Great thread
The reason I moved to the country was due to disability. I could no longer afford to live in the city and the ongoing treatment was burdensome. My mother helped me to get this place. I felt "put out to pasture" and have really struggled with the change in pace and new challenges living in a remote tiny town. I feel like I am starting to get a handle on it now and despite being told by EVERYONE to just
rest, rest doesn't get the work done and weakens me in the long run.
There was an elderly woman not far from me, years back, who needed to walk a lot but lived in the country, alone, didn't want to be on the little roads. So -- she walked the perimeter of her property lot!! They measured the distance and established # of times she needed to walk that lot for a mile. She walked every morning -- eventually, wore a path!!
Consider that.
Or a treadmill from a 2nd hand store?
This is what I do
Even when I first got here I would just walk and walk and walk around the garden as I am not always stable enough on my feet to battle the bush (although I do enjoy bushwalking when the body permits). Some days I would take the bible with me and walk around reading it, probably didn't do great for my posture but kept me going at a consistent pace along with the verses. It did not serve me well in "fitting in" around here but I have never really enjoyed being a social butterfly anyway.
@FarmerJamie I hear you on sorting through so much stuff. When I moved the extended family thought it best to send me down with every bit and bob they didnt want or need, right down to my stepsisters high school study books and years of Cosmo magazines from the 1990's! To say it has been a chore to sort though is an understatement. I previously worked for a charity and spent years sorting through the trash that people donated, now this is my whole life. I hope your wife has recovered and you've managed to sort though all of the stuff.
Wise thinking ahead. No matter how young we are, or how physically fit we are today, there is no guarantee that tomorrow will bring a completely different reality into our lives. Skeletal injury can be cumulative. So, it makes sense to plan and work ergonomically, and use good body mechanics, no matter how young and fit you are. Those behaviors started at an early age can result in golden years that are less plagued by aches and pains.
This is where I am at now. I was an extremely active child, daughter of an Olympian. While I wasnt pushed into his sport, I was pushed in horseriding, but without the resources others had. Dad did not realise that riding competitively was not based on skill alone
I cant afford horses anymore, nor do I think I could manage one alone now days but I keep thinking I have *just* enough room for a mini pony and it could take me on bushwalks and help around the garden. Mum is firm on her NO about that though. I think the shire would have something to say too as I am on a town block.
I was a dancing as soon as I could walk, acrobatics doing backflips by age 5, then nippers, netball, tennis, golf, cricus skills, in highschool I was on the rowing team, running, netball, gymnastics, horseriding/pony club. Riding was all I kept up with after school and the reason that I am now disabled. I would jump at the chance to do it again, but it is just not on the cards right now. So I am trying to remember back to dance and gymnastics, practising my "Poses with the hose" while watering, balancing, stretching, trying to get that some of these muscles more equal in strength. I enjoy the beach but I am over 100kms away from it and don't get there as often as I would like. This summer has simply been too hot!
My first goal was to climb the mountain near by to me, I did that last year. Next I would like to learn to surf - standing up. This is why I am focusing on balance right now. I am the type of person that needs a goal to bother doing anything, I thrive in a competitive mindset.
Many of the techniques I use in the garden have been mentioned already. I use a furniture trolly to move bags of feed and hay, and put a longer handle on the weed tool so I dont have to use as much force. Everything is bone dry right now, but weeds will be upon me in no time!
