Getting the steps in, the unchallenging way

 

I met up with a friend for a walk this am.  A circular walk from her front door and only 4 miles which is my kind of walk.  Daily steps taken care of.  Not that this is ever a problem at weekends in the same way it can often be during the week when stuck at a desk.  It being local it was also flat. 

I know some consider 4 miles to be taking the dog out before you go on a proper walk or after you come back from a proper walk.  Flat barely counts at all unless you have come down to a tow path after conquering more rugged terrain.  

It’s not that I have anything against a big day out on Scarfell Pike, Striding Edge, Snowdon, Ben Nevis, Pen y Gent, Whernside, Ingleborough or many others.  Rather, as a matter of routine, 4-6 miles fits more easily into my life. 

This might be different if I lived on the doorstep of a National Park but I don’t and other stuff needs to be squeezed into a weekend or the following week risks being compromised.  

This morning’s walk required me only to drive 15 minutes down the road.  It took in pylons, a solar farm and a wind farm.  Personally, I am of the view that grade A farmland should be used for food production but it seems neither Ed Miliband nor the planning authorities are with me on that.  Snow drops on the bank sides are a prettier distraction.   More importantly a good old natter was had, tea and home baked biscuits after and there was plenty of time left in the day for Saturday chores.

My friend’s husband had been putting together some large metal planters while we were out.  Last year’s weather having persuaded them that smaller pots are too much like hard work and are not going to get any easier, they are going big!  I arrived home, via the supermarket and garden centre (small shop in the first - a conscious effort to reduce the stuff in the cupboards continues - and seed potatoes from the second) to find the kitchen and utility room floors and counters had been cleared and cleaned and the living and dining rooms hoovered.  I’ll take that over a card on Valentine’s Day!

Cardboard has been layered over a bed which is surrounded by a box hedge.  That bed has a serious ground elder problem.  I doubt this particular trick will do much more than slow it down but I also have to find somewhere to place 10x 25 litre tubs in which I am looking to grow potatoes this year.  I have other stuff to grow in the veg beds and old compost bags lack rigidity so I’m trying this.  This bed is potentially the right size, they are just below the height of the box hedge, it is west facing and green sprinkled with white/purple potato flowers is not going to look any worse than ground elder and will wind me up a good deal less.  It is, however, right in front of the living room window at the front of the house but so far S appears relaxed about this.  The obvious flaw in the plan is that we are intending to have the windows replaced this year.  Since the tubs are fairly rigid and have handles I am hoping that these can be moved out of the way should the need arise.  Regardless, the decision has been made and it will either work or not.  Charlotte salad potatoes and Swift first earlies if you are interested!

It being Valentine’s Day we have a rib of beef for dinner with homemade oven chips, creamed spinach, french beans and a bottle of Laurent Perrier Rose ……just because.