2025 January – Buddha, Volunteer Driving, Sports Massage, Bed of Nails, Oh Dear!, Shuttleworth Collection, Heron, Treats, #Beauty and #Lunacy, Snowdrops
Buddha
‘No matter how difficult the past, you can always begin again’
(often attributed to Buddha)
However…..Fun Fact: this quote is actually by Jack Kornfield. His ‘Buddha’s Little Instruction Book’ is apparently one of the major sources of fake Buddha quotes, presumably because people get confused by the title and think that it’s a book of actual quotations from the Buddha.
So there. Fake news. I’m keeping it though, because it hits the spot.
And let’s face it I have had a difficult past. My early years were a bit much until I adopted Mum which, frankly, has been a full-time occupation, so I haven’t really had time to ruminate on what went before.
Although last December was a bit much. I have been terrifically ill in case you didn’t know.
I am a lot better now thank you for asking. I went back to the vets this month and my blood platelet count was around the 400 mark, which is where it should be. Better than 17, which it was last month. I am still on steroids and chemo but that is being tapered down.
Mum says I am very nearly back to abnormal.
Volunteer Driving
Mum is doing a spot of volunteer driving for a local charity. She says she has met lots of lovely people.
I haven’t met any of them because Mum doesn’t take me with her.
Just rude.
I expect you can tell how I feel about it from my face, can’t you?
Sports Massage
Mum just loves W&G. Out on Netflix globally as of time of writing.
Just sayin’ – although this has nothing to do with a sports massage – obviously. I don’t have a picture of that. I feel it might have been tres amusant though. You’ll see what I mean.
So…. Mum has tweaked her knee doing her Olympic Rowing challenge and decided to go to a physio rather than limp about like an invalid. This was actually pretty sensible for her. Maybe we have (finally) turned a corner eh?
Turns out that she has flimsy muscles in general and needs to do a whole load of exercises to stretch and strengthen them first before doing anything crazy like sprint rowing. She went back for a review this month and had a sports massage, which apparently was great once it had ended. It was the next most painful thing after childbirth.
Serves her right if you ask me.
She hadn’t been doing her exercises consistently over the festive break. She told the physio this and I reckon he decided to show her the folly of her ways.
Mum is now doing her exercises. Lol.
So am I.
I don’t want a sports massage, thank you very much.
Bed of Nails
Mum lies on this stuff to relax her.
She’s having a laugh right? Look at the spikes on it. You wouldn’t catch me on there, I can tell you.
Christmas pressie from offspring #2 and husband.
They obviously don’t like her very much do they?
Oh dear!
This is where Mum and mad friends swim. The car is giving it a go too.
I think you’d agree that it hasn’t worked out well for the car.
This is normally a road and wide grass verge. The river should be in the distance.
But it isn’t.
Shuttleworth Collection
Mum is also doing volunteer work here. She just loves it.
The place is full of ancient but airworthy planes. Some of them are pretty unstable and difficult to fly apparently.
But just fascinating.
Mum has a lanyard that allows her to go through doors market ‘authorised personnel only’. I reckon she loves that most of all.
Obvs she hasn’t taken me there yet. Honestly……I’m not sure why you are even asking…..
Heron
A heron. Look carefully, bottom right corner on the tree.
Just chillin’.
And why not eh?
Early Mornings
I have been getting up early to beat the traffic as it were.
It has worked because we didn’t meet anyone and you know how antsy Mum gets if we meet anyone.
I’m fine of course but I have to factor in Mum’s sensibilities, as usual.
Still, it was lovely out.
Especially because I have been terrifically ill, as you know…
Treats
This is me with 2 lots of delish treats this month.
One of them is a pigs ear.
I love a pigs ear.
Thanks to A
Obvs January is a long month and I have had more treats than this overall, but these are 2 of my faves.
#Beauty and #Lunacy
Look at those sunrises. #Beautiful.
Mum has been getting up early and going in the water. #Lunacy
The water was 2 degrees and the air temperature was about the same with a lovely wind chill factor.
The last swim, Mum stayed in for over 20 minutes which is far, far too long. She reckons she may have had a small touch of hypothermia.
I’m not surprised.
It took rather a long time and a few choice words to get warm again.
I am not sure the language helped.
Mum says it did.
But frankly she doesn’t know what she’s talking about half the time.
Snowdrops
And yay!! First snowdrops have appeared in the garden.
Spring is just around the corner…
Saffron’s recommendations this month:
Music:
Can’t quite believe we’ve not mentioned Adele yet. What has Mum been playing at? Unreliable as usual. And Adele even has her own calendar. Should I do that? Yeah, I probably should.
Anyway, let’s make up for lost time eh? Here are some of her greatest. IMHO.
- Rolling in the Deep
- Someone Like You
- Set Fire to the Rain
- Hello
- Skyfall
- Hometown Glory
- When We Were Young
- Rumour Has it
- I Drink Wine
- All I Ask
Reading:
Reality is Not What is Seems by Carlo Rovelli published by Penguin. I know exactly what you mean Mr Rovelli. Do space and time truly exist? What is reality made of? Big questions and as long as there is chicken I reckon we’ll all survive just fine. If not, then it’s every dog for herself……
Film /TV:
We Live in Time
Mum went to the cinema to see this one. A surprise encounter that changes lives….. S’alright but take your hankies with you.