Much needed fresh air today… a foaming sea, bright sky and warm light are hard to resist. My lungs even kept up with my heart!

The last month, I have had the most awful bout of hives. A hideous skin allergy brought on by the concoction of a viral infection (2 colds and shingles will do it), some stress and likely more than one trigger; environmental or something I ate – or both! The effect is luminous! (Something to do with proteins). The itching unbearable and closed airways, which if you have experienced asthma, will know is rather worrying, especially as it seems to peak while sleeping. The remedy: elimination.

Today is the first day I didn’t wake up with hives in 3 weeks, despite going to bed with it last night. So I took advantage of the weather to ease my restless legs.

A hike always puts things in perspective for me and the real reminder to self is not to stop the daily exercise for anything, especially over 40! For lots of good reasons.

Something I have neglected unfortunately for a few months, especially when winter so wet and cold arrived in a storm!

Daily exercise IS the maintenance programme, at least for me and especially with an auto-immune.

Keep and stay fit Nicola! Nothing like ill health for a wake up call!

The realisation, as I get older, is the minimum level is harder to achieve and even more important to maintain!

(I also finished Andre de Ruyter’s book so now it’s very much top of mind! )

The other thing I realised, while listening to myself think, is I don’t have a finite goal at the moment?!

So best to mull over some ideas and opportunities this week and regroup.

… as for what I eliminate: excuses and temptation.

Always good for the soul.

Happy Sunday.