I have completed my pledged 100 miles in the May Mega Miles Challenge in support of the Charity for Civil Servants.

The Charity for Civil Servants supports current, former and retired civil servants when they face tough times.  From mental health struggles and financial assistance to relationship issues, getting through grief, and coping with disability, they’re here to help people stay strong, whatever life brings.

It has helped towards my yearly Country Walking Walk 1000 miles challenge

It was a slow walking day for me on bank holiday monday. No lovely walks just a short shopping trip to the city where I managed to get most of my 10000 steps in.

The reason my walking was slow is that somehow this week I have managed to hurt my back… It played up earlier in the week and then stopped causing me a problem.

Mr C and I visited a garden centre on saturday. We only went to buy one plant for a recently acquired pot! We got a bit carried away (as you do ). On sunday afternoon we did a spot of gardening; weeding, pruning and planting up our purchases in patio pots.

I felt a slight twinge in my back as I leaned over to prune one of the plants leading me to sit down to finish the job. I thought nothing more of it.

Gardening activities for the day complete, I ran a bath for a well earned soak. As I was leaning over to add some cold water to achieve the perfect temperature I felt excruciating pain in my back. Immediately I stood up straight from my leaned over position, the pain was excruciating.I was fairly sure that the weak point in my back had trapped my sciatic nerve (again). The first time for many years.

I looked at the warm welcoming water that I knew would help ease the pain in my back but on balance I couldn’t be sure I could get out of the bath easily, even with help… Sadly I decided that discretion was the better part of valour and that I would forgo my bathing experience…

Problems with a trapped sciatic nerve are best relieved by standing or walking rather than sitting. Hence my slow walking in the city with Mr C on his shopping trip. My back was suitable eased by the walking. So when I got home I was able to step into the bath and stand for a shower. The heat of the water eased my back even more, as I knew it would.

I took my camera into the city but was not inspired to take any photographs so I will leave you with a picture of our ‘Fine Dining’, although sadly the weather did not allow for a ‘Fine Dining on the Patio‘ experience

Bernard Levin

The last few weeks have presented challenges for me. Getting in a daily walk, even a small walk has been difficult to fit in around the challenges…

Yesterday was one of those days. Mr C and I had to make a journey that takes a couple of hours in order to register the death of my elderly aunt who recently passed away. We had made a similar journey just a few days before to pick up the instructions she had neatly detailed for us for when her time came.

The weather was kind to us, treating us to lovely countryside views as we made our journey there and back. We weren’t sure how long the registration (and other things we needed to do) would take so we booked into a local restaurant for an evening meal, rather than cooking at home.

I was partly regretting the option of dining in a restaurant… The weather was perfect for dining out in our garden. We stuck with restaurant plan which allowed me to step out into the sunshine on one of my local walks before it was time to dine

We enjoyed our meal out. When we arrived back home Mr C poured a couple of glasses of wine, taking them out to our patio table so that we could enjoy the final rays of sunshine.

A blackbird sang to us and other birds chirruped in the background. I was overjoyed when a couple of bats arrived and flitted around over my garden. So perfect for calming the soul

(I didn’t take any pictures from my walk or garden. This photo is from my patio in April 2018)

During the season Hodnet Hall is open every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday but only three times on Wednesdays. Today was the first of those days and as Hodnet Hall is one of my favourite gardens I couldn’t miss the opportunity.

There were a few challenges along the way; newly laid chippings on the road with a 10 mile an hour speed limit, the car park was rather full when I arrived and two coaches had just pulled in meaning the teashop was rather full and there was a queue.. Eventually I got served and dropped lucky with a nearby table being vacated just after I had finished paying.

I had a relaxing afternoon in the sun enjoying the gardens and the bluebell walk. The light and colour is always spectacular at this time of year.

A perfect end to the day (although it was tinged with some sad news about an elderly relative as we were preparing dinner) was another opportunity for a Fine Dining experience on the patio.

Today was delightfully sunny, a perfect day for clothes washing and hanging them outside to dry. It might sound a bit sad but I really enjoy hanging washing outside in my garden. I also use it as an opportunity to get in extra walking steps by only taking out one piece of washing at a time.

My washing all pegged out and blowing in the gentle breeze left me the perfect opportunity for an afternoon walk in the beautiful sunshine. I stepped out on some local pathways to see how spring was progressing.

Later in the day I enjoyed Fine Dining on my Patio as the sun went down behind the beautiful oak tree at the bottom of my garden.