Ed has been very off colour for the last couple of days. His back is quite a lot better, but he seems to have yet another kidney stone hovering, with attendant agonising pain and gut problems. Still, yesterday he took some massively strong painkillers which knocked him out for the day, then he slept all night. When he woke this morning he was feeling hugely better.
So we went out for lunch. As a retirement gift,one of the parishes had given us a token to buy roses from a well-known Norfolk rose dealer, along with some cash for lunch in the bistro there.
So off we trotted (well, drove, actually) today. We had a good session with the rose expert and ordered a couple of standard roses for the front garden and three climbers, all strongly scented, for the back. They’ll send them, and they should arrive in early December – postal strikes notwithstanding.
Then we strolled into the bistro, and were amazed at the fabulous meals on offer. We had three courses (at least, I did. I wasn’t missing out on the sweet) and I had a glass of wine while Ed had a non-alcoholic beer. So nice not to be driving.
Then we drove home in glorious autumn sunshine, enjoying the wonderful colours of the trees, to relax in our leather recliners and watch golf on the television.
Not bad, this retirement stuff.
Yes, you guessed right.
Come Monday morning and Ed said, “Hm. My back feels a lot better today. I think I’ll just give it another day and see how it goes…”
So no visit to the doctor, and he played golf in the rain yesterday. Tweaking a bit last night – surprise,surprise.
Still, he had a good night’s sleep and today actually suggested a walk in the sunshine. We walked about two miles, at the end of which he said his muscles were aching a bit, but the stabbing pain hadn’t returned. yet.
Me? I wait my chance to walk up and down his back…
Ed has had a bad back for weeks now, but naturally, does nothing about it since it’s always going to get better after a rest. It doesn’t. Some days it’s easier, but others it’s worse.
Yesterday, he could hardly get out of bed, he was in such pain. We were due to meet our son and our youngest daughter in Norwich, to have a meal together. It was Al’s birthday last weekend, but Bex was in Belgium at the time.
Ed filled himself with ultra strong painkillers, donned an orthopaedic belt (bought from a sports shop), fetched a walking stick, and off we set.
We met the family, who took us to a Japanese restaurant for lunch. Ed’s face fell. Sushi and rice doesn’t have quite the same ring as roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. But Al started us off with a bottle of plum wine, which was very mellowing as well as tasting great.
A few more of the painkillers, and Ed survived. Actually, the meal was delicious and we all enjoyed it. And it was good to see the youngsters again.
Ed’s back is easier today. So from saying yesterday, “Yes, all right. I’ll definitely make an appointment to see the doc on Monday,” he’s now saying, “I’ll see what it’s like tomorrow. May be better again.”
Oh dear! We’ve been here before, many times. I think I shall have to do the whole Japanese thing and offer to walk up and down his spine like a geisha girl.
That should cure. Or kill.
My cousin came over on Tuesday, together with her daughter and the daughter’s partner. My cousin lives in Wales, and about a month ago we went to Wales and stayed the night with my cousin, in order to play golf with her next morning.
It rained. We didn’t play.
My cousin is staying with her daughter, who lives about a hundred miles from here, so they stayed on Tuesday night. Well, my cousin stayed with us (our bungalow is not terribly big) and her daughter and the boyfriend stayed in a B&B. But they all had a meal with us.
The boyfriend is a golf pro, so the prospect of playing a round with them was both exciting and scary. And guess what?
It rained.
In the end, we played in the rain. I had a good round with Ed and my cousin, then they went in after nine holes and I played the second nine with the daughter and the pro.
The pro was really helpful and gave me a couple of very useful tips.
So today, when I played at the club and expected to be brilliance itself, I was utter rubbish.
Why do I play this stupid game?
Had a busy weekend with the family over since it was Al’s birthday (I made him a cake – this is a first!) Granddaughter was angelic (which made a pleasant change) and we all enjoyed meeting up.
I had every intention of blogging yesterday, but felt somewhat low and couldn’t raise the energy. The day started OK, but I had a phone call from the old parish which quite depressed me. A friend with increasing health problems and who now has a granddaughter who has been admitted to hospital with a lump in the breast. The girl’s mother (my friend’s daughter) died in January this year from cancer, so you can see how worried my friend is. The hospital have already done tests and said it definitely isn’t the same as her mother’s disease and is probably only a cyst, but you can’t help worrying.
Today Ed and I are waiting for my cousin and her daughter and daughter’s partner to arrive. This is the cousin we stayed with in Wales, where it was too wet to play golf. The partner is a golf pro, so they’re all coming over here for the night, ready to play gold with us tomorrow. Guess what the weather forecast is? Yes. No rain since July, and it’s forecast for tomorrow morning.
Oh well. Might be as well not to play with a pro. He’d be horrified to see my poor excuse for golf. But I enjoy the exercise and the fresh air, so who cares?