Hmm, had a weird experience late afternoon. Watching TV and suddenly wavy lines appeared in my left eye. It was if coloured flashing lights had surrounded the cornea. I likened it to a Kaleidoscope and even closing that eye, it didn't go away. Ian was all for calling 111, but stubbornly, I put my foot down and said no. "I'll call the opticians and see what they say". Anyway, they said it could be Retinal migraine (ocular migraine), never heard of it and suggested if it recurs, to go and see an eye specialist.
It must have been about 8 pm when a commotion was heard outside. A glance out of the window and a number of canoeists came past. Gosh, they certainly displace the water enough to cause FS to move about!
Banbury was the destination, to go shopping and hopefully say hello to Maffi. It was just a couple of hours run from last night's mooring, so we set off fairly late. And then, I had just attached the tiller to the swan neck when a boat came from around the bend and went past. 2 minutes earlier, and we would have got away first. Blast!
 |
| Slat Mill lock |
I knew Maffi moored at Sovereign wharf, but not a sign of Nb Milly M did I see. A vacant spot right by Tom Rolt Bridge, which is where I assumed Maffi's mooring to be. Oh well, maybe see him on our return.
Ian had walked on ahead to suss out the town moorings. He phoned to say there was plenty of space, surprising as with loads of shops and bars, I would have thought it to be full.
A Lidl has been built since we were last in Banbury, excellent 'cos I was running low on the wine front, and it was also very near to the canal. Spending another wad of cash, (I blame the ice cream that miraculously managed to make its way into the trolley, and not, as Ian declared, the cost of my wine!) we headed back to FS, deciding on lunch first before leaving to find a mooring in the country. We would have stayed, but TV at Banbury was abysmal and with all those surrounding buildings, the satellite would have had trouble finding the Astra 2.
 |
| Reflections |
It was on our return that we got swiped! Okay, what wind there was, was blowing from right to left, but nothing that should cause a boat to be blown into another boat! Anyway, we heard the revs of the engine well before we saw the boat. Talk about speed merchant. He came that close to FS, I wondered if he was about to try and moor alongside. But no, rubbing strake hit rubbing strake and a horrible grating was heard along the length. We shouted for him to slow down, a look was all we got. He managed to bounce off our side, headed for the middle and then next thing he hit the boat in front! What was he...a madman!!! I did get the name of the boat, and we did see it moored further along, but I'm not going to name and shame....for all I know this was his first time out. If it was, I hope next time the revs will be knocked back, and he remembers to turn the tiller the correct way! (Oh and it was NOT a hire boat) What I did notice on his starboard side, a long and wide scratch mark, similar to that Oxfordshire hire boat, so I think he had the same encounter with the tree branch as they did.
On our way and passing Tooley's boatyard was this wonderful historic work boat. Name of Hardy you can follow its restoration on Facebook
Passing this boat, a lift bridge, followed by a lock, greets you. Ian walked ahead to lift the bridge, but unfortunately the lock was against. It fills pretty fast, so I didn't have to hang about fighting the breeze for too long. Then immediately below the lock was the facilities. Just a loo and rubbish stop this time.
The noise of the M40 could be heard as we tried to find a mooring. Deciding to stop by the open lift bridge 170, it still sounded close. The wind was obviously blowing the sound in our direction. It was staying here or get even nearer to the motorway. We decided this was not a bad mooring, so this will do for tonight.
And wildlife seen today.
 |
| The swallows have returned. |
 |
| Pied Woodpecker |
 |
| Green Woodpecker |
2 comments:
Hi Irene,
I get ocular migraines - usually when I have turned my head a weird way or been facing someone with my neck twisted. Or if I am really stressed. The pain starts after the aura (that's what the wavy lines/bright lights, fuzzy shiny flashing things are called).
I find that if I take ibuprofen immediately I notice the aura, I can avoid the worst of the headache. And I lie down immediately too.
The other thing I do while lying down is use my fingertips to dig into the vertebrae on each side of my neck and find out where it hurts the most. Usually right at the top, where the skull joins.
The technique I use, called strain-counter strain, is to turn your head on the pillow, still with your fingers dug in, to find the spot where it no longer hurts. Hold it there for over a minute and then gradually move your head back to straight. When you rub/dig where it previously really really hurt, it should have eased. The reason it eases is because when you turn your head to where the neck doesn't hurt anymore, you have relaxed the muscles and keeping it there allows the blood to flow through and take away the waste products (uric acid I think) that are causing the pain - a bit like the stitch.
If you get another couple of headaches/auras in the next few days, it would be worth finding an osteopath and getting your neck seen to. There is (was) one called Lisa Parke who taught me that technique when we lived in Church Enstone. She now has a clinic called Osney Osteopaths: https://www.osneyosteopaths.co.uk/
You are not too far away from her, so make a time to go and see her.
Tell her Marilyn McD says hello and sends a hug.
Mxxoo
Hi Marilyn, That's very useful information and if it recurs while we are still in the area, I'll take your advice. I had no headache though, in fact, no pain anywhere. I'm still baffled as to why it happened because all I was doing was watching TV. Fingers crossed it won't happen again. Sending hugs back and just to let you know our plans for NZ haven't changed. Still planning for October.
Xxx
Post a Comment