Spring tides

At certain times of year the tides are high and low enough to change the whole appearance of the beach at Seaton Carew. The submerged forest starts to emerge for short periods.


It's the remains of fens and a birch and alder forest in a peat bed from 8000 years ago when there was still a land bridge from England to Europe.

These posts, however, are the remnants of the supports of some drainage pipework from the 20th Century rather than anything foresty from the Mesolithic. Does make me think of Flag Fen, though.

Happy Mothers' Day

A cold and blustery day after yesterday's sunshine. Had to wear a hat when we went for our walk this morning. Managed to find increasing patches of colour in the garden, though.



My next photographic mission is to capture the woodpecker who has started visiting J's feeding station. Every time I creak onto the deck to try to snap him, he shoots off like a dart.


My gift from j today was a tidy room. I have been nagging him for such a long time to decontaminate his bedroom and now it is done. I'm content. Doesn't take much now, does it?

Considering a decision

I'm on the fence about the whole surgery thing.

When I told j, my son about it he was really enthusiastic: 'Go for it', 'I'd have it done tomorrow!'

He's not fat. He used to be but still thinks he is. I've managed to mess him up too.

My husband, J, says I should do what I want. Thing is, it isn't what I want, but what I seem to need. It seems so extreme.

I've been tossing it around in my head. I think the problem stems from the fact that I had been thinking that surgery - especially NHS surgery, here in England - was only for people whose issues were much bigger than mine and I didn't want to accept that I am in the same place as them.

I've asked my GP to refer me, but am still thinking about it.

In the spring...

...a young frog’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.

(I don't suppose Tennyson will mind too much)



Our pond isjust one big frog orgy at the moment.


14 degrees this morning!
Walked through Cowpen Marsh this morning and took my fleece off!


The water birds are all starting to pair up and the swans are gathering nesting materials. It definitely feels springy.

Health issues discussed, look away now

I'm wary that this is turning into a catalogue of health issues. An update anyway:

I haven't managed to lower my blood pressure by relaxation, exercising and wrestling with my diet, so I've now started to take some medication to help reduce it. I also had a chat with the partner I'm now seeing at my GP surgery and have started to take Orlistat to help with the weight loss. I must say, the side effects read as very glamourous.

She also asked me if I wanted her to refer me for gastric band surgery, which is done on the NHS in the next Health Authority.
I must admit, the idea floored me at first. It just seemed so far out there.

I've been doing some research. This is what they do:


Some of the resources I've been looking at.
UK Gastric Band
Living with a lap band
Gwen's WLS Blog
WLSInfo

We're going to discuss it some more at my next appointment.
In the meantime....

More monkey business

I succumbed and wound this into a ball.




Then I cast on for another pair of Monkeys.

My bad...