What Matters Most

#smilingontheinside – Wednesday 09 July 2025

Even though I gave myself permission to slack off this week with my stepping, that voice in my head that tells me it’s not okay keeps making herself known. She barged in again yesterday while I was out stepping.

I’d regret not getting to eleven

I headed out with the intention of nine repeats – one more than yesterday. After all, I’d supposedly made it okay with myself to only do seven repeats x five days this week. But all the while, I just knew that this week was meant to be an eleven repeat week. Man! She’s a harsh critic! Sometimes it feels like she just won’t let up.

I was starting to feel my calves (gastroc) and quads (femoris) at about number eight. I’ve been noticing these muscles this week whereas I hadn’t noticed them before – so I knew what I was doing was making a difference.

I got to nine and told myself I still had one marble in my pocket and another flight in my legs. So I did ten.

Then I completed ten and told myself this week was meant to be an eleven week and I’d kick myself if I went home with only one more to go to get to eleven. So I did eleven repeats.

I was proud of myself. #smilingontheinside

What I wasn’t particularly proud of was the mind games that got me there. Why did I have to push myself that far…? Why wasn’t it okay to stop when I said I was going to stop…?

Because I wanted to have an easier Friday!

On Monday, realising that 11 x 3 (to reach 33) would’ve been a step too far, I made an agreement with myself to do 7 x 5 (over compensating at 35).

I also realised that my plan for this week was probably one of diminishing returns. That is, I wasn’t getting much – if any – benefit from climbing every day. Obviously, this was a day or two too many because everything feels oh-so-hard.

I’m now sitting at 26 repeats. Only 10 more for this week, which I think I’ll split into 6+4. Friday will be an easy four day.

New Journey to Capture

Here’s the first of my protea photos. I’m looking forward to watching this bud bloom into a fully grown protea flower.

Drama a Few Streets Over

We’re on the flight path for the Rescue Helicopter between Auckland and Hamilton. It’s usual to hear helicopters at different times of the day and night.

I was aware of the first ‘pass’ of a helicopter at 20:00 last night. At the time I thought to myself it was a bit loud and a bit low… maybe it was the Police Eagle…?

On its third pass I decided it was the Eagle… and whatever drama was happening couldn’t be that far away as we appeared to be at the epicentre of its circles.

I was home alone – Alan was in Whangaui. I admit to feeling a mild form of something – I wouldn’t say I was scared or anxious, but more like this is a bit too close to home… apparently there was an incident with a firearm a few streets away… the police were hunting for a man with a shotgun who apparently (according to a neighbour who was listening in on a scanner) was on the loose in the park at the end of our street and jumping fences…

Yikes! Thank heavens our fences are high and that our gate was closed.

The Eagle chopper was circling for ages. Alan was watching it from a distance on AvPlan… I was trying to find out via the news…

According to a news bulletin this morning, the police arrested and charged someone with murder. Phew! Now I can climb my steps – even though I knew it was remote that he’d made it across the River – knowing that fugitive is no longer on the run.

Here’s to all the First Responders – those men and women who put themselves on the line for us ordinary people every day #police #ambulance #fire #SARS #grateful

Menthol Strepsils Please

I think this is going to be a bit of a joke going forward. I asked Alan to pick up some menthol Strepsils while he was out… to stop my cough… he came home with honey and lemon… but at least he remembered… and something is better than nothing. #smilingontheinside

The Weather in My World on Wednesday 09 July 2025

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Here’s to reaching 11 repeats…

Here’s to the power of the Eagle Police Helicopter…

Here’s to NZs First Responders – out there doing it for us!

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Here’s to SmilingOnTheInside!