Lockdown Diary - Monday 18th May 2020

For the past 2 or 3 weeks I've been getting intermittent pain in the calf muscle and behind the knee of my left leg. I've been wondering if it's caused by yoga or running - I've discounted digging in the garden since I've only recently started doing that. Based on past experience I have concluded that it's happening because I am not doing enough walking during the week.  Starting today I am going to do a minimum of 20 minutes brisk walking each day, ideally doing 30 minutes.  Got off to a good start this morning and did 30 minutes brisk walking (as defined by the NHS Active 10 app), let's see how I do tomorrow. As it's a work day tomorrow, I may have to get up earlier in order to fit it in. On the days when I run I won't necessarily do the 20/30 minutes.  

 

On the return from my walk there was only 40 minutes until yoga, so I decided to keep moving so as not to let the muscles settle too much.

Yoga takes a big chunk out of the morning and afterwards it was time for my first coffee of the day, and boy did I need it! Before I'd finished the coffee the lunchtime carers were here, nagging me about doing more garden.  Since H is unable to motivate me to get gardening done, two of the carers have taken it upon themselves to act as H, by proxy. It's all very lighthearted and I keep explaining to them how much I hate gardening, but to no avail. 

Once they'd gone, son #3 and I went to post his student loan application letter, before returning for meditation and lunch.

It's very sunny and warm outside now and, despite this, I resolve to go and cut back the roots and ivy growing round an old tree stump - it's a small job that'll make a big difference to how the garden looks. 

The Tree stump is now exposed and all the ivy and shit growing over it has been cut back and I've dug out lots more roots. It'll do until the weekend.

Another small change: the lampshade I have in my bedroom was chosen by my wife many years ago, and it's looking a bit tired and needs replacing as it doesn't really suit the way I'm living now.  I've tolerated it for some time but now it must be replaced: I've found something I'd prefer and have ordered it.  If she were ever able to see the bedroom again, she'd hardly recognise it. There is still one task to be tackled one day: one wardrobe is full of her clothes, but I don't know when I'll be able to deal with it, at the moment it remains a step too far and I don't need to do it. The wardrobe can stay shut.

I've noticed my sleep pattern is not so good at the moment - a couple of really disturbed nights - which means I need to monitor that as it's one of the warning signs.  Let's hope I sleep better tonight.  Come to think of it, it's even more important as I'll be getting up earlier than normal tomorrow so I can fit in a walk before showering and work.

Having done a bit more in the garden, I decided to sit out in it and read rather than work.  More of 'Three Women' is now read.

No time for music after I'd finished reading, so straight into the dinner process with son #3.  We watched Sunday's episode of 'Killing Eve', which was one of those 'holding / side-story' episodes that wasn't really essential to the plot. It was OK, but not really what you watch 'KE' for.

I shall not bother documenting what happened in the remainder of the evening. On with the music. 

Hopefully not a prophetic choice, I'm going with one of Sheffield's finest bands, The Comsat Angels and their album, 'Sleep No More'. I guess it's quite a dark album (is there a trend developing here?), with a very cohesive mood of foreboding throughout. Tough to choose a track, though in the end I've gone for 'Be Brave'

[[Sometimes the only way out of the darkness is to surrender yourself to it]]

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