A winter break

But not the sort of winter break you normally think of though. I was in London for a few days, visiting my delightful grandaughter.

The weather has been lovely the last few weeks - sunshine, clear blue skies, but because of this it has been cold. Very cold. Freezing. We walked across the park in the late afternoon sun, but already the puddles were freezing over.

Well, it must be old age....I was walking out of a shop when I didnt see a step! The whole surface was made of brick, and one surface was a brick higher than the other. I wasnt looking basically. Not a patch of ice in sight. Just not walking mindfully!


My foot turned over. Yowch. I felt sick, but I always have the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy spray in my handbag, so that sorted the shock out. Plus the hot chocolate and almond cake that we were on our way to have in an organic shop that has a café.

I was actually on the start of my journey home, so I limped on to the bus after that, and home on the train to Dorset as planned.

Reiki, healing, ibuprofen gel and arnica tablets did wonders with the swelling , it was still swollen in the morning but nothing like as bad as the night before, when I had to go on my bum upstairs, ha ha.

The swelling was still going down, but I knocked a part of my foot and the ouch that went along it, reminded of the time I cracked the similar bone on the other foot about five years ago! I eventually went to A+E as it was obviously more than a sprain, and yes, its a fracture of the metatarsal - the one along the outside of the foot.

I had an appt for the fracture clinic and was given a lovely black samson boot - all velcro and plastic. A cross between a ski boot and an Ugg boot. Very trendy.

No, this isnt MY leg! I am supposed to wear it for four weeks, then do without it for two and go back to them in six weeks.

I bought some walking poles to use for balance on the boot. I was going to anyway, good for steadying when going down hills etc even though my husband thinks they are for showing off but he doesnt walk anyway, and in Japan when clambering about in the hills I used to find a piece of fallen wood was very helpful.

This is the view from my bed in the morning as the sun melts the frosty moss on our neigbour's barn roof.



And the view from the patio window onto the front garden - fairly lifeless and frosty - where I have a sort of day nest of blankets and cushions, and the laptop!

So now I sit and ponder just why I have this winter break, and try not to be impatient and restless. AND make good use of the opportunity. At least tai chi and ballet classes have ended for this term, and it should be on the way to mending by Christmas!