Welcome to a new chapter of my lockdown one sort-of-memoir! (It’s raining! Lungs still shot!) Read chapter one Read chapter two Read chapter three Read chapter four Read chapter five Read chapter six CHAPTER SEVEN I wake up to the sound of objects being blown around the backyard. Oh no.
Oh Pip you’re a wind person too . My little 9 year old grandson and I have anxiety in common . Windy days see his behaviour explode in a kind or marvellous manoeuvre to keep people ( and therefore danger away) to his mind anyway . He’s aggressive and grumpy and the only thing to do is make him milo and put him in a bubble bath . Or the sea.
Mines more complex, following my great big fall down and subsequent multiple surgeries to save my arm , I can’t walk . I just cannot cross open ground without a visible means to sit at the end . My legs go to jelly and it’s become a self fulfilling prophecy. I’ve now got a walking stick which I determined would be temporary. It was I brought it home and never used it because I still cannot bring myself to walk . I’m now forcing myself to walk around our yard by the fence to hold if I need it . Last week I was walking 90 steps a day . This week 160 , I’m improving . Because of course in a thumb your nose at me kind of way Mother Nature sent menopause to me this year along with her friend weight gain ..... I have to move to lose the weight . I’m determined not to be this weight next year . So even if I can’t leave the yard - yet , it’s a small step forward.
Completely relate to the routine situation. I think it's the mental fatigue that comes from carrying the mental load + making the infinite small decisions all the time that make routines so bolstering. When something interrupts the routine it's almost like a double whammy, not only has the routine been altered but then there is all the extra decision making and just thinking that comes with being comfortable with all the unexpected change.
Oh Pip! Your blog speaks to me so much. Thank you for sharing!
Routines have been so good for my mental health and helping me do things that I don’t want to do but should do (like exercise). I’ve been told that, at some point, you do the routine enough that you start liking the thing you previously didn’t like, so you don’t need the routine as much anymore because you actually want to do that thing now! That’s a good thing! Maybe that’s where you’re at now? You should pay yourself on the back for that!
On socks, when I used to run, I really liked those tradie socks. I have tiny feet though so I looked at Big W and they have ladies tradie socks. They're very gendered (ie very pink) so put me off a little bit, but I also love the colour and the comfort. You might like them as well.
I remember some very windy days on my walks. I’ve been in lockdown in Caroline Springs which is known for it’s strong winds. It’s not my usual abode. I took some days off walking when it was super windy. Didn’t want to get blown around too much. However I also walked on some windy days on purpose as it was quite invigorating and the sounds of the wind blowing through the trees was oddly soothing yet also powerful. And the leaves from one tree brushed the ground and made perfect circle patterns on the gravel path. So I went out one windy day to video it in action. Quite magical. A lot of the trees out in Caroline Springs grow on a slant from the strong winds and they look a bit skew-iff but they determinedly keep growing and get stronger each day by standing up to the wind. The skew-iff trees look a bit odd on a still day but when the windy days come it makes sense that they are on a slant. They are quite empowering these trees. They keep standing and growing. Reading your post made me think of how you are talking about taking courageous steps by going on your walks and each day you are getting stronger - in ways you may not see now - but on the tough days, and that days you can’t walk, you can draw on that strength you’ve been building up for the next walk, the next challenge. Also don’t think your worry about falling trees and branches is unreasonable. I saw heaps of fallen branches on my walks after windy days. I remember because I use gum leaves for eco-dyeing I kept thinking of all the fabric and yarn I could dye if only I had a way to get the leafy branches home.
Oh Pip you’re a wind person too . My little 9 year old grandson and I have anxiety in common . Windy days see his behaviour explode in a kind or marvellous manoeuvre to keep people ( and therefore danger away) to his mind anyway . He’s aggressive and grumpy and the only thing to do is make him milo and put him in a bubble bath . Or the sea.
Mines more complex, following my great big fall down and subsequent multiple surgeries to save my arm , I can’t walk . I just cannot cross open ground without a visible means to sit at the end . My legs go to jelly and it’s become a self fulfilling prophecy. I’ve now got a walking stick which I determined would be temporary. It was I brought it home and never used it because I still cannot bring myself to walk . I’m now forcing myself to walk around our yard by the fence to hold if I need it . Last week I was walking 90 steps a day . This week 160 , I’m improving . Because of course in a thumb your nose at me kind of way Mother Nature sent menopause to me this year along with her friend weight gain ..... I have to move to lose the weight . I’m determined not to be this weight next year . So even if I can’t leave the yard - yet , it’s a small step forward.
Completely relate to the routine situation. I think it's the mental fatigue that comes from carrying the mental load + making the infinite small decisions all the time that make routines so bolstering. When something interrupts the routine it's almost like a double whammy, not only has the routine been altered but then there is all the extra decision making and just thinking that comes with being comfortable with all the unexpected change.
Cheers Kate
Oh Pip! Your blog speaks to me so much. Thank you for sharing!
Routines have been so good for my mental health and helping me do things that I don’t want to do but should do (like exercise). I’ve been told that, at some point, you do the routine enough that you start liking the thing you previously didn’t like, so you don’t need the routine as much anymore because you actually want to do that thing now! That’s a good thing! Maybe that’s where you’re at now? You should pay yourself on the back for that!
On socks, when I used to run, I really liked those tradie socks. I have tiny feet though so I looked at Big W and they have ladies tradie socks. They're very gendered (ie very pink) so put me off a little bit, but I also love the colour and the comfort. You might like them as well.
You ARE courageous, without doubt! Xx
I remember some very windy days on my walks. I’ve been in lockdown in Caroline Springs which is known for it’s strong winds. It’s not my usual abode. I took some days off walking when it was super windy. Didn’t want to get blown around too much. However I also walked on some windy days on purpose as it was quite invigorating and the sounds of the wind blowing through the trees was oddly soothing yet also powerful. And the leaves from one tree brushed the ground and made perfect circle patterns on the gravel path. So I went out one windy day to video it in action. Quite magical. A lot of the trees out in Caroline Springs grow on a slant from the strong winds and they look a bit skew-iff but they determinedly keep growing and get stronger each day by standing up to the wind. The skew-iff trees look a bit odd on a still day but when the windy days come it makes sense that they are on a slant. They are quite empowering these trees. They keep standing and growing. Reading your post made me think of how you are talking about taking courageous steps by going on your walks and each day you are getting stronger - in ways you may not see now - but on the tough days, and that days you can’t walk, you can draw on that strength you’ve been building up for the next walk, the next challenge. Also don’t think your worry about falling trees and branches is unreasonable. I saw heaps of fallen branches on my walks after windy days. I remember because I use gum leaves for eco-dyeing I kept thinking of all the fabric and yarn I could dye if only I had a way to get the leafy branches home.