Hi folks, here I am again; now that I’ve started a blog I’d best crack on. I’ve just returned from a nice but cold walk with my dog Dolly – well, it is February - and I’m wondering if we’ll get some snow this year. (I did say that the weather would feature in my chats, and other non foodie topics , which is what I’m going on about today although I’ve got a lot to say about my weekend culinary disasters but that’ll be my next post.)
Here goes. Dr Michael Moseley was on the radio on Monday lunchtime (Radio 2, the Jeremy Vine show) talking about a happiness index – he says that recent research has proved that spending 120 minutes in the outdoors in green spaces is one of the things at the top of the index list that make you happy. Having buckets of money doesn’t make you any happier I was pleased to hear. (There’s an optimum amount, seemingly, and it is attainable by many working people.) On my dog walk I was mulling over all this.
Assuming the measure of happiness index begins on a Monday I calculate that so far I’ve had about one hour and a bit outdoors in our little town. My daily lunch time green space is called Shuker Field; it’s three large adjoining playing fields that we walk through on our way to the graveyard, which is a beautiful green space. It has every type of tree imaginable in it plus squirrels, rabbits, birds and all wonderfully quiet apart from other friendly dog walkers whose names I don’t know, though I know all the dogs’ names.
Now my question for Dr Michael is this. Am I nearly half way to being fully happy today, and will I peak by Friday, as I’m certain to have gone beyond the 120 minutes required by then? I kind of think I might, because of other factors like for one it’s the weekend; and my happiness level is guaranteed to spiral out of control on a Saturday because we always have Indian take away for our tea.
You can see my dilemma in fully understanding this index, folks, so I’m really looking forward to watching his programme on telly tonight all about it.
On a more serious note, my partner John and I are very fortunate to be able to have this 120 minutes outdoors every week, and more, because we’re semi- retired . I’m wondering about all those that have to go to work every day and work indoors for most of it. I see people going to work in the dark at the moment and also returning home in the dark. “How should they get their dose of happiness?” I ask myself. I’m not sure you could achieve it by spending 120 minutes outdoors during the weekend although that would go a long way I guess.
Maybe Dr Moseley will advise workers to go for a 15 minute walk every lunch time; this would just leave 45 minutes to be split over Saturday and Sunday. I’ll report back after I’ve watched the programme. I’ll chat again soon and I hope everyone is moderately to mildly happy; it’s only Wednesday after all!
