- living and frequently struggling with moderate M.E. -
where (bad) health, faith, politics and the joys and troubles of daily life collide.
ME
Thursday, March 30, 2006
The birds and the bees
The freshly re-sited nest-box is already turning out to be a real hive of activity. The blue tits, when not busy foraging for insects in the vicinity of a blossoming shrub, seem to be taking it in turns to pop into the nest box. With all these visits being made, I imagine that by now the bottom of the box will be well and truly moss lined and, it won’t be long before we’ll be able to witness home deliveries of food being made to the sitting (brooding) tenant!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
More Fish Tales & Taking A Breather
Although I’ve been feeling quite washed-out, for the last couple of days, this morning’s early sunshine led me out to the garden; I re-sited the bird-box (once more), my beloved having recognized some dangers inherent in its current situation. More detritus had gathered on the pond’s surface, following the past couple of days blustery weather phase, so a little more net work was called for but, it was also good to notice that the pond now displays copious bunches of frogspawn after the recent false alarm. One of the baby goldfish was out on a scouting expedition but, it seemed that the ‘oldies’ just couldn’t be bothered to surface. [At least the White Cloud Mountain Minnows, in our aquarium, are currently giving us a better show for the money. The young additions to the aquarium seem to have given the older residents a new lease of life!]
Having carried out my pond check and, fastened the nest-box on the sawn-off end of one of the apple tree boughs, I could rightly feel that my brief spell in the garden had been quite fruitful!
This afternoon, my beloved chauffeuse drove me over to the Chronic Fatigue Unit, at the District Hospital, where I spent an hour with Julie (Senior Occupational Therapist). Most of the session was spent providing her with some background to my condition and, she duly set me some homework, with a few general tips about ‘pacing’. The homework is all to do with relaxation; 7/11 breathing for 6 or seven times followed by a period of rest, total duration (using a timer) 15 or 20 minutes, the routine being carried out three times a day at approximately the same times. It is the discipline of a regular routine that will be the major problem, for me, rather than the exercise itself. By the time our session was finished, a slow stroll back to the car proved sufficient strenuous exercise for the day!
Having carried out my pond check and, fastened the nest-box on the sawn-off end of one of the apple tree boughs, I could rightly feel that my brief spell in the garden had been quite fruitful!
This afternoon, my beloved chauffeuse drove me over to the Chronic Fatigue Unit, at the District Hospital, where I spent an hour with Julie (Senior Occupational Therapist). Most of the session was spent providing her with some background to my condition and, she duly set me some homework, with a few general tips about ‘pacing’. The homework is all to do with relaxation; 7/11 breathing for 6 or seven times followed by a period of rest, total duration (using a timer) 15 or 20 minutes, the routine being carried out three times a day at approximately the same times. It is the discipline of a regular routine that will be the major problem, for me, rather than the exercise itself. By the time our session was finished, a slow stroll back to the car proved sufficient strenuous exercise for the day!
March to New Orleans
"Over five days earlier this month, around 200 veterans, military families and survivors of Hurricane Katrina walked 130 miles from Mobile, Alabama, to New Orleans ...."
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | 'If you start looking at them as humans, then how are you gonna kill them?'
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | 'If you start looking at them as humans, then how are you gonna kill them?'
Monday, March 27, 2006
The helplessness of the long-distance spellchecker
The intended word was EMERGE, instead of which the typed word was IMMERGE. On questioning why the Spellchecker hadn’t spotted the mistake a discovery was made; immerge is similar in meaning to the word immerse, almost diametrically opposed to the sense of emerge.
Of course, were the rather more rare IMM word to be deliberately used in conversation, chances are that the listener would assume the EM word was intended; hopefully the context would enable the truth to emerge. Life gets confusing at time but, as has frequently been said, “the meaning of a word is its use in language”.
Occasionally a difficulty arises as to what is a word and what is language.
Of course, were the rather more rare IMM word to be deliberately used in conversation, chances are that the listener would assume the EM word was intended; hopefully the context would enable the truth to emerge. Life gets confusing at time but, as has frequently been said, “the meaning of a word is its use in language”.
Occasionally a difficulty arises as to what is a word and what is language.
Liberal Leftist Christian Fundamentalists?
I think I’ve heard it all now; the Christian Warmakers on, and calling in to, the ‘Jeremy Vine Show’ accused the Ekklesia spokesman and the Christian Peacemaker Teams, in the space of a few minutes, of being both Christian Fundamentalists and Liberal Leftists. They must be doing something right!
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Reasons or Excuses
A bit more tidying up of the pond, whilst the sun shone briefly yesterday, followed by a pub lunch; playing about with graphics programmes on my PC today; such minor tasks at times take an undue toll on my energy reserves. Once again you find me making excuses, or should that read giving reasons, for not having contributed anything to the blogosphere! Each time I’ve attempted to put down a few words, they failed to flow and, I simply didn’t have the stamina to work at it.
Beth and Cathy took my beloved out for Mothers Day lunch today then, briefly called back chez nous.
Beth and Cathy took my beloved out for Mothers Day lunch today then, briefly called back chez nous.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Looking for Signs
Another bright sunshiny day but, the chill factor seems to prevent much activity in the garden pond; the water temperature has rarely attained the minimum temperature (4 centigrade) required for the fishes ‘low temperature’ wheatgerm feed. I netted out a bit of debris and, that was pretty well the sum of the day’s aquatic activity. After that gentle activity, I did also manage to put out some seed (and replenish the peanuts) on the bird table and, treated the compost bin’s contents to some magic elixir to speed up the decaying process!
I have plenty of seeds ready to create, or intensify, a ‘Butterfly Friendly Wild Flower Meadow’ at the top end of the garden but, I await the right “warm and moist” conditions for sowing them. Perhaps, after our much colder than the norm first three weeks of March, we are entitled to expect a mild Spring. I still await my first sightings of the red-tailed bumblebee, 7-spot ladybird and, frogspawn for the ‘BBC Springwatch Survey’.
I still manage to rejoice in this day the Lord has made!
I have plenty of seeds ready to create, or intensify, a ‘Butterfly Friendly Wild Flower Meadow’ at the top end of the garden but, I await the right “warm and moist” conditions for sowing them. Perhaps, after our much colder than the norm first three weeks of March, we are entitled to expect a mild Spring. I still await my first sightings of the red-tailed bumblebee, 7-spot ladybird and, frogspawn for the ‘BBC Springwatch Survey’.
I still manage to rejoice in this day the Lord has made!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Pinned Down but Not Out
After yesterday’s socializing, I really felt quite enthused and started thinking about what should be my next venture back into the ‘normal’ world. This morning, however, I was rather exhausted following a night of intermittent dreams and wakefulness. After taking a shower, and getting dressed, I needed 40 minutes to 1 hours rest (on my bed) before I could consider any further activity.
Come the afternoon, I went out with my beloved and managed a twenty minute brief brisk walk but, I have to admit that the last half of it was quite a struggle in terms of back and leg aches and general feeling of swimmy fatigue. A true sign of progress was the relatively swift recovery from this modest exertion.
At 5.00pm, my physiotherapist/acupuncturist arrived for a chat and to give me the needle. It’s strange how one can never predict quite what sensation will be emitted from the insertion channel. For all my initial scepticism, I never cease to be amazed by the difference these treatments have made to my pain levels. Whilst the treatment session is in progress, it always proves to be a time of amazing relaxation; nothing to do but watch my breathing as, for that period of time, I’m rather (in the words of my therapist) “pinned down”!
Come the afternoon, I went out with my beloved and managed a twenty minute brief brisk walk but, I have to admit that the last half of it was quite a struggle in terms of back and leg aches and general feeling of swimmy fatigue. A true sign of progress was the relatively swift recovery from this modest exertion.
At 5.00pm, my physiotherapist/acupuncturist arrived for a chat and to give me the needle. It’s strange how one can never predict quite what sensation will be emitted from the insertion channel. For all my initial scepticism, I never cease to be amazed by the difference these treatments have made to my pain levels. Whilst the treatment session is in progress, it always proves to be a time of amazing relaxation; nothing to do but watch my breathing as, for that period of time, I’m rather (in the words of my therapist) “pinned down”!
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
A Refreshing Change
Quite an eventful morning by my standards; whilst my beloved was taking a shower the doorbell rang so, I raised myself from the duvet realm and trundled down the stairs to receive a case of wine and, decided I may as well get up (and dressed) a bit earlier than has been the pattern of late. As the night had been quite a restless and discomforted one, I felt somewhat uncertain regarding the wisdom of this decision.
Mid-morning, stepped out with ma belle to confront the icy blast and, bumped into Paul, the vicar of St Marks (the church I used to attend before my health took a turn for the worse a couple of years back). As we ventured on down the road, decided to pop into ‘Open Church’, at St Marks, for a coffee and a warm welcome. It really was quite rewarding to meet up with old and new friends and, I hope to repeat the exercise in the not too distant future, physical and emotional stamina permitting. I might even attend the Thursday morning Communion, one of these days; I might be able to cope better with this, than the lengthier Sunday Services. I really have been missing the sense of fellowship during my prolonged sojourn in the incapacitated wilderness!
Mid-morning, stepped out with ma belle to confront the icy blast and, bumped into Paul, the vicar of St Marks (the church I used to attend before my health took a turn for the worse a couple of years back). As we ventured on down the road, decided to pop into ‘Open Church’, at St Marks, for a coffee and a warm welcome. It really was quite rewarding to meet up with old and new friends and, I hope to repeat the exercise in the not too distant future, physical and emotional stamina permitting. I might even attend the Thursday morning Communion, one of these days; I might be able to cope better with this, than the lengthier Sunday Services. I really have been missing the sense of fellowship during my prolonged sojourn in the incapacitated wilderness!
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