under another sun

Up at 7:30 this morning to gird my loins to be ready for Anton at 8:30. Leaving Lorraine, on the first morning of half term, in bed. Anton drove us off to Ashdown Forest where we walked about without pause for about three hours or so. A beautiful day for walking, coolish with quite a bit of sun. Great to be walking (brisk walking is Anton's new fitness tip and he has been doing lots of it in the Cotswolds and other places lately). There is something great about just sloping along and chatting, as we passed into woods under tree canopies, sandy paths lined with gorse, past a small recently burnt bit, across buttercup fields, the path of a disused railway, where with nothing in sight for half a mile in either direction we had a judicious wee in the bushes, only to discover that a poor woman was sitting tucked away on a bench about ten yards away. Also crossed Pooh bridge, with a little clot of tourists there looking down at the penny coloured water. Discussed lots of stuff that nee...

A stolen day Up early this morning, pausing only to dispose of a pigeon wing and a bit of gore that the evil weasel Calliope had dragged in through the catflap. Tried not to think of how she had done this before she had run upstairs to rub her face on mine. Anton called for me and we joined the commuters at the station. However we were donned in walking garb, and chose the path less travelled by, and got off at Three Bridges. From here we got a bus to Ashdown Forest, inspiration for Winnie the Pooh. It was a perfect day, with bright sun and a blue sky. Being a forest walk, much of it was under the canopy, which I love. Anton Pigleting about happily as we mooched on. Up to the top of the hill where be joined what Anton said was an old Roman Road. Both of us were hot from walking uphill for a couple of miles. Anton, unzipped two vents in his new designer trousers, this was apparently quite cooling. Through the vents it was possible to glimpse what appeared to be fishnet tights, but this ...

In a dark wood, where the straight way was lost Off early up the hill to Anton's house in my walking gear. Klaudia opening the door to me like a proper grown up girl. Both Godchildren on good form today. Anton drove us then to Ashdown forest. We got lost on route due to Anton not listening to my navigation, or my navigation not being clear enough. Some discussion about this, which came as a relief from Anton frequently steering our conversation to Manchester Utd. We arrived at our starting point for what was going to be long circular route through the forest. Ashdown forest had inspired Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories. Unusually for us we got repeatedly lost, but the forest was so beautiful that we hardly bickered at all. This despite Anton having to repeatedly consult maps and compass, and taking several wrong turns. The forest is mixed woodland and patches of heath and today the conditions were ideal. Cool but bright and sunny, and the bluebells were out in force. Anton claim...