Becoming a regular.

So funny how quickly life makes you feel like a regular. I only started my "once around the nature reserve" challenge yesterday, but already I have a bus driver that waves and says hi. We cross each others paths twice on my route. The girl on the corner waiting for the bus each morning, and the young guy walking his dogs.

Each house I jog and walk pass, I hear a different sound. This is how I distract myself: One house had loud music pumping. Angry loud music. I imagined a young boy, finished with his exams and home alone. Still walking around his boxers, no shirt. Well, that or a creative hunched over his Mac.

A lot of people are outside. Gardening, running. And today I had a competitor. Showing off. Where I did the hill once at a jog (slower than my walk) or a power walk, he stretched and ran up and down. Not that I minded. Not such a bad view.

 

 Photo on top was near the end. Below was my now standard start.

Today I took the route that starts along the busier road. Nature to the left. This corner always makes me think of green Audis.

 Today there was no Zebras, just Blesbokke.

Moving goals and action plans..

I am brilliant at making lists. Planning work. But with personal goals with no sure aim and a moving target I am a believer in just deciding what I want, and then somehow getting there. No need to start a plan with a list of all the reasons I can't do, or a list of what I need to do. Life changes.

So last week I said I had a plan: New me, fit again, best me, best mom, healthy etc. I know what I need to do to get there. But the plans so far were a bit general. But making it up as I go along, I now have some more.

Since I now have time and lots of it. I stepped out for a walk/light jog this am. 30 meters later I stopped to marvel at the view and take a instragram shot. And then I decided. I can do "Once around the Nature Reserve a day". It's a measured distance, there is more than one way around, and I love that this distracts you. If my mind is busy, I tend to forget the legs.

I plan to be a regular fixture on the roads in the block that makes up our neighbourhood. So clap and wave if you see me, but don't stop and chat. I'm on a mission.

As I am now a blogger (not to fond of this word but there it is), and Instagrammer (500+ photos) I start as I have seen. My shoes.

 30 meters later, a stop for the view. After the rain it makes for a wow "what a blessed morning" moment.

 Hill one. Today it was downhill, but I did the little jog back up. Just because this hill has been a part of my life since age 6+.

 On the other side of the nature reserve is this ringer. You can only do one of these two hills downhill. Tomorrow I do it the other way around.

 View again. This is in the middle of houses. But with all the green you don't see.

 I stay under the clouds. Zebras to the left.

 Friendly bunch.

The "Ask for less, not nothing" plan.

Wine in 2012. I have always loved the odd social glass of wine. I'm a "Long hot day, beautiful summer day, sunset outside with the kids playing on the curb and me chatting to the neighbours" kind of wine drinker. Living alone a bottle of Odd Bins  from Checkers lasted me more than a week.

Enter 2012. I moved in to my parents (my old family home) sometime in March 2012. I was hoping for a temporary stop over after our rental sold, but ended up being the best place to be with all the life that has happened to me and us the last 3 odd months (car crashes, hospital stays, scans, threats of health and death, you get the drift).

But back to wine, as I do not like whine. My family home is warm, friendly, open. There is multiple braais, long chats around the table. AdventuresBoth my parents are just at home and outside, sport people (sport watching for my dad, actual sport for my mom). This includes wine. And I will not go on the defensive, as I see all the posts. All the comments. And I know most people crack open a beer, stop at a pub, buy wine when travelling farms etc etc. But I have never in my life just did this almost daily wine drinking. And for a while it was fun (OK it still is) but if I am serious about health and fitness some cuts have to be made.

Now back to my genius plan. I know the festive season is not the best time to cut out all things alcohol. But I also can't wait until January. So I thought it is easier to go for healthier eating (easy when out being active with the 3), running more (aiming for at least 3 - 4 times a week, AT LEAST), then the wine. No more daily wine, but if I feel like it was a long deserving day, or if I am sitting somewhere on a mountain top overlooking nature, or around a festive table, saying no would be hard. But I can say less.

I know my plan sounds full of holes. But my mind is set and my heart strong. And I know me. Watch this space.