The first of the new look weeknotes as we move into the new year…
Three walks this week, plus “a good walk spoiled” (ie a game of golf, as in the quotation commonly misattributed to Mark Twain). The cover image for this weeknote is my favourite Banksia on the way back from our regular river walk, because I love the orange colour.
Reading:
Most of my reading for pleasure is science fiction and fantasy, although I also enjoy crime fiction (not true crime). As a holiday reading treat, I bought the whole series of Detective Kindaichi Mysteries by Seishi Yokomizo (in English translated from Japanese, since my ability with Japanese is very limited in spite of some effort to learn). I found out about these novels from a personal website I read as part of my research for how to organise my own weeknotes (but I’m not sure which one, sorry)!
Yokomizo’s novels follow formats for detective novels that are familiar to me from reading Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, etc (mostly years ago), but the Japanese setting, both physical and cultural, makes them an interesting read aside from the crime and crime solving narratives themselves. I’ve not read all the books yet, so I’m still thinking through my reaction to each of them and the set. One had a very high body count, getting to the point where I’d laugh and comment “another one down” in explanation for D.
Golf:
My golf had been going pretty well, but it seems to have slumped for the last two games. This may be because it’s been a bit too hot for me, or due to difficulties getting to practice (too hot and/or the course has been closed for maintenance in the run up to a big professional competition next week). The main issue has been lack of stamina over 18 holes. Once your body and/or mind is tired, it is very difficult to play well. I do tire easily in the heat. I’ve not been sleeping that well every night (because I’ve been overeating and drinking a bit too much sometimes). Maybe I’m also just worn out from a delayed release of work tension now I’m hitting the new year and realising that work isn’t just going to start up again like normal?!
Whatever the cause, the key thing is just to relax and enjoy each game as much as possible. I’m not a pro!! I’m just out there to have a good time. It is frustrating not to play as well as you know you can, but it’s not the end of the world either.
Exercise:
As I mentioned, I’ve walked quite a bit (three times). I also did a proper weights session at home (on New Year’s day, when I’d bailed from golf due to the heat). I’m concentrating on single leg exercises and other exercises that complement my physiotherapy sessions (on hold for two weeks over the holidays).
I would like to get back to running, but that is a challenge when it’s hot. I’ll have to get better at getting up early if I’m going to run (which is difficult because two days a week I already get up early for golf, and I love a lie in)!
Food:
I’ve been cooking a lot, or sometimes preparing a lot in support of D’s barbecue expertise. We’ve had couscous salad twice (once when we had guests, but that reminded me how easy it is to make). I’ve perfected a new potato salad “recipe” (although it’s not a recipe really, I just actually bothered to look up some inspiration for how to dress the potatoes better)! I’d never realised that 2 sour cream: 1 mayonnaise was the way to go, with the addition of some dijon (often something I added before), a dash of vinegar (my preference being sherry vinegar not those suggested in recipes I read), finely chopped spring onion and a dash of olive oil (vital, but maybe that’s just me?) plus the usual salt and pepper to taste. This is much better than the mayonnaise-heavy version I had been making. (Note: I cheat using bought mayonnaise, but it has to be good, and the dash of olive oil is probably something I need because of this decision.)
Garden:
Now I’ve stopped working I finally like gardening (a bit/in short bursts)! I’ve been pruning, slowly and carefully shaping some bushes that have been choking one of the small trees at the end of the garden. I’ve got lots more to do, but the green bin is full now so I can rest.
The job I’m putting off, but need to do, is repotting the huge cactus first mentioned here.
Adventure:
This section should be about fun and exciting things like stand up paddleboarding adventures, windsurfing, wingfoiling and, eventually, travel for skiing and/or snow boarding. None of these things have happened… yet. My excuse? It’s been the holidays, so all the places to go/learn have been busy. I won’t have that excuse soon!
Three ideas:
- Make an attempt to book some wingfoiling lessons
- Organise when to do the cactus (because I need G to help with this task)
- Set aside a couple of hours to assess the journal article I have committed to write
Writing this weeknote felt pretty good! I was more reflective and thoughtful, so got more out of the process. Those final three ideas may not work out well, but it’s worth a shot. Maybe they’ll motivate me, because I do actually want to do all those things (but I have been putting them off for various reasons).
