March Progress: Milestones and Challenges

The fitness continues to improve. I had three days off during March, so I still did twenty eight days of exercise. Usually I exercise between 9.30 and 10.30, and then have my breakfast. It’s now so much a part of my routine that I don’t even think of eating until I have finished, although if my stomach starts to rumble that focuses my mind! On 10 March I swapped my 1kg dumbbells for the 2kg ones! After three weeks I am still not at the stage of feeling like I could do another 5 reps, the benchmark for increasing further, but I am finding it within my compass. At a couple of points recently I have felt twinges from my shoulders and neck, so I have been doing more Yoga this month as that is comparatively lower impact. The yoga has really helped my flexibility and balance, and I am nearer to being able to sit on my heels than I have ever been! It’s definitely the fittest I have felt, mentally and physically, in years. I am starting to get to 10000 steps a couple of times a week on average, but I know I still need to increase that.

Spending has been good this month once again. I bought a programme at the Arsenal match last weekend, a couple of hot chocolates on days out, and as a family we had a meal for my birthday the Saturday before last. My family treated me to a surprise visit to The Crystal Maze Experience in London and it was amazing. A fantastic hour of fun and the first time all 6 of us had been together in one place for nearly three years! Leaving aside trips out I did very well with a third straight month of no books, CDs, records, DVDs or anything else for myself. It’s proved far less onerous than I expected and I think I can keep it going pretty much all year, all being well.

I did the first part of my project work last month. We found some diaries kept by Janet’s Dad from when he was in the Royal Navy. I have typed up the first one in its entirety, recounting a visit to Brussels made by his ship as the British representative at a Remembrance Day ceremony in 1922. It was fascinating reading and digitising it. It’s a real piece of history and I felt very privileged to be able to do it. I did start another diary from a voyage in 1927, and I intend to finish it this month.

The blogging continues to go well with my current blogging streak having reached 260 days. I didn’t have as many days where I added a second entry as I was hoping for, but all in all I was happy with keeping the daily habit going. I have a lot of ideas for future blogs, I just need to get down to writing them!

Social media use continues to be well under control. Twitter is my main platform at the moment for music challenges and book chats. It’s been easier to control than I perhaps expected, but I still need to keep an eye on it because it is the only one I mainly access through my laptop. Instagram is not fully functional on the laptop so my restrictions on the phone are definitely keeping it within bounds. Facebook is maybe two or three times a week, while the others are now non-existent.

In March I finished my introductory sessions for being a reading helper with the charity Coram Beanstalk. The next step on the path to starting is going to visit the local school chosen by the charity. I know which school it is, but it will now be early next term before the visit takes place. I finished the process for becoming a shortlister for Write the World, a non-profit that organises writing competitions for 13 to 19 year olds. Last week I did my first official shortlisting and it was really interesting. It’s early days but I really think I am going to enjoy this.

The creativity took a back seat last month, so this month I will definitely be making an effort to restart that. Still, as the only one of the seven areas with no real progress, I am happy to see that as the price I am paying for moving ahead in other areas.

My reading this month was mainly focused on non fiction books but that was more to do with what I had in my TBR pile.

True Spirit by Jessica Watson – the story of the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the world

Beyond the Wall – the history of East Germany from 1949 to 1990

The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock – a fantasy novel set in 19th Century England

My Previous Life in Comedy – the first part of the autobiography of the marvellous Johnny Ball

The Winter Spirits – a set of modern ghost stories

Well, that’s it for another month of pleasing progress. See you for a reflection on April at the beginning of May!