millionreasons | Out of the city

In early January, in the depths of snow, I suggested a bright 'n' brisk walk through Essex (well, Epping Forest). I said: the snow will have gone by the end of the month. We woke up yesterday to - guess what - snow, although most surprisingly, this didn't stop either the train or the tube and only two people had wimped out by the time we got to Theydon Bois, although they were replaced by another Rachel, also once of the metropolitan parish of Doncaster, and her beau. It's possible that she is my alter-ego, she talks a lot and doesn't sleep. Whereas I need my 9 hours and occasionally utter a grunt.

With only a print out from the Epping Forest website to guide us (and we missed the visitor centre, Connaught water and arrived too late at the Hunting Lodge to go inside), we navigated our way to Chingford, and even found a pub that didn't kick us out for having muddy boots.

The sun and the company and the beer conspired to create a nice happy feeling, the opposite of my traditional January pessimism. I remembered that the year will bring things, maybe not new things, but things nonetheless.