Crafty in the Med

I am here to enjoy meeting other bloggers and to share my love of craft ,mostly crochet, my thoughts and my daily happenings here in Alicante,Spain, my adopted country. I belong to a local choir because singing and music makes me happy. Flea markets and book shops are two of my favourite places to be. I read lots......sci´fi/fantasy,buried treasure, and off world adventures. I have a passion for history! I walk and walk and walk for about 10 months per year during the hot months I swim.

Friday 16 October 2020

The walks begin

 Walking it is.....

 

I try and walk everyday for 10 months a year and during the hot summer months I swim. 

My walking friends😁
 

 

Exercise for me is the very best way to keep my figure reasonably trim and also with a sensible diet. It also makes me feel good! That is what has always worked for me, of course that would have been during a normal year ! The crunch to my routine came in mid March when the lockdown was declared and we all had to isolate ourselves at home. By the end  of March I decided I had to do something even though I still had to stay isolated so I started my Corridor Walk ;walking briskly up and down my hallway for an hour approx each evening. Incredibly boring but I was at least moving my legs.                                                    I think Sr P thought I had a screw loose!!   

 I posted my progress on my Facebook page:


 

and then we were released..that was towards the end of June...and the summer was underway...and it was hot.....too hot to walk!!    Normally I would have taken to the swimming pool and the beaches as I usually do and love doing but we weren't allowed to use the community or public swimming pools! We were not allowed to use the beaches either as they were closed to the public too!!  

It became a waiting game and I was back to no exercise again!!   

At the beginning of July they opened the beaches so we were able to return to our little secluded part of the beach we go to and back to snorkelling....fabulous!! The swimming pools were allowed to open as from mid July ...perfect......I was able to get back to swimming practically daily!!   Nonetheless the confinement had taken its toll and I had put on  **** kilos...groan!!!   

The heat has lingered more this year and it is taking me longer to get back to walking on a regular basis! There are also impediments which I find difficult to describe because they are from within me and I don't understand the way I am feeling at present. When I worked I was very very active and managed to walk a lot, to work and in my spare time...I felt good!! Now,I feel lethargic, lacking in motivation and very little get up and go. I feel I have no purpose ..no objectives...housework and such doesn't really fill me!!.  I need to work this out for myself...this change in my life and status!!    Everything seems to be an effort and walking is one of them!!  

 I hope I will not bore you too much but to motivate me and give me purpose from now on I shall be posting about my walks as well. 😊   The challenge will be trying to find something of interest to post about while I walk here in the city.

Alicante City,Spain










 

 

Have a great weekend

Keep well


Amanda :-)


 

 

 

 

 





 



29 comments:

  1. We haven't been able to walk as much during the summer months and you can get out of shape in a hurry. But the weather is improving now so we'll be outside more. I hope you can get back to a regular workout too. It DOES help with health and you sleep so good at night. Take care!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Diane! I always feel better when I am able to walk daily but in the summer months (as I am sure you know over there in Florida) it is much too hot to walk any distance and the mozzies are a nuisance too!! I need to make it into a routine to make sure I keep it up. A x

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  2. I know exactly how you feel. It's strange. My life hasn't been dramatically affected (thank goodness) by it all, but the knowledge that I can't do things I want to, is getting to me. I WANT to see my children and my darling new grandson, but I can't. I WANT to do some travelling, but I can't. I need to focus on what I can do - but at the moment, I can't. My get-up-and-go has definitely got up and gone! I'm sure it'll come back soon, but for now, I'll go with the flow! Stay safe. xx

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    1. Exactly HH ...so very hard to focus and be positive!! All the prohibitions are weighing heavily perhaps if there was no C19 I would weather this initial retirement business better!!! I partially lay the blame of my pessimism at the feet of the media! Very sorry to hear you can't get to see your children and grandson...that is hard!!! Hang on in there.... Amanda x

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  3. Everything that you are feeling is perfectly normal Amanda your life has been turned on its head, retiring is a big enough change without all the covid restrictions on top. Having nothing worthwhile to do is very hard but you don't know what tomorrow will bring so enjoy those walks and try to stay positive, take lots of photos so we can walk with you. Take care and stay safe. Xx

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    1. Thanks for your advice Linda! I will try to stay positive....I am trying :-) A x

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  4. I think change of any sort is always difficult but we do get used to it in time. Be kind to yourself and focus on some positives.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. It is....and I think all this upset with the quarantine and all has made me lazy...reluctant to move or think about starting something new...changing my habits. It is as if I am waiting for things to get back to normal and I don't think they will!!

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  5. I think many of us are feeling the same way you describe so maybe knowing you're not along in these feelings of drifting through the days almost aimlessly with no real goals, will help. And maybe not, as I'm not describing it very well either. I'm glad you're back to walking and I'm sure we'll all enjoy the photos you share.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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    1. Thanks Betsy...it does help!! All these comments help as I know I am not alone in the way I feel....it isn't just me!! A x

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  6. congrats-I have a difficult time sticking with walking-I do enjoy it-my husband even found me a walking partner-but I learned she is 20 years younger than me and I just can't keep up we were doing 4 to 5 miles plus every very early morning-and it was too much--I need to try again. happy friday and weekend hugs Kathy

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  7. Those shoes look very comfortable and I'm looking forward to reading about your walks.
    xx

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! It is like walking on air Joy! I like them so much I have brought another pair! A x

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  8. I don't understand why public beaches and parks were closed at a time when folks need to get outdoors. Being outdoors in Nature, I believe, helps a person maintain good health. Years ago, a workplace cold went around, less the two of us that had regular daily outdoor exercise.
    Your shoes look similar to mine. There is elatic things crossing the shoe. They travel well going on five years.
    A stationary bike is good exercise when not over doing it.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by :-) I had a stationary bike and found it totally boring to do! In the end I sold it as I wasn't using it. My shoes are Skechers and yes the top covering stretches so I imagine it is elastic. I have had mine for approx 3 years good to hear that they last. I finally convince Sr P to buy a pair and he practically never takes them off! A x

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  9. I'm looking forward to you sharing where you walk. Even in town there are different sights to see that are different from where I live.

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    1. Thanks for calling in :-) I am not terribly enthusiastic about living in a city even though it is a small city! I like the wide open spaces and the countryside! All the same you are right there are some interesting areas. A x

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  10. I try to walk 10k steps a day. I would love to find a water exercise in my area. The photo of the city is beautiful.
    Thanks for the interesting comment on my halloween post. Have a great weekend.
    Lisa

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Lisa. I would like to do 10k per day as well but at present I have to stick to the 4k I am doing and build it up gradually. I think 10k steps is about 7,50 kilometres that is really good! A x

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  11. Difficult isn't it to fit in all the exercise you would like to but can't because of lockdowns. I, too, have room walked, room jogged and staircase climbed in my effort to keep moving each day and, like you, started to be a little less motivated. Walking outside stresses me when I have to pass people and my inside capers seem to have whittled down to nothing. I do, however, try to put a lot of effort into cleaning, organising and doing chores around the house and garden which I hope help. Wishing this pandemic over.
    xx

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Mum. It is difficult...there is always something cropping up. I returned to walking last Saturday and at the moment I am doing approx 4,5 kilometres. At the moment I am literally just dropping what I am doing and getting out otherwise I will never get back into a routine. I'll add my wishes to yours and hope we will get back to normal living soon. A x

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  12. Looking forward to seeing more of your beautiful corner of the world from your walks Amanda!
    Hope you're having a lovely week x

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    1. Thanks for calling in :-) I just hope I can make those posts interesting. A x

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  13. Hardly boring! IT WILL BE GREAT

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    1. I will do my best Kathy....some of the place I walk are just cars ,pavement and roads!! A x

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  14. A lot of people suffered the same - the lockdown interrupting their normal flow of daily life and it has been difficult for a lot to get back into a 'new normal'. I found that walking was my release from a lot of things - work/pandemic/life in general and so I sympathise with you losing that precious exercise. I don't know if you picked up from my blog that I am walking as part of a #walk1000miles - they have a facebook page and are very encouraging, not all are Brits, there are a fair number of 'foreigners' and expats as part of the walking lark and it is very supportive. Have a look x
    I find dancing in the kitchen soon gets my steps up - it is more entertaining than pounding around the diningroom table (which seems to excite the dog??!)
    A new normal will eventually settle down - what it is going to be is still uncertain however walking will still be a big part :) stay safe (and keep walking xxxx) k

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    1. Thanks Hawthorn for stopping by :-) since I wrote this post and having received so many encouraging comments I have been out walking everyday. I have chosen the drop everything and go strategy to force myself to do it otherwise I start convincing myself I can do it another day and its more important what I have to do at home....which is total rubbish because I have no real obligations. I can tell myself this can wait!!! Yes I remember reading about "walk1000miles" on your blog....going back there to look again ...thanks A x

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  15. Walking has been especially important to us during lockdown too. We are lucky to be able to step out from our front door and are a short distance from beautiful woodlands and fields. I wear a Fitbit and walk at least 10K steps each day, but usually walk more than that. Can't say that my figure is trim though! :) x

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  16. Thanks for calling in! You are very lucky...I miss the woodlands a lot!! I used to do about 8 kilometres a day when I was working going from one company to another within the city and then walking home....sometimes more. It worked for me and I lost some weight but best of all I felt much better! I need to get that felling back......and I need the energy to do it! A x

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Thank you for your comments. I do read them and try to reply to all as well.Please keep them coming. Amanda :-)