Well, yes. It is the weekend again. And yes, I did not blog this week. And I read everyone else's blogs and try to keep up with comments, but really, if you all go out and have such a good time and then you go and sign up to Blogtoberfest, and then you blog every single day and you are not only doing stuff but blogging, well, it makes me feel just a bit inadequate.
My life sort of rolls along.
I'm knitting the same thing I was last weekend (because I had to frog more than half and re-do it).
Then I was exhausted after running, and visiting Kaydale Lodge, and the Leven Canyon. Kaydale is one of the few places in Australia to grow fritillarias and trilliums, and they are currently in bloom. They also do wonderful lunches (mainly with their own produce) and are very close to the Canyon (Different link).
We walked to the lookout up a sloping path, and it was windy and beautiful and catch-your-breath spectacular. And then we decided to walk the loop back to the car. This entailed walking down (thank all the little gods and goddesses - DOWN and not UP!) 697 steps, to the bridge and creek at the bottom.
697! Can you imagine how you'd feel walking up the dratted things? Down was bad enough - my hamstrings and lower back hurt for a couple of days, and I am fairly comfortably fit at present!. How do I know how many stairs there were, you may ask? (I did hear you asking!)
Because there are benches on the way and each bench contains information on how many stairs to the bottom from that bench, how many to the top and how many to the next bench, both up and down. I'm quite proud that I only had to read them, and not sit on them.
And then once you reach the bridge at the bottom, you have to get back up to the car park, and that means a long and very steep path. We all did it, and despite the slightly sore legs, even the kids had no problems. In fact, this may be a record, because neither of them whinged at all!
The only other news is that swimming lessons for small people have started. This has meant a total frenzy of excitement (and me having to purchase a smaller swimsuit). Destructoboy was really excited up until he had to actually get into the pool, but the kids are told that swimming classes are non-negotiable. They must be able to swim.
They don't need to be competitive swimmers, (because who wants to be getting up at 5am in the cold and dark to take them to the pool for squad training - not me!), but they must be competent and safe.
Too many children drown every year in Australia, in pools, dams, rivers and the sea. My children will not join them if I have anything to say about it (and I do). So swimming it is. The Princess loves it - as far as she is concerned, any moment not spent in the water in summer is a moment wasted. She is competent, confident and has absolutely no style! A bit like me really.
Destructoboy can't swim yet, but in a few weeks he will. Not that my vigilance around children and water will relax, but at least I can feel calmer when I see them in a pool.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
Hooray for down and not up those stairs, and hooray for smaller bathers, you go girl!!
Well done on the smaller swimming suit! I must take inspiration here. the chiropractic assessment the other day showed that my right side weighed significantly more than my left side! the joys of ostearthritic knees!!!
At my children's high school the rule was that you had to swim 3 laps of the olympic pool,2 freestyle, or you had to do swimming as a sport in first year or year 7. They wanted to choose other sports so I spent endless days at the pool in the summer before each started. I think that it was a good policy on behalf of the school.
I am currently trying to conquer my fear of lace knitting and having fun with a 'simple' Alpaca wool scarf pattern from Ravelry. I keep forgetting to blog.
Mmmm, I need smaller bathers too, but I just don't want to have to go and actually BUY them. Even when I was young and thin, I hated swimsuit shopping - the stores are all specifically designed to sap any self-confidence you might have about how you look. But swimming lessons have started here as well, and I do like to spend that time swimming laps.
I'm so proud of you for walking all those steps! I'll bet you couldn't have done that six months ago! :)
I had to walk up about 20 steps on a steep slope the other day (fast, as I was rushing to catch a train) and I thought I was going to die!! Oh dear! Good for you for making it, and the kids too!!
And I am so with you on the swimming lessons - absolutely vital and no excuse for kids not to learn (well, unless there is no available pool where they live). Huzzah for smaller swimmers!! I am going to have to find some sort of reasonably nice maternity ones. Sigh (well, not that I'm complaining!)
That sounds like a really cool hike! Congrats on the smaller swimsuit, too! (Oh! And don't beat yourself up about not blogging - I think it's hard managing all these activities for little ones and blogging, so I'm with you!)
Yeah, it's taking real effort for me to blog lately. I'm too busy DOING stuff. Who knew sending the kids to school would be so time-consuming?!
We started swim lessons this past summer. It was past time--we live ten minutes from the Atlantic, for crying out loud!! But I don't let my guard down near water. It's shocking how many parents do. Every time I'm at the beach I see small children wandering around while their parent is relaxing on the blanket. Once you start going to the beach with children, the relaxing-on-the-blanket days are over!
Yep, I agree - every child should learn to swim; a useful skill indeed!
Argh, it's been stupidly hard to find a place that offers swimming lessons on a two-peninsula state with fresh water lakes everywhere. (And I hear you - we have drownings here about every summer, too.)
I missed blogging a couple of days in a row, but gee, I can't blog unless I do stuff!
Whoo hoo! Smaller togs!
I agree totally with you about getting the kids to learn to swim. I see too many kids at the beach in Qld who don't even know how to float on their backs or tread water and I wonder at the stress their parents must be feeling over seeing them in rough water.
Also agree with you on your first point - I can't keep up either!
Fantastic effort all round. I can go DOWN a few steps but not 697!!! Great, smaller bathers, but Oh the trying on of them!! Learn To Swim was on in MrsDrWho's class last week. At the new Aquatic Centre. Learning to swim is so important, we are surrounded by water and there's water on the inside too. Do not feel Bloggily Inadequate, perhaps you have a proper life, not like me???!!!!!
697 steps! I'm not sure my body would allow me to do that. I'm afraid I'd be the one doing the whining.....
Good for you, mom! Swimming lessons are on my to-do list--probably for next year. My kids are comfortable in the water, but they need to be strong and competent. It sounds like a wonderful trip-- but, damn. That's a lot of stairs!
Post a Comment