Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Day Three of the Ordered Life. I still fail to have anything to say about knitting. The second Vampire sock is progressing well – I should near the heel today.

My husband is well, although slow of speech and thought. A physiotherapist came in while I was there yesterday, for a “little chat”. The gist of it was that they have given up on restoring him to his previous (very limited) mobility and now propose to send him home with only the ability to do “transfers” – chair to bed to commode.

Even that won’t be entirely easy, and then a “care package” has to be re-negotiated, so homecoming isn’t immanent. He was pleased, I think, to have a plan in place.

But I did watch the dressage yesterday, and am very grateful indeed to the New Yorker. I wrote what follows while the competition was still going forward, although the result was in no doubt. Dujardin rode second. There was no need even to wait for the judges’ verdict (dressage is a bit like Strictly Come Dancing). She was in tears as she rode off, like Andy Murray at Wimbledon; tears of joy and relief.

Dressage

While it’s fresh – I’ve just been watching, with literal tears in my eyes. Knitting was completely impossible. Why couldn’t you have seen it, Mary Lou? It happened at 4:30 p.m. our time, which must have been a perfectly reasonable morning hour for you. And I gather there is even an American rider to come (it’s not over yet), although the competition that mattered was between two brilliant German women and Charlotte Dujardin, who won. 

One of the Germans rode first, then Dujardin. I wept for both. Then another German, very competent and interesting but watchable dry-eyed. Then I stopped watching, so I missed the other brilliant German.

When I was young, I saw someone dance a sword dance at a private party in Glasgow. I can’t remember any of the circumstances, beyond that fact. Two swords were put on the floor, at right angles to each other, and he danced. He just stood there, with his arms in the air, while his feet and legs performed.


And there it was again, just now. The riders just-sat-there, and the horses danced.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:01 PM

    Hope you don't mind a public service announcement, Jean: for catching up on missed Olympic events, try the NBC Sports app, easily acquired on iPad but also on PC and other devices. I prefer live coverage but sometimes it can't be helped and "reruns" are better than nothing. Thanks, Jean. Chloe

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  2. Anonymous1:27 PM

    Yesterday, you used the term "Regulated Life", today "Ordered Life". There is a distinct difference. Which do you mean? I much prefer an ordered life to a regulated one for myself.

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  3. I think I will just send you a virtual hug - if I am allowed. How on earth are you going to manage the "access" and "mobility" issues, especially if nobody else is there? As EZ would say, "Knit On through all crises".

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  4. Without cable or something like it, the only coverage is what NBC chooses to show. Equestrian events don't seem to be part of what they have decided the public wants. I'll try Chloe's tip. And I haven't read the article in the New Yorker, but it is on the list!

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