Bartimaeus

Arriving back in Blighty by ferry was an interesting experience. We have done that crossing before but I wasn’t as interested in the rope use then. A lone woman cast off from the Netherlands after sunset. After sunrise there was a large crew and two men carrying the heavy ropes ashore.

Back in Edinburgh we started with a series of medical appointments: winter jabs for both of us; GP and physio for me; scan and dentist for Shane. My hip was already much improved by the time I saw anyone but I have exercises anyway and felt reassured that I didn’t have a permanent bad hip but was suffering the after effects of a slip at a lock where I had landed on the line of bricks that are there to help you push against and stop you slipping!. I shouldn’t expect recovery until 4-6 weeks after. All was going in the right direction.

As walking got easier I started going for walks and had a few by the canal. The first one was on an icy path by a frozen canal. We didn’t fancy slipping into that. Later the weather became milder and the canal thawed and it felt safer to stroll there then and a rower was out practising. The wet weather persisted and some days walks did not appeal and there was water where there shouldn’t be at all.

I washed the cardigan I had been knitting and it was handed over to the family by Nye. I had a mixture of wools and experimental edging which looks a little watery but feels very soft.

I embarked on another project using wool Nye gave me three years ago and I had not got round to using it. The wool was from Marple wool shop and is a sock yarn and its colour name is “water-cum-jolly Dale”. I am making cosy socks and think that will be useful on the boat where the floor is about canal temperature. One done and should be finished the other before Christmas.

On the day Shane was to see the oncologist for his scan results it was less wet and he was preparing to cycle there. Meantime I headed to Portobello to meet a friend who had had a brain tumour removed. She has had a significantly harder year. She was pleased to be phasing back into work but still walking with a stick as a result of brain surgery. Again we are so lucky to have had so few and less long lasting effects. Shane messaged me before I left her to say his scan was clear so no need to be seen for another 6 months I went in to my second engagement to see my niece, with good news. After late lunch, exchanging cards and a long chat we had a stroll down the promenade at sunset, a rosy view ahead.