Sunday 12 August 2007

More momentos

My week has provided me with a number of souvenirs in the form of small injuries or discomforts of one sort or another. I am currently nursing them and feeling sorry for myself. Here's why:

Item 1: Sharp pains on top of right foot.
I think I collected whatever is causing these in making a rapid descent of 21 flights of steps. For some reason, I thought it would be more fun than taking the lift at the end of the day.

Item 2: Tight and sore quadriceps.
I know how this happened. These were initially caused through my decision, following a particularly lardy canteen lunch, to work off some of the acquired lard by climbing the steps to the 20th floor. In time-honoured "act in haste, repent at leisure" fashion, I didn't notice any pain (except that from the lactic acid build up) until the next day. Ouch, indeed. My butt also hurts a lot

Item 3: Slight dizziness.
Partially due to the unchanging clockwise spiraling of the staircase, and partly through not being quite as fit as once I was. By the 15th floor, I was feeling rather undone.

Item 4: Bruising to centre of forehead.
Caused by repeatedly banging my head against the wall. It numbs the pain otherwise felt at being at work.

Item 5: Morning grogginess.
A side-effect of the anti-histamine dose I take most evenings in response to sharing my blood supply with the local mossies via their proboscises and an assortment of other (unidentified) biting insects.

Item 6: Blisters on fingers of right hand.
Caused by carrying a violin case in sweaty palms on a stinking hot day to Stoke Newington and back in aid of finding a snug and suitable case for my new pride and joy.

Item 7: Abrasion and bruising below left knee. 12 small circular bruises around front inner quarter of thigh. Numerous small abrasions to forearms.
Ah yes. These were caused by carrying some sizable and weighty concrete blocks from one end of our 'garden' (by-word for torturous entanglement of ecologically diverse and varied-habitat-providing unkempt vegetation) to the other, in aid of chicken-run building endeavours. I tried carrying them at chest height but found it made breathing difficult. The abrasion could probably have been avoided had I not have chosen to wear shorts for this task and instead donned more suitable clothing.

Item 8: At lest 15 allergic reactions to various insects' bites.
Again, this may be something to do with choosing to wear shorts, short sleeves and an open neck whilst performing manual labour at dusk in a swamp-like 'garden'. I'd like to think that one day I will learn to choose more suitable clothing under similar circumstances.

Item 9: Blisters on palate.
These were caused by my over-enthusiasm to consume pain au chocolat and other freshly baked (from frozen) pastries whilst watching football, drinking coffee and failing miserably to make a dent in the Guardian crossword.

Item 10: Pain across rib cage.
Due to falling asleep face down in the sun today on thinly-cushioned concrete following yesterday's exertions, and my front profile not remotely tessellating with the ground.

I wonder what next week has in store?

4 comments:

trousers said...

I strongly identify with items 4 and 8, and you have my sympathy for the other ones as well.

KindaBlue said...

Poor thing; take it easy and rebuild yourself. Have another pain au chocolat, but let it cool this time!

Fire Byrd said...

Obviously a shotage of fudge, making you accident prone.
Have you had your brain examined recently 21 flights!!!! No amount of choclate is worth that.
pxx

But Why? said...

trousers,
You are such a sweetie - thankyou.

Kindablue,
I don't think there are any pain au chocolat left following Sunday's mammoth pastries and football extravaganza. It's a pity, but I may have to revert to telly, tea and toast.

Pixie,
I know, and my poor little legs know that, too. Last week I would gladly have traded the fantastic views from the 20th floor for the convenience and reduced pain of being on the 1st floor. Alas, the people who plan the accommodation at work do not usually consider sore quadriceps as a reason to initiate a reallocation of floorplates. I wonder why...?

But xx