What a week!

It's been a week of highs and a week of... not-so-highs.  No lows, not this week.  Work flew past pretty quickly but there are interesting developments to come there, let me tell you.  That's for another time though.

Tuesday night saw a trip to Dundee to see Paolo Nutini at the Caird Hall with Susan.  It was a great wee night and we had a lovely dinner in Papa Joe's.  Was a bit strange driving North and NOT going up a mountain though!  Thanks so much for the ticket Susan! x

Monday evenings are now spin bike class evening at The Peak with Elaine.  It's great and gets the legs going like you wouldn't believe.  I come out of there knackered with a face like a beetroot but feeling very refreshed.  In my thinking this can only be a good thing for building up fitness. 

Wednesday evenings are also great!  Yoga class.  It's so good and relaxing but it's great for building strength and stretching my very un-bendy body.  I never knew you didn't need to go to the gym to work up a sweat.  I now love it.  The teacher is great too.  Very calming person.  I feel revived when I leave that class. 

Most evenings are also spent rolling with my TP Therapy rollers (on my dodgy knees/legs).  They do hurt a bit but this is to be expected.  It does take a bit of getting used to but deep breaths help.  I'm so far very pleased with them.

So this weekend was the great WHW*Falldoon with PTC, Phil and Craig and another taking part, Iain was his name.  Regular updates were being provided via Twitter and Spots were being pinged on the SpotTracker.  I decided to take The Boy (Ryan) out for the day today and we ended up at Rowardennan as he wanted to see the 'big boys on their bikes'... oh and 'the big mountains' too!  We headed off along the road towards Loch Lomond and arrived managing to get a space in the car park (it's usually too busy on a nice day).  By the time we'd got there Ryan had fallen asleep and it took me ages to get him wakened and ready to get out the car.  (I had to bribe him with Irn Bru and a pack of Mars Planets). 

We sat on a bench on the shore and watched folk go up and down the loch on jet-ski's and boats.  He loved it.  Then we spied 2 ducks and a swan.  We didn't have any bread to throw them so a guy who was eating his pieces at a nearby bench gave us some crusts to throw.  Both Ryan and the ducks loved it.

A while later we went back to the car to deposit a bag and then walked along the trail a wee bit.  He was trying to jump in puddles i was trying to stop him!  But we managed to get to a nice pebbly beach where we sat on some rocks and shared the aforementioned Irn Bru and Mars Planets - we have a game where we try to see who gets the crunchy ones in the pack, we like it! 

Then he was feeling brave so he went nearer the water to throw some stones in the water.  We were here for ages just throwing stones and he was getting closer and closer to the water.  He survived though without getting wet feet. 

Then it was questions about 'the big mountains'.  'When can Ryan go up the mountains?' was the question.  When he's a big boy I replied.  'I need boots, i'll tell Granda',  'Yes and a rucksack' i said.  'Oh yeah... a rocksack, ha ha ha'.  Kids are so funny with their own words and interpretations.  'How do we get up the mountains?'  'We have to walk up' i said... 'Oh i see!' he exclaimed like it was the strangest thing ever.  He loves being outdoors, whether it be on his bike, his tractor, playing football or just digging in the dirt.  A typical boy.  Fireman Sam is his latest obsession.     

By this point i thought we'd missed the 'big boys on the bikes' but lo and behold about 5 minutes later they were there.  We didn't see them at first being as we were so engrossed in the game of stone throwing.  It was Phil I saw first but he was on his way soon enough and then PTC followed stopping for a wee quick chat.  They were doing well but he said they were tired.

Time was getting on and it was time for us to head home for our dinner.  We headed for the car and packed up and drove down the road passing the boys on the way.  'Angie, there's the boy on his bike' were the words from the back seat.  I didn't peep the horn (incase PTC got a fright!) but gave a wave goodbye instead.  It seems the guys made it to the finish line some time around 8pm this evening.  A great effort by all involved.  Can't wait to read all the stories.   

'That was a lovely day Angie' were more words from the backseat and my heart melted.  It's good to get outdoors with the family.  And tiny little sentences like that make it all the more worthwhile.  He will go up 'a big mountain' soon enough.  But we'll start with Dumyat first before we head to Ben Nevis! ha ha.

Tomorrow I say goodbye to a friend.  Someone I shared my Everest experience with.  Who kept me warm on those cold nights in the Himalayas and who also retreated with me when it all went wrong.  Yes...  Mr Rab Atlas 1000 is being sold.  He's great but way too heavy for me to carry in a pack.  But he's going to a good home in Mr Ian who is a seasoned hill-walker and climber.  He'll use him more than I ever would and it makes sense for someone else to get the use.  Bye bye Mr Rab... Hello Mr PHD Green!!     :o)

So, yeah, what a week!  I'm now going to finish it off by watching one of my favourite films ever - Good Will Hunting.  A great film.    

Ange xx

Musical update:
Paloma Faith - New York
Max Richter - Vladimir's Blues (beautiful tune)
Echo and the Bunnymen - Think I need It Too
Coldplay (all songs)
Paolo Nutini - Sunnyside Up album
Kings of Leon (still love this alum!)