Our “Market Ritual” kick off Sundays

My Solo Run to the Market

#smilingontheinside – Sunday 29 June 2025

It hit me this morning on my drive to the Hamilton Farmers’ Market – I actually live alone for nearly half the year. When you add up all the nights Alan’s work roster takes him away from home – typically three nights every week – it amounts to five or six months annually. I’d never really thought about it that way before. For a married couple, that’s quite a significant amount of time apart.

The Market has become our weekend ritual over the past couple of years, though I can’t pinpoint exactly when we started going. Given Alan’s schedule only allows him one weekend off every four weeks, I find myself making the trip more often on my own. Still, it’s become our thing, even if we can’t always do it together.

Steak and Guinness Pie

With a motorhome trip hopefully on the horizon this week (weather permitting), I picked up a Steak and Guinness Meat Pie from the market. It’s a very generous size – perfect for two servings. The choice came down to Steak and Guinness or Steak and Kidney. Though I’d grown up with Steak and Kidney pies on my side of the world (as had the stall holder, I could tell from his accent), I knew My Hero wouldn’t touch it. Steak and Guinness it was!

#smilingontheinside as I chatted with the stall holder, something he said stopped me in my tracks: “I just made these on Friday…” That simple “I” hit home. After a lifetime of shopping at supermarkets, where everything comes wrapped in anonymous cardboard and plastic, here I was talking to the actual person who’d made our dinner! The personal connection felt special – a far cry from the faceless mass-produced meals I was used to. How cool was that!?

An Almost Blue Sky Day

I decided to head to Day’s Park for my walk today – it’s been quite a while since I’d ventured that way. The recent rain had left its mark, with puddles everywhere. I #smiledontheinside to see kids splashing through them (bringing back memories of doing the same!) and dogs playing with each other – with their biggest, happiest grins. Dogs really do look like they’re smiling when they’re playing!

I noticed something new since my last visit – someone had hung a swing from one of the larger trees. Though my photo doesn’t capture it, the wind was strong enough to keep the empty swing in constant motion.

It truly was a blustery day, but at least it managed to sweep away both the cobwebs and the rain clouds that had been hovering over Hamilton all week. #smilingontheinside

My Sunday 29 June In Pictures

Self Promises Kept – Resilience Building

I kept my promise to myself last week, completing “nine repeats” of stepping on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I’m especially proud of sticking to this commitment despite the terrible weather this week – even the sonographer on Friday morning was surprised I was still planning to brave the rain.

In total, I climbed 2,268 steps last week – quite an achievement!

While I still get winded during the actual step climbing – it’s hard, huffy-puffy exercise – I’m starting to notice improvements elsewhere. The hills and inclines on my other walking routes don’t feel quite as challenging as they used to be. It’s a subtle difference, but it’s there – and that’s progress I’m pleased to feel and proud of achieving.

Keeping these promises to myself, especially during a stressful, rainy week, has only made me stronger. Each step climbed is another drop in my Resilience Bucket – and the grit and determination it takes to keep going are exactly what builds that resilience.

The Weather In My World Today

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Here’s to Sunday morning Farmers’ Market Ritual…

Here’s to climbing 2,268 steps this week…

Here’s to adding more drops to my Resilience Bucket with self promises made and kept!

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Here’s to SmilingOnTheInside!