The New Years Day Walk
For several years, the Church Ward that the children and I belong to has organised an informal walk on New Years Day at one of the many lakes that are dotted around Milton Keynes. This year, Flyfour and I decided that we were going to join them. Even if the start of the walk was at 10 am, which after a late night seems extremely early!
As a family, we've walked around Willen Lake many times and so knew it was a bit of a joke when our Bishop announced that the really fit people could jog around both lakes and make it back in an hour for soup and everyone else could just do one lake and make it back at the same time. We've made it around both lakes, with diversions in an hour plenty of times, no jogging required and I'm definitely not one of the fit members of the ward.
One of my best friends and I ended up walking around the lake together, whilst we shared jokes, caught each other up on the last couple of weeks (Christmas really takes a toll on the amount of time we can spend together!) and as normal set the world to rights.
As we caught up with other groups of friends, or other groups of friends caught up with us, we would talk to these other friends, share ideas we had for the year that was stretching out ahead of us. It was like speed dating with friends, a chance to catch up with everyone, a chance to talk without rushing to class or having to organise someone to look after the children.
Eventually, we all made it back to where we had parked. It was quite a sight to see. Almost all of my friends in one place, happy, chatting, enjoying being not only in the open air but being together. As Flyfour, Tops, DJ and I left (not because we had left Dan Jon's blood test monitor at home, despite bringing enough glucotabs for the entire ward to have if they were having a low blood sugar episode) we were filled with love for these people and can't wait to walk with them again next year...
And we promise to remember DJ's blood test monitor next year too!
As a family, we've walked around Willen Lake many times and so knew it was a bit of a joke when our Bishop announced that the really fit people could jog around both lakes and make it back in an hour for soup and everyone else could just do one lake and make it back at the same time. We've made it around both lakes, with diversions in an hour plenty of times, no jogging required and I'm definitely not one of the fit members of the ward.
One of my best friends and I ended up walking around the lake together, whilst we shared jokes, caught each other up on the last couple of weeks (Christmas really takes a toll on the amount of time we can spend together!) and as normal set the world to rights.
As we caught up with other groups of friends, or other groups of friends caught up with us, we would talk to these other friends, share ideas we had for the year that was stretching out ahead of us. It was like speed dating with friends, a chance to catch up with everyone, a chance to talk without rushing to class or having to organise someone to look after the children.
Eventually, we all made it back to where we had parked. It was quite a sight to see. Almost all of my friends in one place, happy, chatting, enjoying being not only in the open air but being together. As Flyfour, Tops, DJ and I left (not because we had left Dan Jon's blood test monitor at home, despite bringing enough glucotabs for the entire ward to have if they were having a low blood sugar episode) we were filled with love for these people and can't wait to walk with them again next year...
And we promise to remember DJ's blood test monitor next year too!