Wednesday 20th June 2018

Zulu: NgoLwesithathu Mhla Zingama-20 KuJuni 2018

0315hrs: Shot awake, then tried to get back to sleep. Couldn’t though when I realised I had to go to the City Hospital today and needed to get the diaries caught up with. Ablutions and medicationalising were done so much earlier. Get everything ready and sorted for the Doctors, and have the blood test. So I got out of the £300 second-hand recliner and of to the kitchen to start with getting the Health Checks done.

I turned on the kitchen light, and nothing happened. Got the camera and took this picture and the light tube started to flicker into life, eventually lighting up the room.

I wondered what anyone outside must have thought if they saw the almost pyrotechnic display of light flashing for so long. From then on, the light worked okay. Took a while to get started each time, but nothing like as long as this time. Hehe!

Got the computer started and had to nip to the Porcelain Throne. Signs of Trotsky Terence being interested in returning, but not too severely.

Back to the computer and started this post off up to here.

Updated yesterday’s Inchcock next. Posted it off and made a start on this one up to this far.

Made up the nibble bags for the blood test nurses at the hospital.

The muck from the works taking place outside on the external wall, has somehow got into the kitchen? Hey-ho!

Then it was time for me to get the ablutions and medications tended to.

Gathered the black bags, recycling jars, etc. and off out to the chute. Dropped the waste bags down the chute en route. To the lift, arrived at the lobby beneath at exactly 0800hrs.

The electronic sign advertised ‘Could you be a complaints member?’ After I gingerly mentioned the noise coming from a certain person above my dwellings and was told “He is doing nothing wrong, just following his hobby of model making. You will have to live with it”; I think I might be able to bring some light on how to deal with complaints? But I can say no more, after also being told it is not on and out of order for me to mention anything that takes place between me and any representative, agent or employee, in my blog. So I’ll say nowt and cross this out.

Windy but warm with it again today.

I placed my cleaned and rinsed Balsamic vinegar, malt vinegar and smoky BBQ sauce bottles in the bin. When I put the gherkin jar in the container, yesterday, it was the only one in there.

A few in now, no sauce, jam or pickle jars, though. Wine, Rum, Cognac, Gin, Whiskey… all alcoholic bottles. Hehehe!

It’s just jealousy of course. I’ve had all my old pleasures taken away from me; driving licence, passion involvement, alcohol-intake, pipe smoking… Humph!  All through medical conditions of varying natures. Spit!

Over the road and up by the Tree Copse into Woodthorpe Park.

A Fun-Fayre was in the process of being set-up on the old football field. This brought memories of the last one we had here. That was when the teenagers conned residents into letting them in via the intercom. They stole fire extinguishers and did some material damage. Then threatened the Security Guard who responded, and spat at him. When he told them he had called the police, they nearly damaged themselves laughing. I got an EQ conceived thought, that something nasty would happen this weekend. Fingers crossed I am wrong.

I had a delightful unhurried stroll along to Mansfield. One lady allowed me to respond to her dog when it came to me for a bit of fuss. Nice of her, it cheered me and the little dog up I think.

The traffic was heavy, and I made a mental note of being careful, when crossing the many roads I will need to on the way to the City Hospital.

I pressed on slowly and wearily.

Magnus Road and on down Edwards Lane turned right onto the congested Valley Road dual carriageway.

The mind wandering as I legged it along towards the A611, were of a controlled memory of yesteryear for some reason.

I was back in 1958 in the backyard of the house in Brookfield place. Mrs Duke, Mrs Wing, Polish George and my young love Christine provided the recollections for me to stew over, happily for once. A very much pleasant, congenial, delightful rarity for me, this.

I was well deep in thoughts, and not concentrating on where I was going, as I wallowed in nostalgia.

When this Nottinghamian Pavement Cyclistess actually clipped my arm with her handlebar as she sped by me. Another new bruise again now! But, on this occasion, I immediately realised it was partly my own fault for being in an, albeit temporary, dream world – literally.

There were entrance/exit roads to cross on this stretch of the roadway.

It was just as well I had set out early and was in no rush. IT took me ages to get across each road safely. Taxi after taxi and cars going in and out, all seemingly in a great hurry, pedestrians were apparently not their first concern.

When I got into the waiting area, there were perhaps only 30 or so sat in the queueing zone. I got a ticket, number 142, and they called out for card 105 to go to cubicle One. I thought this is going to no bother, I’ll be going in within fifteen minutes max. This proved to be an Ignis Fatuus (A deceptive goal or hope [Feel free to use Ignis Fatuus] Hehe!)

Half an hour later, and I was still a way off from being summoned. Seems they had put up a message on the indicator telling us they were swamped and to expect a long wait for the Phlebotomy Department. On the bright side, I completed a crossword from scratch while waiting! First one I’ve ever fully finished in this book – and no one around for me to brag about it, too! But the next one I started had me beat, not that is difficult to beat me at anything. Tsk!

They only had two of the five cubicles in use. Eventually, I was called. The look I got from the lady as she pointed to the chair and took the paperwork from me without a word, told me all I needed to know. I was going to be in trouble here!

She got annoyed when I didn’t hear when she did speak. All over in seconds, she didn’t waste any time checking to see if it was still bleeding after taking the blood, just stuck a plaster over the cotton wool I had been pressing down onto.

I did what Doug from America advised, I killed her with caring kindness.  Put on my bestest smile and gave her the bag of nibbles. Suddenly she wanted to talk, thanking me profusely. I replied ‘You’re welcome’ and departed.

I hobbled to the bus stop, the feet were stinging a bit now. Go a number 40 bus and was the only person on it at the time.

Many more passengers got on en route, though.

I’ve done boxing against bigger chaps, (I lost all the bouts of course), a bungee-jump, faced an armed intruder, pulled a bloke from under his burning motorbike, got thrown into the canal when I about five years old, a confrontation with the Mau-Mau, and voted Liberal once. So I can’t be accused of being fearful (Although I am).

But this bus ride scared me to death almost. The driver might have been related to Nigel Benn, Lewis Hamilton or trained Marc Márquez. Gawd, he was a manically fast and jerky driver! He got through gaps, especially on the Mansfield Road, with inches to spare.

This indeed concentrated my mind when it came to getting up to get off of the bus, and still, keep my balance.

The 40 screeched to a halt at the bus stop. I nervously muttered a thank you to the busman as I limped shakingly off of the vehicle. The thanks were offered for my still being alive, I think. Hehehe!

I limped up the hill back to the flats, really just happy to have got there without any injuries. The workmen were busy again. I could hear the drilling and grinding getting louder and louder as I neared my beloved Woodthorpe Court.

Again, I didn’t see any residents on my way up to the twelfth floor. Got in, had a wee-wee and did the Health Checks and took the medications. The building seemed to be vibrating, but it was only the drilling outside.

I got the computer on and made a route map of today’s hobble.

I got on with updating this diary.

May hours later I stopped to make a mug of tea.

Took the dressing off of the arm.

Not sure if the new bruising is from the nurse or the Nottingham Pedestrian Cyclistess. But I thought I could see a further swelling coming up.

Went to take the last medications of the day.

Noticed that the head scar was changing colour again. Why I don’t know. But it is nothing new for me not to know something. Haha!

Had to visit the Porcelain Throne.

It turned out to be a false alarm. Again I didn’t know why.

Thought about what to have for my nosh. I might try a can of the BBQ sauce boneless mackerel, some mashed and cheesed potatoes, garden peas (Tinned, no fresh ones left now), and some tomatoes and gherkins. Does this sound good to you?

Went to catch up on my Facebooking next. All went well until I suddenly lost about fifty comments, there one minute, gone the next. Oh, I am confused now!

Hello, hello, hello! Just had a bit of itching from the arm, had a look at it, and new scars welts whatever, have appeared since an hour or so ago?

My body is going to pot yer know. Haha!

Got the nosh sorted out. As planned this time. The boneless mackerel fillets in BBQ sauce, tomatoes, vinaigretted beetroot, a baby-sized tin of peas and mash with cheese added. I had carbonated water tonight, cause I thought I’d done well in avoiding any chips or bread. Awaiting Sister Jane’s critical evaluation, assessment and comments now. Haha!

Did the Health Checks and took the medications.

No World Cup matches on tonight of any interest to me. But I did watch a daft, Go-along-with-it-film and enjoyed it.

Mainly because it was an unserious escapist film, and it had sub-titles, too.

I tried to watch a police programme aftrwards, but fatigue overtook me and thankfully, the brain allowed me to sleep. Ah, All Praise to sweet Morpheus, who entangled himself in my dreams of peace!