Extreme Knitting Redhead: Peeping Out

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Peeping Out

I haven't felt like blogging at all, sorry.

The Podiatrist turned out to be unreliable, didn't reply to email/phone calls from the hospital/Drs Surgery or me and didn't update Mary Massage Lady with anything. He never even sent me the stretches he promised, nor did he telephone Mary as promised. 4 weeks after my appointment he phoned up to see if I wanted another consultation; erm, no thanks - I was polite but firm!

Interestingly, the things Mary has done coupled with the stretches she gave me together with icing have made a huge difference. A couple of weeks ago she told me to try a short run which I did but it didn't end well (big tears I'm afraid). I iced and stretched and tried again a few days later and managed 3k which made me ecstatic and more importantly gave me hope that things were progressing in the right direction.

I've found these ice blocks from our cool bag invaluable

Tilly isn't quite sure about it though!

Since then I've done 3 x 10ks (that's 6.1 miles each) on consecutive days, a 5 mile walk up to Great Dixter and back (photos to follow) and as of 1st March I have been completing 5k on the treadmill each day with a view to starting running along the lanes tomorrow. After each session I've iced and stretched my foot and I've been wearing my compression support and a gel heel insert in all my shoes.

Feeling emboldened, whilst trying not to push too hard too soon, I finally shared details of my fund-raising challenge and I'm not too far off my target now thank goodness. I also emailed lots of people in our village asking them to give me a smile and a wave if they see me out running, which most people do anyway, as I suspect I'll need all the help I can get and they have all been fantastic over the years.

It's amazing how quickly you can lose your stamina though so I'm hoping that all the stuff I've been doing in my 90 day challenge will stand me in good stead - we've just passed the halfway point and it's amazing how quickly the time seems to have gone.

That's enough of that anyway so time for some photos starting with this fabulous fungus. You know you've trained your husband well when he comes back from a walk around the land clutching a stick and excitedly showing me the beautiful fungus he'd spotted!

The stick had some beautiful lichen and moss on it too

Isn't it gorgeous! It's Tremella mesenterica aka Yellow Brain or Witches' Butter.

We placed it carefully where he'd found it so it could set spores there for next year.

Walking in the Sunshine

Emboldened by my improvement we decided to take a walk up to Great Dixter as they had an open weekend and it's a nice 5.3 mile round trip. The weather was perfect with warm sun and no wind.

Awwwh, one my neighbours first lambs of the season

These crocuses were planted in the grass verges by the village bus stop when we were doing the Village in Bloom a few years ago. The mess of soil you can see behind has been left by contractors who've ripped up our lovely verges when laying new cables so most of the wildflowers we had established so well have been trashed. Some will make a comeback, but sadly some won't.

There weren't many people about when we arrived so we had a very pleasant wander although by the time were were leaving there were lots of people queueing to go in so we got our timing just right. I do love seeing a garden laid bare as you can appreciate the structure of it and you get to see some amazing shapes.

The mass of crocuses in the grass reminded me of when we first moved here and I planted hundreds of purple crocus in the orchard, all of which were dug up by the squirrels, little blighters. I think I might try again though as they did look beautiful.

I love the structural impact of the stems growing against a barn in the sunken garden

Mike took a break whilst I snapped away

This reminded me I need to resurrect my alpine trough - my plants were attacked by Vine weevil a few years ago so I need to start again

The scent of this Daphne was intoxicating on such a warm day

This is Exotic Garden all wrapped up in its Winter coat to protect the more tender species

It used to be the site of a rose garden and people were horrified when Christopher Lloyd dug it up and planted exotics. I much prefer it like this!

With Mike added to show the height of some of the plants

The daffodils in the wild area weren't in flower then but will be by now

Sadly, back in 2001, some of the topiary was vandalised so there are some empty sections.

Some of my favourites on a low roof - I love Sempervivums

This willow looked so beautiful in the sunshine as we headed for home.

It was a lovely walk and, even better, my foot didn't complain too much. Onwards and upwards - 8 weeks unitl the London marathon (gulp!).

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Mum's Story

In 1997 my mother, then aged 81, had a series of minor strokes. Shortly after that we started to notice behavioural changes notably memory loss and confusion over everyday items. We thought it was just old age finally catching up with her. Then she started wandering and had violent mood swings. Although she already lived with us it became obvious that she couldn't be left alone for long and so I left my job to care for her. The next few years saw a gradual decline into the blackness that is 'vascular dementia'. My normally placid mum became violent and aggressive. She had psychotic incidents where she would see imaginary people (children hiding in her wardrobe, Russians sitting on the stairs, women stealing her clothes) and she would shout at them and sometimes throw things too. She was so convincing that we used to go and check that there wasn't anyone there! When my sister died mum did not know who Judy was or that she was her daughter. There came a point when I suddenly realised she no longer knew that I was her daughter and this was a terrible time for me. In the last 2 years that she lived with us, life for us all became almost unbearable as she needed 24 hour care - she couldn't be left alone at all because she would either wander off or hurt herself, she never slept for more than 30 minutes at a time during the night, she became incontinent and incapable of doing anything for herself. Finally my husband and I realised that we could no longer provide her with the care that she needed and she went to live in a special care home where the team did a splendid job caring for her in the last few months of her life. There she lived a zombified existence unaware of who she was, what she was or where she was. It was heartbreaking. She died in March 2005, the day after her 89th birthday.

Thank you for taking the time to read mum's story and I hope you'll dig deep and sponsor me using the link below to help find a way of beating this destructive disease.