I had often run and jumped onto the back of the trailer as it pottered down the fenland and I thought that this day was no exception. However, something exceptional happened.
I'm not sure what it was - a surge in the sun's gravitational field might have caused the earth to twitch or more unlikely - the tractor may have experienced a sudden burst of speed. It probably went over a bump. My foot, however, fell short of that metal edge and instead the full force of my flying body fell upon my shin bone, which was the alternative medium that met with the metal edge.
For a short time I just held the leg since it was numb from the impact. Then I started to cry as the nerves remembered what pain was. I was taken into the house to sit with an ice pack (bag of peas) on my leg and recuperate for the rest of the day. I still have the scar.
Last night we went out to get milk. The orange-saw dust-pathway around the house (designed to stop boots getting muddy) has been moved out of the way of the verandah deck which is to be built around the outside of the house. This gives the builder's thugs something to do during the day whilst he is being artistic indoors. The verandah deck is now in construction. Its frame is built and in the darkness last night, as we walked mud-free to our car (let me say this again - it was DARK) I also discovered there was a 2 x 6 in the path and I hit it with my shin at full swing-through stride velocity. It wasn't the same leg I hurt when I was little but it sure felt like it.
I went to the shop with tears in my eyes and when the server asked me how the house was coming I simply replied, "I just walked into the thing!"
No ice pack this time - in fact I had a hot tub which made it worse. We had to go in the tub though because I finally got around to buying a rubber duckie. Actually, the plastic duckies were ugly so I bought plastic dolphins instead - well, they match the blue tub. They squeak realistically and jet water quite effectively. The bathing experience is complete.
I got a lot of boxes into my car last night. Lord knows what is in them. I had to rescue one box from a leaky bottle of fabric conditioner (please don't ask why it's in there) and left a suspicious looking trail of pearlescent liquid across the road as a result. I hope no-one has to break into the storage unit to figure out its source. Everything sure smells fragrant though.
Buzzer for end of lunch has sounded. It's back to a frantic day of shipping for me.
