Feeling 20 years too young!

It's that time of year when the elderly and the frail can visit the health centre for their annual flu jab.

And I come under the label of 'frail' being an asthma sufferer.

Now, it has to be said, my asthma is fairly specific and relatively easy to control being linked to pollen. So, effectively - avoid too many flowers (hence the excuse my hubby uses for the lack of spontaneous floral gestures), avoid springtime walks through fields and avoid strongly perfumed candles, perfumes etc, etc, etc. Yes, the list of things chemical that can trigger an attack is far in excess if the natural world - however, I know how to manage it and suffer attacks rarely.

But there is no doubt that if and when I get a bad cold it immediately causes severe breathing difficulties and it is nigh on impossible to avoid the sniffles and sneezes that will inevitably be prevalent over the next few months.

And so, I decided it was wise to go along for my annual jab and hope I don't get a cold from the jab itself.

As luck would have it, I rang yesterday to see when I needed to go and there was a clinic today that I was entitled to attend. It was held in our local Town Hall (the Health Centre not being big enough for the volume of attendees expected) and I was well impressed by the military run operation.

To start with, it was incredibly well sign posted, which was a good job as I have never been to our Town Hall before and had no idea where I was supposed to go. As I followed the arrows I was immediately aware that the oncoming flow of people were significantly older than me.

When I finally reached the correct room I was informed there was no delay and I could be stabbed immediately and so, within 1 minute of arriving, barely the time it took to remove my coat, I was done, recorded as attending and on my way for a 15 minute sit down to ensure no negative reaction.

It was as I turned towards the WI coffee table that I realised I had brought the average age in the room plummeting down. Everywhere I looked there were seriously elderly folk. I felt a fraud and almost as if I should have a badge stating 'Asthmatic' to justify my presence.

Cup of coffee in hand (all proceeds to local charities - it seemed churlish not to partake) I sat between an elderly man on my left and an equally elderly lady on my right. To pass the time I decided to check my emails and it was while I was scrolling around the screen on my Galaxy that a voice on my left asked me what game I was playing as his great-grandson has a gaming machine too.

I tried to explain it was my phone and I was just checking my emails but whether it was a hearing deficiency or a 'not really interested, just making small talk to pass the time' type of comment my explanation didn't make sense to him and in the end we just agreed that they were ingenious devices, these little games machines.

Having finished my coffee and having sat for the obligatory 15 mins, I politely made my goodbyes and left a vacant chair between 2 people who didn't seem to have any inclination to leave.

So, all that remains to be seen now is whether I show mild symptoms of a cold as a response to the jab, and whether I can get through until next Spring without any major coughs and splutters.

Only time will tell.

Winter Preparation

There's no getting away from it, despite the recent warm, sunny spell, winter is not far away.

The shops are in a quandry as to where to display the halloween items and where to put their Christmas offerings.

The card shops have halved the choice of birthday cards and replaced with this years selection of Christmas cards.

I spend each weekend sweeping the piles of fallen leaves that congregate at my front door - even though none of them are from trees in our garden.

There is a defininte crispness in the air on the morning dog walks, which I love.

The central heating boiler kicking in now wakes me before the alarm goes off.

The radishes seem to have stopped growing (but are still nice and crunchy).

And so this weekend we went out and started to tidy the garden ready for winter. The grass has had (hopefully) its final cut. The 6 ft high hedge has been trimmed all neat and tidy. The plants have been tidied, clipped or removed.

The summer jackets have been put at the back of the wardrobe and the winter, padded jackets have made it to the coat pegs next to the dog leads.

The sandals have been stored away and the big walking boots are now next to the slippers in the shoe cupboard.

We're ready for winter to start.

Bring it on!

Dear Diary

I don't know whether to be frustrated or to be happy.

The cloud & silver lining scenario.

For over a month I have continued with my new eating & exercise regime that lost me 8 pounds in the first month.

And I've lost not an ounce.

Somedays I get on the Wii and it's gone up a pound and the next day it's gone down a pound but over the last few weeks the ups and the downs have cancelled each other out.

Now, the cloud is I haven't lost any more weight which is what I'm trying to do

BUT

the silver lining is that as and when I finally do get to drop another 7 pounds, which is my ultimate goal, I know I'll be able to maintain it.

So, I now have my weight maintenance regime sorted. All I have to do is work out how to get rid of that next 7 pounds.