Six Week Challenge - Week Seven

At last the final stretch.  After sprinting around on my aircast the previous week I thought "balls to this" and take off my cast a few days earlier than I was told.  A couple of weeks before my accident I bought some lovely Brooks trainers for running.  I'd bought it at a specialist shop so they fitted properly (size 9 - I normally wear size 8 shoes).  Anyway these were a God send as they gave me great comfort walking.  So after gingerly walking around the house and practicing my right breaking foot on my sewing machine, I knew it was time to try driving my car.

The blessed relief of getting behind the wheel of a car was bliss.  Freedom!  That was until the engine light decided to come on.  In a panic I went to the nearest garage only to be told it was a mystery, but the car was okay to drive.  This lead to me popping in and out of garages to find out what the problem was.  It still remains a mystery and the amber light is still on my dashboard.  The car works fine and all I can think is that it developed the fault as it spent over six weeks parked on the drive.

Now that I had wheels meant that I had to take my Mum to the Trafford Centre.  This was both a physical challenge for both myself and my Mum - me with my foot and Mum with her back.  We started at the John Lewis end on the first floor and we almost killed ourselves to get to Debenhams.  My foot was getting quite irritated with the walking. Weirdly I found there were more seats on the ground floor than on the first floor.  On the way back from Debenhams to John Lewis on the ground floor we practically sat on every chair and bench on the way back.  I certainly slept well that night.  It's amazing how being inactive for over six weeks can impact on your stamina.

So what are the top ten things have I learnt over the seven weeks?

1.  Your health is fragile a can be altered in the matter of a misjudged step.
2.  Pet ownership is marvellous despite the fact Iil'Sox inadvertently put me in a cast.
3.  It's good to have a creative outlet whilst you're indisposed otherwise you can go stir crazy.
4.  Families and partners are worth their weight in gold.
5.  Tesco's delivery service is the 21st century home help for the incapacitated. 
6.  Strangers can be really kind when you're on crutches - apart from in a nightclub where alcohol is involved.
7.   Avoid daytime telly - it sucks the life from your soul.
8.  It gives you the opportunity to reflect on your life and help recharge your batteries.
9.   Public transport sucks.
10.  ...and cars must be driven regularly or you end up having engine problems.

Photo of the Week: Manchester Museum

Once in a while I pop to Manchester Museum to have a look at the exhibits.  This time I fancied trying out the cafe there called Cafe Muse.  The food was nice (I had a hot roast turkey ciabatta with cranberry sauce), although the cafe was jammed packed with families as it was the summer holidays.  Thankfully I found a quiet little spot in an alcove with a couple of foreign students.

The museum is a beautiful Victorian building and it is a pleasure to wander through the exhibits.  As it was the summer holidays the museum is geared to cater for the younger audience with rooms set aside for activities. 

One of the major draws to the museum is the Egyptology section, which is well presented.  However I do have a problem with the exhibition showing human remains, even though they are thousands of years old.  It's just a personal opinion, although the museum do show them with dignity.

I really like the main gallery area of the museum as it reminds me when I first visited as a child with school.  I remember not filling in the worksheet we were supposed to complete on our visit.  Knowing me I was too distracted looking at everything.

The only drawback for me with this section are the stuffed animals.  Unfortunately I have a longstanding phobia of taxidermy, which stems back from childhood when one of my Mum's cousins used to have a stuffed fox in her hallway.  That said I love the use of neon in this section, which gives the space a contemporary feel.  On the top level of the gallery is a picnic areas for families to eat their packed lunches.  I think that's a nice touch as the cafe is too expensive for families on a budget.

My favourite exhibition was about the history of Whitworth Park.  It was tucked away in a quiet corner of the museum, but I love social history and it was nice to find it here.

Manchester Museum is great for families and the museum certainly caters well for them.  Although next time I go I'll try to go midweek when the kids are at school, as they kept running into shot when I was taking photos.

Here are a couple of photos from my trip:

©Anne-Marie Marshall 2014

©Anne-Marie Marshall 2014