About Walking

This post is inspired by a fantastic book my mum Leen got me. It arrived in the post in brown paper which made it even more exciting. Flaneuse: Women Walk the City by Lauren Elkin. Already it has mentioned my favourite haunts in Paris, where walking is a great pleasure. I want to walk and explore in London. To amble the streets where is quieter, looking at buildings, trees, people. A lot of my blog posts are about things and people I see while walking. 

I think walking is quite feminist too, in a world where we are supposed to be always useful or fearful driving from one destination to another, walking only in shopping centres or offices. 

I think this book could be a sort of bible to me in my new adventure.

Fashionistas of the Week

I like to spot people with great outfits or unusual style when I am out and about. These ladies were not together but I have done them as a group. A girl with fuschia pink hair and a cloud patterned dress, yeamed with biker boots. A woman in a red sundress with a leopard pattern and massive sunglasses. An older lady with bright red hair in a hairnet and an orange cardigan over Japanese style wide leg trousers. All sporting bold and individual looks.

5k Hooray

The day dawned coolish and slightly sunny today for our 5k run. Perfect conditions. Hazlehead park was lovely and sunny, lots of people dressed as superheroes which was the theme of the run. I wore my Harley Quinn tshirt and Alistair wore Batman. 

After an incomprehensible warmup, a meetup with our friend Melody, we were off.

The first 1k was a long agony of tussocky grass followed by a steep hill. I was in agony and felt I could not do this, I was not ready. Also I worked a nine long day on my feet yesterday so was tired. Alistair urged me on and after that it flattened put and we headed off into beautiful, peaceful woodland. Well, peaceful apart from a mass of panting, gasping people in dayglo sportswear. We were passed by two lovely horses and a french bulldog running alongside. 

I was feeling better now and moving gently along, enjoying the trees and flowers and fungi on stumps as we passed. There was a cool breeze which felt great.

By now I was keeping running continuously, I had got in a flow and moved beyond pain and gloom. 

I was also given a jellybaby, which helped.

At last we could see the finish, the sun shone and we completed in 42 minutes. My last was 38 minutes but that was five years ago. Mostly I was happy that my foot had held up and I had stuck in there and got to the end. At the end of the race I was given a banana by a small girl dressed as She Ra. 

I'm going to keep running, try and do 5k without walking and at a slightly faster pace.

I could not have done it without Alistair's support and kind words as I struggled along and he bounded ahead. Always with me, encouraging me.

Colour Choice

This week's post is basically about my new cardigan. I was shopping in Sainsburys (large supermarket, also sells clothes and homeware) when I spotted a red waterfall style cardigan. I needed a new cardigan, but red is not usually my colour. For one thing, it is my Stepmum Ying's favourite colour and I don't want to tread on Anyone else's sartorial toes. Lots of people seem to have a signature or favourite colour and you don't want to take away from that. I bought the cardigan and people keep telling me how good I look in red. I think it gives me more colour in my face as I can be quite pale.

So this is to encourage people to step out of their colour comfort zone sometimes.

I usually wear green, navy and blue. But sometimes I fancy a more punchy, bold colour and crack and buy yellow or red or pink. We don't have to be tasteful all the time. Sometimes you want an outfit that says 'look at me!'

Search for the Stone

On Thursday I went on a fantastic trip up far, far north with my friends and colleagues Anna And Jane. Part of the plan was to visit Cawdor Castle, but for me the main objective was Pictish stones. It was a long journey through miles of forests flanking the road north. 

First, we stopped off at Sueno's Stone near Forres. This is an enormous six metre high monolith, which seethes with battling figures and celtic knotwork. It is sensational. The stone may depict a huge battle between the Picts and invading Vikings about a thousand years ago. 

A few miles on is Rodney's Stone, on the drive to Brodie Castle. I have painted it here. Easily overlooked as it is only about four feet high, but with fascinating monsters, symbols and an intricate cross on the back. The otherwordlyness of it draws you in and grips you. I wanted to look longer, I could have examined and drawn it for hours. Luckily I have a dust mask fitting for work at Brodie in a few weeks, so I can return.

Seen from the Train

A while coming, this one. I like travelling by train and spotting interesting buildings as I go. This house is just south of Edinburgh at Prestonpans. It dates from the 1600s and was recently restored after a terrible fire in the 1960s. It is is harled in a lovely orangey gold colour and has two small outlying towers, formerly used as doocots. Pigeons were kept in small towers for food. 

Two historical facts, Prestonpans is named after the salt pans that were a big medieval industry by the seashore. In the Battle of Prestonpans the owner of the house died fighting Bonnie Prince Charlie. I found it poignant that he died within sight of his own home. Also, it is a romantic myth that no Scots fought for the government against Prince Charlie, a Catholic autocrat. 

I love this house and woner if you can visit as there is a small railway station just nearby.

Buddlea Butterfly

Just outside our flat is a spectacular Buddlea shrub. It has these vivid purple flowers and attracts insects. This is a tortoiseshell butterfly. We have had fantastic weather this weekend and I wanted to celebrate it with a colourful painting.