Sunday 8 May 2016

Sunday Mornings

Sunday mornings are our reward for white knuckling it through all those Friday evenings, and facing all the Saturday drinks parties where the only non alcoholic beverage on offer is warm, sticky orange juice.

Aren't they just the best?

In six days time I am doing the Moonwalk with #1. The Moonwalk is a twenty six mile walk through the centre of London overnight, in aid of breast cancer charities. Thousands of women do it (and some men) all dressed in wildly decorated bras.

#1 is pretty fit. She plays two hours of sport every day. She breezed through our last training walk, propelled by a stream of non stop chatter. Me - not so much.

So, today I set my alarm for 6am. I left the rest of the family sleeping, wrote a note saying 'Gone walking', and set out on a ten mile training walk with the terrier.

It was a glorious sunny day, and I set the iPhone to the unashamedly nostalgic Magic FM.

As London started waking up I walked through Earl's Court, and past the flat where Mr SM proposed (to me, obvs), and where we celebrated with bottles of champagne.

I walked into South Kensington, and down Cornwall Gardens, where I lived in my university holidays and held wild student parties.

Then round the church on Southwell Gardens where two male friends of mine were arrested one night for climbing onto the roof, during one of said parties.

(When they used their one 'phone call to call me from the police station, all I wanted to know was what had happened to the vodka we'd sent them out to purchase).

I walked through Kensington Gardens, passing the bandstand where I threw massive Pimms parties in my twenties, and into Hyde Park.

Round the playground where I pushed my children on the swings for hours when they were toddlers, and alongside the Serpentine where we'd meet friends for long, boozy picnics.

I looked back on it all fondly, but it didn't make me sad.

If I'd still been drinking I'd never be up at that time on a Sunday (unless I hadn't yet gone to bed).

There's no way I'd voluntarily do a ten mile walk. I'd have been hiding under the duvet, sweating booze through every pore and trying to work out how to make it through till lunch time.

I would have missed out on the most magical morning.

I walked past a couple of drunks, sleeping it off on park benches, and was hit by the smell of stale booze and despair.

And I thought back to the days when I agonised over and over about whether or not I should, or could, quit for ever.

I tried to remember what I was so scared of. And I just couldn't....

Happy Mother's Day to all my American friends!

SM x


16 comments:

  1. I have dared the M4 again and now back in a rather warm London and my Sunday routines mean catching up on the blogs. Nice post although I would rather bury some of my drinking exploits, particularly those involving Vauxhall (the London suburb, not the car). Hope Mr SM had the breakfast ready?

    Where do all the other blog readers go on a Sunday? This a is a 7 day a week commitment, not just school nights.

    Justonemore

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    1. I was in sunny bath in a roof top spa enjoying a wonderful sober Sunday morning! Back now and blogging later! :D

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  2. You're making me want to go to London!!! What a great way to spend the morning. Really well described. I could visualize exactly where you were.

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  3. Me too! I've only been there once and it was a quick windshield tour between flights. What a wonderful place to walk around! I love that you can't remember why you were scared of quitting. I aspire to that someday.

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  4. What about your Australian friend?! It was Mother's Day here too and I had to work :( Sunday is my day to sleep in so you won't find me out and about! But sounds like you had a lovely Sunday. A x

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    1. I'm in Australia too! Happy Mother's Day :)

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    2. Thanks! You too. Where abouts are you?

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  5. What an incredible gift to not be able to recall despair. I know exactly what you mean. ; )

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  6. What a blast you had when you were young! Mine was very similar in Edinburgh. But things change and it seems your life is pretty wonderful now. Mine is too. Happy Monday! It's a beautiful day.

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  7. I'm in awe....a 10-mile 'practice' walk...!! Truly a role model, you!!

    Loved London, loved my imagination hoofing it along with you.

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  8. Smell of stale booze and despair, very apt description. It's amazing how tempting it is to focus on all the things I am giving up in this journey--when, like you, I should be focused on all that I'm gaining.

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  9. Good luck for the moonwalk. I wish you a great time. I live in France although I lived in London for 7 years but I am from Dublin. I took up walking every day 14 months ago. I walk for an hour. It makes me happy.

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  10. I didn't walk 10 miles alone (well done you) but equally enjoyable was running 8km Mothers Day Classic (also raising money for breast cancer) with my hubby and 2 smalls in a jogger. Sunday mornings, without a hangover, are the best. Ever.

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  11. The moonwalk will be amazing.. definitely worth the effort! Fancy doing the royal parks half with me in October?!? :D :D :D

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    1. Can I get back to you on that one once I've got through this one, SWMum?!? Xxx

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    2. Most definitely! I'm running for MIND but I think there are breast cancer spaces too.. think positive.. It's half the distance of your moon walk!! :-D :-D

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