Balancing ACT

Elspeth wanted to get back to her old self – but was she brave enough?

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Standing by the door, Elspeth smiled, watching her grandchildren Jacob and Millie playing in the snow. They had been dying to go outside once they spotted the first flakes, but their parents Dan and Liv had insisted they eat Sunday lunch first.

'You can go out afterwards. It will be quite deep by then if it keeps this up,' Elspeth's son Dan said, eyeing the huge flakes that were starting to cover the grass.

Now, with lunch cleared away, he and Elspeth's husband Mick were outside with the kids having a great time.

'Come out, Mum!' shouted little Jacob to Liv, rolling a snowball that was already the size of a football. 'You too, Nan, it's great.'

'We're fine watching you from here!' Liv called. 'I haven't brought my boots and Nan doesn't want to slip.'

Elspeth smiled gratefully at her daughter-in-law. She knew Liv understood her fear of falling, although she felt cross with herself.

'I need to be a bit braver,' she said. 'I can't stay cooped up indoors whenever there's a bit of snow.'

'Well, you did break your leg very badly last winter,' Liv said carefully. 'But I hope you start feeling more confident soon. After all, it was a freak accident on some black ice. It could have happened to any of us. It's not as if you're going to keep falling. You're only 59, and really fit with all the swimming you do, not to mention Pilates. That's brilliant for balance.' Elspeth smiled. It was exactly what she needed to hear.

'I may only be 59, but I felt about 100 hobbling around with my stick last year. Anyway, now I need to stop being such a wimp.

'I'm sure you'll get there,' Liv said encouragingly.

When the family had left, Jacob and Millie drooping with exhaustion after all the excitement, Mick suggested coffee and brandy by the fire.

'That was fun,' he said. 'But it would have been great if you could have joined in, love. The kids really wanted you to.'