Morning Mugs,
3 years ago I had kidney stones. They were the single most bloody painful thing I'd had aside from Gout...which is excruciating. It transpires the cause was probably the fact that most days I'd drink a cup of coffee or two each day, and maybe a pint of squash or diet fizz in the evening. Over years this led to kidney stones, simply because I didn't drink enough fluids during the day.You think they might teach you that at school huh...but then I went back in the 70s when even smoking was seen as nothing more than a minor health hazard.
Nowadays, since the lithotripsy treatment which worked but also hurt, I now drink around 3 - 3.5 lites of fluid per day. The upside of this is that there are no further signs of stones forming.
The downside is that at 57 years off age, I need to use the loo every bloody 30 minutes. I have to plan all journeys around toilet access, or being lucky enough to be a bloke ensuring the routes have lay-by's available - one upside of being male is we can pretty much pee anywhere. Train journeys become all about ensuring you're near the loo and you known which direction it is from your seat. If of course you're lucky enough to have a seat. Plane journeys are all about planning when to have your last drink and 'comfort break' in case you're stuck on the runway, or as far from the pleb class loo as it's possible to be. I now wear trackie bottoms to ensure theres no belt pressure pushing down on the bladder along with the seat belt. On city or countryside breaks I now ensure the app Toilet Finder is on the phone so I know where I can go in the inevitable event of needing a wee. Believe me, from Imperial Harbour station to Stamford Bridge, I know every pub and restaurant along the walking route where you can get away with using the facilities without being a drink or food.
At school we were taught about the changes as we went into puberty. They were exciting changes. Hormones running wild and good physical changes. I firmly believe they should also add the changes the occur as middle age tightens it's grip. Tell them they will change again, and that this time...it may not necessarily be for the better.
Later Mugs, GJ
Friday, 22 March 2019
Tuesday, 19 March 2019
Relentless Bad News...it has to be bad for us...doesn't it?
Morning Mugs
It occurred to me this morning, whilst Google Assistant was replaying how my day was set up by telling me the news from the BBC and SKY that none of the news was good. None was positive. There was zero in there to affirm life. Nothing to give the impression that anything anywhere was actually any good.
Has anyone ever done a thesis or study into how this relentless barrage of bad news from social media, from the radio, the press, the TV and from every conceivable angle? it has to affect people, it's like brainwashing over long period of time. Humans are social animals and that mind infused negativity dripped into us over time must surely spread, and with that spread comes inaccuracies and exaggeration, and with that inaccuracy and exaggeration the fear grows, and toque Pink Floyd, 'and as the fear grows, the blood shows and and turns to stone'.
I'm pretty sure any study would show that negativity spread is growing, that the media and it's owners and the politicians know the best way to control, repress, oppress and bend the will of the people is by creating a culture of fear. They promote their negative perspective s concern for our safety. They tell us we need protecting from the big bad evils the world will throw at us. And only they can provide this. And collectively we fall for this. And collectively we turn the constant negativity into truths and maxims and the spread continues.
It really is a very miserable time to be alive in the UK. Yet....just a few short months ago I spent a week in Ireland. In the very south west corner on the Wild Atlantic Way and the Ring of Kerry. Everywhere we went we were met with an almost covert and subtle cheerfulness and optimistic positive outlook. From people in the fields to the bars to the shops to the museums the same cheery outlook pervaded every aspect of the break.
I'm very tempted to chuck all this shite in and shift my life to somewhere simpler, less materialistic, where people take the chance to breathe, to talk, to sing, to dance, to shrug their shoulders to the world and say 'whatever...just leave us be...'
Thats the life I really want.
Later Mugs, GJ
It occurred to me this morning, whilst Google Assistant was replaying how my day was set up by telling me the news from the BBC and SKY that none of the news was good. None was positive. There was zero in there to affirm life. Nothing to give the impression that anything anywhere was actually any good.
Has anyone ever done a thesis or study into how this relentless barrage of bad news from social media, from the radio, the press, the TV and from every conceivable angle? it has to affect people, it's like brainwashing over long period of time. Humans are social animals and that mind infused negativity dripped into us over time must surely spread, and with that spread comes inaccuracies and exaggeration, and with that inaccuracy and exaggeration the fear grows, and toque Pink Floyd, 'and as the fear grows, the blood shows and and turns to stone'.
I'm pretty sure any study would show that negativity spread is growing, that the media and it's owners and the politicians know the best way to control, repress, oppress and bend the will of the people is by creating a culture of fear. They promote their negative perspective s concern for our safety. They tell us we need protecting from the big bad evils the world will throw at us. And only they can provide this. And collectively we fall for this. And collectively we turn the constant negativity into truths and maxims and the spread continues.
It really is a very miserable time to be alive in the UK. Yet....just a few short months ago I spent a week in Ireland. In the very south west corner on the Wild Atlantic Way and the Ring of Kerry. Everywhere we went we were met with an almost covert and subtle cheerfulness and optimistic positive outlook. From people in the fields to the bars to the shops to the museums the same cheery outlook pervaded every aspect of the break.
I'm very tempted to chuck all this shite in and shift my life to somewhere simpler, less materialistic, where people take the chance to breathe, to talk, to sing, to dance, to shrug their shoulders to the world and say 'whatever...just leave us be...'
Thats the life I really want.
Later Mugs, GJ
Friday, 8 March 2019
Jacko. Wacko? Nonce? Both?
Morning Mugs,
Like many I watched the Leaving Neverland documentary over the last two nights.A very difficult watch, very difficult. I am no huge Jackson fan , but it's hard not to twitch a leg to Off the Wall or the Thriller albums. It's hard not to get swept up by the majesty of The Earth Song. There's a hell of a legacy there for fantastic pop music, even if by the end the talent was spent...unlike Bowie, Jackson had run out of creative steam.
So, a fantastic pop star, but for me nowhere near Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Stones, Beatles, U2 or Abba. That's just personal taste though.
After all of the latest allegations he now looks like primarily being remembered for being a child abuser. A paedophile. A sex criminal. Which is all rather sad and to me unnecessary. Watching the documentary wasn't easy, the detail was very graphic and hard to listen to. I'm still not quite 100% there bout the second part which exposed the rifts in the families involved seems very hard to make up. Both 'victims' came over as seemingly honest. Interestingly neither of them seemed to want to say anything nasty about Jackson which was odd, but also seems to underpin the conflicts the victims of child sex abuse feel. They feel they are breaking the trust of someone who loved them....as children that's a very big heartbreak.
Some aspects of the documentary made me uneasy though. First of all, the two men's statements we're virtually identical when describing the activities they were engaged in by Jackson. Spookily so, and had I not known better I would have suspected they'd been coached by lawyers or others. That seems unfair I know......and maybe they're both describing the modus operandi of Jackson...and it seems well known that abusers follow patterns that have previously been successful. A tried and tested formula I suppose. Then there are the families...the nearest and dearest who allowed this near abduction to take place. A mother who slept along the corridor whilst her son shared Jacksons bed. I mean, come on what parent would find that acceptable? Unless of course, the money, the reflected fame, the gifts and the promises all add up to bribes used in a complete and planned grooming process.
I've been sceptical that sane adult people can be groomed...then I watched Abducted In Plain Sight and that weird documentary truly opened my eyes up to the sheer gullibility, malleability and susceptibility of seemingly sane people to acts of apparent altruism and kindness. Groomers will groom whoever they feel is advantageous to them reaching their target. I'm also sceptical as to why, now he's dead, there aren't staff and workers and friends and even relatives who haven't seen this, haven't known this stuff was going on. What is there for them to fear? Backlash from 'the estate'? Well, fuck the estate...it's just an organisation dedicated to preserving the good memory of a flawed man in order to keep the big money rolling in. There must be so many others who knew...and if they're not speaking then they're being complicit aren't they? Would an amnesty on perjury or any follow up criminal action help? Would protection of any received income or 'pay offs' under a gagging order help them come forward?
Who knows? But as I say I'm leaning towards his guilt, quite heavily now and more so than before. I'm still uneasy about allegations against someone no longer able to defend themselves or explain but the truth is the greater priority I suppose. One thing is certain, Jackson himself was deeply flawed and deeply mentally ill. I can't help but think this was all a result of a bullying overbearing father, a culture within the family to be nothing more than a human performing seal. A closed brotherhood with secrets protected by the heinous false religion of Jehovah's Witnesses (how the hell does a civilised society allow them to exist?) and a willing and knowing collective cognitive dissonance amongst his family, his friends, his employees and maybe even the authorities. I think it's fair to say that in this case, the abused becomes the abuser. I hope the cycle stops with his alleged victims, both of whom came over as damaged and yet stable people trying to live as normal a life as is possible.
But we certainly haven't heard the last of this whole sorry saga that is the life of Michael Jackson yet. The man who had everything and yet seems to have had nothing.
Later Mugs.
Like many I watched the Leaving Neverland documentary over the last two nights.A very difficult watch, very difficult. I am no huge Jackson fan , but it's hard not to twitch a leg to Off the Wall or the Thriller albums. It's hard not to get swept up by the majesty of The Earth Song. There's a hell of a legacy there for fantastic pop music, even if by the end the talent was spent...unlike Bowie, Jackson had run out of creative steam.
So, a fantastic pop star, but for me nowhere near Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Stones, Beatles, U2 or Abba. That's just personal taste though.
After all of the latest allegations he now looks like primarily being remembered for being a child abuser. A paedophile. A sex criminal. Which is all rather sad and to me unnecessary. Watching the documentary wasn't easy, the detail was very graphic and hard to listen to. I'm still not quite 100% there bout the second part which exposed the rifts in the families involved seems very hard to make up. Both 'victims' came over as seemingly honest. Interestingly neither of them seemed to want to say anything nasty about Jackson which was odd, but also seems to underpin the conflicts the victims of child sex abuse feel. They feel they are breaking the trust of someone who loved them....as children that's a very big heartbreak.
Some aspects of the documentary made me uneasy though. First of all, the two men's statements we're virtually identical when describing the activities they were engaged in by Jackson. Spookily so, and had I not known better I would have suspected they'd been coached by lawyers or others. That seems unfair I know......and maybe they're both describing the modus operandi of Jackson...and it seems well known that abusers follow patterns that have previously been successful. A tried and tested formula I suppose. Then there are the families...the nearest and dearest who allowed this near abduction to take place. A mother who slept along the corridor whilst her son shared Jacksons bed. I mean, come on what parent would find that acceptable? Unless of course, the money, the reflected fame, the gifts and the promises all add up to bribes used in a complete and planned grooming process.
I've been sceptical that sane adult people can be groomed...then I watched Abducted In Plain Sight and that weird documentary truly opened my eyes up to the sheer gullibility, malleability and susceptibility of seemingly sane people to acts of apparent altruism and kindness. Groomers will groom whoever they feel is advantageous to them reaching their target. I'm also sceptical as to why, now he's dead, there aren't staff and workers and friends and even relatives who haven't seen this, haven't known this stuff was going on. What is there for them to fear? Backlash from 'the estate'? Well, fuck the estate...it's just an organisation dedicated to preserving the good memory of a flawed man in order to keep the big money rolling in. There must be so many others who knew...and if they're not speaking then they're being complicit aren't they? Would an amnesty on perjury or any follow up criminal action help? Would protection of any received income or 'pay offs' under a gagging order help them come forward?
Who knows? But as I say I'm leaning towards his guilt, quite heavily now and more so than before. I'm still uneasy about allegations against someone no longer able to defend themselves or explain but the truth is the greater priority I suppose. One thing is certain, Jackson himself was deeply flawed and deeply mentally ill. I can't help but think this was all a result of a bullying overbearing father, a culture within the family to be nothing more than a human performing seal. A closed brotherhood with secrets protected by the heinous false religion of Jehovah's Witnesses (how the hell does a civilised society allow them to exist?) and a willing and knowing collective cognitive dissonance amongst his family, his friends, his employees and maybe even the authorities. I think it's fair to say that in this case, the abused becomes the abuser. I hope the cycle stops with his alleged victims, both of whom came over as damaged and yet stable people trying to live as normal a life as is possible.
But we certainly haven't heard the last of this whole sorry saga that is the life of Michael Jackson yet. The man who had everything and yet seems to have had nothing.
Later Mugs.
Tuesday, 5 March 2019
25 days to go
Morning Mugs
25 days to go then. Brexit looms large and there is still no deal on the table. If we crash out with no deal then the economy is forecast to tank by 9%. Put that into context, the 2008 recession caused it to drop by just under 2%. Expect bad things. Lorries queueing at the ports. The cessation of the transport of medicines and chemicals and many other specially licensed goods. Services of course, such as lots of finance will be on its arse as various licences to trade cease. Eurostar, the shuttle and air travel will be disrupted. And of course we have the irish border issue. I rediscovered my Irish roots recently. My mum was Irish and so I took advantage of this and got my Irish passport at the end of 2017. I've not used my UK one since and the chances are I won't even bother renewing it. Right now I truly hope the UK gets broken up, that Ireland reunifies and Scotland goes its own way. Why is one Union entered into voluntarily a bad union, but another forged by force a good one?
The truth is I'm not sure I want much to do with a country so seemingly willing to believe the lies of Farage and Rees-Mogg etc, a country of people that denied the 16 year olds a vote and then told them they were doing it for their best. How fucking patronising is that? A country that decided it's now citizens abroad a vote on an issue directly affecting them? A country that is about to give up the single biggest freedom - the right to live and work in 27 other countries - on the sword of a non-existent immigration issue, stoked by the fear factor racist right wing press. When did this country ever remove such a wide ranging human right in its entire existence? There is so much wrong with the UK, I'm now rather hoping everything is worse than the alleged 'Project Fear' forecast. In a sadisitc way I hope the very people who were told it would impact them the most find themselves impacted the most. I want to hear the hollow calls of how unfair further austerity is on them, how they are even poorer, how they can't get medicines they need as quickly as before. I really and rather childishly want to be able to say
'We told you so'.
Even though there's every chance I could be impacted by this. I have some vague plans ready but who knows how things will impact everyone. I do wonder, for example, how the banks are fixed for the mass mortgage, loan and credit card defaults that might be heading their way. What if a civil disobedience movement occurs, where people refuse to pay for fuel, debts etc en masse? Could we really be heading for a form of martial law? Riots on the streets? Civil War?
It may not go that far, but one thing is for certain, this country is divided like never before and those divisions will not be healed in my lifetime, and maybe not in my children lifetime. How incredibly sad and how easily avoidable ll of this mess was. But one good thing right come of it.....the death of the party system in this country, and with it the death of career politicians, first past the post electoral system, an unelected second house and the Conservative party who have acted in their own interests ahead of the nations. Scant compensation I know, but maybe the start of something new that makes society fairer and more representative.
Later Mugs
25 days to go then. Brexit looms large and there is still no deal on the table. If we crash out with no deal then the economy is forecast to tank by 9%. Put that into context, the 2008 recession caused it to drop by just under 2%. Expect bad things. Lorries queueing at the ports. The cessation of the transport of medicines and chemicals and many other specially licensed goods. Services of course, such as lots of finance will be on its arse as various licences to trade cease. Eurostar, the shuttle and air travel will be disrupted. And of course we have the irish border issue. I rediscovered my Irish roots recently. My mum was Irish and so I took advantage of this and got my Irish passport at the end of 2017. I've not used my UK one since and the chances are I won't even bother renewing it. Right now I truly hope the UK gets broken up, that Ireland reunifies and Scotland goes its own way. Why is one Union entered into voluntarily a bad union, but another forged by force a good one?
The truth is I'm not sure I want much to do with a country so seemingly willing to believe the lies of Farage and Rees-Mogg etc, a country of people that denied the 16 year olds a vote and then told them they were doing it for their best. How fucking patronising is that? A country that decided it's now citizens abroad a vote on an issue directly affecting them? A country that is about to give up the single biggest freedom - the right to live and work in 27 other countries - on the sword of a non-existent immigration issue, stoked by the fear factor racist right wing press. When did this country ever remove such a wide ranging human right in its entire existence? There is so much wrong with the UK, I'm now rather hoping everything is worse than the alleged 'Project Fear' forecast. In a sadisitc way I hope the very people who were told it would impact them the most find themselves impacted the most. I want to hear the hollow calls of how unfair further austerity is on them, how they are even poorer, how they can't get medicines they need as quickly as before. I really and rather childishly want to be able to say
'We told you so'.
Even though there's every chance I could be impacted by this. I have some vague plans ready but who knows how things will impact everyone. I do wonder, for example, how the banks are fixed for the mass mortgage, loan and credit card defaults that might be heading their way. What if a civil disobedience movement occurs, where people refuse to pay for fuel, debts etc en masse? Could we really be heading for a form of martial law? Riots on the streets? Civil War?
It may not go that far, but one thing is for certain, this country is divided like never before and those divisions will not be healed in my lifetime, and maybe not in my children lifetime. How incredibly sad and how easily avoidable ll of this mess was. But one good thing right come of it.....the death of the party system in this country, and with it the death of career politicians, first past the post electoral system, an unelected second house and the Conservative party who have acted in their own interests ahead of the nations. Scant compensation I know, but maybe the start of something new that makes society fairer and more representative.
Later Mugs
Wednesday, 27 February 2019
Bugger off winter
Morning Mugs,
I'm 57 now. After all the years of other enjoying the romantic notion of nights closing in, getting wrapped up in warm clothes for walks on wind and rain blown promenades by the sea, turning the heating up, sitting in front of the fire etc etc......I've had enough. Bollocks to all that. All it means to me now is colds, flu, aches and pains.
And therein lies the issue......at some point in your life you move from being youthfully resistant to all the travails winter might throw at you to being vulnerable to everything and anything blowing in the wind. The bloody cold wind. Now, in part this vulnerability is also no doubt due to the presence of grandchildren, of which I now proudly have 2...one of 3 (nearly 4) and one of 4 months (aaah). I have long held the theory that children immune system is in some way supplemented by the ability to pass the ailment on, so that they recover quickly whilst the parents/grandparents walk around with sachets of Lem-Sip and bottles of Covonia to hand. Add the Ibuprofen, the Co-codamol, the Gaviscon, the Imodium, the anti-histamines and for the more extreme of us, the Diazepam and suddenly grandparents, in particular, become sort of mature walking pharmacies. Now, I rarely leave the home for any weekend break without a full toiletries bag of various medicines and things like blister plasters.
And people ask me why I carry a mini man bag with me!
And so we experience a run of days (5 so far) of glorious weather, not dissimilar to that we experienced in Budapest. Unbroken blue skies and sunshine. In fact the last 3 days have edged close to 20 degrees. I have walked very day and everyone is just a bit happier. More people smile, kids are out playing and there is a general feeling Spring is imminent. of course this time next weeks it'll no doubt be 6 degrees and miserable, but it does make me yearn for the warmer months more and more each year.
Oi could in fact live in a climate whereby 21 degrees was the norm every day, where sunshine was the default mode. I would be happier, fitter and healthier. Does such a place exist?
Later Mugs
I'm 57 now. After all the years of other enjoying the romantic notion of nights closing in, getting wrapped up in warm clothes for walks on wind and rain blown promenades by the sea, turning the heating up, sitting in front of the fire etc etc......I've had enough. Bollocks to all that. All it means to me now is colds, flu, aches and pains.
And therein lies the issue......at some point in your life you move from being youthfully resistant to all the travails winter might throw at you to being vulnerable to everything and anything blowing in the wind. The bloody cold wind. Now, in part this vulnerability is also no doubt due to the presence of grandchildren, of which I now proudly have 2...one of 3 (nearly 4) and one of 4 months (aaah). I have long held the theory that children immune system is in some way supplemented by the ability to pass the ailment on, so that they recover quickly whilst the parents/grandparents walk around with sachets of Lem-Sip and bottles of Covonia to hand. Add the Ibuprofen, the Co-codamol, the Gaviscon, the Imodium, the anti-histamines and for the more extreme of us, the Diazepam and suddenly grandparents, in particular, become sort of mature walking pharmacies. Now, I rarely leave the home for any weekend break without a full toiletries bag of various medicines and things like blister plasters.
And people ask me why I carry a mini man bag with me!
And so we experience a run of days (5 so far) of glorious weather, not dissimilar to that we experienced in Budapest. Unbroken blue skies and sunshine. In fact the last 3 days have edged close to 20 degrees. I have walked very day and everyone is just a bit happier. More people smile, kids are out playing and there is a general feeling Spring is imminent. of course this time next weeks it'll no doubt be 6 degrees and miserable, but it does make me yearn for the warmer months more and more each year.
Oi could in fact live in a climate whereby 21 degrees was the norm every day, where sunshine was the default mode. I would be happier, fitter and healthier. Does such a place exist?
Later Mugs
Wednesday, 20 February 2019
Just take me back to Budapest
Morning Mugs,
Well, back to reality then, but first Budapest. Yes I have just returned from the wonderful city of Budapest, capital of Hungary. What can I say? It's beautiful, the people are friendly, the food is great, drinks are reasonably priced and the Danube is gorgeous.
They think we're off our rockers for wanting to leave the EU.
As does everyone else I've met from other EU countries.
Just saying.....
Later Mugs
Well, back to reality then, but first Budapest. Yes I have just returned from the wonderful city of Budapest, capital of Hungary. What can I say? It's beautiful, the people are friendly, the food is great, drinks are reasonably priced and the Danube is gorgeous.
They think we're off our rockers for wanting to leave the EU.
As does everyone else I've met from other EU countries.
Just saying.....
Later Mugs
Thursday, 7 February 2019
Murphy's Law and Sods Law - the only constants
Morning Mugs,
Last year I had an ankle operation to repair what was basically a completely buggered ankle where the ligament 'weren't attached to anything'.....the consultants words , not mine. It followed a bad fall in 2016 which took an already slightly dodgy ankle past the point of no natural healing return. The operation was in June and the prognosis was '100% recovery after suitable convalescence' which means about now I can start to run or indulge in sports.
I am not a runner but appreciate the benefits of light jogging so bought a treadmill and decided to use the Couch to 5k app from Public Health England. I am never going to be a rod runner because of the possibility of having to talk to people or more pertinently the likelihood of potholes or uneven paving slabs. I'm not risking my ankle on those shit surfaces.
A few weeks back, our local Sports and Community Centre decided to trial 'walking football'. This pricked up my ears. I'm 57 now and the days of being able to play any football at any 'normal' pace are long gone. A few mates of mine from years ago joined up so In decided to sign up as well.
But then.......at Christmas, as my confidence in the ankle was reaching its peak....shingles struck, and all fitness plans are put on hold. In the last few years I've had shoulder problems, ankle problems, intercostal muscle tears, gout, kidney stones, an ankle operation and then shingles.
But yesterday, well from Monday actually, things felt OK. Out of the woods it seemed. I've done two sessions on the treadmill with the app and survived. I'm getting my walking mojo back as well with slightly lighter evenings. Yesterday was the first day at walking football. I walked to the centre a few hours after a successful treadmill session. I introduced myself to some of the guys and went through the warm up and stretches. Even then I felt a little concern that the stretches were a bit light. 20 minutes in and I stretch for the ball and turn....TWANG........pain in the back of the thigh and buttock. Quite a strong pain...the sort that would stop anyone. This meant one thing......Hamstring pulled. I played on but couldn't do much. In the second half I went in goal and did OK considering how crocked I was I did OK.
But, today it's tight and painful...it isn't a serious one, but against all my instincts I'm being quite positive about it, viewing it a setback and not anything more sinister. It's no master pan to prevent me getting fitter...I hope. But it is an example of the one constant that plagues us all, and plagues us more as we get older. If it can go wrong, then it will go wrong!
Sods Law. The extended version of Murphy's Law. Sods Law states that if it can go wrong, then it will go wrong...but with the worst possible outcome. Right now I am realising it might just be Murphys law in my case. Had this been a hamstring tear, then that is a lot worse as at least I can walk..albeit rather gingerly.
The worst thing about both? The older we get the more we expect either to happen, but even knowing that, we're still never fully prepared for them.
Later Mugs, GJ
Last year I had an ankle operation to repair what was basically a completely buggered ankle where the ligament 'weren't attached to anything'.....the consultants words , not mine. It followed a bad fall in 2016 which took an already slightly dodgy ankle past the point of no natural healing return. The operation was in June and the prognosis was '100% recovery after suitable convalescence' which means about now I can start to run or indulge in sports.
I am not a runner but appreciate the benefits of light jogging so bought a treadmill and decided to use the Couch to 5k app from Public Health England. I am never going to be a rod runner because of the possibility of having to talk to people or more pertinently the likelihood of potholes or uneven paving slabs. I'm not risking my ankle on those shit surfaces.
A few weeks back, our local Sports and Community Centre decided to trial 'walking football'. This pricked up my ears. I'm 57 now and the days of being able to play any football at any 'normal' pace are long gone. A few mates of mine from years ago joined up so In decided to sign up as well.
But then.......at Christmas, as my confidence in the ankle was reaching its peak....shingles struck, and all fitness plans are put on hold. In the last few years I've had shoulder problems, ankle problems, intercostal muscle tears, gout, kidney stones, an ankle operation and then shingles.
But yesterday, well from Monday actually, things felt OK. Out of the woods it seemed. I've done two sessions on the treadmill with the app and survived. I'm getting my walking mojo back as well with slightly lighter evenings. Yesterday was the first day at walking football. I walked to the centre a few hours after a successful treadmill session. I introduced myself to some of the guys and went through the warm up and stretches. Even then I felt a little concern that the stretches were a bit light. 20 minutes in and I stretch for the ball and turn....TWANG........pain in the back of the thigh and buttock. Quite a strong pain...the sort that would stop anyone. This meant one thing......Hamstring pulled. I played on but couldn't do much. In the second half I went in goal and did OK considering how crocked I was I did OK.
But, today it's tight and painful...it isn't a serious one, but against all my instincts I'm being quite positive about it, viewing it a setback and not anything more sinister. It's no master pan to prevent me getting fitter...I hope. But it is an example of the one constant that plagues us all, and plagues us more as we get older. If it can go wrong, then it will go wrong!
Sods Law. The extended version of Murphy's Law. Sods Law states that if it can go wrong, then it will go wrong...but with the worst possible outcome. Right now I am realising it might just be Murphys law in my case. Had this been a hamstring tear, then that is a lot worse as at least I can walk..albeit rather gingerly.
The worst thing about both? The older we get the more we expect either to happen, but even knowing that, we're still never fully prepared for them.
Later Mugs, GJ
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