Monday 29th June 2009

the weekend that was: I returned from my CEOP training on Thursday night and my dad arrived to stay soon after. Pops retired from the London Fire Brigade about 5 years ago and since then he has been indulging his passion for sailing (anything from dinghy's in a man made lake to Atlantic trips to Antigua!) as well as working in a wine merchants and doing various other bits and pieces like DIY for us and others. He's been away recently on a 4 leg trip from the south coast down to Croatia and he leaves on the final leg this week. He was having grand-daughter withdrawal symptoms so he came over and we had a lovely evening eating in the garden and catching up.

Friday, he and I and M went into Maldon and the Pirate Ship at Prom Park...whilst there I bent over to put something in the bottom of M's buggy and managed to do something to my back...Friday afternoon was interesting - put M down for a nap and realised that I really couldn't properly move or bend down at all...Popped some pills and sat down for an hour or so but by the time Andy came home, I was quite immobile and very frustrated.

Saturday was an unplanned day off - the leaders training which was due to take place with the Sophia Network had been cancelled due to lack of numbers so we were planning a lovely family weekend in the garden, pottering about and catching up on time together - but it was not to be. I was laid up in bed, M fell down the stairs, bashed her nose and was so exhausted by the whole thing that she went for a nap just at the point that A was going to take her swimming! In the end, we all just crashed out for the day before A went out to Prom Park again to meet our friends E&K and daughter A and to bring them back here for dinner and a sleepover! I was feeling a bit better by then, got myself in (and thankfully, out!) of the shower and we enjoyed a Malaysian Curry and some Mah Jong!

Sunday morning dawned, I was immobile again and realised there was no way I would make it there and back to Walthamstow for RevAP's ordination...which I was very gutted about. So, another boring, flat out day continued, with A & M at church I did some bits and pieces at home, but couldn't hoover or do the dishwasher or anything mildly useful! A was preaching at All Saints Church Maldon where they are piloting a new monthly informal evening service on Sunday nights, so he was busy preparing for that during the afternoon while M napped. When he got back we caught up with the season finale of CSI:New York- OMG! Brilliant and cannot believe we have to wait until the next series to find out what happens...

It's now Monday morning and my back is no better - so called the doctor out who said I have pulled muscles all along the base of my back and a number of trapped nerves, so he's prescribed Valium (!) and some anti inflammatory drugs as well as telling me I shouldn't sit or stand for longer than 20 minutes at a time, shouldn't drive or lift M! Brilliant! This could be an interesting week!

where i am at the moment: in the dining room. Having got downstairs initially this morning, and had the consultation with the doctor, I can't get upstairs again so I'm on the youth lap top instead of my work one!

on my to-do list this week: the to do list has slightly changed from this morning! I'm now organising cover for me for this weekend's Bradwell Pilgrimage as I won't be able to be as active as I'd hoped. Thankfully I have a team already lined up of amazing youth workers and volunteers so we should be alright - I'll just have to sit on the sidelines and bark orders! I'm also taking the opportunity of immobility to catch up on some admin tasks, get a few jobs done for Falcon Camp and various other little bits and pieces - but only for 20 minutes stretches!!

procrastinating about: nothing, I feel as though this week is going to be the complete opposite - all the things I need to do I can't do, rather than putting them off!! I am not good at being bored, but as some of my lovely Hub youthworkers have already pointed out, I need to learn from my own teaching about Deep Rest! Seriously, I know how bad chronic back pain can be and I am going to do my best to rest well and get properly better otherwise I know this could be a recurring problem. 

book i’m in the midst of: Fortune's Rocks still from last week, also started Jesus Wants to Save Christians by Rob Bell which I have had for a while but it got nabbed by A and he's only just given it over (after reading 3 times!) so that's a good review. A also bought me Marie Claire and it came with a free novel so I might get into that this week to ease the boredom!

music that seemed to catch my attention this past week: enjoyed Glastonbury on TV this weekend, particularly the Ting Tings and Blur's comeback...

next trip: nothing until Falcon Camp in 4 weeks time arrrrrgggghhhh!

stuff I'm into on TV/films right now: CSI I've already mentioned and when one series ends, another begins! Sky+ is set to record CSI: Miami from Tuesday night. Also watched the first in the Revelations series on Channel 4 last night, all about the Alpha course. Maybe I'll blog about that later this week...but the presenter irritated me a lot!

Youth work done/upcoming: Bradwell Pilgrimage this weekend, engaging with young people at this annual family event, as well as Giraffe on Sunday night and visiting two youth groups next week, hopefully the back will be better by then.

What did you eat this weekend?? Malaysian Curry (Gordon Ramsey's), Linguine with Broccoli and Stilton, Ploughman's lunch with lovely local ham from Buntings (our new best friends, they have just started doing online orders and delivery! yay!)...and I made the breakfast seed bars from Phil Vickery's Gluten Free cooking book which are yummy. Did them with condensed Caramel which made a change, very moreish!

the weekend that was: I returned from my CEOP training on Thursday night and my dad arrived to stay soon after. Pops retired from the London Fire Brigade about 5 years ago and since then he has been indulging his passion for sailing (anything from dinghy's in a man made lake to Atlantic trips to Antigua!) as well as working in a wine merchants and doing various other bits and pieces like DIY for us and others. He's been away recently on a 4 leg trip from the south coast down to Croatia and he leaves on the final leg this week. He was having grand-daughter withdrawal symptoms so he came over and we had a lovely evening eating in the garden and catching up.

Friday, he and I and M went into Maldon and the Pirate Ship at Prom Park...whilst there I bent over to put something in the bottom of M's buggy and managed to do something to my back...Friday afternoon was interesting - put M down for a nap and realised that I really couldn't properly move or bend down at all...Popped some pills and sat down for an hour or so but by the time Andy came home, I was quite immobile and very frustrated.

Saturday was an unplanned day off - the leaders training which was due to take place with the Sophia Network had been cancelled due to lack of numbers so we were planning a lovely family weekend in the garden, pottering about and catching up on time together - but it was not to be. I was laid up in bed, M fell down the stairs, bashed her nose and was so exhausted by the whole thing that she went for a nap just at the point that A was going to take her swimming! In the end, we all just crashed out for the day before A went out to Prom Park again to meet our friends E&K and daughter A and to bring them back here for dinner and a sleepover! I was feeling a bit better by then, got myself in (and thankfully, out!) of the shower and we enjoyed a Malaysian Curry and some Mah Jong!

Sunday morning dawned, I was immobile again and realised there was no way I would make it there and back to Walthamstow for RevAP's ordination...which I was very gutted about. So, another boring, flat out day continued, with A & M at church I did some bits and pieces at home, but couldn't hoover or do the dishwasher or anything mildly useful! A was preaching at All Saints Church Maldon where they are piloting a new monthly informal evening service on Sunday nights, so he was busy preparing for that during the afternoon while M napped. When he got back we caught up with the season finale of CSI:New York- OMG! Brilliant and cannot believe we have to wait until the next series to find out what happens...

It's now Monday morning and my back is no better - so called the doctor out who said I have pulled muscles all along the base of my back and a number of trapped nerves, so he's prescribed Valium (!) and some anti inflammatory drugs as well as telling me I shouldn't sit or stand for longer than 20 minutes at a time, shouldn't drive or lift M! Brilliant! This could be an interesting week!

where i am at the moment: in the dining room. Having got downstairs initially this morning, and had the consultation with the doctor, I can't get upstairs again so I'm on the youth lap top instead of my work one!

on my to-do list this week: the to do list has slightly changed from this morning! I'm now organising cover for me for this weekend's Bradwell Pilgrimage as I won't be able to be as active as I'd hoped. Thankfully I have a team already lined up of amazing youth workers and volunteers so we should be alright - I'll just have to sit on the sidelines and bark orders! I'm also taking the opportunity of immobility to catch up on some admin tasks, get a few jobs done for Falcon Camp and various other little bits and pieces - but only for 20 minutes stretches!!

procrastinating about: nothing, I feel as though this week is going to be the complete opposite - all the things I need to do I can't do, rather than putting them off!! I am not good at being bored, but as some of my lovely Hub youthworkers have already pointed out, I need to learn from my own teaching about Deep Rest! Seriously, I know how bad chronic back pain can be and I am going to do my best to rest well and get properly better otherwise I know this could be a recurring problem. 

book i’m in the midst of: Fortune's Rocks still from last week, also started Jesus Wants to Save Christians by Rob Bell which I have had for a while but it got nabbed by A and he's only just given it over (after reading 3 times!) so that's a good review. A also bought me Marie Claire and it came with a free novel so I might get into that this week to ease the boredom!

music that seemed to catch my attention this past week: enjoyed Glastonbury on TV this weekend, particularly the Ting Tings and Blur's comeback...

next trip: nothing until Falcon Camp in 4 weeks time arrrrrgggghhhh!

stuff I'm into on TV/films right now: CSI I've already mentioned and when one series ends, another begins! Sky+ is set to record CSI: Miami from Tuesday night. Also watched the first in the Revelations series on Channel 4 last night, all about the Alpha course. Maybe I'll blog about that later this week...but the presenter irritated me a lot!

Youth work done/upcoming: Bradwell Pilgrimage this weekend, engaging with young people at this annual family event, as well as Giraffe on Sunday night and visiting two youth groups next week, hopefully the back will be better by then.

What did you eat this weekend?? Malaysian Curry (Gordon Ramsey's), Linguine with Broccoli and Stilton, Ploughman's lunch with lovely local ham from Buntings (our new best friends, they have just started doing online orders and delivery! yay!)...and I made the breakfast seed bars from Phil Vickery's Gluten Free cooking book which are yummy. Did them with condensed Caramel which made a change, very moreish!