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Besides enjoying all the lovely things pictured above I've
joined a pilates class and taken up walking for at least an hour a day. My
bookselling life is a happy one, but it’s also very sedentary, so I’m
determined to get just a little fitter in 2015.
Are you sticking to your new year resolutions?
Thank you for all the lovely comments left on my blog while I've been away. I will be over to visit you very soon.
My dear friend,
ReplyDeleteI have missed YOU! Though I am no longer posting, I am still visiting my favorite blogs and I am also engaged in taking my best blog posts over my seven year span, editing and revising them, and compiling them into a manuscript that I hope to self-publish as a hardcover book.
You are wise to take up activities that will allow you to enjoy the joy of fitness, speaking of which, I better get off the computer now and go for my walk!
How wonderful it is to see you here again! As for the adventure or my tea? I've had my tea.....how about you? Let's go then, on an adventure for Sunday! XOXOXOAnita
Wow Anita I had hardly published my post before you were calling at my door – how wonderful, I’ve missed you too.
DeleteHow exciting to read about your plans! Please be sure to let me know when your book is published. I just know it will be beautiful.
It’s a lovely sunny day in the UK. I will be going for a walk soon and will be thinking of you. Happy Sunday dear friend. xxxxx
I'm happy about my new year's resolutions. Because I never made any. I'm lazy (except when it comes to writing) and so my conscience is clean. That can't be said about my car, my motorbike, my office and all the the things I've been promising to do around the house for a decade. One day she'll get me.
ReplyDeleteHi Roger, I always make them, but I don’t always stick to them but this year I’m determined. Still it is only Feb 1st, so I’ve plenty of time to change my mind!
DeleteYou are going to be a very famous (and wealthy) author one of these days at which point you can pay someone to do all those mundane tasks.
Problem solved! Barbara.
And here I am again my dear friend! I just emerged from our basement where we keep gym equipment. I lift weights and now time for my walk. YES! I will announce when my book is taking shape!!! Have a lovely day out there with the sun! Anita
ReplyDeleteYou are very wise Anita. I've not exercised for a long time, and now I’m paying the price. My poor old legs really don’t want to walk at all! Mind over matter – I will walk, and I will enjoy it :-) Have fun. xx
DeleteHappy New Year, Barbara. Glad to see you back. I love your post. Having tea was one of the customs my dad brought with him from Wales and we sat down to tea everyday, and I still do. It's my favorite time of the day.
ReplyDeleteBut,I know what you mean about how sedentary we can get at some jobs. I usually rely on walking for fitness, but that has fallen by the wayside the last two unusually cold winters we've had, so maybe I should think of a class as well.
Welcome back!
Thanks Alex, it’s lovely to be back!
DeleteI used to walk all the time when we had dogs but since then I’ve done very little. It’s a combination of being involved with other things and being lazy – but it has to stop!
My dad drank tea all his life and would have nothing to do with coffee. I do drink the occasional cup, but more often than not it’s a nice cup of tea.
Happy New Year.
Good for you for taking some time to move around! So important as we we get older. I do water aerobics 3 to 4 days a week and yoga. Been doing it for years!
ReplyDeleteHello Bish, I’m impressed with all you do. I’ve been really lazy for a long time, and it’s now caught up with me. It was fine when we had dogs as walks were just part of the day but since our last little dog died four years ago we’ve forgotten what legs are for. We've done well during January so I’ve just got to keep at it.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a really wonderful break full of marvellous things Barbara! It's great to see you back. Well done on the walking, I want to increase my walking too.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lindsay, it's good to be back.
DeleteBarbara,what a wonderful start to February, a post from you. As usual bright and cheerful as well as inspirational. So nice to have you back.
ReplyDeleteYou mention dogs. They are so much more fun to exercise with than treadmills.
May your endeavours be successful
Thank you John, you do say the nicest things.
DeleteTreadmills are much easier to run on that roads (in my experience), but you’re right dogs are more fun!
Tea and books - what a lovely holiday!! Welcome back and Happy New Year!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words Teressa. Happy New Year! :-)
DeleteHello Barbara, good to see you back, I missed your wonderful posts, it looks like you had wonderful time :)
ReplyDeleteI did Aunt Mary, thank you for the warm welcome back to blogging. Barbara
DeleteOopsie, my comment didn't come through. Trying again:
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, dear Barbara. You've been missed! I love your holiday ~ tea and books and lots of walk. I'm very proud of you for signing up your pilates class and for sticking to your hour-long walks (just like you said you'd do). I've been keeping to most of my goals, except writing because I'm currently stuck in a story (I have written it and revised it a few rounds but I don't feel like I know what it really is about ... so yes, still stewing and I know this is normal so it's more reading and exploring in the mean time.) Thrilled that you enjoy my Pinterest posts enough to create your own series! Love your pins, especially the sketch of the children at the rare books shop. xoxo C.
Hi Claudine, it worked this time, thank you for trying again.
DeleteCommenting on your post was the thing that really made me do something. Once I went public about joining a pilates class I felt I had little choice. I admit to feeling out of my comfort zone when I arrived, but I really enjoyed it and chatting to others in the class made me realise I was not alone in feeling that way. Thank you for giving me the push I needed!
Regarding your writing. Sometimes things just need to stew for a while! Let the thoughts whirl around for a bit and then watch where they settle, I’m sure it will all become clearer then.
I know you will get there. Barbara xx
Excellent decision to write your goals down and make them public. I'm glad you're having a good time with your classmates. Thanks for your encouragements always, Barbara. :)
DeleteLooks like a fabulous break. Pilates is great as is walking. Best of luck with that.
ReplyDeleteThanks Darlene, now I just need to keep doing it! :-)
DeleteSounds like you had a wonderful time! Envious!
ReplyDeleteHello Kelly, I had an excellent time, thank you. The hard part was persuading myself it was OK to take a month of. Try it, you will like it.
DeleteAlas, book writing is even more sedentary and the cake, crepes and tea look scrumptious! I walk about a half mile with the dogs around the block every night and I do some mild housework. In the summer I'm a swimming machine. Hope all your resolutions work out perfectly!
ReplyDeleteHi Eve, I’m told swimming is an excellent way to exercise. The trouble is I’m not very good at it, and I hate cold changing rooms! Thanks for calling in, Barbara.
DeleteWelcome back! I took up a teeny bit of jogging each week and two exercise classes a week just over a year ago and haven't looked back ... it makes me feel so much better about myself. Keep up the good work! M x
ReplyDeleteHello Marina, Thank you! I should have taken up exercising a while back and regret that I didn’t. I used to run almost every day but then my knees started to complain so I gave up and changed to walking, then I gave that up too.
DeleteI’m so glad the exercising is working out for you. Barbara xx
Mmmm - cups of tea, cakes, crepes and adventures. I could do with more of all of those! I am a great advocate of exercise outdoors - and for those who are having writers' block I can definitely recommend an hour walking or jogging at whatever pace you fancy. It's certainly the time I get some of best ideas. Also pleased to see you have a couple of "Caroline" books on sale - I LOVED Caroline and her friends when I was young! Welcome back.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue, I understand why you loved Caroline when you were younger, I’ve only recently made her acquaintance, but I’m already a fan.
DeleteI’m enjoying getting out of the office for an hour or so everyday, but at the moment I’m having to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other and breathing – maybe the creativity part will come when I’m a little fitter. :-)
Thanks for welcoming me back, Barbara.
Now that's my idea of a holiday! Lovely post, lovely photos. Jealous.
ReplyDeleteHello Jessica, the hardest part is giving yourself permission to take the time off – after that it’s a breeze. Go on – you’re worth it!
DeleteI wanted to be Caroline when I was younger - to have that wonderful menagerie of friends and travel the world! You can still buy the books new in French, and I do have Caroline's Party in the French version which I bought about ten years ago. I am sure the books you have will be snapped up!
ReplyDeleteI’m sure I would have felt the same had I met Caroline, but I was too busy trying to be George from The Famous Five. I also spent a lot of time searching for The Faraway Tree!
DeleteI’m very tempted to squirrel them away for my own collection and might just do that if they are still here in a week or two. Barbara.
That strawberry cake and the flowers... if only I was the fortunate one!
ReplyDeleteHello Lily Lau, I do feel very lucky! I hope you will have the chance to enjoy a few nice things soon. Thanks for calling in, Barbara.
DeleteGreat post Barbara! Glad to see you back! I understand about the sedentary part, force myself to get up from my computer every 20 minutes at least! Shoveling snow is my typical winter exercise but we haven't had much snow lately. Need I say more? haha! Beautiful images, glad you were able to do all of the above!
ReplyDeleteHi Diane, shovelling snow sounds a bit too energetic to me, but it will certainly keep you fit. We’ve had no snow at all, but if we do I will be out there with my shovel! Thanks for visiting, Barbara.
DeleteDear Barbara Welcome back. Looks like you had an absolutely wonderful time. Well done for joining Pilates. I too do it. At first I was not too sure if I liked it but now I really enjoy it. I can spend hours in Pinterest and while I was there recently I found a book that I want to buy so much. It is by Lauren A Mills called the book of little folk. I put a search on it and every time if takes me to Amazon. Nothing against amazon but they will take long to deliver as most of the copies are coming from the U.S. I want it yesterday:-) Can you suggest anyone in England that might stock it? Thanks for your help in advance.
ReplyDeleteShashi
Hello Shashi, thank you so much for welcoming me back! I went to Pilates again today, and so far I’m enjoying it very much so I intend to keep going. Pinterest is brilliant. I've found loads of lovely things there.
DeleteRegarding The book of little folk by Lauren A Mills, there are lots in the US, but I’ve only found one copy in the UK it's offered for sale on ABEbooks by a couple called Michael and Mary Burrell from Sidcup in Kent, I don’t know them personally, and sadly they don’t give a phone number, so I think you will have to order via ABEbooks. The price is £12.00, and I expect there will be a charge for postage.
It’s a very long link, and I don’t know how to shorten it, so I will give it to you as is;
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Lauren+A+Mills&bi=0&bx=off&ds=30&n=200000169&recentlyadded=all&sortby=17&sts=t&tn=the+book+of+little+folk&x=62&y=15
I will reply on your blog as well to be sure you see this. Barbara x
Thank you so much Barbara I will check it out when I get back. I have a feeling the same couple are selling it in Amazon as well. I guess I will just have to be patient if I can't get it in the UK.😄
DeleteHi Shashi,
DeleteI must admit I didn’t look on Amazon. I don’t buy from there if I can possibly avoid it. Have you checked eBay UK? It's possible one might come up on there.
I hope you are enjoying your time with your mother. xx
I love the quote! The pictures are beautiful and now I know you had a wonderful blogging break! :) Awesome that you are getting in some long walks! Thanks for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie, isn’t that a great quote – I must try to remember it! I’m enjoying the walks and feeling fitter already. Thanks for your visit, Barbara.
DeleteDear Barbara,
ReplyDeleteWelcome back and well done for the Pilates and walking - I am also walking each day and do some aerobics a few times a week.
I enjoyed seeing all the inspiration you have shared.
Hope all is well and have a lovely weekend
Hugs
Carolyn
Hello Carolyn,
DeleteThank you so much for the warm welcome back – I’ve missed all my lovely blogging friends.
I’m getting into my stride with the walking (forgive the pun). Our grandson is staying for a few days, so he’s been walking with me. He is taller, fitter and has much longer legs than I do, so it feels a bit like being out with a fitness instructor! It’s been really nice to have his company, and I will miss him when he leaves at the weekend.
Love Barbara x
Hello Barbara, I'm just getting back into blogging after a long break and I'm chuffed to find you through Vintage Jane.
ReplyDeleteI too enjoy walking, with my golden retriever Ruby, every day around the wonderful walks surrounding my village - which is not far from you I think.
If ever you would like a change of walking scenery, do get in touch and we'll plod together!
Stay warm.
Frances x
Hello Frances,
DeleteHow lovely to meet you - I feel like we are friends already! I’ve just been over to your blog to take a look around and fell in love with the suitcase and your little wooden houses and Ruby of course. I will be back to leave a comment as soon as I’ve finished this. I can’t believe you would be so sweet as to offer to share your walks with me – there are some lovely people in the world! Barbara xx
Those are wonderful pictures :)
ReplyDeleteBecause of my CFS I'm not brilliant with exercise but I do enjoy walking (although my energy and my hip and legs often protest!).
Hello Nikki-ann, I knew what CFS was but must admit I didn’t know much about it, but Google filled in the blanks. It sounds like such a debilitating illness you must just look after yourself and not even think about exercising. It’s different for me – I’ve been incredibly lazy for a long time and need to do something about it. Glad you enjoyed the pictures. Barbara.
DeleteDefinitely an adventure then tea.
ReplyDeleteThat seat you feature looks so inviting. And to be surrounded like books like this, heavenly.
Good to have you back, it sounds like you have a restful and yet productive break.
Hi Tracy, it was rather more restful than productive, but it was all very enjoyable. I tend to agree about the adventure first followed by tea, although I would be quite happy with tea during the adventure! Thanks for the welcome back, Barbara.
DeleteAlways have tea first and then adventure. My, those pancakes look very scrummy, I could just do with them. Lovely photos and illustrations, as usual. I don't make resolutions, so I don't feel guilty if I don't keep to them. I just know I need to get out on my bike/on foot more, now the weather hopefully is on the turn.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see you back and hope you've had a good break.
Hello Anne Marie, I don’t usually manage to stick to resolutions either, but having mentioned it online I felt I had no option. I’m glad I did though because I really do need to try to get a little fitter.
DeleteI’m not very good at cycling. I used to ride a lot when younger, but I don’t find it very comfortable now so walking it is. It’s a beautiful day today so I hope you are able to get out and enjoy it.
Thanks for the welcome back, I’ve missed everyone while I was away. Barbara x
Sweet. I loved them all, but how fun is the first one, the Peter Pan one? Like you, I'm trying to be less sedentary in this New Year.
ReplyDeleteThank you Donna, I hope this New Year will be kind to you, especially in health matters.x
DeleteYes Yes less sedentary is on my list too Barbara . And Welcome back dear ... I missed out this post :( but glad to find it now.For me,your blog has gone beyond from being a virtual connection and the comment-love.. I actually look forward to your post.When busy and not able to comment the beautiful illustrations of your images fill me with warmth and that old word secure feeling..
ReplyDeleteThis post has some most beautiful and inspiring images .. loved each of them !
And so glad you are back here :) *grinning and beaming*
Thank you for your kind welcome back Kokila, I’ve missed my lovely blogging friends, and you do say the nicest things! I will be over to visit you just as soon as I leave this reply.
DeleteSedentary has been a way of life for me for far too long – but not any more! I’m determined to stick to my New Year resolutions this year.
Adventure first, then wind down with a cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteInstead of making a New Year's resolution I tend to make weekly goals for myself. It's working out pretty good for me.
I've never tried Pilates, but I love Yoga and going for long walks. How are you enjoying Pilates?
I’m really enjoying the Pilates but the walking is not a lot of fun at the moment because it’s wet and cold. The nice thing is I do get to see something new almost every day. It may be something small like a snowdrop just pushing up through the earth or something much larger like a fox or a herd of deer. I keep reminding myself spring is on the way, and if I can just keep going until then I’m sure it will get easier.
DeleteGood luck with all your goals. Thanks for calling in.