I am off to Almerimar today for a week. The plan was that it would be a mid winter break from the rehab and fitness and an opportunity to enjoy some sun whilst catching up with old friends and relaxing in our apartment. However ….. having only been to the apartment once since we moved back in 2019, and not at all since COVID-19 I have a pretty long list of jobs to get done!
Also I can’t afford a break from the rehab and general fitness at the moment, although fortunately (being a relative term) a lot of my rehab at the moment involves the bike and gentle running along with walking to stretch and strengthen my hamstrings so I have a pretty strict programme from the Physio to stick to.
At least I will be walking and cycling along the beach and running through the nature reserve in the sun, and with luck will get a game of golf in as well.
We have yet to decide what we are going to do long term with the apartment. COVID-19 sort of let us avoid the decision for a couple of years and whilst the original plan was to use it until at least Summer 2022 for the pet transports I am no longer doing them at all so any use we make of it will be purely leisure unless we let friends use it.
Can’t say I am looking forward to the journey as have really done enough of that in my life and it holds zero attractions and it will be strange to be away from the animals (and Sands!!), but on the other hand I know I need the break and it will be good to see the old place again.
I also need time to think!
Cricket wise I am far from confident that I my body will be ready for a full season by April, so my priority and focus is totally on Staffordshire Seniors. We will play on a Tuesday and form and fitness permitting there are twelve league games before the cup games in August and if my body gets through all of those unscathed I will be more than happy. We will probably have 3 to 5 games with No Boundaries Cricket Club and these are my next priority as have invested quite a lot of time and money into the project and have high hopes for it long term. As for Club cricket I really have not moved my thoughts on very much: I think I would be best to play on a Saturday rather than a Sunday, which really means a Club with a 3rd/4th team BUT I have no real desire to not play games at ‘home’ club which is obviously a bit of a Catch 22! I could probably play on a Sunday IF it was more a case of helping out and having the opportunity to work on either batting or bowling, and certainly not just as a fielder. For now the decision is parked until I have a better feel for how fit I will be.
Away from cricket both Sands and I need to figure out what next for us. I have stopped the ALStrays Pet Transports already and she will be stopping her involvement with the re-homing at the end of July. She has her role with the Cats Protection to develop and we both want to do more for the animals through No Boundaries so I need to spend more time thinking about that.
I also have a couple of options to consider for ‘jobs’ within cricket which I need to balance with the above and the increasing time we both need (and want) to spend with parents.
So not a very relaxing week ahead it seems!!!