January 30, 2005
Thank you for your expressions of concern. 
Actually I am still mobile, but aching rather painfully in a vast number of places! Yesterday I had the interesting sensation of muscle-ache but also feeling much more lithe and supple rather than having the normal associated stiffness you get with serious exercise. Today my lower back seems to have seized up a bit. Time will tell whether this is a temporary or more permanent problem (but I have an appointment with the osteopath on Wednesday so he can sort things out if need be 
). When I eventually stop aching (even my ribs ache and feel as though I’ve bruised them!) I’ll let you know if there are any more positive effects!
January 28, 2005
I went to my usual Pilates class tonight but found a new chap was taking it as C wasn’t well. His approach to Pilates is rather different from C’s. Lets just say I feel thoroughly stretched – in every sense of the word. I suspect moving at all tomorrow may be a bit of a challenge! Actually I quite liked his method of teaching and if I’m not temping by Thursday, I may be tempted to attend his regular lunchtime class. Maybe I’d better see what the full after-effects of this class are first though. Any creaks, groans or yelps you hear tomorrow will be me trying to move about! I’m sure it’s all good for me though. The teacher kept saying tonight, “your spine really loves this!”
Hmmm – we’ll see!
January 28, 2005
Smudgie you never told us that the BBC had visited Smudgie Towers! But I’ve found you out anyway!
Listed in today’s Radio Times:
BBC2
3.30pm Flog It
Clutter and collectables on the Isle of Wight.
Where else could it be!!!!!!!
January 27, 2005
Please humour me here – for the first time ever, the number of people reading my blog has topped 200 in one month. Now I know that that will seem a fairly small figure to some of you blogging giants out there but I’m pleased! I think it’s partly thanks to Ian, linking me from his website (thanks Ian), although it is possibly due to the erudite, exciting and highly informative pieces of information I post here! (hmmm!)
Someone also found me by Googling for “arti”. I wonder if they were really looking for me!
January 26, 2005
So far this week I seem to have been less stressed and anxious about my job searching. This is good! I have signed on with a second temping agency, but so far no work has materialised. Maybe I’ll give them a ring tomorrow! I’m part way through another application for a permanent job too so we’ll see what happens with that!
Other than the job hunt I am currently enjoying making a birthday present for a friend’s little girl who is 3 in March. I’m making a dressing up “fairy dress” outfit. So far so good (if slightly lopsided in its construction – though I doubt she’ll notice). It’ll certainly have a lot of decoration on it – if only to hide the wobbly stitching! It will definitely be unique though and hopefully a lot of fun for a 3 year old.
I had quite an interesting counselling session on Monday too. Quite emotional at the time but afterwards I really felt as though I might have made a slight step forward. I think maybe some feelings have begun to be acknowledged in a new way that feels positive and helpful.
My back is not so painful (a cool gel pack seemed to do the trick); thanks for asking! I managed to walk into the edge of the open hatchback of my car on Sunday though ( I was replacing a rear brake light bulb OK!!!!) so have a cracking bruise on my forehead now instead!
January 23, 2005
Those of you who were jelous of my level of industry yesterday will be delighted to know that such serious bouts of domestic activity are not good for you! My back is really hurting now.
It is I think caused by a combination of all that strenuous physical activity yesterday and then having to brake suddenly in the car, which jarred my back somewhat.
PS. I have just found out that the “toast always falls butter side down also applies to crispbread!. But I think I’ll forgo getting the steam cleaner out again to remove butter from the carpet!
January 22, 2005
I have just been steam cleaning the sofa….
and the kitchen tiles…..
and the bathroom tiles…..
and the bathroom floor……
And the inside of the airing cupboard (don’t ask!)
and it was really hard work.
But I am glad that every thing is much cleaner now even if it’s damp and the flat resembles a sauna.
January 20, 2005
While windows trys to download some critical updates on a slightly flaky dial-up line:
1. eat breakfast
2. take sheets off bed and put in washing machine
3. take a shower
4. bake a cake
5. learn Mandarin
6. read the Oxford English Dictionary
7. implement your plans for total world domination
Current odd sock status – 5 – but I think I know where one of them is!
January 17, 2005
It’s been a busy and slightly befuddling kind of a day. I started with my counselling session which was emotional and somewhat muddly. It will be interesting to see what “falls out” of it all in a day or two.
Then I’ve been trying to re-jig my C.V. and sort out computer software problems (it ended up with me having to completely re-install Open office, but it’s probably best that you don’t ask for details!)
Then I had an interview at the Jobshop to advise me on career options and on C.V.’s and application forms. ( I now have to re-jig my C.V again!) I have another interview on Wednesday to do a computer quiz that will give me ideas of my strengths in terms of possible careers/job directions. It may of course just confuse me further!
I’m finding it hard to take my job-searching slowly and steadily. I get keyed up and want to get everything done, dusted and sorted straight away, which of course is not possible. I find it hard to stop and take things at a steadier, but more sustainable pace. Ah well – it’s all good practice I suppose!
Then I got an internet grocery delivery and found I had ordered 3lb of apples instead of 3 apples (where is an embarrassed smiley when you want one?) Still, I am visiting a friend tomorrow who has 3 children so I guess they’ll be donated to a good cause. ( I bet they wish it was 3lb of chocolate I’d ordered by mistake! – Mind you I might not be quite so keen to give it away if I had!)
January 16, 2005
…by a friend who called in for a cup of tea after church this morning. She likes my new living room decor including the pale green woodwork. So perhaps I was being a bit obsessive and reacting to the fact that it was just very different from before. I’m pleased!
Yesterday I went to a friend’s for the evening and pigged out on chocolate and Pringles while watching a video. It was Antitrust. Have you seen it? I really enjoyed it and there were a few twists that I didn’t realise before hand – though of course I always knew that the goodies would win out in the end.
Oh – and there are currently 6 odd socks in my sock drawer (just thought you ought to know). Hopefully I’ll find a few as 6 is way too many odd ones!
