Lovely day Sunday weather-wise. The first day it hadn't thrown rain down for a long time. So nice in fact that Peter decided that he would come for a run with Badger and me. We parked at Jackson's Brickyard. This is rather a nice little nature reserve that residents of Poynton lobbied to have made into a SSSI rather than posey new houses. There are orchids, strange grasses, ponds and pools with 'oriental waterfowl' (ducks I don't know the name of) and it is a pleasant place to start a run or walk. From here we legged it into the back end of Lyme Park. Badger has now sussed out how to tiptoe across cattle grids.
I had forgotton how irritating it is to run with Peter. We are fairly incompatible as runners, as I am a bit of a slow plodder that likes to do distance, and Peter likes a bit of speed and shorter runs, so he frisks off for a couple of hundred metres, and then has to stop and walk. By the time I have caught him up and he can hear my footsteps pounding behind him, he's off again leaving me. When I complain about this treatment, he patiently jogs on the spot just to go slow enough for me to keep with him. He then indulges in what I can only describe as 'spectator fartlek'. In other words whenever he sees people ahead, he races on to impress them while I hang along behind. The only way I can stop this is to get in the lead and run immediately in front of him, with my elbows out, and nudge him gently into the ditch or off the path when he tries to overtake. I have found this very successful.
At the end of the run Badger nearly caught a ferret. Three young teenagers had three ferrets on leads and Badger mistook them for squirrels. Luckily the ferrets were scooped up into their owners' arms in time. Badger also nearly caught a pheasant and a moorhen.
Am getting very excited about my trip to Japan next month to see Jack, Miki and baby Allan. I've not mentioned this before as I've been almost TOO excited, and I still find it difficult to write about without getting emotional and I would hate to embarrass Jack. However, time is moving on steadily towards departure date, and I am gathering bits and bobs to take over (including Christmas Pudding for Miki's parents, as they are difficult to get in Japan). Allan was born on Winter Solstice. Much rejoicing from Maalie. Jack can read this blogsite but can't put any comments on it.
22 comments:
I don't think running is meant to be a very sociable pursuit, is it? I can't imagine Paula what's-'er-name waiting around for some bloke. I think everyone has to adopt a style that suits them.
Nice piccie of the baby. Started packing yet? If Jack wants to add a comment, it's easy enough to sign up to a Google account, or you can set your settings to allow anyone to post.
I'd run after His Majesty anywhere. Within reason.
I believe His Majesty refers to Paula Radcliffe.
I believe his Majesty is referring to Paula Radcliffe too. Actually running can be extremely sociable. I can remember some extremely sociable moments with Stockport Harriers in the Rhododendrons in Lyme. You can't get much more sociable than that.
Cor, if your dog caught a pheasant, that would make a meal fit for a King :-)
Estelle, have you ever been in HRH's jeep and he has seen a pheasant by the side of the road? I tell you, it's horrible as he aims directly at it. I hope you are good at plucking.
Oh yes, I'm a pheasant plucker, actually, I'm a pheasant plucker's daughter.
I'm always plucking pheasants 'till the pheasant plucker comes.
Well Estelle, I'm very glad to hear it. It's good thing to enjoy plucking, although to quote that very eloquent poem of yours, I'd rather pluck a duck.
Incidentally, there is a cartoon in Private Eye today based on the Smirking Cavalier.
Lorenzo the Llama, I regret I have to take issue with you over your use of 'HRH' a couple of comments above. The accolade "Highness" is the prerogative of a mere prince. You see, I kissed the frog, skipped the middle man and got the King. Majesty will do very nicely.
I do so 'umbly beg His Majesty's pardon. I'm ever so 'umble and ever so sorry Your Maj.
Was the frog you kissed very slippery?
Lorenzo the llama, I tend not to use His Majesty's blog for idle chit-chat, we have better ways of communicating.
I don't know a lot about Van Gough. Didn't he paint a bridge? I believe there is a Pont van Gough somewhere down near Tarascon (Camargue area). Didn't he have only one ear, or something? Try here and here .
Oh come come Estelle. We have a 'duty of care' to brighten up Maalie's blogspot from the torrid (or do I mean turgid) scientific data spewed all over it. For instance:
'I saw a robin and a thrush today'
'Great Mate. I saw a robin too. How's the thrush?'
'Would that be Mistle, Eye-browed,
Tickell's or Song?'
Yes, Mr Gogh did only have one ear, due to an unfortunate accident with a knife and the bridge you refer to is at Arles. He also painted a mean crow and a bowl of sunflowers. I see the Impressionist don't Impress you one little bit so we had better move back a little in time. How do you feel about Giotto, Cimabue and Paola Ucello? Do they twange the right heartstrings?
A friend of mine suggested I smarten up my blogsite, but you can still write to me.
p.s. ooo, Sorry Estelle. I've just re-read my last comment and it sounds a bit cheeky. No offence meant.
I didn't mean to give the impression that I know anything about art. I don't really, I know some individual masterpieces by name (e.g. the Laughing Cavalier) without actually knowing in most cases who the painter was. I mean, the Mona Lisa, I'm sure I can think of the painter in a minute, but I can't remember right now....
Typical! I knew I'd remember as soon as I clicked on 'Publish'! Leonardo Di Caprio, of course. Actually, Van Gough's bridge is in Tarascon, I saw it when I was little. It's not far from Arles, so I won't split hairs.
You mentioned horse riding somewhere. Do you do that?
Of course it was Leonardo di Caprio as any fule no. I am only trying to point you in the direction of art, not lecture you on it. So, if you go to the pre-renaisance painters mentioned above, you will see that they didn't have much of an idea about perspective, and most of their paintings looked like cardboard cutouts, but Ucello was the first one who really got the hang of it, perspective that is. Ok, yawn, yawn.
Yes, I do go riding, but haven't been for a few weeks as I am saving up for Japan. Actually I have lost my nerve a bit and find I am getting frightened when they run fast. Taking a large swig of brandy first doesn't help either, as you just get dizzy. The place where I go is right on top of Biddulph Moor so even on the most friendly and benign days, it is blowing a hooli up there and as you know very well, horses sort of get a bit flighty in high winds and then take flight at the most ordinary things, like a bucket in the corner, a firework going off underneath their feet, sight of a mountain lion ... oh what a lot of shite I'm talking.
Lorenzo the Llama, I'm sorry to disappoint you again, but I know very little about horses. I respect them and admire them and like them in pictures. I went pony-trekking in the Camargue and up on Le Massif Centrale a bit when I was little but could never really get the hang of steering them properly. They seemed to have a mind of their own. A lovely way to see the countryside, though.
Have wiggled the photos around. How's that?
What a great comment selection to read... you had me in stitches!!!!!
What a beautiful photo of the baby. I can imagine you are very excited about your trip. Blog about it if you can!
Thanks Tortoiseshell for the wiggling. You must teach me to wiggle next time we meet, or is it easy enough to send instructions?
Kiwi: Welcome to my site! I will do my best to send things from Japan, but will be at the mercy of Jack's computer. I'm not terribly computer literate, and Tortoiseshell set this blog up for me to practise computing with. I am getting a lot more confident now, and am starting to experiment with 'my pictures' but still have a long way to go. Have you been to Japan in your travels?
Oh bugger, I've just deleted half my comments by mistake.
I love the pics of Allan and his Dad - Fab and also Peter - he's cute!!
Why thank you McDuff. I think Jack and Peter are cute too. When I next update the blog I will include another picture of little Allan.
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