Shoooupa

Hmm difficult one to spell that!

Not a very exciting Making Monday today but its Carrot and Coriander on the menu for a while now as I have made rather more soup than I intended. I have therefore frozen two portions already and will freeze more when I find the pots (and their lids)to do so. In the meantime it rests in the fridge.

Since I last blogged I have been to archery a few times (and actually shot once or twice too) including the Thursday when the Chiltern Air Ambulance arrived in the field with no warning. Its not that as Archers we object to sharing the field very occasionally with the Air Ambulance, it is the nearest sensible place for it to land for Stoke Mandeville Hospital and we all fully support it but....we need a bit of warning to get the bosses laid down before they get blown over by the downdraft and when they are 50 yards away and looking like hedgehogs there is a bit of work to do before they can be taken off the stands. Well actually all I can do is watch while others run, pull out the arrows and get the bosses down - wheelchairs don't work very well on grass. The usual practise is for the road ambulance to arrive giving us warning to get the prep work done before the helicopter appears but this time the chopper arrived first causing a flurry of activity and we (well they) just got the job done before it landed.

I have also worked out how to protect my dodgy leg while swimming from the accidental kicks and knocks I have been advised to avoid but always fall prey too while swimming in public pools. The reason for the worry is that below the knee my right leg takes months to heal from the tiniest bruise, cut, scrape or insect bite and the medicos aren't sure why - all suggestion gratefully received. Anyway it occurred to me that one of the detachable sleeves from my wetsuit might fit my leg like a toeless sock and being reasonably thick neoprene might act as a good safety barrier. I tried one in the privacy of home, found it fitted and have now used it twice the first time to swim 12 lengths and the second to swim 16. Start small and work up hopefully - and the first time I also succeeded in teaching my son to swim as well. Leading to another melancholy reflection - how come I spent a considerable sum of money on swimming lessons for both my daughter and my son but ended up teaching them to swim myself?