In Dreams

Steve and I are Lent-ing. We have put sweets, chocolate and dessert on the 'No-No' list until Easter. We both seem to be doing ok with it so far, but how you really feel pops up in silly dreams like the one Steve had this last week when he had a dream that he was running to the sweet shop and wanted some wine gums, that are his favourite and the yummy snack that he would take to the cinema, where we have another rule that you cannot start eating your sweets or chocolate until all the adverts and the trailers have finished. Once the film starts you can then munch freely. Anyway back to his dream; when he got to the sweet shop they did not have any wine gums, they had sold out. He was very disappointed and bought a kit-kat instead having convinced himself that they were allowed because they are a biscuit and therefore not on the forbidden list. It reminder me of this big quite worrying dream of mine that I had a while back, it just shows how little worries can be magnified into something quite fantastically troublesome.

 

Time Trial
We’re going to do a 100 mile bike time trial.

The start was not that far away

Clapham Village Hall

A popular start point

Steve left home early in the car

He forgot to take me

I really wanted to do it

Since I needed to qualify

For the World Championships in September

The event is also

A qualifier

For European Championships in 2014

2013 is my seventy forth year.

So I set off

Ride the extra 5 miles

I get to the start.

When I get arrive

They have changed the start

To another point

Dial Post

16 miles further on

I eventually get to the start

A couple of hours late

There are not many

(Well none actually)

Lady vet riders

Of my age

They let me start anyway

As I get pushed off by the start marshal

I realise what I am wearing

A very nice and warm

But totally impractical for the occasion,

Mohair and wool mix winter coat

Auntie gave me it before she died.

It is a full length camel coloured coat

It has a high Peter Pan collar.

Whilst holding the flaps of the coat

To keep them from catching in the spokes

I notice that I have,

To make matters worse

I have put on a pair on socks

That my daughter’s cocker spaniel Louis

Had eaten a few days earlier.

They are in shreds

And offer me no protection

My shoes start to give me blisters

My husband Steve,

Who is normally

My pre-event preparation slave,

Has not even filled my drinks bottle.

My usual bag of Marks and Spencer's fruit jellies

Are not on my bike

And neither,

Are my normal salt supply,

In the form of saltine crackers.

I carry on biking

But the wind gets in my eyes

I have forgotten

My sun glasses

I look for a marshal

To give my cumbersome coat to

I don't want to just leave it on the road side

Because it is a top quality coat

It will last me forever

Because I only wear it for best.

I am now hours over the cut off time

But still have to get back to the finish

Another fifty miles away

It is then that I start to become

Distantly conscious

From my dream

But do not actually wake.

I know at this point

That the reason

My foot and arm ache

SO much is because

I had a fall running six weeks ago

And have had problems

That have needed two trips

To the hospital to put right.

The second was only yesterday

I am still a shaky from that

But on the other hand

I have more movement

I am starting to think

That I will get better

And be able to get back to training

As normal

This is confusing in my dream state

Because I am struggling

Through a hundred mile time trial

I think that I should stop really,

It's too early after my treatment,

They said that I should take it easy

For at least six weeks more

Yet here I am on a long bike ride

I hope that Steve will come and pick me up

But he doesn't.

I keep pushing on,

Confused now

Why I am fighting the odds

When I should be having an easy day

I am coming out of my dream slowly

I know that I do want to get back in shape

But do not understand

Why my foot and arm ache so much on this ride

The alarm goes off at 5.30 am

Steve is going to a turbo session

With friends

But I am not going because

I have just had a final (I hope)

Examination at the hospital

In my bleary state I am not sure

That I have not been riding my bike

All night

In Auntie Paul's coat.

It feels like I have.
In the cold light of day

I day not need this dream analysed

I know that at approaching 74

I am fighting against the odds

But I still think that is a worthwhile battle

In case anybody out there thinks otherwise.