About that dizziness I referred to yesterday. After decades of perfect eye-sight, I eventually succumbed to that common complaint of short arms - that is, my arms were never long enough to hold what I was trying to read ... in other words I was becoming long-sighted with old age! I survived for a couple of years with glasses I bought over the counter, but when my distance sight began to get a bit blurry I went to the optician to see about getting glasses. I tried those varifocal ones, but that ended up with me suffering seasickness, as I couldn't fathom where the 'distance' stopped and the 'reading' started, so I asked for bifocals. And they are great. BUT, I need another lens for working at the computer, somewhere between 'distance' and 'reading' so I have a special pair of specs that stay by my computer in the house. However, when I use the computer up in my workshop outside I always forget to take my computer glasses out with me, but I do have a bag of glasses I'm collecting up to recycle, so have been in the habit of sifting through them and finding a pair that 'will do'. I did this yesterday, and found a pair of bifocals that worked for me.
That is where the problem started. I forgot to change back into my current specs. I just thought my sight was a bit wobbly after using the computer for a long time, and carried on as usual. Went down in the evening to use the outdoor pool in Stonehaven, but something wasn't right - I was a bit dizzy and had to peer at things to read. Oh dear.
It wasn't until I went out to my workshop again yesterday morning and once again looked through the bag of specs that I found - to my surprise - my current glasses! It all fell into place. So not only are my eyes failing me, but my poor brain must be going too! Years ago, a neighbour used to say of his wife "we only keep her on out of cruelty!" Hmm, sounds familiar.
Had a lovely walk through the Bennachie woods in the rain with my friend A. She came in for a cup of tea after the walk, and whilst there answered a call from a royal residence on her mobile phone. I've got VERY posh friends.
Poor H had a tooth extracted today was slurping and slobbering all afternoon, but the brave little soldier went out to his workshop and worked hard until supper time ... mince and tatties, nice and sloppy so he could cope with it without too much chewing.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Two weeks to go ...
... before my 60th birthday. Am I dreading it? Am I heck! Concessions + bus pass = freedom! Children grown up and in their own homes. Husband ticking away nicely with many interests and time away, and happy for me to do the same. If I'd known what being sixty would mean, I'd have done it years ago.
Took H (husband) into Aberdeen last night for regular meeting with his old university friends (my son says they are like something out of "Still Game" - a Scottish TV comedy about some old codgers!), and decided to drive the extra 14 miles down to Stonehaven to have a swim in the open air pool there for the first time. I doubt if this counts as 'wild swimming' as the seawater in the pool is heated to 29degC (that's 84degF in old money) and there are changing rooms, but it is a start.
After moseying down to the deep end, I turned round and began to swim lengths in my usual head-held-up-like-a-turtle, screw-kick fashion. My back/shoulder/shoulder blade hurt and I thought I would just do two lengths as it was my first time in a pool for ?years. Well, perhaps I'd try for six lengths ... and in the end I managed 12. Not bad, but when you realise I used to do 40 plus ten years ago before I had to give it up when I had a asthma attack after each indoor pool visit, not that good either. Apparently, as I discovered, it's not the chlorine gas coming off the water that affected me, but the chlorine + body fluids (sweat and wee!) that produces an even more pungent gas that can cause asthma in sensitive people.
And THAT is why I am into wild swimming now.
It was a glorious sunny evening, with fluffy clouds and seagulls flying across the 'ceiling' of the pool. I just hoped that as I floated on my back in the lovely warm, supportive water for one of my frequent rests, no seagull would decide to take a break on that particularly large island. It was a bit strange getting a mouthful of salty water now and again, but far preferable to the cocktail (mentioned above) from an indoor, chlorinated pool.
I got out of the pool just before 7.30pm - closing time - and staggered with wobbly knees into the changing rooms. After being supported in the water for 45 minutes, that is when I realise just how much weight I am lugging around, and vow to reduce it. Feeling a bit dizzy at times, but more about that later!
What a great pool, kept open by lots of fantastic supporters. It is how swimming pools used to be - separate changing rooms for men and women, sun terraces and a cafe. Just wait till I've got my bus-pass, and can travel there and back for nothing!
Drove back to Aberdeen and stopped at Asda at the Bridge of Don for some supper. Two rollmops and lots of fruit. I also bought a canoe and kayaking magazine to get me back into all that. I didn't kayak once last year - shame on me. Collected H from pub and nice old friends, drove home and crawled up to my bed ... after eating one rollmop. Went out like a light without even doing one Sudoku number.
Took H (husband) into Aberdeen last night for regular meeting with his old university friends (my son says they are like something out of "Still Game" - a Scottish TV comedy about some old codgers!), and decided to drive the extra 14 miles down to Stonehaven to have a swim in the open air pool there for the first time. I doubt if this counts as 'wild swimming' as the seawater in the pool is heated to 29degC (that's 84degF in old money) and there are changing rooms, but it is a start.
After moseying down to the deep end, I turned round and began to swim lengths in my usual head-held-up-like-a-turtle, screw-kick fashion. My back/shoulder/shoulder blade hurt and I thought I would just do two lengths as it was my first time in a pool for ?years. Well, perhaps I'd try for six lengths ... and in the end I managed 12. Not bad, but when you realise I used to do 40 plus ten years ago before I had to give it up when I had a asthma attack after each indoor pool visit, not that good either. Apparently, as I discovered, it's not the chlorine gas coming off the water that affected me, but the chlorine + body fluids (sweat and wee!) that produces an even more pungent gas that can cause asthma in sensitive people.
And THAT is why I am into wild swimming now.
It was a glorious sunny evening, with fluffy clouds and seagulls flying across the 'ceiling' of the pool. I just hoped that as I floated on my back in the lovely warm, supportive water for one of my frequent rests, no seagull would decide to take a break on that particularly large island. It was a bit strange getting a mouthful of salty water now and again, but far preferable to the cocktail (mentioned above) from an indoor, chlorinated pool.
I got out of the pool just before 7.30pm - closing time - and staggered with wobbly knees into the changing rooms. After being supported in the water for 45 minutes, that is when I realise just how much weight I am lugging around, and vow to reduce it. Feeling a bit dizzy at times, but more about that later!
What a great pool, kept open by lots of fantastic supporters. It is how swimming pools used to be - separate changing rooms for men and women, sun terraces and a cafe. Just wait till I've got my bus-pass, and can travel there and back for nothing!
Drove back to Aberdeen and stopped at Asda at the Bridge of Don for some supper. Two rollmops and lots of fruit. I also bought a canoe and kayaking magazine to get me back into all that. I didn't kayak once last year - shame on me. Collected H from pub and nice old friends, drove home and crawled up to my bed ... after eating one rollmop. Went out like a light without even doing one Sudoku number.
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