ONWARDS AND UPWARDS
Outdoor Man took me away for the weekend to a small hotel above the shores of Lake Windermere. The kitchen there is famed for its fine dishes and my aim was to relax and indulge in some sumptuous living.
Outdoor Man was having none of it. To justify dinner on Saturday evening, I had to accompany him on a long walk. Knowing I have an allergy to uphill slogs, he assured me that it was to be a gentle meandering stroll. Maybe my memory is playing tricks, because donned in hiking boots, several protective layers and trekking poles at the ready, I recall that we headed off – UPWARDS!
Still it was a pleasure to be in the open countryside and even if the summit was chilled by an Arctic wind, I had a thoroughly enjoyable time. So too did the other couples and families that we came across and to whom we said hello and exchanged smiles and pleasantries.
The only exception seemed to be the angry brigade; a succession of solitary men, all dressed in high visibility red. They appeared to regard couples showing pleasure in the surroundings as something of an impediment to the routes they were covering at high speed. Could they all have been recently separated? They were apparently alone in the world and marching off their frustrations using good old fresh air and exercise for therapy. Mind, I’m sure that by the time they descended late in the afternoon their anger would have dissipated and they would have managed to smile at any late stragglers they passed.
As for me, I must have done well, because Outdoor Man didn’t just let me have dinner but dessert as well!
Outdoor Man was having none of it. To justify dinner on Saturday evening, I had to accompany him on a long walk. Knowing I have an allergy to uphill slogs, he assured me that it was to be a gentle meandering stroll. Maybe my memory is playing tricks, because donned in hiking boots, several protective layers and trekking poles at the ready, I recall that we headed off – UPWARDS!
Still it was a pleasure to be in the open countryside and even if the summit was chilled by an Arctic wind, I had a thoroughly enjoyable time. So too did the other couples and families that we came across and to whom we said hello and exchanged smiles and pleasantries.
The only exception seemed to be the angry brigade; a succession of solitary men, all dressed in high visibility red. They appeared to regard couples showing pleasure in the surroundings as something of an impediment to the routes they were covering at high speed. Could they all have been recently separated? They were apparently alone in the world and marching off their frustrations using good old fresh air and exercise for therapy. Mind, I’m sure that by the time they descended late in the afternoon their anger would have dissipated and they would have managed to smile at any late stragglers they passed.
As for me, I must have done well, because Outdoor Man didn’t just let me have dinner but dessert as well!
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