Being a busy person, and having many different meaningful activities each week, I make a lot of lists.  Looking at my today list of 'things to do,' a lot of the bigger events are nearly over, meaning that writing my book is rising steadily to the top of the list!  Well, let's continue to focus on those things that are stopping me starting, a lot easier than actually starting.

The first of the major events that has taken up a lot of my time was the Annual South Downs Walk.  Not just the 9 days of the actual walk, but also all the training walks beforehand.

I was fully expecting to be walking this year on my own, as Mr Cooper was adamant that he was not going to do it again.  In fact, just to make sure, he had taken himself away to the Lake District with his chums, one of whom had walked with us last year, returning home just after the start of the walk.

It was a lovely surprise to realise that Dawn, John's exceptional yoga teacher ( and saxophonist as well as many other things) was walking on her own too, so we joined forces and walked together.

Here we are looking happy, if a little apprehensive, at the beginning.

The English landscape is incredibly beautiful, and last year I saw parts of England that I had never seen before.  Although the Seven Sisters are a taxing start to the walk, their beauty more than makes up for that. (This is very easy to write about a couple of weeks later, I probably wouldn't have scribed this straight after the end of day one.) This picture is a little deceptive....it was so windy that if we had stumbled going downhill, the wind would have flattened us back onto the steep slope, we were in no danger of falling forwards, apart from perhaps over the actual cliffs.  So the first part was spent fighting the headlong gale-force winds, and making sure we were not too near the edge.  It was a relief to reach the end of the Seven Sisters, and turn inland into gentler weather conditions.

Each day brought its own highlights, and memorable sights.  It was great to see the marker for the Meridian line, but a trifle bizarre that such an important and much-photoed landmark had a huge manure heap behind it, a lot higher than the hedge,providing a really picturesque element to the composition.  It's a good job that this photo does not provide the smells too.

Not all of the memorable sights were to be found in nature.  At the end of the walk on day four, having completed 49 miles, this was a memorable sight that impressed us both, in the garden of the Frankland Arms, in the incredibly pretty village of Washington.
There is no better drink, after walking many miles, than a pint of beer (or cider, in Dawn's case)

The next day provided us with another very welcome drink.  This refreshment stop marked the halfway point for the whole walk, and lemon squash at that moment was the best drink ever, teamed with a fig roll biscuit.  It is the simple pleasures of life that bring a smile, and add a spring to our step.

All in all, it was a much more pleasurable experience this year.  As I had done it before, I knew what it felt like to walk continuously for 9 days, and had made sure to do a lot more regular walking (including lots of uphill) beforehand.  We both knew it would be a long, hard slog, and Dawn and I just settled into a rhythm, and got on with it.  And we talked about many things, topics ranging from our schooldays, to life after death, and almost everything in between.  That really made the miles pass by extremely pleasantly.  Thanks for that, Dawn.  In fact David Bowie came to help too; talking animatedly about him as we scaled the last steep hill on our way towards Devil's Dyke made the experience almost pleasurable (and thanks to you too, David.)

Another worry for the long distance walker (I can say that now that I have repeated the experience!) is the wear and tear to the feet, and the fear of blisters.  Last year, my oldish boots cracked, were a little too tight, and my waterproof coat of the same age gave up being waterproof.  This year I set out armed with new boots and coat, plus Compeed plasters and suncream. Here I am, applying a precautionary plaster just after Cheesefoot Head outside Winchester, only 3 miles from the very end.
Yes, it is really me, under that hat.  You are not so worried about your appearance whilst walking, a fact that had been noticed by one of the leaders.  And my blue bag full of essentials really did weigh between 4-5 kilos each day, one essential being plenty of water, which is really heavy. The last two days turned out to be very hot and sunny, ideal for nearing the end of the walk, but thanks goodness we didn't have 9 full days of it.

It was really exciting to reach Winchester, but also more than a little sad.  We didn't want the walk to end (a very different feeling from that of the previous year) and I didn't really want to return to what is called 'normal life'.  Walking for a long time really gives you a lot of space in which to think about your own life.  To slow the pace of your own life down for 9 days is a remarkably meditative and
head-clearing sort of thing to do.
But here I am, happy to have reached the end and achieved my goal.

But not as happy as when we were able  to get into the air-conditioned toilets at the Guildhall and to change from our walking gear into dresses, release our hair from its confines, and even apply a little light makeup.
One of the walk leaders told me that I looked so very different,  (what sort of sad sight had I been for the last 9 days) and that I 'scrubbed up really well'.
I will drink to that, and seriously think about repeating the experience next year.
But looking at this photo, I might have to do more a lot more work on my arms before then!

But after all, who doesn't like a colourful certificate?

Before I started the walk, I had visions of myself returning home to do a little artwork in the evenings.  What I did do most evenings was have a bath, eat a meal, get my packed lunch ready and then try really hard to stay awake until 10, before happily going to bed.
It wasn't until after the walk that I was able to continue with my significant artwork.
The studio room is now complete, as is the bedroom.  Out of consideration for my children, and non-arty friends, I am not showing you that room.  You can come round and see it, if you so desire.
You would be very welcome, and I will also make a cake if given enough advance warning.

And now, with the deadline only days away, I must complete the last two rooms, one of which will be the hardest for me to do.  That I will show you in my next blog.  Then, when all has been entered for the National Open Art competition, there are no more major obstacles to me starting my book.  The last obstacle being that I actually do need to start it, instead of thinking about starting it.  Does that sound familiar, all you writers and artist out there?
So I am off to swap the office for my shed, and aim to complete the last two rooms before teatime.

Why don't you aim to complete a task this week, that you have been putting off for too long?  Usually the thoughts of it are much worse than the doing of it.
 Then you will be one step nearer to doing what you know you should be doing, if it weren't for the fact that you've got too much other stuff to do.
Looking forward to seeing you all again in a week or so's time.
 Don't forget to have a little fun as well, or a lot, if you have manged to clear your list of boring jobs.
Or, keep your list the same length, and re-define 'boring'.