16/02/21 Spring?

A big change in the weather - at 01:00 it's 9C outside - and yesterday was a bright sunny spring-like day with some real warmth and freshness in it once the rain stopped in the morning. Very uplifting for the spirits, which to be frank I needed after a couple of difficult days at home when the cold and everything else has been getting to both of us a bit. I know the combination of the lockdown and all the rest is going to need huge reserves of patience and tolerance on all sides, but it's easier to write that than it is to live through it.  And I also know that the effects of the drugs I'm on don't necessarily make me any easier to live with...

Despite all that I spent most of the day at home, reading up on early myeloma diagnosis and then playing the usual weekday online backgammon. Not a good day for me, with the dice giving my opponent double after double and me nothing useful. Lost the day 3-1. Between those I fitted in a walk to Pepper's Green Lane which helped get my Activity Level up to (and over) the mark, but I had trouble getting a decent pace up or keeping it going for more than a dozen yards or so. I need to build up a bit after being housebound during the recent freeze.

One good thing - the sheepskin-lined gloves kept my fingers warm enough.

One bad thing - the plastic bit that locks the lid of my Adteq pill boxes broke a day or two ago, so I had to order a new one from Amazon. That's the second identical failure. I suppose one new one a year at GBP 8 or so isn't too bad. Now wondering whether to get another one in as a spare, just in case.

Pepper's Green Lane in a very early spring:

There's been a moth in my study this evening. A very small one, but definitely a moth. Either a very late one from autumn 2020, or a very early 2021 one. Last year I didn't see a single moth, neither inside nor out.

14/02/21 Warmer, and some reading matter

Warmer today, getting up to +4C early afternoon. Made it to Oaklands Park, coffee (cold and breezy on bench!) and a rather short walk before retreating to the comfort of the car. Sheepskin-lined gloves passed their first test, and splits no worse than they were before. Request for hints'n'tips on the Myeloma FB group produced little beyond a few people's favourite hand creams and olive oil. Passed my activity target (444/400) with an hour of the day left to go.

I now have some heavy reading to do - Myeloma: State of the Nation and a lengthy piece from Science in Parliament (the Journal of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee). I'll be back later...

13/02/21 (3) Target beaten

Exceeded my activity target (by 592/400 so far) just by spending most of the day in the kitchen. Too cold etc. to get out for a walk, but hoping for better things tomorrow. Made some heart-shaped signature Cheesy Parmesan Biscuits in advance of the day - quite a lot have disappeared already. Use of a heart-shaped cutter not an idea of mine, BTW, I stole it from a friend.

Minus 2C outside now. Stayed below freezing all day. BBC weather says it will gradually climb into positive territory through the day tomorrow. I hope so, because my "mental health" needs me to get out of the house.

01:20 UPDATE: Outside temperature up to 0C. Things are getting warmer. There's hope for tomorrow after Pill Organisation.

13/02/21 (2) Five

09:15, and minus 5 outside according to Alexa although it is bright and sunny, if windy. Good thing I have a kitchen day planned because I'm not going outside in that. Not with these hands, not even with the new sheepskin gloves.

D*mn dex!!

Photo shows ice building up in the small pond, with just the pump outflow still going. Photo taken from inside the kitchen with the 10x zoom in the new phone. The vertical bars are part of the anti-heron defences.

13/02/21 Butter, egg, biscuits

01:24 and Alexa says minus 4C outside, and set to stay below zero all day. Too cold for my dex-affected fingers. Luckily I have lots to do in the kitchen - make both spreadable and hard butter, clean the cat drinking fountain, and make a batch of slightly different from usual signature Cheesy Parmesan Biscuits. As well as lunch and dinner. Today we had a couple of our neighbour's eggs from her chickens poached in the proper way and on toast for lunch. Small, but delicious!

(That's a stock image, not one of mine!)

Sunday should see a return to better temperatures, so a good chance of getting out to test the new sheepskin-lined gloves. I need to get out - the combination of the weather and my finger splits has kept me inside for too long. Cabin fever is approaching, and that won't help the last online backgammon session of the week, postponed from yesterday evening to later this morning.

The second Test Match with India starts at 04:00 UK time. I've set my alarms to see the toss and the first few overs.

Myeloma? Forget it. This weekend is going to be devoted to normal life, as far as I can manage it. Valentine's Day is the main thing.

12/02/21 (2) Panels

I'm now on Myeloma UK's Patient Information Panel as well - mainly reviewing and improving material aimed at patients and carers. That makes three, which is enough.

Another cold day, staying under freezing. I've stayed in to protect my fingers. Doing as many trips up and down the stairs as I can think of reasons for to keep my activity level up.

12/02/21 Normality returns

 Woke up at 05:45 with that old familiar feeling. Up at 5:45. Big Bang Theory, here I come....

Sheepskin-lined gloves arrived yesterday, along with some more silicone finger protectors. Minus 3 outside, but I may be tempted to a short expedition outside if it warms up a bit. OTOH finger splits are improving after a few days inside, don't want to risk knocking them back.