37: In this episode I talk about a new found baking enthusiam and share a lockdown story featuring me trying to be my own chiropodist. Warning - the second part is a tiny bit gruesome - nothing major but wanted to give you a heads up.

Fresh cookies for breakfast? Yes please. The joys of being an adult and making my own decisions.

This morning it’s Sencha Cherry Tea. I like it, it’s got a refreshing sweet taste but i’m dubious of the flavouring that’s also added. I love the purity of tea, so i’m not sure i’m getting the real deal if unknown flavourings are in there too. What even is it?

Well hello there.

I remember the enticing aroma of baked cookies as a kid at school. A feast for my senses. These were crispy on the outside and soft and chocolatey on the inside. Goo central. Just the best.

I give you the oozing chocolate chip cookie cake. Have to wait another ten mins to nom them and it’s pretty tough going.

Day 12. This was an intense workout today including 111 star jumps. I am the Star Jump Queen! Every day a few more. I’m so grateful my body can do them. It didn’t used to be able. But now it actually likes them. It can’t stop. Someone told me I should do more weight bearing exercises. I never understood what that truly meant until now. I feel my connection with the ground waking up. Getting stronger. Opening. Usually I spend so little time in deep connection with the floor. Supporting myself. Wholly. So now, when I jump and land on the floor, signals are sent to my brain and I feel different. More aligned. More cleansed. Like I’m being shaken awake. I’m a kid again. I’m buzzing. On the apparatus in the school hall. Jumping, leaping, zooming. I’m back. My belly’s getting smaller because my core is getting stronger. Brilliant.

An old teacher came to me in my dance today. She told me to use my breath more. And experiment with blowing out my mouth. I usually use my nose so it made me feel things in a different way. I will explore panting a bit more. Funny what can happen (or who you meet) when you’re deep in a body workout.

Time to bake cookies. It is cheat day afterall. ❤️🍪❤️🍪❤️

Time for Tea. The lemon flavours really come through. Smells a bit like lemsip in the cup (the nemesis medical drink of my childhood) but it’s refreshing enough. This is such an exploration. Finding blends that excite me. As you can see, this has a lot going on but looks pretty.

Day 11. Started off with a bit of dnb and some smooth moves. Ended up with banging techno. Good for energy.

I did 100 star jumps!

I just kept going like a demon on a wild coffee binge. I don’t do things by halves. I’m an all or nothing sort of gal. And I’m getting stronger.

Too good not to share. Matt Lucas does Boris Johnson.

Day 10. My right thumb is out of action for a few days. I never realised just how much I used it. Like for almost everything it’s involved somehow - opening pistachios without the use of one’s thumb is a thrilling experience for example. Buttering crackers without it gets a bit messy too. Adapting to this new world of mine is strange and challenging but I can see how useful it is too. Getting my sides in balance. Come on leftie, let’s see what you can do. I also love that bodies heal. Thank goodness. I officially have an ouchie.

I can report that after one session with the kegel Peardrop weights my muscles are truly on fire down there. I actually keep needing to say ‘woah there!’ to them because after not feeling them for 40 years, they have definitely arrived and all it took was a beautiful weighted Pikmin alien to help me find them again. I used them for 15 mins doing tightening exercises and walking around a bit to see what it felt like. It felt fine. I felt a little achy by the end and really, this is a joy after such a long absence of any feeling at all. A tight core is an exciting prospect. I will continue.

So a mini dance after a fairly traumatic morning where I tried to relax and unwind. I got a bit bouncy at one point and took my new and improved kegels for a spin. Such a vibrant feeling. A big victory for my kegel muscles. Yay!

I’m putting this video in with a warning.

I’ve started getting interested in chiropody, Well, certain parts anyway. Mainly callous removal as this is what affects me every 2-3 months. I want to learn about my feet. To heal them. Myself. Everything else about feet makes me squeamish. Just not this.

So I found a professional practise putting videos on YouTube. If you’re at all interested in watching a corn being removed then this video is epic. Start at 9m 37s. If you’ve ever had a corn you’ll know what I mean. Luckily, I’m a mild case compared to this. If you’re squeamish about this sort of stuff then obviously don’t watch it.

Moist Breath Zone. A back to school song from New Zealand which kids will love. 🎶

Day 9. I feel a bit like Poochie today (a childhood toy - see pic). Solid dance. Lots of movement. Keeping things oiled and building on tone. I can feel how much fitter I am than two weeks ago. Real progress yay! Going to use my new kegal weights tomorrow. Eeeek.

Lots of skidding and sliding today. I’m grateful for the smooth, wooden floors (can’t say that enough). Dancing on carpet in trainers is a real drag. One of the reasons we chose this flat was for the floors. They were that important. Sometimes I take my shoes off, but only if I’m on a yoga mat and then I bounce on it like a mini trampoline. My bare feet on hard surfaces = pain, weird crunchy noises and too much twist.

Feel lucky if you can walk barefoot. Trust me.

I picked two Amerindian medicine cards from my pack. Fox - stealth and invisibility and Alligator - patience and seeing the lighter side in a situation. I liked what I read. It made sense. Picking a card can lift my mood.

I’m noticing more synchronicities in my day. I’m feeling more magical. I’m more connected with Simon. We think the same thing within seconds of each other or know one of us needs the other even though we’re far away. There’s an intuitive antenna in my heart and mind. It feels good.

I smudged sage all over the flat as I boogied. The aroma hit me and I immediately felt refreshed and awakened. I love a bit of smudging. I used to do a lot of ceremonies and smudging with smoke from herbs and spices was really important. It brings a cleansing to the space.

Well this is an interesting subject to broach. And a great juxtaposition in this image, of my belly resting next to these little alien pikmin creatures (I wanna put googly eyes on them). They’re going to help my tummy muscles get stronger. These little buddies could change my life.

A surprising tale.

Why the Mantis Shrimp is my new Favourite Animal. From The Oatmeal. 🌈 🌈 🌈

Veggie lasagne. First ever attempt. Found out I really like taking pics of colourful veg.

Result: well rounded.

Improvements: Part cook lasagne sheets next time. Perhaps a few less sheets too. More veg and definitely more bechemal. There’s never enough bechemal is there?!

Day 8. The music made me turn into a cheeky little gremlin today. I got practical during this sesh. I hoovered (left handed for a change), shimmied and pumped. I wasn’t afraid to dance in front of the window as I flew by with the Gtec. Somehow with a pole in my hand I could dance anywhere and not feel weird or conspicuous to our neighbours opposite. I finally felt cool. Like Melanie Griffiths in Working girl but with clothes on.

I danced for so long I ended up dancing through dinner and made my first ever veggie lasagne whilst shaking my booty to this. I also munched a load of energy bars. I love eating when I’ve worked out. My body knows it needs fuel. Unlike eating because of boredom. I used to do that a lot.

Feeling fit. Enjoying exploring herbal teas since stopped tea and coffee. Every cup is a little miracle. So much goodness and healing for the body.

Poppies of delight. Popping up to say hi.

Some of the most beautiful, white, frilly rhododendrons i’ve ever seen.

Everything salad.

Day 7. My strongest work out. I peeled off another layer in today’s dance. I scraped something from my muscles. Cobwebs. Old habits. The sleepy bits. I went into the unused quarters. And luckily was welcomed in.

The music pounded. I couldn’t stop moving. My heart raced. I can be unsteady. I prefer being graceful. Today I felt perfect. And balanced.

I kicked out. Over and over. Like some kind of showgirl and felt electricity all the way down to my toes. The beat drove on. Kept me going. Moved me faster. More in tune. On and on.

Then some kind of magic awoke. All the muscle connections in my legs between my feet up to my hips felt different. They pulsed. They felt familiar when usually they feel asleep. They made me dance in a different way. From my hips, my core rather than my feet where I usually place all my attention. My core leads. That’s a big deal. I’ve realised it’s usually my right foot leading with no thought of my core at all. Hmmmmm. My core is sending me clues. Brill. Hello core. Stay with me.

I did lots of wiggling. Hip wiggling is my new best friend. Do it for a few mins and it feels amazing. It’s all about the music to lock into. Then I literally can’t stop. I’m grateful for the few belly dance lessons I had. Useful now. This wiggling business makes me feel cleansed. And all I’m doing is shaking my body. Cool.

Dance (to the right music) puts life back in my limbs. It’s such a strong physical connection. Another kind of music can completely bum me out and I can’t dance. But the right music at the right time can send me spiralling out into a fitness journey with no idea where I’ll end up at the end of a session. In today’s I learnt I can kind of can-can. 😄 And that my core is a good thing to get stronger.

Thank you dance. Thank you Charlotte de Witt set. You’re really rocking my boat at the moment. 💃.

Every day. My own personal club. My own personal rave. The wooden floor. The kitchen. Be there.

Happy kitcheri with a coconut smile.

Day 6. I’m shifting in and out of headaches and wooziness, possibly from caffeine withdrawal. Or maybe from the detox tea. Or maybe from the homemade scones I baked this morn. Or maybe just from life : ) My body feels like it’s processing a few things today. I’m just watching and waiting for sensations (and pains) to past.

After some easy light-footed dance steps, in a black hoody and black trousers looking like some kind of ninja, (this set really was incredible) I had to lay down. It felt like I needed to stretch more today. Really stretch. Deep down all the way into my sides. And sinews. And fascia. Big stretches. My own kind of yoga. Stretching wherever was needed. Like a long, dexterous cat.

Then I did a constructive rest. It was magical. The world stops. All the fidgeting stops. Every last fidget. A fidget at a time. I’m so fidgety! And all that’s left is a comfy, elongated mass of muscle and bone. Calmness. Tranquility. And a breathe that rises and falls. Everything else is relaxed. Stretching, resting, forgetting about everything. Flying away. For fifteen minutes. I still had stomping ethereal techno on. That kept me energised. And I went on a journey. Into myself. It’s always a fascinating experience.

36: I’m feeling happy and nourished these days and making the most of this introverted time. This episode is all about what I’m doing to help myself get strong and fit and feel enriched by life. I also talk about Day 5 of my dance challenge and some interesting discoveries.

Charlotte de Witte set B2B Enrico Sangiuliano.

Terra Nova.

Viridian.