Sore Neck, Books, and other musings

I hurt my neck.  :(

I think I strained it while riding my bike. By sticking my chin out in a hyper-extended position for the duration of a bike ride, I think the muscles become fatigued in some way, and then every time I move my head in the wrong way during daily activities, it hurts.

Now, it's hurt like this before.  I tipped my head back in the shower to rinse out the shampoo one day a few weeks back and thought I was wringing my own neck.  Then had to be careful of how hard I brushed my hair, even!  Any backwards motion of my head, or pressure that I had to strain against, made me think that my scull was trying to shear off the top of my spinal column and my head was going to fall off!

But generally, this discomfort didn't last.  It went away in a few hours and was all but forgotten, only to return many days later, generally when I hop in the shower and casually tip my head back.  This morning, however, I must have been a little more careless or a little more rough or something!  Because it's 6pm and it still hurts. And badly! Any quick movement, like flicking hair out of my eyes, or turning to look at something, causes a shot of pain. As long as I am aligned and looking forward, or moving my head slowly and carefully, it's alright, but it hasn't gotten better at all today.

Today's workout was meant to be 40 minutes on the rowing machine and 30-60 minutes on the bike and I am going to have to forgo each of these activities tonight, because neither feels comfortable.  I did manage to walk for a short while on the treadmill and do some stretching today, but that's all my body wanted to put up with.

I guess that means today is a rest day.  In preparation for this eventuality, I have prepared a collection of Better Homes and Gardens magazines, and a (hopefully) light and fluffy book called Gaits of Heaven by Susan Conant.  I have never heard of her, or the Dog Lover's Mystery series, but I judge all books by their covers and this one had a silly painted dog on the cover that made me think this book isn't about to take itself too seriously. 

I do have more serious books on order, but they haven't arrived at the library yet.  I am hoping to get ahold of In Defence of Food and Authentic Happiness for a little brain stimulation.  There are so many good books out there, it is hard to know where to begin or how to find the time to read them all!

Just while letting it all out there, I was also thinking about my horse today. And I realised I really miss my horse! And he's right in my back yard! So much of my day is taken up with so many other things, and once the Blackwood is over I want to fully commit to enjoying time with TK. I'd like to see if I can get a few other girls interested in doing Drill Team with their horses for some fun over summer. Equestrian sports tend to be done during the cooler months, so this would be a fun way to keep our horses tuned up and socialising during the summer without the pressure of competition.

Well, I think it's time for some TV and light reading!