Progress

My life on a sofa! That should be the real title of this blog and at times I really do get itchy feet to do more. Yesterday, I decided to bake just in case someone came round. That meant I'd be on my feet in the kitchen doing something different - an opportunity to get excited. When you are mostly on one leg small things make a big difference. My Ninja food processor didn't work. Argh... I spent twenty minutes grating carrots by hand. I remember buying the processor from John Lewis and the sales lady telling me the "Magimix" would last a lifetime. At my age, that didn't seem like a big sales point so I bought a much cheaper model from Ninja. It worked well until it didn't. I now realise this was one of my bad buys. I have had it for just four years having out-lived it already.

I have been able to carry a coffee cup around for some time now. This was a big progress marker the last time when I had my right leg operated on. I don't even think about it. I just pick up the cup and walk. Yay! I can even stand up in the shower too. As the days pass, I notice how much more I am capable of doing as each day passes and that is a real boost. I have visited the orchard and I have been out doing some volunteer teaching as well as toddling round the supermarket. Luckily, Naser was on hand to bring the shopping in to the kitchen as I reckon that would have been beyond my current capability. I still need crutches. 

In my garden, the summer drought stressed my tree so much that large branches fell off. I am now contemplating getting the ladder out to neaten up the tree. What could go wrong? I have already booked a slot at the local recycling centre for next week to clear and clean up the garden. It might take me twice the time it should and I'm prepared for that. I am looking forward to doing so much more. Watch this space.

While I have been on the sofa, I have occupied myself. I am cracking on apace with the sequel to Beneath the Regime. Its working title is  From the Rubble and tells the story of Naser's dilemma. Syria is struggling to get back on its feet after thirteen years of conflict. He wants to help rebuild the country he loves but where do you start when the country is rubble? Every time I research a point that comes out of our discussions I realise how complex the issues are in that region and how hard it is hard to bring coherence to the story when there are so many different players. Again, Watch this space. 

What happens when you sit on a sofa

When I am not tapping away on the keyboard, I am crocheting. So far, I have made gloves for Ezra-Mae, a jumper for Mattaya, plus other bits and bods; and I am building a collection of multi-coloured squares to make something, as yet, undefined. All this I am doing so I can keep myself occupied. 

From my sofa, I am connected to the big, wide world. I listen to the radio and get angry about the goings on in the world. I almost laugh at Trump's outbursts but  then remember he is dangerous and not a comedian. I promise you I will be dancing if he does badly in the mid-terms. I am also getting through books too. I almost don't have enough time for anything else. Isn't it amazing how we can be busy doing almost nothing!