Friday, 11 November 2016

The rough stuff

It's not been the easiest of years. My dad fell down the stairs and sustained a nasty head injury. Three months in hospital followed until he came home. Doing well I am so pleased to report. Having said that,  the time off his feet has taken its toll and he is having to work hard to regain mobility and fitness. Adjustments to the house have made life easier but things have subtly and inevitably changed for both him and my mum.

During this time my father in law was taken into hospital but discharged. A week or two later he was back and this time it took a turn for the worse. He was confused and weak. There was nothing the hospital could do so it was a waiting game. He lasted a couple more weeks before passing away in August.

And finally, we had to say goodbye to Sallydog. Our lovely, grumpy, little black and white dog. She was with us for 11 years at the heart of everything we did. A quirky character but the perfect pet for us for all of that time. She just got old and frail. Her legs were going and she was struggling to move about. It was time to take that dreadful decision. It's never easy to do the kind thing and just thinking about it makes me fill up.


All of the above made for a tough sort of year. Let's hope for a more pleasant 2017.

A turbulent year

It's been over 12 months again since I last posted on here. I guess I've just been too busy living life to write much about it really. Rather than a long list of stuff, I will add a few separate posts to recap. Here goes...

Thursday, 20 August 2015

Oops

Er...

So almost a year on and what's been occuring?  Well I entered the LDWA Red Rose 100 miler.  In the run up there was the Hebden, the Anglezarke Amble, Peelers Hike, Two Crosses Circuit, Calderdale Hike (sadly chopped), the Fellsman and then the main event itself. In amongst that were plenty of recces of more or less the whole route. Here's the last 12 months or so in picures
Autumn in Padiham

Pumpkin masterpieces!

First of a series of headbands.

Pattern is the Groovy Girlfriend Earwarmer

Quite a quick make and great for pressies

Flashy new club tent!

Club hat - made rather a lot of these for folk!

Wintry Recce - on the top of Darwen Tower with Ultra Jane

Hurst Green Turkey Trot - the hat stayed on for the entire race!

More Winter recces

Christmas Eve run up Pendle with the Juniors

Traditional Christmas Morning run

Recce for the Hebden - Looking towards Stoodley Pike

Up Pendle with a running Pal

Checking to see if she still fits in the tree!

Cosy socks for me!

Mucky puppy - been out on the trails!

Winter Race Kit!

Patchwork Granny Blanket - finished!

Edith Hat

Fell Training with the Juniors

Race success

Minion Hat

Spring Blooms

More Recces!

Running in nice weather at last!

The Elephant tree

Running with lambs! 
More recces with Ultra Jane

Pendle Hill from Clitheroe Castle

Group Run on Pendle

Ultra Nick at the Fellsman

Cheery Fellsman Group

Bluebells are here

Summer fell training begins

Annual bench shot

Celebration of something

Fellsman Tally - every notch earned!

Post Fellsman shoes... oh dear!

Recovery family walk - need to work on the selfies!

Fun times at parkrun

Summer trail running with my buddies

Summer fell training with the juniors - everyone shout poo!

You cannot have too much crochet

Fancy socks

Post trail running, er glow

Last day at junior school - end of an era

Youngest trotting on Whernside

There goes another toenail

Better selfie technique

Soggy run with my biggest girl

Sally - grand old dame!

Nick looking amazingly chipper at the 60 mile point of the Lakeland 100

Drop bags at Dalemain - marshalling duties underway

Another family selfie

Out training with Ultra Nick - Black Sail, Great Gable, Scafell Corridor Route

Check me out! Mountain runner.