Bribery.......

Met SS at the usual spot (corner of Newtown Road) just before 7am on Saturday morning....the plan was to do a 'quick' circuit of the common as we had 'bigger plans' for next week. The sun hadn't quite made it out, but different to previous weeks, it wasn't dark, it wasn't wet, and it wasn't windy!

Following on from Wednesday, the common looked quite bare, a lot of brushwood had been cut away, and it seemed very exposed in places. There was also a swan on the lake which I am sure winked at me as we walked past.......

Whether it was because we were cold, or hungry, or just yakking ++, we seemed to walk our 8 miles quicker than ever, and were soon in Costas ordering what has become our traditional 'first' breakfast of chocolate twist and cappuccino! Jim and Jamie (SS's family) met us there, and Jamie (all 12 years of him) couldn't believe that his Mum had finished her walk, and was on her way home to 'bug him' (his exact words!!) So.....the little lovely, offered me £10, to take his Mum out for another circuit of the common -

BRIBERY!!  Of course I said.....Yes.....well, that would pay for a chocolate twist and a cappuccino, doh!

So, out we went and did another circuit of the common, but just to be different, we did it in reverse, and it's amazing what you notice when you take a different route around somewhere you have walked a million times before......still couldn't find the public loos up there.......

So 16 miles later...and I'm sorry Jamie.....but you need to have your Mum back!

SS headed along Monks Lane, and I headed down Newtown Road, to meet Chris who was going out to play Golf, and 'would I like  a lift to the common with the dogs so that they could have a walk?' - so, for the THIRD time that day, off to the common! This time Cass kept me company, and we asked Chris to drop us at the far end, away from the swan, and walked back down the left hand side, heading, finally, to home, a hot shower, and an Indian take-away....well, after 19 miles I think I deserved one!!