I have no photographs from yesterday. How did this happen?
Yesterday morning I drove out to visit my people and half way down the road, I discovered that my body is not ready for the driver’s seat yet. But I had promised so I continued. When I got home, I did only critical things like waters then I banished myself to the couch (without moving) for two hours. By then it was almost dark and very slowly I went to feed out. Eleven eggs yesterday and a sore Celi.
I Am fine standing, lying, sitting on the edge of a chair, I can even bend a little more but no car. No shopping (Oh the horror if it! Laugh.).
My eldest son said to me a few days ago.
“You know what your biggest problem will be?”
“What darling” I said, the phone in one hand and the poker for the fire in the other.
“You will feel better and think you Are better.”
“If I feel better I won’t be better?”
“No, you will still be healing. And you can easily break the bone all over again if you are not careful, especially when it has only just finished knitting. Then you will be less than better. ”
“Does it do cable?” I opened the fire door and poked at the embers to let in some air.
“What?”
“The knitting bone. Can it do cable, I have always been useless at cable. I can knit and purl but cable.. “. I hung the poker back up with it’s other cast iron sisters on the special cast iron daddy stand. And studied the fire wood pile left for me by some sweet soul who thinks the fire box is three inches longer than it actually is.
“Are you listening to me?” he said.
“Of course I am listening darling, you are the master of the broken bone. We all listen to you when it comes to broken bones and then breaking them again. How is your floating collar bone anyway. Aha.” I spied a nice fat piece just the right length. ” So how will I know when I am better?”
“You have to listen to your body. Then add two weeks.”
“I am listening to my body and it says it needs a drink.”
“You can’t drink and take pain relief.”
“I know, that’s why I cut down” I picked up the piece of firewood one handed and swung it into the fire box. It flew in sideways knocking a handful of embers flying out onto the floor.
“On the drinking?”
“No darling, what a horrible thought, the pain relief.” Licking my fingers and picking up the embers that had flown out, I threw them back in. My mouth tasted sooty. I pulled myself up and kicked the last few little fire starters onto the tile. I bashed the wood a few times with the wood fire door then latched it shut.
“You shouldn’t drink and take pain meds, Mum.”
“I know darling. I don’t drink ALL day.”
A paternal pause. “Well, remember what I said. This is going to take time. You have to be patient.”
“I know darling but patience is so tedious. I can’t just lounge about like some kind of Roman whore-house mistress forever. My hair is not right for a start. I have nothing to wear. ”
“One more week at least. Ask The Fellowship for another reading list. They are all good readers.”
“Ah. Now that is an excellent idea.”
Do you remember our last reading list? You all wrote your suggestions and then I created a page for all of us to print out. Wait there, I will find it – so you can see where we left off last year. Here it is – 95 books to read. And yes I have about read them all now, it was a year ago after all.
So if you have a book you recommend – put the title and author in the comments lounge today or tomorrow. And I will make us a new list. And copy it into the next days post. Just in time for the holidays. That should keep us out of trouble for a while!
Oh, I am looking forward to this!
your friend on the couch,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
109 responses to “So: What are you reading?”
Have you broken your coccyx bone.?? That could require an operation, you know that depending on the position of the bone that is broken…
It is very very rare to actually break the coccyx. It is more likely that there is a miniscule hairline fracture or a wee chip but mostly the pain comes from the torn ligaments and tissues and so forth that hold everything is their rightful places. Tearing these away from the bone is the bad thing. These are the ones i am working on knitting and easing back into place. It is just time, it will be alright, thank you for worrying though. c
My eldest daughter broke hers and she had to have an op to remove the broken bit as it would pinch all sorts of things inside there which made all movement very painful for her… but continue to take it easy and I think it was your son?? that said when you think it’s right take an extra week just to be sure… you lead such a hectic life that you must be fixed before returning to full duties or you could do permanent damage…
I think I will be fine, your poor daughter, she must have taken a mighty fall.. i am fairly tough as a rule! Good bones.. c
Your son is wise. Take the time to heal. I’m in the middle of “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain. Let’s just say he doesn’t hold back on his views. Usually though I like reading English murder mysteries.
Feel better soon!
“The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge and the World’s Greatest Piece of Cheese” – by Michael Paterniti. Non-fiction, and not the book you think it will be. You’ll know what I mean when you read it. And to lighten it up, if you can find any Elizabeth Goudge through your library or online – “Green Dolphin Country” is set in Guernsey and then New Zealand during colonization. It’s quite dated as there are some racial issues that betray her time period (Maoris as cannibals/savages type of thing), but it’s still a wonderful read. If you can’t find Green Dolphin Country, try almost anything else by her – the “Little White Horse” was made into the movie Moonacre – and is TONS better than the movie. And since it’s winter, and since others have recommended Rosamunde Pilcher, for a gentle, doze by the fire sort of read, try Pilcher’s “Winter Solstice”. And one good thing about this time of year is that the sun (if you see it) goes over the yardarm quite early on!
I have an unedited and unread detective novel I can send you if you’re desperate. It’s good actually. And if you don’t have a doughnut to sit on (the cushion kind, not the jelly-filled kind) I’d suggest getting one. If it’s healing on its own, you should be fine, given you’re allergic to doctors. But if you sit on hard surfaces or let your tailbone hit things as you sit, not only will it not get better, you could make it worse.
But you already know that.
I certainly don’t need to be desperate to want to read one of your new works in progress! That would be great. I bit the bullet and ordered the dough – nut designed for this injury, so that should be delivered soon.. I hope! I think it will make life a lot easier. c
You know what I always say, watch your arse and it’ll watch you. Okay, I never say that, but I could.
I’d be happy to let you read my book. That would be awesome. I wrote it as practice for Jeanne Dark, my synesthete detective. That one is in progress.
Even better.. How will you send it? I look forward to that.. fancy writing a book for practise! Fantastic you are.. c
If you have a Kindle, I can convert it to Kindle format (or ePub for an iPad. Otherwise, I can send it in pdf.
I do have a kindle but you will have to talk me through the steps to download it from you to the kindle, previous to this it has all been through amazon..
As I bet you’ve been told several times today, driving is just about the worst thing you can do. Your son is one very good advisor, although I’m with you on meds and wine in the evening. By the way, the All Blacks came and taught Europe how to play rugby. They are the only side EVER to complete a whole year unbeaten in the world. We, as usual, lost very graciously 🙂
Knowing you need to take time for your body to heal. Also knowing you have so many things that need to be done. It’s an exercise in patience that I’m not so good at and it doesn’t sound like you are necessarily good at either. Usually, the part that needs to get things done wins and healing takes much longer than necessary as a result.
When I get a chance to read something, it’s typically a farming/homesteading book. I have a stack next to my bed that is waiting for me to open them again.
Seriously, force yourself to take it easy, please. I am recovering from the same injury but mine happened about a week before yours, so it will be 3 weeks tomorrow. Your son is right. I began to feel so much better this week and so pressured to get caught up because of the holidays that I’ve overdone everything and now regret it. I walked too far, bought too many bottles of wine that had to be carried home, me being car-free, and did too much heavy laundry. I’m back to where I was last week and it’s frustrating.
Reading Frederick Forsyth’s ‘The Deceiver’ for nostalgia and T.C. Boyle’s ‘The Tortilla Curtain’ for its brilliance and comedy.
Sending healing thoughts.
Thank you for telling me that Mary, i shall be careful. Hope you get to feel a bit better soon, though at the very least you injured yourself carrying wine home so it was in a noble cause!
Hi Celi
I’ve been reading your blog for some time, between Boulderneigh and Myth & Moor. Love you all! Terri Windling has a wonderful drawing and poem extract today on Myth & Moor about the slow process of healing. What timing! Do check it out and know you are not alone. And Boulderneigh has liniment for sore muscles.
Wishing you comfort!
Margaret
Thank you margaret, i shall pop over and have a look! c
I used to hate it when my parents didn’t listen to my advice 🙂 🙂 Laura
I still do! 😉
you guys .. make me laugh!! c
Just remember to laugh gently!
PS. Cabling isn’t hard, just fearsome. It’s just dropping stitches! And you don’t have to panic and tink back either. 😉
Yes, your son sounds like he knows exactly what he is talking about. Here are some books I love.
If you like Irish family stories, Alice McDermott. Charming Billy favorite.
Also: After This. Somebody. That night. All terrific.
For screamingly funny–BillBryson a Walk in the Woods. I’ll have to read One Summer in America
Yes! Loved loved The Life of Pi.
For books about border collies and life on the farm anything by Jon Katz.
Old Filth. The Man in the Wooden Hat . Both by Jane Gardam
I’d better try Moby Dick! Maybe I’m at last ready for it too.
Glad you’re taking it easy, as difficult as that may be!!
Oh dear – you’ve said it all, its all been said to you so I won’t bend your ear but instead just wish … Here’re a couple of new books for your list – favourites all:
Darwin’s Ghosts by Rebecca Stott – sounds dry as, but a truly fascinating look at the men and ideas that might have beat Darwin to his theory …
The Paris Wife, Paula McLain – fictionalisation of Hadley Richardson and Ernest Hemmingway in Paris between the wars – everyone was there …
Just Kids, Patti Smith – Patti and Robert Mapplethorpe were just kids, but were determined to be Artists … eking out a living, creating their lives in New York in the late 60s – everyone was there …
Fingers crossed for you, Celi
Ouch! Glad you’re son is so forthright. Books: Where Did You Go, Bernadette (a nice antidote to our current OCD culture); an old sic-fi book making a well-deserved comeback: Ender’s Game; pure but enjoyable escapism: The Silent Wife; the book I would have read 40 years ago if I’d known it was as great as it turned out to be: The Good Earth.
I’m reading “Mother Said: Poems” by Hal Sirowitz which is deliciously funny. You can find info at http://www.amazon.com/Hal-Sirowitz/e/B001H6N8I2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
You’ve raised a sensible son. 🙂 ’nuff said.