Tuesday torture

I have just come back from rehab physio - a rather grand term for a half an hour of torture. The physiotherapist - far too cheerful and young at 8.15am for me to stomach - had us bending and stretching until it HURT!

My poor knee, is in major sulk mode at the moment.

Any hoo, a stint on the trampet (mini-trampoline)....Come on says Mr Cheerful... knees up knees up - that's it!

A stretch on the mat - right - lift your hips....lift your left leg...put all your weight on your bad leg (oooowwwwweee)

A 'ride' on the static bike ....lets increase the resistance he says, turning the screw - in more ways than one!

Sit ups... the sort where you sit on a chair...then sit up - Easy you think, however, my knee was quite cross when it had to work.

What else torture did Mr Cheerful make me do? Oh yes - step ups, step downs, treadmill,  a cruel one where I had to lean against a huge ball and bend down doing squats against the wall...and the worst? Well I've saved that one for last - I had to stand (with my bad leg) on a squashy ball and balance - ha! Go in with a knee for physio come out with a sprained ankle in one easy lesson.


Well done, see you next week says Mr Cheerful, grinning happily, grinning encouragingly - just grinning as we variously shaped and sized torture victims shuffle out, limping and creaking, as quickly as humanly possible.

Oooef my aching knee!!

Sunshine and yarn - bliss

Today was beautiful - we packed early (well for us, it was early) and set off towards Sedbergh in Cumbria. Our plan was to wander around the town which has many wonderful bookshops and antique shops, have a picnic lunch before setting off for our walk.

We stepped inside Westwood Bookshop and spent ages trawling through loads and loads of yummy books. It would have been rude not to buy at least one (or four) books....erhem.... which, between the boys and myself we did!

The first book - Knitting School caught my eye quite early on but I wasn't able to reach it as there was a woman steadfastly hogging the knitting section. I hovered for a while but she wasn't for moving. So I decided on a tactical retreat and went to find my boys.  I returned a short while later and discovered that 'my' book was still there and I grabbed it. Right next to it - as if it was fate - or luck - or something to do with that they are both knitting books and start with the letter K..... was Kristin Knits - oh it is full of inspiration and colourful knitting. Quite folky but definitely not twee - I was really really happy with my purchases (especially since I have found out I got my books for way less than half price and they are both almost new!)

We wandered through the town a bit more and came across the 'Community Charity Shop'. What a wonderful emporium of second hand delights! We came out with a mug (for me) a jar of beads (err for me) and a dog watering bottle/bowl type thing for the dog (not me!) And the grand total of our spendies in this charity shop? a whole £1.50 - wow!

Any hoo - spent up and happy we headed off to the river for our picnic - which was delish -  we sat in glorious hot sun ( in March!) We saw bumble bees and butterflies - such a treat.

Replete and ready for our walk I took along the necessary items...camera - check, sun glasses - check, knitting...check.

Every time we stopped - out came my wip. The yarn was generously donated by Fiona of TizDuster and is to be turned into squares for blankets for Japan. I just loved sitting in the sunshine and knitting much to the amusement of other walkers. My family are quite used to me crafting as we go along and no longer bat a collective eyelid.

Our walk continued in such a delightful way - we really really enjoyed it (my knee on the other hand is still debating about the amount of exercise it is getting....)  

Just one last picture - of Eldest... yes that is a sheep's skull on his back and yes that is a festive copper wreath frame on his head.... and no I didn't question him why...... 

Today is definitely a 'rest day'

I must have a very short memory or a very tolerant streak - I joined my laughing friend for another walk. She very kindly decided a slightly different route avoiding my demon in the woods and we went off through the fields.

Every field has sprouted lambs. Every where, of all shapes and colours. This means the dogs have to stay on leads much to their collective disgust but they soon forgot and enjoyed their time out. It was bliss, the feeling of being out and being active. Each walk I do gets easier on my knee.


Inspired by my walk-ability, I decided that when I finished work I would walk up to Himself's works and then come home with him. So, Giddy Dog and I set off in what I thought was plenty of time. I hadn't realised how tiring pavement-walking was and I found I was walking all jerkily - not good. I only just got to his works in time - I was ABSOLUTELY shattered!

Today I am walking rather tenderly.....hmmm - think I might tackle that stile first before I set off to meet Himself again!

sunshine hearts from nature (with help from Youngest)

A late posting today, still taking it easy after yesterday.

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Last summer during a wonderful warm spell in Northumberland we were pottering around the camp site getting ready for a picnic when I noticed that Youngest wasn't anywhere to be seen. I wasn't worried, but I did wonder where he was. I walked around the caravan and saw this......

He had quietly picked some daisy flower heads and made this....

Look, he said, I made you a heart

aww thank you!

My knee does still hurt but it is a different hurt |:) and I'm sure it won't be long when I can get out and about and I am so-oo looking forward to summer!

Thank you everyone who wished me well, and Ju24 - your sister was right! 

My wooden heart♥

On the way to a camping break last summer, I was crocheting(my usual in-car-entertainment) when Himself, who was driving, told me to look across the valley. As I lifted my head, the boys both yelled to 'look at the heart!' I was amazed and delighted to see - this.......

Heart♥ from Nature

I grabbed my camera and took a photo a smidgen too late, so it is a bit of a squiff heart, but for better images have a look here and here and here. (Thanks to the Cumbria Picture library)

There are several stories spoken how the heart shaped was formed, ranging from a love-sick tongue-tied farmer (would also have to be very patient to wait for his saplings to grow large enough to to profess his love) to the more romanticised where two lovers killed themselves in a suicide pact or a memorial to a lost soldier during a war. Some people also believe that this heart represents the centre of mainland Britain.

The more probable (and mundane) explanation seems that the woodland is'nt really heart-shaped at all, it is just how is appears due to the land form and it is all that is left from a woodland from the mid 1800s. 

What a shame..... Think I prefer the lovelorn farmer myth :)

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So, what heartening things happened last year?

Today is the day - will let you know how it all went!!

To February - with love

With strains of a certain Bond theme in the back of my mind  and a smile on my face, I sit quietly here at my lap top ready to launch February's Heart Filled Month-Long Heart-♥-thon. 

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I love the idea of February in years gone by being known as solmonap, an old English word that translated to mud month and without fail February certainly lives up to it! The Romans used have a Festival of Purification around the 15th of February and we now celebrate the 14th as 'Valentines Day'.

Any hoo - today's heart is a Heart♥ From Nature and found by my delighted Mom who, in June last year, with my Dad and friends where walking along on a canal bank and came across this wonderful image -


Heart♥ from Nature

Excellent!! What brilliant photo to kick start my  Month-Long Heart-♥-thon!

Link to February 1st, last year

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Post script - remember this? Well I finally have my surgery this Friday - wish me luck!!!

On a kneed to know basis....

Well, my knee.... umm. I keep being asked what is happening to my rather duff knee and up to fairly recently and despite being seen by 2 specialists (both of them surgeons) and despite having an xray and MR scan I was completely confuddled to what was actually 'broken' and needed mending but what I did know that 5 1/2 months after injuring myself, I still can't walk properly, I still can't fully flex or bend my knee and it is still damn sore!

Until tonight, when my boss (a GP) gently and thoroughly explained to me about my crook knee - now I understand!

Now I feel justified why I limp, why it constantly hurts, why I am being so pathetic about it - he did express his surprise at my 'stoicism' - and do you know what? I felt relief that someone in the know listened to me and understood how I felt.

I have completely ruptured my ACL (anterior cruiciate ligament) - completely torn through and (note this - AND AND) I  have also torn the posterior horn of the medial meniscus.

Now...this means two possible lots of surgery - a definite with the meniscus and if that does not fix my knee, then a second lot of surgery on the ACL (whic apparently is rather MAJOR) and entails lots of chopping off bits and re-attaching new bits of ligament and being in plaster for weeks and weeks  *groan*........

If I am lucky then the lesser surgery on the meniscus will solve the nagging pain and limp and the locking and giving way of my knee and let me get my mobility back.
And if I am not lucky...... I don't even want to think about it!!

hey ho.