Well, not a lot really. Today is one of those days when it has got to tea-time and I really can't think of anything I wish to say. Do you have days like that? It has just been an ordinary, run-of-the-mill day - the kind which, once you are retired and, to some extent, incapacitated, is the most common. The thing is, also, that were I not incapacitated I can't think of anywhere I wish to go.
Getting up, having breakfast, showering (all ably assisted by J, my carer,) and doing the Mind Games in The Times, takes me up to about half past ten in the morning every day. Then I have my walk, trying to go a bit further every day with Priscilla. I am really doing very well here and enjoying it. It is never a pain-free walk but the level of pain in my ankle does without a doubt depend on the state of the weather. A couple of days ago I had a really good day - today it was hard going. But I made it.
This afternoon was Poetry afternoon but of course I have no way of getting there. I no longer have a car and even if I did I still cant manage to get myself into the car and out again so it is impossible. My friend and neighbour called in to see if I was going but sadly it is not to be. But i enjoy reading Poetry out loud and there is nothing to stop me doing that.
The highlight of the afternoon was when D, my gardener, came to stake and tie up my irises. They will be out shortly and have tall stems and the weather forecast speaks of strong winds. So forewarned is forearmed.
Tonight is The Sewing Bee on BBC1 - and like me I know a lot of you enjoy it. The brilliance of everyone's sewing leaves me speechless and the way they tackle whatever is thrown at them. Before that I intend to go to iplayer to watch 'Once upon a time in Iraq' which Thelma (North Stoke on my side bar) says should gave me some background to the Israeli/Palestine conflict. I am so appalled by it and yet know little or nothing of the background to it.
See you tomorrow.
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16 comments:
Been grotty here today - sunshine, heavy shower, sunshine, torrential shower, sunshine, a storm, and on Friday we have rain and 50-60mph gusts due - what's going on!
I could take you back to WWI, the Ottoman Empire in the War, then the Balfour Declaration in 1917 and so on. And then talk you through to 1948. And then beyond. I have written several posts and never published them. One I have written tonight is up to date. None of it is good history.
When you say... I am so appalled by it and yet know little or nothing of the background to it. That sums up my feelings exactly; I really do need to know more.
Who do you think will win sewing bee? My money is on Rash-Everything he does is so beautifully made.
Hope your irises survive the winds. And good on you for making the effort to walk every day - I missed today as I had to wait in for the guy to service my air conditioner. It's getting very hot here!
Su-Zee I never remember their names. Next time I will note down the name - I think the black girl with the lovely smile who made the cape which the judge tried on tonight has a fair chance. She has come top three weeks in a row. Then the man tonight who made that fabulous dress like the waves leaving raw edges I really enjoy it each week.
I suggest that if anyone wishes to understand the roots of this conflict, read the Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan.
Your physio should be able to help you enter/exit the car. What you do is stand with your back to the door (opened) and sit down, then and only when you are firmly seated, you twist your whole body to get your feet in. Exiting is the inverse. Open door, twist to get your feet ou ( but don’t try to stand until your feet are firmly on the ground and you are facing the sidewalk. Then stand. Good luck
I noticed the comment above. I've always used that method to enter, exit a car. In my better days I lifted both legs at once and put them in the car. Those were the days!
You are a determined and in many ways a vital person and this is wonderful. It appears that lack of specific technique is the limiting factor. With the right assistance/techniques (described above?) you should be okay. The Physio or Falls Team should be providing you with the instruction/techniques you need. My deep purple bearded iris are starting to bloom.
They are not tall stalks like your iris and I've never seen a tall iris. The height must make your iris even more regal.
I wonder if you could still follow your Poetry Group virtually on your computer? You could see and take part in the discussions like that from your home. I enjoy reading poetry out loud too as each poem seems to have it's own rhythm. You are to be commended on trying to walk a bit further each day! Doing that will continue to build up strength for you.
With your many friends and good neighbours, could someone take you to the poetry afternoon and assist you with getting in and out of the car? Or maybe a kind taxi driver? It seems a shame that this is the reason you have to stay away.
So good to hear that you keep up the daily walks, and even increase them in length! Priscilla must be so pleased, too :-)
A school friend of mine emigtated to Israel with her husband,and 2 very young children about 15 years ago, and until recently, had very good relations with their Palestinian neighbours, raising money to help them and collecting clothes for donation. I'm attaching the email which came from her this morning. No opinion is ever really 'objective', but I can vouch that she is normally fairly rational. (Eli is her son, filling in his gap year betweeen compulsory military service and uni, working as a security guard at a Jewish school in Wales). I'm not sure that any religious schools are a good idea...
''It’s just horrible……on May 10th, yet again Hamas started launching totally unprovoked rocket attacks at towns across the country. And when Israel responded by targeting missile launch sites, rocket production factories & the underground network of tunnels that they were planning to use to come into Israel & kidnap soldiers, we are being demonised by the press & media the world over.
Israel goes to extraordinary lengths to call Gazan citizens to move out of/away from buildings that are going to be targeted because they contain weapons & other terror infrastructure, but they seriously have a death wish. Worse, although 4,000 Hamas rockets have landed or been shot down by our missile defence system in Israel, hundreds more have landed actually inside Gaza, killing dozens of Gazan children - which Israel is being blamed for.
I worry for Eli so much - the school where he is head security guard in Maida Vale, is bang opposite the biggest Islamist Day Centre in Europe….. & funded by Iran. And of course, unlike Israel & most European cities, he isn’t allowed to carry any kind of weapon - not even pepper spray or a baseball bat.
The rockets can’t quite hit us where we live, but they are visible in the sky & we can hear them. The rocket attacks that just started from Lebanon, can definitely hit us, but so far, so good…..
However, the civil unrest is worrying. There are 2 Arab villages both about 7 minutes away by car. Relations have always been excellent - Jews & Arabs have always worked, shopped & eaten in the stores & restaurants in their villages & our town. We use the same doctors, hospitals & public transport. Now, however, they are demonstrating, blocking roads, setting off fireworks, shooting illegal weapons, burning tyres & stoning cars. Last week on the way t the supermarket, a big rock went right through my rear passenger window. There is a 3-week wait for window repairs, so I’m having to walk everywhere.
Still, there are people in a far worse situation than us. In the northern town of Acre, Arabs literally destroyed not only ALL the businesses owned by Jews - most of which employed both Arabs & Jews - but also homes, and worse still, ALL the ancient Jewish Heritage sites. It’s simply heartbreaking.
It was the same story in the Southern city of Lod - previously a beautiful example of co-existence - Arabs went rampaging, burning & smashing Jewish owned shops, homes and businesses.
I’ve heard people say that Israel is the ‘canary in the coal mine’. Hamas is simply the agent of Iran, & if we fall, Iran will be emboldened to attack Europe.
Scary times…….
lots of love
Nell
xxx''
Apologies for the long post. Hope you found it interesting.
Thank you Nell for giving us some insight as to what is happening. Yael is also talking about it as well. The more we learn, the more we understand I think.
I expect Pat that 'ordinary days' represent most of our lifetime, when we get older filling the day with useful things to do gets more difficult. We are blessed with a mind though and yours is always active.
I'm sorry to hear your health has deteriorated further so that now you can't get in and out of cars, not long ago you said you'd had a taxi to the hairdressers. Will you now get a mobile hairdresser to come to your house instead?
Rain here today after a beautiful sunny day yesterday.
Anoymous - no I shall continue to go to my hairdresser in town - it isn't far and I know the taxi driver well.
Thelma - agree with what you say - I can always find something. On this very wet day I am watching the film on Iraq you recommended.
Charlotte - thank you for that e mail. Food for thought indeed.
Librarian - all our members are around my age and therefore carrying the rollator not easy - as to having a taxi I would willingly do so but sadly the end of the meeting coincides with school runs when the taxi is unavailable.
Thanks Debby - I will look for that book.Anonymous - exactly how I enter a car - just as my Physio taught me.
Thanks everyone for responding.
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