Hermit Essentials : Food, Books & New Kit

As any of you who follow me on twitter will know, I’m still managing to keep up with the 100 Happy Days challenge. This week I’ve been really grateful for it as it’s helped me not to go into a complete fug of gloom. My outlook has been less than positive since mid-morning Tuesday. The possibility it’s anaemia related is at the back of my mind (next round of blood tests next week) and so maybe physically over stretching myself and less than optimal diet over the weekend may have contributed, not to mention being plunged back into rain after a vitamin D surge.

Despite falling into one of my exhausted hermit moods, I can’t deny that the positives have vastly outweighed the negatives. I was saved from post-holiday food shopping by a well-timed Hello Fresh delivery, I won a three month subscription to Saviour Snacks and discovered a new favourite protein shake so my foodie side has been satisfied.

I met a friend for a drink, was reminded of how wonderful my friends are when I missed a train connection by a minute and another friend dropped everything to save me from a 90 minute wait. Plus the train travel gave me the opportunity to devour the Brownlee’s Swim, Bike, Run book in a day. Social and cultural ticks!

I need to make the effort to walk here more often

I got a Body Pump session in and the girl who runs Body Combat is also doing a Massage therapy NVQ and needs to practice so I’m having a girls massage night next week. I’m opting for a hot stones massage! Also I got to work from home today and it was sunny so I spent the morning watching the squirrels in the trees and the woodpecker and finches on the feeder and then went for a walk around the nature reserve at the back of the house. Wellbeing, check.

Can you spot the grippy strip?

On top of all that I received some brand new kit thanks to Women’s Running magazine; a pair of Infiniti Capris and Love To Run EZ Tee by Brooks. I wear Brooks trainers but have never tried their gear. That said I’m loving the new Equilibrium SS II t-shirt… 

The t-shirt isn’t in a colour I would normally choose but I actually rather like it. The material is really soft and comfy and the fit feels good; it doesn’t pull anywhere, is long enough on me and skims in the right places.

I’m dead impressed with the capris though. I’m fairly tall and sometimes capris stop in the wrong place i.e. on the knee joint but these end a comfortable few inches below the knee. The wide waistband hides a drawstring and a large zipped pocket at the back. I have no time for teeny pockets or pouches on the inside of waistbands. There’s some nice reflective detailing on the leg and a patterned grippy strip on the inside of each hem so they stay in place. Most importantly, the fabric is substantial enough not to embarrass you if you need to bend down to retie a shoelace (why aren’t you using elastic laces yet?)

Both pieces are wicking… obviously. So I’m really chuffed. Even though I have no need for new kit whatsoever it doesn’t make me less happy to have it.

What’s made you happy this week and what gets you out of a funk?