Tis a slow recovery...

      I have to admit at becoming rather frustrated at my recovery rate after t' snap. But then again I might only have myself to blame, being impatient and wanting to get back to living instead of mopsing around. We had a blocked outside drain t'other week which had been overflowing every time we showered, bathed or used one of the kitchen cleaning appliances. It was becoming worse, flooding the yard, and, as I was concerned about possible health issues that may arise I decided to clear the bugger myself. After all my shoulder wasn't feeling too bad and of course I would work slowly and carefully, oh the greatest plans of mice and men (m'thinks you already know where this is going!).

     So against my better judgement (actually against any grain of common sense I might have once possessed) I proceeded to clear the offending 'grey water' drain only to find the nearby 'run off' drain was also blocked. A couple of painful hours later found me shattered and prone upon the sofa thinking "well that was a crap idea", as my clavicle throbbed and the pain killers were having little effect, bugger! So two hours of manly stupidity has probably set me back a couple or so more weeks which is not ideal when there are not two pennies rubbing together in my pocket, ho hum at least the drains are clear and flowing freely.

     So that was t'other week and yesterday was the first time that I actually felt like stretching my stumpy little legs for a short walk since the snap. Hell, just half an hour's walk found me back home, sweating profusely and absolutely bloody knackered. But mentally oh what a difference it made, if I could have taken another step it would most certainly contained a spring within it m'thinks. I had just about forgotten the mental health benefits of simply walking in the countryside and the easing of a troubled mind that it brings. Over a decade ago I used to walk seriously, a fifteen mile daily walk on the welsh hills (yes daily) became a normal stroll for me and longer walks on seldom visited paths became the norm over the weekends. Yesterday's walk, as well as reminding me of the mental health benefits of such exercise served to show how easily it is to lose ones fitness levels (and for moi, pile on the pounds since the snap). 

    So today, being the brave little soldier that I am, I set off to repeat yesterday's short walk, yep same knackering result plus the addition of aggravating the tendon that attaches to my tibia by the knee joint causing excessive limping and a dull ache to rival my shoulder pain, oh the joy (damaged both of these tendons chasing my van down a hill a couple of weeks before the snap, after I forgot to apply the handbrake, but that's another story). So here I now sit at my keyboard bemoaning my physical decay and smelling like a chemist as I am swathed in gel to ease the aches and pains. But once again mentally I am feeling so much better, and this is the only incentive that I need to tackle the very same short route tomorrow.

     There was a reason for today's particular route, I had previously agreed to 'baby sit' a neighbour's Jack Russel (tis a mutually beneficial arrangement with Bramble spending time there when we are on our trips to Londonium). So this is the little tyke that I picked up at the halfway point of the walk...

Milo

     
    He is a cracking little bugger, full of the spirit that is so typical of the breed, and fortunately Bramble gets on with him like a house on fire...

     As to the walk, it was very uneventful under a grey sky but at least I finally observed a little of the destruction wrought by the latest storms...

     Apparently the lower fallen tree blocked the road for several days as the local council and Scottish power (yes I am still here in Wales) argued the toss over whose responsibility it was to remove it due to its close proximity to overhead power lines. I was sorely tempted to fire the trusty van up and pay a visit once the evening's light had gone, pretty pointless though as both trees were pine so not good for the log burner, yes my shoulder would be even more knackered and finally (and the deciding factor if I am honest) G would have probably .. ahem.. sorry, G would certainly have had something to say if she had caught me reverting back to my pirating days!

     And that is about that for this post other to say that I now know my resolutions for the New Year which are being determined to increase my fitness levels, decrease my recently gained poundage and finally, most definitely not get caught pirating by G.