The ground subsided and the tree drowned
I rose just before 6.30 and, an hour later, am still feeling enthusiastic. I have done emails, comments and reading blogs so far. I am feeling good.
Approximately a month ago, plagued by many minor conditions, I was very depressed, worn out and, to be honest, wondering if this was the beginning of the end. People do die at my age, the obituary columns are full of people who don’t make 70. I know this because I started noticing it and had to make myself stop. I started making plans for sorting my life out so all the admin would be a bit easier for Julia.
Merle Oberon, Jack Johnson, Benny Hill, Edward I, Geoffrey Hughes, Josephine Baker . . .
Trees near Slaidburn
My tastes, I admit, run to the low-brow. But by 68 they had all become famous, then died. I admit Geoffrey Hughes, most famous for playing a bin man in Coronation St (and Hyacinth Bucket’s slobbish brother-in-law in Keeping Up Appearances) may be stretching fame a bit but he was good at what he did.
Then I got better. It doesn’t take much.
Then I became ill again. Fever, cold, coughing, difficulty breathing, exhaustion, lack of appetite, food tasing strange. Having barely recovered from the firs mystery illness I am in the middle of the second, where I have just spent several days sitting in front of TV, mesmerised by the moving colours. I’ve spent several extra hours in bed each day and have been able to do very little more than a couple of twenty minute slots at the computer. I have also been sitting on the edge of the bed wondering what I am doing (as it’s either getting into bed, or getting out of bed, or putting socks on, or taking them off, the choice is not huge and the answer should be clear.)
Cormorant at Budby Flash
That was the clincher. I did a lot of that when I had Coved.
So I checked the symptoms of Covid. They aren’t 100% reliable, because everything could be a symptom of something else, but staring aimlessly into space with food tasing like sawdust is highly suggestive.
And, as simply as that, the mist lifts and, having put a name to my condition, I am now feeling better again. Humans are strange things.
Heron at Clumber Park
