We are all wearing masks - outside the Barge that is - keeping some spares in the car lest we forget the dress code when going out. Beyond this minor inconvenience and the gloomy forecasts of dangers lurking ahead, there is nothing much to get excited about in our otherwise happy life of retirement.....However.....
Dr. David Grimes has caused me to think with much more clarity, by his recent posting on Covid 19.
"Physical methods of protection against the virus are very damaging and not very effective. To prepare for the end of lockdown we must protect ourselves by optimising our internal immunity by taking Vitamin D 4,000 units daily. So we must correct our Vitamin D deficiency!"
"Bottom Line:The safe upper limit of intake is set at 4000 IU/day. Intake in the range of 40,000–100,000 IU/day (10-25 times the recommended upper limit) has been linked with toxicity in humans."
That aside, much to our collective disappointment, the pantomime group, "Creme Anglaise" has had to cancel this year's show because of the pandemic. This would have been three full performances of "Aladin". (Last year's two performances of 'Cinderella' were a great success) However, not to be beaten, our highly esteemed chair-lady, Kim, and her very democratically led committee called together all members to the town hall car park - grouped together in a large circle, - with the correct safe distance between us all - we all agreed what we could do to hold the group together this Christmas season.
A Dinner Party preceded by a very small version of the pantomime, (using the theatre stage facilities for perhaps just one hour) - this to be followed by a dinner put together by some skilled foodies within our midst, and then by a choral sing-song/cabaret, arranged by me (I was Volunteered !)
The "choir idea" was first mooted last year when certain enthusiastic group members were heard lustily singing carols in the streets of Evran at the annual Christmas market. Happily, there seems to be much initial enthusiasm to develop this idea which would, apart from the joy of singing, become a conduit for panto singing parts and stars of the future.
Thus I am to form and train a new "Creme Anglaise" choir. We have a mere 8 weeks to get it together. Zut alors!
Moving on.....You will remember from my last post that although most of our re-painting is complete, Body & Soul has a rather patchy, rusty, roof, now half repainted, (18 x 3 meters, de-rusted, filled, undercoated, top coated x 2) but the weather has finally gone wrong, making the whole thing look a bit of a mess. This project is at the stage when I half-wish I had never started. We're hoping for a late 'Indian summer', in order to get the other half of the job done.
Twenty paces up the canal from Body & Soul is our friend Anita's fully furnished "Canal Cottage" complete with sizeable garden and useful tool shed including a lawn mower....yes you've guessed...but hopefully my services are only needed once more this season - It is 'good exercise' they say.
About Kate Gilbert's book Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PGA) and Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) The book is written by this remarkable lady to support poor sufferers of these two conditions. PGA is often is followed by GCA but GCA (Giant Cell Arteritis) is much more dangerous if not treated early in its inception because it can lead to irreparable blindness.
Deservedly, this book has excellent references from fellow sufferers....
"5tars are not enough for this wonderful book. I believe every PMR-GCA sufferer and their family, friends and work colleagues would gain a full understanding of our issues by reading the book."
"The author writes with great clarity and, while she doesn't blind us with science, she nevertheless gives us the most recent findings by clinical researchers which hold out hope that there are discoveries just around the corner..."
"This is so clear and informative I so wish it had been available in the early days of my PMR diagnosis."
If you are unable to order the book from Amazon yourself, please write to [email protected] to order via PMRGCAuk.
So, at the moment, It really isn't all plain sailing, y'know - is it?
.