The classic English Summer is upon us with a vengeance. Late on Thursday afternoon, it started to rain heavily. It continued to rain all night, and was still raining when I got up on Friday morning. Almost fifteen hours of relentless, stormy rain.
It finally stopped while I was having lunch on Friday, and I was quick to take the chance to get out with Ollie before it started again. It was too humid to wear waterproofs and boots, so I went out wearing shorts and lightweight trainers, carrying my umbrella. Sure enough, five minutes into the walk some gusty winds heralded the return of the rain, as it blew black clouds around Beetley like aircraft stacking in the sky waiting to land at an airport.
Up went the umbrella, and on we trudged.
Approaching the river bend and picnic area, I waited on the bank for Ollie. He usually goes down the slope into the river for a drink, but he was still a couple of hundred yards behind me, sniffing shrubs and grass. When he still hadn’t arrived, I turned again, to see where he was. That was a fateful turn, as I immediately slid down the rain-sodden muddy bank.
My umbrella flew into the river and I landed on my right side, with my right hand undermeath me. Both feet were in the water, over my ankles.
I managed to get up with some difficulty, to discover that my shorts and my right leg were covered in mud and gravel. Inspecting my hand, I found gravel embedded in the palm, and blood running down my arm from small cuts and abrasions near my wrist. As my shoes and feet were already soaked, I waded in and retrieved my umbrella, which had fortunately not floated away.
Ollie appeared moments later, giving me a quizzical look. I wandered off reluctantly, to continue the walk. As Ollie ran past, I shook my head at him.
“I’m seriously getting too old for this, boy”.
You are lucky it wasn’t worse, Pete but at least you didn’t have an audience that can be embarrassing then and you soldiered on so Ollie got his walk…Hope it feels better now 🙂 x
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I still have a big plaster over my hand, and it aches a bit. But it’s nothing to worry about.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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I echo all the comments Pete and glad you’re OK!
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Thanks, Lara. It was more embarrassing than painful. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete. x
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Fortunately it went well. Admirable that you kept walking Ollie for so long afterwards.
I have read all the comments and I can only agree: take good care of yourself.
Best wishes, Irene
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Thanks very much, Irene. I had to keep walking, as Ollie must have his exercise, even when I have fallen into the river! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thank god nothing (too) worse happened. You’re really lucky Pete! I can imagine Ollie’s thoughts. He probably thought you would also want to cool off in the river. xx Michael
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I’m sure that was just what he was thinking, Michael. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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You are both in great companionship, Pete! Keep on, guarding each other. 🙂 xx Michael
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Reblogged this on NEW OPENED BLOG > https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Oh no, could have been worse though… you could have broken a bone.
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I was very lucky. 🙂
Thanks, Stevie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Oh no, Pete! I’m glad you’re ok. Slippery slopes are challenges~moving or standing and twisting!
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Too much rain and mud around here, I’m going to have to be a lot more careful. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Please do! Best wishes to you and Ollie!
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I once lost my umbrella in the Seine while trying to balance my way across a long plank from the riverbank to a foundered barge in a torrential rain late at night. I ended up at the bottom of the river. BUT, I didn’t get muddy or bleed!
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Glad to hear that you didn’t fall into the Seine, David. As I recall, that’s a murky river, and can be fast flowing.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I actually fell into the Seine, ended up at the bottom, and had to push my way up to the surface because I wore a heavy backpack. It was late at night, so the water was black. I had no way of knowing how murky the water was!
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Well done for surviving the Seine, David!
Best wishes, Pete.
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It is difficult to tell if the summer said “vengeance is mine.” Or, if vengeance, said, “the summer is mine.” Take care my friend, sudden moves are a luxury of the very young. Warmest regards, Theo
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Thanks, Theo. I am going to have to think twice before making any sudden turns in the future. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Oh no Pete! Glad you weren’t more badly injured!
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Thanks, John. I was lucky it was just minor scrapes, and also that the river is very low at that spot.
Best ishes, Pete.
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Uh-oh! Sorry to hear about your fall!
Hope you’re feeling better!! Also, sorry to hear about your weather. We only finally got a little bit of rain here after 51 days straight without any and were happy to get it!
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It poured down yesterday too, Susanne. You are welcome to all of it. I’ve had enough of seeing and hearing it. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I only want the downpour for a day or two to catch up on all we missed here. After that it drives me crazy too! We had some welcomed showers over the weekend but it will trend up again to the upper 90’s by the end of the week. Seems to be only feast or famine! Hope a more normal summer returns for you soon. 🌞
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According to the weather man, it will be sunny on Tuesday, with a high of 68F. My initial reaction was “Big deal!”. I don’t need it to be upper 90s, I just want it to stop raining. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I celebrate any time a fall does not result in a broken bone!
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That’s always a cause for celebration, Geoff. And not getting a head injury. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I am so sorry you fell and hurt yourself, Pete. It can happen to anyone not only older people.
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Very true, Robbie. More common in small kids and old people though. We seem to have a lot in common. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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oh my. i’m glad that it wasn’t worse as it was, Pete. hope you’re better. take care 🙂
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Thanks, Wilma. Just a throbbing hand, so I was lucky.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I’m glad it wasn’t worse Pete. Ollie definitely needs to start taking it easy on you.
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Not really his fault, the problem was the rain and mud. On this occasion, he wasn’t even anywhere near close to me. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Bless you, take care. My left foot slid in a mud pool after a downpour in the southern parts of Denmark about a week ago. I can still feel my body, and I had to change my clothes since both legs were smeared in mud and gravel (it happened in my friend´s driveway).
But there is only one thing to do: get back on the feet and keep on trucking.
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Thanks, NW. Yes, I got straight up and carried on dog-walking for another hour. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Every walk an adventure….take care my friend chuq
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I’m going to have to start being a lot more careful, chuq. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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The older I get the more cautious I have become…..chuq
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I’m glad you didn’t break anything, or worse, and I hope those cuts and abrasions will heal quickly. Take care!
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Thanks, Pit. Yes, a break would have been bad news, especially as there was nobody else around because of the awful weather.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Falls can pose quite a danger, especially in poor weather conditions i am thankful it was no worse than it was.
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Thanks, Maggie. At least the river is only 12 inches deep at that spot on the bend. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Another thing to be thankful for.
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I think it could have been worse, so glad you ended up mostly okay
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Yes, definitely worse if I had hit my head. My hand seems to have broken the fall and stopped that happening. 🙂
Thanks, Beth.
Best wishes, Pete.
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always look at the bright side
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Oh, yikes…take care
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I was glad nobody was around to see me, Sue. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Well, yes as it turned out OK
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I had to smile at your comment to Ollie, even though I feel quite sorry for your falling. Picking imbedded gravel from skin is no fun. I do hope you’re on the mend.
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I’m fine thanks, Jennie. My hand is just a bit stiff, and covered with a large sticking plaster. Nothing too serious, fortunately. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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That’s good news. Best to you, Pete.
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Oh dear. I’m sorry about that. I hope you are not too sore.
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Just a painful hand, Carolyn. That will soon go away. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Oh yikes. Glad it wasn’t worse than it was. Did Ollie look a little bit guilty for dawdling?
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He did not look in the least bit guilty, Peggy. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Although this could have been serious, it does paint an amusing picture. Why did Ollie not come to your rescue?
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I presume he thought I wanted to fall down and slide into the river, Darlene. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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And here we thought it was Ollie getting on in years, eh? Surprise!
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I should have stuck with him as he was sniffing the bushes, GP. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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See – Ollie still has things to teach you.
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Mud can be treacherous, as I know all too well. I’m happy it wasn’t too serious, but it gives one pause. I’ve thought more than once that a rearview mirror would come handy during walks, especially in difficult terrain… Stay safe, Pete.
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It was the place I know so well, and I was only standing still, Olga. But the ground was so slippery, I just had to make that small turn to start sliding.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Luckily only a minor mishap, but these things do tend to remind us of our vulnerability [especially as we reach ‘a certain age’]; I ended up flat on the ground recently when I was trying to break up a wooden frame for firewood, but luckily [and slightly surprisingly, in retrospect!] I emerged unscathed and laughing idiotically! I did make a note to self to be more careful in future, but these notes always seem to get lost somewhere……. 😉 Cheers, Jon.
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We certainly do have to be more careful, and I was only standing still! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Wow, glad you escaped relatively unscathed . Love the image of planes stacking
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I could see the black clouds arriving like fluffy airships, Sarada. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Oh dear, glad it wasn’t any worse than it was.
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Achey wrist, and a plaster on my hand. Not too bad. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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You should get one of those sticks with a spike on the end.
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I have a selection of sticks, and my umbrella has a big spike at the end. But I had my umbrella up because of the heavy rain, so no chance of using it to dig into the riverbank. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Glad you’re okay, Pete, it could have been a lot worse😱
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Luckily, I didn’t hit my head. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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yup you are old for running with ollie like that he migjt wants you to be fit amd run like you used to do
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I wasn’t even running, just standing still when I slipped down the muddy riverbank. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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ohh
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Pleased there were no breaks and probably best that Ollie was not close that could have complicated things
all the best
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Look after ya self Pete, we both have been to too many calls that sound so similar.
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Cheers, Bobby. I was the only person around too, and might have been laying there a long time if had been any worse. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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