The River Files

Post op day 7 . Just woke from amazingly vivid dream about my lovely orthopaedic surgeon. He asked me to go jogging with him in a nice, interested way and I set off apprehensively, protesting the while. (Haven’t jogged in years if ever and certainly not since 1994). Amazingly enough I could do it. Not well, not keeping level with him but following behind him ok. He kept looking back towards me with concern/warmth. I felt young again. I also noticed he had waist length blonde hair (he doesn’t) which swung prettily as he ran. Could not think why I had not noticed this before. Tucked up into his surgical cap perhaps? So vivid. So bewitching.So disappointing to wake up with clunk to alarm ringing for school run. Had 2 weeks off from that. first was heavanly half term then nigh on a week closeted in the hospital. Push on through then .. till July

2315 hrs- day 6 post op. Have just defied Physio bullies from hospital who handed me a bossy “you may nots” advice sheet on tge occasion of hospital discharge. “You may NOT cross your legs, sleep in any other way than flat on your back. Pick anything up from the floor, drive a car, climb into a bath etc. for a full 6 weeks after the operation. Bah! Bath veto Even more upsetting than prohibition on driving. Just ran bath, filled it with radox and manouvred self up over edge and in, keeping hips straight, legs together. Utter and total bliss. Shaved armpits and lower leg – left side only. Wonderful to deforrest. Right leg (lower portion of ) still cannot be reached for this purpose however. Will have to avoid shorts or enlist help from River Sprite. Wonder if my leg hairs have gone grey by now?

Woke in sunshine alone, late and no reason to get up. What utter paradise. Bird song outside magnificent. Always sleep far better

alone. So nice OFT away on business trip, not snoring, shuffling around and sheet stealing. Later went to B Sands with Eldest river sprite. We lay on the sand/stones and listened to the sea and he fell asleep.. Seagulls. Gentle rolling waves. Lighthouse in distance. Brilliant blue water, green hills and woods behind the beach. Summer at its zenith. So good to be alive.

A new hip. A fabulous week in hospital, NHS “Choose and book”. Private room with comfort and privacy and gloriously quiet at night but busy during the day. Meals brought in that I did not have to wash up. Sunny all week and sound of seagulls occasionally squealing outside, glorious view of palm trees in small courtyard outside through blinds. Ideal combination- plenty of time to nap in private as could shut door on noise in corridor and snooze at will. Bit of a scary nurse on duty at nights- (probably highlight of my stay was when she grumpily bent down to pick up a kidney bowl ofurine and the smart, gold pen in her top pocket fell out and splashed into it.) but otherwise all well…. also no alcohol for 4 days. Fab four indeed! Feeling great and note to self: Must do more often.

Heard a cuckoo today on the Moor. Such a wondrous sound and not heard in so many years. In raptures

Of the hip happening tomorrow. Overwhelmed by kind good wishes of so many. Frunds and family.. How sweet. Last night ever for right hip I was born with… Orthapedic chopsaw beckons. Whirrrrr….”Bout time too. Can no longer get into a boat or onto a horse- the most terrible of all things. Can barely get into a car. It is time.

Alone- breakfasting on sourdough and avocadp, fruit and greek yoghurt, freshly squeezed OJ and superb Americano. Sunny day, overlooking grand, leafy,grand square in a beautiful English Spa town. Jackdaws cackling in trees. Charming, attentive waiter. Soon will drag myself to my feet, holding table for support and then limp across the road to car. Arthrtic hip wingeing and creaking the while. This time 2 weeks it will be done total hip replacement right side. But for now, this moment, split second,, not sure I have ever been happier.

Terrible nights sleep. Shaking with exhaustion by 7am. Literally. Thought I had lost my computer laptop. Woke 1 am after dinner fancy French Eaterie dinner thinking to charge it for added efficiency morning…only it was nowhere to be seen…..

Amazing dinner in Mayfair tonight with couple not seen since summer 2009.

Good friends then but events intervened and where did 10 years go?

They had not aged 1 jot. Not one bit. Indecently youthful actually. Also noticed something black and shiny on her lap throughout le diner. Realised was her left foot wearing black, patent “pump” hitched up high onto Rt. thigh. How jealous am I.. Yoga queen indeed.

To Dartmoor, briefly, for avant garde art exhibition. Chilly but sunny and many interesting exhibits distributed round grand, immaculate garden. A few mates to chat with. I liked the Lurcher on the lawn best and a horse head in bronze in a flowerbed. Old Father Thames preferred the nude.

Went to Brexit party rally at dreaded Trago Mills last night.Briliant summer evening, hedgerows blazing with red campion, bluebells, the odd primrose persevering and oceans of wild garlic.Haytor standing out in relief high above usmagnificent against the sunset.Black and white signs for “Brexit Party ushering us in and a security man in black and sort of flak jacket. It had just begun as I drove into car park. Listened to speakers taking to stage with window wound down as searched for parking. Dry sunny and windless but cold. Bitter cold. Woolly hat and scarf job.Nigel and Ann W awesome. Strutting their stuff. Indignant, outraged and determined. Many interesting candidates. Asian nurse, Elderly Admiral type who started at Brittania College, Totnes Yoga teacher with native-American type dangly earrings. “Another very brave Lady putting her head above parapet. ” said Richard er..?, the slick businessman, MC guy. One candidate/member had given her husband one of her kidneys he told us.Film crews wandering about with furry booms. Many young women with blue or turquoise dipped ended hair a la Totnes, piles of white and turquoise polysyrene campaign boards for us to wave and bang on. The Brexit party bus. A pair of scruffy mongrels on leads, small mangy, poodle type standing on hind legs and batting at each another paws around each others neck performing a long, comical dance- owners with their eyes fixed on the stage, oblivious.Lots of shouting, booming and placard waving. Union Flags affixed to long poles with Devon County flags on top fluttering in the evening sun.And all the while the plaintive calls of the Trago Mills peacocks could be heard, often emitted as applause for a speaker burst from the crowd, as if to jolly us all along…..