This week, your columnist is settling into a damp – not dry – January, and is hitting the roads of West Cork
• OH God. That’s all I have to say this week really ... oh, dear God. I had genuinely forgotten how bleak January can be and it’s hit me with a bang.
It’s the same every year. We’re conned into thinking that life is all about lie-ins, afternoon snoozes and Baileys and ... then suddenly a loud voice sounds over the intercom and says: ‘Wasn’t that lovely? Now, get up and get back to reality!’
So now, it’s all about the dark mornings, dealing with all the ‘stuff’ you ignored when you left the office on December 23rd when you felt so full of hope and anticipation (if that involves figuring out strategies for ’25 I really feel for you), tight jeans, and celery.
My birthday is in January which you might think would be something on the calendar to look forward to, but to be honest it’s only marginally better than those who celebrate in December.
Coming just a few weeks after Christmas most people are financially challenged which means the quality of gifts are a bit questionable, and quite often downright dodgy. Your nearest and dearest, quite rightly feel they’ve only just given you something for Christmas and reckon you’ll be fine with a re-gifted candle or a random bottle of wine (with a hastily torn-off gift tag). It’s tough.
Emma Connolly took in the beauty of Carrigfadda for the first time as she began her 100 days of walking. (Photo: Coillte)
Speaking of wine, lots of my pals are predictably doing ‘Dry January’ which means they definitely won’t be up for anything that doesn’t involve green tea (possibly lentil crisps, but only at a push). Personally I’m going for a ‘Damp January’ (which is more palatable than it sounds). I’ll aim for a dry Monday and Tuesday and if my week is going well, also Wednesday, but by then I feel my family will have suffered enough by my general crankiness, and besides, moderation is key.
Anyway, we were all lucky enough to escape the flu and lurgy that’s been circulating which was a huge bonus (I put it down to all that blue cheese I ate killing off the germs!) so I reckon I’ll be able to push through the seasonal lethargy once I put my mind to it. The new series of Ireland’s Fittest Family has kicked off on RTÉ and that’s helping us get in the zone, or in the general vicinity at least.
It’s one of our favourite shows to watch together and every season we have the same discussion about who would make up our four-person team, and what coach we’d like (I’d want Davy, his shouting would be the only thing to get me up the ramp, but everyone else is Donncha).
We don’t quite take out pen and paper but we do take it very seriously, weighing up everyone’s strengths and weaknesses etc, and after much deliberation I was gutted not to make the cut this year!
Ah well, there’s always next year and in the meantime, I’m going to take on the ‘100 days of walking’ challenge. It’s a national campaign that starts on January 1st and ends on April 10th where you set yourself the challenge to walk every day for 100 days. I’m doing well so far with varying walks including quick trots up the road, to the really enjoyable Carrigfadda Hill Walk near Rosscarbery which I’m embarrassed to say I only did for the first time this week.
I’m looking for a few more suggestions because the novelty of a new route is what it’s all about, so please get in touch. There’s one slight problem: I’ve a newly-developed and irrational fear of heights (even little ones) and on the Carrigfadda walk I was terrified that someone would spontaneously fall off an edge and perish, or at the very least crack their head open on a sharp rock. I’m putting it down to middle-aged anxiety and like all things I’m sure it will pass but, in the meantime, I’ll be keeping my feet on solid ground. I may also get walking poles (too much?)
• In contrast, meteorologist Joanna Donnelly is doing her bit for the middle-aged women of Ireland by taking part in the new series of Dancing With the Stars. We’re watching that too – sure what else would you be doing on a Sunday night in January?
Dancing with the Stars judges Brian Redmond, Karen Byrne, Loraine Barry and Arthur Gourounlian.
The 54-year-old said she was inspired to take part ‘to show women that your life isn’t over and that we can learn new things and have new experiences.’
She’s a few years older than me but personally I’m at the point where I’m high fiving myself if I remember where I parked after doing the groceries, and don’t misplace my phone or bank card in the process. Learning a new dance, and performing it on live TV during these middle aged years? I’ll stick to the walking for now!
If you haven’t had enough TV there’s also the new series of Room to Improve (the 15th!) to get stuck into on Sundays. Apparently this series is all about the ‘average house’ and we can’t wait – so long as there’s still a glass box or two for us to give out about). Right then, January, we got this!
