Tuesday 17th March 2020

Hmong: Hnub Tuesday 17 Lub Peb Hlis 2020

01:15hrs: I woke up, in a right mind-pickle – it took me a minute or so who realised I’d woken up at all! Part of the brain was still happily back in the dream I was having, and a beaut it was. I was entertaining an old flame from years ago, the best bit was we were the same ages again. The happy reminiscing ended, as I realised it was not really happening, and never will again. In a couple of seconds, I went from Happiness Defcon 1 to a gibbering, depressed, sulking old git that I am. Hehehe!

The regular summoning to the Porcelain Throne arrived as I was battling to get up on my feet. Grabbed the stick and meandered to the wet room, thinking there was no rush, the borborygmic churning was not present. But I nearly got caught out, no sooner had I got down on the Throne, the evacuation started. Another painful one, but a lot quicker today, and not so messy! There was a bit of bleeding mind.

The legs were so different from yesterday morning. Far paler and with the blood-papsules, weals, scars, lumps, bulges, spots, bruises, welts and veins had gone into shy-mode! This was a mystery to me, even for 72 Woodthorpe Court’s illusions, delusions, hallucinations, farcicalisations, infestations, Whoopsiedangleplops, Accifauxpas and manic machinations that thrive here freely, and so bountifully!

I got cleaned up, and off to the kitchenette. The noise from the ‘Hum’ seemed different somehow, still loud, but with a sort of purring effect that gusted now and then with it. I made a brew of Thompsons Punjana, took the medications.

Considering if I should open the packet of crispy salt & vinegar seaweed for breakfast or not. But I decided against this, in case I liked them and I have no more. There’s a logic in there somewhere, well, I thought there was at the time, Haha!)

I got on the computer and checked to see if the ‘Error’ that Facebook assured me “We’re working on getting this fixed as soon as we can”, four days ago, had been repaired and I could get back into my photo albums. No Chance! If it wasn’t for my love of the TFZer site, I would just leave and stick with LinkedIn. So much pleasure has been taken away from me.

I got on with the updating of yesterdays blog. Which was not easy. Interference from Shaking-Shoulder-Shirley and Neurotransmitter Nigel, that even with so few photographs taken, so many mistakes were having to be corrected. It took me hours get done. Humph! But I got it finished eventually.

Then went on to the WordPress Reader. Some fantastic photographs on there from Tim Price today. He’s put a blog on with the finest pictures of his cats I’ve ever seen. If you are a cat person (Jane?), have a look if you like, great stuff! Tim’s Expressionable cats

Hello, back to the Throne! A repeat performance, but without the bleeding. Got a wash and returned to the computer.

I made a start on this blog but had to divert to get the ablutions sorted out. Iceland fresh and frozen foods are coming soon.

I had a quick check of their email confirmation to see if anything had been short, or substituted. Of course, there had been, four items affected. They sent large fresh mushrooms in place of button ones. Breadcrumb fish fingers instead of battered. No kitchen towels at all. Naturally, there were no toilet rolls! Spitworthy-Splurging-Sprungcurses! Swine!

Off I trotted to the wet room. It started as a fine almost injury-free session Many dropsies early on, but Nicodemus’s Neurotransmitters got kinder to me later. Only one tiny nick shaving. and no razor-drops (Smug-Mode-Adopted, hehe!), a bit of a dizzy in the shower, but all this good luck went to pot with the Sock-Glide Battle! One trapped finger-end was all it was, but blimey it hurt!

I got dressed and smelling nice, got the black bags (3), Recyclable bag, and a bag of used glass jars made up and put them near the door, so I would not forget to take them with me.

Then got the handwashing tackled, all done, all wrung, and hung. It was a much longer job today, did a couple of things extra, jammie-bottoms and a jumper. The jammies should be dried by around September or November time, I reckon. Har-har! I didn’t spill so much water over me and the floor, either today.

I heard the text message beep and went to investigate. It was a No-Reply message from the Elmswood Garden Medical Centre, correcting yesterdays mistake when they told us; That if we were feeling unwell, do go to your podiatry appointment on Thursday. As I mentioned yesterday, it had to be an error. Ah, well! Nice to know that someone else can ‘Maka-the-Mistaka’, like wot I can! (And do so with a little more frequency than I would like!

The intercom flashed, it was the Iceland delivery chap. Just five carrier bags full, but I’d ordered the heavy stuff that is hard for me to carry form the shops, along with some frozen and fresh bits. Still, they made two unwanted substitutions, and two other not available. I didn’t want the friendly chap to wait about in case I gave him the Coronavirus, so just kept the fish fingers and risotto. I’ll take them to give away later.

Both fridge and freezer were at capacity now! Out of interest, I put the third photo on, its a perfect example of what comes out when taking a picture, and Shoulder-Shaking-Shirley kicks off.

Plenty of time before the Phlebotomy nurse is due, so I cleaned the pams, stove and fridge box.

Then nipped to the waste chute with the black bags. Then down to the ILC (Independent Living Coordinators) Warden Obergruppenführers, taking the glass with me. Stewart was there and took the glass jars off of me. Off to the  Hauptsturmfhreressess Holding Cell and Office. Handed the nibbles over, and said my farewells.

I had a brief chat with Welsh William as I went down the link passage back to Woodthorpe, or it might have been when I was going the other way, I’m not sure, cause Dizzy Dennis has just had a go at me, and Shaking Shaun at the right leg and Should-Shaking Shirley! Not very good that! Anyroad, the right ankle went over, the first time in about three months! Please that it doesn’t start off again! That would be too much to cope with. Blubber, whimper, repine, and kvetch! Hahaha!

Back at the flat, I had a go at cleaning the bathroom, but I soon put a stop to it, after only about three minutes. I was getting back up after getting down to retrieve some items that I’d knocked down behind the floor cabinet. (Probably been down there for months, Haha!) And the right ankle gave way again! This is really disheartening.

Oh, dear, I’ve just realised that the nurse has not arrived yet. I was hoping to get out for some fresh vegetables, shame. I’ll go and see if she did not come early when I was out and left a note… back in a bit. Nope, nowt notes.

Oh, dearie me! I’ve just looked at the Anticoagulation Haemostasis Deep vein Arterial Thrombosis Clinic from the hospital… Der! there is no test this week, it’s next week! I’m rushing to get ready to go to Arnold for some fresh fruit & vegetables and toilet rolls.

Took black bags to the chute on the way out, then down and along the passage to the ILC’s (Independent Living Coordinators), Obersturmführeresses and Catwalk Model Wardens, Strip-search and holding cell room. Then on through to the Winchester Court lobby and out to the bus stop. A bit of a chinwag at the shelter and the bus soon arrived, and the others dropped off in Sherwood. I stayed where I was, snuggly ensconced in the corner side-saddle seat, having a failed attempt at the crosswords en route.

I got off in Daybrook, at the Sainsbury store. As I went through the store’s car park, which was almost full, I saw very few people about? And as I entered the store, grim, yet determined faces on the shoppers greeted me!

My EQ told me to take care, in there?

The atmosphere inside, although the place wasn’t crowded, was one of purposefulness, it showed on the shoppers’ expressions, but there was touch of resignation lingering on a few of them. I made my way to the greengrocery section first, Hahaha!

There was not a lot of choice on the ravages shelves. Unnervingly, As I searched, I saw what looked like reasonably fresh blood on one of the empty tomato boxes? I only got some parsnips and the only tomatoes available were the organic-grown cherry type. I bought a packet, although I was going to try Asda afterwards, I thought they may not have any either? I pack of sliced mushrooms and some very costly Cox’ apples were added to my basket.

Then I went to the paper products shelves. A grim sight indeed! But, I got blessed with a spot of kindness and compassion! There were just two toilet roll packs left on the whole of the shelving. However, they were expensive ones, with no cardboard rolls. Nicky brand, they were. I took a photo (below) when I got home to show you.

Back to the story-line, (I’m such a waffler!) I could not reach up to the top shelf to get at the rolls. And I could see grim-aggressive faced shoppers approaching, with obvious intentions when they spotted the two rolls! Others seemed to be chasing to overtake them… I would have lost my chance of getting any paper rolls, had it not been for a tall, distinguished-looking young lady, who passed me from behind and went to grab the Nicky’s, she kindly asked me; ‘Did you want one of these?’ ‘Yes, please, thank you very much’, and she handed me the packet!

With all the greed and nastiness going on around me, then this kind gesture from a stranger, I went all gooey-eyed. Thank you a million times, Madam!

The ganglet of other shoppers who’d stampeded to the rolls, didn’t look devastated or sad at missing out; Just so angry! One woman said loudly to her partner, “He’ll be on his own, I have a family to look after… it’s not right”, or something along those lines.

If looks could turn into actions, I’d have withered and died on the spot! Two completely different outlooks within seconds of each other! The memories of their pure-hatred-filled glares and scowls will take me a while to get rid off. Humph!

I paid at the checkout, and the two nasties joined the queue behind me. Still scowling at me, but not saying anything. When the till-lady offered to pack my bag for me, the man and woman both gave out a few Tsks as it delayed them! Oh, dearie me!

I paid the kind young lady, got outside and thought I’d not bother with going to Asda and make do. The bus was due in ten minutes, so I went to the Pelican lights to cross the road… and the L9 bus passed by! Well, fancy that, I thought! (Not the exact words a muttered to myself!) So another change of plans and I walked into Arnold and called at the open fruit and veg market to see what they had on offer.

The produce didn’t look all that fresh to me. The biggest disappointment was they had on display some tiny whole parsnips and carrots, that would have been perfect for roasting. But on closer examination, they were a bit like me, old and withered! Hehehe!

I called in the Fulton food store, but they had no vegetables or toilet rolls, not that I needed the rolls now, for a while anyway. It’d be just my luck, to go and get diahorrea now.

Over the road and into Asda. No photographing in here, not since the Security men caught me photographicalising last year, and firmly told me off!

The place was mayhem, bog roll shelves empty, bread rack with nothing on them, and the now seemingly accepted family gangs, with each member having a trolly. In hopes of buying extra-short of stock things I imagine. Then they will go through the checkouts as if they are not related, in an effort not to stick to the maximum permitted number of items! Community Spirit?

I got to the self-serve tills with, a bag of prepped sweet potato fries, (they’ll get eaten tonight methinks), ready-sliced fresh-looking leeks, some English fresh tomatoes, chopped onions, sugar snap peas and two tiny turnips.

Then the climb up to High Street to catch the L9 bus. Eerily, there was nobody at the bus shelter at all! The bus arrived early, I’m so glad I did too!

I’ve never known this happen before, but when I got on the bus, I was the sole passenger! So, out came the crossword book. I was doing a little better this time. The bus went for three or four stops without picking anyone up, another first. When it got to Daybrook, a few got on at various stops, and a lady who usually has a natter with got on, and I went into Chinwagging-Delight-Mode! Hahaha! The others all joined in with jokes and laughs when she produced a pack of toilet rolls. She works in a shop!

I got home and went through a people-less Winwood Court to Woodthorpe Court. I got the fresh stuff out of the bag and ready for storing away in the fridge, that needed some jiggling about to make room for them. This is when I realized I had two packs of Cox’s apples, one from Sainsbury’s one from Asda. I checked the till receipts and found no charge on the Asda one? Oh, dear! I don’t know how, but I had not charged myself for the bagged fruit.

I got the oven heating up, opened a can of beans and put some Hickory marinade in with them, and on the lowest heat. Then, took the evening medications, moved the handwashing, put some on the clothes airer. Stirring the beans regularly, I’m looking forward to trying the unbelievably expensive Hickory.

The meal was okay, it didn’t look very appetising to me, though.

The Hickory, so-called flavouring was untasteable! Trying to work it out, I think I must have put over a £1’s worth of the stuff in with the beans too! Very disillusioning. I shall not be buying that again! Watery Crap! Cat Wass! Here’s a photo of the insipid weak, Taste-of-the South, American marinade, just so you don’t get conned like I did, into thinking it will be rich and tasty. It’s not!

However, the fries and beans were delightful all the same. A flavour-rating of 7/10. But I was a bit miffed at the marinade’s tameness and bland tastelessness. Particularly at how much I paid for it! I’m too embarrassed and coy to tell you how much it was!

Being so late, I thought that sleep would come quickly tonight, for once, but no. I did dose off regularly, but only for a few minutes each time, and was waking up with a start each time? So desperate was I, I turned the TV on, vainly hoping I’d do the usual and fall asleep at the first set of advertisements, but again, No! I just carried on, dosing and waking, I could see the clock, and sometimes I was off for only a minute before jumping awake! 

I wondered if the day’s ups and downs, and excitement of the chinwags and getting out and about had affected me?

TTFNski. (Yawn!)