So exercise is not totally banned, due to my bad back, but Michelle advises that I should avoid all impact work, running, weight training, almost all gym type activities and even yoga and pilates!  I can stick to walking, the cross trainer and a bit of aqua jogging for the next 3 months.  That’s put somewhat of a spanner in the fitness plans of course.  The day I had planned to start running again was of course the day I woke with my bad back (honest guv, it was) and I actually enjoy running, once I get back in the groove so to speak.  I mean aqua jogging? Have you ever tried that?  Or seen it done?  It’s possibly the most graceless kind of exercise possible, with the exception of Aqua Fit classes which are hysterically funny (but not necessarily useful).  More on this later.

Walking fits in with the general plan to get the family fitter of course, and our vague ambition to explore all the National Trust has to offer here in Northern Ireland.  If only the bloody weather would co-operate…

And I haven’t even mentioned “Week 4; when I went back to work and chaos ensued”, nor “Week 5, in which the back is back”.