One Foot Further

Day 1

Day 1 - 12.19km Well I'm back, walking again for the Black Dog Institute, One Foot Forward Challenge. This year I will be walking 300km......I know, I know, I hear you saying "are you mad", well yes, obviously I am! But really that's no surprise is it? As you know my beautiful Sophie crossed the rainbow bridge a month ago, I am sure she is joining me in spirit and taking every step with me. This does mean that the very early morning walks will no longer take place and all week day walks will be after work, once daylight savings kicks in, so story time will be night time instead of the morning. I hope I will be able to keep you all entertained without Grandma and Sophie stories. But who knows we will probably have quite a few flash backs. Well today I decided to kick off October by walking to work. I had though it was going to be 15km and take 3hrs, but it turned out to only be 12.19km and 2 1/2hrs........winner winner chicken dinner! So today we had to take a photo of our first steps. I little less difficult that the last 4 years with only me. But Sophie will always walk with me with her paw print permanently on my leg forever. Heading out at 5am it was still a little dark, but I put my big girls pants on and decided to be brave. I was doing really well until I got about 500mts down the road and I burst into tears, thinking of Sophie, missing my walks, stories and fun times with her. I could imagine Sophie say "Silly old Grandma please don't cry". So I pulled myself together and wandered on. After a while I thought Oh Grandma don't forget the number of the day! Oh yes, thanks Sophie. Oooooo... look Parkinson St, that's one for the fam. Need a photo in front of that.....oops sorry buddy.......just distracted a driver by taking selfies. He was probably thinking the nuts are out this morning. He would probably be right! All good no accidents occurred. Further down the road, after taking some photos of flowers and some weird circles on the ground, I found a garden FULL of ROCKS. Yes all shapes and sizes, can I pinch one?........It's not collecting rock day......but just one.....look it looks like a heart. Ok just one. So it turns out I ended up in the dead centre of Oakleigh.......yes a cemetery.........yes I know....I have driven pass this intersection for probably 25 years and have never seen it before. In between the footy oval and the police station right near Oakleigh shops. Well of course one must have a sticky beak and would you look at that.........there are Ushers in there (old family name). So that was a bit of a surprise. As I wonder up Warringal Rd I come to the bridge over the railway line.....oh poo.....no footpath. What to do? Walk all the way out of my way to try find an overpass or a crossing or risk it and cross over the bridge on the tiny edge of the road.....yep you guessed it, over we go. May have had to wait for cars to go by to get around a few poles, tripped on something sticking out of the ground and nearly wobbled into traffic.....but all good safely made it to the other side. As a keep going heading closer to work I spot a man with a staffy and lost it again. Pulling myself together and getting nearer to work I think, oops still haven't got the number one. How silly am I, I have the word ONE on my T Shirt! Found a one as well, a really boring one at that. Time for coffee....thank goodness......drive through......today walk through.....thank you Southside 6 for my usual! I made it! Past building 1 and into my building, two doors up. No time to put the feet up it's straight into work while eating my breakfast! Thank you Andrew Henderson for picking me up and taking me home. Thank you to the everyone who has sponsored me so far and to the following businesses, I really appreciate the support. Fella Hamilton The Flooring Lab Malvern School of Art

Support Our Walk for Mental Health Research

Did you know that 1 in 5 Australians experience symptoms of mental illness each year?

This October, our team is taking part in One Foot Forward to help Australians impacted by mental illness and suicide.

We're walking to raise funds for Black Dog Institute to put ground-breaking new mental health treatment, education, and digital services into the hands of the people who need them most.

It would mean so much to me if you donated to support our walk.

Together, we can create better mental health for all Australians.