It was a bit of an unsettling day yesterday, one of the residents of our little cul de sac died. When we first moved here, we were given a quick rundown of who lived where, so we could identify our new neighbours. The lady in question, we were told, was an elderly lady on her own who was housebound and a recluse, she apparently didn't appreciate visitors. In all the time we've lived here (2 years next month, where did that go?) I have never seen her....husband saw her very briefly once back in the summer when he went and knocked on her door, having noticed a parcel on her doorstep for 2 or 3 days. He said she took a while to open the door, then simply took the parcel, said a very quick thank you and shut the door without any conversation. Of course, living in a sheltered housing community of elderly and disabled people, deaths are bound to happen on a fairly regular basis, we know of 3 others this year on the far side of the complex. It makes us aware of our own mortality as we're getting older ourselves.
Winter is my least favourite time of year, I really don't like the cold and often rainy/windy weather, I seem to feel the cold much more nowadays. December is a sad month for me, particularly around Christmas time, which is why I'm quite ambivalent about it. My mother died on Christmas Eve, my beloved Nanna on Boxing day, and a very good friend of mine on the 13th December. My lovely aunt, Mum's youngest sister who was just 12 years older than me and more like my big sister, had her birthday on 4th December, although she actually died in July. So the sooner December ends, the better as far as I'm concerned. It's the winter solstice on 21st December, after which the days start gradually getting longer - that's only 30 days away and the time will go quickly, so I look forward to that.
It's a hard frost and very cold this morning, although it's bright sunshine. I have washing to go out, but am waiting for the sun to get rid of the frost first (hopefully!) before I brave the cold to put the washing on the line.
I have my diagnostic appointment with the musculo-skeletal specialist this afternoon, hopefully I'll get some answers and a treatment plan. This constant and very debilitating shoulder pain is really getting me down, the strong painkillers do take the edge off the pain but I'm reluctant to take the full 4 doses per day - well I just don't, I only take 1 or 2, they make me terribly constipated (for which I have another med to relieve that) and a bit woozy and spaced out. I'm not a fan of taking especially painkilling meds anyway - if you take the full doses on a regular basis then your body gets used to them and they're no longer so effective. And then there's the problem of having to take a further med to counteract the side effects, which I really don't like having to do. But needs must at the moment.
The lovely sunshine does appear to be burning off the frost, so I think it's probably warm enough to go and put my washing out now - with a fleece jacket and fingerless gloves on! We've no snow forecast down here - have you got snow where you are?
I can recommend having organic golden linseed on cereal or other foods about one desert spoon to start with DAILY it is brilliant for preventing constipation as it goes gelatinous when digested and helps onward movement! Available in hearthstone and most supermarkets.
ReplyDeleteSo sad about your neighbour. I do hope her reclusivity was her own choice and not a symptom of mental health problems. I don't like to think of people being alone unnecessarily.
ReplyDeleteVery cold and frosty here this morning, although it has warmed up a smidge now. Bright and sunny, though, which almost makes the cold worth while!
I hope you get some joy at your appointment. Pain does age us, doesn't it? xx
That sounds like a very sad note to the day. Like you, I really feel the cold now and it makes my muscles tight and sore. If I'm sitting reading, I have a hot water bottle at my back to stop me getting even colder through inactivity! I like December but hate February, which is when I lost my best friend. I don't like the commercialisation of Christmas one bit, though, and so we keep it simple and cosy.
ReplyDeleteNo snow here in Derbyshire, but we are forecast rain for tomorrow. Didn't risk pegging the bedding out as garden doesn't get sun until 11 am ish. Its gone on the heated airer. Xx
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure that as we age the cold affects us more and more. I so wish that the weather was decent to hang things outside over winter, but freezing my fingers off is not in my plans.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Jackie, I'm in southern SASKATCHEWAN too, and for me, the REAL first sign of spring is when I can finally put my laundry outside to dry. Without freezing my fingers🤣
DeleteI'm like you, living for 21 December. I find it so hard to get motivated to do anything these winter days. Everything just seems so much harder to tackle. I think I must have been a bear in a previous life, all I want to do is go to bed in mid November and wake up in mid March! The nice few weeks pre hibernation, stocking up on carbs and fats to last me through my sleep would be lovely too!
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