Atishoo

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Oh dear, where have I been for the last month? Can you believe that one small baby grandchild would have occupied so much of my time? Well not quite, but all the travelling to see her coupled with an equally lengthy journey in the opposite direction to carry our pre-launch tasks on the Retirement Project have taken their toll. Mainly I suspect because train carriages and motorway service stations have to be amongst the worst harbinger of germs in existence. Couple that with a breakdown in immunity levels due to the cossetted nature of coronavirus lockdowns and the lack of social-mixing, and I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever be safe to let out again. 

On our last such trip, I set off feeling really well following a back and shoulder massage the day before that had finally got rid of the uncomfortable knots that had been building since the gym team decided that my demographic should all really be raising our strength levels by lifting heavier weights. A great idea for building muscle mass and bone density, providing protection against the effects of ageing. Like all ideas though there's always a flip side and in my case the build up of lactic acid within the muscle was becoming rather painful. Sometimes, however, the cure can be worse than the symptoms, or so it felt for a short time as I was pummelled and poked. I even asked if some clients screamed as they endured the process and guess I felt somewhat better when I was told they did; solidarity and all.

Anyway I digress because feeling on top of the world after that massage had worked its magic, we set off for a couple of nights of baby visiting in London followed by a catch up with friends in Suffolk only to find myself coughing and sneezing a day into the trip. Symptoms that then persisted for 10 days; talk about needing summer sunshine and Vitamin D to recharge the system. At least there've been no pains in my shoulders! 

It's a funny world now though. No I didn't have Covid but you worry in case people think you might or even that you could pass on your extreme but very common cold. Weren't such viruses commonplace before the unwritten rule that demands isolation or at least a facemask at the first hint of a sniffle? Hay fever season is going to be unbearable!

Tomorrow I rejoin society with the resumption of fitness classes and lunch out with friends; I need the first to offset the second and not because I have been missing the aching muscles. With the stiff breeze that's forecast and the tree pollen that's around, there could be plenty of sneezing though.

 

Comments

Treaders said…
I think you're at a lovely stage in life - new baby to love on and the retirement project to add to your happiness. Better without the cold, of course, but I know what you mean about feeling like a leper if you sneeze. Glad it wasn't covid though!
13 April 2023 at 12:23
Caree Risover said…
You are so right Treaders - just when it felt retirement couldn’t get any better a little parcel of pure joy arrives, and as grandparents we don’t have to get up during the night to nurse them etc…
13 April 2023 at 16:09
www.muddlingthroughmymiddleage.com said…
I also hate how we're not really allowed to be sick anymore without people suspecting Covid and expecting us to isolate for days on end. Hopefully that will start to wear off. Meanwhile, I'm glad you got to have some "baby" time!
13 April 2023 at 18:20
Caree Risover said…
I’m convinced that if attitudes don’t change, we’re never going to have the opportunity to build up immunity to help combat common viruses. That said, the fear of spreading something to a baby was a new one for me!
13 April 2023 at 18:48
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