parkrun tourism: Birkenhead

Posted on May 19, 2023 by lindaharley

parkrun #340 event #92

Reason for visit

Eurovision 2023

It was a real pleasure to stay with a fellow Jog Lisburner who has since moved to the Wirral, and has continued his parkrun journey in the closest event at (and you have to always say the name in the broadest Liverpudlian accent you can muster) Birkenhead.

Access:

There is still a boat from Belfast to Liverpool, which handily enough docks at Birkenhead. The parkrun itself takes place in gorgeous Birkenhead Park, the first ever public park. There’s not a lot of car parking near the start, so please park considerately on the side streets. What Three Words for the gate to the park is

pack stem lines

Course:

It’s a 2 lapper, all on wide tarmac footpaths. Being so wide there’s bound to be some variation in the distance recorded by your smartwatch. Keep left on the first lap to allow others to overtake, during your 2nd lap you can pick the shortest running line between curves as the crowd thins out. It’s mostly flat, though there’s a long slow incline towards the end of the circuit. The park is quite stunning, with lots of lovely old trees.

Crowd:

It’s a big one, usually around the 500 mark, so seed yourself at the start for a smooth take off. Good age range, with some buggies and doggies as well.

Gear:

Attendees had been encouraged to show their Eurovision support. Indeed, there was blue and yellow bunting at the finish for Ukraine, with some Euroviz tunes being played. I took my inspiration from last year;s winners, the Kalush Orchestra, in my pink bucket hat and embroidered waistcoat. They were quite hot for running in!

Facilities:

Coffee and toilets in the rugby club, or in the park visitor centre.

Time:

I was jog-walking, particularly in my warm outfit, so my time was 43m 18s

Strangely Appropriate Song On Shuffle:

The absolute crowd pleaser in the arena was Finland with the gloriously bonkers Cha Cha Cha

.https://youtu.be/fFOES3AYn5I

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parkrun tourism: Portobello

Posted on March 28, 2023 by lindaharley

parkrun #336 event#91

Reason for visit – celebrating the centenary of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society! The www.https://rscds.org is headquartered in Edinburgh, and was holding a fabulous Ball in the Assembly Rooms.

Access:

My journey to the city was, as usual, fraught with difficulties. I’d originally booked with FlyBe, about 2 days before they went into administration. So I rebooked with Easyjet going out, and Ryanair coming back. And then Ryanair cancelled THAT flight. So, feeling a bit guilty about my carbon footprint, I booked myself onto the rail-and-sail option. Except there were road closures just north of Cairnryan, and the long diversion meant that my bus was just pulling up to the ferry terminal as the boat was setting off. Note to travellers, there is NOTHING to see or do at Cairnryan, so make sure you have a book or magazine, and a handy snack, just in case.

I was staying at the Premier Hub just behind Waverley Station, which was a good central location. I did take a taxi to the parkrun to make sure I got to the right place on time (not always an infallible plan, see parkrun tourism: Beeston). And I got to Figgate Park in plenty of time to have a wander and try to take some photos, though my phone camera was playing up. Remember that Scottish parkruns start at 9-30! It was simple enough to find a bus to take me back to the city afterwards.

Course:

The course is all on tarmac paths, 3 laps of the rather linear shaped park around the lake and burn. No hills to speak of. Volunteers hold up expected finish times at the start line, so that some self seeding takes place as it is quite narrow.

Crowd:

There were 2 other cow cowl wearers, so we had fun comparing stories and adventures. The RD for the day was originally from Belfast – bout ye! A couple of buggies and dogs weaved their way through the youngish crowd.

Time:

I didn’t have headphones with me, so I was using a rough guide to “walk a minute, run a minute” by counting to 60 (for the runny bits) and to 30 (for walking), in English, French, Spanish and German. And I skip-changed over the finish line at just over 47 minutes.

Gear:

It was a dreich morning, so my MVP was my world tourist rainproof jacket, a lovely turquoise layer that handily folds into its own pocket and clips around the waist. It also provides a good talking point. I was very glad I had gloves and a headband, and my winter trousers which have an extra bit at the front of the thighs for warmth. I wore my Saucony trainers – road shoes for this one.

Facilities:

There are NO loos in the park, so make sure you go before you leave. The nearest cafes are on the charming promenade, where I tucked into a haggis roll and an Irish cream latte from the Crumbs kiosk. The beach stretches as far as the eye can see, with dogs cavorting up and down, living their best life.

And the rest:

The whole weekend was rather splendid, travel woes aside. It did mean I could carry home my limited edition centenary bottle of scotch. And my feet have just about recovered from 2 evenings of dancing to some fabulous live music, with friends from all over the world.

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parkrun tourism: Beeston

Posted on March 22, 2023 by lindaharley

parkrun#335 event#90

Reason for visit – the fabulous Jemima Brown in the premiere of Surge!

http://tomdale.org.uk/production/surge/

I’d originally hoped to do Wollaton Hall, being walking distance from the hotel where I was staying on the Nottingham University campus. But it was cancelled this week (tourist tip – check the volunteer roster in advance), and Beeston was the next closest.

Access:

My journey had been fraught with difficulties. I’d booked flights to East Midlands with Fly Be, 2 days before they went into administration. So rebooked with Easyjet going via Birmingham, which is a good couple of hours away by in. I asked the hotel to book me a taxi, and watched them write “Weir Fields Playing Grounds” on a post it note, But when I got out where the taxi stopped and looked around I could tell I wasn’t in the right spot. The sign said “Beeston Playing Fields”, which was a very small pitch with little signs of life. I checked google maps which told me the location I wanted was a mile and a half away, estimating a 49 minute walk. And it was already 8.20! I could have cried. But instead I jog-walked in the direction I needed, hoping that at least I could play “catch the tail walker”. As 9 o clock loomed I could see a few other runners, and finally the welcome sight of a marshall, and I managed to join the throng just before the start whistle went.

What Three Words – Quick Flood Fits is the bridge crossing the canal to the car park.

The train station is a bit closer than the tram stop, but both are still a good distance away. The parkrun page gives details of other buses nearby.

Course:

Today we ran the alternative course, starting at the pavilion, along the canal and round in a big loop, before a final out and back and a little circuit on grass. The terrain was quite muddy, trail shoes might be an option particularly if it has been raining. No hills to speak of.

Crowd:

There were 300 ish that day – some were surprised it wasn’t more given that there were 2 cancellations of other local events. I fell in with a great bunch of women who scooped me up doing “walk a minute run a minute”, and we chatted our way around, discussing dogs, dancing and touring. I even made the run report!

https://www.parkrun.org.uk/beeston/news/2023/03/19/389-her-spirit/

I saw a couple of other cow buffs, but didn’t get a chance to say hi. There were a few runners with dogs and buggies.

Gear:

I wore my leggings with pockets (good for holding hotel key), With Me Now top, and cow cowl. Cracker, my squirrel mascot, came attached to my running belt. Blue hokkas – since I would have to wear them on the plane tomorrow I was trying NOT to get them too wet or dirty….

Time:

The “jeffing” approach of walk-run resulted in a time of 45 minutes, which I was happy enough with.

Strangely Appropriate Song on Shuffle:

I had an earworm of Angelica singing “I came all this way!” from Hamilton as I made my way to the start. I had my bone conductor headphones with me, and was having a first listen through the songs for this year’s Eurovision. I always try to do this initial hearing without knowing which country they are from. So expect the usual madness with unicorns, watergun, Mama driving a tractor (?), something VERY French (tout le monde, mon sac a main), and a jaunty saxophone. Oh, and Edgar Allen Poe.

Facilities:

The car park gets very busy, particularly if there are other activities taking place.

There’s a toilet block by the pavilion.

And a very cute cafe serving crumpets, toast with marmite, bacon butties and a tempting selection of cakes. I couldn’t resist the cheese scones, just out of the oven.

And the rest:

Well Jemima was just brilliant, I was delighted I could be there from the premiere. I managed to get dancing with Nottingham RSCDS on the Saturday night, and J took me for Mothers Day brunch at Browns on the Sunday morning. Just the perfect weekend!

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parkrun tourism: Salisbury

Posted on March 9, 2023 by lindaharley

parkrun#334 event#89

One of the nicest reasons to indulge in a bit of tourism – visiting my first grandchild!

Getting There:

Salisbury itself is not the easiest city to get to from Norn Irn. Bristol airport is a good hour and a half away, with trains about once an hour. Southampton airport is a bit closer, but much more expensive. We stayed in the Qudos hotel in the centre, about 20 minutes walk or 5 minutes by car.

The postcode given on the parkrun site is for the building opposite the park, so be prepared to ignore your sat nav once you can see the car park at Churchill Gardens. There’s a good amount of parking (though I wonder what next week’s event no 333 Nelson number will attract!), but a very narrow height barrier to get through.

Facilities:

There’s a toilet block by the car park. A coffee cart used to be available, maybe it will be there in the summer months. Lots of play areas for family and spectators to amuse themselves.

Course:

On the plus side, it’s pretty flat, and good tarmac all the way. On the minus side it’s a spur to the perimeter and then FOUR laps. So keep counting. It is also quite close to running water, and can be prone to flooding, so do check for the latest updates.

Volunteers:

Great friendly bunch of volunteers! The tailwalkers were wearing dinosaur tails, and one marshall had a selection of running music to keep us all motivated.

Gear:

I was in my new leggings wot have pocketses, so I carried my phone in there, and listened to the latest “With Me Now” podcast on my bone conductor headphones. I wore my WMN top and cow cowl, but didn’t see any other obvious tourists. I wasn’t wearing a smart watch, so I wasn’t keeping an eye on my time.

Time:

I’m still not managing to get to training sessions, so this is the only running I do, and a time of 41-49 was what I was expecting. Hey, I could well be back in the future, so always leave yourself the chance to get a PB on a repeat visit!

Strangely Appropriate Song on Shuffle:

I am now a fan of listening to podcasts while I run, as it can really take your mind off the pain of running. WMN is of course a great soundtrack, but I’ve also been enjoying Dr Xand’s investigation into ultra processed foods (UPFs).

Post run:

We enjoyed a fabulous full fry at Carwardrine’s cafe in town. Great friendly service, highly recommended.

And the rest:

It’s a beautiful part of the world to spend a few days.

Thatched roofs decorated with animals, and I managed to achieve a bucket list item of seeing Stonehenge. Salisbury cathedral is definitely worth a visit too, highest spire in GB, for useful quiz knowledge!

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parkrun tourism: Highbury Fields

Posted on September 12, 2022 by lindaharley

parkrun #319 event #88

Reason for visit – Jemima starring at Sadlers Wells! Oh, and I got to see Hamilton while I was there also….

Access:

Normally when I’m visiting Jem we sit on Friday nights trying to match nearby parkruns with route maps, and they can be quite lengthy and complicated. This time I was staying in the Travelodge Royal Scot, where I could see St Pancras out my hotel window.

Highbury and Islington is one stop on the Victoria line, and the course is only 200m from the station! Definitely one of the easiest London ones to get to by public transport.

Course:

No gonna lie, it’s 5 laps. Mostly on tarmac footpaths, with any obstacles such as “mud corner” marshalled or coloured coned. Starts and finishes on grass, and there’s a designated baggage area. It does go up a slight hill (I was tempted to do a Crocodile Dundee-esque “Call that a hill?”), before a slight meandering path at the top of the park, (no short cuts across the grass!) and then a delightful gentle downhill section. For those at the back of the pack like me, you will be lapped a few times, but the last couple of laps will be quieter and less crowded.

Facilities:

Start and finish is at the same spot, so there’s always someone around near the bag drop. There is a 20p public loo, I asked politely and was allowed to use the ones in the little leisure centre. Plenty of cafes around for parkfaffing – I had to get back and changed as I had a whole day of theatre-going ahead of me. And a snigger-worthy pub.

Gear:

It was just after the death of Her Majesty Elizabeth II, so I wore my black 100 volunteer shirt. (I did see someone in a rarely spotted 250 vol one). Skirty leggings, cow cowl, and zippy belt. Sadly, when I got back to the tube station, my debit card was missing, must have fallen out of the zippy belt while I was taking photos. I was quite glad of the short lap, as I retraced my steps, but to no avail. I wore my Saucony shoes – the What Shoes spreadsheet does suggest road shoes, though the wet grass bits can be slippy.

Crowd:

Having beaten the slugs at (S)Limefield and Knockbraken, this time the slugs beat me!

A few tourists chatted to me having spotted the cowl, and there plenty of cheery volunteers.

Time:

My reported time was 38 minutes, which frankly I don’t believe. But the official result is the official one, so I’ll take it! I wasn’t wearing a sports watch so I can’t corroborate, but it would be the first sub 40 in quite some time if it’s correct.

Strangely Appropriate Song on Shuffle:

I wasn’t listening to any music or podcasts- running on busy public footpaths I like to be fully aware of my surroundings. Over the weekend, though, we had several renditions of God Save The King, which we are all trying to get used to.

And the Rest:

Jemima was – of course – amazing! And I got to meet up with my best friend and her husband, and my cousin and his wife, so we had quite a fan club for her.

Hamilton was just mind blowing, so much happens on stage that it’s hard to take it all in.

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parkrun tourism: Lymington Woodside

Posted on August 29, 2022 by lindaharley

parkrun #317 event #87

Reason for visit – meeting my new grand-dog, the bestest boy, Apollo!

Access:

In the lovely village of Lymington, Woodside Gardens in a short walk from the centre. Nearest train station is 2km away. I was staying in the New Wheel Inn, about 3 km away, and took a taxi. There are a couple of car parks, though they fill up quickly, and one has a height barrier.

Facilities:

Runners meet at the pavilion, where there are loos, and also a café that opens at 9.

Course:

The terrain is quite mixed, partly grass, partly tarmac. around the playing fields and the gorgeous gardens. It’s one small and two larger laps, and a bit confusing, but well signposted and marshalled at all corners. My only problem was that after getting scanned, the faster runners congregate on the path in front of the pavilion…..while slower runners are still trying to get through on their last lap.

Crowd:

I saw a couple of other cow cowls, but didn’t get a chance to say Hi. The tail-walker caught up with me after the previous slowest person dropped out, and he and I just chatted as we walked the last wee bit. But of course the most important for me was my son, who I rarely get a chance to run with, and newest family addition, Apollo. He’s too young to run just yet, but I’ve no doubt he will be a great canine competitor in time.

Time:

Since I’d stopped to take photos, and then walked with the tail, I knew it would be slow, and I was happy enough with a 46 mins.

Gear:

Sauconys, skirty leggings, WMN top, cow cowl and headband. Cracker came with me for the ride.

Strangely Appropriate Song on Shuffle:

I was listening to the With Me Now podcast, which was describing the idyllic sounding North Yorkshire Waterpark – definitely one for the bucket list!

And the rest:

I had a great time catching up with family, Lymington is a lovely sport with a busy harbour, and a market on on Saturdays. We had really nice coffee and brunch the dog-friendly Bohemia cafe. Later we visited Bournemouth and took a boat trip, I went on the helter skelter, we had ice creams and then went to Poole for fish and chips.

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parkrun tourism: Limepark Playing Fields

Posted on August 22, 2022 by lindaharley

parkrun #316 event #86

Reason for visit = regionnaire status regained, and calling in with parents on the north coast where my sister was visiting.

The Dark Hedges, a popular tourist site a few miles from the parkrun.

Access:

Situated just outside Armoy, it’s on a pretty good road between the Frosses roundabout and Ballycastle. I drove, public transport options are not great.

Facilities:

Plenty of car parking, and there are even loos! No cafe on site, but there are options in Armoy, or if you’re touristing in the area, try the Dark Hedges.

Course:

It’s 3 laps, though they loop and switch back and forth quite a bit. Mostly flat, one sharp hill.

Mixed terrain, slippy grass and loose gravel. First time ever I’ve heard “slugs on the path” as a course hazard – definitely a merch opportunity there, “I beat the slugs at Limepark”. (I thought I’d taken some photos of the slugs, but somehow they are not there!)

Crowd:

It’s a bit out of the way – I’d expected a few more regionnaire chasers there at event 3, but there were just 65 runners. I did bump into some Wallace parkrun chums, and there was the full range from speedy gonzales to slower jog-walkers. Might pick up some Ballycastle holiday makers, or Portrush wans looking for a change.

Gear:

Blue hokkas, shirty capris, WMN top, cow cowl, and zippy belt for phone and keys. Wraparound sunglasses and black headband, sweat wristband in matching grey. Apple watch behaved itself!

Appropriate Song On Shuffle:

I’d actually chosen my start song on Spotify, given that this was my 316th run: The country boy’s trifecta of “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3-16” by Keith Urban started me off, and then Spotify threw me a selection of self recriminating, joy of drinking, she used to be mine type ballads. My brain winced at lyrics that talked about dancing under the stars in the September rain……..

Time:

I’d just hot-footed it (geddit?) from the podiatrists, but was still struggling with plantar in my heel, so I was jog-walking around, and stopping to take photos of slugs, which didn’t work, so a time of bang on 46 mins was OK.

We were really lucky with the weather, the early morning rain dried off and we had plenty of sunshine. Other parkruns in the East were less fortunate.

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parkrun tourism: Holyrood

Posted on August 18, 2022 by lindaharley

parkrun #315 location#85

Reason for visit: en route to St Andrews Scottish Country Dance summer school

I’m sure other parkrun tourists do the same when booking accommodation – have the parkrun events page open on one browser, with a map searching for BnBs on another, trying to find a close match. When I’d booked my Edinburgh Air BnB a few months back, I’d thought it was close to Portobello. But when I arrived it was going to be a bit of a journey to get there, and anyway, the new kid on the block had started just 3 weeks previously in Holyrood. And it was a simpler option.

Must get me one of these! You can decide whether I mean the tartan skort or the big dog.

Access:

The course takes place in Holyrood park, which is very close (walking distance) to the city centre and the foot of Royal Mile. A number of buses have stops nearby, all set out on the event’s course page. Buses take contactless payments, and I found the range and frequency of routes to be very user friendly.

Course:

The course is just one lap, starting and finishing near the same point close to St Margaret’s Loch. It is all on tarmac roads. The first 2 km is a steady uphill climb, before it levels off round the far side of the hill, and then a glorious 2 km downhill. You could be quite canny about your racing line here if chasing a PB – stick close the the inner side of the circuit, but take the shorter straight line when the path curves.

The views are nothing short of spectacular, and there was even a swirl of the bagpipes to be heard carried on the morning breeze.

Watch out for other users, particularly cyclists.

Crowd:

As a newcomer, situated in a capital city, this is going to be a big attraction for tourists. The inaugural attracted over 500, and there were 400 and something when I visited at their event number 4.

Despite this I saw no other cow cowls, and even though I was wearing a WMN top, I got no “Dolly or Bev?” “Arbitrary!” exchanges.

Good range of ages and run times, and plenty of dogs.

Gear:

Zippy run belt held my phone, keys, and emergency fiver.

I wore my grey “is it fancy dress” WMN top, and grey skirty capri pants. Cow cowl, headband and sunglasses. Saucony trainers – road shoes are fine for here, tarmac surface all the way.

Time:

I’m nursing a problem heel at the minute, and walked the uphill section, but was quite impressed with my time of 43-06, which was faster than I’d done Crystal Palace in a few weeks ago.

After:

I had a lovely cappuccino and croissant in the Holyrood Cafe, which has lovely clean loos, and a fresh water station. There is also a cafe in the Holyrood government building nearby.

Strangely Appropriate Song on Shuffle:

I was running without music, listening to the birdsong, and that bagpipe air drifting across from the town.

And the rest:

It was great to be back at Summer School after the Covid-pause, though my heel wasn’t improved by all that hopping and the long walks between venues.

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parkrun tourism: Eastbourne

Posted on April 26, 2022 by lindaharley

event#84 parkrun#307 another compass point!

There are a number of recognised challenges that parkrunners try to tick off, one of which is the compass points. So far I’d only managed one point at Southampton parkrun, parkrun tourism: Southwark and Parkruns: South Manchester. So I was delighted to take up the offer of a visit from my best friend who now lives in Eastbourne!

Access:

I’d travelled by train from Gatwick airport, a relatively simple journey. The parkrun takes place in Shinewater Park, and I got a lift there. It is a residential area so runners are asked to park considerately if they’ve come by car. There’s a bus stop at the park entrance, and the nearest railway station is Hampden Park.

Course:

This was the first outing of the summer course when I attended. Quite a bit of the course is on uneven grass surface, so watch your step! One loop of the play park, then onto more solid paths, over bridges, under bridges, and round some lovely lakeside views. Back for one final loop of the playpark, which does mean you have an agonising run PAST the finish line before that last stretch.

Crowd:

There was a good mix of runners, and I certainly wasn’t alone in the jog-walking group at the back. I did worry a bit that the tail walker looked like he was dressed for a speedy run.

Some well behaved dogs, a few family groups, and I got chatting to an elderly couple who were making their 3rd parkrun, having only started as part of their 70th birthday celebrations. A lovely reminder of the inclusivity of parkrun. There were 331 participant when I attended, the average is in the mid 200s.

Facilities:

A cute coffee cart is onsite for post run faff. No loos. There’s a Premier Inn very nearby if you wanted to stay over. Start and finish is at the same point, so the traditional “hang it on a tree” method of leaving your jacket applies.

Gear:

I had travelled in my Sauconys, which were OK for this course. I wore my #isitfancydress With Me Now top, and of course had my cow cowl on, but saw no other parkrun tourists or WMNers! Darn it, I was looking forward to exchanging a “Dolly or Bev”/ “arbitrary” greeting.

Strangely Appropriate Song on Shuffle:

I have a choir concert coming up soon, so I have the songs we are singing downloaded onto a Spotify playlist. So I was working on the Irish Blessing ” May the road rise to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back, may the sun shine warm upon your face, and the rain fall soft upon your fields”. There were very few hills to contend with, the sun indeed did shine warm, and no rain, soft or otherwise, fell upon my fields. Which was nice.

Time:

I was jog walking, and stopping to take photos, so a just sub 45 minute time for me.

And the rest:

I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend in this part of the world, including a carousel ride in party town Brighton, and ice cream by the sea in Eastbourne, viewing the Seven Sisters, and seeing a big chalk man on a hillside.

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Dunleath Playing Fields parkrun

Posted on April 9, 2022 by lindaharley

run #306 event #83

Regionnaire status regained! For now, at least. But it takes me a bit closer to that full cowell of 100 different events.

Access:

The bustling town of Downpatrick is about 30 mins south of me, on decent roads. Actually, the bus terminus is just opposite the park, so if you wanted to make the best use of public transport, then this would be a good choice! I did try to offset my carbon footprint by collecting a “magic bag” of food from a local shop via the “Too Good To Go” app which gives out surplus food at a discount. But the contents were disappointing, sadly.

Facilities:

Plenty of parking and loos in the Leisure Centre, and also across the road in the retail park with its handy McDonalds. On my visit (their event number 3) there was tea and biscuits provided at the finish, but this might not always be available. There are plenty of cafes in the town for a bit of parkfaffing, and the cathedral is the location of St Patrick’s grave, should you need reason to linger longer.

Gear:

It was a frosty morning, so I wore my warmest black running leggings, a long sleeved T under my black 100 volunteer shirt, headband AND cow bobble, and gloves. Toby was my lil helper, and I put a warm jumper on him as he hates the cold. My old red hokkas, and a white sweat wristband. No timing watch or music – I like to keep my eyes and ears open when tailwalking to be able to respond quickly to any incidents. As the sun got higher and the temperature rose, I was able to remove the hat and gloves.

Course:

Start is behind the main playing fields, which are pretty lively on a Saturday morning. One small first lap, then turn right at the Covid test centre (!) for 2 larger laps. The town is nestled in between some drumlin hills, but the course itself is pretty flat, just the one small incline to manage, and it is followed by a nice downhill section. All on tarmac / gravel paths. On this beautiful blue-skied spring morning, the trees were starting to show their burgeoning buds and catkins.

Crowd:

Being a relative newbie on the block, it still attracts a few other tourists. I greeted Stephen and Niamh, who is the youngest person to be a Norn Irn regionnaire, and presented them with my regionnaire flag badge in recognition of their achievement. Frist Irish man to achieve a 500 milestone T, parkrun Jim was there, trying to work out where to put his next tattoo. Apparently there’s an at least 3 month waiting list for ink these days! There was a good bunch of walkers on the first lap, but after each one some of them dropped out, so I was left frequently doing the “tailwalker catch up canter” to keep the last lot in my sights.

Time:

My run times are still rubbish, so I’d volunteered to tailwalk. Time was 50-50, in position no 99, which was suitably mathematically pleasing. Toby was a wee dote, and while he did want to say Hi to all the other doggies we met, he kept with me on a slack lead and didn’t complain too much about the cold, or the long car journey. (The wee skitter had managed to regurgitate his dinner last night over a radiator, down in between many many curves and fins….)

Strangely Appropriate Song on Shuffle:

I wasn’t listening to music, but the peal of church bells on such a beautiful morning brought joy to my soul.

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