A visit to the doctor

Well the pain got so bad yesterday afternoon, that I had to resort to ringing the surgery to see if I could see a doctor about it. I was getting worried and imagining all sorts of things. The receptionist was very helpful, said the doctor would ring me back shortly and then askk me to go to the surgery if he needed to see me about it. That was at 3.15 p.m. By 5 o`clock I`d still not had a phone call, so wondering if they`d forgotten about me I rang again. But, the same receptionist apologised and said no, he`d been called out and was now working down the list.

Shortly after that he did ring, and I had to go to see him.

His diagnosis is that I`ve pulled a muscle which is rubbing on a bone and a nerve hence the pain. He`s given me some stronger pain killers, so hopefully they `ll work. And said to keep it exercised! To not bend, but to do everything by bobbing my knees down; to put the washing up bowl on the draining board to wash up and not bend over the sink, et....etc....

So if anyone sees me moving pecularily to do jobs, ...........I`ve not gone mad!

After effects?

Having said in yesterdays post that I felt ok, I found that to be untrue.
I felt totally out of sorts and under the weather all day. The worst thing being a strong pain . I can`t really pinpoint the exact spot it`s coming from, but my back, my right hip, my leg, all hurt and ache and at times it`s aross the bottom of my tummy too making me feel rather queasy on occasion.

Was it caused by the earthquake I wonder? shaking my body in an abnormal way, and the way I tried to hold myself still. Maybe using a muscle/s that I don`t normally use much? Or is it just coincidence, and something is wrong? It`s still there this morning in my hip area.

Shakey, shakey, shake, shake!

All was normal when I went to bed last night and fell asleep. I woke at about 12.55 being shaken. I couldn`t make out what was waking me, there was no-one in the room shaking me to wake me, then I realised that it wasn`t just me shaking, the bed seemed to be shaking and so did everything around me. What had I eaten for supper, that could be making me feel like this I wondered?

I stretched out my arms and gripped the edges of the matress either side of me, to try and steady and hold myself still in the darkness (I didn`t put a light on, as that would have woken me up more). What was happening, it couldn`t be an earth tremor because we don`t get them in this country I thought. What was wrong with me? I`d never felt anything like this before. Gradually as I gripped the edges of the bed it subsided and, so I cuddled down again under the duvet and went off to sleep.

Waking to the sound of my radio alarm this morning, I remembered the event of the night and thought that I must have been dreaming. I felt ok, and everything in the room looked as normal. Then the news came on the radio "England & Wales suffered an earthquake last night 5.2 on the Richter scale, the centre of if being in Lincolnshire" So now I know that it wasn`t something wrong with me, I didn`t imagine it.

I wonder what all the birds in the trees in the wild, and animals in the earth made of it? It must have been terrifying for them.

Spring is in the Air

Looking out of my kitchen window whilst washing up this lunch time, I spotted a sight which cheered me up today.












Opposite the window there is a hydrangea bush which had been cut down last autumn because it had got too woody and unruly.
Looking at the bare wood stems, I suddenly spotted a tiny green leaf.







On going out to look closer, I discoverd that a lot of the branches were sprouting green buds and one had even got a few tiny leaves on.
What a marvel nature is.
It really cheered my spirits today.

It`s Flowering!

The buds have now burst open on the Amaryllis, which I posted a picture of as just showing signs of opening the other day.... and here it is.



As you can see there are already two flowers open and two more buds to open on the same stalk, and there`s also another flower stem appearing. It`s getting so tall that I`ve had to stake it and tie it to keep it from going over.

Whilst looking for the words to a hymn this evening, I came across this - and thought I`d share it with you.



Having been to Scarborough and enjoyed many holidays there, the scenes brought back memories as I watched it.

A Sunday Walk

I awoke this morning to a thick white frost which made everything look beautiful as the sun shone and it glistened from the grass, shrubs and trees around. Although a lot colder than last Sunday, I decided to go for a walk this afternoon, but not on the cliff top.

Getting ito the car, I went to a National Trust park near where I live, parked the car and set out for a walk. Patches of snopdrops lined the path at the start of the walk, looking so delicate and fragile and beautiful. (They`re one of my favourite flowers).

I hadn`t gone far along the path, when someone called out "hello" to me. Looking to see who it was I discovered a friend that I used to work with and her family - husband and children on bikes, dog on lead, and her pushing an empty pushchair whilst her daughter had the youngest toddling along on a pair of reigns. Stopping to speak to them, we then began to walk along together, and after being assured that I was welcome to join them on their walk, we had a lovely long walk through the park. Probably going further than I would have gone on my own.

It was so lovely to have some company for a change, and not have to go for a walk on my own. Yet, having said that, I do also very much enjoy having a walk on my own like last week. But this chance meeting just somehow "made" the afternoon today.

Little Boxes

I`ve noticed recently while shopping that more and more people are going back to the days of bringing their own shopping bags with them, and declining the plastic carrier bags. What a good sign this is of people doing their bit for the environment and global warming.

But the question I want to ask, is why, oh why do all the manufacturers still persist in delivering their goods to shops shrink wrapped in plastic/polythene and not in cardboard boxes in the way they used to. Surely they too should be thinking of reducing the amout of plastic and polythene they use which all has to be disposed of by the retailers.

Let`s start a "Bring back the cardboard box" campaign!!

Busting with Life

I love watching things grow. I find it miraculous how a tiny seed, a corm, or a seemingly lifeless bulb, when planted in the soil, watered and cared for, will come to life. Nothing we can do can actually make it grow. We can help it and tend it, but it has to do it itself, and it does.

I`m sure I don`t need to tell you what this is. It`s been growing up in leaps and bounds since I planted it two or three weeks ago, and now I can just see the first signs of the flowers beginning to burst out and appear.

At this stage it`s difficult to tell what colour they will be, so I wait for nature to unfold its secret a bit further.

A Taste of Spring

I received a gift of these beautiful tulips yesterday, so just had to share them with you all. As you can probably see through the clutter behind them, I have them standing on the desk beside me as its cooler than the lounge.... and, I spend more time here anyway!



I`ve carefully pricked through the stem of each one with a pin just below the flower to try and keep them standing upright.

Aren`t they beautiful.

Good News

I had some exciting news today, about something I was hoping for. But, I`m sworn to secrecy at the moment, so I`m not even going to tell you all what it was. All will be revealed in a few weeks times. But it`s something I`m very pleased and happy about.

It`s something I requested, but didn`t know if I`d be lucky enough to get or not.

After my disappointment a few weeks ago, this has come as good news.
God does work in mysteriousways.

Scenic Walk

Another beautiful sunny really warm day, so, being that it was too nice to stay indoors this afternoon I decided it was time I had some exercise, so shoes and jacket on and off I went for a walk, taking ofcourse my camera with me.

I climbed to the top of the hill on the cliff, (yes, I found I was out of practice and was short of breath when I got to the top, still, it was the first time this year!) I must get in the habit of doing it more often.

Sitting on a seat there, taking in the beauty of the view all around me - the sea to one side and the town to the other, I got out my camera and took this small video of what I saw.

Hope you`ll all enjoy it, and get a flavour of where I live.



Sorry, the quality of that video on here, isn`t as good as it was on my computer, so I`ll also give you a photo I took.

Reflections

Drawn out by the sunshine this afternoon, the household chores were left behind and off we went in the car for a ride along the coast. It really was a delightful day.
Stopping at a favourits spot of ours (yes, just Mum and I, so that was a treat too!), there wasn`t a ripple or movement on the water in the creek, and the only sound the sound of a few seagulls. It was so peaceful.



Fortunately I had taken my camera with me so I was able to capture these beautiful reflections of the boats in the water.

Can you spot the seagull, in this one on the left?

I found myself wondering is it really February, it feels more like April.

Why Pancakes?

Having just cooked and eaten the traditional pancakes today - Shrove Tuesday - pancakes being something I very much enjoy eating with sugar and freshly squeezed lemon juice over them, I got to thinking.

Yes, I know its a dangerous thing for me to do, but I did!

I started wondering, why pancakes? I don`t mean in the historical why pancakes, I know it came from the practice of using up all butter, eggs, etc., before the start of Lent tomorrow. ..... but, why pancakes? .....

......the same mixture would make yorkshire puddings.... so why is it not Yorkshire Pudding Day?! And, I guess the ingredients would make other dishes too, so who first made and decided that it should be pancakes?!

Mind you, I`m glad they did, because I enjoy them.

Telephone enquiries

To give you all a smile today, I`ll post something that was sent to me by a friend.....

Operator: 'Computer assistance; may I help you?'
Caller: 'Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect.'
Operator: 'What sort of trouble??'
Caller: 'Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away.'
Operator: 'Went away?'
Caller: 'They disappeared.'
Operator: 'Hmm So what does your screen look like now?'
Caller: 'Nothing.'
Operator: 'Nothing??'
Caller: 'It's blank; it won't accept anything when type.'
Operator: 'Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out??'
Caller: 'How do I tell?'
Operator: 'Can you see the C: prompt on the screen?'
Caller: 'What's a sea prompt?'

Operator: 'Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?'
Caller: 'There isn't any cursor: I told you, it won't accept anything I type.'
Operator: 'Does your monitor have a power indicator?'
Caller: 'What's a monitor?'
Operator: 'It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on?'
Caller: 'I don't know.'
Operator: 'Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that??'
Caller: 'Yes, I think so.'
Operator:’ Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's plugged into the wall.
Caller: 'Yes, it is.'
Operator: 'When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one?'
Caller: 'No.'

Operator: 'Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the other cable.'
Caller: 'Okay, here it is.'
Operator: 'Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into the back of your computer.'
Caller: 'I can't reach.'
Operator: 'Uh huh. Well, can you see if it is??'
Caller: 'No.'
Operator: 'Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over?'
Caller: 'Oh, it's not because I don't have the right angle it's because it's dark.'
Operator: 'Dark?'
Caller: ‘Yes the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window.’
Operator: 'Well, turn on the office light then.'
Caller: 'I can't.'
Operator: 'No? Why not??'
Caller: 'Because there's a power failure.'
Operator: 'A power...A power failure? Aha, Okay, we've got it licked now. Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in?'
Caller: 'Well, yes, I keep them in the closet.'
Operator: 'Good. Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to the store you bought it from.'
Caller: ‘Really? Is it that bad?'
Operator: 'Yes, I'm afraid it is.'
Caller: 'Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them?'
Operator: 'Tell them you're too b***** stupid to own a computer!

This is said to be a true story, from a computer firm`s help desk.... the employee was sacked!

Makes you think, doesn`t it what patience these people need in such jobs.

Remembering

Sixteen years ago today, my dear Dad died.
I`ve put this flower arrangement in our church, in memory of him.
He was a very special person.