Leg Cramps.

The day has been notable for being extremely warm. In the morning there were dark grey clouds over the mountains but the inshore wind blew them right away from us. Later in the afternoon while I was in town the clouds dropped down to ground level bringing gentle rain for a while.

I had a hard time getting to sleep last night due to severe muscle cramps in my shins which is not something that has happened before. Staying in bed was too painful so I got up for a while. In case it was caused by electrolyte imbalance (I hardly eat any salt at all) I ate some crackers and cheese and have bought a bag of crisps for today. It was either that or too much standing at the top of the stepladder when cutting the hedge, though I've often done that before or ..... and this is a possibility, I saw something on FB about how adults in the West mostly can't do a sitting squat but this is something I can do. So when it came to picking up all the hedge cuttings and putting them in bags, instead of bending down which is really hard on my back I hunkered down, feet flat on the ground and worked from that position. Maybe I spent a bit too long in that position.

 

At the stables I had Betsi again which was fine by me as she is very nice to ride. Unusually for an arab she enjoys doing basic dressage in the school. No cantering today but we spent most of the lesson in sitting trot which I prefer to rising trot. One less thing to think about and I can focus on giving leg aids effectively.

                              

After the lesson I took more hedge cuttings to the dump before calling in at Hahav. There I found the right sized frame and mount for a charcoal sketch I had bought for Peter's birthday. For the last few weeks I've been going round all the charity shops with a piece of paper the size of the sketch looking for a decent frame. Later in the afternoon while Peter was at his Spanish conversation group I put the sketch in the frame and wrapped it though now I'm not so sure about the picture (a cottage by a small lake in the Welsh hills). Still I have other presents for him as well.

Since coming home I've made more stewed apple, prepared a salad for supper, got some washing done and had a shower before finally relaxing while watching an episode of Supernanny with a mug of tea. I wish she had been around to teach me to be a better parent. I had no role models as my mother was distinctly hands off and I was quite independent from the age of 11. (Weren't we all in those days?) I wasn't the most patient of parents.

I like how the red of the knautia is reflected in the leaves of the white hydrangea. A fortuitous pairing.