Thursday 9th August 2018

Slovak: Štvrtok 9. Augusta 2018

0340hrs: Woke up realising my brain was already in Active-Mode – whatever it was I’d been dreaming of must have been of traboccant senticous content. For the standard fretting, worrying and fearing this matutinal Thursday, was absent, and this caused me some satisfaction, at least for a few minutes it did.

I alighted from the £300 second-hand recliner without any pains worth mentioning, and in a semi-automaton fashion, I found myself in the kitchen setting-up the sphygmomanometer to do the Health Checks. Unsure of how I got in there, and oddly, I didn’t remember picking up the fodder dish and tray and taking it in with me and putting it in the washing-up bowl to soak. Now, there is something that some whipper-snappers will never have heard of, the washing-up bowl. Not many of them still in use, or at least not named as such a thing nowadays. Hehe!

Got the Health Checks sorted.

The increase in weight was a bit alarming. Especially after having had a long hobble yesterday, too? I took the medications, and as I was doing so, an urgent need for the use of the Porcelain Throne arrived without much warning.

Arrived in plenty of time, but the evacuation was one of a messy, sludgy content. The taking of a Dia-Limit capsule became essential. Tsk!

After a good cleaning up of the bowl and myself, it dawned on me that I had about eight or ten of my immigrant Ironclad Black biting-mini-beetles, in various places of the wet room floor. I think they may have some form of telecommunication abilities. As I chose one that was moving a little slower than the others were, to photographicalise, the rest scattered like lightning in all directions. But this time I did notice any going down the shower drain, have they found another hiding-hole? Haha!

I returned to the kitchen and had a look around to see if any of the Ironclads could be spotted in there. A few dead ones were found on the window ledge, and in one of the waste bins, many live ones, which I summary executed by tipping them into the sink and running hot water on those few of them that did not scatter away at fantastic speed before the water got to them. Perhaps two of them were dealt with. Tsk!

I updated the Health Check log and then started this blog off, up to here. Then finalised the Wednesday diary and got it sent off.

Facebooked some photographs for the TFZ site.

Got the nibble box refilled for the Social hour and got the raffle prizes in the bag.

Got the shower and ablutions tended to. Had a good long session.

Took the black waste bag to the chute on the way out to the Social Hour.

I spotted that all the windows on my floor in Woodthorpe Court, had had their cellophane removed from their kitchen windows?

A lot cooler this morning as I hobble along Chestnut Grove to the Nottingham City Homes, Winwood Heights, Oberstgruppenführeress Wardens Temporary HQ, Willmott-Dixon workers breakfast and tea-break room, Sarcasm & Insult distribution area, Tenants Socialisation Shed, Telling Inchcock off Zone, Things like crockery and pottery to be stolen from, and somewhere to rest while waiting for the bus, shed.

I was little earlier than usual arriving today, so not so many of us pensioner tenants were in yet. But the others soon followed, and we had a packed room of fun seeking folks.

Dropped the raffle prizes on the trolly, Big John joined us, got raffle tickets and handed them out with the nibble box. It was funny how 90% of the raffle prizes were won by residents on the left tables in the room. We did laugh… well, not those on the right side table. Hehehe!

Cindy and Margaret, our resident singing gals of the old songs were in good vocal form. Of course, to us, they were not old songs.

Last week when I took the top picture of Jenny because I loved her dress, Margaret said she would wear her similar one next week (Today). Margaret was witty enough to hide her face like Jenny did the previous session. Hehehe!

Bless her, she did too. Another, to me, pretty sari or dress, or whatever they are called. I just like this sort of ladies wear.

After a great time, I departed to catch the bus into Arnold. Where I spent a fortune.

I called at Chambers’ cooked meat and butchers, to see if they had any of their home-made roast belly pork slices on sale. They did, but it was far too fatty for my liking. Shame.

Further along, I called into the Boyes store and came out with six medicinal purchases.

Some more diahorrea caplets. Olive oil ear drops. Pain sprays. Neutradol spray, and a bottle of Surgical Spirits. I was particularly pleased with finding the spirit for sale. I see that it is excellent for rubbing in to make the required areas of the plates-of-meat to harden and thus, not hurt so much on my marathon hobbles. Great!

Then I paid and went into the Saver Store next door. Where luck was with me again, as I came out of there with nine products, some of which I was once more over the moon to find at bargain prices. Black extra-strong refuse sacks at £1.79 for a roll of 50. Extra tickled to see they had some of the Erasmus brand shaving foam with Alo Vera on sale, they only had three left, so I bought them all, mainly as they were just £1 a can. And two Care brand haemorrhoid cream, not at £2.89 that Wilko charge, or the chemist costing £3.29 – but 99p a tube!

I ambled casually along Front Street and called in the Fulton Foods store to have a decker to see if they had any of the lamb hocks in gravy, blackcurrant ice-lollies or pork-ribs cook in the bag type on sale.

Not so fortunate here, they had none of those foods, aforementioned in stock. Hey-ho, mustn’t complain really, I’d done so well up to now in getting what I needed or wanted.

Came out of the shop and crossed over the road and into the Asda (Walmart) Store. Where I had an excellent time wandering around, as I had an hour before the L9 bus was due. Here I spent a small fortune, but should not need any more fodder for days now. I got: BBQ and Hoisin sauce and marinade. My favourite biscuits, Scottish Shorties. Small new potatoes. Savoury sliced potatoes. Bread thins. Brown oven-bottom muffins. Tomatoes. Cheese Curl snacks (Nocturnal nibbling in mind? Haha!). Onions, mushrooms and a turnip.

Paid the gentleman on the checkout the £19 demanded and moved away with the now ultra-heavy bags to sort them out balance wise for carrying.

I spotted a youngster using the photo-print machine and thought well he handled that quickly and efficiently enough. (Klutz).

So I decided to have a go on it. I got the card out of the camera, into the machine. I thought I’d coped well with it… But no, of course not. I ended up with three copies of each photo and a rather nasty bill to pay. Oy Vey!

What started off to be a great day, had sunken down to a normal Whoopsiedangleplop ridden one for this old Yoshish. Tsk!

Hobbled to the bus stop on High Road and got on the L9.

I assume by the young yobboes running amok on their bicycles in the middle of the road, that the school holidays are still on?

As the journey progressed, the clouds became thicker, and darkness temporarily dawned on us. But still no rain, despite the threat.

I had a go at the crossword book, didn’t do too bad either. Got a few done that I’d been struggling with for months now.

Always surprises me how after such a long time and repeated failed efforts, suddenly you can pick up the book and get an answer straight away, wondering how you didn’t get it before?

In Sherwood, two fellow tenants boarded the bus.

We were soon up at the flats and alighting the bus.

I decided to go into the Nottingham City Homes, Winwood Flats, Unterscharführeress Wardens Temporary HQ, Willmott-Dixon workers breakfast and tea-break room, Sarcasm & Insult distribution area, Tenants Socialisation Shed, Telling Inchcock off Zone, Things like crockery and pottery to be stolen from, and residents room shed. To see if anyone could take the photographs off of me I’d printed for Margaret and Lynne.

As it turned out, Lynne was in the room.

I handed her the photographs and offered her a nibble.

Then I popped in to see Dean and  Julie and asked them to take the photograph of Margaret to give her when they meet the gal.

Then I said my farewells and departed, off to the flat.

When I got in, I noticed the plastic sheeting still on the kitchen windows.

Unloaded the fodder that should last me until next Monday or longer.

A fair bit of it. Hehe!

Got the seasoned potatoes dotted with Hoisin sauce marinade and put them in the oven to start cooking.

Hope they taste alright, I think I might have put on a little too much of the sauce-marinade?

Which proved to be right when I got the meal served up and tasted one of the pieces of potato.

Although, the rest of the ingredients were passable.

A Taste-Rating of 7.8/10 was still given to this effort. Which probably did not deserve such a high classification after all…

No, I’ll lower it to 6.8/10 after-all. If a rating is to be given, I might as well make it an honest one. Hehe!

The old balcony base is looking worse than it ever has. I noticed the builder chappies had concrete or cemented the hole in Big John’s base on the floor above. This might be why they have not removed the cellophane on kitchen windows yet? In case owt falls off?

I was disappointed in falling asleep right at the end of the Hetty Wainthrop episode and missed the last two minutes or so. Grumph!

TTFN all.

Sunday 5th August 2018

Azerbaijani: Bazar 5 Avqust 2018

0530hrs: Woke up very late for me. The brain seemed to be operating straight away, for I decided I would get out first thing and get some photographs of around the flats taken, along with doing some hobbling too. (Weight worries!)

The only hassle I was having seemed to be the hurting feet and toes. Got out of the £300 antiquated, shuddering recliner, and limped to the Porcelain Throne. The session was a good one; if a little-liquified.

The fingers where I scolded them last night, were not so inflamed or painful now. Rinsed the overnight soaked flannels out, and had a look for any of the mini-beetles.

I only found one of the Iron-Clad biting mini beetles. I thought if I caught beast and pressed down with the back of my fingernail against the flooring, was a good idea.

: But I forgot about the scold under the nail. The agony when pressed down on him, was justice; I suppose for my killing it. Hehe!

I had a shave and wash got some clothes on. Camera and put the foyer entry swipe in my pocket and took a black bag and recycling sack along with some glass jars down with me as I went out.

I put my jars in the recycling bin with the alcohol empties already in there.

I was surprised to see an empty bottle of Absinth. It said on the label, ‘Product of the Czech Republic,’ 70% Alc. A bit strong that isn’t it?

I manipulated my way through the cages, fences, barriers and out onto the roadway.

Getting into the centre of Chestnut Walk, the sky seemed to look different whichever way I looked. With unique cloud formations.

But to the East, over the Winwood Heights array, there was bubbling clouds that looked so beautiful.

Sometimes, nature makes you think. This was such an occasion. Cirrocumulus cloud they are called, I think.

I wandered across the road to take this photographicalisation of the corner of the Woodthorpe Court block.

It was nice and calm this morning, a gentle warmish breeze and only a couple of humans seen.

One a dog walker with his Alsatian or maybe a better description would be an Alsatian taking his owner for a walk. The dog did not bark, but he seemed to be growling and pulling at the chain all the time. Mind you, I think that the man was doing this too! Haha!

The other tellurian I saw, was walking along Chestnut Drive in the middle of the road, doing a John Wayne walk impersonation. Spitting on the floor a few times. He gave me a snide, contemptuous glare as he passed me. So unpleasant a sneer on his face, I made sure he had left and was well away before I moved out from under the trees.

I walked around and behind the building into the Woodthorpe Grange Park.

The grass was still in urgent need of some precipitation, to help it recover its greenery.

I had not got my hearing aids in, and the quietness was blissful!

The brain wandered off on its own path again, but this time with more pleasant topics being considered. Nature and the certainty that mankind will destroy itself. Blithely, I hoped not before I’ve kicked the bucket. But you never know – I pondered on how fast things had changed in my lifetime.

I’d seen electricity replacing gas lighting, the death of local cinemas, shops and Bingo halls. The Death Penalty removed. Drugs take hold on youth. Crooked politicians arrive and survive. I’d lived in poverty. The birth of the NHS, and expect to see its death shortly. The average sentence for murder go down, and more and more offenders reoffending after being released, to mug, rob, interfere with children and kill again. The UK owned vehicle manufacturing die, along with the coal mines, China/porcelain and textile trades decimated. Shoplifting, bullying and muggings get more rampant. Immigration flourish and politeness and manners disintegrate. Just a thought.

There have been a few consistent uniformities: The Members of Parliaments increasing nepotism and argentocracy. The steady but guaranteed decline in morals, honesty, rectitude, decency, chastity, justice and ethics. Perhaps the worst decline rates have been in; Civility and respect. And, look at the cost of football attending nowadays! The mind waffled on and even I lost interest in its musings at this stage. Hehehe!

I made my way back up to the apartment, feeling a little mellow, but not depressed at all, now.

0635hrs: I got the Health Checks done, and medications were taken.

Despite my lack of physical activities yesterday, the weight had dipped a smidge?

The readings looked okay to me.

I think the Sys going up a scintilla is a good thing, perhaps, maybe. Hehe!

Then I set about doing up the next week medication dosage pots.

And, without dropping any tablets or capsules. Smug Mode Adopted!

Off for a short-sharp-painful wee-wee.

Put everything away, and decided to have bacon and tomatoes for my nosh today.

Off for another short-sharp-painful wee-wee.

Washed up and returned to the kitchen. Where I opened a tin of toms (without cutting myself! – Double Smug Mode Adopted) and put them in a saucepan.

: As I reached into the top cupboard to get the sea salt out to put it in the pan with the tomatoes…

I knocked over the flipping jar of lemongrass stalks.

The route it took as it fell out of the cupboard, was almost musical as it hit different surfaces en route to landing on my left foot middle-toe!

The countertop, then the porcelain basin, then the radiator, next to the bottom cupboard wood, then the toe, and finally a pleasant roulette ball-like sound as it rolled onto the floor.

I was surprised by the pain, it was almost like an electric shock at first.

Also, the bruising it left was multi-coloured? Red under the nail and purplish on the toe joint?

Applying some of the antiseptic cream on the pinkie, was as much bother as the lemongrasses journey and injury caused.

What a Schlump!

I got down to put the cream on, but getting back up, was not an easy nor pain-free task! Haha!

I got on the computer and began to update yesterdays blog.

Made a start on this diary.

Then, I went on TFZer Facebooking. By gum, that took some time. Hours and hours, I got carried away methinks.

Did the Health Checks and tablets were taken.

Better get the meal on the cook now. Not that it will take much cooking of course. Bacon and sausage in the oven, tomatoes in the saucepan.

Gave this simple nosh a Taste-rating of 8.5/10.

Got the pots washed up, and the energy drained away, and lethargy, inactivity and slothfulness took command of my body and mind.

I nodded off. Sister Jane rang, glad to hear her, although the phone was very tinny sounding and much of the conversation I had to guess at. She had a few medical problems, I must get up to see her again. But he is out a lot, and planning when to go is difficult to catch her in and available. I’ll send her an email in the morning and ask her when I can call.

Although I didn’t get to sleep properly for hours and hours and hour… a long time; I had so many repeat five-minute nodding offs, in between my watching the most wretched programmes on the goggle-box.