Feeling groovy

This is a photograph of the Waitakere Ranges looking east towards the city. We are on the edge of the Ranges.

During the week Ethan and I went on a little train ride through the rainforest across 9 bridges and through 10 tunnels. There were quite a lot of glowroms in the tunnels which was very cool. All appreciated to the full by an 8 month old baby with a nasty cold. We went with a group of mums and tots. We passed through some beautiful scenery but next time i think i'll go with adults and a bottle of wine on the twilight trip to go and watch the sun going down.

I am feeling very virtuous today as I went for a run last night. Actually I'm feeling virtuous and painfully stiff, and it was more of a jog/walk/jog/walk/walk. It was a much longer route than I was expecting. It had been a beautiful sunny day but at one point I was beginning to worry that the sun would go down before I made it home. That wouldn't have been the best idea on the windy roads which don't have any pavements. I made it just it time and it felt great to have a baby-free hour entirely on my own.

I was running along roads that we drive along almost every day. I was struck again by how much more you can take in if you just travel more slowly rather than speeding by in a car. I saw chickens and billy goats, valleys, streams and bridges and I heard Bhangra music of all things floating up from a house somewhere deep in the valley by the side of the road. Instead of being preoccupied by planning what i had to do when i got home i made a real effort to just enjoy the moment. I must continue to try and "ruthlessly eradicate hurry" from my life - as John Ortberg puts it in his book "The Life You've Always Wanted". What a waste of time and energy, so (forgive the paraphrase S&G) -
Slow down, you move too fast
Got to make the good times last, just
kicking down the cobblestones
looking for fun and
feeling groovy.....
da da dada dada, feeling groovy.....