Exercise

Sunday Musings In Late April

~ beetleypete ~ 54 Comments

Weather-wise, we were quite lucky this week with not too much rain. Although we had a few cold days, and near-freezing overnight, the sun has been out, the birds singing their heads off, and it does feel like we might finally be able to enjoy the outdoors soon.

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I bought Julie a new stand-mixer to replace the old hand one that she had been using, and she responded by making some tasty bread. She has rediscovered her love for baking during the past year, and now enjoys her days off work by spending more time in the kitchen.

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Our grandson has been staying for the weekend. He is very bright, and already knows a lot about many things, especially ancient history and astronomy. But he still prefers to spend the majority of his time on a tablet or laptop, playing computer games. Julie gave him some of her crystals, and let him read her book about them. That caught his imagination, and now he hopes to start a collection. We took him out to eat at a ‘family’ pub/restaurant last night, and he made friends with a girl his own age while they were playing outside. He made me smile when he came back inside by saying “She has younger siblings”. He’s only nine, and sounded so grown up.

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Other than that, I have stuck to my usual weekly routine. Still going out on what would have been long dog-walks if Ollie was here, and keeping my daily exercise going. I am looking forward to warmer days and venturing further afield.

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It is only 7C (45F) here today, and despite the sunshine, there is a cold north wind. I hope the weather is better where you are and that you have the perfect Sunday for you.

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10,000 Steps

~ beetleypete ~ 79 Comments

Have you ever wondered why this seems to have become some kind of world-wide target to achieve every day? I have. Why not 12,000, or even 5,000? When my wife used to use a Fitbit watch, it made a noise and showed a picture of a rocket taking off when she reached 10,000 steps.

I have never counted steps. I work out my routine the old way. (Or at least I thought it was the old way)

My walking pace when out with Ollie is around three miles per hour. On harder ground this may increase slightly, and will surely decrease when walking in deep mud, or flooded fields. So if I am out walking for two hours, and I don’t sit down or stand still chatting for any length of time, I have walked around six miles. If I am out for as long as five hours in good weather, then that could be as much as twelve miles, allowing for short rests, or pausing to take photos.

Bur four hours in good weather is more usual, so let’s say ten miles a day in those conditions.

Assuming bad weather for almost nine months of every year, I walk for two hours each day. That’s six miles a day, seven days a week. So forty-two miles a week, in bad weather. Perhaps seventy miles a week when there is no rain or mud.

I don’t think I need to count steps.

But if you do, then here is an interesting short article about why 10,000 steps has become the ‘magic number’, and why you may not need to walk that many anyway.
https://theconversation.com/do-we-really-need-to-walk-10-000-steps-a-day-153765?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB

Ollie’s Sad/Happy walk

~ beetleypete ~ 53 Comments

I took Ollie out earlier today, hoping to take advantage of the sunshine while it lasted. With full darkness by around 4 pm now, it makes sense to be out long before that.

It was a crisp and cold day, with bright sunshine that was uncomfortable to look into. It had also stirred up some insects, and four bites on my head later, I was beginning to regret my decision.

Ollie wasn’t too happy either, as there was nobody else around. With no other dogs to greet and sniff, he had to resort to sniffing anything left behind by the early-morning dogs, those taken out before their owners leave for work. It was sad to see him looking decidedly fed up after almost an hour of us being the only two on the usual route.

He was staring along the path that leads to each of the three entrances, his concentration intent, no doubt hoping to spot a canine pal arriving. But to no avail. As we headed home, he plodded along reluctantly behind me, making me feel extra guilty for leaving home forty-five minutes earlier that usual.

Suddenly, his head shot up, and he started into the distance. I looked in that direction, and could see a dog running for a ball a long way off. Ollie wasn’t waiting for permission, and took off like a rocket. When I finally caught up with him, I saw he was wth our next door neighbour, and her dog Henry. She was accompanied by a friend with a small Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and both dogs were chasing balls as if their lives depended on it.

Although Ollie has no interest in the balls, he ran alongside each dog as they chased them, and kept that up for at least fifteen minutes. Then a lady arrived with a large white Retriever that Ollie loves, and he scooted off to see that big dog, yelping with delight.

I felt vindicated. His sad walk had turned into a happy one, and he got some great exercise into the bargain.

Enriching Ollie’s Walks

~ beetleypete ~ 43 Comments

At this time of year when so many people are on holiday, it is not so easy for Ollie to come across many of his regular doggy pals when we are out walking. So it is up to me to try to do something to make his long walks in the heat more enjoyable.

One word he learned a long time ago is ‘Hiding’. He usually checks out regular spots where he has seen cats or squirrels in the past, and when he is upset that they are not there, I generally say that they are ‘hiding’. I adopt a hushed tone when saying the word, and imply that he might have to find them. This makes him rush around looking for whatever he was expecting to find.

This not only gives him more exercise, it also provides him with some sense of purpose to his walks, besides sniffing and marking.

The recent hot and humid weather has made Ollie reluctant to do much. He has been lagging behind me, and spending too much time just standing in the river. So when we got over onto Hoe Rough today, I took him to the spot where he had last seen a deer, and pointed into the undergrowth. I hissed ‘hiding’, and off he went, understanding completely what I was on about. For a good fifteen minutes, he scanned up and down looking for the non-existent hiding animals.

When he returned looking hot and bothered, I let him go down into the river, to cool off.

The things we do for our pets…

Ten tips for Retirement

~ beetleypete ~ 14 Comments

My thoughts on retirement in 2012, not long after I stopped working. They are still valid, seven years later.

beetleypete

I have been retired from work since March, so I would like to pass on this advice for others who are due to retire soon, or considering retirement at some stage in the near future. After nearly six months, I am no expert on the subject, I am really just passing on observations based on my own experience.

Walk about a lot. When you are still working, whether you realise it or not, you do walk around for a lot of the day. So, avoid sitting for too long, wander aimlessly from room to room if need be, or get outside for a stroll, if the weather is good. If this doesn’t work, then get a dog, and you will have no option.

Expect to use more toilet paper, and shop accordingly. You will not be using the facilities at work ever again, and you will be shocked at how…

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Irresolutions

~ beetleypete ~ 28 Comments

I know, it’s a made-up word. Don’t worry, it was intentional.

This is the time of year when many people decide to face the coming twelve months with firm resolutions. They can be the usual things, losing weight, quitting smoking, or doing more exercise. They might also be more serious; falling in love, getting married, finding a new job, leaving an old job, or going off to university in September.

Statistics would have us believe that this is the peak time for the signing of new gym memberships. Clubs and hobby associations also enjoy a lot of seasonal activity, as well as dance classes, yoga schools, and Pilates groups. Weight Watchers and other similar organisations can anticipate a flurry of new members every year at this time too. Suppliers of cycles, exercise machines, new gym clothes, lifting weights, and running shoes can all expect to see an increase in sales.

“Do you make resolutions, Pete?” (I hear you ask) The answer is a firm no. I have discovered that nothing will make me want to do something more, than having pledged to myself not to do it. And nothing will make me want to do something less, than having agreed to do it on a strict regular basis. In the past, good resolutions have lasted for periods from as short as a few hours, to less than a month. Once the failure is apparent, it is followed by a sense of guilt and frustration that makes everything worse than it was before I gave up whatever it was, or decided to do whatever I didn’t do.

Let’s face it, January is a bad time to stop doing anything. Bad weather and dark evenings make outdoor activities unappealing, at best. Trying to cut down on food when it is cold and bleak outside is just not going to happen. The same applies to hardened smokers, hoping to give up. The party season has filled them full of nicotine, then they have to go back to work after a long break, coping once more with commuting. Traffic affected by weather, trains cancelled, and the prospect of another year at a job they would probably sooner not be doing. The worst possible time to try to stop, surely?

Deciding to do something, whatever it is, telling everyone that you are going to do it, hyping yourself up to get on with doing it, and then not doing it at all. This is not good for your well-being, self-esteem, or peace of mind. Yet year after year, as long as I can remember, so many people do just that, every January. Maybe we should change the socially-accepted date for this to sometime around the end of July. It is usually nicer to be outside, the brighter weather makes everyone feel happier and more positive, and summer salad foods are in abundance. January was never going to work, was it?

Instead of resolutions, I have ‘might dos.’

I might clear out the garage in 2016. I might finally get around to planting some nice flowers and colourful shrubs in the garden. I might wash the car more than once a year, and I might just clean the windows more often than I do. I might get to see more of Norfolk, taking Ollie further afield on a regular basis. I might decide to stop volunteering at the windmill, if visitor numbers stay in single figures. I might decide not to post so much on this blog. I might take a lot more photographs this year, (weather permitting) and even learn how to use Photoshop Elements. I might write more fictional stories. If and when we have a decent summer, I might walk for much longer with Ollie, extend to four hours instead of 2-3. That would help me lose more weight.

That seems like a lot of might dos, I know.

Of course, there is always the chance that I might not do any of them.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL. MY VERY BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY 2016. PETE.

Three today!

~ beetleypete ~ 21 Comments

Every year, I like to post a tribute to our dog, Ollie. This one is similar to the others, but if you are new to this blog, you may not have seen them before.

Today is Ollie’s birthday. He is three years old, or twenty-one if you agree that one year for a dog is equivalent to seven years in a human life. Not that he knows it’s his birthday of course, he is fast asleep as usual, on his cosy bed in the kitchen. Julie had to go into Norwich for a meeting today, so Ollie will probably get a present or two tomorrow. Perhaps a new fluffy toy, and a special treat.

The three years have passed quickly, since he was a wrinkly pup with needle-sharp teeth. He has grown into a muscly young dog, yet retained the sweet nature and friendly disposition, that makes him so endearing. His three short years have not been without problems for him. Eye operations, tail operations, skin problems, and ear infections, have all plagued his youth. He has endured it all without complaint though, and remains as a source of great joy and comfort to us, an integral part of family life here in Beetley.

He has made many friends, and grown up with other dogs of the same age. He never chewed or destroyed, and would never think of stealing food, or begging for treats unduly. He rarely jumps up, and only barks when he hears something out of the ordinary. He can be left for hours without complaint, or alternatively travel long distances in the car, happy to be included. I know we are naturally biased, but he really is an excellent dog, and a joy to own.

Because of Ollie, I get out for exercise every day, in all weathers. I have met new people, and been to places that I might otherwise never have discovered. He asks for little; save for our company, one meal a day, and his excursions around the area. He is happy to see anyone, and is always sure to welcome guests and callers. Just seeing him wag his curly tail can lighten your mood, and make your day. He gives me his undying loyalty, constant attention, and a sense of caring for him. There is nothing selfish about him, all he wants is to be loved.

Happy Birthday Ollie. Thanks for being a great dog, and a true friend.

Birthday Boy

~ beetleypete ~ 6 Comments

We have a birthday in the house today. Ollie the dog is one year old. Julie has celebrated the event in traditional style, getting him a card, and two new soft toys. He also has extra treats, for when she comes home from work tonight. The year has gone surprisingly quickly, yet in many ways, he does not seem to have grown up that much. He has lost a lot of his characteristic wrinkles, filling them out with a barrel chest, and now has firm muscles in his legs. He is finally tall enough to see over the coffee table, and his bed has reached optimum occupancy size. Yet his nature remains the same, friendly and not remotely troublesome, nondestructive, and happy to be anywhere that I am.

I had not wanted to get a dog in 2012. I thought that moving here, adjusting to country life, and being retired, would all be enough to cope with, without the trials of owning a puppy. I reasoned that it would tie me to the house too much, and make it difficult to go out, or to stay overnight anywhere. I thought it best to wait a year, until about now in fact, then decide if we still wanted, or needed, a dog. That did not happen, and we got Ollie last March. Not having had a dog since the late 1970’s, I was full of doubts, about how I would cope, and whether or not it would behave, or just be a burden. I need not have worried, as we were lucky for a change. We got a good one, a happy little puppy, who quickly adapted to our slow pace of life, and became a fixture in our home. It would now feel strange if he was gone, and would make our lives less complete.

There have been some incidents, though nothing major. We can say goodbye to our lawn, which is now a fetching brown and green camouflage pattern, thanks to his peeing. There was some digging of holes as well, soon discouraged, and hopefully a thing of the past. The muddy paws are a trial in the long wet winter, as is his habit of jumping into the nearby river, so coming home soaked and dirty, every day. Sometimes he smells, like a damp carpet in an old outhouse, or worse. His farts can clear a room, and they are always on ‘silent approach’, like some unexpected gas attack, drifting over Flanders trenches. Keeping him off the furniture has been a good idea too, as the nails on his paws are long and sharp, and could probably be utilised as tin openers, if I could get the angle right. And there is the slobbering. Like a small-scale version of the dog ‘Hooch’, from the film ‘Turner and Hooch’, he will shake his head violently, and any wall or door nearby will be spattered. When he has just eaten, or he has been running around, a large bundle of white foam appears around his jowls, and he looks like a customer in a barber’s, waiting to be shaved. His snores can rattle a connecting wall, and he never so much as naps without snoring.

Despite all this, almost everything about him is a positive. The exercise that I get because we have him, the enjoyment derived from playing with him and his toys, or chasing him around the garden with a watering can, this would not exist otherwise. His unswerving loyalty, his desire for our company, and the way he just loves his daily routine; it all gives me a sense of caring for something other than myself or Julie. And in return, I receive devotion, love, and an unmatched sense of well-being.

So, Happy Birthday Ollie. We have a lot more adventures to come, little friend.

Trouble sleeping

~ beetleypete ~ Leave a comment

I have had some trouble sleeping lately. You know the pattern, go to bed tired, things on your mind, ideas playing in your head like old VHS tapes on a loop. First you are too hot, so you throw off some covers, then you are very quickly too cold, so you tuck up again. Fifteen minutes later, and it all starts again. The seam in that pillow is very irritating, so you try turning over the other way. Trouble is, you are now facing your wife, and you are blowing in each others faces. The smallest sounds are amplified in your head, and pretty soon, some rustling leaves will start to sound like waves crashing onto a rocky Cornish beach.

Minutes pass like hours, and the darkness in the bedroom starts to fade, as you begin to see more clearly in the gloom. The screwed-up pillow forces scars into your sagging jowls, and even on memory foam, you start to be aware of your own weight, pressing down onto the mattress. How many times can you change sides in an hour? You even begin to count that. Try to think of something to concentrate your mind, anything to drive away the cacophony of voices and sounds in your head. Memories that you thought long filed away, rush back into your mind, whooshing in like the breaking news on Sky.

What is causing this? I have a long list of suspects. Too much blogging perhaps. Revising posts in your thoughts, thinking about new ones, bits missed out, things that you meant to write, then forgot to type. Insufficient physical exercise may be the cause. Two hours dog-walking at a reasonable pace may seem OK at my age, though it is patently not enough to wear me out. Failing to adjust to the quiet? It is a possibility, as the extreme quiet here, though very welcome, can almost be a sound in itself, as I have mentioned before. I have tried warm drinks, staying up ridiculously late, until I feel exhausted; yet as soon as I crawl into bed, I am wide awake. I am resisting the chemical route. I think it would be all too easy to become dependent on sleeping tablets, and they have a tendency to make me groggy the next day.

What’s the answer? I don’t know. Maybe I should try going to bed earlier, then at least when I do finally drop off, it will be at a more reasonable time. Getting up earlier might help, then at least in theory, I should be more tired by ‘bedtime’. Insomnia is not much fun though; there is too much to do during the day, and I am just not getting it done.