No pain, no gain!

I went out for a trot yesterday, incentivised by the fabulous weather and the fact that I simply have plenty of free time and haven't been using it wisely enough. My foot has been hurting on and off since the Spring. At one point it was agonising, so I switched to being in flats permanently and it got a lot better. Fact is, I have been squeezing my wee tootsies into high heels since I was about, oooh, 11 years old. Nothing was ever too high and I was also pretty adept at walking normally in them, so much so that I have done many a hike across London in 4 inch heels to little ill effect. Until now. I suppose it's like smoking and drinking really. You get away with it for years then when the time is up, the adverse stuff starts to make you wake up and smell the coffee.

Being 5 foot, 2 inches (on a good day!!) I wore my heels like an armour - never let anyone look down on me, oh no - and getting used to flats was strange at first. My fit flops have been worn to death all summer and I can honestly say that they have saved me from more serious podiatry issues. However, interviews necessitate heels, not least because my best and smartest shoes just happen to be high, but also because I feel more assertive in them. After a handful of outings in the last few weeks, the foot has been playing up again, so that will basically teach me.

Anyhoo, couldn't keep moaning about it and sitting at home, so decided to simply get my trainers on and see how I got on. Not bad, actually. Made it to Greenwich Park up some steep hills, trotted round there and headed home in a pretty good time. I didn't feel shattered, just well travelled, when I got back and the foot seems fine. Even today, my calves are sore (no surprise there) but eveything else is holding up well. Am having a break today to rest the muscles, but am definitely off out again tomorrow, especially whilst we enjoy our very late, but much appreciated, summer.

Today is actually my 5 month anniversary and I am feeling very positive about this milestone. I know 6 months is halfway, but I kind of feel I am nearly there and want to celebrate already! Impatient, I know, but there was a time when 5 months of sobriety would have sounded impossible to me. If K's eyes can stand it (he's having a bit of a hard time with them this week after having a doctor poking at them on Monday) we plan to head up town this evening for a wee drinkie with his brother in law's brother. It's P's birthday and his sis and brother in law will be there too, so it would be nice if we could make it. On our fast-dwindling resources, it's times like this that I appreciate being teetotal. A glass of sparkly water or two is a darn sight cheaper than what I would have previously consumed. Also, being sober, we will leave before the witching hour rather than hailing a cab in the early hours at great expense. I need to start my baking, now I think about it, as I shall be taking muffins along rather than a bought gift, and will need to craft some sort of pretty bag/box for them. I made a lemon polenta cake yesterday, which is yummy, but a bit scorched on the edges thanks to my oven (I think it's having its time of the month cos it's being less reliable than normal this week :-)) so I won't be able to pass that off as his cake!!!

Next week is October, and I am very conscious that I have just 2 months thereafter until the big day. Woooo! I have looked at dresses (thanks to my dear friend G who hauled me into some shops last weekend in Greenwich to look at all the options and my lovely friend A who traipsed down the Kings Road with me on Weds eve for some window shopping) and I have more idea than I did have. It's hard to get excited whilst my head is full of securing a new job, but I do intend making an effort over the next few weeks to get some sort of plan together. I have always been guilty of leaving things to the last minute as adrenaline seems to spur me on, but other than booking the essential stuff, I have been very slow in getting myself organised for what is the most important day of my life! Operation Wedding starts now :-)