Happy weekend!

Busy but happy weekend. Breakfast and lunch with my biggest (maybe that should be oldest) son on Saturday was really lovely. Although Debs and Josh are near we still don't see them as often as we might like because we are all so busy! A good reason I think. Josh and I walked half (well nearly half way) around Dinton. My aim for the next few weeks is to manage to walk all the way around. That will be 2 miles and would be a good distance to be able to walk. I do have to stop quite a lot but considering 4 years ago I could only walk across the road before having to sit down on my stool (many of you will remember walks with me and my stool) that would be an achievement.

Saturday afternoon and early evening was spent with Joy and Matt eating our first Autumn casserole and watching Strictly. As I am sure you all know I love, love, love Strictly. It is a good reminder of the passing of time and that I am still here and well.

Yesterday was our church away-day. We had a wonderful day with our church family. What a joy it is to spend time together. It was great to have conversations that were longer than is possible on a Sunday morning over coffee. We also had great teaching. We are SO privileged to have leaders who teach so well. I left with plenty to think about. It was also such lovely sunshine to sit outside in. That makes everything so much easier.

Today a bed day until tutoring later. I am definitely struggling to fit in rest days. My diary for October is nearly full already. I will need to pencil in rest sessions in my busy days! We will see how that works. This week - flowers, bible study, coffee with friends, blood tests, tutoring, pilates (first group session went well), and maybe a bit of housework!

I am sure you can tell from the tone of this post that I am feeling less sorry for myself. I am working on contentment again. Content right here right now with all that God has given me. Thankful for my many, many blessings. No more dwelling on what I can't do but all that I can do.

Holiday Blues!

I am struggling with post holiday blues! It is hard to slip back into 'ordinary' life after such a lovely holiday. I am also missing Chloe as she was due home this week and unfortunately can't have time off. I need to write a thankful list to remind myself of all that I am blessed with. Yesterday I got the sewing machine out - the first time since Chloe left and it was great to be able to leave my sewing out to return to again when I have time.

My joints have been sore this week - I think it is the effect of the Autumn creeping in. I am sure I am made to live in a warm climate. I am also struggling with the reminder that I can't do evenings. We tried going out for meals when we were on holiday and that was very unsuccessful - I had to come home in the middle of a meal! All reminding me that I have a chronic illness - not one that is going away but one that I have to learn to live with. I need to go back to my book on contentment and stop moaning.

Today - my first pilates class, some more sewing and some book sorting for bookstall on Sunday. This weekend I am having lunch and a walk with Josh, and maybe breakfast too, watching Strictly with Joy, Awayday with church and bookstall - should be a good weekend.

St Ives

St Ives Harbour from the sea

 Wow - wow - wow! 

This is what we have been saying all week - from the moment we stepped off the train and saw the view. St Ives is the most beautiful place and we have left a little bit of our hearts there.

I have chosen some photos to give you a flavour of our week - I will write details later for those of you who like detail!

St Ives with the tide out

We have seen so many different skies and seas and I have longed to be able to paint. You can see why artists and photographers love it there. The light is so beautiful and the blues - every shade - colour the landscape from first light to sunset.

Our flat was perfect - just outside the harbour with views out to sea and into the harbour. We were 5 minutes from everything but protected from the business and noise.

Sunrise

 My highlight - of many - was seeing a seal from our window nearly every day popping his head up and checking out what was going on. Paul named him Cedric. One day he even brought along his friend to frolic on the beach right in front of our flat.









The sunrises and sunsets were breathtaking - again an artists dream.

Beach huts

 Today - I am catching up with my boy, the washing and the clearing up. It is raining outside and I can feel Autumn tugging at the garden. It has been such a joy to have a late summer holiday.

Cedric

Our view with Cedric

Quite warm in the tropical house at the Eden project

My man

We spent hours here - watching

Barbara Hepworth - framing the sea

Fish, fish and more fish!

Anne with a beach to herself!

Summer holidays .....

Busy week nearly over. Yesterday I managed to fit 5 different things into my day - by the evening I was tired but I had achieved all that I wanted to in the day. Pilates went well and I am sure that is loosening up my joints and my core is getting stronger. Also my arm is getting better too. I managed 5 lengths at the swimming pool too so the exercise plan is going well. Not so sure how it will go when it gets colder! This week my fingers and toes turned white for the first time in months. The joys of a chronic disease! 

I am looking forward to sun, sea and sand next week. The freezer is full of food for Ben! Just the packing to finish today. It is so lovely to be going away now just as the summer fades. St Ives are having their festival next week so that will be fun.

So today flowers, biblestudy and packing and then tomorrow up bright and early.

We're all going on a summer holiday
no more working for a week or two.
Fun and laughter on our summer holiday,
no more worries for me or you,
for a week or two.

We're going where the sun shines brightly
we're going where the sea is blue.
we've all seen it on the movies,
now let's see if it's true.

Everybody has a summer holiday
doin' things they always wanted to
So we're going on a summer holiday,
to make our dreams come true
for me and you.
for me and you.

Tuesday

I am so thankful for the rhythms and routines of our lives. It is good to have summer and holidays but it is also good to return to the routines that direct our days and the days of others. Ben returned  to school yesterday which was hard for him but thankfully he was inspired by a good teacher and today was singing - always a good sign. We have returned to the routines of weekly/monthly activities and happily we settle back into the patterns of our days. I love my life. I am also greatly looking forward to my holiday next week. I am so lucky to be able to go away in September and maybe we could just have a little bit of sunshine? 

This week - coffee with friends, swimming, pilates (great to be able to do these) flowers, biblestudy, hopefully a haircut (I am very shaggy), and some packing. 

Pilates and me!

Pilates is a body conditioning routine that may help build flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance in the legs, abdominals, arms, hips, and back. It puts emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment, breathing, and developing a strong core or center, and improving coordination and balance. Pilates' system allows for different exercises to be modified in range of difficulty from beginning to advanced. Intensity can be increased over time as the body conditions and adapts to the exercises.
Pilates improves muscle tone, balances musculature, supports correct posture, and teaches to move with ease and grace. There is an increasing number of studies which are showing the benefits of Pilates in the rehab population. It is useful for improving balance, lumbar stabilization and flexibility, lower back pain,and pelvic floor dysfunction. Wikipedia

With some trepidation 3 weeks ago I started pilates. I went for an initial consultation wondering whether I would be able to do anything. The combination of wrecked joints and damaged muscles along with a winged scapula and a mastectomy meant that I wasn’t at all sure my body would do what an instructor wanted. Vicky patiently went through some of the exercises that are included in a pilates session. She adapted them carefully for me and amazingly I was able to do them all. I am now having 3 1:1 sessions with Hannah before starting classes. Already my arm is easier to move and today I ran up the stairs – not something I have done for 4 years! After our holidays I will be joining a pilates class – that sounds good doesn’t it. If you have would like to join me or another class I can really recommend

Ocean Sports Therapy http://www.oceansportstherapy.com

Vicky, Cindy and Hannah are all lovely. (Vicky is Debs’ sister)

It is really good to be doing some exercise even if it is only slowly. I think the combination of pilates, swimming and hopefully some walking will be a good combination for now.  

This weekend is quieter than the last few! Flowers today and then some cleaning and ironing. I am hoping to do some craft in my new craft room which is looking messy already! Paul is promming – it is the last night on Saturday. He has enjoyed many wonderful concerts this year particularly Wagnar. Sunday I am bookstalling and getting Ben’s stuff ready for school return on Monday – where has the summer gone? Next weekend we are off to Cornwall – I can’t wait.

Old and new me!

Since being told I don't need to visit the oncologist for another year I have been thinking about what that means. I am now just seeing the rheumatologist 6 monthly and the oncologist yearly and the GP every other month. Hospitals no longer feature highly in my weekly plans! A week ago it was my 4th anniversary since my original diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and my first steroid injection which sent everything haywire. 4 years where my health has dominated my life and the lives of those I love. I am now well settled into my new normal and mostly accept the reality of a chronic illness. But yesterday I glimpsed the 'old me' with the new me thrown in! I know that sounds like rubbish! I have learnt to look and find joy in each day and for that I am so grateful. I have learnt to appreciate the beauty all around me and not to take ANYTHING forgranted. I am thankful for each and every day I have. But always in the background there is that small little niggle that says it will all return soon. I know that I have placed my hand in the hand of the creator and trust him for the future but that doesn't stop the anxious thoughts creeping in at times. But yesterday I was truly happy. Not just joy but happiness that had no fear for the future. My children are all happy and thriving in their lives, my husband is settling back into his role at work after the threat of redundancy, and my health is stable and as far as we know should stay like that for the foreseeable future. Life is good and I am happy. I have grasped those feelings with both hands. I am so thankful.

New week

Such a wonderful weekend with Chloe and Ed - photos to follow. We visited the cathedral and castle, went shopping in Tesco, had lunch in our cafe, cooked roast together, went to the sea at Whitstable, ate lobster (my first and last time for me), met Ed's godparent ( who happened to be in Whitstable), caught crabs in the harbour....... al in all a great time was had by all! It is such a joy to go and stay with your children. 

This week is already hurtling by..... tutoring, shopping for back to school stuff, prosthetic clinic, flowers, coffee with friends, lunch with my big boy, pilates and a wedding anniversary (32 years - wow!)

I think the last few weeks have shown that I am still improving energy wise, although I do still need my rest days and evenings are still out.

My thoughts are with all going back to school this week - both students and teachers. It is hard to readjust from the lovely summer.