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COBWEBS BLOWN (Episode 99)

COBWEBS BLOWN

 


 

This morning the air brings the faint smell of wood smoke and whispers Autumn.

 

Alt text says this week’s photo is two women taking a selfie. I say it is me and Kath having a seaside stroll on the last day of August. One of us paddled and we both had chocolate ice-cream. A quick jaunt to blow away the cobwebs which is our way of saying let’s be us and make sure our souls are shiny.

 

During the week I had a couple of walks to stretch myself. First, I made sure I could walk up Moel Famau without stopping, and on a different day I went for the kind of walk that needed to last for three hours and include some hills so that I could test out my stamina levels. Kath had bought me new socks for the occasion, and I wore my fully loaded rucksack and took two peppermint creams in my pocket. I enjoyed making up my route as I went along and am looking forward to seeing how well it has prepared me for walking up Snowdon for sunrise. I think I will take another snack to accompany my peppermint creams and am also predicting that my legs will ache the following day!

 

I have taken a glance backwards this week to see where I have come from to get to this point. So many years of September marking the start of a new year makes this the kind of habit that is ingrained for me, and I do like the freshness of any kind of new beginning. I can see I have been determined to improve my fitness, and I love the way I have heard continued echoes of self-encouragement as well as wonderfully wise words from friends and family. I have definitely improved my ability to work within a stretch zone instead of a comfort zone, and I can see how I can make even more of this going forward.

There is something spangly about this being episode 99 of this particular blogging where each Monday sees me recording what the air smells like, and I love the fact I can clearly remember some of the scents without even rereading the entries. A webinar with Ruby Wax this week (and I am still kicking myself that I didn’t speak to her when I saw her walking the same road as me in Chester) made some interesting points about mindfulness. For me the anchoring of my sense of smell and the rhythmic nature of walking are my favourite ways of being in the moment. They suit me and do me good.

My new relationship with Monday mornings began two years ago when I made the promise to myself to get up early each Monday and see what the world smelt like wherever I was. It came about because I knew I wouldn’t be driving to work each morning and therefore my morning tweets would disappear. It was also enhanced by my noticing that the air smelt of raw meringue one day when I was out walking in the rain.

Next week to mark episode 100 I would love you to join me in recording what the air smells like where you are and if you think you might forget and want to take a deep in breath through your nose today instead then feel free to send me your observations.

I note that the first poem that was included in this blog was the following and I include it again now for old times sake and because there was an Autumn spider in the hallway the other night. I wouldn’t have even noticed the creature if my walking app hadn’t said I needed another 232 steps to reach my target and I decided to walk up and down to achieve them!

This Was Once a Good Poem

 

but it has eaten cheese and pickle rolls for a week now

and it can’t work out why the vitamins aren’t working.

It rocks in the chair until its eyes are too tired to see

and has scared itself with thoughts of Autumn spiders

under glasses in the hallway.

It is wondering if it is true that conkers in corners

keep arachnids at bay

and is now standing in the dark

sniffing last year’s horse chestnuts

desperate to find their scent.

 

Originally published by Ink, Sweat and Tears

 

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