Would you like ice with that?

By Saturday, despite still feeling quite pathetic, I needed to get out, and my boys needed no further encouragement. So a hasty picnic was thrown together and we piled into the car as Himself had spotted some geo-caches he wanted to do over in the Dales.

It was the hardest walk I have done in a very long time - well it was for me....... I could hear my blood roaring in my ears, my heart was pounding and every breath I took was ragged and hoarse, but it was wonderful to be out and as Himself kept cheerfully telling me

....it will be doing you some good to get some fresh air......

it was at this point my head felt like it was going to fall off and I was gasping for breath like a fish out of water. I could barely reply never mind thump him. It was a good thing he was out of range so I just gave him a good glaring at (through rheumy eyes of course!) But he was right, it was nice to be out.

We walked along the River Wenning and were staggered at the size of the ice floes that littered the river bank. They were above the water level and we could only surmise that the river had been very much higher when it froze then as the river returned to it's lower level the slabs of ice became lodged on the sides and stacked up like frozen dominoes. I've not seen anything like this before. Youngest became all intrepid and climbed up onto them whilst Eldest took photos for me.

Sitting back in the car waiting for my heart rate to calm down and my breathing to settle, I thought that despite  struggling with this little potter I enjoyed it. I then promptly fell asleep in the car all the way home!

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For as long as I have known Himself, he has set a challenge to scoff as many sweet mince pies as he can during the month of December. Over the years I have aided and abetted him with either baking or buying the vast quantities he consumes.  He as been the champion for years, until now............. his little protégées are catching up fast. I recorded their attempts last year here. Youngest was bitterly disappointed with his latest efforts but seeing he was down with the flu I think he did admirably well. 

So, with out further ado - the final tally is as follows................

Himself - 118 (12 more than last year)

Eldest -  76 (he managed 45 last time)

Youngest - 75 ( down from 91)

Me - 19 (up from 16 !)

I keep these tally sheets and have done for years and when the decorations come down at the end of the festive season, they are added to the box. I used to be the one who made the chart, now the boys have taken that over. They carefully choose the pictures to suit each of us and then they log each and every mince pie that is eaten. 

If only they were that diligent with their homework!!

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Start as I mean to go on - Revolutions 2011

More crochet - check 

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