This is the second book I've read recently about women who have serious health problems. In June it was Josie George's book 'A Still Life' The memoir of her life with an
unexplained painful illness that sometimes reduces her to having to rest
for days on end. She writes about her small world between her home, her
son's school, her friend's home and the community centre. It is
beautifully written, noticing all the small things and finding joy in
life as it is for her. The book sprang from her blog.
Now I've just finished "Devorgilla Days" by Kathleen Hart and this time her book came from her Instagram Account.
Eight years ago Kathleen Hart was diagnosed with breast cancer but there were many complications after her surgery and she was ill and in hospital for months. But even before that she'd had other health problems so that eventually her partner left her and bailiffs took away her furniture as he'd not been paying bills. She was advised to try yoga to recover from her illness but then had serious back problems and ended up flat on her back for months and it was just after getting back on her feet that she came across the details of a small cottage for sale in Wigtown - Scotland's book town. Hundred's of miles north she visits and buys it straight away.
She names the cottage Devorgilla after a feisty Scottish C13 princess. The book is about her first two years there, the friends she makes, learning about bee-keeping and Scottish dancing and getting really immersed in life in the town. The book also charts her cold water swimming in the bay at Garlieston and the people she meets who all help in her healing.
Many years ago me, Colin and Lucy the dog, stayed on the Caravan Club site at Garlieston on our tour of Scotland - and Col decided it was somewhere he would love to live. We visited the bookshops in Wigtown and drove to the pilgrimage village of Whithorn and I can remember many of the places she mentions in the book.
Summer of Sport 2021 - Olympic Update Day 5
Woke
yesterday to hear that there had been another Gold in the pool - 4 x 200m freestyle relay, Andy M had been knocked out of the Tennis Men's
Doubles and the GB team in Rugby 7's had lost their match too and then
the first thing I watched was the 3m springboard synchronized diving. It
was a bad day at the office for the GB lads. I'm just amazed at how
they fit all the twists and somersaults into 1.8 seconds between board
and water.
There was an unexpected medal in rowing but then the other men's 4's didn't get a medal they were supposed to win. Swings and roundabouts So many things going on at once that BBC kept flitting between one thing and another and then changing from BBC 1 to BBC 2 for some reason that only they know. After a look at Gymnastics they changed to the Individual Dressage in time to see Charlotte Dujardin. (How on earth do they get the horses to lift their feet like that?) Charlotte won a Bronze - her 6th Olympic medal in total - more than any other British woman.
I think GB ended the day with a new running total of 16 medals
Back Tomorrow
Sue
I'm not particularly into sports - but I'm very pleased Charlotte has done so well.
ReplyDeleteI just love watching all sports but was never any good at anything!
DeleteThey're doing rather well really, all things considered.
ReplyDeleteDevorgilla Days sounds lovely - must look out for it, thanks.
xx
It was a quick read about a woman who's really been through tough times with her health.
DeleteWill look for that book out of local interest. Brought up in Galloway, I've just recently moved back, to Whithorn this time :) Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely part of Scotland
Deleteps - found and ordered :)
ReplyDeleteHope you like reading it - I always worry when I write a book review that other people will thinks it's rubbish
DeleteI'll let you know! lol
DeleteI love the sound of the book and I had several holidays in Scotland especially one when I took my Grandson he was 8 at the time (a coach holiday) he was the only child there and the men enjoyed having him around and talking to him. I remember one day there was a lone piper in the hills - a lovely memory.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sue for that memory.
Hazel ๐๐
I'm glad it brought back happy memories for you
DeleteIt was LADY Devorgilla, she was not a princess. She married John, 5th Baron de Balliol when she was 13.
ReplyDeleteJust copying what Kathleen says in her book, so you'd better write to her and put her right too!
DeleteYes Sue I too am enjoying Olympics - it is, as you say, Swings and Roundabouts - but we are doing so well.
ReplyDeleteNo so many medals overnight. Athletics starts tomorrow.
DeleteI like the sound of Devorgilla Days.
ReplyDeleteQuite a quick read about a lovely part of Scotland
DeleteI have just returned from a few days in Scotland staying with a friend, so will look up the book. I know what you mean about the swapping from BBC1-2 very annoying.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy the book if you read it.Seems silly swapping but they must have a reason?
DeleteI do like the surprise wins - from any country - the unexpected athlete that comes from behind to medal! The joy on their face and the screaming celebration back home by their family and friends. Terrific!
ReplyDeleteIt's lovely to see happy people after all the hassles of the last 18 months
DeleteDevorgilla Days sounds like a good read and the area she writes about sounds wonderful. I've really enjoyed watching the Olympic swimming competitions as well as the gymnastics. Your country has done very well in many of the competitions!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving being able to see more of the Olympics than previous years - even though the times are all wrong for us here
DeleteHaving known people with serious illness, I find it amazing and impressive how strong these individuals become. Your books exemplify this strength. I've been to Scotland too and really loved the seaside and lovely villages. 16 medals for GB is a fantastic accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am not watching the Olympics, I check every morning to see how many medals Canada has won and in what. Like you say, ups, downs and roundabouts.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Dressage is training. It is a relationship between horse and rider, involving long years of training from basic up through levels of communication - known broadly as "aids" but so much more than that - the rider's signals, tension on the reins, flexion of the horse's head and neck through the bits, the rider's position in the saddle, altering of the horse's balance and rhythm. Not easy to explain unless you have ridden a horse and know what a difference your position in the saddle and the nuances of rein control mean.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone, 2years ago my doctor told me I was diagnosed with HSV2. I was heart broken, How- ever that same years i found a doctor called Dr ubarlo who helped me to cured the virus with natural herbal treatment per- manently. thanks to Dr ubarlo for his natural herbal treatment that eliminated this virus out in my body forever. his contact of him through Instagram page. for any incur- able virus THESE ARE THE DISEASES CURED BY dr ubarlo 1) HERPES 2) HIV / AIDS 3) lupus 4) CANCER 5) EPILEPSY 6) DIABETES 7) ERECTILE 8) CANCER CURE 9) asthma 10) RIGGING EARS 11) Gout 12) pregnancy 13) Hepatitis ABC 14) Weight loss 15) fibroids you can also contact him on his email drubarlohome@gmail.com or Whatsapp +2348119508814
ReplyDeleteI was diagnosed as HEPATITIS B carrier in 2013 with fibrosis of the
ReplyDeleteliver already present. I started on antiviral medications which
reduced the viral load initially. After a couple of years the virus
became resistant. I started on HEPATITIS B Herbal treatment from
ULTIMATE LIFE CLINIC (www.ultimatelifeclinic.com) in March, 2020. Their
treatment totally reversed the virus. I did another blood test after
the 6 months long treatment and tested negative to the virus. Amazing
treatment! This treatment is a breakthrough for all HBV carriers.
I am here to appreciate Dr OGU for using his herbal medicine to cure my Herpes virus. Is about 2 years and 6 months now I have been living with this virus and it has been a serious problem to me, I was so confused cause i have been taking several drugs to be cured but all of my effort was in vain,one morning i was browsing through the internet then i saw several testimonies about Dr. OGU curing people from Herpes virus and immediately i contacted Dr. on his email: drogugusolutionhome@gmail.com , i told him about my troubles and he told me that i must be cured, he gave me some instructions and which i rightly followed. so he prepared a herbal medicine and sent it to me via DHL which i used for 2 weeks and i was cured everything was like a dream to me and my Herpes virus was totally gone, dr .OGU , God bless you and give you more power and ability for more cures.i don't know if there is any one out there suffering for herpes virus or any of these diseases.. DIABETES, CANCER,GENITAL AND SIMPLEX HERPES,LOW SPERMS COUNT,SYPHILIS, HIV/AIDS, FIBROID,COPD,MENINGITIS,HEPATITIS A,B [HBV] DISEASES .etc why don't you contact dr.Ogu today and be free from your diseases because he is very good and honest Doctor. contact him via email; drogugusolutionhome@gmail.com or text/call via: +1 (719) 629 0982
ReplyDelete