DANGEROUS DYKES

I vowed last night I would go swimming today no matter what. I didn't go really early and left here at about 8.15am. There was a little flurry of snow but the road outside was fine to drive on so off I went.

As I was driving to the pool, my car suddenly started slip sliding away. I very nearly ended up in the dyke. I think it was luck not driving skill that helped me stay on the road and straighten up. My heart pounded and my hands shook. I have no idea why the car did that. The road was clean and I was doing under 30mph, much less actually as I was slowing to turn a corner.

The area around here is all reclaimed land. A thousand or so years ago the Dutch came here an taught the people how to build dykes. So many of our roads run long the top of them, with deep water filled dykes either side. Unfortunately a lot of drivers are careless, drive to fast, and end up in the dykes. Some drown. Not so long ago a mother and her children perished in a dyke.

When I got to the pool it was raining lightly. Once I was in the water, I felt such relief to be back in the water. I do so love to swim. In the water I feel at home and I hurt much less and am completely mobile. I have always enjoyed swimming, long before I got sick, it's just now it is even more important to me.

When I left the pool, it was white out. I drove home, the long way, on straighter and main roads, thru a blizzard at no more than 30mph, sometimes less. The amount of idiots that drove faster and whose cars had no lights! The most treacherous bit for me was getting out of the car and into the house without falling.

I have telephoned John at work and suggested he leave as soon as he can because otherwise he will be spending the weekend on his own in London.