Bouncing back... slowly

It's now a week since I was rushed off to hospital to be diagnosed with a couple of nasty viral infections and a doe of flu to maintain balance. I shall not dwell on the ins and outs of my illness, except to say I have been laid lower than I have been in years, but am now on the way back up.

Murphy's law took hold at the end of the month when I promised myself to upload a daily blog entry. So much for that. I think I've posted once this month.

I am not back to full strength but have a full head of things to write.  Watch out for the verbal flow when I do get back on-line in earnest!! 

For now I am heading back to my cosy sofa, but beware I shall soon be back with daily ramblings....

And just a quick but huge thank you to the incredible Julie for being there (as always) - R2 had to go to the vets today and Julie was our saviour- there would have been no way for me to get him there, and Tony was unable to take the young man on his own. She's even been kind enough to take Cuddy for regular walkies, which is great as her energy (Cuddy's not Julie's) has been building up and she has been driving the cats mad.

And whilst 'thanking' -I'd also like to say thank you to the two lovely ladies from Australia (Michelle and Andrea) who sent me cards last week which arrived today to raise my spirits.

February ONE - Spring??

This month I am taking the photo challenge that I've mentioned on this blog a step further and turning it into a writing challenge too. I'm hoping to satisfy the photo challenge in the usual way, but then add a short story to whatever picture I decide on. Today's is 'Fork' and is already uploaded http://tulstig.blogspot.com.es/2013/02/fork.html.      If I get into this I may even start a side-blog to host my stories and pictures. OR maybe host them on my HoT website.  I'd love to hear what you think of the stories and pics - a short comment would be much appreciated!!

In the meantime here  in VnG it feels like Spring is springing up. Yesterday Tony treated all the garden furniture with a teak coating and even cleaned all the windows. In the fields the trees are starting to bloom and in the garden the bulbs are poking their heads above the soil. Whether they make it fully will depend on the cats- fingers crossed they decided not to dig them up this year?! Last night it was so warm  that the cats didn't even join us on the be, but stayed in the living room cuddled up on the sofa, although they had commandeered the bed all afternoon for a mammoth siesta. 

Fork

We'd already been walking for hours and there was no sign of civilisation, or so it would seem. We had been alone on the trail for approximately five hours now and the day was warming up. I was ready to take a break but here we were  at another fork in the road. At the last three forks we'd chosen the left hand path, and I was sure we had come full circle to where we were now. I could almost swear that we had been at this very same place just a couple of hours back.
"If we keep taking the left hand forks we'll eventually come back round on ourselves," I suggested. Jake was having none of it.
"If we keep heading left we will eventually end up in the next town which we were originally heading for he said.
"But we're not on any old path I'm sure," I asserted once again.
"Not that again." Jake sighed. "What's with you and this strange energy vibe you've had going for the last few miles?"
"I just have the strangest of feelings that we're on a fools errand and that we have been going in circles for like forever, but if you're so sure let's take the left hand fork again."
I was trying to keep my spirits up, but for some time now I had the strangest of feelings. The forest seemed to be taking on a life of its own, and I had a strange sense that we were being followed. Nevertheless I trudged on, whistling gently to try and banish the stranger thoughts from my head.
Within another half hour we were at yet another fork, and for sure I knew we had been here before.
"We've definitely been here before, Jake," I said. "Look. Those sticks lying there - that's just how I placed them the last time we passed this way."
"I hate to admit it, but I think you're right... wait a minute I can here someone coming, perhaps they'll know which way to go."
We stood back from the path a little to await whoever it was that was coming up behind us.
As the two men got closer I was sure I recognised them. As they came to within easy I sight I knew I recognised them. The one on the right was wearing fawn shorts and a striped blue t-shirt, and was carrying a pair of wooden poles, just like me. The one on the left was shorter with identical clothes to what Jake was wearing. I was dumbfounded the couple approaching us were us. It was clear they could neither see nor hear us, but we could hear and see them very clearly as they discussed which way to go...
"If we keep taking the left hand forks we'll eventually come back round on ourselves," the other me suggested. The other Jake looked sceptical.
"If we keep heading left we will eventually end up in the next town which we were originally heading for he said.
"But we're not on any old path I'm sure," the other me said.
"Not that again."  The other Jake sighed. "What's with you and this strange energy vibe you've had going for the last few miles?"
"I just have the strangest of feelings that we're on a fools errand and that we have been going in circles for like forever, but if you're so sure let's take the left hand fork again...."

January closes

Well that was January (pretty much) and it seems like only the other day I was lamenting the end of the year, and here we are thirty one days through it already. How many days to Christmas? It'll be here before we 're ready again!

So this month:

• I've had a visit back to Blighty and met up with a load of wonderful friends. It was great to see everyone.

• I've started to consider my eating, and eating sensibly. There's so much more fruit in the house, and I'm not loading up the plate so much, nor going back for seconds or thirds. No crisps and minimal chocolate. All sounds a little boring really, but not at all. Do I feel any better. Not sure yet.  I guess you'd not really know it from tonight's dinner- a patented TulStig Burger with chips and mushy peas!

•  Planning is under-way for Camino 2013 - and it looks like Janey, Kerri and I will be walking the English way (hand on hip that is- JOKE!)and then going on to Finisterre- all planing for the last half of June, beginning of July.

•  I'm managing to keep up reading. Already read 4 books this month and reviewed them -check out at GoodReads 

• 'La Magia del Camino' -  The Spanish copy of 'The Magic of the Camino' is due out any day. - my fourth book (from my first) -If it does only half as well as the English version I'll be more than happy.

In February I'll be pushing on with 'The search for the Magic Key' and planning my second Camino book. Not only that we have Carnaval starting next week and of course Cuddy's birthday.

Writing still....

I'm sorry to my dear blog devotees, but I've been unfaithful, writing elsewhere. a little while ago I admitted to writing on a facebook group, and I'm ashamed (or is it proud) to say that I am spending my time creating on there, following the writing prompts. So just as a quick catch up here are a couple of the recent ones. I'd love to hear what you think of them.

List 10 things you would buy with your last $20 ... and put the list into a paragraph/short story.

Armed with my last twenty dollars of Christmas money I set out for the sales. That jumper in the outlet store had my name on it, and would leave me enough to get a coffee on the way back too.
Stepping outside I pulled my collar up against the cold, pulled my woolly hat down over my ears and headed into town.
On the way I passed the young lad in the stairwell with his dog. He looked as grubby as ever. 'Why doesn't he just pull himself together and get a life?' I thought to myself as I breezed past, ignoring his pitiful glances as best I could.
As I arrived at the shop I stopped, seeing my reflection in the shop window, all cosy and bundled up against the cold while the lad in the stairwell and his dog were shivering. My conscience was pricking. I passed the shop. I didn't really need another jumper. Instead I went into the one-dollar-store next door and bought a list of twenty or so other essentials, including a two dollar lottery card. Giving them to the young lad salved my conscience, especially when I saw the look on his dog's face as he got a new ball. Walking away I had my fingers crossed that the lottery ticket I had given him would be lucky too...

 Begin with: "I thought I saw ... "

I thought I saw Kevin again today. I see him most weeks. At times its a comfort kidding myself that he's still around, but most of the time it just rips the scab off the wound that I pretend is healing.
It's over ten years now since he died. Ten years in which everyone told me it would get easier. Well it hasn't.

Linking previous prompts:

How many times had he passed by me today and ignored me. Occasionally he stopped to give Preacher a quick tickle under his chin, but I might as well have been invisible.
Now here he came again, all wrapped up against the cold. Comfortable in his easy life I was sure. This time I moved forward as he passed and watched where he went.
First of all he went into the clothes shop all full of himself, but in no time had come out again as if he had forgotten something. Turning quickly he went into the bargain basement store next door. Oh to have his money and be able to shop just how I wanted.
I settled back in my stairwell and hugged Preacher to me. My thin clothes did nothing to stave off the freezing weather. I tried to drift away again but couldnt.
A moment or two later I heard footsteps which stopped at the entrance to our stairwell. Preacher leapt forward and came back with a chew in his mouth, wagging his tail furiously. Looking up I saw that guy again. He was holding something out to me. A bag of goodies from the bargain store, and in his hand a lottery card.
"For me?" I asked. He nodded. Behind his scarf I felt there was probably a smile. OH how easy it is to misjudge people.
I took the proffered bag, and the lottery scratch card, grabbed the coin I'd been given that morning and rubbed... would I be lucky? ...

You're in a room full of people and you are the only blind person there. Describe the room and the people in your mind.

I cannot see them, but I can feel and smell all of them. They are trying to be quiet but I can still hear them. One moves closer again taunting. He thinks I don't know he's there but his smell is ripe and he moves the air around him and me. He backs away only to be replaced by another. I hear the bottle open and drops are applied to my eyes again. The pain is almost unbearable, but I cannot move my head It has been held in this position now for as long as I can remember. Suddenly the quietness of the air is torn by the sound of a phone ringing... "Hello, cosmetics testing lab four, uh, huh, all is well..."

And to this picture prompt:

The old barn may have been a bit battered and need of repair, but it as a great place for a secret, and possibly, dangerous liaison.
Ned and I had been looking for somewhere to liaise for the past few days after that first secret kiss at Johnny's 21st birthday party. I suggested the old barn as no one would ever dream of going there, although I had.
Walking towards the barn just before the allotted time my heart was racing and my adrenaline kicking in.
Rounding the corner of the barn as surreptitiously as I could I spotted Ned already comfortable on a bale of hay. If I wasn't mistaken he was already in a state of some arousal. I felt my face flush slightly at the thought of what we were about to do.
Ned was going to be my first time. I moved closer and he stood up grabbing my hands, pulling me into his bear-like embrace. His lips covered mine in an instant. I could feel the stubble on his chin rubbing against mine. And much lower I could feel his urgency pressing me towards greater lust.

  

 

Healthy eating

Having watched 'Supersize - Superskinny' last night i have been evaluating my relationship with food. 

If you don't know what the programme is about it looks at two people's eating habits as they sped a few days living each others' diets. 

I am well aware that I love food, as many of you are probably also aware - It's one of my favourite blog & talking subjects. 

Something that I am struggling with is me deeply seated need to clear my plate. I find it impossible to leave anything, even if I am full. The thought of leaving anything on my plate in a restaurant almost fills me with horror. I know this comes from the admonishments from my childhood to 'eat everything or you're not getting down' but cannot believe how it is still a factor in my eating habits now. 

With high cholesterol and high BP I know I need to eat carefully and most of the time I eat healthily, but often just too much. 

At the moment our cupboards are still hoarding goodies from Christmas, but within a few days they'll all be gone. at this point I shall be considering my diet - not a slimming one - but a healthier lifestyle one- smaller portion size and less of the choccies etc. 

But for now here's a pic of one of this weeks dinners - a veggie and noodle curry - Yes this was just my plate (see what I mean about portion size) and yes I did finish it! 

Plotting...

... a summer Camino

I've been considering the Camino Ingles this year:

Day 1 – 25kms          Ferrol  - Pontedeume

Day 2 – 20kms          P – Betnazos

Day 3 – 29 kms         B – Hospital de Bruma

Day 4  - 24kms          HdB – Siguero

Day 5 – 16kms          S - Santiago  

 Not an easy one, but manageable.

Jane has said she wants to join me this year, and Kerri has said she'd like to come along too. Dependant on these two ladies I'll carry on the plotting and plan further once I hear back from them. 

 On arrival in Santiago I'd like to carry on to Finisterre . the end of the earth... Vamos a ver...