Monday 11th January - I, me, myself

 That's the letter for today - I

Me, myself, and what is in my mind's eye?

I'm sure we used to have a copy of this book; 

and now suddenly this poem has floated to the top of my brain

The Tyger

BY WILLIAM BLAKE

Tyger Tyger, burning bright, 

In the forests of the night; 

What immortal hand or eye, 

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies. 

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat,

What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain, 

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp, 

Dare its deadly terrors clasp! 

When the stars threw down their spears 

And water'd heaven with their tears: 

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger Tyger burning bright, 

In the forests of the night: 

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Ah, but it uses the word 'symmetry', not 'geometry'. As you were then.

I managed a 'quick' walk before lunch - I haven't been out while the weather was so cold. 

My Other Half was cooking lunch, so I had just 20 minutes. Being on my own I didn't have any oxygen support, and I can tell you I surely noticed the difference. Even so I managed 300 metres in my first 6 minute walk test, and then spent several minutes standing still until my breathing steadied. Once I was ready, I walked on a little further, stopped again to catch my breath, and turned for home. I made this a second walk test and covered 340 m. The further distance is because the return journey is slightly downhill. One again I paused, and then covered the final distance, just ten houses from home. Overall, 800 metres in the 20 minutes.

If I had been using oxygen, even at the lowest setting, I reckon I would have all this and more without needing to stop. 

My reward for all this effort was a glass of wine with my beef pie... well-deserved, I thought, although it made me quite sleepy all afternoon. 

I had a go at the next lesson of touch-typing. It is as I thought; adding two more letters has more than doubled the difficulty (although some of that might have been the wine??)

It does mean the little stories are getting more involved;

i sigh like jill; jed has a high hall; see jaffa as he jigs

a sad seal did fall; dad filled a field; a sill leaks alas;

i like a fig; half a heel has  held; jill has a gash; i hike

This is Such Hard Work now!

I'm spending more time going over each word, and then each line, until I manage to get it right. Then, of course, I ruin it by rattling in this post using my 'eyes on the keys, using three fingers' method.  Tomorrow, if I dare, I get to learn o, n and the shift keys. To be honest, a Bach four-part fugue is easier.