Friday 29 April 2022

Ran out of time -

The days fly by.   I suppose that is a good thing at my age but not always the case.   I am no longer a swift mover (take that in whatever way you choose) and by the time I have cleared away my breakfast dishes and had my walk it is lunch time.   My laps round the garden take up another chunk.   But if you happen to take the Times you will see from the headline today that doctors are now saying that painkillers are no good for arthritis (one of the main reasons for my poor movement- arthritic ankle from an undiscovered broken ankle fifteen years ago when five years later a scan caused the specialist to remark 'God, what a mess!) added to my broken hip a couple of years ago.   Doctors are now being told by the powers that be that the best treatment is exercise.   That is fine in the spring/summer but not so good in winter.    So by the time my walks of the patio had been completed there was no time before bed - so a missed blog day.   Sorry - I don't like to miss -  blogging is one of the things that keeps my mind sharp.

The lack of rain both for farmers and gardeners (to a lesser extent) is really getting desperate.   I see looking at the forecast this morning, we might get a drop of rain on Saturday/Sunday but it is by no means sure (although it is a Bank Holiday week-end so it would be 'par for the course').   All the plants I bought and which my gardener put in for me, must be really suffering.   And there is no way I can get to them so they are having to take their chance.   The only ones I can water are 2 osteospermum in pots on the front step and two more on the side border which I have watered a couple of times and which don't get the sun all day.   We have seen neither hide nor hair of the sun until today having been cloaked in cloud off the North Sea but this morning it is full sunshine and a very sharp frost,

I shall be back later if anything happens of interest during the day.   So good-bye for now.  It is my carer's week end off so C will be here Saturday and Sunday.   See you tomorrow if not before.

I.m back and it is just after seven in the evening.  I went further today on my morning walk.   When I got back I decided I reallu must water the pots on my front steps - two of pansies and two of osteospermum - they were looking decidedky thirsty.   I managed it with difficulty and then took Priscilla round on to the patio to sit in the sun and read my Country Living magazine which came this morning.   I have various ways of getting in and our of my bungalow but mainly using my Zimmer to get into the garage and Priscilla to get outside.   This I did with a degree of difficulty and it was only when I came to think about coming back in that I realised I had forgotten to take the key to my garage door (it is an electronic one).  Today my son has taken his wife to hospital  for various premed tests as she goes in on Wednesday for an operation on her mouth - hopefully as a day patient but we shall not know for sure until the day.  I didn't expect him to be back so visualised me sitting in the front garden for some time.   But when I rang they had just come in the door so he was able to nip round and sort things out for me.   Other than that a trouble free afternoon.   See you tomorrow when there is a faint possibility of a shower of rain.   I think all of us who are gardeners really hope so.

27 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

Some of the cracks on the reserve today are now 2" wide and part of my garden is suffering the same fate, it really is quite bad again if you have clay soil. The dry April last year was rescued by a wet May but that doesn't look likely this year.

Something to make you jealous - we have booked to enjoy "An evening with Monty Don" at a theater in Surrey on Dec 5th.

Librarian said...

I agree that getting enough exercise is a lot easier during the warmer (and lighter!) months. My walks after work can be extended now, whereas in winter it is usually dark by the time I finish.
We have had some rain recently, but not enough to make up for the past dry summers and springs. Spring 2021 was wetter and colder, but the long unbroken sunny period of 2020 is still not caught up with when it comes to groundwater levels.
According to the experts, it is all part of the climate change.

It would be nice if more rain would hold up until the weekend is over - O.K.'s village is celebrating their May fête for the first time since 2019, and we are hoping for many visitors! O.K. plays with the brass band and I am going to help at the food counter in the beer tent.

Cherie said...

I'm finding that pain killers help enormously with my arthritic hip. I've struggled on for long enough to cope without them. I walk every morning and it's certainly less painful in warmer weather. I think I need to knit some woolie knickers to keep the joint warm :-)

Sue in Suffolk said...

I can't summon any enthusiasm for cycling or walking when the weather is cold or windy and we are still getting cold Easterly winds.
Hope you have a good day

Tom Stephenson said...

It is a sad fact that the efficacy of pain-killers wears off very soon after you begin to take them, especially opiates. With my mild (compared to yours) arthritis I find that exercise does indeed help, but you have to fight your way through the beginning of it.

gz said...

Agree completely with Tom.
I just keep moving gently. Times when one has to be still for long periods make starting again difficult..but must be done and gently does it

Debby said...

One thing that I have read about painkillers is that your brain becomes dependent on them and will actually begin to generate 'pain'to get the drugs.

The Feminine Energy said...

I have a little floor exerciser thing... I sit in a chair and put my feet into it and pedal it like a bicycle... and if I use it faithfully my sore knees feel a TON better. So I have no doubt exercise is the key to better-feeling joints. But anti-inflammatory medications are part of the equation too. ~Andrea xoxo

thelma said...

The advice keeps changing as far as health is concerned. Dependency is not a good thing though. Yes we definitely want rain, otherwise the moors start to burn, either deliberately or by accident.

Melinda from Ontario said...

I agree that exercise does an incredible amount of good for a person. My favourite way to get it is outdoors in the garden. An industrious day of edging and pruning seems to work every muscle in my body. But I also count indoor puttering around as exercise. Some days, my best exercise comes from the 10 min it takes me to do a room to room search for my reading glasses.

Minigranny said...

Just keeping going - albeit with a stick- helped me but I did use ibuprofen at times- I think it helped to keep the muscles strong so I recovered from hip replacements more quickly. So difficult to do when the weather's bad though - I'm sure that come the warmer weather you'll be raring to go !

Jules said...

My dad always used to swear by exercise to ease his painful arthritis, he used to try and get out walking every day. Not so easy when the weather is bad.
I hope any rain holds off just long enough for me to go for a walk this weekend. X

Barbara Anne said...

I missed you yesterday but am glad nothing was amiss!

I've wondered if your tall garden would benefit from a sprinkler that is set to water in just one direction? You, or someone, would just need to turn it on - if you have a water source in back of the cottage.

Hugs!

the veg artist said...

I would a raving lunatic without painkillers. I really need a jaw joint transplant - both sides (equiv. to mini hip joints) but it is a risky operation, pioneered in USA but often leaving patients worse than before. The experts are right in that painkillers are not a 'treatment', but constant pain is wearing and damaging in itself.

Ellen D. said...

I was wondering the same as Barbara Anne - if you could have a sprinkler or soaker hose installed where you can't reach.
We are all doing the best we can with keeping active and staying healthy. Don't worry and stay happy!

Susan said...

If you add bark mulch around your plantings, this will help keep them moist when there is no rain. Mulch also keeps the weeds down. I use black mulch on my property and it works extremely well. The black mulch also makes the plants pop providing a lovely background. Your gardener can probably advise you more fully on mulching. The days do fly by. The wind and cool air makes being outside unusually cold. The leaf buds on the trees are delaying opening because of the cold. The sun is brilliant and the sky is blue so it is a nice day.

Rachel Phillips said...

Our maritime climate will secure rain and there is nothing to concern ourselves with. Weave has many friends for coffee and I am sure that if she is really troubled by the current lack of rainfall one of them will turn the outside tap on for her and direct the hose over some plants. The gardener will appear at some point and do the same. If you have 500 hectares plus of arable land in the East of England there will be some concern but farmers are pretty resilient and know that rain will come.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Andrea have you any details of that foot exerciser thing? If so I would be grateful for them/

Rachwl - you are so right about farmers ! I used to get soworked up about lack of rain - the farmer took it in his stride.

Bonnie said...

I know it is true that exercise does help arthritis but the problem is getting started on the exercise when you are in pain! I remember many years ago I locked myself out of the house and I was able to squeeze in a small basement window. I sure could not do that today!

Tom Stephenson said...

Rachwl! Come 'ere!

Anonymous said...

Well done Bonnie !
I like to get exercise by gardening but lost my balance and fell in a large pot and had to call to husband to offer me a hand out. Luckily it wasn't a pruned rose bush in situ!. Keep up the good work Weave, Andrea's idea sounds good.-Pam

Red said...

I keep hearing you worry about rain? However you often report rain? It seems as if you don't have rain for two days that you re worrying about being dry. So try this for size. We get an average rainfall of 12 in per year! It's all relative. Enjoy your day.

Joanne Noragon said...

Well, I hope you get a rain soon.

Debby said...

Weaver, type Seated Pedal Exerciser for the Elderly and it should bring up options. Since bending and balance is a problem, I'd probably choose more of an elliptical design opposed to something that you'd might have to strap your feet into. I tried to access amazon.co.uk, but it keeps wanting to switch me back to my home country.

Something else that I would recommend are range of motion exercises that you can do while seated. https://www.healthinfotranslations.org/pdfDocs/ActiveLegROMSitting.pdf

You actually sound as if you do plenty of upper body stretching and reaching just taking care of your daily activities. You could add very light weights for strengthening if you think that you need it.

The best thing you can do is keep your joints moving.

Cro Magnon said...

Hardly any rain here all winter, I've been going out every couple of days with my watering-can to keep things alive.

Heather said...

It is much easier to get out and about in fine weather so I have devised my own exercises for winter or any bad weather. Holding on to the back of a sturdy chair I do simple leg movements learned from various exercise groups I have attended in the past, and there are even some which can be managed sitting down. Owing to the current situation in the NHS I think it is my responsibility to keep myself as fit as possible. Lord knows when one would get a doctor's or a hospital appointment unless a dire emergency.
I do hope your daughter-in-law's surgery is successful. It sounds very unpleasant.

The Weaver of Grass said...



.Thank you dear friends for your help and encouragement.