Life goes on

Life goes on. Next door our neighbour is having a garage built to replace the shed that disappeared in last week’s gales.

We see in our local paper the coverage of the storm. The pictures are impressive. Giant boulders were thrown up on the promenade by the incoming waves.

At the gym we used to attend, cars floated off the car park as the tarmac surface was ripped off. The indoor swimming pool became filled with saltwater as the water seeped into the building.

In Lancaster the roof of the Butterfly House was damaged. I just hope the butterflies are okay. The article in the paper didn’t say what’s happened to them. It is usually hot & steamy in there, unlike the icy temperatures outside. There is also the possibility of the butterflies escaping into the open.

One day this week we bumped into a friend who cycles to work every day. On the day of the storms he had tried going along the back streets, rather than his usual route along the prom, but he still tumbled from his bike as the wind blew his bike from under him into the air. Later in the week, when things were calmer, he had a further fall as he tried to weave his way through the couple of inches of sand that covered the promenade surface.

Meanwhile we’ve continued with our medical tests. I’m glad to say I passed my blood tests - no problem, all normal. It reassures me that the wine at the weekend isn’t having too adverse an effect, though I remain a little concerned at my continued losing of weight. At least the rate of loss is much slower now.

As for the Fox, it is definitely confirmed by his X-ray that he has osteoarthritis in his hip, almost certainly caused by the muscle imbalance from his stroke. At this stage all that can be done is a supply of painkillers. The GP also wants him to do a course of physiotherapy at the hospital in the hope of stabilising the condition a bit. If nothing else it may slow down the wear and tear on his hip & stop further arthritis appearing in other joints, particularly those of his knees & feet.

We came home from that meeting feeling a right pair of old crocks & wondering what life holds for us in the future. Soon, it seems, neither of us will be walking much, neither will be in the position to help the other by pushing wheelchairs, cooking etc.

I’m telling myself, all the practical things someone can be paid to do. We can still talk, see, use our imaginations to explore new worlds, share our love for each other & the world around us, just as long as there remains the two of us.

Suddenly we’re both feeling old & on the downward path in this life.

But, for now, life goes on…