Saturday 12 March 2022

Pain, pain, go away

I made it home on Sunday by mid-afternoon, just in time for another curling game. In the morning, I'd gone out to shovel a bit more to clear out part of the alley way, as the snow clearing crew had yet to come through. There was enough truck and SUV traffic (neighbours across the way and next door) that I figured I could make my way out with my smaller Corolla. There was one spot right at the street that was heavy going but I made it through. Staying for the extra day meant the highways had been cleared and it was smooth sailing from there.

C had shovelled the driveway while I was gone, but the sidewalk to the backyard needed clearing. On Monday I went out to feed the birds, and shovelled my way there. Unfortunately, I twisted something in my lower back and hip when I lifted some of the snow. I kept moving for most of the day, as I found if I sat it was worse when I got up. Tuesday was slightly better, and that has been the pattern, each day there is less pain and more ease of movement. Though I must admit, I gave up on wearing socks for a few days.

We had blowing snow on Tuesday. It wasn't as bad here in the city but the highways leading in were in rough shape. My brother texted to tell me he was taking the day off because of the highway conditions. It turned out that was a good thing, as he spent much of the morning getting vehicles out of the ditch near his home. His neighbour, pulling a snowmobile trailer, slid into the ditch at the end of his driveway. R went out to help - they were able to get the trailer out with R's truck, but had to get another neighbour with tire chains on his vehicle to pull the truck out. Meanwhile that second neighbour's daughter's vehicle was in the ditch further down the road, and the tow truck arrived just as they finished to winch her vehicle out. Full morning! There are reasons I'm happy to live in the city. (If you've ever heard the Corb Lund song "Truck Got Stuck", you'll know what this scenario reminded me of.)

I did go out that day to the nearby Canadian Tire to have the headlight in my car replaced. I've been driving with a single headlight for awhile now, and finally got around to making an appointment to have it repaired. Did you ever play the game paddidle/perdiddle as a kid? I wonder how many kids scored a point from spotting me. I'm not sure why but when I realized I had a headlight out, I started noticing a lot more vehicles that also had that problem. Back at the store, I wandered the aisles while I waited for the work to be done. I was home within an hour and didn't buy anything else. 

The cold weather has stuck around for the past week, Thursday was cold and the winds picked up again resulting in more blowing snow advisories. D and Eli had planned to go to his therapy in a nearby community but she (wisely) decided to postpone the appointment and stay home.

I headed out early in the morning to pick up a few groceries. The biggest purchase was bird seed. They're going through it quickly, helped by the Hoovers and a rabbit/hare that has found a way to wiggle beneath the gate. The latter leaves clear evidence it has been below the feeder. The photo below includes a bird I'm trying to identify. It's the one on the right and appears to have a red streak on it's back or tail. I've sent the photo to my brother but haven't yet heard back from him. The photo isn't very good, it was obviously shot in low light, and I was shooting through the sun room window, as far away as I could be, because each time I got closer the birds flew away. 

By Thursday evening, my back was giving me grief again. This time it was my upper right shoulder. Darned if I know what I did, but I must have pulled a muscle somehow. It resolved fairly quickly, as I'm feeling much better today. The hip/lower back pain is negligible by this point, only a bit of pain if I make certain movements. 

Thank goodness for curling, as I wasn't up to doing my normal cleaning routine. I did manage to get in my steps though, as sitting for prolonged periods was harder on my back than standing or moving, so I spent a lot of time pacing during the breaks in action. I did manage to get the laundry done, filed my income tax return, and worked on Ancestry. I've been trying to determine how my 3X great grandmother immigrated to Canada about 1852. She wasn't married yet, so I'm assuming she travelled with a family, likely as a domestic. From my research, thus far, it appears she was the only member of her immediate family to immigrate.  

Oh, in answer to a question on the wordless Wednesday, that was a Hungarian partridge. It had perched itself on the top of the pile of snow from the neighbour's driveway. I'm not sure why because it was least sheltered area and the wind was howling at that point. Silly bird. 

I did have a welcome visitor to the yard yesterday.

Check it out - it is mostly brown! Spring must be coming or else it is overly optimistic. Actually the temperatures are on the rise today. We're expecting to reach 3C (36F) later this afternoon. Unfortunately the warmer temp means the possibility of rain. That will help melt the snow, but will freeze overnight. I'd appreciate the wind now as it would dry up the moisture quickly. It's that time of year and it won't be long before, like the hare, there will patches of brown to be seen. 

On the topic of curling, here are two more games today, and two tomorrow. Our Saskatchewan men have made it into the playoffs.  A win this afternoon and they'll have the opportunity to play again tomorrow, a loss will take them out. 

And on that note, I'll wrap this up, wishing you all a good week ahead. 






28 comments:

  1. Pulled muscles are the worst. Once you get a strain it seems to snake its way all around. Glad each day is getting better. Just don't over do it.
    Your weather sounds just miserable. so many slide offs - my goodness.
    Hope this coming week is better for you. Love seeing all your yard critters!!!!

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    1. The warmer weather does seem to have arrived, it was above freezing yesterday afternoon. We've more snow in the forecast but warm temps too so it should melt quickly.

      I enjoy the critters that visit my yard too. :)

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  2. When you mentioned your one eyed car I thought you must have made a lot of teenage boys on date happy to spot you:) We called it One Eyed Jack in high school but I think paddidle is what most people called it.
    Feel for you with the back. I sprung mine yesterday and while it is painful at times, I am mostly functional also. Mine was from trying to move heavy furniture. Hang in there, we will both get past this.

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    1. Hope your back is feeling better soon Patti. Take it easy for a bit...be a sloth like I was for most of the week.

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  3. Oh dear, I hope you feel much better soon. I have never in my life experienced the "joys" of shoveling snow.
    We called one eyed cars "Popeyes" and if you called it first you could thump whoever was in the car with you (except the driver)on the head. I have no idea why. I just played the game!

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    1. You're quite welcome to come visit Anne, just to experience the "joy" of shovelling snow. :p

      I don't recall being able to thump anyone but we sure looked out for the one eyed cars.

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  4. I do hope your back and shoulder improve. Pain is not something that is good whenever you do a small task.

    Rest, relax and make sure you are fully healed.

    God bless.

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    1. Thanks Jackie, I'm definitely feeling much better and the list of things to do is long.

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  5. Pulled muscles and back spasms are the worse. I hope you feel better soon.

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    1. Thanks Debby, I definitely am feeling better.

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  6. Back pains are terrible as they affect everything you do, and often interfere with rest, which is a killer. They also affect all other parts of the body. I hope your pain does indeed go away, and fast.

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    1. Thanks John, it is pretty much gone. No problem putting on socks or bending over to feed the cats. Very importan tasks. :)

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  7. Ouch! Do you have a heating pad?

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    1. No heating pad. I think there is bag of rice (in cloth) in the linen closet but I never think to use it.

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  8. I hope things improve soon. Have you tried heat and stretching?

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    1. Thanks Barb. No heat but definitely did some gentle stretching as the pain lessened.

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  9. I do not know what kind of bird that is, I tend to call all of them beauty birds. There are many I can identify but I love them all.

    The one thing I have not seen in my yard is a bunny. I have had a fox, opossum, skunk, racoon, turkey vulture and an owl. I have had to rescue a baby opossum and owl. I am grateful for wild animal rescues that can take care of them until they are old enough to be returned to the wild.

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    1. There are no opossums here, and I wouldn't welcome a skunk, and thus far there aren't many raccoons in the city.

      The hares are prolific here and I suspect I'll be seeing young ones in the next 6 weeks or so.

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  10. I commiserate and send lots of healing energy. It's so easy to twist or pull something and oh, boy, it can take a while to heal when we're mature in age, as I know too well. Lol.

    It seems your winter is hanging on too long as well. Take it easy out there!

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    1. Thanks Kim! I've got my fingers crossed that the warmer temps will take care of a lot of the snow this week. already I'm seeing signs of dirty snow ...that's a good sign.

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  11. P.S. Is the bird a purple finch? Maybe female? No idea, I was Googling for Prairie birds.

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    1. I'll keep bugging my brother and I'll keep trying to get a better photo of it.

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  12. You gotta stop getting more snow out there. I want spring to arrive!

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  13. I will tell you what! I had THE absolute hardest time ever when I reached for something in the closet probably 20 years ago and I guess pulled a muscle in my shoulder area. By that evening I was so crippled with pain it took an agonizing several minutes to sit down. The same to get up. I walked totally stiffened up and leaned aganst the wall if I had to stand more than less than a minute. I finally had to be driven to the Dr. who prescribed a narcotic pain reliever. It had to be, the pain was so intense. Those muscle things are the pits!!!!

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    1. I was able to manage with a couple of tylenol extra strength the first day. Definitely not as bad an injury as what you suffered.

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  14. I am glad that you are seeing signs of spring. And I am super happy that your back is improving!

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  15. Hope your back is better soon:) I sure hope Spring is on the way!

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