I don't know about you, but I'm so fed up with this stormy winter weather! Apart from the sheer impracticalities of trying to take photos in a howling gale, I really am not in the least bit inspired.
These shots are from my boat trip yesterday, taken from inside the jet boat. I needed to get my hair cut and the only hairdresser is across the water on St Mary's. Rain and a howling gale aren't really conducive to getting dressed up in ones finery and wrapping up against the wet weather doesn't really give you many styling options does it?
So instead, I'm going to re-visit one of my favourite days from last summer. Why don't you join me?
It was mid-July and this was an after work picnic on Samson. I'd found this sundress by ASOS in a charity shop (for only £3.99) and knew it would come into its own at some stage. I was styling it up for an edition of Ping Post Post (see here), way back in the days when Samantha and Ann joined in the fun, and must admit I was rather pleased to have an excuse to prance around in this ruffled delight.
The tide was just beginning to flood across the warm sand making a lovely warm and cool sensation underfoot. The boat motoring past behind me is full of holiday-makers all returning to St Mary's after a day spent on the off-islands. By this time of day, the islands become our own again, and especially the uninhabited ones as it's only the smaller local boats that you might encounter.
I love the freedom, the sense of joy that sunshine, sea and sand evoke in me - I bet you're the same too. The only new thing in the shot are the sandals which I bought from Primark. The dress, hat, bikini and gold bangles are all pre-loved, hurrah!
It's so lovely to have these bits of frippery, silly bits of nonsense, to wear here throughout the summer time. My wardrobe, had I still lived in Scotland, would have been very different even in the summer months. According to my sister who lives in St Andrews, summer up there is only six weeks long, whereas I stretch my summer wardrobe from May to the end of September. I hadn't even owned a bikini until I came to live on the islands. As a child I can remember my mother taking photographs of us on the beach, always with the instruction to "Take your cardigans off!" hence revealing our knobbly bathing costumes, as well as our pallid, Scottish blue/grey skin which so rarely saw sunlight.
I've probably said it before, but I'll say it again - I never take my life here for granted. I ended up on these beautiful shores quite by chance and will be sharing the story of how I arrived on the Isles of Scilly in my next post on Wednesday, which just so happens to be my 60th birthday.
As one way of mentally preparing for my 60th year, I've just read this wonderfully inspiring book. Age is most definitely relative according to the author, who does in fact view 60 as being middle aged, rather than old. As a teenager, 60 was indeed old to me; the age of my grandparents; the age of retirement; the age of tootling down to the park to feed the ducks; the age of sedentary hobbies and taking things easy; the age of aching bones and weariness. It most definitely wasn't the age to take up body building, or competitive rowing, or sprinting and breaking world records in so doing. Charles did all of this, but well beyond his 60th year. He even went back to work when he realised that he was going to stagnate without the mental stimulus, discipline and routine of a job. (Find his book on Amazon here.)
His book is a veritable reference library of how to age well; what to eat, the supplements to take to keep you at your peak; the exercise you need to incorporate to counter the inevitable loss of muscle mass as we transition from one decade to the next. He deals with the importance of the daily mental stimulus which is vital in the fight against Alzheimer's and Dementia. Charles is my kind of man; full of optimism, seeing age and every challenge it brings as an opportunity for something new and positive in his oh-so-busy life. No fireside napping for him, no. He sees his role as rule-breaker, a trail blazer; his journey is an opportunity to share his enthusiasm for a life that's joyful, age-defyingly-active and incredibly fulfilling. Charles has recently taken up public speaking by way of sharing his secrets of a well lived life. I, for one, would love to meet him.
After reading the book, I've come to realise that 60 maybe is the new 40. But joking aside, it seems to be a state of mind, this ageing thing. I've maybe managed to keep myself trim in time for my big birthday, but I can see I still have room for improvement. Weight bearing exercises are vital if I'm to keep from losing muscle, the framework for a healthy, battle-ready body. After decades of dieting and long term health issues (see my health page here) I know that I still have lots of work to do. Chasing the notion of being thin/slim has to be replaced with building a body that's robust enough to face winter virus attacks such as flu or the resulting dangers of bronchitis or pneumonia.
My sea swimming clearly isn't armour enough against all types of illness and my recovery from my recent dental treatment proved me to be less fit than I thought. Another health issue that affects women more than men in later life is osteoporosis, and to this end I'm already taking a calcium supplement as insurance, as I worry that the many years without dairy products in my diet may well have impacted on my bone density. Weight bearing exercise is the other part of that equation and already I've started walking (the easiest weight bearing exercise of all) during my lunchtimes. A healthy immune system is key at any age, so you won't be surprised to hear that I've just finished reading up on this too. But that's for another day.
I hope your weather isn't as wild as mine, but there again, you may be affected by snow or worse still, power cuts. Whatever the weather or challenges, thanks for dropping by and I hope you'll visit again soon.
Please join me on Wednesday for my birthday post!
Anna x
