Monday 13th November 2017

Basque: Astelehena, Azaroaren 13a 2017

0035hrs: Almost reluctantly, my body then brain stirred into life. The grey-cells full of ambiguousness, pondering on so many things at the same time. Ambivalent conclusions, fears and worries floated around at will. Not my intention, of course. Depression, Dizzy Dennis, this world full of hate, violence, INR Blood Test to remember, putting on weight, memory lapses, the starving children, toothache… on and on the thoughts mingled together for a while. I seemed to be listening to a radio programme rather than myself. But this doesn’t make any sense?

For once, I welcomed the call to the Porcelain Throne. Out of the £300 second-hand recliner without too much effort and no toe-stubbing on the way to the wet room. Trotsky Terence was back. Splurt, splatter followed by cleaning things up. A messy session! There was no bleeding from Haemorrhoid Harold. Anne Gyna was in a good mood too.

Took the medications with an ADRC capsule.

Made a mug of the Twinings Extra Strong English Breakfast tea. A tasty blend of African and Indian tea this, I like it a lot. Expensive though.

Did the health checks for the day.

On the computer and updated the week’s readings in Excel. I must remember to take a print of it with me to the surgery later when I go for the INR Wafarinblood test with the nurse. Hopefully, Nurse Nichole this week.

Had a wee-wee, then I got the nibbles readied in the bag to take with me to the doctors.

0250hrs: Got the Sunday post finished and started this one off.

Did a graphic for page tops later, and thought I’d better get the laundry done while I have the time.

0320hrs: Down to get the washing going.

Very cold down there in the lift, foyer and laundry room. Brr!

I spotted two extra notes on the board as I passed on my way back up after getting the washer going.

The first one about bad apples confused me somewhat.

The second about noisy tenants was obvious enough now, and someone had written a further message on it.

Apparently, someone has been using the flat washing machines late at night. The git guilty of hammering Sunday morning is probably the bloke above my flat.

Back up and made a cuppa and updated this tosh. I’ll try to remember to take a look at the notice behind the handwritten one (Top one), to see if I can glean some understanding of it when I go down again.

Had a wee-wee. Pleased to report the overactive mind was getting back to its usual blank filled state. Haha!

I’ll try to get a photograph of the flats outside the foyer door too. Hope it comes out a ‘moody’ one. But it is quite clear weather out there.

0337hrs: Back to the ground floor to move the things into the dryer.

Cleaned the washing machine. But, oh dear! Some naughty pensioner had not cleaned the filter on the drying box!

Got the clothes going and went outside to take the photographs of the frontage of the flats. ‘Moody’ ones attained today, I think.

Bit of an obstacle course again, but at least a changed layout for us. Hehe!

It looked like they had got it all ready for the removal come renovation of the balconies. They have warned us of the noise and dust to expect.

I think they will start this week with the actual work on them.

A bit nippy out there, I’ll make sure I wrap up well when I go out. A warm hat, gloves, thick jumper etc.

I nipped back in to peruse the Notice Board. I now understand the meaning of the Letters, Letters “Why?” handwritten notice. I think?

This is why, when they had a vote on stopping the coin machines and making an overall charge, I voted not to change. This and the fact that anyone here on Tax Credits or under 65 and unemployed get the service free. Jealousy? Hehe!

I also spotted that some mobile phones were being offered for sale. Not that it interested me in any way. Caught up with sorting the pictures and updated this.

0440hrs: Off to collect the laundry.

As I cleaned the other machines, I found a pair of ladies long-johns and an odd sock in one of the drums. Bless them. I folded the knickers and put them with the hose on the draining board. Hope she will realise.

Back up in the lift and got the clobber stored in the airing cupboard. Made a Yorkshire Tea brew and updated this diary.

WordPress comment responses and then to the Reader section.

Facebooking next. Fingers crossed it does not freeze on me again.  It did.

Some time spent on the TFZer site, then had to get the ablutions sorted so I would not be late for the blood test. The appointment, being for 0930hrs meant I would not be able to use the shower this early. Well, not in fairness to the neighbours. So, it was off into the shower room, and ‘Ablutionisationing Plan Number 3’ was adopted successfully, which is:

• Fill the washing up bowl with warm water, washing up liquid and Dettol antiseptic disinfectant and stand in the mixture wriggling the toes and treading water, while I did the teeth, and cleaned out the nostrils.
• Wipe and remove the bowl.
• Have a shave.
• Apply after-shave to stop the cuts bleeding.
• Scrub torso, arms and legs, then dry the same.
• Bang elbow against the sink doing the above.
  
• Apply pain gel to the joints and medicate Haemorrhoid Harold’s area.
• Oil the ear canals.
  
• Apply more pain gel to the stubbed toes; I got on the mop bucket.
• Take extra Codeine Phosphate.

Life can difficult when you get a touch senile and old. Hehehe!

Got dressed warmly and took the sorted black bags to the rubbish chute and deposited them down it. Then pressed the call button for a lift, and waited, and waited, then waited some more. At first, I didn’t panic, because I could hear the noises (As promised in the letter from the building company) coming from above, below and outside. It was apparent the lads were up to the neck in it. But after ten-minutes waiting, I had a walk the twelve floors down the stairs.

As I got out of the doors, it became evident that the men were bringing in the radiators for fitting, and of course, they have to take the old ones away, and elevators being the only way to do this. I understood why I could not get a ride down this morning. I did hope that there would not be a fire while this was going on, though.

Outside and poddled along Chestnut Walk.

By gum, it was bitter cold out there!

All of the vehicles parked up had iced-up windscreens, headlights and mirrors as well.

At the end of the compound, I espied that the crew were getting on with building the new block in the centre. A busy time for the Obergruppenfurheress and Obergefrieteress Wardens, and Jenny I imagine.

On I plodded down the hill into Sherwood, up Mansfield Road over the crest and down into Carrington and the Sherrington Park Medical Centre.

Where to my delight, Nurse Nichole was on duty.

A real pleasure to have this beautiful, understanding, lovely and magnificent nurse take my blood.

Handed her the nibbles and took my leave. Out and down to the pharmacist to collect the Codeine Phosphates. I gave a bag of chocolate coins to owner Deepak and told him this would help the staff with their busfares – He did laugh!

Said my farewells and off down the road to the Lidl store. A good wander around, but could not find any chocolate nougats. I ended up getting a tin of mushy peas, walnuts, pecan nuts, small francs and two tiny tins of anchovies in olive oil. I’ve never tried these before. When I do get around to using them, I can use the fish sauce on them?

I used the self-serve tills without any problems for once.

Out to the bus stop and soon caught a 58 back into Sherwood. Over the road and into the Wilko store. As was my intention, two their Fabric Softeners and Fragrance Boosters in the scent that I like so. Ylan and Fressia. A bottle of bleach. A packet of Bic disposable razors.

And I tried some Surf liquid soap powder, something else I’d not tried before. The label on it claims this little bottle will do 26 washes? Measured with container cap and poured straight into the drum with the washing?

We’ll see.

Coming out of the shop after paying the £12.40 I owed, I met two gals from the flats. We had good chinwag at the bus shelter. Handed out the nibbles. I annoy myself when I can’t remember names.

We caught the L9 back up to the flats, and I gave the driveress a nibble bar. Handed out the last of the chocolate coins to folk on the bus. I love it when I can make people laugh and smile.

Off the bus and hobbled (For the feet were terrible now) down to the building. Where the workman who I saw earlier, was still transporting the large heaters into the complex.

A struggle for him and his mate. He told me later that the weight of them, and the small space in the lifts, meant two large or one large and two small was the maximum that could be taken in one go.

This is why the lifts were not available to me earlier on. They have to get them in and out, and this is not a quick job, especially if they are delivering where those that had been removed had to be taken out as well. The worker, looking a little frustrated, allowed Irene (I think) and me to go up first. She dropped on her eighth floor, and I carried on to the twelfth and sent the cage back down for the lad.

Got in had a wee-wee.

Put the gear away.

Made a brew and got the computer going to update this page.

No hassle from Anne Gyna today, excellent.

I was getting reasonably well-sorting things out, when, it suddenly went dark and heard a deep whining noise. Hehe! It was the flat cage outside passing the window on its way down. Ah, the men’s dinner break time?

I hastened, fumbling to get the camera to take a photo before they descended out of view. But I’d got the camera card in the computer in use – so before I got it sorted out, the platform was a few storeys below me. I hung out of the window and took these shots.

I got the nosh on the go. Frankfurters in the pan on low. I’ll add the part-cooked cobs later in the oven after I’ve got and had the multi-coloured-chips cooking. Sounds interesting, does it? Hehe, all will be revealed soon.

Got on with updating this blog again.

Then updated the Facebook page.

Got the carrot, parsnip and beetroot fries in the oven, added the cobs later.

Regrettably, and as good as the meal looked on the plastic plate, this was one of the worst noshes I’d had for a long time.

Iceland’s triple chips of beetroot, parsnips and carrots came out all tasting the same – crap! After trying a couple of each, they were assigned to the waste bin. The pork pies were so greasy, one bite and they joined the chips. The Scotch Eggs tasted like cardboard. The Kipling’s ‘Nation’s Favourite Bramley Apple Pie’ seemed like all lard and sugar. The franks, cobs and mousse saved the meal from complete disaster. Tsk!

There were some great old time programmes to watch, though. Londons Burning, Pie in the Sky, Hetty Wainthrope Investigates, then an old Steven Seagal film.

I started to watch Londons Burning and woke to the Hetty Wainthrope closing credits and tune. The film started, and at the first commercial break I nodded off until 0150hrs when I had to struggle out of the recliner to utilise the Porcelain Throne… Ah-well!