3 miles & All That Jazz - Day 4

Up early again to get ready for a 3 mile run with Sue, down to the beach and back.  Sue talked me into wearing my jacket as she said it was cold, the jacket was off and tied round my waist when we got to the mile mark!  It was dry but pretty windy.

No idea what we're doing today apart from tonight when the three of us are going to see the West End touring show of Chicago.  Dani has wanted to see this for a while.      

I've blogged now as we won't be back home until late.   I will also be walking the dog later, so more mileage will be updated tomorrow.

Have a good day everyone.

Day 4 miles : 3 miles in 31 mins

Musicals seen : 1

Dog walk miles : 3 miles

Total Juneathon miles : 

running: 16

dog walks : 10

3rd June - 2 half marathons & Ironing

This morning's run was another early one and the first of the month with Sue.  I wanted to get over to Seaford to see the Half Marathon leave at 9, I had taken my camera but hadn't checked the battery.  When we got there the battery was dead and hence no photos of the Seaford Half Marathon.   The weather was good for running in, but not ideal for being on the South Downs - no doubt @Tomroper's blog will be a race report.   I didn't spot him in the pack unfortunately.

So Sue and I have done 6 miles today (in two halves) and took about 1hr 15 minutes which was good.  I think that's one of the fastest times we've done that run.

When I got back I got on with the ironing (which was a marathon of it's own!)  and entered myself for the Brighton Half Marathon 2013 (Juneathon madness takes over again).  Bit fed up that I missed the early bird registration and had to spend £2 more!

The dog walk today was to the local village of Piddinghoe, where their Jubilee celebration was being held on the Hoe.  We didn't stay, felt a bit guilty at gatecrashing!

Run miles : 6 in 1hr 15 mins (I think but Garmin was going on & off whilst we were waiting for the HM runners)
Dog walk miles : 2 miles 1hr 20 mins
Half Marathons watched : 1
Half Marathons entered : 1
Ironing Hours : 1 hour 30 minutes
WW weigh in 61.9 kg lost 1.3kgs

Juneathon Day 2 - An unexpected day with the folks

Up at 7am this morning & went back to bed for an hour.  Finally got up at 8, swallowed a banana and headed out of the door, immediately regretting that I hadn't gone at 7 - it wasn't particularly sunny but it was quite warm.  Decided to go down to the cycle path this morning as it gives me the opportunity to go further if I'm feeling ok, and lots of turnaround points when I've had enough.  Quite a few people out and about, mostly cyclists and a few runners.   I only intended on doing 2 miles this morning, but as usual decided to push on and turn around at the 2 mile mark.  Today's Juneathon is therefore 4 miles in 48 minutes.


When I got back I found a message from Dad saying they had been banished from their street as they weren't taking part in the Jubilee street party, could they come to us and spend the day by the sea.  Not sure what we were going to do with them all day and then remembered that Newhaven were holding the Fish Festival today. Entertainment sorted, now all we need is food.   Shaun got back from walking Archie and following a quick cup of tea and a bowl of cereal (and of course a shower!) we shot to Lidl to stock up on food.   Got home to find Ma & Pa installed in the house, making a cup of tea and doing the washing up from breakfast ;0)

We took them to the Fish Festival and bought some lovely prawns, crayfish tails and cockles.   The Fish Festival is held every year to bless the fish and a chance for the "community" to come together and enjoy face painting, the Dieppe Market traders and a mini fairground plus a few other stalls like tombola and guess how many peanuts in the jar!


Dad decided we should go for a pub lunch to save me cooking so we went to the Smugglers Rest in Peacehaven which serves some nice food.   After Dad & I took the dog for his afternoon walk and then had a tea of seafood.   It was nice to spend a relaxed day with Mum & Dad - doesn't happen enough these days!


Run 4 miles 48 minutes
Dog walk 1.5 miles 45 minutes + an unlogged 1 mile to the Fish Festival and back.


I really need to find a theme for these blogs!

Juneathon Day 1 - An Early Start

So here we go, the 1st day of Juneathon.  The one benefit of it being June is that it gets light, very early, and so I am normally awake between 4.30 and 5am.   I have a few early morning runs planned as the family have quite a lot going on this month.   Hubby is obviously still working shifts and Danni as regular readers will know is mid-GCSE and at the end of the month will be at her school Prom.


This morning I was awake at normal June time so was out of the house by 5.45, having taken two bites of banana & a glug of water.  As you will see from my last entry I had a bet with @jogblog, which yesterday I lost, and so will be adding an extra mile to my runs each day.  Today's was an easy 1 mile + the additional mile, but actually ended up being nearer 3 (as logged on Running Free Online).   Newhaven is a very sleepy place at that time of the morning so no traffic to contend with and only 1 dog walker & a couple of fishermen to wish good morning to.  I decided to do the West Beach out & back route this morning, which was very pleasant. 


Later on I'm taking Archie out for his walk - apparently hubby has told me the dog has started on his Juneathon effort and took hubby for a long walk this morning.  Dog walks will add mileage to Juneathon but I'm definitely going to try more running than Janathon!  


Still not sure how the blog will develop over the month, but I hope to make it more interesting than me just blabbing on!


Day 1 Run : 2.79 miles (logged as 3) in 31.13 minutes

Dog walk : 3 Miles in 1hour 20 mins

Juneathon Preparations

Only 1 week to go and Juneathon begins.  Preparations are going well, Sue and I have been running 3 times a week for the last month, only 4 miles during the week and up to 6 on our long run on Sunday.   Our next event is a 10k in Seaford.  

I have stocked up on all 'athon essentials :  washing powder, painkillers, blister plasters, glucosamine, bodyglide, shower gel, 2in1 shampoo & conditioner.

I have told hubby, daughter & the dog that everyday will involve running - so no-one had better protest or question where I'm off to!

During one mad moment I set a wager with Cathy that if she managed not to eat a whole packet of  red/white/blue crisps in one sitting that I would add an extra mile to my daily run.  So I have pledged that if said packet is not consumed in one foul swoop I will be running at least 2 miles every day.  What a muppet!

All preparations are therefore made.

Good luck everyone

The One about the Prom Dress !

As you will know from previous posts my gorgeous, clever 16 y/o is in her last year of school and in amongst finishing coursework, revising for GCSEs, trying to get a part time job and generally being a teenager there is the sorting of everything Prom!

Meet Danni :

This event has been 4 years in the planning, ever since she started at Comprehensive. Searching for the all important dress is a major stress so thinking I would save myself from yomping up and down the streets of Brighton with a stroppy 16yo I would troll the internet for a lovely dress - and being tight, save myself a few quids.  In March I presented Danni with a list of bookmarked websites with beautiful dresses on.  After a lot of oo-ing and aaa-ing we she settled on this one.  So off I merrily go, clicking with excitement, confirm payment on Paypal (to be my saviour) and wait 23 days for said item to arrive.

When the order was over the 23 day delivery promise, I decided to email them to find out what was happening - as you do.  Back came an email saying "Your dress will be with you soon" (although the use of the English language was worrying, later found out I was dealing with Customer Services in China)  Great! Email back, yes but when?  Dear Customer - very soon, when you would like it? My reply - as soon as possible, please time is running out & you are now overdue with delivery!

A few days later I received an email to say that the dress was on it's way - 14 days overdue.  The dress duly arrived and with excitement we opened the box to find a yellow diamante & sparkle encrusted dress.  Danni immediately hated the colour, which to be honest was a bit yellow, and you will see above it looks more gold, and the embellishment was very different.  She tried it on, begrudgingly.  You actually needed 3 pairs of hands to do the thing up, and then it was way too tight.

The skirt wasn't as flowing as portrayed on the website, more like stiff netting.  She was quite upset, but I told her not to worry, we'd send it back and do what we should have done at the beginning.

Now the stress fun started.  Quick email to supplier to say that dress wasn't as we'd ordered and it didn't fit properly, asking what we had to do to send it back.

Reply : "Dear Customer - please send photographic evidence of reason for return"

Dear Customer Services Person  how can I photograph my daughter's disappointment?  Oh well here you go, oh and don't forget the dress was 14 days overdue.

"Dear Lesley - don't worry keep the dress and we'll refund you 30%"

"Err no as per your company's Overdue Order policy, I want a full refund "

"Dear Lesley - we can't afford to give you more, we have to pay the dressmaker, the designer, the packer blah blah, and we won't have the dress"

"Yes but your overdue order policy says full refund, buyer to keep dress & suck up pay the postage charge"

"Dear Lesley OK we can offer you 40% refund".

"No I'm sorry full refund or I'm reporting you to Trading Standards"

"Dear Lesley, having referred to Manager we can offer you 50% refund"

"Sorry no, full refund".   Silence then for a few hours and I end up chasing them to find out what is going on - an email from a different CS person - please send back dress & you can have full refund.  Reply straight back yep, great give me the address!  Email from them confirming return address is in Portsmouth - result, not as expensive as China!

So Mr B nips to the Post Office with beautifully repackaged yellow, diamante encrusted dress, pays the £7 posting fee for Guaranteed Next Day Delivery, toddles back home with tracking number which I email to the supplier, as requested, with expected time of delivery which was before 1pm the next day.

I checked the track & trace at 12.30 the next day to find that the parcel was being RETURNED TO SENDER - what?  That's me!  Another email to supplier - what the hell are you playing at?  Whilst waiting for a reply Mr B checked with Post Office that we could get parcel back - yep no problem just wait until tracking says it's back at the depot.  That's a relief - just got to sort out the supplier.  Still no response that evening and in order to off load the stress I set up a claim on Paypal.  Another email requesting response - reply came back a short while later "Dear Customer - please accept full refund" OMG why couldn't they have done that in the first place?

At the time of publishing this rant, I have the refund in my bank account (thanks to Paypal), however the dress is somewhere between home & Belfast, which apparently is where the depot is for undelivered parcels.  Just hope that the dress actually makes it back, luckily I did put a copy of the invoice in the parcel with our address on!

In the meantime we have been shopping and found a lovely dress.  Photos of the big day will follow.

Celebrate Good Times - A Catch Up !

March & April is always a busy time of birthdays and Easter.   The first birthday of note is my Dad's - this year was an extremely special one - his 70th.  

Dad at a particularly wet Brighton Half a couple of years ago.

It was a lovely day and instead of having a party Dad had chosen a pub lunch with the family.  Apparently there aren't any decent pubs near them so we booked a table for 7 people at the Plough & Harrow (mine & Shaun's regular haunt when dog walking & mentioned in previous blogs).  Afterwards we all headed home for birthday cake and a cup of tea.  Steve & Jo had made a lovely cake - Dad had requested chocolate so that's what he got.  A chocolate cake covered in Smarties!

We also celebrated the 1st year of Archie's adoption.  Archie, my gorgeous, clever Jack Russell cross came from Raystede at the end of March 2011.   We've had so much fun with him, and been on some lovely walks - we really are lucky to have him.   He's our second rescue dog - our first was a black terrier cross called Magic who was a bit highly strung, but Archie is completely the opposite.  He loves walking, thankfully.  The only thing he doesn't like is travelling in the car. 

 These photos just about sum Archie up - happy posing, playing ball & eating!

On 4th April we went to see David Essex in his touring show All The Fun of the Fair.  

I have seen David in many tours and shows over the years and luckily Danni and Shaun like him too.  This production didn't disappoint and cleverly includes many of his songs around a sad story of fairground life.


For Easter weekend we'd arranged for Mum & Dad to look after Danni & Archie so that we could have some time to ourselves.  We're usually away on holiday during the school Easter break but not for the second year on the trot!   So, hotel booked in Maidstone (doesn't sound very exciting does it?) for Good Friday.  We did some shopping - Maidstone is a great place for that pastime. We had a lovely evening meal at a restaurant we'd spotted during the afternoon, Wildwood.  An original Italian menu and very reasonably priced.  A lovely atmosphere and great service. 


Shaun had set my alarm early Saturday morning so that I could go for a run.  The Travelodge is on the River Medway so it was fairly easy to leave the hotel and just run for as far as I wanted to.  After a while I got a bit scared, there was no-one about and Shaun was stuck back in the hotel as I had the key!  A nice 3 mile run though, flat with a trail feel to it - some made up concrete paths, cinder paths, mud track, and the weather was perfect.  

After breakfast we drove up to Essex to spend Saturday & Sunday with Paula & Dave, who we met a few years ago whilst on holiday.  We haven't seen them since the end of last year so it was great to spend some time with them.   Lots of food, alcohol & laughing!


Sunday night was back to Maidstone Travelodge, however Shaun had left my running kit in the car so no run along the other side of the river bank on Monday morning, luckily it was pouring with rain.  Perfect excuse for another shopping trip and another run sometime in the future!!!
Next birthday celebration was mine.  Unfortunately I had to go to work but to soften the blow I took in cakes for everyone and treated myself to a Costa!  Lots of lovely cards from friends and family, some lovely birthday wishes from friends on Facebook and my twitfam, some Body Shop smelly from Danni and Shaun bought me a new running top and a pair of 5k weights. I've been using his but keep spiking myself in the leg with the end of the bar.  

A lovely day finished off with a meal with Shaun & Danni at a local pub. 


Today was Brighton Marathon - dusted off the vuvuzela and made our way to Ovingdean where you get a fantastic view of the action in 3 directions.  Between 15,000 and 18,000 runners (depending on who was giving the stats!) two of which were my brother and his girlfriend

Another birthday which needs a mention is the massive milestone that is Danni's 16th.  Hard to believe that the tiny little dot that arrived a few minutes after midnight on 19th April has grown up - more on Danni's mammoth year later as we have exams, a prom and her first big gig without her mum to get through!