Living Contentedly

Waking to rain & galeforce winds, a morning run was postponed. I did Resistance Weights instead.  The wind was bashing us up & during a trip about the cabin to secure lose items, I discovered the extension ladder was delicately clinging on to the guttering. Phew, close shave.  Not long after breakfast, the skies cleared, it was still blowing hard, but I thought it would be ok to go for a run.  It was good to be out except when passing under towering eucalypts during gusts. I braced my arms over my head, just in case & picked up speed. In the end it was a good run.  After lunch I made way to the post office to return Wee Seal plans to their owner.  In the evening I tidied wood tools and clamps in readiness.   an image to calm the nerves.

Well, let's start at the beginning. Wednesday , I hooked Shanti onto the turbo Subaru and headed off. The relief of towing such a light craft is palpable: lower strain on the vehicle, lower fuel use, just better motoring. Undecided on where to sail ... Tea Gardens won out. The ramp near the police station was deep and would allow easy access to harbour, river, wharf, ramp and shops. There is no finger wharf and little beach alongside, so its not perfect.  Unfortunately the space to sail was limited and the tidal flow was quite strong in the light SW winds. But getting the best of conditions is my forte. After lunching on baked goods from Karuah Bakery while nestled into the mangroves we sailed a bit more, down to near The Singing Bridge and back before finding ourselves on one of three wharves. Just by way of context, I have been here as a pedestrian and once as a ferry passenger, and mooring my own boat to this wharf has been a long held dream.  Well, to add icing to this h...

Kicked off with my 4k morning run on the usual route. Feeling ok then peppy, about 40 min.  from past cricks looking SW, thin valley mist showing lovely flows down the valley. over my  property looking W showing sunlight on hillside. 

After a rest day I was keen to get out and run. My morning run is quite hilly, basically I run upwards for 2k except for two downhills which are up on the way down. Its a healthy workout.  I felt so good I'm back into the weights at home. My new benchmark day will be run 4k, 100 reps of 7 routines. Onwards and upwards, use it or lose it.  Soft light playing on hills west of Paterson. Light through stratus clouds over the Watagans

Big mistake making a banana wrap for breakfast, before running. I carried it like a gut brick all the way, and felt like crap. I talked to a woman afterwards who did the same, but "left her breakfast" in the scrub after her run. So next week, one cup of coffee only!  I met "The Doctor". A tall fellow who walks with stiff knees. He tells me its arthritis, untreatable, and kept at bay by healthy living. Couldn't guess his age, may be high 70s, and he's done a couple of hundred Park Runs.  Afterwards, I met Chris, another oldie, but I'd say in his 80s. He beat me and runs very awkwardly even though he ran the London Marathon in 1983 and has been running since. He's up to 180 Park Runs. My own run, despite feeling heavy, was a minute faster per Kilometre than last week. So 33mins, but I think I have a not more to give. I only started running each day  week ago. But I'm mainly in it for the fitness and to meet people.   At home, I refitted chain plate...

Second child to John F. of Leichhardt & Doris nee Rufus of Broken Hill & Newcastle.  Attended "special school" possibly linked to extreme shyness, social anxiety.  After school began working as a tradesman pattern maker in forges where he was employed at North Sydney. He remained working there till retirement.  In his young adult years he met & married Jan. A motorcycle accident with her as pillion caused Jan to have permanent impairment to her legs, John is said to have felt eternally responsible.   They bore two children, Sharon & Grant & lived in West Pennant Hills in Sydney's inner north west. After attending local schools, Sharon married but separated soon after. She returned to live with her parents & suffered poor mental health for many years. Grant worked in landscaping & operated a  successful business.   Following Jan's passing, The family moved to Coffs Harbour. John & Sharon, Grant, his wife & childr...