
Terry at the end of a best ever day!
Monday
A very quiet drive back through France to home.... we were shattered after a GREAT week's skiing! Probably the best week's skiing ever!!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
December
Well November was a FUN fun FUN month! Actually I forgot too lovely things from November.....
Sunday 28th - my actual Birthday two very very lovely things happened - firstly I got a hand with clearing up my house from my great friends who had stayed over but also from Mum and Dad who arrived for dinner... how lovely of them to visit and help - no seriously it was added the cherry on top of the icing on the cake to see them!
But then the really really really special moment was that Sophie became an Ironman/ironwoman/ironmummy.... in a FANTASTIC time of 13hours and 32 minutes Sophie at 2.30am ish my time completed this incredible moment. I was awake texting her husband and when I got the news I cried... what an amazing achievement by someone with such guts and determination and amazing organization skills too because she had to train around being a full time worker and a mum and a wife! Well done Sophie - you are an inspiration!
December was gonna have to go some to beat it....
It started with a quiet week following the party..... much needed and I had a lovely time chilling and generally feeling very very loved! Although yes you know me well so you know I had a low and wondered if maybe possibly there will be someone special in my life sharing my sofa and fabulous life with me when I turn 37! Where hey are going to appear from who knows but it would be very nice if they did!
The first weekend in December saw me going back to Twickenham! The Barbarians were playing South Africa so Ailsa, Franco and I went and I took my SA friend Pete!
It was a really fun day and The Barbarians won! Shame there was only 1 GB player in the team!! It was a sober match and I was home by 8pm on my sofa watching The X Factor!! Sunday was a lovely day and I was uber efficient! I put my Christmas tree up (its gorgeous!) I did all my Christmas shopping and wrapped it and I made 2 cakes! Brilliant day, really fun and lovely to have the house super Christmassy!!
The following week it was busy at work but luckily we got Friday afternoon off to get ready for the work party!! Typically the work 'do' and the 'Evo' do fell on the same night so I decided to 'do' both! The work party was fun - RIC is known for it's Christmas party and the efforts that people go to for the fancy dress theme! The theme was 'something from the year you were born!' given that my outfit had to travel from one party to another I wore a black and white dress that very vaguely looked like a barcode - barcodes were invented in 1974!! Its fair to say that vs the girl who paper mached herself into a 10pence piece my outfit was tame!! Next year I have to do better!! So that party done it was off to the Evo party! It was a party with an award ceremony.... Kev seemed very happy to see me arrive and the reason was that I won an award and they didn't want to start without me! Very sweet of them! I won 'Best Newcomer' and there were some very sweet comments made! I just about made it through the award without crying!! The evening was really fun until there was a point when the 5 Gin and Tonics kicked in....... tidal wave came my way and i went home and just had a moment!!
Moment over and it was off to a lunchtime drinks event on Saturday - this time not drinking Gin and Tonics but Champagne instead - much better for my sanity!! It was a very fun lunch and super silly! But by 7pm we were done and it was back for sofa time and X factor! Oh and lots and lots of water to rehydrate for tomorrow's run!
Sunday morning came and we went off to The Christmas Pudding Race.... there was a team of us and it all seemed very fun until we started running! OMG it was a brutal run...... so hilly... to the point where we walked up most of the hills!! It was a long long 12km run... luckily we had lunch afterwards which was a nice treat! Mind you given that we all felt like we had run a marathon the next day maybe sitting down for lunch wasn't such a great idea!!
Back home and we had family Christmas dinner together well French style.... we had a cheese fest instead of a turkey fest! Yum yum!! Lovely family time and only 5 days til we head to France!!!!! Bring on the snow.... in France not the UK!!
Sunday 28th - my actual Birthday two very very lovely things happened - firstly I got a hand with clearing up my house from my great friends who had stayed over but also from Mum and Dad who arrived for dinner... how lovely of them to visit and help - no seriously it was added the cherry on top of the icing on the cake to see them!
But then the really really really special moment was that Sophie became an Ironman/ironwoman/ironmummy.... in a FANTASTIC time of 13hours and 32 minutes Sophie at 2.30am ish my time completed this incredible moment. I was awake texting her husband and when I got the news I cried... what an amazing achievement by someone with such guts and determination and amazing organization skills too because she had to train around being a full time worker and a mum and a wife! Well done Sophie - you are an inspiration!
December was gonna have to go some to beat it....
It started with a quiet week following the party..... much needed and I had a lovely time chilling and generally feeling very very loved! Although yes you know me well so you know I had a low and wondered if maybe possibly there will be someone special in my life sharing my sofa and fabulous life with me when I turn 37! Where hey are going to appear from who knows but it would be very nice if they did!
The first weekend in December saw me going back to Twickenham! The Barbarians were playing South Africa so Ailsa, Franco and I went and I took my SA friend Pete!
It was a really fun day and The Barbarians won! Shame there was only 1 GB player in the team!! It was a sober match and I was home by 8pm on my sofa watching The X Factor!! Sunday was a lovely day and I was uber efficient! I put my Christmas tree up (its gorgeous!) I did all my Christmas shopping and wrapped it and I made 2 cakes! Brilliant day, really fun and lovely to have the house super Christmassy!!
The following week it was busy at work but luckily we got Friday afternoon off to get ready for the work party!! Typically the work 'do' and the 'Evo' do fell on the same night so I decided to 'do' both! The work party was fun - RIC is known for it's Christmas party and the efforts that people go to for the fancy dress theme! The theme was 'something from the year you were born!' given that my outfit had to travel from one party to another I wore a black and white dress that very vaguely looked like a barcode - barcodes were invented in 1974!! Its fair to say that vs the girl who paper mached herself into a 10pence piece my outfit was tame!! Next year I have to do better!! So that party done it was off to the Evo party! It was a party with an award ceremony.... Kev seemed very happy to see me arrive and the reason was that I won an award and they didn't want to start without me! Very sweet of them! I won 'Best Newcomer' and there were some very sweet comments made! I just about made it through the award without crying!! The evening was really fun until there was a point when the 5 Gin and Tonics kicked in....... tidal wave came my way and i went home and just had a moment!!
Moment over and it was off to a lunchtime drinks event on Saturday - this time not drinking Gin and Tonics but Champagne instead - much better for my sanity!! It was a very fun lunch and super silly! But by 7pm we were done and it was back for sofa time and X factor! Oh and lots and lots of water to rehydrate for tomorrow's run!
Sunday morning came and we went off to The Christmas Pudding Race.... there was a team of us and it all seemed very fun until we started running! OMG it was a brutal run...... so hilly... to the point where we walked up most of the hills!! It was a long long 12km run... luckily we had lunch afterwards which was a nice treat! Mind you given that we all felt like we had run a marathon the next day maybe sitting down for lunch wasn't such a great idea!!
Back home and we had family Christmas dinner together well French style.... we had a cheese fest instead of a turkey fest! Yum yum!! Lovely family time and only 5 days til we head to France!!!!! Bring on the snow.... in France not the UK!!
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