So they say……we’ve all lost an hour’s sleep but I’m thinking British Summer Time itself hasn’t yet received the memo …I mean the plants have , look…..

Even I suspect the hedgehog knows it if what was left on the patio is anything to go by!

…but just look at that sky 🥴🥴..no there is a definite communication problem somewhere!

Today hasn’t started well to be honest …..in my keenness to get the bedding in the washing machine , I managed to put the television control in with it all ….well I suppose it had never been cleaned but…….

Anyway life goes on , washed tv control or not, and today is my penultimate walk and therefore, daily blog. So I decided I’d hand over to the animals for their curtain calls in order of encounter……

I know what you’ll be thinking – how lovely to drink the milk literally on your doorstep. Not so I’m afraid ( although we do drink local milk delivered to our doorstep), the milk from these cows is dried, and then sent over to China for use in baby’s milk!

Now have I forgotten anyone …..buffalo …ha…they’re long gone ….ah I know ….

I think we are so lucky ….that is an amazing variety of animals within a 2.5 km radius of our house . Before I go there was an elusive bird , making a terrific noise but I wasn’t close enough to see him….however so as not to disappoint…

Tomorrow is my hip’s rest day …certainly not mine! If I told you what I was aiming to accomplish tomorrow you, Dear Reader, would need to go and lie down in a darkened room !!! So I’ll spare you the detail ! Until Tuesday …….

Yes, unbelievably I am three walks away from my personal goal for this challenge. Unfortunately I’ve had a few problems with my right hip not being completely helpful, so last week decided to walk a six day week for the last two weeks! Just to reassure you , I’ve had the customary x-ray ( although it would appear that now they are reluctant to x-ray almost unless your leg is falling off …) aI suspect someone somewhere thinks it’ll save money in the long run…( I have a rant and a half in me about our health system but have decided to keep that for another blog further down the line ….😜😜😜 worth waiting for I can assure you !)

So before I lose my track of thought ( it happens occasionally) let me tell you about our walk. We were hoping to walk with little Alfie and his Mummy , Helen.

We started off with them but then poor Alfie’s leg started to hurt him and he couldn’t put his foot down , so he and Helen had to go home. We carried on ….the weather debatable. The Dutchmen would have had trousers but certainly needed raincoats ..that’s all I’m saying on the matter!

Now I know we’ve joked about him throughout this blog – I say him, but it could easily be any other pronoun . He doesn’t have a head …but presumably as the Worzel Gummidgeof the water , he doesn’t mind, I think one would refer to him as a Scare Heron – in a pond used for fishing these are birds to be deterred …..anyhow it has been a source of amusement ( I hope!)

Now just as we were leaving we met a little border terrier who was so excited and jumped up at me – we were standing in mud at the time 🙈- so you can imagine my trousers ( and the poor owner for that matter ..) Absolutely no problem …if I’m going out in my Sunday best for a walk over mud tracks, more fool me….but I’m in dog walking gear , and look who I’m walking with ! However, there was an infamous occasion when I was out with my usual companions ….we met a lady ( on a particularly miserable day – rain and mud not uncommon) Millie went up to her and left some dribble on her coat. Now Millie does drool somewhat …we’re not talking Beethoven standards here …No, Dear Reader, not the composer …he may have dribbled but I don’t know that…no I refer to Beethoven the St. Bernard made famous in the films ! ( unfortunately too much so …loads of people decided a St Bernard puppy was for them after seeing the film, and according to a vet friend of mine , they are an orthopaedic disaster…) Now, where was I ….oh, yes Millie, dribble and woman in coat…So I apologise and she walks on …only to turn and say “have you got a tissue , this is a £500 coat that my husband just bought for me , and he won’t be pleased to see it marked?” 🙈🙈🙈🙈 I didn’t have a tissue …mental note to self “always carry wet wipes, dry cleaning wipes and tissue along with poo bags” …anyway Claire saved the day with a tissue , thank goodness! The lady took the tissue, wiped the dribble off …and returned the tissue to Claire! What can I say …of course if you’re walking round the streets of a capital city , any dog type contact is unacceptable …but if you’re walking in the countryside in muddy conditions, in a coat designed for said environment ( I won’t give the name away here but it sounds like someone the DB would go to for a haircut ..) then you shouldn’t be too upset if your coat becomes marked…..they are made to be cleaned !

So we reach home …….just two more walks remaining…….so …..keep walking …..

…or doesn’t as the case may be ! The reason this sprung into my head was partly due to the purpose of my walk today – to deliver leaflets around our village informing residents of a programme of events for the year. I happen to be Chairman ( and no I’m not bothered that I’m not chairwoman, chairperson or anything else, chairman is fine ) …..don’t start me on all that ! I heard the other day , whether it’s true or not I can’t be sure, that a music artist who shall remain nameless has said “ they” will refuse to play in Manchester unless it changes its name. Dear Reader, please tell me it’s not true ….how on earth have we got here …and now look what it’s done , taken me completely off piste with this blog !

So I am the Chairman of a group called Oxspring Friends – who put on events throughout the year for residents in the village, and provide help with shopping etc to anyone who needs it. We have an event on the Coronation weekend to celebrate the day, and this will involve the crowning of a May King and May Queen. ( Don’t worry, I know where I’m going with this ….) One has to be very careful not to upset the children, so having a compétition to find the best is not advisable. I’ll come back to that but just so you can sleep at night, we have actually found a happy solution. All eligible children have been asked to put names into either the King or Queen hat and one name will be drawn from each . Therefore, we have not discriminated against boys being the Queen or girls being the King ……however, as it happens, we only have one name …a girl whose Mum was May Queen years ago …….

Back to where I was going …..children can’t win at school Sport’s Day anymore, because it is harmful to them apparently . Good grief, I lost all the time at anything sporty – yes it’s hard ( particularly if like me you never won anything at all, were always picked last for any team …..I could go on) but it teaches you resilience and so much more . Permission to digress ( again) – a friend of ours told me a tale of one of his sons. He ( the son) is a neuroscientist and is married to a psychoanalyst ( or a psycho something) – they have one child. Our friend at one point suggested when they put the child down for a nap, rather than rushing back to retrieve him the minute he cried , let him cry for a bit . Whoops wrong thing to say – our friend was informed in no uncertain terms that leaving babies crying causes brain damage …..

If that’s the case Dear Reader I should be sat rocking in a padded cell somewhere…..what with being a total sport’s failure ( and the rest), and the fact that as a baby I was fed, changed ( nappywise…I don’t want you to think I was changed for another baby) and winded and then left for four hours, crying or not before being fed again! ( whoa betide I disturb Woman’s Hour) Clearly, I am not brain damaged ….and whilst I would have preferred to have been brilliant at sports……losing taught me a lot and has enabled me to deal with life and reality. I’m afraid a lot of people are going to have a big shock when they realise this utopia they are brought up to believe exists, doesn’t exist.

On this very subject I was talking to a friend the other day….and she gave me a very interesting and sensible perspective. Her friend’s son is sporty and athletic but he is not academic . So when his headmaster informed school there were to be no races on Sport’s Day so no prizes – his Mum went into school and pointed out to the Head that her son’s wins would be on the sport’s field rather than in academia. She then asked the Head if all the class would be given the same grade in their GCSE’s – after all if no one is allowed to win surely that would be fair…….No response needed to that is there……

I’ll let you into a secret Dear Reader , at one of her sister’s parties this friend and I were to be found sitting on the floor , yours truly with a colander on her head 😂😂😂 Personally, I blame the punch 😜

Oh I nearly forgot ….my walk ! Well a higgledy piggledy one today on account of said leaflet delivery!

With that I’ll leave you in peace ….I’m walking tomorrow and Sunday and having my rest day on Monday . Tuesday will be my final walk. I’ll bring you up to date over the weekend but I have completed over 150 km. Thank you for all your support and lovely comments , they mean such a lot ! For those of you who want to donate ..go to my site caminoromero.com and on the title page there is a donate button.

Si thee…….

Yes I must Dear Reader, and it’s not just because police officers and doctors look young enough to be my sons! I had cause this afternoon to visit our local hospital for an x-Ray …on account of my painful hip as it happens. However you know the story …you have a painful hip and the GP arranges an x-Ray – two days before said x-ray, the pain subsides…. However I need to know what’s going on – am I falling to bits ?

Anyway there I am walking through the hospital to the relevant department….never mind I nearly ended up in intensive care ( not as a result I hasten to add, of a terrible disease , rather I missed the relevant sign) …I arrive eventually where I’m supposed to be. There I’m met ( a loose description) rather I stand behind the reception desk where a receptionist ( I suppose) sits with two screens in front of her. I am so far invisible ….she looks from one screen to the next and back again. I’m still invisible ! Then just when I’m drifting away ( mentally you understand)……name? ……Who me? Jane …Date of Birth ….9.8.57 …….take a seat ! I’m eventually called and taken through – the battery fails in the x-Ray machine and had to be replaced ….whoever knew they had batteries . Anyway it’s now a waiting game for the result!

Once again I’d been out early for today’s walk- lucky as it happens because it was a beautiful morning, things went downhill after that !

On the way back we climb up from the trail to Prosecco corner …

Yes you heard me correctly …Prosecco corner! This is somewhere myself and my two walking mates go to celebrate … out of sight of most others…..with bottle of the bubbly stuff and glasses ( probably plastic) and possibly nibbles !!!!

And we’re home – did I tell you the future King ( Charles III) and I have something in common….no, I probably didn’t ! Well we both talk to plants . Now I feel sure we do so differently, but still we do it! Take this camellia for example ….

This plant has been in two different places ( allegedly appropriate for camellias) and done nothing . So eventually I dug it out and just left it, waiting to throw it away at the local tip. “ If you’re not going to bother doing anything …stuff you, you’re out “ ……Time went by, and I looked at this plant on its side, roots akimbo …blow me, it had new growth . So “Right, this is your last chance , I’m going to put you in a pot ( yes, this is what I said to it) and see what you do . If you do nothing, you’re off..”

And as if by magic this camellia has more than forty buds on it …..I’ll let you into a secret , I don’t think it was my stern vocal approach that did it, I think it’s the position! Regardless, it’s very happy !,, and so am I!

I’ll leave you with the following thought …

Today was another early start and whilst I know I post pictures of surrounding scenery as I’m walking , today I’m going to try and show you my walk as I see it …well that’s the theory😜😜😜😜

We’re heading out of Oxspring and turning right past the farm you can see….

Then …disaster the phone appeared to have died …..oh no, how to measure my distance …..as far as you know I may have finished my walk here …well, I have to get home so just keep going !

We get home slightly windswept …..not so much

rather been and gone with the wind …

Tomorrow is another early start …but let’s see what it brings …..😘😘😘😘

Last night Dear Reader, I had an unnerving experience.Monday night if you remember , is Pilates night! We use a variety of props in class – weighted balls, spikey Pilates balls even a rolling pin ( and before you ask , no I wasn’t confused and joined intermediate baking by mistake) we use the rolling pin in exercise . However, last night when I walked in to the studio I was confronted by a green and very large Pilates ball – I have viewed them from afar but certainly not a close encounter, and we were to do the entire class using them! Talk about feeling unsteady – sitting on one is a risk – never mind then moving legs whilst trying to keep your upper body still, the ball still and……of course , breathe🙄🙄🙄 I’m pleased to say no injuries were sustained and I lived to return home unscathed!!!

Anyway today we were up early ….I need to get my 5 km in before Millie’s hairdresser arrived – sounds posh , he just a lovely guy in a van!

Don’t ask …..I have no idea how I got over it! The DB did note it was probably a good thing I’d been to slimming world though …🥴🥴🥴

Then we rejoin the good old TPT and meet a load of Millie’s friends …

So we get home and Millie’s hairdresser arrives ….she’s not overly impressed at first, but appears to have enjoyed it!

Then she asks to go out ….

I’m going to leave you with following because despite her love of mud and muck, she is the best and we love her to bits…….

After a day off on account of my troublesome hip , I’m back on the road ….

The astute of you will realise, I appear to have started where I normally finish . Correct ..I have …approaching the final week of this challenge I want to keep you on your toes! Today we had canine company in the shape of Raffie – we walked with him last Sunday too, but today he was with his Mum, Hannah. Julia, our other regular walking companion, joined us too .

So this is opposite the pond with the water fowl and fishermen – that bloke’s still in there😜😜- there were still lots of geese in the field , though not as many as our last visit

Another lovely walk – unfortunately my plans for a coffee halfway round were scuppered …the cafe is closed on a Monday ….most unlike Julia and I to walk without sustenance at the end, like a toasted tea cake or bacon butty !

So I’m back on track now with my walking …that’s not to say I didn’t walk at all yesterday…because I did! Yesterday was Mother’s Day …always a difficult day for me and relevant to my charity walk. In 1984, Mother’s Day was the Sunday 25 th March …..and totally unexpectedly three days after , my daughter Emma arrived and so tragically died. What was so poignant for me was that a friend came to see me the next day and brought flowers ( I had had an emergency Caesarian section under general anaesthetic, so was still a bit blurry) . Now I should say that back then, you bought flowers from a florist …not as you do now , more commonly, from a supermarket . Florists stocked their shops seasonally and according to the celebration – so at that time they were full of Mother’s Day flowers and plants galore …..so when my friend Chris went to buy flowers to bring me , all she could get was a Mother’s Day plant. She brought it in to me …..and I have never forgotten her saying she was so sorry she couldn’t get anything else , but that despite the tragedy I was still a Mum so she felt it was appropriate.That meant the world because in fact it was true – I was a Mum, I just didn’t have my baby. What also meant the world ,was her and all my friends coming in to see me, listening and talking endlessly to me. I know how lucky I was ……when Emma’s Dad went back to work , he had to endure people obviously avoiding him because they just didn’t know what to say . Who does …babies aren’t supposed to die , but they do sometimes. So my plea to anyone who is faced with a friend, acquaintance or work colleague who is bereaved in whatever way is please don’t avoid them . It is hard to know what to say …but “I’m so sorry” is all that’s needed.

I apologise for that digression … I want to share happy things but sometimes the sad bits creep in too! So back to yesterday …Mother’s Day …and we have one of our four granddaughters, Aria, with us, along with her Mum. So what to do …we’re going to eat at home ( it grieves me to pay the ridiculous prices restaurants charge , just because it’s Mother’s Day …haha I can hear the DB saying “ How much???? We’re no5 paying that much when you can cook better at home !!”)

Anyway I came up with a really special treat for Aria …something she’s always asked to do when she comes ….I can hear you thinking “ What could it be …a trip to the farm, the trampoline park, the swimming pool ??? No Dear Reader ….litter picking ! and no need to report me to the NSPCC for under age child labour . She was ecstatic when I told her – and was desperate to get going!

So off we went she was in charge of the grabber , her Mum had the purple bag and I had Millie . She filled one bag ,and a quarter of another, in the space of an hour – what people leave behind beggars belief! How happy was she !!

And so begins another week and I thought I’d test your Yorkshire dialect knowledge….until tomorrow..

No, Dear Reader, I haven’t completely lost it. I mean, come on, is there such a thing as a mobile windmill. Well, according to the DB , there is…and it’s me ! Let me explain…….

Last evening , we went out with our long suffering neighbours next door to this brilliant event at the local cinema, Penistone Paramount . ( This cinema houses one of the few working organs the country – built in 1937 and moved around from Birmingham to Oswestry and finally arriving in Penistone in 2000 …the cinema was renamed the Paramount on account of said organ!) Anyway see how I’ve digressed now – in case you’re wondering, the organ had nothing to do with my performance as a mobile windmill!

It has to be said that three of us were really keen to listen ( and dance) to two hours of good old Motown – one came along slightly under sufferance . You’ve guessed it the DB – he was happy to sit and listen to the tunes , but not me Dear Reader ! Along with my neighbours, I was dancing in the aisles to all the brilliant tunes. I mean how can you not move to the likes of “You can’t hurry love”, “Dancing in the street” , “ I heard it through the grapevine”, “This old heart of mine“ …and the list went on. I am not a prize winning dancer ( some of you may remember that as a child , my mother took me to my first ballet class…..at the end of which the teacher politely told my mother that I may find the tap class more suitable ………..) but where there is music I will move . We all ended up in dancing in our row and even the DB stood up – and when praised for entering into the spirit of things he said “ Well I couldn’t see a thing on account of this mobile windmill front of me!” That was me …….No wonder my arms were moving- we were doing a particular favourite of mine …”Ain’t no mountain high enough” arms in air …”Ain’t no valley low enough” arms down below and “Ain’t no river wide enough” arms spread apart ….. hence mobile windmill 🙄🙄Anyway general consensus from all of us ( yes …all) was that it had been a really good evening . However I noted that whilst there were other men in the auditorium, it was mainly their partners dancing!!! So rather than the DB being the exception to the rule for not dancing and partaking of the fun, it was our neighbour David who was the exception by boogying the night away !

Anyway onto our walk this morning….what a difference a week makes !

We walked today with one of Millie’s special friends , Alfie and his Mum, Helen. It’s a walk I’ve done before , so don’t want to bore you . There again life’s never dull round here so that’s unlikely to happen …

As we were walking back along what I call the top road , Helen suggested she take a photo of me and Millie – commenting kindly that my selfie efforts left a little bit to be desired !!! “Good idea” I said …giving her my phone . “Oh” she said “you’ll have to sort the camera …the screen is blank”. “Try taking the phone case off the camera” I suggested , politely …What a pair …..

It was just after this point when two things reminded me of a tale that I need to tell you ….

Well after we had passed, the farmer clearly parked up by the gate and took something into the field – we weren’t close enough so couldn’t see if it was food or water. However on seeing the farmer arrive, the bull stood up and started bellowing . Bulls don’t moo…. they bellow , and I do believe this guy was just having a little chat , because I have heard an angry bull and he certainly wasn’t angry. Let me elaborate . When my children were small we lived in the country by a farm and the farmer had a Belgian Blue bull called Evil Kanevil ….let me show you a Belgian blue bull

One day I arrived home to hear what can only be described as a tractor revving rather discontentedly . When I looked to see where the tractor was I was surprised to see some men working on a telegraph pole but no tractor. Then behind the wall – all became clear . Evil Kanevil was there giving vent to his anger at the workmen – and trust me it is a sound you really don’t want to hear! The farmer was there so no danger to the workmen – and they did have a wall between them. However it is a sound that , once heard, it’s never forgotten!! Now are you still with me? Good, because if you remember I said there were two things that jogged my memory ! The second was this…..

I need to take you back to when I was working , and Millie wasn’t even an apple in her mother’s eye. We had her great uncle ( work that out if you can!) Louis …another beautiful Golden Retriever. Anyway I used to walk him before I went to work, by which I mean I was out with him before 6 in the morning . In the Summer months that was no problem ,but in the winter it was pitch black and I used to take a very large torch with me . This served as light but also as a weapon should I meet an unsavoury character!

Just as an aside, I would like you to remember what I told you about the dairy herd – they are taken in when the wet weather starts in Autumn to avoid them churning the ground….

So to the Water buffalo …..what a novelty …and in Oxspring of all places ..,.mozzarella, healthy burgers ….oh and look at them ….Now if I’m losing you …hold on and don’t worry, you’ll see where I’m going now.

And so it was one dark morning at 6 am , Louis and I set off for our morning stroll. All seemed as usual until I approached the farm . There was a commotion coming from the garden with a police car and a white van blocking the gate . This commotion I recognised as the noise of an angry bull ….”Oh “ I said to the policeman “ that doesn’t sound like a happy bull” “ Oh it’s not just the bull , shine your torch and you’ll see he’s got eight ladies with him” I did as I was told , and indeed shone my torch on a multitude of buffalo, none of whom, if truth be told, looked particularly happy .

So now what to do ….should I continue …obviously the policeman would know . “ Is it ok for me to carry on then?” “Yes, you’ll be fine” So off we set , continuing on our way ….In a world of my own was I , whento my horror I heard the clatter of hooves on the road behind me . Before I had chance to take it in , a voice boomed out ( and I won’t repeat word for word .,.,) “Get over the ****ing wall”

Now just a minute , I was never good at any king of sport , let alone high jump. Said wall was five foot high …with a ditch in front …but let me tell you, a herd of raging buffalo ( water or otherwise) do wonders for one’s athleticism. Over the wall I went but couldn’t take Louis …I just prayed he’d be ok . None of this was gainly you understand so I gathered myself up from behind the wall and peaked over . Buffalo were long gone and someone , possibly the policeman shouted “ Your dog’s ok” Thank goodness for that – I have to say he seemed very undisturbed by the whole occasion. So I climbed back over the wall onto the road and reunited with Louis. Now what to do – continue on our way or turn back? This lady’s not for turning …we’re going on Louis ….imagine what the DB will say , what a tale to tell!!!! Anyway nothing else can be as scary ……..can it?

Well I’m afraid to tell you Dear Reader …yes it can. So Louis and I decide ( ok probably me ) to continue on our usual walk So onwards we go , turning right onto Roughbirchworth Lane and then take a left along the bridle path behind the farm …..

Are you there ? Are you sure? ….Louis and I were here ..when to my horror what should come walking round the corner but a baby buffalo ….you may think this would give) me cause to run for my life ( and Louis of course ) …but no ! M first thought was Oh oh can ai pick it up and where do I take it ? I know …completely crazy …but then all thoughts were turned on their heads. Why ..you ask? Why??? because what normally follows a baby buffalo ? You’ve got it …the mother! What do you never do …get in between a mother and her baby 🥴🥴🥴What could be worse than this I think ….of course, another mother and baby buffalo .

So this calls for serious action and this time both Louis ( who I have to say was completely unperturbed ) and I leapt over the nearest wall. Now I was scared…I phoned the DB who was still asleep, but the message I left made him think I’d been seriously attacked . Eventually he phoned me back ….and my response was “ There are loose buffalo everywhere , I am in a field with Louis and won’t come out until I can see it is safe to do so….

Clearly at this point he telephoned the police ( our eldest recounted the following to me …) ….whatever the policewoman said to the DB who knows but the reply was clearly …..” I can assure you Officer, my wife would know the difference between a cow and a buffalo even in the dark “

So I am in this field with two female buffalo and their babies in pitch black on the other side of the gate….and my phone rings ……” Mrs Harding ….”Yes” ….it’s WPC who knows what …..”Yes” …”Where are you?” “I’m in a field and I’m not coming out until either it’s daylight o4 my dog and I are collected from the gate”:……” Oh you don’t need to worry Mrs Harding the buffalo have all gone “ …..” Not from where I’m standing Officer….” At which point, both Mums and babies decided to move on ….

However, I had no intention of moving …then a car drew up…oh no not another hazard . “Who is it ?” ….It’s me you fool, your husband…get in the car….so off we went home. Needless to say I needed a little time to recompose myself….

Try telling your boss that you’ll be late for work because you’ve been chased by buffalo ……he/she’ll never believe you !!! Not to worry Dear Reader , I was the boss so it didn’t matter ( though I hope I was always understanding where that was concerned)

Clearly it was the first time the buffalo had been taken in for over Wintering – and they weren’t impressed ! So they had escaped, hence my encounter with them…. no real harm done , hey? Sadly they aren’t here anymore but the sign is still there as a reminder ….

So before I say goodnight – those of you who said new glasses …..get a prize …….

I have decided to put my hip first tomorrow, and won’t be walking my 5 km . I wish all Mums a very Happy Mother’s Day ……will be back with you on Monday …….

No Dear Reader not yadretseY…..I mean we did yesterday’s walk in reverse ( just to clarify!) Today started well for me ….got on the scales this morning and I’ve lost 4 lbs..to be celebrated I feel . Though watch those celebratory calories 😉😉

Now, we have a rookery near us , noisy yes, but apparently very special!

Then look to your left on the other bank ….

Now I don’t know if this is the fault of the wind or careless workers on the building site above …..whatever it is , it is a blot on the landscape and needs clearing . Anyway, onwards and forwards ( we’re on theTrans Penine Trail – there is no upwards or downwards here !!!) We meet several of Millie’s friends …

Onwards we go – I collect some pussy willow from a fallen tree as we pass and then we leave the trail for Castle Dam – if you remember from yesterday, one of Millie’s favourite places….

Then …disaster …low power ! Not me you understand , ……..the phone !

So I’ll restrict photos from now on …..

So we’re well on our way home now , with hopefully at least another 5 km under our belt . However I have to confess that, whilst my mind, arms , and left leg are willing , my right hip is not in fairness playing ball. So whilst I am trying to fulfil my challenge I may not be able to continue ……just know Dear Reader that I will not give in unless absolutely necessary

I’ll leave you with this ..to try and then not succeed is better than not trying at all …

I’m going to leave you with a quote from two of my favourites – Winnie the Pooh and Piglet …

It’s more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long difficult words but rather short easy words like “ What about lunch?” 😘😘😘