Fitness Journey, 14 April

 

There really isn't any excuse now.  I have recovered from the food poisoning of a couple of weeks ago.  I have recovered from the walk in Epping Forest (which was lovely, but the breathlessness left me rather exhausted for a couple of days).  I have had the second dose of the vaccine and have recovered from that.  So there wasn't really any excuse!

I have, of course, been out most days, but not for very long - I had half intended to walk home from Church on Sunday, but it sort of didn't happen.  But I've been to Lidl.

And today we had to take a PCR test because we live in Lambeth, and all Lambeth and Wandsworth residents are being asked to because of the new South African variant's having been detected in the area.  So we did the tests, then I posted them and, while I was at it, went to the chemist in Bedford Road to pick up our free lateral flow tests - we are all being asked to do two lateral flow tests each week.  And as I am resuming grandmother duty on the 28th April, it is probably polite to take one before I go!  So anyway, I did come home via the short cut, which I probably shouldn't have done, but I was walking slightly too fast to be comfortable, so didn't.  Anyway, a kilometer, even if it's not very fast, is a good restart!  And tomorrow I shall be going for a walk in St James' Park with the Daughter and Boy Two.

No music - didn't think it would be worth it.  

Fitness journey, 4 April

 

Easter Day, and we went up to see the Daughter and her family in Walthamstow, and, after a very long and rather late lunch, we went for a walk in Epping Forest.  Sadly, from my point of view, it was not a very successful, as it was muddy, and parts were slightly steeper than I'm used to, and I lost my breath very early on and struggled to regain it.  I now have a very sore chest....  but nothing a good night's sleep won't cure.  It's fairly obvious, though, that I'm only fit for walking on pavements just now, and keeping said walk as flat as possible.  So Irritating!!!!

Incidentally, it's not that I hadn't been out since last I posted - I have; it's just I didn't do anything worth tracking; only to Lidl and back and to Tesco and back.  Hopefully once I've recovered from today I will be able to resume normal walks again.  

Hiatus, part 2

Food poisoning this time. Hope it is nearly over, but don't see myself gping out any time soon.

Fitness Journey 24 March

 The World Figure Skating Championships start today, after a hiatus last year because Covid, and are being televised on Eurosport this morning, starting at 09:00.  And I know me, once I settled down in front of them, I'll not be moving again.  But we didn't have enough bread for lunch and I didn't go out yesterday because I had - still have, but it's improving - a swollen and painful gland under my left ear.  So I got up early and went out to Sainsbury's before breakfast.  I don't know why Google fit thinks I wiggled up and down Tremadoc Road - I totally didn't!  I did, however, stop to take a photo of where Mr Fox had had his breakfast: 

Poor pigeon!  Actually, it might have been a sparrowhawk took it rather than a fox, but....

So anyway, rather a dull walk, but fairly brisk, to Sainsbury's, round Sainsbury's to get what I wanted, and home again.  I bought croissants, thinking that if the Swan Whisperer had had his breakfast, he could have his with his coffee.  "No," he said, "I waited, because I wondered if you'd buy something like that!"  Hopeful, much?

Music: Abba

Fitness Journey, 22 March

 

Google Fit appears less pessimistic than Huawei Health, and it doesn't keep interrupting you to tell you you have done another kilometer!  So if I want to track but don't want intrusive tracking, I know which one to use.

It was not, it has to be said, the longest of walks, but it was one I've been putting off all week.  I wanted to go to the bandstand on Clapham Common for a minute's silence to respect Sarah Everard, and all other young - and not young - women who are afraid to walk the streets at night.  With excellent reason, alas.

So I caught a 355 to Clapham South tube station, and then walked across the Common as you see above.  I didn't walk fast as it was a lovely day, and I kept stopping to take photos.  It must be well over a year since I was last there - if I want a park, I tend to go to Brockwell Park or even Windmill Gardens. 

When I got to Clapham Common station, I caught a 37 home, and then went into Lidl, forgetting to restart my trackers until I was half-way round, but never mind that!  Then home.   So far today that is 3,980 steps according to my phone, 3,976 according to my wristband and 4,254 according to Google Fit!  So roughly 4K, which is about what I wanted, but only 18 minutes of brisk walking, not the 20 I aim for.  But I didn't have any music - I did take my headband with me, but it didn't seem appropriate at first and then I just didn't want it, much too nice a day.  But I do walk faster if I have Abba or something like that blaring in my ears!

Fitness Journey, 19 March

This walk felt longer than it actually was, partly because I was on unfamiliar territory, which sounds silly since I was barely more than 500 metres from the flat, as the crow flies, but we don't walk that way very often.

I had vaguely thought I would go up to Clapham Common, but realised, by the time I got to the junction of Clapham Park Road and Abbeville Road, that this was probably not going to happen, as I was a bit out of breath already.  So I turned left down Park Road, and when I got to St James' Church I realised I really didn't know what happened south of there, and carried on.  When I got to more-or-less the end of the road, there was a school, and I didn't know what it was.  There were parents beginning to wait outside to pick up their children so I didn't go near them, but looked to my left, and there was the Londis at the entrance to the Estate!  I was on Crescent Lane, and the school was what used to be called Clapham Park School, back in the day, and was for visually-impaired children, and then it became the visually-impaired unit of King's Acre School (now King's Avenue School) and now it is a faith primary school for Muslim children.  I hadn't realised how much bigger it was behind than what is visible from King's Avenue.

So I came up Crescent Lane, across King's Avenue and Lyham Road, and then past the old Ashby Mill School site.  I thought I'd go up Branksome Road and go to Lidl, but then realised I have some mushrooms in the fridge and some cream cheese so we can have midweek mushroom pasta for supper and I had no need to shop.  So I came up Strathleven Road, and I'm so glad I did, because when I went past our back gate, I saw there were two beautiful fruit trees in blossom in our garden, so I came in that way to take a photo of them.  Then, I regret to say, I walked round the garden until the app told me I'd done 2k before coming indoors!  I didn't have to go round and round the garden like a teddy bear, though; half a lap was enough!

Music: Abba
 

Fitness Journey, 17 March

 

I didn't track today's walk, as the tracker can be intrusive; however, plenty of steps.  We (probably illegally) drove up to Walthamstow to meet the Daughter outside her house, and went for a walk with her.  The forecast had been fine - the weather, alas, was not, and we ended up sitting on a bench drinking coffee (this is now legal) in the pouring rain!  But it was lovely to see her, and a very pleasant walk.  Then we went to Sainsbury's; it was lovely to be in a huge superstore again - neither of my local ones is a superstore, although we do have a couple within reasonable distance.  Had we been in the motor home, I would have spent a long time walking around it; as it was, I got back to the car before the Swan Whisperer who had decided to use the facilities.  

It took us longer than it should have to drive home; the longest I have been out of the flat for months and months!

Hiatus

My fitness journey has gone on a hiatus for the last few days; the abduction and murder of Sarah Everard just round the corner threw us both completely, and then I had a minor virus (and subsequent post-viral depression) which destroyed my energy levels completely.

I did go out to Lidl yesterday and my watch registered >1000 steps for the day, only a third of my current target.  Today I have not gone out at all, but plan to do a few minutes on the stationery bike before going to cook supper.  And tomorrow we are (possibly illegally?) meeting the daughter and going for a short walk with her, and I hope, very much, that normal service will be resumed on Thursday!  

Fitness Journey, 12 March

 

A very slow walk today.  I think I must have had a minor virus - not THE virus, I've had that, and anyway I've been vaccinated - over the past two days as I felt very "off" on Wednesday (which was always going to be a rest day, did you see the weather forecast?) and not great yesterday, which is why I didn't go out then.  

So today I thought I would go a long way round to Tesco's, as I had some shopping to do for stuff Lidl doesn't sell, and went up Solon Road, across to Ferndale Road (stopping to take a photo of hyacinths in the almshouses garden): 

and so into Brixton, which, despite most of the shops being closed, was heaving!  Then up Acre Lanem stopping for a short sit-down in a bus shelter,  to Tescos, which didn't ask me to queue on entry, but the queues for the checkouts were very long.  I ended up going to a staffed checkout, which I don't normally do, and then of course the PayPlus app decided it wanted me to reenter ALL my details... I felt so sorry for those behind me. 

Anyway, after that I decided to call it a walk, as there was a 355 coming, so got on that.  Only about 500 metres missed, if that, but still.  Not very impressed with myself.

Music: Songs from musicals, followed by yesterday's "From our own correspondent".

Fitness journey, 9 March

The weather forecast says it will rain tomorrow - although it is such a lovely day today that seems most improbable.  So I thought I'd better get in my 3k while the getting was good.

There was a funeral at the New Testament Church of God on Lyham Road; our local newsagent died a few days ago of a heart attack.  If times had been normal, we would have attended the funeral; as it was, we did want to pay our respects, so we arranged to meet outside the church.  I went down to Tulse Hill Sainsbury's, as I knew that would be about the right distance, but it really is a manky branch compared to Clapham, and I was in a hurry.  In fact, I nearly forgot to put a mask on because I was concentrating on the Smart Shop app, and had to be reminded by the store staff.  

Anyway, a quick dash round Sainsbury's, and then back along Water Lane and Lambert Road to the church; the funeral was supposed to start at 10:45, but of course it was nearer 11:20 by the time the hearse arrived and the coffin was taken into the church, at which point we came away and home via Strathleven Road.

I am extremely pleased with my times, though - under 15 minutes/km!  I don't think I could have done that without sitting on someone's wall in Lambert Road for half an hour or so, though!

Music: Simply Musicals, Andrew Lloyd Webber; Songs from the Musicals.
 

Fitness Journey, 8 March

 Another walk with a rest in the middle - the rest, this time, being on a bus.  Which was very frustrating, as I will relate.

I needed to pick up my medication from the pharmacy, so walked down Acre Lane 

into Brixton to do that, and then popped into Superdrug to recycle my blister packs from the last lot.  Then I decided to go up past the Post Office and along Pulross Road to cut up on to Landor Road and, I hoped, past the Old Post Office Bakery, but by the time I got to Lambeth Hospital I was getting tired, and sat down at a bus stop to get my second wind, and there was a bus so I thought I'd catch it for a couple of stops until it diverged from my route.  Only, when it went past the Old Post Office, they had Chelsea Buns in the window!!!!!

So I banged the bell to get off at the next stop, but the next stop was a lot further along Landor Road than the bus had already come, and the traffic was absolutely solid, it must have taken a good 10-15 minutes to get to the stop.  I did get off there, although it was a stop earlier than I had planned, as the traffic was so impossibly slow it was quicker to walk by then.  So I cut the corner, going past a derelict block of flats with daffodils growing on the lawn: 

and then out on to Bedford Road, and so home.  Would have struggled dreadfully without the bus - I was struggling a bit as it was, but got there in the end.

Music: Simply Musicals, London; then Simply Musicals, Andrew Lloyd Webber

Fitness journey, 6 March

 

Today's walk looks a lot better than it actually was, as what it doesn't show was that we were in the Church for over an hour, so I had a lovely long rest in the middle!  

The Swan Whisperer needed to go down to our church to do some work on the sound system, and suggested I come down with him - if he got too bored, walking at my pace, he would go on ahead.  Actually, he didn't - he said, coming back, that if he was much colder he would have done (the church, of course, being out of use, is unheated at the moment), but he was fine.  Anyway, it is about 1.5 km there and we came back a different way, past the prison and then up Lyham Road - noting some interesting-looking places for further exploration - and then I said I thought it would be a bit shorter to cut the corner through the estate, rather than going up past the youth club and home that way.  So we did.  I struggled quite badly going to the church, as it is uphill (not steeply, but continuously), but after a rest was fine, and then walking back was downhill or flat!

And oh, the bliss of seeing someone in the flesh and chatting to them who is not the Swan Whisperer, much as I love him!  But it was nice to have his company on my walk!

No music - I had company!  Ditto no photos, for the same reason.

Fitness journey, 5 March

 

After Tuesday's little effort, I had to have a couple of quiet days.  I did stagger out to Lidl before breakfast on Wednesday morning (fancied a pain au chocolat), but yesterday the weather was horrible - foggy and dreich - so I stayed in.  I did sort out my herbs and spices, as I might have gone to Tesco's, or even to Nour, had I needed much in that line, but in fact found I had too much sage (so put the spare jar in the hall for another resident to take if they would like) and more ras el hanout than I thought, and the only thing I really needed was parsley, so I left it.

But today the sun is (mostly) shining, and I had no excuse for not going for a walk.  However, I thought I had better take it easy again, so just went round the block, walking through the estate and then back via Branksome Road and Hayter Road to make the tracing rather less phallic!  I then wen to Lidl, which accounted for most of the 2nd kilometer, and certainly for the slowness of it!  And home to discover that I'd forgotten to buy parsley, my head and face covering (I have some pretty bandannas which I have  been  using as scarf-cum-mask this winter) was inside out and I'd bought chicken and duck sushi instead of the veggie sushi I thought I'd bought.  Oh well....

Music: Simply Musicals, London.

Fitness Journey, 2 March

 I didn't walk much yesterday, only round Lidl, so not even 1 km.  Made up for it today, though.  And have badly overdone it, alas.  Would have been fine if only there had been somewhere to stop and sit down for a bit.  First km was fine, just under 15 minutes, which isn't bad; 2nd km was nearly half an hour, but that's because it was plodging round Little Waitrose (which sounds like a posh nursery school!), Boots and Sainsbury's.  Couldn't find the Chelsea buns I've been looking for in either of the supermarkets, but did get the shampoo I wanted in Boots.

It was the 3rd kilometer that was really, really hard - I chose to go the long way home, down Tremadoc Road (apparently one of our ministers lives there - had I known that, I might have asked if I could sit on her doorstep for 10 minutes to get my second wind!) and on to Bedford Road and then the shortcut via Hetherington Road.  But I was really, really, really struggling for breath and feeling exhausted.  I may have to rest tomorrow, but I hope not.  I'd still like to get 4x30-minute walks this week if possible - but perhaps not quite so far next time!

Music: Simply Musicals, Hollywood

Fitness Journey, 28 February

 

Today's walk was a bit of a struggle - I thought I would try to walk down to the farmers' market at Herne Hill (which, indeed, is exactly what I did do), but quite nearly aborted when I got to Sainsbury's (near the park entrance) and very nearly aborted when I got to Brockwell Lido (about the 2 km mark on the walk).  But somehow I got my second wind, and carried on, not only down to the Herne Hill park exit, but also round the farmers' market (which was crowded and nothing I really wanted to buy).  The park was crowded - a notice at the entrance said only to go in for exercise (although as they have a lateral flow testing station there, I would have thought you could go in for that, too!), but there were loads of people walking, running and cycling, and even a fitness class going on near the Lido.  I saw some people sitting on a park bench eating their lunch, and was tempted to remind them they can't actually do that until next Monday (but didn't, of course!).  Once I had been round the market, I walked back to the bus stop and was not impressed at having to wait nearly 10 minutes for the next bus home, but no choice!  

I didn't really think, when I set out on this journey on 1 February, that I would have reached 5x30 minutes' walk in one week by the end of the month, but that is indeed what I have done!  I haven't quite as many steps as last week, for some reason, but 5 walks! 

I think, though, that I shall still continue to log my journey during March, as it keeps me accountable!  You don't have to read it, after all.

Music: Simply Musicals: Broadway

Fitness Journey 27 February

 

Another bust, alas!  I had intended to walk up and cross the railway bridge and so up to Landor Road, but when I got there, alas, it was closed.  So I went on down Ferndale Road into Brixton.  I was looking for Chelsea Buns (there is an independent bakery on Landor Road that I am fairly sure does them), so popped into the Sainsbury's Local and the Iceland, with no success in either shop.  And I felt tired and there was a 35 coming along in 2 minutes, so.... and the artisan bakery 2 doors down doesn't do them, either!  So this walk wasn't very long and was very slow, and yet I am tired.  But I have done 4 walks this week, and if I can manage one tomorrow, it will be 5 walks of 30 minutes, which is not something I'd hoped to achieve for another month yet!  

Music: Saturday morning Radio 4

Fitness Journey, 25 February

 

Today's walk ended up being completely different from what I'd planned - I thought at first I'd just head down to the windmill and back, as I know that's a nice distance for me just now.  But I also thought that instead of going straight down Branksome Road and back up Strathleven Road, which looks rather phallic when traced, I'd go down Hayter Road and then Branksome Road to get to Lambert Road.  However, half way long Hayter Road, I saw this lovely elderflower tree in blossom: 

and that reminded me I'd meant to go out on to Brixton Hill to see whether there were any crocuses on Rush Common.  As it turned out, I couldn't get across the road to have a look, as there is building work which has closed the nearest crossing, so I walked back up towards Brixton and then up Porden Road to Acre Lane.  I then realised that if I went straight home, I wouldn't have walked nearly far enough, so decided to do a loop round some of the streets on the far side of Acre Lane, and, as it's ages since I've been that way, I forgot that Santley Street was a cul-de-sac past the 7th Day Adventist Church, so I had to retrace my steps slightly.  Which actually gave me a walk of almost exactly the right distance!  Very pleasing.  There were also daffodils in the street boxes on Hayter Road, and, a bit further along, children learning to ride mountain bikes over a jump!  Which I didn't photo, but did stop to applaud.

Music: Evita: songs from the musical

Fitness Journey, 23 February

 

A longer walk today, because someone on Facebook said that Gail's Bakery did the most delicious Chelsea Buns.  So I discovered that my nearest Gail's was well within my current walking distance, and headed out there this afternoon - only to find, when I got there, that they didn't sell them, never had, never heard of them, didn't know what I was talking about, no demand for those, Madam.... bugger!

I could have walked home, but had already done almost 2k by that stage, so decided to head on down to the 355 bus stop, which was actually slightly further than I thought it was, but not far enough to worry me.  Bus came at once, and I turned off the tracker, but did go into Lidl when I got back, very briefly. 

Music: Evita. Songs from the Musicals.

Fitness Journey, 22 February

 

It was not a nice day today.  With hindsight, I should have got up and gone out when the Swan Whisperer did, about 8:00 as the sun was shining then.  But by the time I'd had breakfast, it had clouded over completely, and was raining, so I went to sleep instead!  However, the rain went away towards the end of the afternoon, so I went out for a brisk leg-stretch and into Lidl to get one or two things I wanted from there.  Not as far as some days, and of course shopping brings my average speed down, but I'm glad I went out!

Music: Tapestry, by Carole King, followed by songs from Evita

Fitness Journey, 20 February

Today's walk - and yes, I have managed 4 walks this week, go me - is a singularly unfortunate shape.  Oh well, that's just the way the route to Windmill Gardens and back is,  until I can make it a little longer.  Which I won't until I'm walking a little faster - 16 minutes per kilometer is still far too slow.  But it will come.

I like walking to Windmill Gardens because there are benches when I get there, and I can sit down for a few minutes to get my second wind.  The daffodils are coming, but the grass in the main part of the park is still a sea of mud.  Oddly where the children play football is much greener (no photos, because they were playing!).  

Music: Tapestry, Carole King.

 

Fitness Journey, 19 February

 

Not the walk I wanted!  I wanted to go into Brixton, which, as you can see, I did, but as it was a shopping walk I took my handbag, and I was also carrying a shopping bag as I had the little paper bag full of empty blister packs for recycling.  I don't know whether it was that, but my back was aching before I was half way down Acre Lane!  And I stopped to take a photo of someone's daffs, and just as my camera was coming up, the tenant came out with her dog, who promptly weed all over said daffs!  So I didn't take the photo, after all.

It's not really a good idea to shop in the afternoon in Brixton - I had to queue outside Holland & Barrett, only for a couple of minutes, and then I didn't buy anything.  Then I had to queue for what felt like hours outside Superdrug, but I did get what I wanted in there, and got rid of my blister packs.  I thought at first that the box where you put them was just advertising, but no!  

I really had had enough by then, but I did still want za'atar and also some more Dunn's River seasoning, so I thought I would investigate Nour Cash and Carry, which has a really good rep in Brixton for such things, and sure enough they had all I wanted in the way of seasoning!  Will definitely go back when I want more than just parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.... 

And then I came back to the main road and there was a 35, so I called it a walk!  It looks slower than it actually was, as the workout didn't pause itself while I was queueing, which it should have done.  But Active 10 says I did 19 minutes of brisk walking, so I'll call that a win.

Not sure whether to try to up things next week or not; I did go out yesterday, but only round Lidl (800 steps, and 2 brisk minutes not really worth counting).... I'll see.  If it's fine over the weekend I might go down to Windmill Gardens again.  

Fitness journey, 17 February

 

I never know whether to keep the tracker on while I shop - which adds to the distance and time, but slows the average pace - or to turn it off, which speeds up the average pace, but keeps distance and time shorter.  All very difficult.  

Anyway, today I'd meant to go for my walk after breakfast and before the Ash Wednesday service at 11, but - er - fell asleep, so as soon as the service was over I went out.  Checked the nearest little playground to see if it was open,

which it was, and then walked down past King's Acre and the entrance to the Estate to where used to be an adventure playground back in the day.  These days it's a little grassy space with a sports court in it - the grassy space was open but the sports court wasn't.  Thinking about it, probably only community groups or recognised teams have access, and are keyholders.  Anyway, I did try to take a photo, but it didn't come out, for some reason.

Walked back into the Estate, past where the Daughter's primary school used to be (how often I did that walk, back in the day!) and up Branksome Road to get to Lidl.

Music: Agnus Dei - Classical music for reflection and meditation (well, it is Ash Wednesday, after all!).

Fitness Journey, 15 February

 I don't know what Huawei Health thought it was playing at, but I certainly didn't start my walk where it says I did - I may have pressed "start" too quickly before it found the GPS.  Anyway, for the purposes of the walk, I started where I finished, if that makes sense.

I really wasn't feeling it today, but I knew that if I didn't go out, this fitness journey would have ended before it started, so once I had finished Sunday's sermon, I made myself walk down to Windmill Gardens (we have been here before!), where at least I could sit on a bench for a few minutes and try to make my bluetooth headband work - for some reason it simply wouldn't, so no music today and I'd been looking forward to listening to Carol King's "Tapestry", which I believe is now 50 years old.  Anyway, no joy, and sitting on the hard bench made my sciatica, or whatever it is, flare up, so I came back through the Estate.  Still no signs of spring, even though the recent cold spell does seem to be over.  

So not quite as far as it says, so slower than it should have been!  Ah well....

Fitness Journey, 13 February

 

I don't normally go shopping on Saturday, but I signally failed to go out  yesterday, largely due to the fact that the temperature in the bathroom was far too low to even think about showering, so I didn't dress, and I don't think the good citizens of Brixton would be very edified by the sight of me in my nightie.  Plus a bit on the chilly side, this weather!  So I went out today instead.

I went to Tulse Hill Sainsbury's, which is slightly further away than Clapham Common, and I thought didn't have Smart Shop (found out, too late, too late, that it does).  I made sure I went a way that avoided the Sainsbury's Local on the corner of Lambert Road - I could, and arguably should, have walked home that way, but I was a bit tired, so caught the bus.  Proved to me that I'm not yet able to do the walk I really want to do, which is down to Brockwell Park (the bus stop where today's walk ends is at one entrance to the park) then across the park and catch the bus home from Herne Hill or Brockwell Lido.  One of these days.  

Again, next week's goal is 3 walks of at least 15 minutes each.  

Fitness journey, 10 February

 

Just too far, really.  I wanted to go to Sainsbury's (I did turn off the tracker while I was in there), and it's a great circular walk, but without the possibility to stop for a cup of tea, or even a sit-down, it was just that much too far!  Oh well, it will get easier.

What's more, Sainsbury's didn't even have what I wanted, so it was a wasted journey in that sense, although not from the walking point of view.  And the weather was lovely - it's very cold, but bright.  The Swan Whisperer has gone for a long walk - it's unfair to ask him to walk at my pace at the moment, or I'd have made him come with me as far as Sainsbury's, and then he could have gone on over Clapham Common to Battersea Park or wherever...  

Fitness journey, 8 February

 When my alarm clock went off, the bright and chirpy weather forecaster who greets me by name informed me that it was -1 and snowing.  And going to snow.  Accuweather said it was going to start snowing in about an hour.  So I thought I'd better go out while the going was good, dressed quickly, and headed out about 8:30.

It was very cold, so I thought I would just go to Tesco and back - walking into the wind on the way there, and, more comfortably, with my back to it on the way back.  Over the weekend, I bought a headband with bluetooth headphones hidden in it, which worked very well, so I was playing the egregious "Let's have a party" album - think songs like Agadoo and the Birdie Song, but excellent to walk to!  I must see what else I have that increases one's pace without trying.  

I failed to turn off the tracker while I was in Tesco's because I thought I hadn't switched it on properly, so was surprised to find that it paused while I was looking for ras el hanout in the spice rack.  They had it last week, when I didn't need it, but I had less than I thought....  oh well.

I did think of catching a bus back, but there wasn't one due for 3 minutes, and, in fact, I'd nearly reached the next bus stop by the time it arrived.  I'm glad I walked!  And so home to a belated breakfast!

Fitness journey, week 1

 Not exactly travelling - but who knows when, if ever, we will be able to do that again.  Right now it's illegal - illegal!!!! - to go on holiday.  I'm beginning to wish I'd never bought the new motor home; I'd sell it if I didn't think I'd lose so much money on it.  And the Swan Whisperer says we will be able to use it again sometime.  I hope he's right.  

But whether or not we can travel, we can at least stay fit.  I have got extremely unfit lately, and have decided to try to get fit by walking for about 30 minutes 4 or 5 times a week.   I started this last Monday, 1 February, and did 3 walks last week, all of which involved about 20 minutes' walking and then shopping, as we are only supposed to go out once a day.  I have been posting these walks on Facebook, but think it would be better not to bore people there, so will post them on here instead, with a link to Facebook.  

So, this week's walks.

Monday 1 February

I went along Acre Lane, down Baytree Road (there was a blackbird!) out on to Brixton Hill, and then back up Porden Road and so to Tesco's.  Then I got a bus back from Tesco.

Wednesday 3 February

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I had been going to walk to Tulse Hill Sainsbury's and then bus back, but ended up in Sainsbury's Local on the corner of Lambert Road and Brixton Hill.  Was feeling a bit breathless and my back was aching.  Had walked down Strathleven Road and along Lambert Road, then into Sainsbury's.  They didn't have Za'atar, which is what I'm out of!  Anyway, I then got a bus as far as Lambeth Town Hall, walked up Porden Road to the bus stop on Acre Lane, and then bus home. 

Friday 5 February

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Up Strathleven Road, Glenelg Road, Kildoran Road on to Lyham Road, then through Blenheim Gardens but I was getting tired, so cut through to Lambert Road, walked up Branksome Road back to Acre Lane and thus to Lidl.  Breathless again and my calves ached!

I am going to repeat Week 1 next week, weather permitting - aiming for 3x15 minute walks.  I've now acquired a bluetooth headband, so may be able to listen to music while I walk, which will help.  

London Transport Museum Depot. Acton

 We decided we wouldn't carry on with the Treasure Trail, it was too long and had got boring.  It was also a bit too old for Boy Two, and even The Boy had to have help with most of them.  Even us adults did, on a couple of them....

So the question was, what to do today, which is the last day we could all get together before school restarts next week.  I looked on IanVisits and found that the Transport Museum's Acton depot was, exceptionally, open for a few weeks this summer.  Normally it only opens for two weekends a year.  I had never been - I did buy us tickets to go one year, and forgot to put them in the diary, to discover them ten days after the event..... 

They were selling timed tickets, but the 11:00 am slot was already sold out.  The noon slot was warning "Last few tickets", but they managed to sell me 3 adult and 2 child tickets, so we arranged to meet outside the depot at 11:55 this morning.  The Daughter said she was going to drive, since that was easiest and avoided using public transport, and the Swan Whisperer insisted that we would, too.  I had nightmares about it and was very worried about finding parking in the area, even though we knew that the local CPZs were in operation only 09:00-10:00 and 15:00-16:00, presumably to stop people parking all day and going into work on the Tube from Acton Town station.  In any event, I need not have worried as we found a parking space at the first time of trying, within a couple of minutes' walk from the Museum.  So we ended up spending 20 minutes in the car as it was too early to go in!

It was all very easy, and most enjoyable.  We could only see the bus collection and the Tube train collection (I felt we were slightly ripped off, as the tickets were full price, and there was much of the depot that was, understandably, closed off - we couldn't see the ticket machines, or the little huts that the collectors used to sit it, other than from a distance, and the upstairs galleries were closed).  The daughter, Boy Too and I wandered on, but The Boy and the SW were far more engrossed in the technical details of the buses, wondering how you accessed the engines in these ones for maintenance, 

 and generally being nerdish.  They had fun!  We spent hours in the Museum shop (the Daughter said she never had enough time to browse, usually) and the SW bought her her birthday present there.  Then we wandered on through the various Tube trains and out the other end, where they presented the boys with a pack of things to do at home (mostly make a bus-driver's cap), and we had a drink and a snack in the café area, and then a ride on the miniature railway, before heading back to the car.

As I said, most enjoyable, but I do think they could have reduced the price slightly as not all of the Museum was, or could be, open to the public.

Treasure Trail

 This may well end up being Treasure Trail part 1, but I won't edit the title until I know for sure.

One of the sad things about this pandemic is the dearth of summer expeditions with the Boys.  But yesterday their father had an important court case over the Internet, and really didn't want it added to with fighting in the garden, or football goals being scored against his office wall.  So the Daughter decided to take them out on a Treasure Trail around Spitalfields and Brick Lane.  This was a detective trail, with clues to solve to find "Whodunnit", or rather, to eliminate certain suspects and murder weapons, a la Cluedo.

 We met at Liverpool Street Station and first off found a Prets for a cup of coffee/iced tea/juice/babycino (not that Boy Too is a baby any more; he is very nearly 7, but he still likes them!).  But once that was done, we had to retrace our steps to Bishopsgate to find the first clue, which was a date inscribed high on a building.  Most of the clues were that sort of thing, but sometimes you had to think sideways to find them.  There were definitely two we didn't find before we all decided it was lunch time, and headed to Franco Manca for pizza and affogato.  Or plain ice cream, in the case of the boys, who do like coffee now but aren't allowed it much.  

Once lunch was over, I knew I had had enough for one day, and went back to Liverpool Street Station to get a 133 back to Brixton.  I had hoped to go to Morley's, but there was a 355 behind us when we got to Brixton, and I realised I was absolutely exhausted.  I staggered home and went to bed for the rest of the day!  Not as many steps as sometime, but a lot more than I've been able for since I had Covid-19 back at the end of March! 

The Swan Whisperer came in a little later, saying that they had done one or two more clues after lunch, but the boys were getting a bit tired of it, so they decided to call it a day, and the rest of the clues can be done another day.