Walking home from the grocery store carrying bags of these brought strange looks. What is still the norm in England, at least in small towns and villages, is frowned upon here ~ seems only homeless persons walk the streets carrying plastic bags.
What better way to start the year ~ some exercise in the crisp and sunny January air, then making healthy Russian vegetable soup!
We would have gone by bicycle except we don't have any. Perhaps if we move to a French village we can pedal to the market like this.
Well that was yesterday......................today has been so cold, a few snow flakes whirled around in the strong wind this morning. My exercise consisted of taking down the decorations and making numerous stair climbs to the attic to store them away. 
Do you have a fitness plan for January? Have you tossed the last of the holiday sweet treats to the birds and wildlife? I did that this evening and in no time had cardinals, wrens, sparrows, woodpeckers and of course numerous squirrels..............all feeding frantically to weather the very cold night ahead. My heart goes out to those who truly are homeless in this Winter weather.
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Hi my dear Mary! Blessings to you and yours during 2008. A new beginning has been given to us… let us enjoy it! And remember: Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. (Brooks Atkinson)
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful rest of the night.
Cielo
We are so lucky to have warm homes in the winter. I see quite a few homeless in the metro stations.
ReplyDeleteThe veggies look beautiful, you have just inspired me to cook a stew. We have been forecasted snow in the UK today but so far nothing in Gloucestershire.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year
I wish we had a grocery store nearby. Actually it is only 2 miles, but no sidewalks part of the way and a busy highway to cross with no crosswalk. I know, excuses, excuses. I would truly love to walk on everyday errands and have some relatively warm, sunny weather to do it in.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your soup. Think I will make Raechel's Cabbage Stoup for dinner.
Janet
Hello Mary! I am so glad to be back and blogging! :) Oh, I love to walk to the store and often backpacked home with my groceries. I have to say though, it is 13 degrees below zero, so I will not be venturing out today. :) I am sitting by my fireplace enjoying the warmths of my home and share your sympathy for the homeless in this winter season!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, well when my back heals my husband said he would get me a personal trainer to help me get in shape so I am very excited for that! But, it looks as though that is about 2 or 3 months out now. No worries, keep on walking and ignore those people that turn up thier noses! :) HUGS!!!
I had to laugh when you said that only homeless people walk around with paper bags. I sure do feel for them on these cold nights. Here in Charlotte we have "room at the inn" where churches set up sleeping facilities and food for the homeless each evening. Perhaps it is in other places too. I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for getting exercise walking. My husband and I used to walk each morning at 6:30 but since it's dark and cold now we haven't done it in awhile. We need to get back to it because we felt so good afterward. Hope youhave a lovely day. Rhondi
Walking or bicycling to the shops is a normal thing here. I also love using a wicker basket or my banana leaf tote for my grocereies. Why is it that is all feels better when you place the items in a basket than in a plastic bag? I think it gives shopping a romantic edge. And everyone needs some romance in their lives...right? :)
ReplyDeleteI say keep walking to buy those veggies and you will have a very healthy new year!
Hugs ~
Heidi
Okay Mary, we are all on Skype talking and have decided we are on our way for dinner. We are bringing some freshly baked bread, real butter, wine and dessert. See you soon! :)
ReplyDeleteHugs ~
Heidi, Nancy, Kristy and Mandie
Well, if you shop at Aldi, you have to take your own bags. I have not and do not plan to throw out my candy to the birds. Sorry,
ReplyDeleteI am keeping it.
I walk a lot. I walk every morning on the weekdays with my friend Joan. We have been doing this for about 15 years.
ReplyDeleteI love it.
Rosemary
In France they do not give bags out anymore, so everyoen has to bring their own.
ReplyDeleteAre you making soup?
To Heidi, Nancy, Mandie & Kristy - sounds perfect - come on over! Anyone bringing fresh bread, REAL butter ~ nothing less, wine and dessert are gals after my own heart!! We'll eat and then take a walk.............well perhaps not tonight, it's freezing out. Instead, Bob is lighting the fire, and I have plenty of after dinner drinks available to warm us up. We're also planning to watch "on The Beach" - remember that one?
ReplyDeleteLove you all - wish we really could do this. Anyone else who can make it, come on over, we'll squeeze you in too.
Hugs - Mary.
Good for you for walking, and for all the healthy veggies. My resolutions contain health/diet items EVERY YEAR. I do recommend canvas bags for your groceries, though -- less likely to tear and make a mess, and far more stylish and eco-friendly (grin).
ReplyDeleteHealthy food and aerobic de-christmasing.(?) I think it's so much nicer to buy a few things for dinner a couple of times a week. We are so caught up in buying "quantity" for the value sake that there is so much more waste and produce doesn't always stay fresh. I'm staying away from the inside rows in the grocery store (all the bad food). THat is one of my new resolutions for my family too.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I have a dear friend who is not a blogger, but is going to be traveling to England this Summer with her family. I gave her your blog. What better way to find out about a country than from those who've lived there. Hope that's okay.
Karen Eileen
I live a half mile from the store and we rarely walk. I did start my exercise program though. Maybe I should just start walking to the store every day. It would be good for the environment and me too. I'll have to start next week though as we are supposed to be in for a big storm in the next few days. I think I better put a pot of soup on the stove tomorrow too!
ReplyDeleteHi Mary,
ReplyDeleteA happy 2008 to you! Good to see you have blogged all through the holiday - top marks! As a Scot (living in England!) I liked seeing the photo of the pipers and the Auld Lang Syne notes on your blog. Also it is funny to see a pic of Stow on the Wold - not what I was expecting this morning. We are around 30 mins from there.
This year I'm turning to scrapbooking. Bit by bit I'm getting a collection of suitable "stuff" together.
Annie x
A great idea..tossing the sweet treats to
ReplyDeletemy Singing Woods friends..
I'll do it today..EXCEPT the chocolate!!
lol
deena
Hi Mary,
ReplyDeleteI had this funny experience in the USA a couple of years ago. People stared at me when I was WALKING! Hmmm....OK there were hardly no pavements but I love to walk and then I looked at a huge building with glasswalls and saw people RUNNING inside! That is strange being from Sweden! OK I can think of a dozen reasons why You have to be indoors running: no pavements!... criminality... polution...but wouldn´t it be better to create an outside park for exercising?...But what do I know!
Liisa