🎬 BEHIND THE SCENES: My Physio vs. My Caffeine Habit

If you’ve been around the Menagerie long enough, you’ll know I’m not shy about teasing the people in my life — and my physio is no exception. Bless her. She’s brilliant… but she also made me give up caffeine.

Yes. Caffeine. Sparkling water. And — brace yourself — energy drinks like Red Bull.

I’m still not convinced she didn’t enjoy watching my soul leave my body when she broke the news. She delivered it with the same tone you’d use to tell someone their favourite holiday has been cancelled. And naturally, I gave her grief. Playful grief, but grief nonetheless.

I told her she was ruining my joy. I told her she was stealing my personality. I told her she was basically committing a hate crime against tired people.

But here’s the thing — and I hate admitting this because it means she was right — it’s actually been good for me.

Annoyingly good.

Once I stopped sulking and actually listened, I realised how much better my body felt. My sleep improved. My energy stabilised. My muscles stopped behaving like they were made of angry rubber bands. And the physio sessions themselves? Easier. More effective. Less “Lisa vs. Gravity” and more “Lisa vs. Mildly Inconvenient Stretch.”

It turns out that sometimes the things we think will steal our joy are actually the things that give us more of it. We cling to habits because they feel comforting, even when they’re quietly making everything harder. And when we finally give something new a try — even reluctantly, even with dramatic sighing — we realise we’re better for it.

So yes, I tease her. I will continue to tease her. It’s part of the dynamic now. But behind the jokes, I genuinely appreciate her.

So here’s a proper shout‑out:

Blizard Physiotherapy, Harworth, Nottinghamshire

If you need someone who knows their stuff, pushes you just enough, and isn’t afraid to tell you that your beloved fizzy drinks are ruining your internal organs — she’s your girl.

She’s amazing. 

Even if she does keep stealing my bubbles. 

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### 🕵️‍♂️ NEED MORE SUSPENSE IN YOUR LIFE?

If you think the high-stakes tactical manoeuvring of a Beagle stealing a Sunday roast is thrilling, you should see what happens in my books. 

When I am not fighting a losing battle against the "Biscuit Bandit," I am a published author of gripping adult fiction and imaginative children's stories. If you want to escape into a completely different world (one where nobody is actively trying to eat your sandwich), visit The Directors Bookshelf right here on the blog to grab your next read!