Wednesday, bin day and the day I do not have to go to the hospital for an assessment. I slept well last night and wake up with a sense of relief. I can get on with losing weight and getting fit again. I spend time idling and then do some clean up chores, By lunchtime I am ready for a walk down to the village to get a paper. My partner and I walk to the village shop the long way round and pick up fruit and a paper on the way. On our return we sit and eat lunch on the patio. So a slow and gentle morning with the only thing of note being a tax bill. This reminds me that I must do my last tax year return and make sure they know I’ve stopped working in this tax year.

So its time to get myself “world ready”, which means some grooming and then some exercise before the garden guy arrives. All this against the background of avoiding the magnet that is Wimbledon and the craving for sweets.

As am preparing to set about some grooming a friend calls. We chat and compare notes for about 35 minutes. My friend has long COVID and has to manage her energy reserves all the time, so I really appreciate the fact that we spend that time talking. Keeping friendships alive and vibrant is difficult when there is limited energy to put into the effort necessary, so I really do appreciate my friends call. After the call I spend some time readjusting my beard before getting ready to train.

I admit that I get side tracked by Wimbledon for a few minutes as plucky Brits fall short or scrape through. I finally get myself into the garage and set up the rower. emboldened by my performance yesterday I set the resistance level to 5, my normal lowest level. The time is set for 30 minutes and I get under way. The moment I make the first pull I know the difference and know I am in for a demanding half hour. Finishing becomes the task as the muscles feel the strain and begin to burn. I get there, no where near what I would a month ago considered an acceptable session, but I get there.

Pleased that I have completed the session on my usual level I change clothes and record my session while downing a pint of squash. I am realising just how long its going to take me to regain my basic fitness. I need to mix up my exercise so I need to think about difference home gym options and the possibility of going to the gym to swim. The down side of the gym is other people and their COVID carrying potential. I do not want to get ill again before we I go on holiday next week. So I guess I will have to think about a weights and stretching routine to alternate with rowing for the next ten days. I settle down with Wimbledon and know that I have the excitement of the final of the Great Sewing Bee ahead of me tonight. The garden guy is buzzing around and tidying up the front lawn as I draft the blog. I realise I have run out of spoons and have slipped into neutral, I’m already thinking about how I will spend my day tomorrow. In thinking about it I realise that I have not fed the hedgehog, which is something I must do before I fully sink into my evening.