Monday 9 January 2012

Planning update

Why? To let you know I’m still here, but not much has been going on!

Not much walking was done over the Festive break, partly due to the weather being slightly grim and partly due to the family of frogs that have moved in since my slight cold. (I’ve learnt through bitter experience that if not enough rest is taken during a cold, the resulting illness lasts much longer to recover from!). We had hoped to take a stroll up Bynack More on New Years Eve, but I muttered concerns over the high winds forecast and my frogs and the walk was cancelled before we even set foot out of the door. I then sulked for a couple of days. Very constructive.

So, not having done much for nearly two weeks, I’m taking it gently. I’ll be doing my daily, short, brisk walk for a week or so, gradually adding in the odd slightly longer but equally gentle (boring) walk until the end of the month, by which time I should be fit enough for something more strenuous. David will be home for a weekend soon and if the forecast is good, we’ll make an early start and head out into the hills, somewhere.

The planning? Well, accommodations for the start and finish of the TGO are booked. I’ve also booked a couple of nights in hostels, just for that hint of comfort. All the food and meals that I intend to buy in advance are listed and sourced, although not bought. I don’t really need anymore gear now (need?), especially as a very kind Santa gave me the overmitts I had my eye on for Christmas, extremities Tuff Bag. I may, however, invest in a new dry bag for my beautiful sleeping bag. I’ve even printed off my route, which is perhaps a shade keen. All that’s left is to book the campsite which opens at Easter, contact a friendly steading and book my train tickets and send off one or two parcels. OCD has a lot to answer for.

So does not having gainful employment…

SDC10468View from Sgor Gaoith

7 comments:

Andrew W said...

(I’ve learnt through bitter experience that if not enough rest is taken during a cold, the resulting illness lasts much longer to recover from!).

Now you tell me!

See my blog update arriving later tonight!

Frogs, Toads, a veritable entourage of reptilian viral overload!

Gayle said...

Alas, just as I should be winding down my employment and getting into a frenzy of planning, cooking and dehydrating, I find myself upping my work hours and finding no time for my planning obsessions. Really must get some more spreadsheets started or there will be much stress come April!

(word: forts. I like forts!)

Carl Mynott @GBWildlifeTales said...

T.G.O.C.D is catching - must be a computer virus!

Mind you - I have only booked my start accommodation as costs have to be kept to a minimum for me. Besides, I'm not off the standby list yet.

Guess I should book some digs for the finish though eh?

I only wish I could go for a stroll up Bynack More - my nearest trig point is at 120-something metres! Suppose I could do it 9 times. ;-)

Louise said...

Andrew, I'll come back to that.

Gayle, you can't beat a good list or spreadsheet, it's heaven! The comfort, the pleasure. The control. Oh yes, I've earned TTS's nickname well, Schindler... It does make you feel more on top of things, until it actually comes to the time to pack!

Carl, I'd recommend booking something for the finish if you really want it (I like a bit of comfort at the end and I have a great roomy for company!) but there are a lot of folk that use the campsite and are happy with it. Each to there own, I feel I'll have seen enough of the inside of my tent (Bill) by the end and it's nice to just pad upstairs to a cosy bed after a bit of socialising.

I am incredibly lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world with hills so close, and just a little smug!

Louise said...

Andrew

Hmm, sympathy is hard to give when it's partly self-inflicted. Well, the making it worse bit, not the original infection, obviously.

I discovered in my early twenties, (when relatively newly diagnosed asthmatic) that carrying on regardless and continuing to horse ride when suffering a heavy cold can result in seriously scarey chest infection. Half a ton of antibiotics and steroids seemed to help, eventually, but in the meantime I damaged an intercostal muscle during repeated strenuous bouts of coughing which in turn became infected. It still goes into spasm if I laugh too much. Ouch!

No, it's okay, no need to get the violins out ;-)

Laura said...

Hi Louise - Sorry to hear you've had the coughing thing too - fortunately mine's gone now and it's a good thing we never did get together for a walk pre-Christmas or we'd have been blaming each other for the virus!
On a slightly different topic - I know how that sulking thing goes - I'm having one today after HI announced it was too cold, light too flat, too bumpy and we should leave the skiing and come home! Humph! I was having a good time.....(word is 'niste' - sounds very appropriate for how I feel).

Louise said...

Hmm, everlasting grumpiness here at the moment. Managed to majorly upset teenage son yesterday...

Roll on May.