Happy weekend! In our house we’re looking forward to our last weekend at home for a while (more on that later), so we’ll be doing all of our usual favourite things.
Eatin…
On Friday nights we always go out to our local pizza restaurant with a group of friends and neighbours. To me it’s a wonderful way to put a fullstop on the week and welcome in the weekend with it’s different rhythm – otherwise (especially with small kids) we were finding our weekend nights tended to look exactly like our week nights – and weeks and months were slipping away from us. So now a family night out to ring the weekend in is our ritual. It’s a highlight of the week for the kids because from 5.30pm on a Friday evening the road outside the restaurant is shut off to cars, and all the little friends can run wild, ride their scooters and bikes, and hang out in the ice cream parlour across the street, pretending their parents aren’t watching them. And we can chat and have a glass of wine knowing they’re happy and safe (except my husband and I who alternate chasing after the 13-month-old, who thinks she’s one of the big kids… but our time is coming!).
Do you have a favourite family weekend ritual or restaurant spot?
Runnin…
To counteract the Friday night carb fest, on Saturday morning I’ll be going for my long run of the week. I’m still just getting started in running (again), so my version of “long” is currently only 7km, but I’m working on a strategy of “slowly slowly wins the race”. I’ve been using the Map My Run app for my running, which I absolutely love (the app that is – the running… love is a way away still, but I’m getting there!). Map My Run tells me in my ear as I go how fast (or slowly in my case) I ran the last kilometre, and what my splits are. Beyond this, it’s a social networking app which lets you track and save your workout, view your progress, map your route, log your route and share with friends. I’ve only been using it for a couple of weeks so as yet I have no “friends” on the app, but I think if I did it would probably help in the motivational department on those days when getting out there is more difficult than others.
Are there any other beginner runners out there who’d like to connect on Map My Run. Get in touch with me (or search my name on the app) and let’s get fitter and stronger together!
Readin…
This weekend on my Kindle is Life after Life by Kate Atkinson. I’m actually reading it for the second time (something I do often – and I’m pretty sure this won’t be the last time for this one). I’ve loved all Kate Atkinson’s books, but this is my favourite so far. It’s about a girl called Ursula Todd who lives through the turbulent events of the last century – again and again and again. The book tells the story of the many versions of her life that would have emerged from doing just one small thing differently, and it’s fascinating. Much of the story is set in the Blitz in London during WWII, and it’s the first time I’ve read a story about the devastating damage and loss of life the people of London suffered so stoically. Equally heartbreaking is the part of the book set in Berlin towards the end of the war and the unspeakable horror the people of that city lived through as the Allies left almost total destruction in their wake and the Russians advanced.
It’s a wonderful read I highly recommend, and it makes me think about the small decisions we all make on a daily basis and the effects they may be having on the events in our future… Makes a person realise how important mindfulness is.
Etc…
Speaking of mindfulness, I really enjoyed this quick TED talk by mindfulness and meditation expert Andy Puddicombe, about taking 10 mindful minutes. He says, “We spend so little time in the present moment that [when we do] it’s anything but ordinary.” This hit home with me. I’ve written many times about the heartbreaking transience of the present moment, and I believe more mindfulness is what we all need to make us appreciate the now more. Something to aim for in 2017 perhaps…
Wishing you all a very happy weekend!
1 Comment
thenewmrsm2016
28th Jan 2017 - 5:02 pmHey, your weekend pizza nights sound great fun! With my husband working in retail he often works a lot of the weekend so we dont have much of a tradition apart from all going to his Mum’s most Sunday’s (about 13 family members usually) for a Sunday roast. Its always loud and chaotic but the kids all play and the adults get to chat and catch up so its nice. Talking of Andy Puddicombe, I’ve actually been using his app Headspace for the last week or so and am really enjoying the 10 minute sessions! Its amazing the affect just taking 10 minutes out can have and i’m finding it so calming and definitely something I plan to continue now I’ve started. Have you used this app or have you known about Andy for a long time? PS I use Map my Run in the summer when I make a feeble attempt to run at most 2 miles but it is a great app to use, unfortunately i’m a fair weather runner so I wont be turning it on again just yet 🙂