Hi Run Fans,
Well I say "run" fans....you may well be disappointed that this is yet another blog about NOT running.
Don't be hasty, I'm not talking about giving up running, but merely having a bloody good time when you decide not to run.
If anyone can take relaxation and lounging to the extreme, to 5 star level if you will, it's me.
Essentially I'm a big lazy sloth. My natural state is draped across a sofa, more of a liquid than a solid human. Adorned by my 2 cats if at all possible.
You want to know how to get the most out of an evenings rest? Step right up. Here's the lazy girl's guide to, as my friend would say, "getting your cosy on"
Well I say "run" fans....you may well be disappointed that this is yet another blog about NOT running.
Don't be hasty, I'm not talking about giving up running, but merely having a bloody good time when you decide not to run.
If anyone can take relaxation and lounging to the extreme, to 5 star level if you will, it's me.
Essentially I'm a big lazy sloth. My natural state is draped across a sofa, more of a liquid than a solid human. Adorned by my 2 cats if at all possible.
You want to know how to get the most out of an evenings rest? Step right up. Here's the lazy girl's guide to, as my friend would say, "getting your cosy on"
Wee bit of background to this weeks "big cosy".
I've been feeling lightheaded and getting lots of headaches. I'd kept my daily runs ( I'm streaking, I'll blog on that soon....no not naked) down to a single mile and thought I was feeling better. I smugly told my colleagues that I was running the 15 miles home. I left my car and my clothes and set off........
.....things did not go to plan. after a mile I felt EXHAUSTED. Out of breath, heavy legged and downright ill. At a pitiful 1.3 miles I stopped. I was done. I couldn't even bear to run/walk the 1.3 back to my car. I drudged over the road and dejectedly got the bus back into town. I hadn't got my endorphins, I was a massive grumpus.......I started to drive home......and then it clicked....
....I realised that I couldn't change the fact that I wasn't running this evening.....but I could make my unexpected free evening a heaven of treats and pampering and lounging like a Greek goddess. So I detoured and headed to the home of zen and nice things.....where everything is lovely, even the basic things and everyone is super friendly and helpful.....WAITROSE.
Yep. WAITROSE. I'm totally a Lidl gal for my shopping. But when it comes to my happy place, it's furnished by WAITROSE. Everything about it is really grown up and chilled out. If you sign up for a loyalty card you can get a free cup of tea (or coffee) every time you shop. I bloody love free things. And WAITROSE free things are even better.
So. To get your cosy on you need comfort food. I have a rule that I have to try to eat healthily most of the time, but if it's reduced in WAITROSE I can buy whatever sugary snacks I desire. That way you get the double whammy of a smug bargain AND sugar. You'll note from the picture above that I didn't even get to photograph my half price iced biscuit before I'd absent mindedly eaten half of it. (My hand and mouth work without my brain's input it seems)
I went for the decadent option of 2 iced biscuits and a donut and cornflakes to count as "real food" so I didn't have to leave the sofa to cook dinner. (I love cake but even I need proper food too) Having spent over £5 in WAITROSE I claimed my free copy of The Guardian, so I could do the G2 crossword inbetween episodes of lying still/bathing/stuffing my face.
I've been feeling lightheaded and getting lots of headaches. I'd kept my daily runs ( I'm streaking, I'll blog on that soon....no not naked) down to a single mile and thought I was feeling better. I smugly told my colleagues that I was running the 15 miles home. I left my car and my clothes and set off........
.....things did not go to plan. after a mile I felt EXHAUSTED. Out of breath, heavy legged and downright ill. At a pitiful 1.3 miles I stopped. I was done. I couldn't even bear to run/walk the 1.3 back to my car. I drudged over the road and dejectedly got the bus back into town. I hadn't got my endorphins, I was a massive grumpus.......I started to drive home......and then it clicked....
....I realised that I couldn't change the fact that I wasn't running this evening.....but I could make my unexpected free evening a heaven of treats and pampering and lounging like a Greek goddess. So I detoured and headed to the home of zen and nice things.....where everything is lovely, even the basic things and everyone is super friendly and helpful.....WAITROSE.
Yep. WAITROSE. I'm totally a Lidl gal for my shopping. But when it comes to my happy place, it's furnished by WAITROSE. Everything about it is really grown up and chilled out. If you sign up for a loyalty card you can get a free cup of tea (or coffee) every time you shop. I bloody love free things. And WAITROSE free things are even better.
So. To get your cosy on you need comfort food. I have a rule that I have to try to eat healthily most of the time, but if it's reduced in WAITROSE I can buy whatever sugary snacks I desire. That way you get the double whammy of a smug bargain AND sugar. You'll note from the picture above that I didn't even get to photograph my half price iced biscuit before I'd absent mindedly eaten half of it. (My hand and mouth work without my brain's input it seems)
I went for the decadent option of 2 iced biscuits and a donut and cornflakes to count as "real food" so I didn't have to leave the sofa to cook dinner. (I love cake but even I need proper food too) Having spent over £5 in WAITROSE I claimed my free copy of The Guardian, so I could do the G2 crossword inbetween episodes of lying still/bathing/stuffing my face.
Next you need tea. Lots of it. For an evening cosy I recommend decaf, sleepy is preferable to wired. You won't want to be getting up and down to make more tea, so invest in a teapot. I received this delightful 2 cup pot one Christmas from friends. It has its own built in strainer so I can try loose leaf teas too. The mug was also a present from a good friend, I think you'll find it sums me up perfectly.
To accompany the tea you need entertainment. Nothing you need to concentrate on or get too emotionally involved with. Music might be your thing, alas I'm rubbish at buying and listening to music. So I watch trashy TV on my iPad. Inspired by my love of cake I've become mesmerised by The Great British Bake Off: Creme de la Creme. They get teams of experts to make hundreds of tiny cakes.....then 3 mean judges slag them off. I can't bear talent shows where they tell people they can't sing or dance......but cake doesn't have feelings so I can wholeheartedly enter into it when a snooty French guy takes a team down over a wonky garnish.
They even have a cake measuring ruler. I like it best when they get out the ruler. After the ruler comes disappointed eyes and tutting.
Plus watching them create dozens of identical pastries is like those enchanting videos of crayons or malteasers being made in a factory that they used to show on kids morning television. Swirl, flick, cut, swirl, flick, cut, swirl, flick, cut...................*gets hypnotised*
To accompany the tea you need entertainment. Nothing you need to concentrate on or get too emotionally involved with. Music might be your thing, alas I'm rubbish at buying and listening to music. So I watch trashy TV on my iPad. Inspired by my love of cake I've become mesmerised by The Great British Bake Off: Creme de la Creme. They get teams of experts to make hundreds of tiny cakes.....then 3 mean judges slag them off. I can't bear talent shows where they tell people they can't sing or dance......but cake doesn't have feelings so I can wholeheartedly enter into it when a snooty French guy takes a team down over a wonky garnish.
They even have a cake measuring ruler. I like it best when they get out the ruler. After the ruler comes disappointed eyes and tutting.
Plus watching them create dozens of identical pastries is like those enchanting videos of crayons or malteasers being made in a factory that they used to show on kids morning television. Swirl, flick, cut, swirl, flick, cut, swirl, flick, cut...................*gets hypnotised*
Now we get to the pampering stuff. I assume you good folks appreciate a bath as much as I do. Tired muscles + hot water = happy me. If you add new beauty products to the mix then I'm the proverbial pig in muck.....only cleaner.
I'd detoured to Boots and impulse bought things with words that I liked written on them:
RELAXING bath foam
MOISTURISING scrub
REFRESHING eye drops
COMFORT bamboo socks
(Plus ORCHID body butter from WAITROSE)
It's all in the adjectives. When it comes to comfort I'm more "simples" than a meerkat.
I added an aloe vera face mask, not caring that I looked like a serial killer, seriously these things feel amazing. Plus they start as tiny dehydrated pills and expand like MAGIC! I've bought them in bulk. I'm planning on owning this look. *strikes a pose*
Annnnndddd......here's the bit where you may think I've gone too far.....do all of the above at once. Combine-cosy.
1. Run a bath. Put all the beauty products near at hand.
2. Set up your entertainment nearby.
3. Pull up a stool and put your snacks on it.
4. Put your fluffiness towels, softest pjs and (bamboo) socks ready for when you get too cold/sleepy/wrinkly.
If you're me you'll be looking like a crazed killer, watching people make cake, while you eat even more cake....you might want to warn people if you don't live alone.
I'd detoured to Boots and impulse bought things with words that I liked written on them:
RELAXING bath foam
MOISTURISING scrub
REFRESHING eye drops
COMFORT bamboo socks
(Plus ORCHID body butter from WAITROSE)
It's all in the adjectives. When it comes to comfort I'm more "simples" than a meerkat.
I added an aloe vera face mask, not caring that I looked like a serial killer, seriously these things feel amazing. Plus they start as tiny dehydrated pills and expand like MAGIC! I've bought them in bulk. I'm planning on owning this look. *strikes a pose*
Annnnndddd......here's the bit where you may think I've gone too far.....do all of the above at once. Combine-cosy.
1. Run a bath. Put all the beauty products near at hand.
2. Set up your entertainment nearby.
3. Pull up a stool and put your snacks on it.
4. Put your fluffiness towels, softest pjs and (bamboo) socks ready for when you get too cold/sleepy/wrinkly.
If you're me you'll be looking like a crazed killer, watching people make cake, while you eat even more cake....you might want to warn people if you don't live alone.
Finally to complete the "cosy" you need to book in a future treat, so that you aren't sad when you have to get off your arse and back on with your life. You could book a massage or a day off work or arrange to meet a friend.....I like to buy things online.
I have been looking at Dry Robes online for nearly a year now. Since I saw some cool cats wearing them at a 24hr relay running event. To the uninitiated it may look like a big ugly dressing gown...and yes....it sort of is. But it's so much more than than. It's waterproof on the outside, quick dry fleece on the inside. It has pockets for your stuff. It has big sleeves so you can get changed inside it without flashing your bits after a race and whip your sweaty clothes out easily. It will keep me warm when I'm cold, dry when I could be wet and it's really cool.......
......but yeah......I spent £90 (basically my net worth) on a cool dressing gown.
And yes. It did make me happy.
Cosy.
Emotionally and, when it arrived, physically.
I hope you find your cosy place too. Tell me about it, I'd love to hear from you guys.
Run Cat Girl Run x x x
I have been looking at Dry Robes online for nearly a year now. Since I saw some cool cats wearing them at a 24hr relay running event. To the uninitiated it may look like a big ugly dressing gown...and yes....it sort of is. But it's so much more than than. It's waterproof on the outside, quick dry fleece on the inside. It has pockets for your stuff. It has big sleeves so you can get changed inside it without flashing your bits after a race and whip your sweaty clothes out easily. It will keep me warm when I'm cold, dry when I could be wet and it's really cool.......
......but yeah......I spent £90 (basically my net worth) on a cool dressing gown.
And yes. It did make me happy.
Cosy.
Emotionally and, when it arrived, physically.
I hope you find your cosy place too. Tell me about it, I'd love to hear from you guys.
Run Cat Girl Run x x x