Begin as You Mean to Go On

Today, to absolutely no one’s surprise, is the first day of 2012. I said last night that I would do as much as I can of what I want to do through this year, and once this is written, I will have done that.

I’ve had some disastrous physical setbacks this year starting in late summer. Were they enough to keep me from blogging? No, but somehow not talking about it would be like ignoring the elephant in the room and talking about it seemed really out of place on a friendly expat and cooking blog. But when I see something special or hear something interesting I always think of this place and I want to tell it here, so I’ve decided to plug Think On It back in if only for my own good.

This is my first sight when I top the hill.

So about that elephant eating hay in that corner over there. He represents four herniated disks in my lower back that have put a stop to my hour and a half rambles and climbs every morning. Just when I was getting used to the idea that a slow and exercise-filled period of physiotherapy was going to have to happen before I could be back on those hills, spinal arthritis or a near cousin jumped on my shoulders. Some time later generalized tendinitis and muscle sheath inflammation made activities a crap shoot.

It's full afternoon, but the sun never reaches parts of this basin.

This past week I have been getting up feeling better. Really better, not just less painful, but capable of doing things at least for a while. Nothing will cheer you up more effectively than being able to think up fun stuff knowing you can probably do it. I sort of want to say “Whoopie!” a lot.

The surface is icy and blurred.

Today I have eaten healthy foods in small portions and haven’t touched seasonal treats. That was number one.

I have started sorting out what really doesn’t need to live in my house and out it will go. Number two.

Ice and spoor.

And my reward is number three. I went for a walk in my hills. I went to see the lake and to see who drinks there in winter. I went to see the goats along my path and I discovered two kids no bigger than an adult cat. Unfortunately, I had used up my batteries and didn’t capture them, but I will another day this week, because I mean to start again no matter what it costs me. The price for not doing what you love is just too high.

Happy new year. Love, Judith