Ben Ledi and what you should not do!

· 1 Comment ·

I have been up Ben Ledi in the last two month twice.

The first time was in fairly cold but dry conditions. Everything was frozen over and the higher I went the more frost and eventually snow I hit.

That day was very cloudy and only windy at the top so I was fine in shorts, though I must admit I did not stay longer than for a couple of pictures.

So I went up and because I didn’t want to do the “round” tour, I went down the way I came because it was so snowy I couldn’t really make out a trail down the other side. Back down it only took me around 25 minutes as I was running when I could. Up it was 1 hour 15 minutes.

Right. 2 days ago I was up again. Of course in shorts again. It was a wet day. It wasn’t pouring down, just light rain with 9c which was fine.

But the higher I went the windier it got to the extend that you heard me huffing and puffing with frustration.

At some point I took out my gloves and buff to keep me warm. Maybe I should have went back down but it was only at the very exposed and close to edges where the wind and rain hit me so hard, it was like someone would whack me across the face!

So up I went and when I reached the cross it wasn’t windy at all which was such a relief!

And because it wasn’t snowy or icy and I have seen the trail down the other side I decided to check it out.

So off I went, happy as Larry that descending was quite flattish and grassy. I was running fast for maybe 8 minutes (more or less, who counts the minutes anyway?) until I reached rocks and a steeper bit, paired with the wind which had so much fun lashing around my face earlier (my hood which was over my buff helped only a tiny bit).

I was looking back up but all I could think of was “I need to get down and out of the wind” and I really didn’t want to climb back up. So I started climbing down, very slowly as barefoot shoes does not have as much grip as “regular” running shoes and because of the strong wind.

It was so windy that I slipped and fell flat on my behind and hands. My hands hurt for some while but where ok as I have worn (soggy) gloves which I changed at some point (always take spare clothing with you).

And while I continued my descent, close to a never ending gully which seems almost vertical, I din’t know whether to cry or curse so the only logical thing was….. of course talking to myself!

Did I mention that I had to cross at least two streams? And that in general water from the tops made its way down? It was either boggy or very wet underfoot. I tell you, my feet where freezing!

But I made it down. It took me 50 very scary minutes and once I was back on the forest path I started running to keep warm and get some feeling back in my feet.

So to get to the point:

If you are not one of those hardcore hikers with spikes under your shoes and a proper axe, do not do the circular route and descent over the mountain! Use the nice though tough route with the pretty wide stone path because in case of an emergency, you will be found and not turn into worm food because you fell down a gully!

Also even when the weather forecast says +9C, do not wear shorts when you want to climb up a mountain as you never know what condition awaits you up there! It might be fine to run at 0C or beyond on ground, but not up there!

Lesson learned and hopefully not forgotten the second I turn off my notebook!

Franky

Note to myself

· Leave a comment ·

Under no circumstances should you give in the desire to have chips swimming in garlic and salt paired with vegan sausages at 7 in the evening AFTER you already ate a whole pack of chickpea crisps!!!

While you eat you feel great and enjoy it, but before you know it you also have eaten the portion meant for next day and than you feel just full and fat!

Do not do it again!

Also:

It doesn’t matter how good it still looks, smells or tastes, when the red pesto was open more than 2 weeks, DO NOT EAT IT!!! You know you feel very very sick hours after!

Franky

Why don’t I have a specific style???

· Leave a comment ·

I recently realised, I don’t really have a specific style and wonder why that is?

Ok, I had a hippie phase, a grunge(ish) style, a 50s style, a “house” style but nothing ever stuck.

It is the same with my hair, I wore my hair in all styles and lengths.

It is almost as if I still try to figure out who I am without really realising it.

The only thing that sticks with me is cashmere cardigans (girls, whoever tells you, you don’t need another cashmere cardigan because you already own 32- they flat out LIE)!

So in my wardrobe you find a lot of Fred Perry dresses and polo shirts, you find knee lengths skirts, even a maxi dress, you even find 2 pairs of chinos (Fred Perry as well) and of course cashmere jumpers and cardigans.

At the current moment I am all into barefoot shoes which, ones your feet got used to it  and stop hurting, are the most comfortable shoes EVER!

But a specific style? No I don’t have one! Maybe I will never have one, who knows what I look like in a years time (hopefully as beautiful as I am know, ha ha ha).

Franky

Super Mommies…

· Leave a comment ·

… I wish I was one of those super mommies!

You know the kind who wakes up the children with ready to eat healthy breakfast, who bakes pastries and sends them to school, who never ever forgets important school dates.

Who has lunch ready by the time the children are back from school, who bathes the little buggers and reads them a bed time story.

One with diaries to make sure, she never forgets anything.

Yeah, I wish I was so organised, motivated and wide awake, looking stunning in the early morning…. or afternoon.

Who organises play dates and hang out with the other mums on playgrounds.

But me? Pfffff…… I don’t plan…..I do have a planner however…..but forget to note important dates…. I forget school relating things until the day they actually happen or when I am really lucky the babies tell me just before shops will close.

Other mums??? I don’t even know what they look like and my excuse for now is, that I just moved here, ha!

Yes, I admit I am chaotic, I am most of the day in rush or busy with other things and also yes, when it is more convenient, I just put some chicken nuggets and chips in the oven paired with a glass of smoothie.

Yeah, I am trying…. but hey, they are alive and healthy so I must do something right.

Franky

Christmas in hospitality

· Leave a comment ·

As you might have read earlier, I currently work in a hotel as a waiter.

I, together with my headwaiter and two other lovely individuals, run the breakfast buffet which can get pretty tough, especially at weekends.

But now that we had Christmas, we are open 30 minutes longer every day and we are fully booked until the 2nd of January!

30 minutes does not sound much at first…. but hey ho, we ALWAYS (and I am rolling my eyes right now) have guests who come in one minute before we officially shut the doors. Maybe I should mention that in addition to the 30 minutes we top it up with another 15 minutes as a curtesy! And even than, some guests have no care in the world, wandering around, thinking about what next to eat. And than we have those very cheeky guests who stick their head through the closed door, demanding more food/drinks!!! What the…?!

If you are one of those who like to eat out over Christmas:

Don’t you think about the staff? About the people who serve you? Who get up very early in the morning to get the buffet ready, arranging everything nice so that you don’t get sore eyes?

Have you ever thought about, that those people working in hospitality would have liked to stay at their cozy homes, watch their children, family and friends to unwrap presents and stuff their faces with delicious food they prepared the day beforehand???!!!

I had to work 9 days straight! I did not get to see my children unwrap everything and I had to prepare all food the day before with instructions for my family about how long to put what in which oven to be ready for when I return from work.

So since I had to work every single day over the festive period, I would never even consider eating out at such a time and those with family (maybe, or high likely those without as well) will understand why.

Franky

P.S.: Once I was home from my shift I did nothing but eat all day long, my Christmas dinner was lovely.

Worldly possessions

· Leave a comment ·

On my way home from work I realised, I could live without all my so called worldly possessions!

I wouldn’t mind if I loose my house for what ever reason, everything in it, even my beloved eye and face cream (which is quite fancy, makes me look 10 years younger and costs hubby a fortune).

I wouldn’t mind loosing all my favourite clothes and running gear… after all you could replace it all.

But what I could never live without is the love of my friends, my children and husband.

Feeling loved is the only thing that does not make you feel lonely and that, I think, is the most important thing.

Merry Christmas all

Franky

When you get lost running

· 1 Comment ·

I did it again!

I think I could have the best map in the world, with pictures and instructions + distance all the way and I would still get lost!!!

I am a lost cause, really!

Yesterday was my day off and so I thought it would be nice to run (well it was more a hike to be honest) up Ben Ledi here in Callander.

So I dropped off the babies at school and drove the 5 minutes over to the small car park where the actual route starts.

Me being me, took the cycle route instead of the route to the left which would have brought me straight to the main route until you hit the little gate up to Ben Ledi.

After 20 minutes of running along the cycle path I decided I should go up left now. I had the feeling I was wrong so I thought I have seen something like a faint trail through the spinney and ended up on a large area with chopped down trees, Ben Ledi to my left.

Bolt as I am I climbed over trees until I finally hit the actual trail.

So up I went the mountain. Believe me guys and girls, though I was in shorts and the temperature around 1C on the lower grounds, my legs worked so hard, I didn’t feel the cold at all.

Occasionally on the lower bits I was able to run a bit.

There where 3 more big climbs and before the last one I was already cursing in my head, saying that there better be the cross when I reach (what looked to me, like the other two times) the summit.

It was already getting much colder and I hit snow, so it was time to put my hood up (my OMM Kamlaika jacket did not let me down and kept me warm with a fleece underneath) and get my gloves (thin merino which was just fine) out of my bag. Warm and toasty I kept on climbing.

Finally while marching up the big rocks I reached the summit and the cross. Unfortunately the sun was not high enough to reveal nice views so all I saw was clouds, but still beautiful enough.

To make matters not worse I retract my steps, had some chats with other hikers until I hit the actual path at the foot of the mountain.

So I thought to myself, lets follow this one which I did but when it kept on turning right and higher and higher I was certain I was wrong- again (it turned out later I wasn’t).

But I also didn’t want to run all the way back. So I did the only logical and lazy thing:

I walked cross country, straight down to where I heard the river and where the cycle path is.

I can’t even tell the amount of times I nearly lost my trainers in the knee deep bog and ice colt waters, not to mention the scratches from the bushes.

If someone has seen me, they probably had a good laugh.

But eventually after I chopped my way through the undergrowth, I reached the cycle path again and when I reached the car park, what did I see?

The path I should have taken instead of the cycle path. The one where I thought was wrong…. unbelievable….

That happens when you get too excited! You just don’t open your eyes…. well at least I don’t.

Happens.

Probably will happen again.

That is fine.

Franky