Wednesday 1 February 2017

Keeping going.

Nothing like persevering when one feels like not doing something.   I have undergone two very bad night's sleep - in both cases mostly because of cramp in my feet.   And, as I am sure you all know, if you can't sleep then unwelcome thoughts which you hoped to forget while you were asleep, pop into the head to exacerbate the situation.

Today is my exercise class, which I know is very good for me, and I was determined to go.   To that end I went back to bed after tidying round after breakfast.   I awoke several times with foot cramp but did manage two hours, getting up again at half past ten for a shower and to get lunch.

The first half hour of our class is 'top half' of the body and brain exercises and these I found most helpful.   But the second half is done standing up and really, after ten minutes, I was just too tired to continue so I sat down and watched.   In one way it was good in that I was able to watch the rest of the class and it was pleasing to see that I was nowhere near as bad as I thought I was compared with the rest of them.

But I must say that arriving home I had no energy left and was happy to sit by the fire.   It is very much warmer today - ten degrees for a while early afternoon, once the fog had cleared.   But a storm is approaching from the West.   We over here in the East are hoping that it is not quite as bad over here and that, perhaps, it doesn't get so far up the country as here.

It is the first of February today - and I forgot.   It always say 'rabbits' and ceremonially turn the calendar over.   Someone on their blog has just reminded me, so when I sign off I shall have to turn round three times.   Yes, I do still retain some of my belief in these daft old sayings.

21 comments:

Terra said...

Those old sayings and customs are fun, and fun to teach them to children. I am glad you went to exercise and took part in as much as you could. I take my new little dog on 3 20 minute walks per day, it is good to get out.

Joanne Noragon said...

White rabbit here. I turned the page on the last day of January, and said it anyway. Couldn't hurt.

John Going Gently said...

Chin up old gal

Sue said...

Hope you sleep well tonight Pat, nothing worse than pain keeping you awake.

Penny said...

I know how you feel. Horrid not sleeping and I get cramp too. I had never heard of the rabbit thing, perhaps my old English grandmother didn't believe in it, although she did believe in lots of other'old wives tales' as they were called.

Rachel Phillips said...

Put a pair of socks on.

donna baker said...

Love the old wive's tales. Those foot cramps really hurt. Once they come on, you just have to wait it out. Poor dear. At least you are trying to keep fit. I need some of your get up and go.

angryparsnip said...

Old customs are wonderful !
What is the meaning to say rabbit ?

cheers, parsnip

Chris said...

I also need an explanation of saying "rabbit " on the first day of February. I like the first day of a month so I can see how much interest I earned on my savings (not much you can be sure, given the state of the economy, but interesting nevertheless).

krishna said...

I didn't know that custom.. good to know that.. :)

Cro Magnon said...

I always say 'White Rabbit' twice.

I too suffer from occasional night-time cramps, and once saw that one should put a bar of soap in the bed. I didn't try it, so can't confirm if it works!

thelma said...

Sorry to hear about your sleepless night Pat, hopefully it will go away. For those who do not know about saying rabbit on the first of the month the following wiki will explain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_rabbit_rabbit

Derek Faulkner said...

I have had arthritis in both feet for ten years now and many nights I'm woken up with an aching pain in the tops of my feet and ankles. Couple that with being a heredity bad sleeper and I exist on 3 or 4 hrs sleep most nights. That said I still get up at 5.30 every morning regardless. You do well to still attempt fitness class, I'd of settled for the second half of your day, every day, by now.

Librarian said...

I hope you slept better last night.
Last night, I spoke to my mother-in-law who lives in Ripon. She, too, mentioned the forecast storm and hoped it would not hit her area too hard.
Very good of you to still go to exercise class in spite of not feeling all too brilliant. You're right, it is often best to just keep going, and let things sort themselves out along the way.
I am very sensitive to not having enough sleep. Even if I lack only one hour, because noisy neighbours woke me up too early or something like that, I walk around in a zombie-like state of daze all day.

Heather said...

I love those 'daft old sayings' and hope there are plenty of people out there to pass them on. I don't like this changeable weather and it being so mild in winter always worries me. I do hope you will sleep better tonight and wake feeling refreshed. Well done for turning up for your exercise class - keep up the good work.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for answering folks. Slept well last night and no cramp. Wondered how much the afternoon's exercise had improved my circulation.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about sleeplessness and cramp. Salt imbalance can cause cramping, might be worth thinking about?

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

Just throwing this out there... muscle cramps can be caused by lack of potassium. Potassium works well when combined with calcium, so perhaps a banana cut up in some milk in the evening? (Not sure if foot cramps falls into this category or not). I hope the weather behaves for you! -Jenn

donna baker said...

Just one more bit Pat. I talked to a lady yesterday whose mother is 104. Her mother's advice to longevity was, to keep moving. So there you go.

angryparsnip said...

Thank You, I will look up the rabbit meaning.
The bar of soap was for leg cramps and a friend tried it and it worked for her.
So who knows. But you were to use a certain soap ? ? ?
I think the potassium really might help but you need the calcium like @ coffee said.

cheers, parsnip

liparifam said...

So sorry about the cramps. I go through periods when I have such vicious ones that they linger for half an hour and I have to get up and try to walk them out and am literally in tears. Then I won't have any for months and months! I laughed when I first read about the bar of soap online, but I was desperate so I thought what the heck and tried it. Guess what - it worked!! I kept a fresh bar of unwrapped Ivory soap down by my feet, and when I woke with a cramp coming on, I found it with my foot, and rested the foot on top of it and tried to relax - and the cramp would never really take hold! It helped a lot.