The week ended on a note of excitement as I picked a presentable amount of strawberries after a garden tidy session. After a struggle for survival, quite a few of the plants have not only survived the blistering sunshine followed by Biblical deluges, but have woken up to produce fruit in the recent more equable weather. The lettuces have already got the message and have been steadily productive. The taste and texture of a homegrown lettuce massively surpasses anything bought in a shop. The leaves can be picked just at the moment the salad is ready, a thorough rinse and on the plate. Perfect!
A walk down to the high street to meet a friend for coffee and cake (the walk balanced out the cake consumption…) was a particular highlight. Walking is not always easy but I had been to the orthotic centre the day before where the orthotist changed the insoles to make them more comfortable in the shoes I wear most. It was a change to not feel as though I was walking on pins. Feeling comfortable, I meandered into a charity shop and found a pretty summer skirt and a starry scarf. It is hard to find skirts of a suitable length to go with my clunky orthotic shoes. No one seems to have reels or posts about that problem. However, I am preparing a reel or post about my foot journey. Having come across similar ones I thought I would post a true life example of how long these things take and the actual problems and solutions, especially as I came across a video supposedly for those unable to stand yet featured the person sitting on the floor – how on earth was one supposed to get up and down when the feet are non-weightbearing?! I had not factored in that it would take more than three years to sort my footwear out. The final step so to speak would be to show the end result of the surgery by wearing a new shoe. This is still awaited.
The week ended well with a trip to a delightful garden open for Hospiscare where a selection of delicious cakes was on offer. We did our duty and enjoyed a slice with a cup of tea (served in vintage china) while sitting at a shared table. Conversation and soaking up the atmosphere rounded off the walk around the flowers very well indeed. The drive from Sidmouth was along the pretty backways with clear views over the glorious countryside. How lucky we are to have this on our doorstep. Below is a picture of me enjoying the warm sunshine, modelling an outfit bought on Friday from the Hospiscare shop!
Karen Hedges 