Monday 7 July 2014

There are not enough hours in the day.

Some people seem to have a lot of spare time when they reach retirement age and begin to be bored with not having enough to do.
Well, for what it is worth, it does not happen in this household.  There are rarely enough hours in the day for me to get through my mental list of jobs.
 
This morning (Monday) is my traditional 'wash day'  - it has been so throughout my life, come rain or shine, so don't expect me to change now!   Luckily today has been bright and breezy and the washing has dried and is now ready for ironing (a tomorrow's job).
Then friend S, came for coffee (my weekly cleaning lady leaving just before she arrived) and went just in time for me to get lunch for the farmer and me.   Friend S brought me a lovely bunch of white daisies, mauve scabious and dark purple cosmos out of her garden.   They sit on my kitchen table and really brighten up the room.

After lunch it was 'walk Tess' time, followed by a trip into our little market town with a list of various jobs to be done and then a visit to see friend M,   She has ducklings which hatched off in the herbaceous stuff in her front garden.   M has bought duckling crumbs and put out a little pond for them.   They are now quite well-grown and seem set to stay.  Well, they have no reason to go, have they?

Then it was home again, get the tea, watch the evening news and put this blog on.   Then I shall fold the washing and put it in the basket for tomorrow.   Jobs done, feeling of satisfaction all round.

If anyone has a remedy for cramp I would like to hear it.   I have cramp in my feet sometimes - ten times in the night last night to be precise about it.   I remember as a child hearing my mother walk around the bedroom trying to eliminate her cramp - so maybe I have inherited it.

The Great Yorkshire Show begins tomorrow - our friend and neighbour has gone with cattle to show - it is a very prestigious affair.   Thunderstorms are forecast for the area - nothing new in that - one year it rained so much that the whole show ground became a quagmire and part of the week had to be cancelled and the traffic could get neither on or off the fields.

But that's farming for you.

30 comments:

Hildred said...

No boredom here either, Pat -life is packed with interesting things and in my spare time I can always go and play in the dirt!!

the veg artist said...

I have no idea if there is any merit in this or not, but a part-time football coach I used to work with would tell his players to up their salt intake if they suffered from cramps. Perhaps not an acceptable remedy these days, although if you have low blood pressure perhaps it would be worth a try?

Heather said...

I could do with a few more hours each day too, and a bit more energy to help use them.
I have heard that holding a magnet can relieve cramp, or another remedy is to take a quinine tablet. It can be so painful and annoying when it disturbs sleep.

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Hiya Pat!
Magnesium is often given for cramps. I take it myself. Was told take enough till you get loose stools, then back off some. I sleep better after adding it.

RE: busy days. I have MS and it often dictates the tempo of my life. Today was a couch day, but I worked on a crochet blanket which is LAST year's Christmas present for my brother. Maybe I'll make it extra-long and call it Christmas 2013-2014!

Tom Stephenson said...

There are too many jours in my day, even though I still work. For this reason, I make a point of not getting up until quite late.

Tom Stephenson said...

I meant 'hours', of course, not French days.

angryparsnip said...

I get up and stand on the cramp which gets the blood flowing back into it.
Eating a banana for a few days helps I think it is the magnesium in the banana.

cheers, parsnip

Sarah Head said...

Cramp often responds to increasing your magnesium intake but you need to find a form which makes the magnesium accessible. One of the easiest ways is to mix some Milk of Magnesia with cider vinegar and then either put this in water and drink throughout the day or take 2tblsps of mixture each morning. (Full recipe on my blog.) If you want immediate relief from cramp, take 1tsp of crampbark tincture in a little water half an hour before bed. You can make your own tincture by infusing Guelder Rose bark in vodka for three weeks (basically, cut some twigs, peel off the bark, stuff it in a jamjar and cover with vodka for three weeks, then strain and use.) You should have some Guelder rose bushes in your hedges or where anyone has been planting english woodland mix trees. It was introduced to UK from Guelderland and the medicinal use came from the US in the 1880s via Thompson. It works on smooth muscle and is very effective.

Cloudia said...

You are savoring life wisely and well as I aspire to perfect.

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Helsie said...

My aged aunt who used to suffer from cramps was told to put a cake of soap in her bed and has not suffered from cramp since !! Worth a try ?

shadypinesqltr said...

I was told to eat bananas but for the potassium not magnesium! I hope you find relief. I am retired and can find plenty to fill my days but they lack challenge. I need to tackle something new I think. Good luck with the foot cramps.

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shadypinesqltr said...

So sorry. My kindle screen wasn't reacting to my tap! Or so I thought!

Cro Magnon said...

Helsie has beaten me to it. When researching solutions to my own cramp problems (v painful) The most bizarre one was the bar of soap in the bed, I didn't try it. Otherwise a banana before bed is supposed to be good.

Spare time? What's spare time?

Gwil W said...

I dissolve a soluble magnesium tablet in water and have it on my bedside table for the night whenever I feel the need, which is usually after a hard race or a long run. It works for me. My preferred brand is Magnosolv , which you might like to look at on internet for the ingredients and try a similar product available in GB.

MorningAJ said...

I remember the Yorkshire Show from my school days. That brings back memories. We always had a day out there.

Rachel Phillips said...

Eat two dates a day. I do. They are very nice. If you don't like dates, eat a handful of almonds.

Rachel Phillips said...

I find there are quite enough hours in a day. I am exhausted enough as it is, no more please.

Terry and Linda said...

I wash every Saturday and Iron on Sunday. But I don't have a regular shopping day!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Em Parkinson said...

I'm impressed you can handle a mental list Pat - I have to write one down every day!

Julie Clay Illustration said...

The only thing I know for cramp is to put your foot onto something cold, like a wall or a cold floor, not easy when it's bad, but if you can keep it there it goes away, luckily I rarely get this. :)

John Going Gently said...

Pat...... Some days I have not enough time for a big ( no 2)
And I only officially work 11 hours a week

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for all the remedies for cramp - I shall make a list of them all and put them on my blog. Thanks too for joining in.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

I have a list of things I want to do - and at the end of the day I have a list of things I want to do. seems that I get a lot done and always have more I want to do - but it is glorious to have so much time to do what I want now.