Brisk Lap of the Park

Two really quick walks coming up now. These were power walks, if you like. There was a spare half an hour and a burst of energy, so we went.

But first, I would like to share with you my baby Yoda t-shirt. He's possibly the cutest thing that's ever appeared on telly, and now he is on my t-shirt. I don't need a lot in life, I really don't. Just a cute little dude on a t-shirt and I'm very happy. 

Oh, also, a new and completely non-flared pair of jeans. I can tell you, it's quite strange to feel denim actually touching my legs after three years of wearing flares, but I think I can cope. I wore flares in silent and completely pointless protest at my ex who only liked me to wear skinny jeans. It's nice when you get your freedom back and can wear and do whatever you like, but the flares have now begun to fall apart. 

So, Matthew and I, on a day I can't remember, hopped into the car and went to the park. 'Matthew,' says I, 'I've got half an hour for a walk – where shall we go?' Matthew grimaced as he always does when I ask him to choose a walking place, then I choose in the end. 'Quick lap of the park?' says I. 'Oh yes, let's go!'

It really was a very quick lap. We set off at a hellish pace, but slowed a little bit because we were almost running and there was no need. I paused only for one-and-a-half seconds here and there to photograph a tree. Here is one. I can't quite see what shape the leaves are, so I don't know what it is.

This is quite obviously a horse chestnut tree because we can see the conker shells. This park is full of these trees – maybe they're a staple of British parks. Anyway, they've been here all my life and every year I have collected at least a handful. I don't know why. I don't play the game of conkers with them, and neither do my kids. We don't collect them on strings or anything either, though I did just once have a collection on a shoelace. I didn't keep it because I just didn't see the point in collecting them at all. Someone once brought us a huge bag full of them and I don't know why. What we were supposed to do with them?

I think this could be a nice climbing tree, but we didn't stop to find out. I don't know what it is – maybe another horse chestnut? I've written on my walks list that I need to see if this is climbable. 

Halfway round the park already, easy peasy. We thought about stopping for a rest on the bench because we were quite sweaty – it was one of those deceptively warm days – but we pressed on, with a nice ache in the legs. Matthew, incidentally, was wearing a hoodie and his winter coat because he doesn't feel the heat. He's very weird like that. I know you get people who don't feel the cold, but I've never known anyone before who doesn't feel the heat.

A bunch of trees of all shapes and varieties for you. Honestly, I'm getting no better at this – I can identify exactly none of these. Are trees something that you need to learn in your childhood to remember them, like languages? I once tried to learn Russian, and I now have zero Russian words in my lexicon.

Oh, but I remember this one, of course. There are mountain ash all over the place. If I ever manage to get my garden looking nice again, I think I should have a mountain ash. I've just checked, it's fine – they love gardens.

No more photos of this walk. We did the mile and a half around the park in super-quick time, then I went back to work and Matthew made our tea. He's good like that – he can make proper meals with proper ingredients.

Next super-fast walk coming up in five minutes. You will be disappointed, I guarantee it. I'm only including it because I took two photos and turned Strava on, so I kind of feel obliged. Plus it was a mile and I've written about shorter walks. 

Until ... in a minute, weirdos.

WQ