From last Friday
I am running again. Yesterday morning I spoke sternly to myself and got myself down to Brighton before my body could object. And then I was off... 5kms, two stitches and a not-too-shabby time, considering this has not been a good week for training, due to my obese elbows.
As i was running back towards my waiting Norma, I let my mind drift back to GGS Cross Country meets. Jule's beautiful eccentric mum, with her long fur coats and tireless smiling encouragement: "Come on pet, not long to go now".
My smile was huge as I stretched in the car park and drove home, windows foggy from my overheating heart.
I attended my first site visit yesterday, in the gorgeous south west - Harvey and Yarloop way with a new colleague, PT. I did get the feeling I should have had a rifle slung over my shoulder when PT and I went for lunch at the same place M and I stop for breakfast after our various bambi adventures.
M was home before me, despite my best efforts to leave work on time. I asked him to go and pick up a cucumber and some cream, and on my way home I noticed him walking back from the shop so I picked him up. And he had bought me mangoes and avocadoes "because you don't eat enough fruit, Macska". I melted.
So that was Friday - then in the afternoon I met B and P in Freo and we got on the very VERY bumpy ride out to Rotto. Pete and I were okay, but Betty did not look good when we disembarked in the gathering dark.
We found our Jackson villa, and waited impatiently for our luggage and food to arrive. We weren't patient enough: B and I dahsed back to the settlement for Red Rooster, and of course, by the time we got back, all our stuff was there. Wrapped in blankets, the three of us sat outside to admire the moonshine over the water and to talk, and remember our great good luck in living in such a beautiful place. It certainly was beautiful and we were all in bed by 9pm.
On Saturday morning I trotted to the settlement to see where the race would start, but it was all awash with garbage men and too much random activity so I headed off in the opposite direction instead, toward the Basin and then around the lakes. It was a half hour run so I'm guessing about 5kms. The only scary part came when a rampant and very much unexpected peacock leapt out of a garden from behind the fence.
Much luxurious stretching followed, and then I made coffee and bought fresh bread and made breakfast.
M and K arrived soon after and instead of going fishing, as we really should have done, we went to the bottle shop instead. Back at the house we laid out a huge feast with cheese and salads and crackers and sausage. It was a wonderful atmosphere.
Later in the afternoon there was some fishing, where I managed to incur a good deep gash on my foot, perfect, in preparation for the run.
And all of a sudden it was time for dinner, with wedges and pasta salad and fish and other salads. Oh Betty's tabbuleh...divine!! We fell into bed reasonably early, but upon waking, the thought did cross my mind that perhaps wine before the race wasn't a fantastic idea. We sadly packed up our little kingdom and sauntered down to the settlement, where the marathon was well underway and excitement was at fever pitch. Especially in me.
M fussed and bought me drinks and was far more encouraging than I would have expected. The run itself was fantastic! I really struggled up that sneaky bastard of a hill, but even so, I managed to pick up speed towards the end, and there's a good chance that what I did over the finish line could be construed as a sprint. The were families running, mums with prams, tiny kids...it was all just gorgeous.
Then sweaty and tomato coloured, I ran with the guys to the train station and we did the gun and tunnels tour which blew me away. Our guide Eve was lovely, and I am shocked again and again, what an incredible corner of the world this is!
Despite not wanting to come home, I seemed to have boundless energy and did loads of washing, tidying putting away, putting bins out ...
As i was running back towards my waiting Norma, I let my mind drift back to GGS Cross Country meets. Jule's beautiful eccentric mum, with her long fur coats and tireless smiling encouragement: "Come on pet, not long to go now".
My smile was huge as I stretched in the car park and drove home, windows foggy from my overheating heart.
I attended my first site visit yesterday, in the gorgeous south west - Harvey and Yarloop way with a new colleague, PT. I did get the feeling I should have had a rifle slung over my shoulder when PT and I went for lunch at the same place M and I stop for breakfast after our various bambi adventures.
M was home before me, despite my best efforts to leave work on time. I asked him to go and pick up a cucumber and some cream, and on my way home I noticed him walking back from the shop so I picked him up. And he had bought me mangoes and avocadoes "because you don't eat enough fruit, Macska". I melted.
So that was Friday - then in the afternoon I met B and P in Freo and we got on the very VERY bumpy ride out to Rotto. Pete and I were okay, but Betty did not look good when we disembarked in the gathering dark.
We found our Jackson villa, and waited impatiently for our luggage and food to arrive. We weren't patient enough: B and I dahsed back to the settlement for Red Rooster, and of course, by the time we got back, all our stuff was there. Wrapped in blankets, the three of us sat outside to admire the moonshine over the water and to talk, and remember our great good luck in living in such a beautiful place. It certainly was beautiful and we were all in bed by 9pm.
On Saturday morning I trotted to the settlement to see where the race would start, but it was all awash with garbage men and too much random activity so I headed off in the opposite direction instead, toward the Basin and then around the lakes. It was a half hour run so I'm guessing about 5kms. The only scary part came when a rampant and very much unexpected peacock leapt out of a garden from behind the fence.
Much luxurious stretching followed, and then I made coffee and bought fresh bread and made breakfast.
M and K arrived soon after and instead of going fishing, as we really should have done, we went to the bottle shop instead. Back at the house we laid out a huge feast with cheese and salads and crackers and sausage. It was a wonderful atmosphere.
Later in the afternoon there was some fishing, where I managed to incur a good deep gash on my foot, perfect, in preparation for the run.
And all of a sudden it was time for dinner, with wedges and pasta salad and fish and other salads. Oh Betty's tabbuleh...divine!! We fell into bed reasonably early, but upon waking, the thought did cross my mind that perhaps wine before the race wasn't a fantastic idea. We sadly packed up our little kingdom and sauntered down to the settlement, where the marathon was well underway and excitement was at fever pitch. Especially in me.
M fussed and bought me drinks and was far more encouraging than I would have expected. The run itself was fantastic! I really struggled up that sneaky bastard of a hill, but even so, I managed to pick up speed towards the end, and there's a good chance that what I did over the finish line could be construed as a sprint. The were families running, mums with prams, tiny kids...it was all just gorgeous.
Then sweaty and tomato coloured, I ran with the guys to the train station and we did the gun and tunnels tour which blew me away. Our guide Eve was lovely, and I am shocked again and again, what an incredible corner of the world this is!
Despite not wanting to come home, I seemed to have boundless energy and did loads of washing, tidying putting away, putting bins out ...
posted by BanAnna at 10/28/2010 07:41:00 pm
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