Oh no, you are not responsible for teams that fail to score goals :-)
On a serious matter: Good for you to get your Shingles vaccine. My mother had shingles when she was 38. I was 2. It was not diagnosed at the time because it went internally, never blistered. She has lived with excruciating pain in her back On and OFF, to the point of bending forward at a 90 degrees angle when it is ON. It probably is a very rare case, but Shingles it is. No painkiller is enough. She first got it at 38. She is over a 100 now. You do the sums. Bar voodoo, she has tried everything, with no relief. Sometimes, she wriggles in pain and screams... and she is not a drama queen! So, Ladies, whoever is reading this reply to Wendy, do not put off getting vaccinated if you qualify for it.
Oh Wendy! A tree just outside my house has shed an arm. You say it for me about the Football and the Tennis - and how fortunate your sister found the defibrillator in time. I couldn't quite understand why it has taken me as long as it has to find my writerly voice, despite working 'in the field' - and there it is. No sandwich any longer.
I don’t think you ever really lost your writerly voice, from what I’ve read of your past work, but wonderful that it is coming through so strongly now.
I had the Shingrix vaccine recently. Basically it was on advice of a friend who'd just had shingles but I'm also impressed at its apparent ability to help prevent/delay dementia.
The only sport I ever watch is the Tour de France (tho not now sadly that it's on Channel 5 and dreadful, rather than the blissful Ned Boulting and David Millar on ITV4), and the 6 Nations. Every time I enter the room Scotland loses.
My 2 children have had shingles. One age 14, the other age 30 after their first bout of Covid. I've just had my 2nd jab and had horrendous flu pains for 24 hours. But better than having shingles.
Yep, I’m achey after the second shingles jab, but wouldn’t want to have the virus again. Bad luck that your children got it. I guess with children now being vaccinated for chicken pox, shingles might also eventually fade away.
In Australia Wendy there are huge white gum trees, prone to snapping limbs. Such is the height of the tree and weight of the wood, they’ve been referred to years as ‘widowmakers.’
You wouldn’t know what had hit you, I guess. We used to call the dark tree canopies on the lanes round here the ‘snizz-snozzlers’ when my son was little and make up stories about how they were out to get us. Maybe some truth in it!
Lovely post Wendy. I’d forgotten about harvest festivals but realise I remember all the words of that hymn too! So glad your writing talent reemerged. It was there all along xx
I got pshaw, but only after multiple rejections of pshwa, which is how I somehow internalized that sound! Loved the vignette of the unexpected salty sea being bad until it was reinterpreted as ok. Am happy that you are writing…
I knew the ‘pshaw’ answer was going to cause some pshaws 😅
Haha, yes!
Oh no, you are not responsible for teams that fail to score goals :-)
On a serious matter: Good for you to get your Shingles vaccine. My mother had shingles when she was 38. I was 2. It was not diagnosed at the time because it went internally, never blistered. She has lived with excruciating pain in her back On and OFF, to the point of bending forward at a 90 degrees angle when it is ON. It probably is a very rare case, but Shingles it is. No painkiller is enough. She first got it at 38. She is over a 100 now. You do the sums. Bar voodoo, she has tried everything, with no relief. Sometimes, she wriggles in pain and screams... and she is not a drama queen! So, Ladies, whoever is reading this reply to Wendy, do not put off getting vaccinated if you qualify for it.
Thanks, Wendy, for bringing this up. X
Thanks for your comment and for restacking, Christina. So painful for your mother. What a thing to endure.
Oh Wendy! A tree just outside my house has shed an arm. You say it for me about the Football and the Tennis - and how fortunate your sister found the defibrillator in time. I couldn't quite understand why it has taken me as long as it has to find my writerly voice, despite working 'in the field' - and there it is. No sandwich any longer.
Massive identify - all love
xxx
Thanks, Cherry. Watch out for those trees!
I don’t think you ever really lost your writerly voice, from what I’ve read of your past work, but wonderful that it is coming through so strongly now.
I found Substack - a great repository for my ‘stuff’ - and a new home full of writers, you and others, I admire.
Absolutely - a great catalyst for me, too. x
Like your diaries - which I love
Thank you - I am having a lovely week!
Loved this. I thought the same when the only England match I watched they lost. So I guess I bear part of the responsibility.
Me and you both, Yvonne!
Loved this one, Wendy ❤️❤️❤️ especially the conversation in the doctors waiting room 😂
Thanks, Hannah! I admired the man in the waiting room for speaking up.
That pshwh, or however you spell it, was a right old baa-lamb! I think Wordle has been harder of late, or am I more stupid of late?
There have been a few obscure ones!
Wendy, you are allowed to watch the game tonight only if you want Argentina to win 😉😂
Haha! I steered well clear of the 3rd/4th play-off last night, as you can tell by the result!
Probably one of the most exciting matches in football history and all thanks to you 😄😊
I know!!!
I feel a kind of kinship with you and all the commenters who had young shingles. I had it first when I was 11 or 12, and then again at 35.
p.s pshaw really pissed me off!
Oof, bad luck having it twice, Sarah.
Pshaw is still causing irl chatter among friends. My son-in-law dubbed it pshaw-gate!
I had the Shingrix vaccine recently. Basically it was on advice of a friend who'd just had shingles but I'm also impressed at its apparent ability to help prevent/delay dementia.
I had shingles when I was 19 - I will be first in line for a vaccine :) Absolute the worst. Loved this little July missive, Wendy!
Thanks, Katie!
Were you feeling run down when you got shingles, or did it just strike at random?
The only sport I ever watch is the Tour de France (tho not now sadly that it's on Channel 5 and dreadful, rather than the blissful Ned Boulting and David Millar on ITV4), and the 6 Nations. Every time I enter the room Scotland loses.
My 2 children have had shingles. One age 14, the other age 30 after their first bout of Covid. I've just had my 2nd jab and had horrendous flu pains for 24 hours. But better than having shingles.
Not just me jinxing the sport results, then!
Yep, I’m achey after the second shingles jab, but wouldn’t want to have the virus again. Bad luck that your children got it. I guess with children now being vaccinated for chicken pox, shingles might also eventually fade away.
So you're to blame, Wendy!!!
Also, surely PSHAW isn't a word? (I'm going to try and use it in a conversation now.)
You are a treasure of a writer Wendy.
Thanks so much, Lisa. You’ve always been so supportive. Really appreciate it.
In Australia Wendy there are huge white gum trees, prone to snapping limbs. Such is the height of the tree and weight of the wood, they’ve been referred to years as ‘widowmakers.’
You wouldn’t know what had hit you, I guess. We used to call the dark tree canopies on the lanes round here the ‘snizz-snozzlers’ when my son was little and make up stories about how they were out to get us. Maybe some truth in it!
Yes, I always keep a watchful eye when walking anywhere near them 😬
Lovely post Wendy. I’d forgotten about harvest festivals but realise I remember all the words of that hymn too! So glad your writing talent reemerged. It was there all along xx
Thanks, Fi.
First hymn I learned at infants school. (That, and All Things Bright and Beautiful.)
I got pshaw, but only after multiple rejections of pshwa, which is how I somehow internalized that sound! Loved the vignette of the unexpected salty sea being bad until it was reinterpreted as ok. Am happy that you are writing…
Thanks so much!