Loch Rannoch

This week my get fit campaign has taken a step up as the whole family set up camp at Jim and Sarah's lodge at Loch Rannoch. The plan at the moment is to push hard to build up stamina and to challenge my body with small infections to exercise my immune system. This has taken the form of fishing from a boat on the lake for a day, climbing a monroe (3000ft mountian) called Ben Lawers with the kids including the youngest, cycling round the lake (23miles) a couple of times and fishing a river for the day. With all this exercise comes a barrage of insect bites, scratches and fatigue which is testing me pretty well, so far all the damage seems to amount to one sore elbow due to over use of a heavy casting rod and some aching muscles in my legs from the trips round the loch on the bike.

I have also managed to fit in a couple of phone calls to colleagues who I may be working with when I return to Gore in four weeks or so, this all seems pretty positive and interesting so my mind is starting to exercise in that direction as I cycle or fish my way back into rude good health. One of the good developments in this year is that the kids have got to an age where they can climb up the mountians under their own steam and land a fish without my help. Poppy is very keen to get a fish of her own having seen Jim and I land fish in the boat but so far has not had the luck, we will see if another session today in lighter winds can get her anything.

Next week we are moving to a cottage near Skye in a village called Applecross which is on the beach, this is a pretty remote spot so my mobile internet access might not work. The plan is for beach jogging or coastal cycling to keep the fitness program going while the kids build sandcastles and we do a bit of fishing off the coast. So we hope you are all well, the final stages of the recovery program are going well and providing some great fun holiday memories for us all.

Cheers

Gerry

Camping in the rain

The weather continues to be wet and cold here in Scotland somehow summer has not yet really arrived, never the less I set off camping with Holly for a few days last week to further test my stamina and immune system. Thankfully both held up well for the three days though I did sleep until 11am one morning after overdoing it sawing wood for the fire the previous day.

We set up camp in the woods near Lee's parents cottage, this is a great place for us as the kids can roam around the woods and the streams safely, we can do things that we would not be able to do in a regular campsite like have a wood fire, cut down dead trees, build bridges over streams etc. Its an excellent place for Holly to push the boundaries by going off exploring and joining in all the work of the camp. In addition the grandparents get to see a good lot of us and can spoil us with cooked breakfasts when we are too lazy to start the fire in the morning.

The weather was mixed but we did not mind and in some ways reading books at night while the rain fell on the tent was a bonding time for us. I find when I am away on a trip with one of the girls we chat a lot more than when we are away as a family which I really enjoy.

I had to go looking for my comb the other day as my hair has got to the point where it sticks out on the side I sleep ! So combs, shampoo and razors are all back in my life after a gap of three months in many ways the baldy look was a lot easier to maintain.

My other treat for the week was getting driven round a race circuit in a new Aston Martin Vantage by one of Astons test drivers, very scary, I have been convinced once again that I could not drive as fast as a proper race driver, they just brake impossibly late from 100+mph straights and fling cars sideways through corners all four wheels squealing in protest yet just hit the apex of the corner every time, amazing!

The medical report continues to be fine, the doctors are now encouraging me to go gardening and camping to get small infections as part of getting my immune system exercised and remembering how to defend my body, so far it has thrown off some sniffles and tummy bugs pretty quickly so I am feeling a lot fitter than even a few weeks ago. We are now setting up for a few weeks of travel, next week to Loch Rannoch for some hillwalking, the following week to Applecross near Skye for beach walks etc and finally a week at the campsite in Aberdeen though that last week will be broken up for me as I have to return to Edinburgh for my scan and to meet the new First Minister of Scotland for breakfast, Alex Salmond, on behalf of Gore.

So all continues to be well, any suggestions for Alex let me know in the comments!

Cheers

Gerry