Off grid house build Orkney

How’s the leg? How’s life? Hopefully recovering well on both counts

^
This.
How are things?
No pressure.

@JurekB I've been really shit at this, sorry.. and thank you for checking in! Things are getting better and progressing each day. Moved into a wee ground floor flat that belongs to a friend a couple weeks ago that I can use for a few months before holiday let season starts. Got my cat Nihil moved in with me too so it's feeling pretty homely. It feeling temporary isn't ideal, but got my name on the local housing list and things and keeping my fingers crossed. I was really worried about how I'd manage at first, but have managed pretty much everything independently since moving in and have had offers from neighbours and friends on island of picking up shopping and things for me too so feeling pretty fortunate. Signal is slim to none here so my phone has to be jammed against the window in order to get enough to hotspot to get slow internet on the laptop.. if anyone calls I'm standing jammed up against the window too so it doesn't cut out. This is the view out the big living room window and back door though. Loads of seals come and stay on the rocks when the tide is low and there's a couple herons and some oystercatchers too so really can't complain!

Getting less sore and more mobile all the time, walking with just the one crutch in the house now (limped down the hallway without one after going for a pee the other day, before realising halfway that I didn't have it and should probably go back for it). Feeling like I've plateaued a little after the initial jump from no walking at all to getting down a hallway, but trying to remind myself of the progress there has been when I get down on myself about it.
Trying my best with the physio exercises, but there's a ton of pain and swelling in my knee preventing me from doing too much and that worsens when I do the exercises. Was in pedal straps when I went down so think I went down pretty much horizontally with the bike when it slid out on the ice. The femur took the main impact and the top of my inner thigh took a battering from the saddle, but think the seat tube had knocked my knee out of place as well (I have a bit of a history with dislocations and sublimations in my knees and this feels very similar..). In terms of pain around the hip there really isn't much and it's the knee that's waking me up overnight and that gets really sore with any standing or walking that's too prolonged or if it's straight or bent for too long sitting or lying. Got a referral to outpatient physio for it that I'm waiting on and the surgeon has mentioned getting me down again for an MRI on it, but around the pins needs to heal a bit better first as apparently the metal will get hot in the machine.. Ditched all the nasty painkillers too so for the last couple weeks really it's only been paracetamols I've been taking and trying to reduce those too.

I hired one of those mobility scooters for getting into Kirkwall on the boat and making sure I didn't end up feeling isolated. It's really handy, but feels pretty disempowering and I really don't like using it, while being completely aware of it's handiness for now. Days in town and seeing folk is nice, but everything takes longer and more effort and I'm finding myself napping in the evenings if I've been out that day.

Trying to eat healthier as well to aid recovery so smoothies and porridge and such like that I'd never normally have bothered with, as well more fruit/less chocolate and snacky shite. Not sure if I'm feeling better for them, or whether I'm feeling a bit better because it feels like I'm making more positive choices for myself and that kind of agency feels nice.

Had time on my hands so picking up the banjo again, going to take a while to be able to do much tuneful with it, and it sitting on my lap does get sore after a wee while, but I am enjoying it. Thought I had lost all my music years ago when my hard drive died and never bothered uploading anything else to it, but found it all again searching for how to use the camera on the laptop and coming across a song that had the word "camera" in the title! Had a lot of fun rediscovering and remembering things I had completely forgotten about over the last wee while. The soundtrack to recovery so far has been a few different podcasts (really recommend Ologies and For The Wild for nice, engaged and in depth conversation and Top Flight Time Machine for some funny shit talking), coupled with lovely 5-10 year old folk and post rock as well as some folk punk and cascadian black metal from my time in the pacific northwest years ago.

My ex is still in the house, and it sounds like hard going as the immersion was faulty in the hot water tank so she still doesn't have hot water/heating other than the stove. The renewables/heat pump is taking a while to set up between chasing parts and people trying to get their head around the system. Not entirely sure what the next step will be in terms of who lives there/does it just get sold, but think we'll be making steps on that soon..

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No need to apologise.
Good to hear from you. Keep well.
Still, no pressure.

This is a good update - pleased to hear it, and really the last place I'd have expected to hear Cascadian black metal being mentioned. WITTR for the win.

Wishing you a swift recovery to body, soul and mind.

hey man, glad to hear you're healing up and staying positive.

Proper positive stuff brother.

Imagine the joy you’ll find in the simple things once you’re healed. Going for a walk or having a long shower will never have felt so good.

^this. Glad to hear you’re recovering, even if it may take a while you’re on the road!

You’ll be wanting DBAD, LFGSS and PBAS stickers for the scooter I expect.

Really sorry to hear all this. Not sure what to say but I'm thinking of you.

What news @Creek_Tebsin ?

I’m decasted now and trying to remember how to walk not like a berk. Thinking of recommencing my cladding tomorrow and thought of you.

I haven't checked in on this thread in quite some time and am saddened to hear of your injuries and the break down of your relationship.
Spring is on the way and hopefully your leg is healing.

Hey @Creek_Tebsin - how are you doing?

shit. hadn't dropped in for a while and then just caught up. @Creek_Tebsin hope the healing, physical and emotional is well on under way. the house stuff has always been awesome and inspiring. but it is just a house. sorry it is unlikely to become your home.

just want to send good vibes your way dude.

Any updates on this @Creek_Tebsin ? Hope you're doing well.

@Creek_Tebsin - hope you're holding up, hopefully your leg is well recovered now - I hope you're doing OK generally

Well shit, I haven’t really been ‘on here’ for six months, catching up with my favourite thread has certainly been a rollercoaster ride. Started with ‘ooh that’s a nice extractor fan, have to ask what that is’ and then quickly went downhill. I really hope you’re doing a bit better now @Creek_Tebsin .

Orkney on the radio. How’s it going @Creek_Tebsin?

checking in @Creek_Tebsin - hope things are alright?

Also sending good thoughts your way @Creek_Tebsin - can’t imagine how tough things are but I - like so many others- take such inspiration from what you managed to do in Orkney

I always check this thread every once in a while. I hope you’re good @Creek_Tebsin and that you’re recovering. Sending you all the best thoughts.

Likewise. Your project, photos, attitude and modesty kept me coming back. Best wishes wherever you find yourself.

I’m sorry folks, I had to actively just disengage from this for a while, and then the guilt of not having replied to folk/ thanked people for their kind wishes pushed me away even further (I realise this is all me and not the intentions behind any of the contacts from genuinely wonderful people).

Healing has gone well and back on the bike which was great this summer for cycling out to beaches and Toronto a bit of sea swimming for the first time since I’ve been up here as a bit of an exercise in self care. I’ve been getting a lot more pain recently though.. I wasn’t sure if it was just because I was doing more but they gave me an x-Ray to see if one of the screws has worked it’s way loose a little, just waiting on answers back from that..
My left shoulder also started dislocating randomly a few months ago. Had a historic injury from getting hit by a car during a drunken bike race in Toronto and think leaning on a crutch for months just aggravated that. Been booked in for surgery in the new year to tighten up tendons to stop it slipping out.

Other beautiful updates, I got a wee council house on shapinsay with a view of the water and a wee garden. Nihil is now an outside cat and the fact that the other side of those windows is a space she can be has blown her wee mind! She loves the garden, and I’m feeling very fortunate to be here!

Work at the blide trust has been really really positive this year! Made good connections with the highland park distillery locally after some of their staff volunteered in the garden. This led to their parent company choosing our charity for a massive fundraiser and we raised over £160,000!! They even made a promo video for us which was something we’d always wanted to do but never had the skills/cash to do it properly! We also put on an amazing music and poetry event called headspace showcase in the summer and this led to the local bbc radio station doing an hour show about the charity and showcasing the talents of some of our members. I gave the website a proper refresh too and both the promo video and the recording of the radio show can be found on the homepage if anyone fancies checking them out, blide trust.org.uk

Another unexpected beautiful wee thing, I was reunited with this Hansom from @hollow__legs . I always regretted selling it and he got in touch earlier in the year as he had always promised to give me first refusal on it if he wasn’t going to keep it! Very very grateful for that! I also built up a shitty old leader frame because it was one that brought me a lot of joy when first riding fixed

In terms of the house, I drove past it for the first time in months the other day and nothing has changed on the outside since I left, I know the heating and hot water and things are set now though. Not great communication from things but imagine it will be going up for sale in the spring and hoping the market improves between now and then, might even put in a wee bid..

Other than that I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who attempted to check in or provide words of encouragement or support this year, it was appreciated more than you could know (and more than I articulated!) here’s looking at you @JurekB @PC2 @gillies @knowthejo @russmeyer @kjlem @jonny @Hefty @dbr @skinny @stevo_com @bigshape @PeteJChurchill and anyone else who has been following along that I’ve been shit and haven’t included!

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Great to hear this update!

The Hansom, Nihil, and the view out of your house are all properly nice :)

I've had surgery to stabilise a shoulder, so reach out if you need to and I'll try to answer questions. But the short version is probably like @youramericanlover mentioned re.: physio - do it, keep doing it and the results will come. Hope it is a smooth process for you.

Having just come off a broken shoulder surgery 11 weeks ago, I wish you all the best with the upcoming surgery and further healing. So far I can only agree with @Cupcakes. Physio physio physio.