TODAY’s CARTOON
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
ODE OF THE DAY

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

NEMO MORTALIUM OMINBUS HORIS SAPIT

04;30hrs: I woke, but not time for  Thought Storms, self-pitying, or passing the usual wind… For the  was desperately needed, I frantically farted about and somehow made it to the Throne in time, just. The evacuation took about 30 seconds, and it was all over. Minor bleeding, but not a lot. No effort from me was needed; it was all passed in auto-mode.
Besides the regulation cuts shaving, everything went so well that it worried me. However, on leaving the wet room, I did a Master-Class Top Quality, Damned painfully . Right on the edge of the door as I was closing it! Of course, it didn’t bother me at all, being the brave, heroic sort of young man that I am. Ahem!

Off to the kitchenette to make a brew of J. Sainsbury’s Extra Strong Brown Label tea.

But the morning’s views from the window caught my good eye.
It was raining and appeared so different to what it normally is.
Out came the Lumix; I offered up a prayer that it would fail me again and took these shots. The second one was taken through the bottom portion of the window. I tried different modes from the SCN options. But didn’t do very well. Although the last one was not too bad, I’m not claiming it is good, mind you.

As I was taking the last shot, an even more urgent than the first one needed for the
. This time a totally changed mode of evacuation again! Rock hard, reluctant and bloody painful. The cracks in the ceiling counted up to 46 this visit.
I spent an hour updating the Thursday blog and a further 45 minutes putting photographs on Pinterest.

Then got the seen, starting with the temperature and Blood Pressure. Roughly the same as yesterday’s results.
The NHS site indicated that the Blood Pressure was almost down in the Amber zone. The Excel graphs have broken the run of reds, and it looks much better now!

The Body Temperature has come down nicely, too! It’s taken a while for it to tumble… but all fine now!

I checked the flat repeatedly for safely leaving, lights, oven, windows, taps, heaters etc.

Jodie arrived and got the medications sorted out for me. The regulation treats accepted. ♥

Herbert above was giving me some banging, tapping and knocking. But I knew I’d soon be going out, so it didn’t bother me so much.

Then I spotted how the weather had changed so quickly. To fog!

As it turned out, I foolishly got the Lumix out of my coat pocket to take these two pictures. The first straight ahead, and the second one of the car park below on Chestnut Walk.

Oh, I’d better get ready for the bus trip. Tried to make sure I’d got everything needed, pen, mobile, hearing-aids and batteries… but I’ll tell you now, I forgot to put the camera back in my pocket!

I got down and waited for the EasyLink bus. The lady was lovely, and we chatted, and we were soon in Riverside, Bulwell. As she dropped me off, she said the pick-up was at 15:30hrs! I was sure Deana had asked them to make it for 13:30hrs? The lady said just ring us if you want it earlier, and if we can, we will do it. Fair enough. Of course, I forgot to ask her for the number!

Up in the lift, and all the others were in the room, the meeting was starting. I gave a cheery “Good morning each”, displaying my bestest smile. Humph! No one answered.
The usual thing was that so many of us could not hear everything the tutor was saying. He just carried on in the same tone when I pointed this out.
When he was talking about the exercise details of what we need to do… I could not resist letting myself talk out: “Well, on Wednesday, my morning Carer arrived just after I’d collapsed onto the floor… I went down to get the bus that did not arrive. I went back up to the flat, took off my outer clothes, and rang Easy-Link, who told me they were due at 10:00hrs. I dashed about to get dressed again. Caught the bus to the doctor, who told me that I didn’t have an appointment today. The Doctor gave me the flu jab. I had to walk back to Sherwood. Catching the bus back up the hill, I missed the step. The driver and passengers got me back on my feet. Now, I think that was a reasonable amount of exercise, bearing in mind that I had a fight with the sock glide and lost when I got into the flat? (I kept a straight face throughout) And I got the best bout of laughter from the patients for it! Although a couple on the other side just furrowed their brows and looked confused, the educator Nathaniel’s glare should really have melted me on the spot!
The best moment of the day for me, this was!

But, of course, there were bad things on the horizon going to happen that would send me back into a Dracula Depression.

I was last to leave and made my way in the windy weather that had got up into Bulwell Market to have a delve into the shops.
Going into the shops was a mistake. A shopaholic should never risk it when he has his bank card. A financial disaster! In the B&M store, I got some drinks for the nurses, Wardens and Carers. Different ones, I like to tweak their interest. I came out of the shop with two big bags full of stuff! Babycham, cokes, disinfectant, snacks, chocolates, mini wines, and biscuits (A lot of them!)
As I turned from the checkout and the dangerously overloaded with the two bags hanging on the handles of the walker, I realised there was a min-rainstorm out there!

I was soaked to the skin in minutes. People were running into shops to escape the wind and rain, and the Market Stalls were abandoned. I got out the umbrella, and with needing both hands to control the walker-trolley in the howling wind, this was an impossibility. So I just had to get wetterer!
What could I do? So I went into the Heron Foods store. I came out with non-alcoholic drinks (I0), a Korean black bean Chilli. (I still don’t know why I did that), lemon desserts, black bags and Skinny Whips for the Carers. Came out, and the rain and wind were no better, so I took cover in the Iceland Shop. Tsk! Black bags, rice, Orange flavoured Wagon Wheels (they were for me!), Zoflora, and Party Ring biscuits.

This is where I thought I could get some smashing shots of the abandoned stalls, people running this way and that, and the atrocious weather. I got outside again, and the weather was worse than ever! The Market Place looked like a bomb site as the wind blew the emptied stalls all over. I tried to hasten back to the shelter of the Riverside Venue to get under cover, at least. But controlling the three-wheeler with all that weight on it, there was more weight now as the carrier bags filled with rainwater! Then I realised I’d forgotten to take the camera with me! Wot an Idiot!

Fighting to keep control, I walked into a massive puddle; I had no choice in the matter. The way the wind went, so did I! The shoes filled up with the cold rain. Eventually, I got into the building. And walked through to the car park entrance. Checked the time, and I still had over an hour to wait for the Easy-Link bus to arrive.

The waiting area inside had these massive automatic sliding doors for exit and ingress. The rain and wind continued! And those sliding doors never stopped opening and closing, even when no one was near them. I was chilled to the bone, wet and miserable.

Also, when I got the crossword book out to have a go at during my marathon wait for the lift, it was soaked through. Not surprising, really. But it did annoy me a bit.

When the minibus arrived, and the driver chap came in, boy was I happy! I could have kissed him, but didn’t! He was not a natural natterer, so a silent journey, apart from me talking. But, he cheered up when we got back to the flats. When I gave him a choice of drinkies from the trolley bag.

All I wanted to do, was to get a mug of tea and dried off. BUT NO!
There in the foyer, hands on her hips and looking threatening was Warden Julie. “They’re waiting for you in the salon, you’ve got yer feet appointed, and that was for over an hour ago!”
I couldn’t argue or even bother to explain the reason for my being late; I was drained and very damp. She kindly frog-marched to the salon. Not really, but it sounded good, dinnit? Just walked with the dripping trolley and soaked all over in the squelching shoes as fast as I could to the salon.
I don’t think the nail-cutter was very happy at having to stay on longer to do me. I did explain to her why I was late, but it didn’t raise a smile, get me out of her hatred zone, or even get any comment after telling her.
She did speak to me after cutting two of my toes. She only nobbled one last time? She told me I  now had two ingrowing toenails. From start to finish, she did the job in less than five minutes? I was certainly in pain from the normal toenails she cut; the last toe that she cut; made me jump. I said a naughty word! Shame!
Usually, I offer them a drinkie, but the cans were in the water in the carrier bags, and I didn’t know which one anyway. I’ll take some down for them next week. Paid the £25 demanded, with my last £30. Telling the lady at the desk, who owns the salon, about how I struggle to find pound coins to pay the Easy-Link with, and she gave me Five coins instead of a fiver. x

Got back into the flat at long last. Got the wet clothes off, drained the carrier bags, and sorted out the purchases bought.
Disinfectants wot I got. The Fabulosa washing scent stuff stunk awful to me, but the Carer loved it?

Ah, the treats here, each and every one a new variety. No, they are!

I can’t understand why I bought those Mexican beans in chilli? They’re bound to be too hot for me! That Dairy-Free spread looks worth a try.

Chestnut mushrooms. Sausages for Richard on Monday, and I’m looking forward to trying that Korean BBQ-flavoured rice. I’ll ask Richard to help me break them up.
I got on the computer about six hours ago, and am still on it doing this blog, now. Apart from when Sam (I think) called. Some names I can remember… but not many. Got me sorted and chose one of the new drinkies and a Chunky White Milky Bar for nibbles in thanks.

I pressed on until I started getting the shivers, obviously, from getting soaked through earlier.
I shall get something to eat and call it quits. I’ll have to finish this in the morning… There’s a thought, I hope I get a Carer, it’s Saturday innit tomorrow.
Back in the morning… I hope!

A sad meal was made up. A veggie burger on three uncut sliced cobs, and I sliced up some of Jenny’s donated tomatoes. ♥ And a banana for afters. Not the best looking or appetizing meals I’ve done, but I was in pain and so weary. The Taste-Rating of 3.5/10. But most likely, this low score was due to my state of Health. I can’t smell things very well now with the cold coming on. I’m still shivering cold, sniffling, stabbing away at me, and the feet are so painful, it’s hard to believe! To counter the discomfort, I took an extra Codeine and a Hemp capsule. Sleep will help as much as anything, I think. After the care calls, I’ll get myself settled in the second-hand, £300, charity shop bought, crumb-retaining, microorganism-producing, smell-retaining, gungy beige coloured, none-working, incommodious, Haemorrhoid Harold testing, c1968 recliner, and if it’s not on, turn on the TV, in hopes that it will help me get to sleep. It normally does; I’ll nod off when the commercials come on screen.

Ad KI was checking the SD file before turning off the computer, and I found the one on the left was on the SD card.

The Mystery Photo of the Month?

I know what I think it might have just been, but that would have been a physical impossibility. Does anyone have any thoughts on the subject? Obviously, a shot was taken by mistake?

18:25hrs: Jodie, I think it was, but you never know for sure – Well, I don’t anyway! Sad, innit? I was watching an episode of ‘Heartbeat’ at the time she arrived, and I was almost dropping off. Hehehe!
Got the tablets issued. The Carer put my socks on… not on herself, on me. Hehe! I think I’ve made a mess of this? Might have been Sam? We had a chat then, she chose some treats, and she took the waste bag to the chute on her way out.

I settled to watch the second episode of Heartbeat. During which I estimate I nodded off about eight or nine times. Ruined the viewing.
The next time I woke up was about an hour later.
I turned off the TV, assured now that I would soon be in the Land of Nod within minutes, which I was!

, I bounded back awake, convinced I’d left the hot water tap running! I rose painfully onto my feet. The feet and toes were giving me some bother and a half!
mainly. The knees seemed to have given way to the new Unguis incarnates pains. Off into the kitchenette, no tap running, then I went into the wet room to check there and shoulder-charged the doorframe going in. This got going; the toes were getting worse, and
after all that, the hot tap was not running.
Not that that was the end of the little mental pandemonium known as , Oh, no!
Back in the £300, second-hand, c1968, cringingly-beige-coloured, not-working, rickety recliner, without the slightest chance of nodding off again, due to the hurting and activities of !
But nothing could stop the Thought Storms from raging into life. This triggered the . As far as recall, I got up to check the fridge and freezer doors, and the oven had not been left on, and then if the front door had been locked.
Each trip was making the toes more painful! Thus even less chance of dropping off to sleep now!
I elapid there, train to think of something I could concentrate on to avoid the Thought Storm messages. I made a story up, a comedy, with relative to me failures and Whoopsiedangleplops on it. The feet were now getting the attention of Colin Cramps!
I think I might have been about to fall asleep, for the Thought Storms had gone offline in my brain. And I started sneezing hard and often. Of course, this set off , and I gave up any hopes of sleep, all together. I dare not take any more painkillers today… or yesterday as it is now.

Not one of my betterer days!