Monday 18 March 2024

On the prom

 Another delayed walk...but we got to promenade on the promenade!


Busy cleaning the beach after the winter storms, ready for the tourists 

People are mucky....
And the sea throws everything over the green stretch between the houses and the prom as well!
Oystercatchers...no oysters here 
The rain missed us....just!

It was a trifle windy..so we walked against the wind to start with, to get a tailwind back to the car!



As I write the wind has risen further and it is still raining....but there is hope for a walk tomorrow morning.



Sunday 17 March 2024

Maybe it is nearly Spring




 First walk today, just before lunch.

The second, late afternoon was even shorter...


As the rain came in again.

But it isn't about quantity now..after exactly a year back here of little exercise and much disruption, we must both set our pattern again to regain health.

Saturday 16 March 2024

A day of two halves

 We had a beautiful sunny morning, with the intention of going for a walk....but I got "chatting" to my daughter by message...

Then we had a flying visit from half of the Ayr Burners clubrun!!!


It was great to see them and chat...

By then it was definitely time to head out with the plan to pick up the paper and a picnic lunch and go for a flat walk...

The weather gods had other ideas....not even a chance of ten minutes walk in a break....it started gently and didn't let up...eight hours later as I write it is still raining outside.....

So picnic in the car, in a layby, looking over at Arran...and Goat Fell in the clouds..down to Girvan...still raining....and home up the Girvan Valley on the lower road.

Still, we did have a nice "tiki tour" even if was with a tin overcoat!! Better than just sitting indoors.

Friday 15 March 2024

Wandering and wondering

 Things just go along slowly here..far slower than Pirate had expected.

I don't think that he could take that in before. It doesn't help that the weather has curtailed our activity outside and recovery needs a little more gentle walking than he is getting, so other niggles are growing.

It is reassuring that the district nurse and doctor and Macmillan nurse are all happy with his progress so far.

Meanwhile I am keeping busy.  Necessarily because a house has things doing to keep it going...and we need to eat and there is plenty of washing...

But there are also things to do for myself.

This afternoon I started sorting the greenhouse properly. Rubbish cleared out, dead plants including some that I disappeared from the house...they had been struggling despite tlc...so they got parked out in the greenhouse to "sink or swim"...they all sank.  Next step is to sort out all the plastic trays and pots to see how many I really will need!!

This morning it was wet and cold outside so I "wandered" around quite a few blogs to see old friends and possibly find some new.

I was surprised at how many times I found names I already knew commenting on a blog new to me!!  Another surprise was how many blog commenters have no blog....and no description of who they are and where from...  Not everyone has the time or inclination to write, but it would be nice to know a little more, especially when their comments are so interesting!!

Plus as ever there are those that have stopped blogging for whatever reason.

Some still comment on blogs, which is reassuring. Others have just gone.

Wednesday 13 March 2024

What a difference ...

 an hour makes

5pm, Northwest then southwest...



And an hour later..



Ticking along.

It is early days, and Pirate is finding it too easy just to do nothing...and our new mattress topper has made our bed FAR too comfortable!!

Today started wet and windy, but lifted nicely soon enough. I didn't trust enough to hang the washing on the line though!

I had a fleabay sale to pack...the first for nearly a month.  However you do it, at whatever level, selling is in the doldrums. Having the one sale has spurred me on to start listing more again...one on, and half a dozen lined up to be described and photographed.

The parts for the car didn't arrive until this afternoon, so no car until tomorrow. Which took the pressure off....dashing around can wait until tomorrow!  We walked down to the top shop in the village, where Pirate (reluctantly) went in to buy some biscuits while I went further downhill to pick up supplies from the pharmacy.  Lockdown strengthened his dislike of shops and shopping...and this had started easing ...but now he needs to learn to yes, be careful...but to do shopping again.

It was good to be walking outside...we are yearning for decent warmer weather and to be able to go for longer walks. 

Pirate's Macmillan nurse phoned to see how he was doing...and said that as soon as he is comfortable sitting on a saddle he can start back on the turbo trainer. Very gently.   He was glad to hear that!

We had a sort of Italian supper...blue cheese and oatcakes to start, risotto with veges and red beans...then vanilla ice cream with raspberries and pistachio nuts on top.    Making a meal interesting...when the "customer" is not too interested in the idea because he isn't doing enough yet to develop an appetite.

Every day up and down...but that is to be expected....everyone on the phone saying how well he sounds...but I get the down side...

It is normal, but hard work.

Sunday 10 March 2024

Just ticking along

 Just doing the ordinary things...trying to get a short walk in for Pirate morning and afternoon. Working on his cardio vascular fitness and rebuilding muscle. Use it or lose it comes home at times like this, for both of us.

The weather isn't much help..dreich...damp, cold, and Easterly with a windchill bringing the feel down to freezing.  Which means walks are even shorter!  So having stairs is coming in handy. Ad break on the TV? Up and down stairs once or twice...keeps the circulation going, keeps him feeling warmer! 

One day at a time....and if it ends up being two steps forward and one back....that ends up as one step forward!

Meanwhile I am trying to do jobs for me...starting to clear out the kiln shed, sorting things to go to the cowp, hopefully listing more things on fleabay...in between house sorting...making feel less cluttered as well as decluttering... and increased washing. 

Getting to the town on the bus is a relief..a break from home and from driving!  A good chance to get the car in for a bit more work, getting jobs done bit by bit instead of a huge amount before it's annual MoT test.


We have just watched the final of the Pottery Throwdown Programme.

A worthy winner, but close. Good to see, and inspiration for me as well.

Saturday 9 March 2024