Well, over halfway through June and we’ve had torrential rain, a heatwave, thunderstorms, and two hail storms!

I took advantage of the nice weather last weekend to walk to my dads on one of my weekend visits. According to the internet it is 3.9 miles and should take about 1h 24 minutes. Last time I walked it took me just over an hour. So I left early and decided to go slow and steady.

Anyone else looking after elderly parents know the following things to be true. It is rewarding, it is a privilege to spend time with a parent as they get older. We have a laugh in between the not so fun times, and some family lore gets dropped as well! It’s also f*cking draining and sometimes I resent the time. I have no free days. A quick trip to my dads take 4-5 hours. My sister and I have to do a lot a planning to give each other breaks and it’s just not always practical. So anyway, trying to make the best of the travel time made me think about walking at least once over the weekend. If the weather is good it’s a lovely walk. I can go through two parks, a pretty cemetery, and beautiful old church yard. On really gorgeous days and investing a bit more time I could go down a very exclusive street and look at some incredibly posh houses!

I usually put my headphones in when I’m leaving the house but decided this time to forgo music and listen to the birds (yes, I have a bird app LOL) and the usual early morning park noises. I get to the second and bigger of the two parks just before it gets really busy and it’s always interesting to see who else is there. Runners, dog walkers, kids learning to ride bikes, and a photographer setting up bright and early. Sometimes on a Saturday there’s a cricket match on and there’s often a tea and coffee kiosk as well. On my doorstep.

After a saunter in the park and a spot of squirrel hunting in the cemetery, I walked through the town I grew up in and down to my dads. About a third of the walk is along an “A” road so I do tend to “sprint” that bit. Made it in 1h 15 minutes. Next time I’ll remember my sketchbook.

Nelly Furtado walked me home.