She'll be coming round the mountain...

Another mountain conquered - this weekend we ventured 'up north' to Cumbria to climb the highest peak in England; Scarfell Pike.

I am not one for camping, even in nice sunny weather, as the whole communal toilets and showers (normally worked with 20p pieces and the plugholes full of hair - ugh!) and generally 'roughing it' for days is not my idea of fun. However, the most recent camping experience in Snowdon was enlightening to say the least. I think the glorious sunshine and spectacular views sold it to me, that plus the fact it was only one night!!

So, with the 'fun' camping experience under my belt I was eager to see how I fared on a four day, three night tent mission. Well...I am not sure the people of Cumbria have ever seen the sunshine as I certainly didn't when I was there! The sky was mainly grey, quite misty and it rained, serious downpours for hours at a time!

The actual climb was incredible - hard work but well worth it. 1000m up and around 2.5 miles to get there, including steep pathways, stepping stones, a mountain river to cross and finally an almost vertical rocky face (which Reg, the dog, bravely shot up with a little help up the rear!)

So, Lion's Head, Table Mountain, Snowdon and Scarfell Pike all conquered - what next, Everest? On the basis that Snowdon took one night of camping and Scarfell Pike, three (plus investment in some walking shoes, breathable shorts and a base layer), I think Everest may require significantly more nights, not to mention kit and I doubt the campsite facilities on base camp one would include communal toilets and hairy showers! Perhaps I should ensure any future adventures include sunshine and limited amounts of 'roughing it'!

Friends...

I have great friends! Truly great friends!

It is interesting how you make friends. All the friends I have met prior to 2006 ish were met during crazy, crazy times, in crazy places, doing crazier things! However, I am now able to call them up, text occasionally and visit randomly and we pick up where we left off as if years and months had not passed. I love that, effortless friendship with people who have seen the best of you and the worst of you and are still around to hang out with as and when the opportunity arises.

Don't get me wrong, those met post 2006 are still very cool, it is just that these people were met in more stable times, with less craziness but probably the same amount of alcohol!! Whilst all of my friends are very different; lives, vocations, locations, backgrounds etc...there is one thing in common with each and every one of them - a connection.

This connection is very important and for me, friendship will not ensue unless there is some form of connection. This is sometimes deemed as shallow, but I see it as not wasting time with people you do not click with - no point. I am not saying 'friendship at first sight', but after spending an evening or two with someone, you know how you feel and whether or not there is a connection.

So, I am very lucky as I have lots of cool friends, all in different places and all doing different things and all with a connection with me for very different reasons - it is great.

This never used to be the case, as I would confuse attraction with connection - two very different things as I am sure you will agree! I would only want to be friends with people I found attractive, not because I wanted to do anything as such; more so, it made me make an effort. That sounds terrible and it was, but it was more about my inability to make friends for genuine reasons, lack of confidence and lack of experience of doing this at school as I was always playing tennis!

But now, well, it is a different story - I am friends with lots of different people; good looks no longer required!!! So, pre 2006 consider yourself hot stuff, post 2006 you must have stunning personalities!!! Joke obviously!! :>) I look forward to loads more interaction with my current buddies and of course connecting with a few more!

Thoughts...

I watched an episode of 'The Street' last night. I have never seen it before, but wish I had, as the story was about real people, gritty subjects and the sort of issues that happen to people everyday, but issues often never addressed. I love watching programmes that are 'real', issues that you can relate to; emotional trauma, relationship dynamics, the highs, the lows, the bits that come in between, the uncomfortable truths.

I think that deciding to read something with a bit more clout has opened up another little pocket of activity in my brain (yes there is a little room for expansion, blonde on the outside but a deep and meaningful brunette lies within!). I have always thought a lot, sometimes worthwhile stuff, other times just meaningless crap, but thoughts none the less. I believe everyone has a stream of thought, some about hair and make up and clothes and shoes, others about people and emotions and life and love, some flitting between the two extremes, but thoughts none the less.

Reading someone else's thoughts is fascinating as you get all these different perspectives. I guess in close relationships you think you know how someone thinks about things, but you can never really be sure or know everything of what they are thinking about anything - can you really ever know someone or do you just develop a sense of understanding?

So, I have finished the book and can't wait to read more. It is the first book I have read in ages that actually gave me something to think about at the end of it. I have enjoyed all the characters in the book, especially Peter Walsh and Clarissa Dalloway. I can see why he has issues, especially with Clarissa - think I can relate to him the most, not sure what that says about me - perhaps I should purchase a knife to fiddle with during nervous moments!

Eclipse...

I heard on the radio yesterday that it was 10 years to the day that we witnessed the last full eclipse - I could not believe a decade had passed, as I could remember exactly where I was that day!

Now, what worries me is this is exactly the sort of thing you hear your parents saying about key moments in history, yes history, which makes me feel old again damn it! Like, where were you when Kennedy was assassinated? All of a sudden, these sorts of events are happening to people from our own era; Princess Diana, Michael Jackson...it seems like everything lasts forever when you are younger, but then before you know it, famous figures in your life start dying off and it really knocks you for six.

I know everyone dies eventually, in fact, this is the only thing that you can be 100% sure of in life, but it is still a bit sad. I can't believe I am 31...yes 31, just over three decades. I remember thinking 40 was very old indeed, but for me it is the next major milestone...time flies, but who would of thought that when you are sat in a geography lesson learning about long shore drift!

Not a lot more to say on this subject really, just wow, ten years of life has swished passed just like that - it would be interesting to see your 'best bits' on a video, like they do when you exit a reality TV show! I wonder what they would have been over the last 10 years??? I wonder what music I would put the footage to? I am thinking something upbeat as most of the 'best bits' in the last decade have been lively, as well as some of the 'not so best bits' come to that!

Hard work...

Well, I have decided to expand on my reading skills and embark on tackling some of the 'classics'. I used to hate reading as a small child, even as a young adult as I found it incredibly hard to sit still for five minutes; running round like a nutter!

Now I have slowed down (just a bit) I do enjoy reading, but purely as a way of increasing my knowledge, learning little snippets here and there; never been a book worm. I love reading a paper, especially at the weekend or on holiday. As papers are generally dirty (ink always comes off, even on the ones that say they use 'stay on' ink!) so reading the paper in bed is not an option - ruins the duvet! So, I opt for predictable, romantic stories (they always have a 'holiday' book section in Sainsbury's and I always pick one up with the shopping, sad I know) for bedtime reading.

I have ploughed through a few dozen of these crappy novels recently, which is fine, but not sure it is really helping my brain grow - if anything it is just pure escapism. So, as me and my mate Charlie are considering writing a book (Charlie writing and me helping, providing dodgy stories, random characters and basically doing as I am told!) I thought it was high time I read something of substance in an attempt to understand half the stuff she comes out with!?!?!?

Mrs Dalloway is my first one - I really liked the cover (that sounds terrible doesn't it, but it is true) and I have an interesting history with a lady who loved such books. The second is Persuasion and the third recent book purchase (Waterstone's buy two get one free) is a holiday romance - just in case Woolf and Austen blow my tiny mind!!!

Well, I have started and am 30 odd pages in - wow! The writing is amazing and of a style I have never seen before, well I have read Shakespeare, but nothing more recent done in such a style. The prose is like a poem and I have found that I need to develop a reading rhythm in order to absorb the words and the meaning. This is obviously new territory to me, especially as a non 'writer/English literature' type, but I find it exciting as it is a new experience and one I hope expands my mind.

I have already found a great line, which made so much sense, 'so strange is the power of sound at certain moments' - what a great line. I have always thought that sometimes the plainest of noises/sounds have such impact at given moments in time, but would never have thought of writing that down or even considering mentioning that to anyone...waffling, but hopefully you get what I mean?!?! Exciting times...God! if I had a brain I would be scary!!!

Chillin'

What a beautiful moment...does life get any better than those tiny little moments, where, just for a few seconds, minutes even, all is well with the world?

I am home early, prepared the food for my dinner party, sitting back in my bean bag with a g & t in one hand and a roll up (yes mum, you read it and now you have access to this little snippet that is 'my life' you may find out some other interesting things about me!) in the other, ibiza chillout music in the background, sun shining through the blinds, windows wide open, fresh air and a light breeze...mmm!

I very rarely smoke, but sometimes...just sometimes, you have a cigarette moment. Come on, even those that have never smoked or even used to smoke must acknowledge the 'cigarette' moments in life - surely?!?! It is usually caused by a particular view, a song, a moment shared with someone...the list goes on, but these are 'cigarette' moments. I am not sure everyone has them, but I do and to be honest, these are the little things in life that really make you feel glad to be alive!

I do talk a lot and tell most people most things (sorry people!) and all those who know me will agree, but for some reason, writing my thoughts on this little online virtual space is so much easier than talking...especially for capturing those random thoughts. That is the thing, I guess, they are thoughts, not conversations, more internal dialogue that is triggered by a random happening. Then your mind takes you off the beaten track, skipping from one item to the next, flying off at tangents no conversation would take you, as it doesn't need to make sense, as only you are listening!

I rarely drink too these days, as marathon training killed any kind of tolerance I had of alcohol. However, one gin and tonic and I can already feel the warm buzz flowing through my veins....better stop at one otherwise my dinner creation will be ruined and that simply won't do!

Age...

It is becoming increasingly apparent that age is creeping up on me! In a way it is great, as I feel sure of myself and more confident, but in other ways some things are much harder; exercise for one!

God damn, I started an upper body and abs routine earlier this week - felt like I had never done a sit up before, honestly...where did my fitness go...I mean I ran a marathon not so long ago and granted I have not been training much since then, but I have been spinning twice a week, playing tennis and doing the odd 10K...but doing sit ups killed me.

I think as a snapper I used to be very fit and do a lot of exercise, training everyday...I relished anything physical and always excelled. Mentally, I am the same person, but my body tells me otherwise. It is incredible that you presume you can do things just as easily as you used to...not saying I am past it, but I have to work so much harder. On the contrary, my confidence with work, words, people has multiplied ten fold and handling life is a breeze compared to when I was younger.

So, whilst the mind grows the body deteriorates - how unfair is that, totally frustrating! Then again, if it worked in reverse, you would have an awesome body but no clue as to what to do with it! Either way, I guess you must accept what you are given and make the most of it. I have come to realise that even the body beautiful have issues, so I must now learn to love all of myself, even the little or no so little white bits!