Inside and Out

The key-word this week has been 'Ouch!' ... or, put another way, 'OUCH ... Idiot!'  With the warmer weather here, I decided to fight with the contents of my wardrobe, put away the heavy coat I usually wear in winter and withdraw a lighter-weight one for the 'summer'.  This was at about 6.0 on Monday morning and, as usual, I hadn't put the bedroom light on.  It soon became obvious to my feet that my withdrawal had been more than a coat.

As I squatted down to investigate a squad of sweaters that had made a burst for freedom, I felt a crunch.  I stood up in pain, realising just too late that this hadn't been a wise move so soon after rising from my bed.  Sciatica had returned.  At least I recognised it this time around, so I knew what to expect and the limitations both to my early movements and to any effective remedies.  I've suddenly become very preparation conscious before going to bed.  Breakfast things are laid out, fresh water is in the kettle, and paracetamol on the table!  One thing hasn't needed to change, and that is the half-hour or more sitting in my armchair with Bible and prayer notes.  After that, things move a little easier and by mid-morning the crisis of the day has passed.

This blog tends to focus on what's going on inside my flat and my life, and I'll return to that presently.  But the lovely sunshine (albeit sandwiched between the dull, the damp and the downright miserable) has reminded me that summer is on its way, and there's only another week before this year's first planned outing with Mary the motorhome.  Last Friday and Saturday I gave her a clean up and, with windows brightly shining beneath a sparkling <he boasts> over-cab, she's now looking ready for the road.  Inside systems have been checked out and plans made.  In Tuesday morning's brightness, I took her for a warm-up run through 23 miles of Hertfordshire countryside and townscape and I was amazed how relaxed I felt afterwards.

Things inside haven't been quite as relaxed as I had expected last week. After ordering the upgrade to my family history software, I had expected that other things would take centre stage while I wait for a new CD to cross the Atlantic.  Not so.  I succumbed to the temptation to follow up my visit to Matlock last week and dig 'just a little' into the fascinating family of my Derbyshire aunt.  One thing led - as it always does - to another, of course, and I now have about fifty more people to add to the database when it's up and running, with open avenues to others just begging for my attention!  I now seem to be more aware of the villages of the Derby-Stafford borderlands than the transcribers of the censuses, given the number that are easily recognisable and which they've totally ignored!

One day I must go and explore the territory on the ground ... but, for now, I'll content myself preparing for a few days in Lincolnshire.