20 December 06

Solstice

I’ve hurt myself. I slipped yesterday on the plank across the ditch, trying to get Charlie inside before I was late for work. (Ha.) There was frost on the plank, and I came a cropper onto my back. No harm done, thought I after a brief horizontal assessment, but this morning I woke up with a kind of reverse whiplash. Muscle strain, said the doc tonight; it’s going to take about 4 weeks to heal.

!

Anyway, what I wanted to say was this: the best writing I’ve seen for ages and ages is Kathleen Jamie’s Findings, sent to me by my dear friend Joe in Glasgow. There’s a beautiful piece about looking for the darkest dark, failing to find it on a ferry trip to Orkney but finding plenty else to write about. Damn but this gal can write, and as we hunker down before the shortest day the longest night, sucking down anti-inflammatories, it’s a good time to ponder why we’re here. And what we’ll do with the time we have left.

Posted by at 09:06 PM in Miscellaneous | Link |

  1. Ouch! When the doc said “4 weeks to heal,” where does that leave you in the meantime? Are you ambulatory? Did he give you any good drugs?

    I hope you feel better soon (much sooner than four weeks…)


    — Lorianne    21. December 2006, 02:40    Link

  2. Lorianne — thanks. He predicted today it would be worse, then stay like that for 4-5 days, then progressively get better, assuming I don’t aggravate it. And there’s the trick. Having done this kind of thing before, I know it really IS the trick and am glad we have about 9 days off now, going pretty much nowhere, to recover. I had digging plans in the garden but I’m going to watch it…


    — Pica    21. December 2006, 07:00    Link

  3. Well damn. And Ow. And — flat on your back through the holidays? Damn again.

    Anti-inflammatory wishes to you, anyway.


    — Ron Sullivan    21. December 2006, 08:41    Link

  4. Sorry to hear about this. Maybe a good time to take it easy and do some sketching?


    — Dave    21. December 2006, 17:01    Link

  5. Hi Alison,

    I’m de-lurking to wish you a speedy-as-possible recovery!

    I googled Kathleen Jamie & found enough of a sampling to make me want to read Findings. Unfortunately my search of the Yolo, Sac, & Davis library catalogues didn’t turn it up… there was a book by a Kathleen Jamie called “Among Muslims: Everyday Life on the Frontiers of Pakistan” — I wonder if it’s the same author.

    I imagine that with your muscle strain a bike ride any time soon will be out, but I hope we can visit anyway. I’ll be in touch.

    AKM


    — Andrea    21. December 2006, 19:00    Link

  6. Andrea—it’s the same Kathleen Jamie. I’ll lend you the book. Call me tomorrow?


    — Pica    21. December 2006, 20:07    Link

  7. Pica, you need a physiotherapist! If you were over here I would be able to give you some TLC. Will write soon by snail mail. XXX


    — Jenny    22. December 2006, 12:56    Link

  8. Writing from L.A… May your recovery be speedy and complete. My thoughts are with you.


    — virginia    23. December 2006, 21:41    Link

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