Started the day getting my power yoga back on with my fabulous teacher Anna who I realised I have now been practising with, on and off, for about 6 or 7 years. Thank you Anna. It’s been a month or so since I had the energy to do a dynamic class like this and I finished it feeling like I was ready for anything . . . good job as I banned the Xbox for the day so I needed all the help I could get dealing with the anticipated fall out from the kids!
Although it’s freezing out and I always see the cold as my nemesis, a few good nights’ sleep, cutting down on sugar and salt, upping my water intake and easing back in yoga with some light early morning classes appear to have made all the difference. Anyway, there’s something about the flow of movement and the deep breathing and the synchronicity of connecting with other people at the same time. The whole thing felt like a big hug at a time when I’m especially missing hugging my family and friends.
I could also feel the energy emanating from Anna (even over Zoom) – who always makes me laugh while inspiring me into stretches I thought I was nowhere near achieving – but also energy emanating somehow the atmosphere. Even though the sky was practically a white out today, with mesmerising but sleety snowflakes falling pretty much constantly, I could still sense a general brightening as if, despite the forecasted fallout from Storm Darcy, our three-day amuse bouche of sunshine had somehow irrevocably shifted the season on.
The rest of the day was spent distracting the kids while trying to catch up with housework and errands at the same time. Determined to cook a roast and in need of groceries, I managed a trip to the shop in the snow returning with a rainbow of vegetables: red cabbage, carrots, sweetcorn, parsnips, leeks and broccoli. And then had one of those proud parent moments when I got the boys to help me prep the veg as a way to diffuse another fight and they actually ended up enjoying themselves. I’ll get them a potato peeler each for Christmas next year!
We then cuddled up on the sofa (well, one sort of cuddled up while the other one spent the whole time rapping about his evil twin Ingy) as I forced them to watch The Sound of Music, which they also enjoyed albeit in hysterics at the complete lack of action and the constant singing. I haven’t seen it for so long I have to admit to finding it hilarious as well, although I did also get pangs of nostalgia as I always remember watching it with my sister and Nana as a child.
I also found myself pining for the mountains, which usually means I’m missing Yorkshire. Not that there are any peaks there anywhere near as big as the ones found in Bavaria where the opening ‘hills are alive’ scenes are shot – Yorkshire’s ‘Three Peaks’ of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough only just make it to ‘mountain’ status (at or above 2,000 feet/610 metres) – but there’s just something about the landscape being bigger than you, the energy and equanimity of higher ground.
Feeling the need for a bit of lucid dreaming and tonight I will dream I am there.