The Lake District Video

Man on Wire

It started off as a cold and a bit of fever; add the runs and top off with 24 hours of nausea and vomiting and you've got my last 48 hours. Yesterday I was in a state of either feeling sick or being sick. Today I managed to eat 2 slices of toast and I'm enjoying being able to sit up for more than 10 minutes without it setting my head spinning. And I'm bored.

Earlier today I watched Man on Wire, a documentary about Philippe Petit, the man who walked on a wire between the twin towers in 1974. It was quite an astounding story, and although he appeared to be quite an eccentric (but then he was French) it is remarkable what people are able to accomplish once they've got their mind set on it. I'm not sure what my dream is or where my destiny lies but I know it's out there beckoning, and maybe my restless feet will find it one day. Saying that, I'm almost 100% sure it does not include a wire and terrifying heights.

All Love

Out For Count

Today I got to work and was told I looked different. When I asked in what way the answer I got was that I looked puffy. Thanks doc! Saying that, I have been working quite a bit overtime and I was shattered at the end of my shift. If I looked puffy at the start I must have looked like a rotten tomato at the end. I nearly fell over a couple of times cycling home, was feeling worse than after my night shifts. Got home, toddled into bed and was out for count for a few hours.

I thank God I have tomorrow off!

A new girl moved into our house yesterday, her name is Naomi and she is lovely! She made carrot cake today, how can she not be a welcomed member of the household?!  :)

All Love

Secrets of a Fighter

I'm sat here quite content with life. I've been fed and watered, the heating is on and I'm in a lovely state of doziness, the kind you get after good exercise, a big meal and a cup of tea. The palm of my hand is still aching slightly from last night's high five challenge with Chris, one of the physiotherapists from work. He challenged me in doing high fives until one of us gave up. None of us gave up; one of his friends finally jumped in to put an end to the torture, and by that time my hand was pretty much on fire; but I would have kept going if I had to. I am a fighter. If I wasn't a fighter I would have broken down a long time ago; there are battles that cause more pain than a swollen and bruised hand.

Sometimes people surprise you and you find out there is more to them than you first thought. Sometimes you surprise people by knowing who they are when they thought no-one could see. Sometimes I am more surprised by myself than by others. We all carry fears and we all have things we want to keep hidden. Like asking someone terrified of heights to take a leap of faith, that's what it's like to ask someone to share that deep secret; for just as a leap cannot be stopped mid-air, so a secret exposed cannot be made secret again. A secret should never be forced out, but should always be given freely. And if someone shares one of them with you, don't you dare to betray that trust. I am a carrier of many secrets, many of them unknown even to myself. Sometimes this scares me, but it gives me comfort knowing that God knows all of them and will reveal them to me as I'm ready to face them. He is the keeper of hearts, and He keeps this heart fighting.

Trust takes time.
Inspirational song of the day:  Whataya Want From Me 


All Love

Good Morning Avon

Woke up this morning determined to head down to the river no matter the weather; I took my bike out just before 8am, the sun rising somewhere behind thick grey clouds as I made my way down towards Kingswood. Truth be told, it would have been far prettier in the summer, autumn or with a cover of snow; today it didn't even have sunshine, it was just plain grey. Anyway, I took a stroll along the river and came across two swans doing their morning hygiene, and they put up quite a show; rolling around in the water, splashing about, flapping their wings and stretching their necks. 

Now home with a cup of tea, pondering what to do with the rest of the day.

All Love

The Tarpaulin Nightmare

For those not updated on the Bristolian weather I can inform you that it is very windy at the moment, mild and quite wet. Yesterday I cycled home from work in terrible wind and rain, my 8th shift in a row with two more to go. One of our neighbours have some form of tarpaulin in their garden, and at night I keep on waking up from the sound of it violently flapping in the hard wind. During my few moments of sleep my dreams are haunted by flapping tarpaulins and shouting ladies. I even put my I-pod on just to get rid of that annoying constant sound, and if it doesn't get better tonight I might move down to the sofa.

Tomorrow will be my last shift in this 10 day run, and I am so looking forward to the weekend and a couple of days away from Emersons Green!


All Love

New Year Ahead

My house is empty as Susanna is gone for the weekend. I am not necessarily pleased about that as I like company.

Today I had a moment of reflection while emptying my bladder during the last minutes of my break. I pondered over the profession I chose to get myself into and realised the world of nursing can be a very sad place. There seem to be some sort of pride in being overworked, never getting breaks and always working overtime for no pay. And if, if you get both your tea break and your lunch break adding the fact that you actually get to leave on time, then you're considered a lazy old sod!

I renounce that.

Tomorrow is the last day of 2011, a year that has passed surprisingly quick. Sometimes you have certain expectations for a year, and when 2011 started I realised I had none. It appeared to be a haul taking me from 2010 to 2012, and that is pretty much what it has been. No major changes, life has been pretty easy-going. Saying that, time has now come to catch the exit for 2012, which will be a completely different story. Oh yeah, bring on the dirt roads!

Complany is a word for company that spend all their time complaining.


All Love