Tuesday 16th January 2018

0200hrs: Woke in a terribly confused state of mind. Had dream involving my old cats, Lady and Cyril, so felt a tad low. However, things settled to their usual semi-confused condition as I lay there thinking ‘Blimey, it’s cold this morning’, Brrr! Got to go out to the surgery for the INR Warfarin Blood Test as well.

At least the brain had lost its earlier Boeotian wanderings. The innards were already bubbling and rumbling. The thirst remains with me.

The morning battle to extract my ashamedly plump torso from the £300 second-hand recliner was relatively easy for once. No toe stubbing either. Shunted into to the kitchen.

Made the brew. As the gurgling from within developed, I took the medications and did the Health Checks. All over the place again this morning, up and down, like yesterdays. I must mention this to the nurse later, hopefully, Nurse Nichole.

Off to the Porcelain Throne: a short wait of a few seconds – Spurt – splatter – pebble-dashing of porcelain and rear-quarters, then a painful stomach rumble and a long extended mess leaving kerplunk!  Had a good clean up of me and the wet room, wiped contact points and back into the kitchen.

The tea had gone cold, so I made another.

I thought about opening the window to take a picture but decided against it when I saw the low reading on the thermometer on the window ledge.

Checked the diary for the blood test appointment time, 0920hrs.

Started this post off up to here, then finalised the Monday one, and went on Facebook to add photos to albums. Going a bit slow again today is Facebook. Comments when clicked on are not coming up? Turned off and restarted and it came back on. Made another mug of tea.

A bash on WordPress Reader, next. Then read the comments and responded.

It doesn’t seem to be getting any warmer, and the rain looks like it is settling in for the day again.

Made a page top graphic to use in a later post.

Seems to be getting a bit warmer now. I wonder if the flats are on fire? Took the midday medications and did the Health Checks early as I got up so soon, like.

Had an excellent ablutionalisationing session. Apart from the Little Inchy fungal lesion was bleeding, so I applied some Dakacort cream. Getting low on this again now. Must try to remember to ask for some more on a prescription request form.

I sorted a black bag of rubbish, got the three jars to go to the recycling bin ad tool them out with me. Dropped the bag down the chute, cause it was now 0800hrs, and tool the bottles down with me and deposited them in the bin outside the foyer door. The rain was barely noticeable as I began my hobble along Chestnut Walk.

The sun came out as I got further along the road. And, a few times throughout the day. But it was like politicians promises, no warmth and did nothing to warm up the voters! Hehe!

To the end and right down the Winchester Street Hill. When the wind blew, it had a chill-factor of Warp Nine!

Haha! Brrr!

A piece of Nottingham Street Art at the bottom of the hill. Art Deco style perhaps? Plenty of rice, but I didn’t know if it was of Chinese or Indian origin. Whichever it was, it proved unpopular with the most-likely drunk Nottinghamian purchaser.

Right along Mansfield Road and up the slow incline. I noticed the Continental Shop was open and I decided to walk back from the surgery after the blood test and call in to have a nosey around, Hippy Hilda and Anne Gyna permitting of course.

I pressed on.

0840hrs: The traffic going towards town started to back up.

The rain was very slight still, so the umbrella stayed in the bag with the other flotsam and mystery contents. Along with Nurse Nicoles and the receptionist’s nibbles.

As I neared the top of the hill, one of Nottingham’s infamous Pavement Cyclists shot by me from behind, between me and another pedestrian as she overtook me. Most annoying being made to jump like that, I can tell yer!

He was doing well up the hill, though.  He’d got a good head of steam going too.

Once more I carried on up then down Mansfield Road into Carrington and to the Doctors Surgery. The traffic still queuing and not moving very much. It’s times like this I am glad I had to hand back my driving licence after the ticker operation.

Logged in with the receptionist and got sat down and the crossword book utilised while I waited. The only ailments giving me any bothers were Anne Gyna and the poor feet. But both have been far worse. Doing well up to now.

Nurse Nichole came out to fetch me 20-minutes later. A chinwag and laugh while she took the blood. I told her about the radiator and the cupboard and drawer not opening. Nichole did laugh! She gave me a letter with details of a new system where I must book appointments through an operation on the internet. After I have registered. I gave her the bags of nibbles and departed.

Out and had a hobble back the way I came, made my way to the Continental shop in Sherwood.

Another Nottingham Pavement Cyclist came too close to me to my liking. Tsk!

Down the hill and into the store. Where I spent far more than I wanted to or needed to. (Again!) I came out over £8 lighter in the pocket, with a bacon joint £2.83, a big potato 35p, some sliced belly pork £1.49, a packet of biscuits 69p and a small sliced loaf at the ridiculous price of £1.49!

The wind had got up a lot outside when I departed, struggling with the heavy bag.

Up the hill and into the Wilko store. More finances spent. £8.40 this time.

I got some Liquid Soap Flakes, Wilko Fragrance Booster and a bottle of bleach. Paid the lady and off up the hill to the bus stop.

Where more Nottingham Street Art greeted me on the wire seats in the shelter. I must say that it all looked really fresh? A lady there humorously stated; “Maybe they got blew away in the wind while eating” Hehe!

Ray from the flats joined us as the woman was saying how she can’t stand this strong cold wind. I said: “Gerrin’ the corner love, and we’ll shelter you with our bodies”. And she did too! Her bus arrived a few minutes later, and she thanked me, that was nice.

I caught the L9 bus later and had a chinwag with a lady on there. Got off at the apartments and called in the Obergruppenfureresses Hut. I showed Warden Dean a photo of the radiator in the kitchen stopping the drawer and cupboard door opening. She got on the phone and rand builders on site woman. Who said: “He should have been warned that this might happen, I’m sure he was!” They should have been warned to get the job right in the first place, surely!

I told Deana if I had been told I would have removed the stuff from the drawer before they fitted the radiator; and, if you remember, I was not in that day because I had a blood test, and you said you would let them in, and forgot about it! I did not like the building representative woman’s attitude and response at all! I’ll have a word with Mick and Jenny tomorrow, see what they think.

Now in a not so good mood, I returned to the flat. Got the fodder and things put away. Did the midday Health Checks and did the medication imbibing. Made a brew and got on with updating this blog.

This little monkey was spotted outside on noisy Herbert’s balcony. “Who are you looking at, mush” was the verbal message I received. Haha!

The door chime came to life. Two Nottingham City Homes blokes arrived to test the fire alarm. This reminded me that I  had again forgotten to tell Warden Deana about the strobe alarm they kindly fitted for me, was going off when the other warnings were not, always at night when I was asleep. I had to get up and check things to be safe. Open the door to see if I could hear any alarms, look out of the window to check in any fire appliances were on site, etc. repeatedly since it had been installed. I informed the two engineers about this. They took a look at things, and set alarms off a few times and dealt with the NCH control. Eventually, they worked out that Smoke Alarm in the hallway was causing this strobe alarm to activate. I told them I could not hear the beeping noise from the smoke alarm anyway. I was not getting much in the way of sleep between these activations and the noisy Herbert upstairs and could I safely unplug the strobe and pillow shaker alarm without damaging anything? They could not give any advice under instructions (Understandably) and told me to tell the warden.

I’m sorry I mention it now!

Had a go at Facebooking for a while.

Irritable and tired, I got the nosh prepared. Not that it took much effort, nothing hot in it tonight. Polish belly pork and fresh bread sarnies, potato chips, tomatoes, beetroots, sliced apple, chestnuts, and Chinese mushrooms out of a jar. Fresh orange juice and a lemon curd yoghourt to follow. Have to give this one a 9.45/10 rating.

Consumed this with glee, washed the pots and succumbed to the need for slumber as soon as putting on the TV to watch the Law & Order episodes. I missed the programmes entirely as I nodded off into a much-needed sleep.

I bit my tongue in the sleep and woke up with a start. Dabbing the blood with a tissue, wondering what it was I had on the TV screen, and I saw the light flashing on the landline phone. Struggled to get out of the recliner, stubbed my toes on the way to answer the telephone and knocked over the waste bin and scattered Stilton Cheese biscuit crumbs all over the carpet. It was a pleasant lady from the QMC Haematology & Anticoagulation Clinic. The first thing she said was to offer an apology for the late call, they were working with short staff due to absenteeism through illnesses. Or something like that, anyway. The IRN Warfarin level was well over the target at 5-point something. I am not to take any Warfarin tonight. Then 2 a night until the next appointment, at the doctor’s surgery, which I must make ASAP or go to the City Hospital if the doctors cannot fit me in, for next Tuesday. I explained that I had already taken tonights doses. So she said for me to eat none Wednesday night then, and to use great care not to cut myself. (Great, I  thought, and here’s me just bit my tongue and wondering why it was taking some stopping, Hehehe!) Thanked the lady, scribbled notes about this call on the pad; then went and took the Warfarin Tablets out of tomorrow nights pill-pot.

The old brain was active again now and kept meandering about various topics, all purposeless, banal, haphazard, incongruous or trifling.

Proper sleep did not return. All I could manage was a few minutes at a go, and then wake up, a battle for control of the mind, lose the battle and nod-off again, repeatedly! Sad innit? Tsk!

I expect that I have been ostracised by what remains of my sanity. Oh, I should use that on somewhere that takes new quotes or whatever you call them? I might do an ode post about this tomorrow?