Wednesday 24th January 2018

 Hungarian: 2018. Január 24., Szerda

0100hrs: I woke and awaited the brain to join me. The ramblings, musings and confused thoughts arrived with a smattering of common sense mixed in there somewhere; hidden in with the bewilderingly chaotic fusion of almost psychedelic-like ideas, ranging from the poignant and epigrammatical to the intimidating and formidable uncontrollable irrational worries. I think there was a hint of lyssophobia in there somewhere too. These insights and anxieties seemed to melt into the ether quite quickly, and were replaced with just this one – I must get to the Porcelain Throne post- haste! Tsk! Which I did.

Oh, what a performance. Extracting my lumbering-body out of the £300 second-hand recliner was relatively pain-free, and completely accifauxpa free. Getting to the wet room was swiftly achieved without any toe stubbing or Dizzy Dennis’s. Whipping down the Protection Pants in haste to get seated and the evacuation process going. I pulled the pad from where Little Inchies lesion had bled in the night and then dried hard. This caused the blood to flow and splatter over my legs, the floor, the WC bowl and the accoutrements on the floor cabinet (Kitchen towels, toilet rolls, medical creams etc.) and sprayed over the opened pack of Protection Pants! This was not a good start, I thought to myself.

I got seated, and the Trotsky Terence affected evacuation followed. More mess to clean up! By the time I’d got things freshened sorted and cleaned up, it was 0130hrs!

Off to the kitchen to get the sphygmomanometer, thermometer, Enoxaparin hypodermic, creams, lotions and medications out to do the Health Checks and take the tablets.

Made a brew using an Olde English Extra Strong tea bag.

Did the Health Checks and took the medications. The pulse seems to be getting a little higher this week. I don’t think that is a bad thing, it proves that the battery in the aorta valve is still working at least. Hehe!

0155hrs: I set about updating yesterday’s diary.

0420hrs: Got the Tuesday post finished and posted off, at last. By gum, that tool along time to get done.

Got this one started and got up to here on it at 0520hrs!

Sorted the nibble bags out for hopefully, Nurse Nichole and the staff for when I have the blood test later today.

Went to make another brew. The winds were howling a little outside. I opened the window to have a peep out and take a photograph.

            A mistake that!

The flipping high winds blew it as I began to open the window and flung stuff all over the kitchen!

Thank heavens, the ‘Healing Time’ paintings that Patti from Orlando did for me when I was in the hospital getting the new mechanical ticker had only blown down onto the counter and not into the sink that was full of hot water and soap suds at the time! Kitchen towels, foil trays and instruction leaflets also got spread around too. Humph, what a clot I am!

0545hrs: The winds were really howling loud. I bet there are not many residents still asleep now.

I mustn’t forget to tend to the ablutions, no later than 0700hrs, or there will not be time to sort things out and get to the doctors on time for the blood test. I allow myself an hour for the walk there but usually manage it with a few minutes to spare. But this mornings wind and rain may delay me a bit. So an earlier start will be needed methinks.

An hour or so now, before showering time. I used it on Facebooking catch-up.

0640hrs: Had to leave Facebook and get the ablutions sorted. It’ll take longer today with having to tend to the you-know-what bleeding.

All went well with the purifications and decontaminationing. Hehe! Got the bag and paperwork sorted, and set off with the brolly, well wrapped up and the fur-lined hat that I bought last month that has ear covers. Of course, I won’t be able to hear anything, but it should be warm and keep the terrible wind out.

Rubbish bags to the chute on the way out. I was surprised at how well the hearing aids worked with the hat on. And although not waterproof, the thing is lovely and warm, also does keep out the wind I found. Got it from Primark for £4.99 if anyone is interested.

Set off out on the hobble to the Doctors surgery.

By gum, the wind was cruel! Some patches of the road and pavement still have bits of frost on it, despite it not being cold other than the wind. There’s a reason for this I know, but I don’t see it. Hehehe!

The rain started to belt down even fiercer now. I got to the end of Chestnut Walk and turned right down Winchester Street Hill. And it was heartbreaking when I noticed two small birds, one either side of the netting on the roadside. They were chirping loudly and trying to get to each other I think. They must have been blown out of the trees with their nest. Poor little darlings. They could or at least did not fly when I approached them, but they ran away very quickly into the grass and bushes. This put me on a downer.

Further down the hill, I crossed the road while there was a gap in the traffic.

As I crossed Hood Street on the left on the way to cut through Mansfield Street and onto Mansfield Road; As I looked left for any traffic approaching, this sight greeted me. For some reason it made me laugh? Haha!

Some thin white material, obviously blown by the high winds, had got itself entangled in a tree. I took three shots of it to give a better depiction. I wondered what the clothing was and where it had been carried from.

I kept limping along and got onto Mansfield Road and turned left to walk over the hill and down into Carrington.

Just beyond the railings on the left, I got my first dowsing from a bus that went through a puddle as it was level with me. The rain grew even more powerful.

I’d just over the crest of the hill and thought the view would make a half-decent moody-photo, perhaps. If I had taken it a few seconds later, I would have caught the estate type car hitting the back of the mini! Dang, just missed it. Never mind though.

When I got into Carrington proper, I saw this Nottingham Pavement Cyclist coming my way, and the traffic slowed down. I tried for another moody-photo effort. Which I’m sorry I did now.

For I got a massive drenching from a bus, that filled my bag with rainwater and soaked the trousers, shoes and socks! Tsk, Huh and Botherations!

I have to mention at this point, that Hippy Hilda, Arthur Itis and Duodenal Donald were all being sympathetic, benevolent and kind to me. I was doing well medically speaking. Only the plates-of-meat were really giving me any real bother. My EQ told me, this would not last for long.

Just a few hundred yards further on, the panel fencing on the old cricket ground was loose and blowing about in the wind. I saw this and was aware of it. But my just passing a massive puddle in the gutter, I turned and looked back to make sure that no buses were coming along… and panel blew out and hit me on the side of the head! I can now inform you, that the silly Primark hat with the ear-flaps offers pretty good protection again wayward planks of wood, too! Haha!

Got to the surgery and logged in with a new receptionist, who greeted me with a smile and asked my name. Gerald Chambers, I replied. She said; “Shingles? To see the specialist nurse? Your appointment isn’t until 1500hrs this afternoon Mr Charnley!” Int life confusing?  After I confirmed my name all was sorted, and I sat down and got the crossword book out – the now very wet crossword book, thanks to the puddles and buses en route to the medical practice. I put it back in the bag with hopes of drying it out later.

Seconds later, a new to me nurse came to collect me to take my blood. Where was Nurse Nichole? She was a cute little thing, and very helpful. She told me she’ll see me early as I’d arrived now, then I can go on my way and get home quicker. A lovely thought, but it would not work because I can’t use my bus pass until 0930hrs, but still, it was kind of her. She took the blood and afterwards there was no leaking at all. She kindly warned me that the rain was like a storm now, as I left.

I gave the bag of nibbles to the receptionist and went to leave the premises.

Well, the nurse was right, it was belting it down, and the winds continued without any lessening. I got the soaking brolly out of the rainwater filled bag, and bravely ventured out and hobbled to the Lidl shop.

The Fool!

As soon as I turned left on Mansfield Road, it happened again!

The bus you see in the distance had just given me another soaking.

I was beginning to get depressed. Hehehe!

I went to the store and intentionally took my time perusing around, in the hope that when I finished, the bus-pass would be valid to use. This proved expensive. Me, wandering around a food store is always likely to be a money-spending event. Tsk! I came out having spent £11.98 on things unwanted, unneeded and a wet bag to carry them home in. Twit! A tin of BBW mackerel to join the several tina already in the cupboard. Chocolate nibbles, more yoghourts. Potatoes. Anchovies. Bacon and air-spray.

On top of all this, I was still too early for me to use the bus-pass!

Having forgotten to take my mobile phone with me, and not owning a watch made things awkward. I stood under the brolly keeping an eye on the time of the electric bus sign.

Still a good while to wait. As I did so two fire tenders, an ambulance went by, and the police helicopter hovered above.

Eventually, 0930hrs arrived, and I moved to the bus shelter.

A bus came along, I stuck out my arm, and it passed me by. Not having a perfect day today, you know. I suppose the coach might have been full, though.

The next one stopped and climbed onboard to find only the raised seats free. Comical this, cause with me just going a few stops, by the time I got myself up and seated, it was time to get out of the seat to get off.

The timing meant I’d just missed an L9 bus.

to get back up to the flats. Curse! So, I started to walk over the hill and up through the Woodthorpe Park route home.

En route, I met Jenny with two ladies who were related to dear old Eddie. I assumed they had come over for Eddie’s funeral and to sort things out. So kind and typical of Jenny to assist and help out. She told me she had arranged for someone to come and look at my Strobe and Pillow fire alarms when she was at a Council meeting, for me. When it went off all those times, the Alert Centre had received no activation signals. I thanked her, and the three ladies shot off ahead of me to avoid getting any wetter, bless them.

Eventually, I got to the flats. Got in and put the utterly superfluous fodder I’d bought away, and got the large potato cleaned and in the oven baking.

I pondered on why I did not ask about Nurse Nichole. Fool I am! I hope she is not poorly. Ah, but it is not a Tuesday is it? (See how quick I was there? Hehe!)

I made a super-strong large mug of tea, using a Yorkshire and /extra /string English Breakfast tea bags. Took the mediations and did the Health Checks. All okay.

Then I got on with refreshing this post as far as here. The updating, took about three hours to get done.

Then I went to the WordPress Reader. Did the Comment reading and replying, then remembered the baking spud – went to check it out.

Overcooked a bit, but this made the mixing in the bowl, less hassle. I used tomato puree, just a bit, salt even less and cheddar cheese, no butter, to bash up with the removed potato flesh. Then back into the husks and replaced in the oven to brown it off for half-an-hour. Going to have tomatoes and mini pork & pickle pie with them I reckon.

Can’t believe the mess I made mixing them. Still, all cleaned up now. Had a bash on Facebook updating while waiting with baited breath for them to cooked and browned off.

The cheesy-baked potatoes were ready, as I went to get them out of the oven, the intercom phone chirped into life. It was the chap who initially installed the Fire Alarm strobe and Pillow.

Fantastic help, care and work from Jenny! Who as I said earlier, had arranged this support for me.

After asking some relevant questions, he spent some time analysing things on his laptop, contacted the Alarm Response centre. Set it off a couple of times and dealt with control when he set it off. The chap pointed out that when an alarm strobe or otherwise goes off, it should go through to Control who should contact me about it via the central alarm console, but all the times it has activated in the flat, this did not happen.

He pressed on with his investigating things and told me that he thought someone in the block was using a system on the same frequency. So he’d changed it. In the event of any alarms in the future that are not responded to by control, I am to contact him immediately and inform him or them.

I thanked him and off he went. Afterwards, as I was getting out the now-gone-cold cheesy potatoes from the oven, I realised I did not have his telephone number. Tsk!

Got the nosh sorted.

I looked delicious. It smelled marvellous.

I’ve not the foggiest what I did wrong or what was a matter with me, but apart from the cheesy baked potatoes, I did not enjoy anything else?

Disappointed.

Cold coming on from getting another soaking in the rain?