Bad idea - I find it washes off the protective layer
I didn't in the end but may have to concede defeat today and shower, but I'm still considering the idea. I may leave it until tomorrow. Don't want to wash off the layer of grime too soon after seeing too much sunshine on Saturday! Right need to go and do more work in the garden, then carry on in the house.
It was meant to be sunny today, but it is looking distinctly like rain again which is a darn nuisance because I put a load of washing in the washing machine earlier and it needs to be hung up only I am not convinced that it will actually dry out which is a pain in the backside when you only have a washing machine and no tumble drier (no space for one, nor the money to buy one at the moment. Have to register the car to NSW before the end of the month - strange laws here in Australia... the car we bought has an ACT registration plate, and we now live in NSW, so we have to forfeit the ACT one and purchase 12 months NSW, get various insurance changes and put the car through something similar to an MOT despite the fact it is not 5 years old yet...).
As good as the summer sunshine is I am glad the weather has now cooled down because we both want to get back into walking again. In the past we have walked many a mile in the Peak District, Lake District and Wales. We have done very few these past few years (illness, injury, bereavement) and we both want to back into it again, get fitter and lose a few pounds. We prefer to walk and run when it is cool so the weather now is perfect. Today we did a 6 mile walk around Pitsford Reservoir to get the ball rolling. Have been online and bought a wrist pedometer to wear pretty much all of the time in the hope it will keep me motivated to improve my activity levels as time goes on. For our holiday next year we are looking to do a fly/drive/hike in Iceland, we both want to go back so this is ideal, however we will need to be a lot fitter than we are now so good motivation.
We also used to do an awful lot of walking and hiking plus mountaineering. We used to walk in the Peaks and the Lakes as well (only occasionally in Wales because of camping issues) but found we were having to walk +25 mile days and climb way too many mountains (like 7 or 8) each day to occupy us in the daylight hours, so we moved it to Scotland where we were able to drop to 20 mile days and 5-6 peaks each day. We only have mountaineering boots now after wearing out our hiking boots and finding that our mountaineering boots simply gave us a much better grip. Since coming back from our aborted world tour, we haven't actually been out at all. I can only vaguely remember our last walk out before we left. We have reached the conclusion together as to which peak it was that was our last, and the views from it were splendid which is great because it will never be the same again with planning permission having been granted for a massive wind turbine farm to go in in that area. It's out of most people's view and that seems to be all that counts. The fact that it is a glen that has no road access etc, sorry I guess that should read had no road access because they will have to put one in to get them in and to service them, plus the cables that will be required, seems to have missed most people. Lets ruin a wonderful wilderness just because it is out of site. Why can't they use the A9 glens, where the area is already ruined by massive pylons and roads? Because people would see that! hate what they are doing to our wonderful wildernesses. I would also love to be able to get back out and walk again in the mountains. It is a long term goal now. I know it will take me many years to be able to even walk those kind of distances again, even getting passed 4km is hard for me right now and that needs crutches and smooth surfaces. Maybe it will happen in time, I do hope so because I don't think I can cope with me not being able to get out in to the wilderness on foot again. It has been my hobby and survival mechanism all my life. I can remember it as far back as being 8 years old and I know I have always walked and walked and walked with my (late) Grannie. Walking into town and back with her from their home rather than taking the bus when we had time. It may have only been 2-3 miles each way, but it was what I did and I would often walk over to them from our home not to mention walking 8 miles or more just to get somewhere when my parent's wouldn't take me (as a teenager). I can't imagine life not being able to do that. I guess it will happen in time and I just have to be patient and continue to let my body heal.
Right time to hang the washing, rain or not... well actiually I think I will check the rain radar first and see if we are expecting anything other than dark ominous clouds!
Soon she will say 'veggies' rather than vegetables and 'fair dinkum'.
