"Blue Monday"

Evidently the 19th January is known as "Blue Monday" in England because of the people prone to depression and generally feeling miserable on this day due to the weather-post Christmas bank balances-failed new year resolutions and the dark and dismal days.

While not exactly feeling "Blue" we did miss our training walk this morning,the first time for months,due in part to joining the Norfolk Ramblers on a 9 1/2 mile walk on Sunday across various muddy fields ( The map clearly states there is a footpath!!!).

It was interesting to be walking in a group and gave us an insight into not only what a busy Camino would be like but how uneven ground can play havoc with ones knees.

So having spent most of today washing cloths-cleaning boots resting up and trying out ibuprofen gel, and also realising that just two weeks to go before we fly to Santiago and start our weeks walk on the "Camino Inglis". Lets hope the footpaths are more defined than Norfolk.

On the subject of Santiago it was nice to catch up with our own Saint James while visiting the midlands and son number one and his wife Katie
Its nice to see the family ears continuing down the years.

"Rip It Up and Start Again"

New year new start.

couldn't resist putting up a blog on the first day of the new year, there's something about the first day of a new year that has always stirred me, out with the old in with the new,draw a line under whats gone the slate is clean and a fresh start for all.

When I was younger I would have settled for reaching the year 2000,lots of my contemporaries didn't and I felt blessed to reach a goal that was denied so many of my friends

Now here we are a further 9 years down the road, how did that happen? were did they go? who's the old chap I see in the mirror each morning?

So out me and Rosie strode into this new beginning, by doing the same walk we have done for the last 3 months, the day a lot darker colder and quieter than the ones before.

The remnants of new year celebrations where evident all around-broken bottles-spent fireworks -fast food packaging and also fast food deposits were skirted round.

Part of our walk crosses a large stream,part of Norfolk's drainage system, an isolated very cold damp and misty place at 6-30 in the morning, halfway across the bridge there was what looked at first to be a bundle of clothes or an animal but as we got nearer was clearly human and lifeless.

I'm ashamed to say my first thoughts were to hurry past,but Rosie reminded me of a young man who had died locally a couple of years ago of hypothermia not half a mile from our house having fallen asleep in a field on his way home from a Christmas party.

So we turned back and woke up what turned out to be a very cold teenage boy who had fallen asleep while trying to find his way home.

Any teenage boy brings out the mother in Rosie so she crouched by his side making sure he was fine before continuing with our walk.

Rosie was happy as was I that we had checked he was OK, but she was even happier that she had been able to crouch down with full pack for quite a while with no ill affects.

Which to our minds means we are ready for our February adventure,so next, a week of double training followed by a week of light followed by a few days rest,and then Viva Espania.

A great way to start a New Year.

p.s. Just looked at a blown up version of our photo-(memo to oneself don,t take early morning pics after New Year partying)

New year resolution-take more water with the drink.----Happy New Year xxx