Columnist: That get up and go attitude arrived with the sunshine

Memories of the stingingly cold, rain-lashed, gale-force windy winter were still fairly fresh, so it felt good to be able to enjoy some nice open-air conditions, with a feeling that, somehow, we deserved it.

I let Saturday drift by in a surfeit of relaxation and laziness but, on Sunday, the chance to get out for a nice amble was too good to miss.

We found ourselves in Falkland, where we took a stroll along to the Hidden Place, encountering the Mucky Riderz charity cyclists and the Falkland Trail Runners en route, before a very nice lunch at the Pillars of Hercules (where I had never been), a place which appears to have been hollowed out entirely from wood.

A waitress told me the soup of the day was potato, leek and thyme, and I thought she said ‘lime’. Believe me, it was funny if you were there. Then we came home and I brought the lawn mower out of hibernation, giving the grass its first post-winter cut, which, physically, proved a lot easier than I was expecting. So, a surprisingly energetic and enjoyable day – and it was all down to the weather.

Walking the dog: Also in the spirit of trying to be active, I’ve lately been joining my friend Douglas on a night or two per week as he takes his dog for a walk. I don’t even care for canines that much, but this particular one is, well ... the dog’s. I’m quite a fan of walking on my own, but it’s surprising how much more ground you cover and energy you expend by blethering if there’s someone else there.