On Monday I went for a walk around the neighbourhoods - there are footpaths around the perimeter of each area - and then decided to extend myself into the village wood. Mistake. There was a slope, it had rained overnight, and the combination of wet leaves and slippy mud led to me falling. No harm done, but muddy clothes, and the thought that it was not something to be repeated. No more solitary walking through woodland on wet ground. There are usually enough dog walkers (don't think American type woods here) about to help if necessary, but I don't fancy the wait. I must have looked very funny getting up, like a toddler.

Yesterday's walk was in London. After walking 20 minutes to the railway station from where I could park my car in Dartford, that is. Up Charing Cross Road to Blackwell's to check out some books - the ones I had in mind were not there. Then down through Seven Dials, where there used to be a bead shop - now a stall in the road, and not worth stopping at - and a shop with interesting design source books, where I hoped to find something to suit my mathematician brother-in-law. There, at about 4:23, as i looked in the window, the salesman locked the door. I had a look at Neal's Yard cheese shop, but it was too crowded, and I had limited time. Then the Australian shop, where the saleswoman pointed out that for little more than I was planning to spend on 3 Cherry Ripe bars, I could have 5 - an undocumented offer. (These have a dark chocolate coating on a filling of glace cherry and coconut.)(I get them for my sister - honest!)(Well, some of them.) Then on to Kings College Chapel for their Carol service. and after that, back to Trafalgar Square where a choir was singing seasonal songs in front of the Norwegian Christmas tree - which I felt wasn't guyed enough for the expected winds, and back to Charing Cross. I cheated back in Dartford, and got a bus up the hill to reduce the walk back to the car.
Sitting on the train seems to do bad things to my legs, but only on the way back from town. This may be because of the crowding on that leg, as I can't stretch my legs out if someone with their bag in the floor is sitting opposite. Knees practically touch.
Today I went on the health walk again. Not very sociable as everyone is paired up with someone they know. We went round the perimeter (widdershins) of the north west part of the village, but I had to peel off towards the end as the effect of a coffee before I set out, and the chilly air, made it vital to get home to the loo! did an hour, though.
A disappointing delivery awaited me. When I was growing up, we had a set of Angel Chimes for the table at Christmas, and I've been thinking I'd like ro have them back - I don't know what happened to them. I found Amazon had some, labelled as original. Today they arrived, and they were not up to original standard. Flimsy metal, and silent bells which the strikers did not hit. I've sent them back, and am pursuing a set on ebay.
I have 12 watchers on my old phone, but only 2 bids, to £5.50. Some have gone for over £50. I suspect the watchers are like I was on others - all hoping to see that it's worthwhile them listing theirs!
I'm learning to use a wooden knitting board - it doesn't do the sort of things I hoped to do with it, not like the stuff I did on the round looms, so I think I might have to buy some of the plastic sort with large pegs. Or possibly get back to using my needles or the machines I have upstairs. Or even get out the weaving loom I bought years ago which is designed to use the knitting machine to manipulate the warp patterning.

Penny