Weeks 40 - 44 - How Did So Much Time Pass Again?

So once again I’ve managed to leave it 5 weeks without writing an update. Which means, I’ve actually been meaning to write an update for at least the last 2 weeks, but its now such a daunting task, I keep putting it off, and it therefore becomes more daunting as time passes and I do even more things to write about.

So, where did I get up to? We went down to my friend’s wedding in Leicestershire, stopping at old university friend, Adam Crawford, in York on the way, with his wife Laura, and 2 kids Jacob and Violet. Here, I was presented with the ‘opportunity’ to be a princess for the afternoon and wear a tiara, and also a random act of kindness, as 2-year old Violet (repeatedly) insisted I have tea and cake (made of plastic and wood) – fun the first time, less fun for the 17th time. Even after Violet went to bed, I still found myself wearing a tiara, sat in the lounge with a glass of wine. I also got the opportunity to read 3 more books, as I put Violet to bed and read her stories. 5 weeks on, I can’t remember the name of the books, although they probably had something to do with animals losing something, and searching in ridiculous places to find them again. One man in the book lost his pet birds, but they were actually spying on him in each picture, in some kind of spooky ‘The Birds’ kids adaptation.

The wedding was that of old friend Sarah Graham, who I know from my scout mountaineering courses at Lochearnhead. We have the kind of friendship where we don’t see each other for years, and then pick up straight where we left off, normally laughing and trying to fit our fists in our mouths. Also at the wedding, I caught up with two of Sarah’s friends, Graeme Bigg, who I also know from the courses at the station from when I was about 15, and Sarah Fish, who I spent the weekend with in Sarah’s houseshare in Nottingham. As the party progressed, we had the opportunity to learn some swing dances from the swing teachers they had hired – we did a bit of Charleston, jive, and other stuff that you see on Strictly. I also got a new hairdo.

​​In the last 5 week, I’ve done 3 Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, one training and two assessments. Assessments, in particular, involve stalking teenagers around the countryside while trying to remain out of sight, by hiding in bushes, ducking behind walls and hanging out in fish and chips shops. These have also been a great opportunity to explore the local countryside, from finding new places in the Pentlands to the big range of views along the Berwick coast – rivers, beaches, mud flats, harbours and chip shops, all along the John Muir way. I’ve also managed to bag 6 more nights under canvass, so hopefully on track to complete this challenge item by November. 

​DofE has also presented some other challenge opportunities – firstly, an act of kindness in fixing up the worst blisters I’ve ever seen on some stinky feet – you’ll be grateful to know I didn’t take a picture. These blisters were about 1cm thick of fluid, and maybe 6cm in diameter. At one location, the adults also had a scout hut to stay in (I camped outside, but did spend the evening inside) where we found an unfinished jigsaw and finished it off. There was then a long debate about whether finishing someone else’s jigsaw is an act of kindness or an act of evil….. I also gave a free coaching session to one of the other leaders who was at a career decision point. A few long nights in a tent also meant I managed to read a proper adult book – this time, Michael McIntyre’s autobiography: Life and Laughing. This was particularly interesting to read just before the Fringe Festival starts at Edinburgh. 

​On one random day between DofE expeditions, I decided it was a good day to walk to Falkirk. This was to fulfill one of the ‘one-off’ 30-things, which was to walk 30 miles in a day. I set off at 6.30am and walked the tow path along the union canal, completing the route in 9 hours 23 mins, (plus an hour stop for lunch) and taking 67, 996 steps. Although I did it alone, I was, in a way, accompanied by Stephen Fry, reading me the Prisoner of Azkaban for most of the way. I can’t particularly say I enjoyed the experience, what with a pain like someone had set the balls of my feet on fire from about mile 4, but I’m pleased I achieved it, and it wasn’t as awful as I expected. 

​In a quiet week, I managed a few more challenge items. I did another act of kindness, by helping out another Cambridge consultant clients while the consultant was on holiday, and swapping some products with her to keep her going. I saw 2 films: the new Ghostbusters film, which was pretty good, and The BFG, one of my favourite films from my childhood, which I thought was ok, although missing some of the magic of the cartoon version. I also, on a whim, took the opportunity for a laser eye surgery appointment, just to find out what it was all about. I now feel more comfortable about the possibility of getting it done, but don’t have the spare £4400 they wanted me to pay. 

​The onset of August saw our house again swarmed by friends and family as they all spontaneously realise we live in Edinburgh and the festival is on. My friend Kristina came up for a packed weekend of comedy, acapella, musicals, and climbing Arthur’s Seat. We also made fresh croissants (a labour intensive but delicious process) and a fresh pizza (both with a little help from the breadmaker, but new recipes nonetheless. This was quickly followed by Matt’s parents who came to see the Tattoo at the Castle, and then followed Matt’s friends Sam and Emma. Their approach to Fringing is somewhat more last minute than my pre-booked approached, which leads to some interesting shows – sometimes surprisingly good and sometimes bloody awful. 

My old university friend Frankie popped in for lunch one day, and I met her partner Stu. I know Frankie from the mountaineering club at uni, and we once went on a week-long skiing holiday together – it was good to catch up on some of the gossip about other old uni friends. Her partner Stu counts as a new interesting person – he works in strategy for a Formula One racing team.

I am now down at my Dad’s in South Wales and have been chilling out, but also getting out and about each day. Dad has a new electric bike which is encouraging him to go cycling each day, so I borrowed his neighbour’s bike and we went down to Pembrey Country Park and back (a new type of exercise for my challenge). We also went to the Botanic Gardens to see their new butterfly pavilion, which was pretty cool (another opportunity taken). Finally, we watched a new film, The Secret Life of Pets, which was……mediocre. I’ve also been upping my acts of kindness with some deep-cleaning activity around his house. 

Some things I’ve learnt in the last few weeks

1. Time passes so much more quickly with a good distraction. For the first 4 miles of my 30 mile walk, I walked in silence, mainly because I was worried my Ipod battery wouldn’t last all day, and I thought I’d want the entertainment more at the end than at the beginning. However, I found myself constantly checking my phone, which was tracking my distance, and being constantly agigtated by how far I’d gone (or not gone) since I last checked. As soon as I started up Stephen Fry and Harry Potter, I was sometimes surprised when my phone vibrated to announce yet another mile down, while I’d not even noticed walking it. This probably also says something deep and meaningful about my ability to be alone with my own thoughts…..
2. Croissant dough rises. If you leave it overnight, it rises overnight. It is therefore better to put it into the shape you want it in, before leaving it overnight. Otherwise, you have to roll out the dough, and thus squash all the air out of it, before shaping it, and then it only make 8 delicious huge croissants, rather than the 12 the recipe said it would. Tasted delicious either way.
3. I now know how to laminate dough with butter…….so much delicious butter……
4. If someone finished a jigsaw I’d started……I’d be massively annoyed.