Bike rides and running and a garden

Been a while since I have posted but I wanted this post to include exciting pictures of the English country side. As you can see, it does not, but DOES have exciting pictures of Martin's garden. We have been riding our bikes more lately and I am really really loving it. A couple of weekends we rode to Corfe Castle which sits on top of a hill opposite the bay from Martin's summer home. The ride there was stunning. Rolling hills, little traffic and green green green everywhere you look. The castle it self was a bit, um, tattered but the town was so cute and English you couldn't help but walk around with a silly grin. We took some back "roads" back not really meant for road bikes and instead of falling all over the place I opted to walk my bike. However, it was so worth it! It was great to get away from roads and noisy cars and be surrounded by great open fields dotted with wild flowers. I really enjoyed it. More and more I want to move out of London to someplace like this. Maybe some day.

I am entering my fourth week of training and this week is a rest week-yay! I have to say training this time around is a bit different. Physically I feel good but my legs are more sore after my long runs. I did experience this last time but not until I had built up my mileage more. I am attributing this to the high heels I wear every day to work-didn't do that last year! Mentally I am finding it a bit easier. I think having the gym to do my short work outs is helping and having a day to swim or cycle helps as well. I really look forward to my swim days. I have also been fortunate to have gone on some really beautiful runs. A couple weeks in a row I ran down in Poole in this very large park sheltered from noise and traffic that hugs up against the bay. Such a delight. And my last run was from Martins down the Thames and that was equally enjoyable. Not having to run on concrete with fear of being mowed down makes such a difference!

The garden at Martins is going really well and one of the zucchini plants has already bloomed! It is amazing how much they change with every day. I look forward to my visits to Martins to check on their progress. Can't help but feel a little pride. Here are pictures...

These are the courgette plants-grown from seed! (not the one in the pot closest to you however-not sure what that is) You can see the yellow flower on the plant on the very very end in the pot...

This is one of the tomato plants-also grown from seed! We have more but have yet to be put in grow bags. I am very very excited about the tomatoes!...

And these are some more plants! Hard to see but there are some chili plants still trying to grow and onions and herbs at the top. There is also a large plot of land to the left that when blooming is quite stunning-right now it is poppies. Wow-was that exciting stuff or what?!

Also finished a couple of books, Chisel Beach by Ian McEwan being the notable one. I really loved it. I had heard some bad reviews and had not enjoyed some of his other books (Saturday being one-ugh, hated it) but this one was really beautiful. The writing was perfection-it swept me away.

Next time hopefully I will have more exciting pictures. Off to Bath this Sunday for a wedding but sadly only for a day. We wanted to spend the night but couldn't find a place to stay! I guess this will be a good introduction and I can decide if I should go back.

Training week one

Week one of marathon training went well. Not hard really. My long run was only 7 miles. I did realize however how much I am in need of new gear. It was a beautiful sunny summer day down in Poole and I made the mistake of wearing black-and a black hat no less. Very very warm. Sadly I don't think that will happen again as I sit on my couch and watch the clouds roll in. I am glad I have a gym to do my other shorter runs in as I feel last year I really didn't benefit from any speed training. I just can't be asked to run fast and than faster when nothing besides my two legs are going to make me. A machine however that dictates the speed for me, well that is another story-I'll run as fast as it tells me to. Am I lazy or what?

Going to be moving, again, and I think I will be going back to North London. I have enjoyed my time South of the river but there is something I find more peaceful about being North. And the commute to work will be a tad easier and probably the same amount of time. I look forward to some day living some place for longer than a year. I am beginning to wonder if that is ever going to happen.

The Cleft by Dorris Lessing

I have to admit that I haven't finished this book and I probably won't. I have been reading it for about a month and although I don't hate the book or anything it gives me a headache every time I read it and I felt seriously ill today when I tried to finish it on the tube.

The book is a story of creation and how men and women as we know them came to be. Based on a theory that once upon a time there were no men, the book gives a long chronology on how they were introduced to the world and were ultimately accepted. (they were thought of as monsters when the women first gave birth to them) I think it is the type face that is used that gives me so many problems as the book is very easy to read. However, I have been reading it for so long-which is not like me-that I am at a point where I don't care what happens and want to move on. It did make me think about women in general though and our stereo type of being "naggers". From this book you get the impression that really we have no choice and if we didn't "nag" men would never do the things that they should. I try very hard not to nag Martin but I guess there is some validity to the idea that if I don't constantly tell him what it is I want him to do, he'll never do it. This theory I like to have that he should just know not to leave milk out all night doesn't really hold. (and to be fair, i don't really have to nag him about anything) Anyway, it made me think about this stereo type. She also portrays women as pretty lazy which I find pretty annoying. I think this book required way too much thinking and seeing as how I have to think all day long I am looking forward to a book that requires a little less reflection and a little more cheap fun.

Weather is miserable-shocking I know. We had two weeks of nice weather and that was about it! One can hope this will be the last of it but I have yet to see a weather forcast that calls for blue skies. Job is going really well and I still like it. Started marathon training yesterday and already dreading my run in the rain tomorrow. Guess I should get use to it. Plants are growing nicely and I can't wait until they get big and tall and start producing some fruit! I feel like they are my children. (is that sad?)