I would walk 500 miles…

But now I only need to walk 400 more to be the person who walked 1000 miles to be there at your door…BECAUSE I’VE ALREADY WALKED 100 MILES THIS YEAR!

This is 100 miles of “intentional walking” – that is not miles walked as I go about my daily business, but either when I “go out for a walk” or when I go into the chilly attic to “do a Leslie” (follow a walking video) I can’t quite believe that old Lazy Bones Fat Dormouse has been walking practically every day since 1st January – and enjoying it! I did a 3.3 mile walk today – and Mr FD wants to take me on an 8 miler at the weekend. I’m a little nervous about whether I’ll manage it, but if I don’t try I’ll never know. (Who is this Fat Dormouse, and what have you done with the real Fat Dormouse?!)

Fat Dormouse: in its natural state.

Today I watched my Map my Walk app tick over to the appropriate figure and I took this photo of the path ahead of me!

And here’s my counter, which is up on my study wall, reminding me every day what I’m doing.

It’s nice to have a dog to walk – I sometimes take Marvin, Friend Alison’s dog – but I’d like one of my own. Mr FD disagrees.

But I don’t think the cats will come out with me!

Transfiguration

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”  (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”

Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

TRANSFIGURATION by Malcolm Guite

For that one moment, ‘in and out of time’,
On that one mountain where all moments meet,
The daily veil that covers the sublime
In darkling glass fell dazzled at his feet.
There were no angels full of eyes and wings
Just living glory full of truth and grace.
The Love that dances at the heart of things
Shone out upon us from a human face
And to that light the light in us leaped up,
We felt it quicken somewhere deep within,
A sudden blaze of long-extinguished hope
Trembled and tingled through the tender skin.
Nor can this blackened sky, this darkened scar
Eclipse that glimpse of how things really are.

Unbridled Love

A few months ago I shared a few poems from a book my brother sent me, called “I could pee on this, and other poems by cats”

They were well received, and lacking anything else erudite to say, I thought I’d share a few more.

UNBRIDLED LOVE

I knead your chest with my sharp claws To show you my affection

I bite your arm and don’t let go To show you adoration

I walk across your throat at night Because I want to say “Hello”

I leap from high upon you crotch Because I miss you so.

I trip you when you walk downstairs So you know I’m always near,

I sit on your face and block all your air So my absence you need not fear.

I show my love in so many ways, My devotion runneth over:

So I don’t know why when I approach You duck and run for cover.

I RUN

I run across the room

I race across the floor

I dash to this wall

I thought I saw something

I forgot what it was.

Now everyone is staring at me

So I run back across the room

I race back across the floor

I dash back to that other wall

So everyone will think

I’m just running laps

The doctor won’t see you now!

D’oh!

Yesterday I had to cancel normal Monday lessons because I had a doctor’s appointment written in my diary. It’s just the annual check up with the oncologist, so nothing to worry about, especially as my mammogram & ultrasound were both clear.

I arrived early because in France you have to go through the general admissions area first: they take your details, check you in, make sure your health insurance is up to date etc. Then you are sent up to the correct department. So I did the right thing, gelling my hands at every opportunity, and having a nice little conversation with the admissions lady, who complimented my French.

I was about 20 minutes early for my appointment, but I didn’t mind; I had my book to read. So I went to the oncology department, said I had an appointment, the lady said hello, and told me to wait in the corridor. So I did. I read my book, watched the people going back and forwards, checked who was my doctor (they wear name badges – this was a new doctor as my previous one had moved on to pastures new) I have to say, he looks about 16, but there you go. It’s a sign of age when the oncologists look younger!

The time for my appointment passed, but there did seem to be some kind of emergency going on, so I wasn’t worried. Also, when I’d been in for treatment sometimes one had to wait for a long time. Someone arrived loking worried, and we chatted for a bit. I waited. When I’d been there for an hour, and the people who had arrived after me had been called in, I just thought I ought to check I’d not been forgotten.

“Oh,” said the receptionist, checking this time on her computer,”Your appointment is tomorrow, not today!”

Now…I made the appointment in person, not over the phone, and I don’t think I’m so stupid as to confuse “Lundi le huit fevrier” with “Mardi le neuf février“…(If it had been numbers higher up, like quatre vingt dix neuf then OK, but not eight and nine!) I also feel sure I would hzave repeated it to the receptionist. ALSO, when I went to admissions, they didn’t say “No, madam, you’re here the wrong day” – and I assume that part of their job is to check the appointments when you arrive…

I could have got stroppy, but thought there was no point. So I just laughed, apologised for being mistaken and left it at that. I knew too that I had to go down to Roanne another day this week to do the shopping, so I might as well do it today instead of the normal Wednesday. So I’ll be back this afternoon for my appointment with the 16 year old!

Slowly does it!

My adventures in slow cookery continue. After the soup disaster (which, to be fair, was rescued by dumping a tin of ratatouille into the soup!) I have improved.

I recently made a version of Smoky BBQ Pork Ribs – it’s hard to get pork ribs in France, but Lidl have been selling thick slices of pork belly. I got a pack at 30% off, so thought I’d try this recipe, which was in my Lakeland Slow Cooker recipe book. I started following the recipe, but then ended up doing what I thought might work – so there was a fair bit of sweet chilli sauce in, and less BBQ sauce. It got the thumbs up seal of approval from Mr FD. (otherwise known as a plate scraped clean!)

Yesterday I made a slightly Moroccan flavoured tagine of lamb. That also worked very well. On a family Zoom call, Mr FD’s brother (who is, in happier times, a chef, but is currently unemployed) suggested putting dates in. We only had dried apricots so I threw those in, which added to it, I think – the bit of sweetness (enhanced by a spoonful of honey) gave it an extra je ne sais quoi.

I’m trying to use it at least once a week. Most dishes have been reasonably successful, so I shall continue experimenting a little.

But I haven’t experimented with cooking cat yet!

Apocalypse Now?

We woke up on Saturday morning to a slightly odd yellowish sky – it did feel quite apocalyptic. (and what with floods, fire and all the other natural disasters around the world, I wouldn’t be surprised!) However, our slightly beige sky had nothing on those over Lyon and Grenoble

It was apparently because of the southerly winds blowing from Africa, and carrying quantities of sand from the Sahara up into France. It didn’t last very long, because it rained shortly after, thus clearing the sky of the sand that was being carried and dumping it instead on the cars that were parked!

Our car ended up with splots of sandy dirt all over it!