Funnily enough, I haven’t smelt a snowdrop directly.
I did however smell some snowdrop scented soap in a shop, but actually I didn’t like it…
The point in title however, is because a. I’ve been on two snowdrop viewing trips this past few weeks and b. I feel like February has absolutely flown by - so I need to try a bit harder to be in the moment?
Here in the UK, the snowdrop rears it beautiful head throughout February and fills grassy banks and fields all over the place with their lovely white petals. Personally, I adore them for a few reasons. They are of course very nice to look at, but they also bring with them lighter evenings and the promise of Spring. Just a pretty nice sentiment all round, they put a smile on my face everyday driving to work. I went on two dedicated snowdrop viewing trips, one to the gardens of a country house and one to a walled garden - that actually did used to be of a country house, but sadly the house is no longer there. Here are a few more snaps to lighten up your evening.
These two are more recent, so they’re on their way out but still beautiful!
What are you running from?
I’ve never really been much a of a runner. I generally have favoured classes - the combination of being told what to do (e.g. not having to think about it myself) and the social facillitation that comes from being overly competitive have worked well for me.
This past month or so though I’ve been doing fewer classes and trying my hand at running, both solo and with other people. To my great surprise, I actually quite like it. Even though I do have moments throughout the route where I’m convinced I’ll never breathe again. Running alone has been great for my mind, it’s worked really well for me as a form of meditation. I do run to music, both to drown out the sound of my own gasps and to help with a bit of a pace boost, but I don’t listen to songs in English. I tend to go for reggaeton, the perfect combination of a pronounced regular beat and Spanish lyrics - which I’ve loved since I was a teen. It also then gives me the headspace to take either be ‘quiet’ and take in the scenery, or think through anything that might be on my mind.
I do have a base level of fitness that’s allowed me to go straight into running 5k+, which has definitely helped with making it more enjoyable. The two days after my very first run did have me walking around more like a crab than a human though.
How about that writing business ey?
Well, we got chapter 2 out into the wild. Which I was actually quite pleased with personally, so if you gave it a read I hope it was enjoyable for you too (also thank you). I am however still quite a way off where I’d like to be in terms of the frequency of my writing time. It is partially down to me needing to be stricter with myself, but this month even more so than the last has very much been hindered by work.
I am normally quite strict with myself in regards to not working at the weekends, and I don’t like to be a hippocrite since I always preach to my team not to do it. Unfortunately though, I’ve had to do at least a couple of hours every weekend of the last month, including this weekend. Thankfully, it’s mostly down to carrying a few vacancies within my team and having a big project due to launch in April. Both of which mean there is a light at the end of the tunnel, as much as it’s a drainer right now. It’s also meant being in the office a lot, which kills my chances of writing in the morning as I just haven’t been able to drag myself out of bed an hour earlier.
On the few days that I have been able to work from home however, I’ve managed almost an hour before work to focus on writing. It makes me feel so much better throughout the day knowing I’ve already pocketed that time. So my personal challenge this month is to get at least two days a week with early morning writing time (plus a good chunk at the weekend).
That’s about all folks
Which kind of makes it sound like I’ve not done much this month. When I first sat down to write this I did have a momentary panic that I had nothing to say, which I’m sure to my family reading this is a hilarious concept.
Actually, when I did a bit more thinking, I realised it’s been busier than I thought. I’ve had some lovely time spent with friends and family, ran each weekend, went on a nice long walk with my mum and sister (even though we accidentally walked twice as far as we’d set out to). I’ve even managed to squeeze in reading a few chapters of the book I started two months ago, which spends most of it’s time looking pretty on my bedside table.
And finally, we got to have Spike the cat holiday with us. I’ll leave you to be awed by his cuteness. Until next time!