Autumn's Coming but Life is Great

After more days of hideous stomach pains, today I woke up pain free. I can't tell you what a joy that is, to wake up and not be in pain... something I never even considered before!


Pain pain pain
I saw the surgeon who first found the tumour (he was going to do my gallstone op that was then cancelled due to the tumour). He checked me over and doesn't seem to think it's anything serious - just a combination of drugs causing constipation. So have to take Movicol everyday now, and experiment with the dose till I get it right. I dunno what's going on. Thursday I was in too much pain to ride, and Friday/Saturday I had no pain at all. Sunday it started at 7.30 am and lasted till 11pm. I can't find a pattern to it, or identify a source/reason. Today I've been fine again all day, despite not being able to go to the loo 'properly'.


Back on ma horsey!
Anyway, today was superb - I had another joint lesson with the Little One. K got to have her first canter (with the teacher leading her pony), and I rode Henry. Great lesson for us both. K is starting to get a feel for rising trot now, and isn't holding the saddle any more. I've been working on my transitions, and controlling Henry's speed (learning how to prevent him grabbing hold of the bit and careering off with me. I'm finally starting to develop 'feel', to know what the horse is doing underneath me - where the feet are, straightness, bend and all that. It's getting soooo technical, and I love it. Not only that, but it gives me a boost physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Listed 17th in Blog list
I got an email a while back, but been so ill I never got around to mentioning it - apparently my little blog is listed as being 17th in the Lexiophiles top 100 Language Blogs. Quite cool, eh, (I think?). Also got an award from one of you lovely people, but again, been so out the game I still haven't got around to having a look. If it was from you, and you're not utterly offended that I've forgotten/haven't looked yet, and you don't mind, could you leave a comment and tell me where to look again?! Thank you!

Back to School (and picking up the pieces of my academic life.)
It's all back to normal tomorrow as kids return to school. I'm almost looking forward to autumn (summer's been a tad non-existent in terms of seasonal weather). I can smell the damp nip in the air in the garden, early morning. There's a melancholy about autumn I love too, and I'm looking forward to some nice hacks, and the structured day that comes of having two kids in school - up in the mornings, uniforms, house nice and quiet till 3pm everyday, and no guilt at not taking them anywhere/doing anything with them 'cos still too bloody ill! I envision sitting down and getting some serious writing done - my supervisor (PhD) rang me today and that was superb - I'm still being invited to the monthly postgrad writer's group (NRG) despite the fact that I've been... well you know!... haven't been since last year! One of my short term mini-goals to get well enough to be able to go out in the evening and attend a meeting!

All good then really. Hanging on in there. Appreciating every minute I am not in pain, and revelling in doing things with the girls, however small or periodic. Being more positive again, and hoping Darcy is right *winks to Marion*.