Rasita My Family, My Animals, My Food

A small bit of fiction

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The sky was overcast, the low clouds grey and threatening with rain, though the warm breeze was refreshing after long humid night.

She slept well now, peace written across her pale features, the night’s dreams forgotten.

Her window was open slightly, the breeze buffeting the curtains, and tickling her face, slowly rousing her from a peaceful slumber. Suddenly a golden beam of sunlight escaped through the low clouds, giving promise of a new day, and streamed in through a gap in the curtains, finding it’s way across the room and onto the bed, resting upon the pillow which lay empty beside her sleeping figure.

It was then that she awoke, reaching up to brush her golden locks from her face, feeling the breeze, and as her eyes slowly opened, the golden ray of light resting on the pillow beside her. She reached across with her hand, touching the spare pillow, feeling it’s coolness, the slight indent as if it had recently been used.

Eyes now fully open, she looked towards the window, watching joyfully as the sunbeam played with the moving curtain, almost forgetting. As if in habit, she turned her eyes towards the door that lead to the ensuite, watching, waiting as the fog of sleep left her awake and realising what had happened. The moment of joy turning to sadness as she realised she was alone, and not by choice. Her partner in life was gone, and today was the day she said goodbye.

That’s what my friend’s kid called us.

Most Wednesdays' we visit a road called Mountain View Rd, and from the top you get the mountain views and can see all the way to the Sunshine Coast. It is a steep, mostly dirt road, and a very good training aid. The first time it was hard, the second time it was still hard, but more rewarding. Now it is still hard but a different kind of hard. It is hard because we get to the bottom of the steep parts and we run up as far as we can, marking our progress with stones or visual markers. This week I improved on at least two of those markers.

An added bonus to this walk is that we are gradually getting to know the family who live at the top of the hill. Last night we talked to the man of the house (a born and bred farmer) and he allowed his dogs to come for a walk with us. This pleased our three accomplices (kids) a lot. (When the kids weren’t playing with the dogs they were continuing their elaborate game which first started when we first did the road). On these afternoon walks, we do about a 6km round trip.

Now onto the real reason why I am a looney! Last night, I walked in the door to find out I was heading straight back out to a boxing/fitness class. The walk lasted for roughly 90 minutes (quite possibly more), and the class went for 80 minutes.

For the last couple of weeks I have run barefoot at Thursday night’s training. There is quite a number of people there who run barefoot.

I always thought that you ran with your joggers on, and never really questioned running any differently. There is one guy in our club, that almost always runs barefoot, whether we be at the track, a club run, or some other event. I have only seen him once wear a special pair of sandals for running on unknown ground.

Well, my husband has been talking to him, and last week I had a blister the size of a 10cent coin on my heal so it was a case of run barefoot or don’t run at all. I ran barefoot. I felt comfortable running on the grass track and was able to keep up my walk/jog routine for 15 laps (6km) with no discomfort at all.

And not my last 18km.

The Walk

I’ve done it now. I have pushed myself, especially since I felt at the 16km mark I needed to stop and had reached my limit.

The morning started off early, at sunrise in fact. It was overcast, cool and very beautiful as we watched the sun rise through the light clouds. It looked like a promising start to the day. It was about 4 hours in, maybe a little earlier, that the heat started to make itself felt.

The walk started innocent enough, following some mountain bike trails which eventually led onto reasonably maintained service roads/fire breaks. When we started going places that looked unkempt, had trees across the paths and still had cobwebs across them (I caught heaps of cobwebs early on) we could almost imagine we were far from civilization, if it hadn’t been for the building site, or the houses which bordered the state forest.

This was made for a friend’s daughter’s 10th birthday.

On the left Willow is wearing her party gown (should have made it longer), and on the right, Willow is wearing her running clothes. They are made of breathable fabric so she will stay nice and cool.

Well, willow is the last doll I am making for this month. I need a break so I can at least get some personal sewing done.