The Old Sailor (A.A.Milne)

What with a steady stream of weekend visitors for the rest of the year/looking into my thyroid (& possible adrenal) issues/doing some further tests/trying to find a treatment/thinking about starting a search for a decent endocrinologist who cares/investigating leaky gut syndrome/reigning in my eating choices so that they support all of the above issues instead of hindering them/searching for a surrogate/trying to figure out HOW to search for a surrogate/trying to get the ball rolling on donor egg cycle/haven’t even made the list of questions for my IVF clinic interviews and they are NEXT WEEK/keeping up with the people in blog-and-forum land who support me when I am in need, and giving those individuals the same support/keeping up with dear friends and family in real life, who deserve the same/chipping away at Grandfather’s memoir transcription project/dealing with pregnant best friend/sorting out where I want or need to go with my new weekly counselling sessions/weekly exercise program/renewing daily meditation program/TRYING to get to bed early/managing the house and garden/still feeling constantly tired, drained or completely exhausted – ALL WHILE TRYING NOT TO DO TOO MUCH BECAUSE DOING TOO MUCH IS THE EVIL ADRENAL-KILLER- I am beginning to feel like the Old Sailor below.

My littlest brother came to visit on the weekend.  We had a lovely time, with nice food, chats and a good walk thrown in. He also mentioned feeling a little overwhelmed with decisions around which issues to target first in some aspects of his life, so it seems like a perfect moment to bring out A.A. Milne:

	The Old SailorThere was once an old sailor my grandfather knew  Who had so many things which he wanted to do  That, whenever he thought it was time to begin,  He couldn’t because of the state he was in.  He was shipwrecked, and lived on a island for weeks,  And he wanted a hat, and he wanted some breeks;  And he wanted some nets, or a line and some hooks  For the turtles and things which you read of in books.  And, thinking of this, he remembered a thing Which he wanted (for water) and that was a spring; And he thought that to talk to he’d look for, and keep (If he found it) a goat, or some chickens and sheep. Then, because of the weather, he wanted a hut With a door (to come in by) which opened and shut (With a jerk, which was useful if snakes were about), And a very strong lock to keep savages out. He began on the fish-hooks, and when he’d begun  He decided he couldn’t because of the sun.  So he knew what he ought to begin with, and that  Was to find, or to make, a large sun-stopping hat.  He was making the hat with some leaves from a tree,  When he thought, “I’m as hot as a body can be,  And I’ve nothing to take for my terrible thirst;  So I’ll look for a spring, and I’ll look for it first.”
	Then he thought as he started, “Oh, dear and oh, dear! I’ll be lonely tomorrow with nobody here!” So he made in his note-book a couple of notes: “I must first find some chickens” and “No, I mean goats.” He had just seen a goat (which he knew by the shape) When he thought, “But I must have boat for escape. But a boat means a sail, which means needles and thread; So I’d better sit down and make needles instead.” He began on a needle, but thought as he worked, That, if this was an island where savages lurked, Sitting safe in his hut he’d have nothing to fear, Whereas now they might suddenly breathe in his ear! So he thought of his hut … and he thought of his boat,  And his hat and his breeks, and his chickens and goat,  And the hooks (for his food) and the spring (for his thirst) …  But he never could think which he ought to do first.  And so in the end he did nothing at all,  But basked on the shingle wrapped up in a shawl.  And I think it was dreadful the way he behaved –  He did nothing but bask until he was saved!