Catalina's Cottage: Summer

Showing posts with label Summer. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Life Lessons I've Learned Whilst Riding A Bike

I’ve been spending a significant amount of time on my bike lately, more so over the past two weeks. Not only is it good exercise, it is also a fantastic way of getting around and discovering the city I love.

When I'm on a bike, I forget so much. I forget about my troubles. I forget about my never ending To Do list. And even though I'm watching my speed and distance, I often forget about the time.

There's a lot going on in my head when I'm riding, so much to focus on, so much is happening throughout the ride, it's hard to let my mind wander to the less enchanting situations currently in my life (and believe me they are there)

There's clarity which comes from all that focus. It's like therapy:- therapy that gets me out of my car and out of the gym, therapy that gets me into nature, therapy that burns 600 calories an hour, therapy that gives me great looking legs.

Beyond cycling, I've learned a few other things, as well.

Eat at least an hour before the ride.
To pedal through the top of a climb.
I can push myself to be better than I was yesterday.
Two ponytails are cute, but one ponytail stays out of your face.
Cyclists are good people who will stop to help a stranger.
How to say Hello to strangers (this is massive for me)
One water bottle is not enough.
I can always find a cafe on my ride

Sometimes I can't see the wood for the trees but I just need to stay on track and keep going
Riding with a friend keeps me going ... “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with a friend"
Riding with a tracker (i.e. Strava) keeps me honest.
When I ride, I'll experience pain in at least two places: my neck, and my butt ... I consider these valuable training for life ... In life I will come across people who will give me pains in both of these areas.

Be aware of my surroundings ... whilst I can 'fly' over handlebars, I can't fly ... I am not Tigger ... I don't bounce well
There are people who care about me, good people ... find them and trust they have my best interests at heart. They make life a lot better.

And the number one thing I've learned about riding a bike regularly.

You forget how old you are when you're on a bike.

Despite the dangers, near misses, soaking clothes, ... the sense of freedom that comes with owning a bike never, ever leaves me. As the truer saying goes – “you’re only one bike ride away from a better mood”.

Monday, February 29, 2016

Rainy Days and Opportunities

Good friends will come out ~ Even on rainy days ~ If we need shelter

Today ~ This was our gym

Judges Bay to Achilles Point

Life is a climb ~ But the view is great

Last week there were days when I felt like a little girl standing on the edge, wondering if I was good enough. Where I felt too fragile to bounce back yet again.

Today I stood on the edge with my beautiful friend by my side, breathless and laughing.

You can't be sad whilst riding a bicycle

Riding in the rain ~ Exercise, therapy and a shower all at once

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass ~ It's about learning to ride in the rain

17.3km mostly in torrential rain, mostly with me singing at the top of my lungs

Pure happiness ...

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Taking Stock - January - it's all about Family n Friends

Enjoying: Time with family family family

Liking: This bunch of people

Watching: My children with their cousins and grandparents

Feeling: Loved

Family: Together again after a 3 month overseas holiday

Celebrating our extended German Family: Together again after ... too many years

Loving: How each time we meet it is like we were never apart

Understanding: Very little German no matter how much beer I drank

Reading: Knitting patterns

Making : Baby Milo Vests (x4)

Wanting: Interchangeable circular knitting needles

Buying: Interchangeable circular knitting needles

Deciding: Knitting is a great way to deal with anxiety

Noticing: my garden

Listening: to my girls cackling

Waiting: on the fruit all to ripen

Eating: fresh from the garden

Cooking : BBQ's every night

Drinking : So much wine we ran out and had to do an emergency trip back into civilisation

Loving: This bunch of friends and their children

Wishing: Her a very happy birthday

Looking: At my Mr B and laughing

Watching: My girl and her friend and smiling

Loving: This opportunity to be 4 days away from the grid (apart from when we ran out of wine)

Smelling: The BBQ .. .. ..

Wearing: My togs and feeling 99.9% comfortable in my skin

Needing: The coolness of the river in the heat of the day

Getting: Wet !! !! !!

Feeling: Neil the eel swim past my legs _eekk_

Admiring: This piece of land in the middle of nowhere

Feeling: Completely relaxed and happy

Looking: At handmade quilts/love on our camp beds

Monday, December 21, 2015

Tis the season .. .. ..

There was so much crammed into the first two weeks of December - School trip to the Art Gallery, Christmas cards, Christmas tree and house decorated, annual Santa Grotto visit with friends, non school uniform days, Secret Santa gifts, school reports, my busiest time of the year work wise and all done whilst Daddy made endless trips away for work.

Life is hectic, as any Mum of school age children knows only too well. My organisational skills have been tested to the max this term, however, with learning to say no to the endless 'end of year' social events we were invited to, we survived intact and here we are at the welcome start of an eight week respite from school routine.

Hallelujah, we are all so, so ready for it.

Now summer and the school holidays are finally here and the children have flown down to my Mothers, I have fallen into a more relaxed morning routine. There is no school lunches to make, no rush, no deadlines and no stress .. .. .. A cuppa tea or coffee in bed and a spot of knitting.

There is calm, there is peace, the house is tidy! _and_ during the day in-between clients there is time to catch up with a friend over coffee or tea, whilst in the evening my Mr B and I can train at the gym together, take in some theatre or a movie, the world really is our child free oyster.

We are truly blessed my Mama seamlessly and effortlessly takes over the parenting reigns for a week (or longer) every school holidays and the children get magical memory making time with their Grandma and Grandpop. Win/Win .. .. .. it takes a village!

I hope you are all doing good in the run up to Christmas .. .. .. I hope you are happy and all is calm and bright in your days.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Simplicity ~ With Love

December last year my Mr B had a 40th birthday AND a work Christmas party, out of town all in the same weekend.

Two nights child free and a weekend away.

Perfectly perfect in every way.

2014 wasn't easy and there were hard things we faced I didn't share here.

We survived . . . we faced each obstacle/hurdle together, we closed down when necessary, called on friends when needed and gratefully accepted help when offered.

I learnt some hard lessons. I learnt some good lessons.

I accepted many things and I found peace.

The more you appreciate simplicity, the more profound your understanding becomes.

Knowing what we had faced and overcame during 2014

We wrote a list of goals and dreams for 2015

So far we've achieved two of our goals.

I've lost 16 kilos and today I brought a pair of size 10 jeans.

In February we paid off our mortgage, Mr B always said we would be mortgage free by 40.

As for our dreams.

In May we will be visiting my brother and his family in Korea, I am beyond excited!
October my life long dream of visiting Australia's OutBack and Ayres Rock will be realised.

I'm currently training for the Auckland Half Marathon which takes place in November and in December my degree will be completed ~ although I do keep joking with my Mr B that I might just do my masters.

"When you walk through a storm
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark
At the end of the storm
There's a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark"