The FastDay Forum

I went on my first walk today with the Easy Strollers. At least the route was flat, two hours walking with a few short breaks so we could all group up - surprising how spread out we got in such a short time! This group meets weekly so I hope to join them on a regular basis - unless it is too hilly!

Only managed 5k steps today - the perils of working from home - my only trip outside was a quick walk to tesco this evening - although it is riverside, so a lovely walk.

Trying to work out how to get a lot more steps in tomorrow - I'm in the office, so hoping its dry at lunchtime.

Oooh @Westlondonchick I spent many a happy childhood day sitting on the "beach" at Ruislip Lido. It was the highlight of our summer hols

Today's walk was down the canal path, dog was happy with her morning swim. She's funny to watch as she takes off down the canal, I do have to make sure there are no boats about, but a couple of kayakers had a shock as a collie came paddling towards them!
Lots of wildflowers about, reminds me to get my walking book out, can't remember what it's called but it has all the usual flowers, birds, trees etc that I never know the name of, unless of course I have my book with me. It has a great poo identifier section. Yes, I have had various poo walks with Min!!
Today's highlight was watching one set of swans lovingly take care of their eggs.
Low point - can you believe it, there is another pair of nesting swans who had 8 eggs and i was going to have a nose until im told by another walking local someone came and stole them (the eggs, not the swans) overnight.

@minsmum That's absolutely dreadful some of today's young are morons I reckon, funnily enough I saw some rabbit poo today Lol maybe even badger but don't know what I'm looking for.

@justdee sorry your curry wasn't up to scratch next time try the cauliflower rice with the curry it's quite nice and I've found the courgette spaghetti really good that coming from a veg hating person is in itself an amazing admission.
I played safe tonight and had Cajun chicken breast with salad OH gave me 4 chips one glass of red wine so not a total disaster but not a true fastday just a good day.

Tell me about it @Sue.Q apparently the Police have been out and it's being investigated. Big business ,apparently, theft and the sale of wild bird eggs!! Or maybe a large omelette! Bleugh!

As for your unidentified poo, I could send you pictures so you could compare!!!!!

@Sue.Q I've tried the cauliflower rice before and it was ok but not something I think I'll have again, I will try the courgette spaghetti but the first time will be on a normal day so I can have something else if I want. I might start growing courgettes so hope I like it.

@minsmum That's really sad. This evening my daughter was playing out and found a lizard. She loves picking them up and has always been so caring to any living thing. The girls she was with asked if they could hold it and then killed it in front of her. Daughter was really upset and came home, they followed her home and were shouting and laughing outside the house saying they had killed it. It shocked me that little girls could be so horrid. Poor little lizard. Daughter is now blaming herself for showing it to them. sad sad sad

@Justdee that's just wicked, horrid little sh&ts!!
First sign of a future serial killer....start with small animals. Let's hope karma comes around in the shape of a big biting lizard!

Horrified by both the swan egg story and the lizard story. Something is seriously wrong! Doesn't the Queen own all the swans in England? She would be very displeased to hear about this! I love this tent! I am still sitting on the couch in my dressing gown - appalling I hear you say - but I am about to go out on my walk, really! i love the internationalism of the tent and reading about 'wild flowers' like bluebells and wood anemones - all these are garden plants here, or possibly weeds - and foxes and badgers. Even city walks are exotic to me. Industrial areas have their odd kind of beauty. [tag]Lizbean[/tag, i used to do regular walking when I was a more regular worker. I would park the car half an hour away from work and walk to work, and then I'd have to walk back to the car at the end of the day, even though I was tired and wished i didn't have to. I always felt better by the time I got to the car. You could get off the bus, for example, a few stops before your work place and walk? So you get out there, girl!

Back from my walk.

I walked the eastern side of the Forth valley, up the hill opposite our house: through the village, past the shop, past the pub, past the cafe, and then off the main road and past paddocks. Views of Bass Strait, the Forth River snaking its way through vegetable paddocks and wetlands to the sea. hills, green and chocolate brown.

Autumn trees: poplars - the tall skinny ones and also the more spready ones, on the oval. golden elms and English elms - growing like weeds around the cottage of the original settler, beautiful Japanese maples, an American pin oak.

Birds: domestic chooks, hens and roosters and pullets, various breeds, domestic mallard ducks. Native birds: black cockatoos, masked lapwing, green rosella and others which were too fast and too high up in the gum trees to identify.

Sheep, marinos,(I assume) and the ones with black faces, (dorpers?) black Angus cattle.

In gardens, there were late belladonna lilies, hippeastrums, late roses.

I picked catoniasta berries, some for my house and some to take to my mum in the nursing home. At the post office I picked up a parcel which was my new 98% Italian woollen Sportscraft pants and a light woollen long sleeved t-shirt. (My new winter wardrobe. )

Now home. I have decided to spend my day organising the house because it is such a mess after we've been away. First job: deal with baskets of tomatoes which will go to waste unless I process them somehow today.

Have made my 10,000 steps target today...had an appointment in Brisbane city...and instead of catching bus home in the city...I walked across the bridge over the Brisbane river and then through Southbank Parklands before catching bus home...it was a beautiful walk in the sunshine.

Just catching up with all your posts –

The stories of the stolen swans’ eggs and the evil girls who killed the lizard were so sad to read – why are some humans so cruel and nasty. @Justdee – I am so sorry that your daughter had to witness / experience that.

Well done to all the walkers – it’s great to have this tent for support and encouragement.

@Sue.Q – your meal out with OH sounded delicious – great will-power (I would have had a whole portion of chips to myself!)

@Minsmum – the manmade beach is still there at the lido along with climbing frames, swings etc for the kids. As well as the pub / carvery, there is now also an Italian café / coffee shop on the other side of the lido which does lovely cakes . I’ve just noticed you live in Hertfordshire so not too far away from Ruislip. My DH works in Hertfordshire in Kings Langley / Hemel Hempstead.

I did my second walk yesterday evening (30 mins) but today it looks like the rain might be set in for the day so might give it a miss as I don’t want to get ill for the weekend – DH is taking me away to a village i(Nailsworth) n the Cotswolds (near Gloucester) for our wedding anniversary. Am hoping to do loads of walking whilst I am there to look at the beautiful scenery.

Hope you are all okay and having a good day / evening

Sounds like a lovely walk @sallyo with lots to see. Well done on getting your walk in last night @westlondonchick and have a great weekend/happy anniversary the Cotswolds sound lovely.
I wasn't going to go for a walk today because I'll be working in the garden later but I actually want to go, I feel so much better and have so much more energy after a walk. I've got a bit of housework to do first but may go if I still feel like it after that. Have a nice day everyone

Glad to know things haven't changed too much over the years @Westlondonchick. Is the miniature railway still about, I doubt it as we are talking more than a few years!
No doubt I walk past your DH on my walks as I live in Kings
Bit of a miserable day for a walk today but will do my bit with the dog later.

Enjoy your walks everyone x

Hi @Minsmum

That's a coincidence - what a small world that you live where my DH works! And yes, the mini railway is still running strong - those volunteers do a fantastic job

Thanks @justdee - I'm really looking forward to it