Lytham St. Annes

Last weekend I had another stir crazy moment - I needed to go to the sea! Do you ever get that way? I love the smell of that salty air and the sound of the crashing waves. It really is good for my soul, 

re-energising and sorting my head!!

Arriving late afternoon we had a short but exhilarating walk, admiring the amazing sunset and got really lucky as it turned out to be the Christmas light switch on with Christmas Carols and entertainment followed by a firework display. Lytham St. Annes is a small coastal town in Lancashire, around 26 miles away from home. It has a thriving town centre with lots of individual shops and at the Christmas light switch on the community spirit was palpable.

 Olly got fed up watching the entertainment in the town centre!!

 Fireworks!!

Fish and chips - has to be done, then home to catch up on X Factor!!

Thanks for visiting - 
hope you are having a nice week!
XX

A Perfect Autumn Day To Run (Not Me)

First trip out in the car on Sunday (since my op). I went along to a local beauty spot - Entwistle Reservoir. Absolutely perfect Autumn day, the colours so vivid against the clear blue skies and reflected on the water.

I often run here, it's beautiful, enhances my thinking and it's great because it's flat as oppose to walking out of my front door where the only way is up 'baaabbbyyy!'

I always incorporate hill sprint reps into my running as it improves strength and endurance and this is why I was here - Mr.L was doing his hill sprints and I was happy to go along; breath that fresh air deep into my lungs and read my book ;-) & take photographs of course!

Mr.L ran up and down here for half an hour - 150 steps - 1.5 miles in total! Madass!

So important to stretch and cool down properly - it means less injuries, muscles slowly cool down, not just STOP, your heart rate gradually slows down and it also helps flexibility.

Just look at those socks!! :-)

Can't wait to be back running. In the meantime I don't mind watching! I will be looking at booking on some races soon for next year to help to motivate and have something to aim for.

Hope you are having a lovely week!
XX

LaterBlog - Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Earlier this year I had a wonderful day with my Son and his girlfriend at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

A visual treat YSP is an open air gallery where you can spend hours exploring the 500 acres, breathing the fresh air, enjoying the countryside, stumbling upon and admiring the artwork all for the price of a carpark ticket. The environment and natural surroundings really enhance the artwork. 

There is a lovely cafe and gift shop, sadly we ran out of time to go in the shop (probably a good thing!) We were last off the car park despite arriving mid morning and it being an overcast day - we all felt there was so much more to see. A revisit is a must! :-)

We did however come away with the Grey Heron cider bottle below which we had enjoyed in the cafe - the labels are so cool and screen printed by Illustrator Tom Frost (have to go back to complete the collection ;-)

Nature at it's finest - these made you want to climb in and climb the tree!

Night & Day - beautiful mosaic - look at the trees beyond to give a sense of scale!

This was one of my absolute favourites; surreal, modern yet futuristic.....
Freedom to dance about semi-naked, liberating!

The Iron Tree by Ai Weiwei - difficult to capture the depth of colour - beautiful

Amazingly lifelike sculpture, so many tiny intricate details to take in, oblivious to us, ubiquitous mobile in hand....

Now these freak me out just a little, eeekkk human rabbits - or rabbit humans!!

Would love to buy a smaller version of this for Sebby :-) HUGE, such beautiful wood

If you are around Wakefield, Yorkshire or visiting Yorkshire YSP is a must see. I would go early, stay as late as you can, refresh in the cafe (reasonably priced) and bag a cider bottle to take home :-)

Whilst we were there we saw lots of families with young children admiring the artwork whilst being afforded the freedom to run in the fresh air - one for half term.....

Current exhibitions are Rob Ryan with his iconic paper cuts & prints (which I love) only until the 1st November and also a smaller scale of the Poppies from the Tower of London. I want to go - sadly it will have to wait and I shall miss both of these.

Many Thanks for dropping by!
Back Soon,
XX

Playing Catch Up

I have had sooooo much to do this week. Running around like a blue a**ed fly - or should that be buzzing? Working until 7 pm at night tieing up all loose ends, leaving work in as good a place as I can. Trying to do all the little things I have been trying to do for an age. The reason for this is that from Monday I will be unable to drive for 4 weeks as I have a hysterectomy, eeeekkkkk. No driving - how do you deal with that when you have been driving 30 years!!??

Sat here in the study, tapping on my keys, having spent a wonderful day with my best friend, I'm thinking, okay, now I have to think about me! I'm not worried, but I keep having panic attacks - is that the sort of thing you write here? Do you share that you are having a hysterectomy? Oh well, not sure!

Yesterday, once I had finished work, I picked up this little ray of sunshine and spent a glorious sunny afternoon at the park, relishing in the fact that I can pick him up, hug him tight and swing him around! ;-) Making the most of him. He cried for the first time when I took him out of the swing....

This afternoon I had a trip to Ramsbottom with my best friend. Ramsbottom is a small market town with a thriving shopping area full of bespoke shops, boutiques and deli's. Perfect for taking my mind off things. We had a tapas lunch in Levanter  & chatted ALL afternoon which is how we roll. I ask myself now - why do I never take photographs - Levanter has a photo worthy interior!

We visited the lovely Joanna at Earth Mother Soul Sister  which has the most wonderful interior and is so inspiring as they develop and sell their own brand of organic lifestyle products. I  follow Joanna on Instagram so it was great to meet her at last!

Did I treat myself? Hell yeah! I bought an Incense & Wood soya wax candle, a lip balm and also a natural deodorant - something I've wanted to try for a while - I'll let you know how effective it is. Joanna also gave me a number of John Masters organic shampoo, conditioner and hair thickener which have gorgeous scents and I'm looking forward to trying!

I am spending the weekend away with friends - hopefully I will have no time to think about Monday! ;-)

I am surrounded by people who love and care about me, I am fitter, stronger, healthier than I ever have been in my life, I know I will be looked after :-)

Many many thanks for reading today.
Have a wonderful weekend.
XX

Weekend Wanders....

I do hope you had a lovely Bank Holiday achieving what you set out to:-)

In this beautiful leather notebook is a list. 

A list of places, both home & away that I would like to visit. 

I also record tips for if I do actually visit that place!

One such place, being only 50 miles away, is Brimham Rocks.

In my book for five years - five years!!!

Anyway, this weekend I made it there & I'm so happy I did :-)

It is absolutely *breathtaking*

Brimham Rocks

A fabulous day out, I could just hear excited children & enjoyed watching their reaction's as they rounded the corner & first set eyes on the best natural playground ever!

 Olly just HAD to join me!

It is so difficult to find words to describe this phenomenon - it's unbelievable.....

Everybody - just go visit!!!

There are rock formations throughout the forest - but when you see them altogether like this, its just *wow*

Owned by the National Trust, I love how they have incorporated the

 natural rock formations into the buildings.

Even the roof...

 .

This looks like a dinosaur sticking out of the side of the house! ;-)

So, if you ever find yourself around Harrogate, Brimham Rocks is a must see.

My Big Kid & I had great fun!

 As did the Pup!

Back with more wandering soon,

XX