So I went back to Bath again......

A few little notes before I start chatting.....

• The river past our gym is possibly going to flood tonight or tomorrow and people living close to it have been put on red alert and told to pack vital essentials in case of flood. (This village is on a hill so we are not affected)
• I went to aquarobics and there was a stand in teacher. The less I say the better, except that I had to ask her to change the music or I would have had to vacate the pool
• Bath was wet
• I have hair standing on end
• Participants in the Olympics may need snorkels and flippers (I can just see the 100m final under water)
• I seem to have lost the ability to sleep

Hello. I was rather tired last night when we got home. Jean was my chauffeur for the day and thankfully the traffic was reasonable even though the weather was not. Never in the history of this country has so much rain fallen for so long. We passed 40 days and nights ages ago. 

The physio and OT I saw yesterday have given me more exercises and training things to learn to incorporate in my days. I did point out that it probably meant that I would have to batten down the hatches and not emerge from the house except for the aqua sessions for the rest of my days. But I will find a way to try and build it all in to my life. Not easy. There is stuff to be done. A life to lead. But if it works, then think how much better it would be. So I have to give it a go. 

 As you can see, some of the shops in Bath are in a British mode - what with the Jubilee and the Olympics, it is only natural. However, Lakeland has seen fit to stop selling their British flag cup cake thingies and I was rather unimpressed. I wanted some of the little flag things to pop onto the top of the cupcakes should I decide to be patriotic and bake some. The Olympics start soon - what were they thinking????

And what is more, I tried on some gorgeous red shoes and then didn't buy them. I think I really needed red shoes. It has been a while since I owned any. I do have a red bag, and they go with denim, and I SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THEM!! They were on the sale. There was also a beautiful pair of olive green shoes. I didn't buy those either. Sigh.

Anyway. As you can see, I have this very day, started on the painting of the nook thing. I have given the parts I can reach a base coat and right now, it looks hideous. Absolutely revolting. And I have to wait 16-24 hours before the next coat goes on. I am sure it will look wonderful when it has had 99 coats.

I may not be around by then.

And no, I didn't unscrew the black bolts holding vital bits together and then replace them after painting. So what if they were a fancy black. I just wanted it done and my hair was falling in my eyes and I had paint on all 10 fingers and my brow was somewhat beaded and I have decided that I like the idea of decorating but not the actual doing.

 So I went and dug up/emptied the pots containing my potatoes. They are delicious. I know this because I ate some last night and made a big potato salad which will last a week. I have lettuce ready to pick in the garden too. And finally every single one of my flowers is now planted. The marigolds had to be prised apart because their roots were all intertwined, but they are now in the potato pots. They look a little sad because it must be like separating Siamese twins. The separation causes stress. Well, marigolds, you live or you die, because with the diabolical weather, I have come to the conclusion that only the strongest will survive in my garden this year.

As one of my friends at aqua said this morning, we were advised to plant gardens which would withstand drought. So we did. Only the drought resistant plants like to be dry not permanently drenched.

Well, there is always next year.

We may have snow, of course.

The lilies are opening. These ones are in a few places in the garden and they are all taller than me. Seriously. They are immense. The only thing taller, apart from the apple tree, is the sunflower. Oh, and the hollyhocks, only they were knocked down by the rain/wind and are now tied up and looking pathetic. But today we had some sun, and I have remembered to feed the plants, so hopefully, they will grow and flower. 

Or something. 

I could do with a rest. However, I have paint on my trousers which have now been deemed painting gear. So has the T-shirt I am wearing. And right now I am sitting on my desk chair on a couple of sheets of newspaper and relaxing on the couch would involve going upstairs and changing. Maybe not. Maybe I will go and have another look round my garden before the torrential rains come back. Etching memories of what it looks like before more is destroyed. 

Hmmm. 

I can hear the Bath people as I write - Slow down. Pace yourself. Be kind to yourself. Rest as much as possible. Stop moving. Let things go. Listen to relaxation tapes. Sit on that gym ball. De-sensitise. Learn to manage the (newer) pain too. Breathe. De-stress your life. Buy excellent ear plugs (I had forgotten that one).  Be selective about what you do. Ask for help. Stop trying to fix the world.  Baby steps. Do the exercises as often as possible. 2-4 times a day. Then there are the core exercises. Do those too. Creams. Touch. Drop the shoulders. 

AARRRGGGHHHHH.

They don't know when the flare will subside. They say it will. But it can come back. Anytime. It may spread more. It may never come back. 

Maybe this newspaper will stick to my rear end when I stand up.