Wednesday 07 June 2023

I went for a walk this morning before work.  Leading up to our holiday in France I was a wee bit apprehensive about my knee.  My right knee that is.  Lefty has been holding its own admirably.  Mr Right has been giving me a bit of grief over the last few years, probably due to the quick twists and turns it suffered daily whilst I was working in the cafe.  Despite a few months of physiotherapy, a change of “career” and a bit of semi-regular street walking, I was still having pain.  How would my knee cope with the amount of walking we were sure to do over our four week venture through France?

Well I will tell you how it coped – magnificently!  I was a bit tentative with it at first – trying to remember all that the physio had told me.  But before long I noticed that noticing it I was not!  There was no longer any pain. What was the source of this miracle I hear you ask?  Why France, obviously!  I’m taking it as a sign.

Anyway, back to my walk this morning.  It was cold. I wore a hoodie, thinking I’d warm up pretty quickly.  I did not. I actually hugged myself a lot of the way.

And the grass verges were shabby.  Yes, I know it’s winter and there has been a bit, well okay a lot of rain, but do people not take any pride in their properties anymore?  

And then I started remembering all the beautiful stone walls that were everywhere in France.  This was the wall that greeted me as I reached the half-way point of my walk. Sigh.

I’m starting to realise just how much my surroundings affect me.  I think I have Aesthetically Affected Syndrome.  I made that up.  But I think it’s a thing.  (If it is a thing and I’ve now discovered it before anyone else, this could be the answer to our “How do we become independently wealthy?” question.  Must follow this up.)

But then I noticed that some of my old favs were still looking pretty attractive.  I’m grateful when people make an effort with their gardens.  I for one am certainly uplifted by their handiwork.

Do they make up for the place I have just left behind?  Is it bad of me to say no?  

I arrived back at our driveway, where I noticed the letterbox garden was in dire need of some attention.  I walked up our driveway and noticed the piles of leaves that were scattered all over it, waiting to be cleared away.  I arrived at our house, noticing the soggy lawn complete with tyre tracks from Heir Number One’s ute and piles of dirt from the current drainage works for our garage Upper Room project  (also part of our “How to Become Independently Wealthy” quest).

And virtuous Renie said “I think you should jolly well sort out that big messy property log in your own eye before going after any neighbouring eye-logs.”

To which judgey, grumpy Renie replied “Go away virtuous Renie.  You’re annoying.”