Failing to find anything online, I went to the library and came back with a book with loads of nice recipes in it, one among them being for matjes herring. So now excuse for not diving straight in, head first!

Right now, my herrings are in the fridge soaking in some vinegar so that the bones will be decalcified and thereby much softer. I’ll keep you updated!

This is how matjes herring normally comes!

OK, let’s start with a short lecture on anatomy. There are two muscles that go from the back of the knee to the heel. It’s the gastrocnemius muscle, which is on top, and the soleus muscle, which is underneath (see pic below). You can strain or rupture either, rupture being the worse of the two conditions. I’ve ruptured both.

During the healing process, the gap in the muscle may calcify (this is my translation of what I understood PT to say…) and thereby making the muscle more likely to strain or rupture again. For the rest of my life. And this is what scares me. I can live with the pain, no worries. But I’m terrified of a possible permanent damage.

My big mistake was to take that step-up aerobics class the day after I strained my calf during Zumba class. That probably took me from strain to rupture. Then it probably didn’t help that I only rested for ten days before going for a run. Or only let two weeks pass before I tried going back to the gym again.

I have another appointment with PT in three weeks. In the meanwhile I will have to

• Accept that there will be no more aerobics or running this side of New Years Eve
• Keep my walks to under 30 minutes (15 minutes being even better)
• Avoid shopping sprees (apparently, walking is walking even if you’re doing it at a shopping center)
• Not wear high heels
• Do the exercises he gave me on a daily basis

I have to confess that I’m having a hard timing going into Pollyanna-mode here, but giving it a try I’d say it will give me that much more time for doing family history research and sorting LEGO. And doing all sorts of Christmas preparations, including home made sweets. Which of course I can’t eat because I’m not working out. But I can watch others enjoy them, surely that must be a treat too?

Picture from http://nicktumminello.com

I’m guessing that he or she had crawled in there with the intention of having a winter slumber and was fooled by the new radiator into thinking it was summer and therefore time to come out. I was the first to see it, and I reacted like any sane, normal person would do. I ran out screaming. Joakim went in with the intention to get rid of said spider, but said spider was too quick to get back under the tub. And even though I insisted, Joakim refused to follow it in there. And as long as there’s a spider lurking in the corners, I refuse to spend more time than necessary in the bath room and then only as far away from the tub I possibly can get (thankfully, the shower’s in the other end of the room).

Sure, when I put on my make-up in front of the hallway mirror and brushed my teeth in the kitchen zink this morning, I could see how my fear of spiders reduces my options and makes me do things in a more complicated way. But will never agree with Joakim that my fear is irrational!

I know it's in there... biding its time...