Monday 4 January 2016

Catching up after Christmas.

Crisis at Christmas!  There always has to be one, doesn't there? I had one of my sons and his family staying here and another son and his family due on Boxing Day, plus all the usual last-minute shopping for food and gifts - and then the house struck with a bit of a setback! The hot-water tap in the bathroom sink seized up.  Plumber needed and it's the 22nd of December!
However, I rang the feller who installed my shower and - yes!  he agreed to be here at 11'ish the next morning.  And he was - phew! One hour later, new circlip fitted for a temporary repair, a warning to me and my visitors not to be too violent when turning the tap on and off and one cup of tea consumed - crisis averted.
Then on the 27th I went down with 'flu! Just what you need at this time of year, sneezing, coughing, feeling rough, rough, rough.
And rumbling along in the background was the concern about my companion dog, Zac. The medication he had been taking for almost 12 months suddenly upset his internal workings; a swift visit to the vet and a change of medication meant that he was once more out of pain, but very inflamed and stiff in his hind legs. I am presently trying him on a Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM combination which is just starting to ease the stiffness.
On a good day, I drove to the beach where he was very happy to meet up with some old friends and enjoy a gentle stroll  with me (well wrapped up) along the firm sand. It was mid-afternoon with a low sun, quite windy and rather grey, but so good to be outside.























As a relief from the grey, wet & windy days we have been suffering for so long in this region, I've been looking back to the photos I was taking a year ago.
A late afternoon stroll over the clifftops near to Rame Head:


The Hellebores in my garden were flowering beautifully:

 and the Snowdrops;

 and the Heathers:

and the pink shrub above the Heathers: (anyone know its name?) 





























Today, there are no Hellebore buds to be seen; the Snowdrops are just peeping above the earth, no sign of the Heathers (or the pink things!) and the whole garden is water-logged.
Living high up, on the edge of Bodmin Moor, I am well used to fog, rain and winds, but even I am fed up with the constancy of it; I'm longing for dry days, pretty flowers, bees droning, butterflies fluttering and the chance to sit outside in the sunshine.
Please!
Oh and I'd rather like to get my camping gear back into use again!




14 comments:

  1. Oh dear, you have had an up and down Christmas. Hope you are feeling better now, these flu bugs strike hard, so take plenty of rest. Poor Zac, I hope he is on the mend also. We are quietly recovering!

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    1. 'Quietly recovering' sounds pretty good, like you've enjoyed your Christmas but are now pleased to be back to a more normal routine. Zac has his good days and bad days; it's a case of rationing his exercise, because if he overdoes it on a good day, he suffers for the next few days. I am gradually improving - just need some new batteries now!

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  2. Glucosamine is amazing stuff. I give it to my collie, on my vet's recommendation. He has arthritis and it's been great for him. It takes about 6 weeks to kick in but it does work. In the meantime, try some bioflow magnets on his collar. I got mine from the bioflow lady who is at the Trerulefoot market on a Friday. Her name is Judy. My dog Metro has two on his collar and it's made a real difference. Hope you're both better soon xx

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    1. Oh I shall go and seek her out this Friday; thank you so much, Kay.

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  3. Oh no, not a good Christmas for you. Hope both you and Zac are on the mend, this grey dull weather we are experiencing doesn't help. Take care. xx

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    1. I enjoyed spending time with my family, Jan, but as someone who rarely catches as much as a cold, this flu bug has really floored me. It could have been better timing!

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  4. Sorry that your Christmas wasn't as smooth as it could have been. I do hope that all will be OK for this year. Happy New Year! xx

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    1. The sun is shining this morning and the world looks a much better place, so I'm looking forwards, not back. Happy New Year to you, too!

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  5. Nothing worse than a plumbing problem and why do they always happen when company is coming? Hope you are feeling much better. Soon enough you'll have snow drops.

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    1. Yes, you can rely on those lovely but tough little flowers to push their way through water-logged ground, snow or ice. I'm keeping an eye on them, ready for those first cheerful blooms.

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  6. Hi, I would love to have coffee with you but unfortunately, I'm going to Falmouth on Friday and I'm working over the weekend. Maybe when I get my next lot of shifts we can do it then?

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  7. Our vet recommended giving our dear-departed a daily cod-liver oil to keep her joints supple.
    We had exactly the same problem with our bathroom hot water tap. The plumber improved it for a bit but then it became so temperamental that we had to buy a new one. (I didn't know that taps wore out, but, hey, I'm a war baby, I expect things to be made to last for ever!)
    Hope you are now much recovered and have a happy and healthy 2016 ahead.

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    1. Yep, I'm a war baby too! The plumber warned me it would only be a temporary repair and that I would probably need new taps before too long. *Taps* plural, because mine are those double taps in the centre of the sink (designed by an idiot because is you want to splash your face with water, you risk bashing your nose on those stupid taps.)

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