Autumn in our Valley

Autumn has been dragging her tinted fingers through our valley, and when I go out for walks, I can allow myself to stop on a steep hill at the "next yellow tree" or the "bare ash" (they are always first to drop their leaves, just as they are last to get them).  We have had some heavy rain and the river levels have been rising and falling several feet at a go - sometimes within hours the river level will rise as heavy rains up in the Cambrian mountains run off the steep slopes and join the river.  This time they washed away most of the cut trees we had been harvesting for winter fuel, but some remains.  The Environment Agency wanted them on their way as that corner of the river is where fallen trees always get snagged up.

Yesterday I went for Respiratory Tests at the Hospital, so we will see what the results are in due course.  With my walking up steep hills regularly, my peak flow has increased immeasurably.  I won't say that struggling up hills is in the least bit pleasurable (other asthmatics will understand) when you are gasping for breath and wishing yourself anywhere else than facing the steepest part of the hill yet, but in my case it has paid great dividends.  It opens my lungs so my peak flow can alter as much as 60 from morning test to post-exercise, and several times recently I have registered 450 and even, on one occasion last week, 460 - 10 more than what I have been supposed to aim for.  I have had to raise that magic figure to 475 now.  When I was very ill back in the summer, I was below 300 because my chest was so congested and the Doctor told me that if it got to 200 I was to phone for an ambulance and not even consider walking to the car, which tbh, scared me rigid!  What a difference it also makes to have a Doctor tell me that asthma can be reversible instead of my previous Doctor telling me what did I expect at my age and of course it would be downhill all the way now. 

Apologies for not posting as much as I meant to these past two weeks, but I am busy selling bits and pieces on eBay to raise some money to go up and visit our eldest daughter "oop North".  I shall spend a few days up with her around her birthday, and we are planning a day out in York.  I can't wait to see her again, although she has just been down visiting us, it wasn't long enough.

Theo is putting on weight and gradually getting to know the layout of the house.  The boys still think he is the Devil incarnate, but I dare say it will all settle down in time, especially once he's been neutered.  Each evening he comes up on the sofa beside me, and loves to be made a fuss of, rolling over on his back and having his tummy tickled, and absolutely beside himself with delight!

I need to "do things with apples" today as we have plenty, but all very much smaller than in a normal year.  I need to make some chutney too, and perhaps some jam as well.  And bread.  And a cake.

I shall finally get to do a book post later today, as this is a "day off" (I slept very badly these past two nights).  Don't run away.