The Lock-Down Diaries Day 45

Today I walked the dog ..the 'plan' had been to do the gym this morning, and take the opportunity of a very low tide to walk to Clarach and then back along the rocks this afternoon...

But the weather had other ideas, so Kitty and I set off for our walk this morning as usual, but in spitty rain. I had started to listen to George Monbiot on YouTube, but it cut out halfway up the road, so (with an ill-concealed sigh of relief) I returned to music.

'Beirut' came up randomly, and were a perfect match for the day - sprightly, waltz-rhythms and a combination of banjo and trumpet was just the ticket!

The sun came out later, in time for a tough gym session this afternoon. And now we are sitting on the sunset bench on the west side of the house, enjoying the last of the day's warmth.

Picture? Ok...

Here are my 'thoughts-so-far' on the subject of deafness, change and impermanence - lifted from my email to my 'mentor', late last night...

"For me, the Lock-Down and the loss, even if only temporary, of things dear to me was beginning to make some sort of sense as a vague prefiguring of the slowing of the body and mind, eventually - no matter how far in the future and how far and fast we run.

So, focusing on strength and resilience of spirit...so far, so good.

And now, in the space of a week , I have become almost totally deaf...we are hoping it is only a temporary wax thing and are treating it accordingly - but it is nevertheless most disconcerting!

It has given me much food for thought, and I realise how totally unprepared I am for things to go wrong with my health...and that inevitable slowing of mind and body I spoke of.

The best I have come up with so far is:

'We have no right to imagine we can dictate the terms of normality'

Here's to resilience then!"