Unsatisfactory expedition

Giddy with excitement I took to the wheel

and headed into town this morning.

Not too uncomfortable getting there.

Had planned carefully so that I only

needed to walk the one street there and back

to get what I wanted.

I noticed that I needed to keep on the level

pavement and not drift off into the middle

where it dipped.

My speed was more tortoise than hare

by three quarters of the way down.

Coming back we were at snails pace.

Gosh it was painful!!

I was unprepared for the difference between

the back garden and a proper street!!!

Silly me.

My muscles tensed up after that

and it was hard driving home again.

Car went perfectly though!!!!!!

I will have to try again tomorrow

as I was unable to complete my tasks

in the one go.

Time to rest my weary legs and head off 

to bed.

Lying flat is about all I'm good for right now!!

p.s. I bought nail polish in two colours

as I can't wait to be able to bend enough

to reach my toes again!!!

Such vanity . . .

Sue xx

Rehabilitation Frustration!!

So I thought it might be an idea to try sitting 

in the drivers seat of my car yesterday.

Just a test . . .

pointed the key at the door and 

nothing.

Strange thought I.

Pointed it at the boot and 

nothing.

Worried brow.

Opened door with the key - 

how weird!

Key in lock and 

nothing.

Not a flicker!!

So not impressed FORD!!!

Last November they did humungus

repairs including a new battery

'cos they said that

theirs was better than the ANWB's 

or KWIKFIT's!!

Cost me a helluva lot more too.

Now my car has stood still for a week

and the life has been sucked out of Sooty.

How can this be?

So I rang my advice Guru first.

Try Ford before the ANWB he said.

Ford directed me towards the Assistance

Central because I had FREE COVER

due to having had my service done there.

Bril thought I.

Rang them...yes...yes...send someone...

free...oh, wait a minute madam.

We have no record of your car.

Ford did not register you with us

so we cannot help you.

Back to Ford garage...

told my tale of woe.

We see how it came about.....

we will send someone out...

where do you live?!

End of the afternoon two young lads 

appeared armed with jump leads.

Sooty fired into action and they drove 

him away to be fully charged.

I expect to see him this afternoon.

So now I will have to drive somewhere to 

keep him working - where shall I go??!!!

Sue xx

Today......

Sometimes this feels like the story of my life.....

but I still have to stick with it!!!!

Not so good today

Probably overdoing it!

Personally I think my body clock is shot to pieces

and it is causing me to feel faint and nauseous

and not very well at all.

I fall asleep at 8pm then I go to bed

and wake up in the middle of the night

then I drop off again 

and don't want to get up

then I feel faint and woozy

then I am ok for a time

and then....

right now it is 1.30pm and I 

need some shuteye on the settee.

Sue xx

New resolve

Ah, it happens every now and then.

I decide to diet.

Only this time properly!!

I don't really believe in the quick-fix diets 

that fill you full of shakes and pills

or injections . . tried them all over the years!!

My body is diet-resistant I am convinced of that

as a result of these many and varied attempts to

 be less than what I usually am.

Last diet I did was the Dukan,

and it certainly worked.

I lost about 10 kilos and felt great!

Now however I find looking at eggs 

and cottage cheese somewhat sickening!

Ate too many and too much of the white stuff

and simply can't stomach it again.

And the 10 lost kilos have returned!

So..........

inspired by my daughter who is doing the same

though she really only wants to lose a few pounds,

I am going to join Weight Watchers!

Just need to give my knee one more week before I

can get to a meeting and then I can start!

I can eat better until then of course . . .plan B.

There is a meeting about 5 kms from here so not too bad

and at a sensible time in the evening.

I am choosing the meetings over online and doing it

alone because it will work better for me.

I need to meet others in the same boat

to keep me motivated.

The plan is to start in July and go through the summer

on all the nice salads etc and indulge in the treats as 

prescribed by the diet plan and not by me!!!

My first 'treat' is going to be Ineke's party

so no dieting that day!!! But since I have no other

events in peto until September then

I am reasonably confident.

You heard it here first.

Shush......

Sue xx

Getting back to normal!

It all went surprisingly well

I thought.

There was a long enough wait in the 

morning for me to practically read

my entire book

but

then I read fast.

10.30 and I went to prep.

and by 11.00 I was 'under the spotlights'

in the OR.

There was a young assisting anaesthetist who was 

English!

So we had a little chat!

Then the surgeon came in and started

talking to me in English...

until the other assistant told him

I spoke Dutch as well...spoilsport!

Then there were a few minutes of heavy

breathing into the mask and I was away.

Coming round in the afternoon but

not so late as I had thought

so by 13.00 I was back in my bed

waiting to be collected.

And suddenly there he was!

Bang on time and with no need to call first

...that was a lovely surprise.

Never going to admit he was worried about me

but I guess showing up early says that too.

All in all I feel fine.

No throwing up until we were home

though I hate all that, especially the 

nausea and the headaches and the wooziness.

Slept reasonably well.

Taking the painkillers on the dot!

Looking forward to an easy day,

doing very little apart from my exercises.

Hoping to be running around again soon!!!

Sue xx

Almost ready

for the 'big day' tomorrow and my

rather small and hopefully not too long

operation.

It was so  HOT here today!! I sat out in the 

garden with the cats but it was too hot to do

without the umbrella - first outing this year!

The temperature hit 30C and without a wind

it felt quite tropical.

Tomorrow more of the same but I suspect

following the heatwave will come the thunderstorm.

I used to be so scared of them but now I cope pretty well.

Somehow they don't seem to have the 

same ferocity as they did years ago.

At least the mix of sunshine and rain

means I don't have to water the garden myself too often!

The front I never seem to need to do.

Strange but the plants there do fine without

much attention from me.

I think its because they are hardier plants and shrubs

whilst in the back we have more herbaceous border plants.

The cats seem to appreciate the last remaining patch of earth

that is in the border, deeming it their personal bed.

As soon as I am up on my feet again I will be off 

to the garden centre to sort that out!!!

Back to hospital and packing the few items I am

supposed to take with me.

Spare underwear?......its on their list!

I'm thinking more ipod and books!!

Wide legged trousers or shorts or a dress

are recommended. 

A good nights sleep is what I am recommending for 

myself right now.

Get up early and do the rest in the morning.

Sue xx

Gosh!

Here we are at Thursday already!!

And only 5 more days to go before

my operation.

Trying to get things done before then.

Nice things as well as necessary of course!!

This morning I am thinking about something

crafty as the wind is blowing and it is not nice

enough for sunning myself in the garden...yet.

There is hope as it is warm and there was a 

lot of rain overnight.

There is the first small pink ROSE out on the 

trellis peeking out from in between the ivy

and the special Clematis.

It is my first one and this year I am hoping 

our patience will be rewarded.

The white one is looking good too,

and the one on the other fence....

and I am out there with the spray fighting the

greenfly and other pests that are the enemy of roses!

I am anticipating my stash of books arriving this morning.

Say what you like about Amazon and taxes, it is 

a godsend when you are not able to buy books

in every bookstore and library or second-hand store etc.

Every single one was on offer and reduced - part of the 

pre-requisite for choosing, as well as title, author, 

summary, cover, last page.......yes,

I am one of those annoying people who have

to read the end before starting at the beginning.

I don't do thrillers or sci-fi really.

Mostly they are lovely, sentimental,

meaningful, thought-provoking, delicious

tales of humanity.

Animals are difficult as I cry.

I wish I was in a Book Club really.

I am thinking about joining an on-line one actually.

Perhaps that is something for me to do this year.

I think I may, I think I might.

Sue xx

Weekend

What a glorious week!!

The sun has absolutely shone its best

and we have made the most of it.

This morning it is grey and the clouds

are moving swiftly along

towards the Isselmeer.

We have the northerly weather today.

Cloudy and warm.

The cats are sitting looking out onto the garden

from the windowsill up here in the snug.

Oh how they have revelled in the sunshine!!!

Finka hiding under her own peculiar sunshade

on one of the chairs.

Will munching his way through the flowerbeds

before succumbing to the same spot on the chair.

Attempts to escape the confines of the garden are

kept under control.

So, will the sun come out later on?

Will we have some more lovely days before it

all changes again mid-week?

Hopefully.

I'm up with the larks this morning

so as to be first in the line for the hairdressers!

8am - I'll be there.

My knee is going to be operated upon 

within the coming two weeks so I

feel the need for a 'trim' before I 

am disabled for a while.

Just a little tidy up.

I have a heavy head right now so perhaps I

didn't sleep as well as I needed to....

a doze on the settee or in the garden?

Have to wait and see whether the old adage

of "dull before 7, bright before 11"

will be true today.

Enjoy the weekend,

whether the weather be kind or not.

Sue xx

SMASHING

Apparently this is a new hobby akin to Scrapbooking

but introduced by K&Co.

I like the sound of it!

I have been trying to find my mojo to get back

into card-making and scrapping for so long now

and nothing has been happening.

I simply can't settle down to it.

My frustration at sitting here doing nothing is immense

now my freedom has been curtailed somewhat.

I am struggling to sit still.

I have read all my books.

I need to create.

So I am going to seek out the blogs

on this smash 'n grab idea

and see whether it will jumpstart

my imagination and revitalize my

creative juices and 

GIVE ME SOMETHING TO DO!!!!!

Ugh!

At the moment I am at home and the sun is struggling to 

appear and I am bored.

I hardly ever get this feeling but I have it right now!

I am annoyed at not being able to just jump

up and go.

I am listening to the sensible part of me

and taking it easy so that the pain

reduces and I don't make matters worse.

But oh how I long to just go!!!

Walking as far as the shop is too far.

I will regret that once I am home again.

It's only around the corner but with my crutch and 

a shopping bag to tote around it is too much.

I want to drive to the supermarket.

We need things!!!!

I worry that my leg will get fixed and not be able to

bend it again.

I worry that it will twist and cause me a lot more pain

like on Friday.

I want to be reckless and just take the chance

but what if????

Tomorrow I am going to the hospital again.

I hope to hear what the options are.

I want to do what work I can and not sit here

and mope and worry and feel down.

I am no good at this dependence malarky.

No good at all.

Sue xx