I work online.  Mr R mostly works online.  Remote working. We thought it would be interesting to see how remote we could make working in the UK, so last Friday, we drove to Sennen Cove, which I think counts as the last town before Lands End in Cornwall.  I mean, it must do, because I took Percy for  a plod on the Saturday morning and accidentally ended up there, narrowly missing the Lands End Park run…

We alternated days to work and days to walk and it worked out brilliantly – it felt longer than a week, it still felt like a break and we got to do beaches and watch crashing waves and listen to the sounds of the sea between full days of work.

Before we left we told anyone interested that we’d be walking whatever the weather because ‘as long as you have the right clothes, it’s all good’.  We were at about Heathrow when I realised that our waterproof trousers were still hanging on the back of our utility room door….🤦🏼‍♀️

So our first day was spent going to Mountain Warehouse to discover that none of the women’s waterproof walking trousers were in my size, and to fit into the mens ones I had to go a size up from the ones Mr R was buying himself (to be clear, this was so they could encompass my substantial thighs and calves which are not dissimilar to substantial tree trunks; Mr R on the other hand has spindly legs on account of his running about eleventy billion miles a week).  The waist is very baggy.  But I was less than impressed.

The huge upside of this though, was that we thought we’d have a look around Penzance, which we never had on previous visits.  It might not be the most salubrious place in the world, but it does have a shop selling woollen jumpers. And not just any old jumpers.  Jumpers that are 100% wool and smelling a little sheepy to prove the point.  And that are knitted by Frank, an 85 year old local man.  And they cost £30.  £30!  I asked why so little – apparently Frank can churn out 30 a month sometimes (he’s using a machine rather than needles) so the lady in the shop can’t sell them fast enough but when he stops, they will double in price, she told me.  I bought one, wore it all week and went back on our last day to get another…and bought two.  Because when you are part toad, a 100% wool jumper can be worn practically September – June and that makes me a happy part toad.  Three makes me almost ecstatic.

So, what did I do on Tuesday last week rather than Tesco and cooking to Abba?  We did an 18km walk along the South West coastal path and back through some fields, some of which might have been a footpath and some of which were not even though they should have been.  It was stunning.

It was not raining but it was freezin’.  Unfortunately I couldn’t fit my Frank jumper under my coat (I opted for XL), but it was waiting for me when I got back to sit in front of the fire and feel grateful that we’ve now discovered a way to make remote working work so well.

And while I wasn’t there and it wasn’t too cold for the temperature to cause Dad breathing problems, Mum and Dad went to Tesco together.  Slightly disconcertingly Dad sent this message on our family chat.

So this Tuesday I will be going to Tesco with Mum as I do not trust them.  Roll on Mum pushing the trolley and laughing at my chicken impressions.  And here’s to a spot more remote working in the future 🙂