03:15hrs: I woke, wee-wee’d, and went to sort the waste bags… and realised how confused I was this morning. milling-about in the brain were a few concerns that took priority in the fretting stakes: Will the Easy-Link be calling at 09:30hrs, as I wrote in the Google calendar? Did I put in on the right day? How easily the mode comes to one! This, I think, was because they usually ring me to confirm the day before – but, of course, I was out yesterday at the quacks, so so not know if they tried or not. Indicating to my perilously inept mind that perhaps I got the day wrong… or did I? Ah, it was Esther who called for me to book the lifts, wasn’t it? Yes, they should be coming today… He says…
I got the blog updating done and posted Tuesdays off to WordPress. Took me a few hours, but I got there. I was going to get a brew of LGengettie. But, I thought I’d have time to get the done before Carer Richard arrived. I rushed doing them, so I hope I got it all right. No time for me to worry about this big increase up to the Hypertension – Zone Two, Red area.
As I said, it may have been me rushing so much, and I made a cock-up somewhere along the line? I hope!
I’ve still got to get the ablutions done, and I have yet to make a brew of Glengettie.
A FEW FOLLOWED! NOT A GOOD START!
I went into the kitchen, taking last night’s plate tray and cutlery to wash and get the kettle on. Having my hand on the tray and the other on the walking stick, I popped the things in the sink and ran the hot tap, then turned to put the light on… Flash, flicker… it was blinding! I can tell you that was not impressed, and all but had me on the floor, but I turned off the presumably dying tube in time. I was virtually blinded. (Obviously, it was still dark at the time!) So, I needed a brew made, and got the wind-up torch and made the tea using that to see by. Took the brew and went back to the computer.
I Pinterested some photographs from yesterday, and I finished off the Ode for today’s blog and graphicalised it.
I’ll have to get the ablutions done and be quick about it; good job Richard was running late.
THREE! Took the mug back into the kitchen, remembering not to turn on the light and take the torch with me, and I temporarily, very temporarily, a . I’d left the hot tap running again!!!! Now I was in trouble! How do I get a shave and wash using boiled hot water from the saucepans and kettle… more seriously; is how do I carry them with the walking stick and no lights on in the kitchen? Will let me see enough to do it? Mayhap the will cause me to lose my grip, or as he has been known on many occasions, not allow me to let go of things? What do I do if get an And; where do I stick the torch, then? No! Don’t say that! Hehehe! It was getting lighter now, so soon I’ll be able to get on with the ablutions.
Came in while I was filling the two saucepans with cold. He turned the light on, but I was too slow to stop him. Hahaha! I related my Whoopsiedangleplops of the morning to him. Richard got the medications sorted, then showed his concern and compassion by ringing Nottingham City Homes for me about the light. He pointed out the dangers of another night trying to cook in a dark kitchen. He told me when he’d done that, I was to call them straight away when I got back from the appointment and ask for a visit. The lad even wrote this on the back of the whiteboard and left it on the Carers table, where I’d be bound to see it. We spent a while, deep in conversation, but Richard had to go; it was his last shift of the rota. The lad looked tired. He has not recovered-fully himself yet. Gave him some treats on his way. I have a semi-warm wash, in water, provided by Richard to the wet room sink. But I just didn’t think I’d have the time for a shave, just a good stand-up as best I could. Then checked everything was safe in the flat, got dressed, and completed the checklist consulted… Then checked everything was safe in the flat! . Finally, escaped the flat… but was earlier than I realised.
Out into the floor lobby with the trolley and into the lift (elevator). On the way down, I had a moment of real uncertainty; Had I locked the flat door? But then turned to wonder if I’ll get down in time for the lift. My thoughts were flighty this morning, now. Checked the time on my quality £8 bought off of Bulwell Market watch. Ah, plenty of time yet! I tried to read the electronic news board outside the lift. But no, even as big as the letters were, the eyes couldn’t decipher what they said. I think the flashing kitchen lights this morning may have had some effect. (It did!) After all that faffing about and fretting, I’d still got half an hour to spare before the Easy-Link bus was due to arrive at Winwood Heights Prison… No, no, no, Flats. I got the crossword book out and had a go at it.
I even managed to get a few solutions in.
The minibus arrived at 09:35hrs. T’was a nice driver, who likes a natter at times, which suited me, other than I could not hear much of what she was saying to me. We arrived at the clinic dead on time. I was a little late by the time I found the right room to go to. No details to mention other than it went very well. I departed out into the pouring rain. (Again! Every time I go to Bulwell, it seems to rain) I tried to use steer the walker-guide trolley with one hand and hold an umbrella with the other. Not successful at all. It was too windy with it! No control over the movement of the guide with one hand. The rain hit me smack in the face. Within minutes, the shoes had acquired enough water to fill a small goldfish tank. Taking the photos was risky; there was no way to avoid the rain. Well, other than to dive into a shop. Hehe! Which I did; the first one was the B&M store. I got some different drinks there for the carers and nurses. Along with BBQ sauce, they only had one to pick from, a large Heinz one, for £3 . Some chocolates for Christmas gifts. Plain caramelised and shortcake biscuits (For me, me, me!, Hehe!). Oh, and some nuts.
Paid my dues, and outside, got soaked, and ducked into the Heron Food Store. where more bank-manager-worrying transactions took place. Vegetarian sausages, vegan pie, cakes and chocolates for the treats shelf. Kitchen towels, three different brands of BBQ sauce, and three cans of ready-mixed drinks I’d never heard of. Got the last two cans of Martini & Passion Fruit, which sounded posh, and the last one of Vodka Raspberry & Rhubarb. So, there’ll be no more on offer, folks. Come over and see me! Hahaha!
Off to the Wilko Store to see if they had any cooking tongues. I was wet and tired by then. The store is massive, and finding things took me yonks. Eventually, I found the right section, and they just had one type on sale. I was pretty sure that they were £1.99 last year when I bought them. Now they are £3, identical to the others. I was on the way trying to find out where the checkouts were, and I spotted the pet food shelves. Had a look at the bird food, and I bought a large packet; they were not a bad price at all, I thought, at £1.75. (I got them home and found it was Rat Food!) Still, it feels small enough for the birds to eat it? Later I searched the web for a photo of these to save me from taking out the Lumix that was low on battery power and charging up.
Guess what; this picture was from last month; it said October 15th. A hike of 50p a pack! As I said, I hope the birds can feed on it?
Found the checkout and paid the lady. Then I went to the cobbler’s stall that Richard told me about; to ask the price of watch batteries. The leery smart-alecky manager stood there with his hands on his hips and answered with a smirk when I asked him: “Well, that depends if you mean for a Rolex or (some other name I didn’t recognise). They can cost hundreds of…” I rudely interrupted him, “That depends if you charge extra for the sarcasm and your snotty attitude – adding quickly – My watches are cheap rubbish £8 ones from the Market Stall… Sorry to bother you!” And I almost proudly walked away, no idea if he said anything, I couldn’t hear him if he did, and didn’t look back either (He was a big lad! – Hehe!) Smart Alec, smug Git! – Is what I really wanted to say, but being a natural-born coward, I didn’t!
I realised I had to make my way back to the Medical Centre in the rain, so ambled alongside the river Leen, passing the yobboes-delight free-scooter base. Last Friday, there were nine Escooters in the racking. I was surprised with the weather that so many had been used… or were they stolen, mayhap? Just a thought!
I got back to the centre with plenty of time to spare to catch the minibus when it did arrive. I thought I’d have another go at the crossword book. But after looking through the three bags of stuff I had and couldn’t find it, I decided not to. If I dug into them, the rainwater would spread over everything even more than it had. Did you see that? A moment of clarity if thought that made sense.
I read some of the labels on the stuff on top of the bags. Were you aware that Lotus Biscoff Caramelised Biscuits contain Wheat flour, sugar, vegetable oil (palm oil from sustainable and certified plantations, rapeseed oil), candy sugar syrup, raising agent (sodium hydrogen carbonate), soy flour, salt, and cinnamon? Haha!
The mini-bus with the same lady driver (I think?) arrived spot on time. We managed a little nattering en route. The traffic was horrendous. The gal dropped me off as I asked her to, and the Winchester Block, so I could try to get in touch with ILC, Night Club Bouncer, Trapeze artist, and jolly good egg, Obersturmbannführeress Deana. I met Esther as I went in. She told me that the ILCs (Independent Living Coordinators) and the Big Brass were having a Pow-Wow. So that was the end of my hopes to ask for help with arranging a lift for the hospital and surgery, one for next week, the other for January at the Nuthall Brain Disorder Hospital. And, with understanding the eight double-sided A4 pages of instructions, the three guide booklets are too small in print for me to read. Oh, and I was going to ask her to ring Maintenance, as they told Richard this morning for me to tell them I got back. Hey-Ho! Esther came up with me to the flat. She kindly rang the maintenance people. Here she is, giving me the dagger looks. Hehehe! The lady on the phone told Esther they would be here within 24 hours. That could be difficult for me. Having to get anything done like cooking or cleaning in the darkness, using a torch. But it can’t be helped. Thanks to Esther. Anyway, they may call earlier. She asked if I wanted my laundry done today. I said no thanks, do it whenever you want to. Then explained that she digs into everything all the time, and I did not want her to find things that I’d got her for Christmas. Good that? But it’s true.
I started to unpack and store away the purchases. Those in this photo: The Skinny treats are for the ILCs, and any left for the Carers treat stand.
The caramelised biscuits and Haribo Marshmallows are for the good-looking, young, handsome beast known as Inchie, Inchcock or Gerry. Hehehe! Definitely just for the old man these are. The new Wilko tongues are next to the old ones that have started to fall to pieces (the red plastic bits fell off).
To the right, some bargain-priced shortcake biscuits I bought to share, and I tried one myself. Too sweet for me, though. Aha, now I’ve got a few bottles of BBQ sauce. The Crucial ones were very cheap, but you never know, I might like them.
The Heinz and Hellmans (So pricey, but nice!) I’ve had them before, and they are tasty enough for me. I do love BBQ sauce if they are not too strong. I was going to get something to eat before the darkness fell. But, No! I got into updating this blog, and the rest of the world did not exist for the next six hours. I was frustrated and embarrassed, I was making so many errors grammatically, and the most common of words kept hiding behind that witch . I did get a little with things but just pressed on, hoping for the best.Even as my energy sank, & tiredness loomed.
Eventually, I realised that getting soaked to the skin earlier had not done me a lot of good. A sore throat was developing, and I was occasionally having little shivers running through me. I got a warm hat on and took a Codeine 30g and Paracetamol. The eyes were worse than ever then, which slowed me down even more on the blogging! and
Ooh, the legs have suddenly gone all cold? But why? I’m not sure. Hello, on the move now! So I got the thick bobble cap and jammie bottoms on and the trews off. Brrr! No, that’s not worked. So, being the cunningly clever person I am, I got the thick dressing gown out of the laundry bag and got that on, with a jumper underneath it. Blimey, it’s gone cold… or I have. Haha!
I don’t know what’s going on here; now, the hurtful flaming on the right foot is suddenly giving me pain. No either? It just kicked off while I was sitting here on the computer. All a part of the mysteries of Woodthorpe Court, with the ghosts, wraiths, spectres, cacodemons, apparitions, and other grotesqueries that haunt the hallways and lobbies, searching for Inchcock; to curse with bad luck, create ambiguities, abstrucities, perplexities, misfortunes and botherations, to scare. worry and confuse me, I suppose.
The rain is still coming down out there. I took this photo when I was taking a rest from the computer and making a mug of Thompson’s Punjana tea. The rain stopped for a bit minutes later. I got the mug of Punjana tea made, then returned to the computer to press on with this blog. But not for long. I got the urge to go ing. I just had to check the kitchen again since I tried the hot water tap, and it was warming up nicely; the fear of leaving it running forced me to check. All okay this time. The change in the view from ten minutes ago was . I’d still got the camera in my pocket, so took this shot of the blueish scene on view.
The Carer arrived. It was a new starter, a young man, who introduced himself as Ty. Who got the medications sorted out. He was a little serious, but that is perfectly understandable, reasonable, indeed, almost inevitable for a new starter on his first day on the job. I think he’ll be alright. Hope he is and stays. He did not take the waste bag with him, but then I forgot to ask him to; that’s fair enough to me.
Somehow, after being up for seventeen hours, getting soaked to the skin, spending money like it was going out of fashion, and now shivering and so tired, and not having eaten anything, I was not doing badly. But the blogging I used to love so much is almost becoming a burden. Especially at times like this, where I’ve had two medical appointments in a row, can only result in more lack of sleep, and mistakes being made, and losing even more time cocking up the amendments I’ve made. And probably getting the correction wrong as well. So very .
Then, I had a lump of good luck! Oh, Yes, Sirree! Grrreat. sounded, and the Electrician from Nottingham City Homes Maintenance came in. I thought I’d seen him before; in fact, I was pretty certain it was this chap who had changed the neon tube in the kitchen about a year ago. And here he was back again. And as it turned out, I was right! Yes, Me, Right! . He said he remembered me when the job came in. He was going off shift, but thought, being as it was for me, he called to do the job. That was so nice of him! He got the tube changed in no time. I asked him to take a treat from the selection on show. I thought it nice that he said he’d take his wife a Strawberry Daiquiri to treat her tonight. Nice touch! Well done, mate!. Back to the slog, updating this blog. And it was gone midnight by the time I’d done it, and ready for the 215th grammar checking!
Then that the kicked off. Around and around! I had no chance of getting things sorted out then, so they’ll have to wait until mind-boggling thoughts have ceased. I went to make a brew, being as I can now see what I’m doing again now the lights have been replaced. I took this shot of the morning view from the kitchen window while waiting for the kettle to boil and theto pack up! In which I had a bit of luck…
I trapped the burnt index in the window when closing it. Which was most painful (I can’t understand why this particular wound hurts so much – worse than any of the others did?) But it seemed to kill off the darned , Grrreat!
It’s no good. I’ll have to get this sorted later; I’m all in. See you in the morning… Oh, it is the morning… I’ll get summat to eat and get my head down.
05:00hrs: So, another waking up all the time, night. I’m fed up with these now! Still, it could be worse! Rose for a wee-wee, with both PMD (Pre-Micturition-Dribbling) and PMAD (Post-Micturition-After Dribbling). A bit of a job to sort me and things out afterwards! Sorted the waste bags. Had another wee-wee. Put the kettle on to make a brew of Glengettie. I was going to get the ablutions done to freshen things up but thought being as I keep forgetting to do the Health Checks regularly, I do them first while it was in my memory-challenged mind. So, I did! The pulse was fine again, for five days on the trot now.
Although the NHC analyser had put me in the red area again, it was so close to the amber; I was content with the result this morning. But it would have been nice to see it in amber on the graph.
I’ve had some results in the greens over the past week, which is nice.
Got the ECG to go for tomorrow. I still can’t work out why I’ve had to have a blood test and now the ECG, as apparently demanded by the Mind Hospital; the appointment with them is not until January? Still, I’m glad I got one. Off to the wet room, I trotted with the clothing needed. I had to utilise the first. I could have made a marathon tale of what took place, but haven’t the time now. Suffice it to say nuggets, pain and pong. Somehow, I realise it now when typing this, but I forgot to clean my teeth again. (Fear of bleeding gums?) Then, having the shave did not go so well this morning. It was due mainly to , she’s been good lately to me as well, but her cunning timing today ensured that I gleaned many cuts of varying degrees from the razors. Now’t really serious, though. During the stand-up body wash, I needed two more wee-wees? No blasters; they were all of the SSAO (Sprinkly-Spraying-All-Over) variety. Got dressed (No socks, why risk injury using when your not going out?) And made a mug of Glengettie, and went onto the computer, to update the Monday blog. The Norton Virus started a check, and for once, I watched the progress. Confused me more than helped. I just can’t get my head around anything that is new or has changed. to blame? I’d let the tea go cold, so ventured into the kitchenette to get the kettle on again… Guess what? I’d left the hot tap running yet again. idiot, dumbo, twit… take your choice!
Still, I managed to take a couple of photographs that didn’t come out too bad. Not that that dissolved any feeling of guilt. Self-hatred, or simply feeling shame, at leaving the tap running.
l went back to the grind of blogging and making little progress other than to amend mistakes that I had made earlier on.
The tea went cold again! Back to make another, and the haze had cleared a little. Back with the brew to the front room.
I got the Lumix and took these to slightly clearer pictures through the glass on the balcony. Almost reluctantly, I got on with blogging. Because I was making such a mess of things, and I just carried in in the same way again, I’m not feeling too good here, as you may have noticed. Hehe!
Arrived, he was not looking too good at all. His ticker was racing, and he looked drained. This worried me, I asked if I should call an ambulance, but he said no. The poor lad was not food at all. The session was lost to my concerns, can’t be sure, but I think he helped me with the paperwork… I’m just not sure. I walked with him to the door and wished him well. If he turns up tomorrow, I’ll be surprised; I’m concerned for him.
That put the mockers on everything after that. Couldn’t concentrate on anything at all. I believe I had a turn myself then. Cause at around 14:30hrs, it was as if I woke up, wondering what I’d been doing. I vaguely remember Josie returning the plates and things. Not much else. The oven was on, with nothing in it. Which I put to rights and got some potato Rostis in it.
I burnt my right index finger on the oven! Doesn’t look much, but it hurts like hell! Can’t type now; the finger is so tender to touch for typing. Odd, that?
Going to have to try again later.
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Wednesday updating of this post, from the scribble pad: Dementia Doreen is withholding the actual memories. So, not much detail, I’m afraid. Found this graphic in the diary file. Can’t recall making it? Dated for today, mind you?
I do recall this rather sad-looking meal that I made. Two sourdough baps, six potato-Rostis. A liberal portion of BBQ sauce for sipping into. And a pot of the soya lemon yoghourt. But I did enjoy it, and I spotted a scribbled 8.4/10 on the notepad. Which I assumed to be the taste rating given?
Must have some rain then.
Naturally, I was trying to watch a ‘Heartbeat’ episode again. I was soon woken up, though. Appeared, and we soon had the medications done. I was waffling again, Tsk! Went with her to the door (I know this because it was locked this morning). Carolynne took the waste bag with her, and I locked the door.
Tried to watch the second episode of ‘Heartbeat’. Zzz!
0600hrs: I was doing a bit of threshing about when I bounded back into consciousness this morning. But I’d had a bad night of jumping awakes, so was not surprised at this morning’s flapping about in the £300, bought eight years ago from the second-hand shop, Harold Haemorrhoid testing, repugnantly beige-coloured, crumb-containing, virus-breeding, acne-giving, rickety, itch-producing, none-working recliner. I did consider going back to sleep, but the need for a wee-wee forced me to change my mind. Struggled free of the recliner… trying not to spill too many crumbs from the dressing gown on the floor, as I hobbled over to the NWWB (Nocturnal-Wee-Wee-Bucket) Although it was a bit of a strain to force things out, surprisingly there was plenty of PMD (Post-Micturition-Dribbling)?
Of to get the seen to. As I went through the door, I saw how foggy it was through the kitchen window and fetched the camera to take these two shots of the view. The first one is straight ahead, and the second one down to the Citrus Way car parking in front of the block.
I got into the wet room with the togs to put on, and I commenced my morning cleaning-up routine. The teeth cleaning brought more bleeding, as I expected it would… and it did, profusely! The shaving went better today. Just two small nicks. I had to use some new razors on the back of the neck. These Wilkinson’s three-bladed razors are not cutting it at all? Only used them for about three days. Humph! Had a stand-up wash cause I’d got up so late, and if I let myself in the shower, I’d still be in there when the Carer came.I was surprised that I didn’t need to use the Throne; I always do; well, did, but not today! These went smoothly. Of course, I was out of eye drops, and thankfully, very thankfully , had not been bleeding; Missing having to do the Daktacort ointmentating is always a relief and pleasure! The Germoloiding and Germolening were smoothly & painlessly done.
I took the wee-wee bucket to be emptied, cleaned and disinfected. Got the kettle on, returned the NWWB to its so-easy-to-get-at location, and burst into tune. came in. After mutual greetings were shared and Richard got the medications sorted out, he went into one of his Professional-Status! He investigated the paperwork that came with the Mental-Health appointment. Guide, advice, and what to do and not to do, plus what I had to take with me.
❶ All my medications. ❷ Hearing aids. ❸ Spectacles distance and reading. ❸ One relative or carer only to come with you. ❹ Use your WC at home before leaving to come to the hospital. ❺ Wear a facemask. ❻ Arrive for your appointment early – but only by five minutes! ❼ Use the hand-sanitisers when you see them.
① When leaving, someone will guide you to the correct way out. ② Use the hand sanitiser on your way out. ③ Do not return to the hospital for any reason, including forgetting to take something home with you. ‘Call the hospital’ Do not re-enter.
After putting my mind at rest, he reminded me to see Deana ASAP to get the Easy-Link transport booked so as not to worry about it then. Remind her to tell them about the ‘To arrive five-minutes early’ stipulation.
Richard checked the medication drawer, and we relaxed with a bit of banter and gossip for a few minutes. Gave him his Christmas pressie and nibbles, and he took the waste bags with him as he left. I stood a moment in the hallway, and all that he had told me was melting into the ether. Luckily I wrote a lot of it down on the pad.
I got the Sunday blog finished and posted it to WordPress. Did some Pinteresting. Comments. Then started this template. Herbert above started banging and tapping away. I responded again by tapping on the top of the tall bookcase. But he didn’t do it for long, and within an hour of so, all was quiet again. Nice! Had a glance out of the balcony from the computer chair, and the fog seemed to be lingering a little. Which made me look at the time. I’m not sure if I’d had another Mind-Blank, but the clock read gone 13:00hrs already? How could it have taken me so long to get nothing much done?
Am I getting phobic about this? And is phobic the right word? Hehehe!.
I’d turned the Bank Manager worrying light off to save costs earlier, but I had to put it back on. It had gone so dark again, suddenly.
Ah, I’ve got a big Asda order coming today. I’m sure it was for 14 > 15:00hrs. I’ll check the calendar.Yes, just as I thought… Ahem! It’s for 16:00 > 17:00hrs. I got an email from them (Asda) Four items are unavailable, and some substitutes.
Hello, he’s off again! He may be a self-centred, impolite, insensitive, disrespectful, snobbish, ignorant-mannered, haughty, pompous, pretentious, uppity, scoffing, contumelious, smart-alecky, insensitive, unsympathetic, toffee-nosed, self-important, nyaff, noisy nasty man, But he doesn’t bother me at all.
I’d still like to know where all that time went earlier.
Then took this photographicalisation from the kitchenette window. Considering the weather conditions, I was slightly smug about how this one came out.
16:00hrs: Asda delivery any time now!
16:30hrs: Asda delivery any time now!
17:10hrs: Asda delivery any time now!
17:20hrs: Aha! The mobile rang. I couldn’t understand who it was at first but thought I caught ‘Asda’ in the chatter, So assumed it was the delivery driver who had not been to the flats before. I started to explain to him about the intercom… and the mobile signal was lost. 17:26hrs: I went down to the lobby to search for and admit the driver. 17:30hrs: Got in the lobby, and Carol ♥ was there. She told me the driver had gone up to the flat. Tsk! Thanked her and went back up in the lift. 17:33hrs: Found the lost driver in the flat lobby. 17:40hrs: He finished putting the goods inside the door for me. It’s always a struggle for drivers on their first delivering to this place. I forgot, in the fiasco, to return the unwanted substitutes. was not done with me yet, though! 17:45: Thanked the chap and made a start to put the many things where they should go. And some in the spare junk room.
Got the foil dishes and trays on top of the wall cabinets. How I’ll go with getting them down again, I’ll find out later! Sauces and canned goods are sorted. The baked beans will keep me ‘moving,’ I think? The lemon soya yoghourts arrived; they do suit me; they are not too sweet. I bought just the softer nuts, should have sufficient to see me through Christmas. The Asda Gold teabags tasted like, well, they didn’t taste at all of tea! ASDA’s economy Cottage pies were limited this time. I wanted four, one for Richard, three for me, they taste Grrreat! Only got two, so one each with Richard in the morning. The potato Rostis all four arrived, and tonight a whole packet of them will be enjoyed. That is if I remember to overcook them like last week’s that I enjoyed so much. Steak slices and Beef & Veg pasties for Richard. They had none of the cheap and tasty BBQ sauce but sent two expensive ones. The Oxo one that I thought might be rather delicious turned out to be a marinade, to be put on food for ten minutes before cooking. If I remember, I’ll try it on the Rostis later on… (Naturally, I forgot!)
According to my notepad scribblings, as best as I could make out, something happened at 18:00 hours. “1800, B4 gay… charade CP away…” undecipherable until, “Gog___ ap very papule”. Is any clever Wordsmith reading this? (Billum, HRH Lisa? Shakespeare?) Can you give some insight into what the heck I am supposed to have been recording on the notepad, please? I suppose I must have had a mind-blank or brain freeze at the time? Thanks, !
I gave up on blogging: I’ll try to catch up in the morning
Good Morning! Catching up started… 18:28hrs: Came in. I was watching Heartbeat on the TV. Got the medications sorted and had a little laugh and natter (me mostly, of course). I insisted on treats being selected (I’ll only sulk if they don’t take them!). Jodie took the waste bag as she departed. Bless her!
The next ‘Heartbeat episode was on, so I got down into the £300, used, second-hand shop-bought nine-years ago, c1966, discomfiting, alarmingly Karki-beige coloured, crumb-containing, TV remote hiding, not working recliner, to watch it. But it was not to be! I nodded off on the first set of adverts and woke up as the ending credits were rolling up the screen! However, after taking another wee-wee, washing and renting to the recliner, I found that Motorway Police was showing. I’ll watch this… I thought. In a way, I did; But never for longer than two or three minutes, then it was off into the land of nod… wake up, watch another minute or two of the programme… back to sleep… I did manage to wake up for the end credits again.
Gave up, and I turned off the TV. But the waking up carried on all night long. !
07:00hrs: A second decent night’s kip for the old man, then. (It’s not often I can say that!) I thought it wise to wait for a little before getting excited; I’d not done the checks yet, and I didn’t want to bring it back to reality just yet for a while.
I went into the kitchenette, mainly to check on the taps, stove, fridge etc. to make sure I’d not left anything on that shouldn’t be. All Clear! So, a was duly adopted!
It was a foggy morning, not unlike those we used to get every November so many years ago. The memories flowed for a while. as I took these photographs! Not necessarily good recollections. But a few did sneak in. Got the Health checks done.
Pulse decent at 33.1°1f.
Sorry to say that the flipping Blood Pressure came out up in the Top Red area, Hypertension Three! But only just. Hehe!
The SYS was really high this time at Red-Risk 162.
The Dia was fine in the Amber zone.
The Pulse was creeping back up again at 78.
I just can’t understand why they have classed in the red-three zone. When three of the four are in the Amber zone? I expected to be well lower down on the scale. Mind you, the SYS was high. Came in. Got the medications sorted, and the lad was in a rush; I could sense it… his being so late told me that as well. He wanted his bed, and who could blame him. Talked him into trying a cold Starbuck Coffee for his thank-you treat. Be interesting to see what he say’s about it later next week. I bet Richard won’t take a coffee with Rum & Coke and his favourite, Pink Gin and lemon, being on offer. Hehe! He can have a coffee as well. I got the mince in the pan with the beans and added some flavourings.
I’m well known as a flavourings-adder, you know. Hehehe!
Then I got two large potatoes in the big saucepan on the boil, and I nipped back to the computer to get her started and begin updating the Saturday blog. I had to avoid getting distracted with blogging for fear of forgetting about Josie’s meal cooking.
Went back to check, and the potatoes were already done? It only seemed like ten minutes. But, of course, it was longer. As you can see in the photo here when it came to dicing the spuds ready to go in the oven to bake them crispy… This is how one potato turned out – Bad! So, not so many spuds in Josie’s meal today. Got the diced and olive-oil-sprayed spuds in the heated oven. Had a clean-up. And back to the computer. That is not blood on the paper towel. Oh, no! It’s probably jam or ketchup, something like that. As if a man of my calibre would cut his right index finger while slicing the spud, laughable. Did some work on the blog, mostly correcting errors made. Tsk! Bet I still missed no end of them!
Added spuds to the saucepan of chilli-stew, or whatever you want to call it. But after taking out approximately half of the stew and placing it into a separate lidded-tub This is Josie’s 2nd meal for Monday. She heats it up in her microwave. I try to make the two meals different for her. After taking out the Monday portion, I added some basil and BBQ to the first lot and stirred it up, warming it gently. No potatoes in the Monday one, either. I had 20-minutes or so on the blog and made up Josie’s tray.
I’d got carried away today… Just look at that pile of stew in the bowl for her. It might get her eating better, but it is bound to get me accused of trying to make her look like Betty Bunter. Now, for the less mature whippersnappers, these names will mean nothing. But to us kings growing up[ in the ’50s, they were previously revered. For they were in comics that we read. Possibly. In this photo, Betty’s name is Bessie Bunter, but later she became Betty; I don’t know why. It’s me mishearing what Josie was saying… I’ll have to check that later with her.
But she was for the girls, and for us lads, we had Billy Bunter. Two overweight kids that always seemed to get the better of their parents in the story we read. Hehehe! I think that Sister Jane was a fan of that comic. There was the Topper, Beezer, Beano, Dandy, Eagle & others. Not bad for a bloke who read his instructions from the nut-house hospital last night and can’t remember anything he read?
Note the changing times in the covers here? In those days, the girls were trained as domestics, not future wives. So, Billy gets excitement out in the woods with criminals, and Betty-Bessie battles the fight to get food in the house. Not a single person back then mentioned them being unhealthily overweight. Hahaha! I wondered off subject again there, didn’t I?
Back to the diary: I delivered the meals to Josie. I remembered taking the Lumix camera with me in my pocket, and I’d also got it in my bag! Every little victory, you know!
Josie was looking better today; bless her cotton socks. I’m not sure who is the more forgetful between us… but my guess would be it being even-stevens! Hehehe! The deafness we also share is just the same. She didn’t notice the over twice the usual amount of chillie-stew and the larger bowl I had to use to get it all in. About Gawd knows when… I got the Saturday blog posted off. Carer Carolynne arrived. We got the medications sorted and had a natter. (Well, I did!) Hehe! Forced treats in thanks on her. She took the waste bags with her as she left; with a smile.
Not in the flat, though. There was a fire in Basford or Sherwood area. I took these pictures of it. Much smoke varying from white to black and a few bursts of flames. Annoyingly, I could find nothing on the news or the internet about it.
These chronologically go from left to right as you go down.
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Shame I couldn’t find them for a newspaper to use.
It’s 20:00hrs already! I’ll get something to eat, then my head down, I think. ♫ Food, Glorious Food ♫ Flavour-Rating 7.2/10. And I was surprised at how tasty the Adkins cobs were. The Asda Soya lemon yoghourt was its usual tasty treat.
I got ensconced in the aged, grotty-looking c1966 made, charity-shop-bought, horribly beige-coloured, £300, Harold’s Haemorrhoid-testing, non-operational, acne-giving, virus-breeding, rickety, easy-to-fall-out-of recliner.
Sleep came quickly tonight! But could I stay asleep? No! I woke up jouncingly, joltingly, or jarringly so often; it almost tired me out! Fair enough, I got back to sleep quickly enough, but minutes later (it seemed), I was once again twitchingly woken up!
Sweet Morpheus was playing with me once more…
Or, mayhap it was , continuing on her mission along with the other mysteries of Woodthorpe Court, with the hobgoblins, spectres, gnomai, phantasms, ghosts, the grotesque succubae, extraterrestrials, ectoplasms, spirits, or the Fata Morganas, that have been sent to taunt, irritate and terminate my already limited saneness of mind?
So, listen to this, you may not believe it, my maties: I woketh up and soon had it worked out that I’d been asleep for very nearly eight hours! EIGHT HOURS! Danged well staggering! I didn’t write the time on my memory pad, but it was almost light when I went to make a brew and take these two photos through the kitchen window. I didn’t make the tea after all and made for the wet room to get the Ablutionalisationing done. Collecting the clothes needed for afterwards, with me. The teeth-cleaning triggered , and it bled a fair bit. The shaving went well, just two teeny-weeny nicks, and they didn’t bleed much at all. At had to divert to the before getting into the shower. That didn’t go so well. A smidge messy, it seems that is making a fight out of it, for control of the evacuations with . He’s ahead at the moment, and a messy result that needed much cleaning up and disinfectioning. Amazingly one of the tiny on the neck started bleeding after I’d looffered the back. It reminded me of that Hotel horror movie. Hehehe! I wanted to take a photograph cause it did look scary with the blood swirling around the drain. But I hadn’t taken the camera in with me. Shame, that would have looked great in the blog!Tsk! Being as it was Saturday, I decided to put the jammies back on with the heavy dressing gown. No deliveries (I thought at the time), nurses, only the carers to come today. (How even I can forget that the Iceland order was being delivered today... Made a brew, did the and on the computer to feed the figures in the analyser a create the graphics. In the Red Hypertension – 1 zone again, but not too far away from the Amber. Content with this.
The Iceland man cometh I remembered he was coming the moment I saw that… I got the bags inside and sorted them out. I did wonder why I’d bought the Starbucks Coffee at first. But as I went on sorting the other stuff out, I remembered! It was on offer at very nearly half the normal price. So I thought I get some in, in case the carers or nurses like them. I may have made a mistake. If they do like them, I can’t afford to get any more at the full price, like.
But I can’t really see anyone liking them; cold coffee? Got the bottles of wine for Christmas pressies. Two items short, but no substitutes, so that was good. Bread and Vegan pie missing.
Arrived: it was during this visit that I had a mind-blank, I think. I know I was talking almost non-stop… or was I? Oh, I don’t know. Many hours later, I sort of came around a lot and found this was the only other photo on the SD card. Nothing concrete in the memory box, but maybe I was seeing this and thought about how active and fun-loving I was in those days. Or, maybe even proud of winning my first-ever angling cup fishing match award? Most likely, I was feeling guilty for fishing in the first place? I had been working on CorelDraw and Excel doing a blog. I had no idea what time it was, and as I turned to look at the clock… Came in. I reckon I was nattering away again. As Jodie was picking up the bags to leave, she said she could not get in the key safe. I went out to her, and we both tried again, but no luck. Must mention this to Deana or Julie.
I took some photos of the evening view.
Better check on the taps and stove. make sure I’ve not left anything that might be during my absence of awareness hours.
I tried catching up[ on the blogging. Spent a few hours at it and realised things were not going well.
Which brought to mind the appointment at the Mental Health place regarding Doreen Dementia. The address is confusing and long-winded; I’ll have a look at the Google map if I remember. Hazelwood House, The Coppice, Highbury Hospital, Highbury Road, Bulwell, Nottingham NG6 6DR. The bits of the letters and pamphlets I can read (and forget so easily). tell me: Bring your Medications, Eyeglasses & hearing aids. Wear a face mask. Use your own toilet before leaving home. Bring only one carer/relative with you. Bring your own drink if needed. You must arrive for your appointment early. Try not to be more than 5-minutes early. Use the hand-sanitiser on arrival. During your appointment, a hand sanitiser is to be used. Leaving Your Appointment: When finished, a member of staff will walk you through showing you the way out. I’ll have a look at the map now.
Not confident; I can’t find which reception I’ll need. Knackered now. No desire for food or drink.
Get my head down, I think. Hope I’m up to doing Josie’s meal in the morning.
Changed my mind as I was getting the jammies on. I needed a meal, after all.
I made up a meal that looked okay. But it wasn’t; I was not concentrating, methinks. The veggie burger and pastie were only warm at best. The sausages were undercooked. Taste: 3/10! Still, didn’t visit, so I had a good sleep for once.
Somewhere around 05:00hrs. The last few memories of a dream I’d been having faded from my memory. Completely gone in seconds! Claimed by the ether. The only remaining detail was that I was enjoying it. Tsk! I almost nodded off again, but more escapages of inf from the rear end started, interposed occasionally by a few belches. Then the part taste of last night’s vegetable chillie came up into my mouth. It was not unpleasant. I questioned my eating chilli-con-carne in any form – I love the taste of it, but the innards always play up like this afterwards… I’ve knave to consider stopping eating them. Honestly, the farting and belching continued for hours.
Fantastic results again! Three out of the last four days, I’ve been in the Amber Zone. (High-Normal) Grrreat!
I was so pleased with these results, I got the graphics to use done on CorelDraw.
Getting the photo’s in, I came across a rather silly I’d made. I’d failed to put these two evening views from the kitchenette sink into Monday’s blog.
Graphics posted, I went to get the kettle on for a brew of tea. But got sidetracked by the getting-urgent need for the . Not that he needed it, after yesterday’s messy session, but had the backing of the after-effects of the vegetable chilli-con-carne to ensure one of the pongiest, messiest evacuations, ever! The instant the flow began, I felt a little giddy. The aroma, I imagine, was the cause of this. It was all over in seconds… but the mess it left on my rear and in the bowl, took ages to clean up.I started a new toilet roll, and there were precious few left on the inner core by the time I’d cleared things so I could wash my bottie! Thank heavens I had enough Germoloid ointment to use; it took an awful lot to ease the stinging of the poor .
Got the nappies on…; I mean Protection Pants. Put the eye drops in, although not a lot got into the eyes as usual. More ended up in my mouth and moustache than the eyes. Olive-Oiled the ear holes. All this time, I kept flushing the WC and repeatedly waited for the tank to refill to try and clear ‘things’ again! I took a Galpharm capsule, hoping it may calm things down in the Dirrahorea department.
I washed up, checked things in the wet room, and went off to make a brew of tea again. The tea had to wait again…
For the moon was out and high late, and with the cloudy conditions out there in the dark, I just had to try and get some decent photographs of the planet. So, I fetched the Lumix to give it a go.
I was not pleased with the resulting photographs. But I kept on taking them, hoping I could get just one decent, detailed picture, a good shot… Huh!.
But it was not meant to be. .
To my disappointment, I forgot I’d made the mug of tea, and I left it to get cold on the side of the stove and went back to the computerisationing.
Started updating the Monday blog.
Chimed out as I got up, thinking I had not unlocked the door yet, and chuntering to myself. Came into the room. How can I not remember if I’d unlocked the door or not? Silly Question! Richard made an alarm battery alert check with the NCH (Nottingham City Homes) control. Got the medications sorted out. And he’d used an End run to get around things and arranged for the Carer this evening to pack the morning medications in a pot, so I could take them in the morning before the trip out to the hospital. When I suggested this, at first, we thought the powers that be would not allow us to do this; in case I get up thinking of sorting the many things needed to take with me to the hospital and forget to take the tablets – I still might. Richard wrote a note on the whiteboard that the evening carer might spot, and now it’s up to me to remember to remind her. (Fingers crossed, but I reckon I will!) Rich moved the spectacles distance, reading, and sunglasses, that I had to take with me nearer to the list of instructions and medication listings he’d sorted out for me. A grand lad! We had a laugh over my passing wind and belching all the time he was here. Hehehe! Om leaving, he said he wouldn’t see me until next Monday and wished me well with the Cataracts – if they do them, that is. Bless him! Gave him some treats in thanks, wished him well, and he took the waste bags on his way out.
I got back to blogging. But it was as if a different person was doing it. Back to the mistake-making, , and the concentration had collapsed again. Very frustrating.I pressed on and got the Monday blog posted to WordPress. Then decided to stop on this blog. I was almost going backwards, getting nowhere. I ditched and washed the cold mug of brew, and I made the much-awaited fresh drink of tea.
The Asda delivery arrived, and this driver actually put the breakable and damageable goods in different boxes for me.
Thank you, mate!
The feast of food was put away after posing for some photographic recordings. Hehehe!
I’m hoping the treats products have a good life on them. But could not see the dates on so many of them. In fact, some don’t seem tp have any on them at all.
But that’s likely because of my ailments , , and .
I’d got a lot in, so as to avoid struggling in the event that the hospital does do the Cataract tomorrow. But it remains a mystery as to why I’ve been called in, and Deana called the QMC to ask if it is for the operation, and they were as puzzled with the wording n the appointment sheet as we were!
The imitation pork looked more like pot than pork does. If it’s anything like as good as the mock sausages, they should be good.
I got them in the oven after sorting the other things out.
The meal went down a treat! Yellow & red tomatoes, soya & herb pork, fries and some bread thins. Followed with a pot of lemon soya yoghourt… my new favourite dessert from Asda. My Flavour Rating for this one is 8/10.
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Carer Shannon woke me up. We had a decent nattering session after she’d done the medicating. Shannon made up a pot of morning medications and left it on the things on the Carers table for me to take with me to the hospital, so I should see it and take them. Selected a nibble and drinkie in thanks. Took the waste bag with her on her way out. I locked the door.
As I got back into the hallway, the evening sky caught my attention.
I took these three shots, two of the sky and scene and one of the bottom cars parked on Chestnut Walk.
I resettled in the £300, bought eight years ago from the second-hand shop, Harold Haemorrhoid testing, repugnantly beige-coloured, crumb containing, virus-breeding, acne-giving, rickety, itch-producing, none-working recliner.
Then the started. I was concerned about the mystery trip to the hospital in the morning. Of course, all the other worries and concerns kept nipping in between this concern, and the brain could not cope with trying to make decisions about what needed doing and when. I think I formulated this plan eventually. “Go to sleep now – get up and finish this blog ASAP. Get all the needed things together, then get the ablutions done, get dressed, and sit with the crossword book (If I can see enough to read the clues) if I can see and read the clues. Wait there for the arrival of the NHS lift that Deana arranged for me. They should be coming according to the message, twixt 0700 and 0900hrs. Then, trying to ignore Mind-Storming, tried to get to sleep.
No chance… I then thought, would it be better for me to get down in the lobby for 07:00hrs and wait there?
Oh, dearie me, Confusion Konrad was having his way.
This Sunday morning, there was no yawning, The Sabbath had already gone past its dawning… It was the coming of a wee-wee he was anticipating… Not his bladder, but his bowels started moving… The movement started, and Inchie farted… He flew to the Porcelain throne, almost running… For the torpedo’s escape had started…
It almost flew out, hitting the water and splashing… With the bleeding, he rapidly medicated… He’s better now… he’s convalescing! – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
As I was now located in the wet room, I decided to get the ablutions done. I nipped out and got the socks, shirt, and trousers to wear after the shave and showering. Commenced. For some reason, Toothache Terence? I can’t understand why I didn’t clean the teggies? The increased this morning. Only four, though, no bad ones. I did notice the hairs on the neck, up the nose, and in both ears were growing at a rapid rate? As if someone had put Grow-More on them? I used the magnifying glass to check the ears; blimey, no wonder I’m having trouble hearing things. Just thought I’d mention it. The showering went delightfully and free! I can’t claim the same in the . Although not bleeding then, had been during the night and had scabbed.
So, it had to be removed and cleaned before the Daktacort could be applied. Of course, this didn’t bother me in the slightest. I think I might well have been singing to myself while rubbing in the ointment. Yodelling a Frank Ifield number, Wayward Wind it was. if I remember rightly… Ahem! I got dressed, the computer on and tended to the .
The Body temperature was done first and gave me a minor shock.It’s been around 33°f or higher for a few days now. But it had plummeted down to 32.4°f now. According to the QMC-NHS, that is far too low for my needs. I’ll do it again later. It’s dead easy with My Chinese (Hong Kong) made by Shenzhen Relee Electronic & Technology Co. Ltd™, a contactless, hand-held thermometer.
The Sys had upped itself to 158, the DIA to 89 from 77. My Pulse was okay at 81. As noted, the temperature was, as Elvis sang it, “Way Down!”
Back to the homeland area for Inchie, then; into the Hypertension-1 bracket. You can’t win, can yer?
I took this snap of the morning view.
Then went into Sunday’s Operation, ‘Get Josie’s Meal & Treats sorted mode.
Hope the gal is not on the phone to her Sister again when I deliver it.
Got a large spud in the big saucepan, boiling. I must keep an eye on this cause I don’t want to let it get too soft. Otherwise, when I cube it later to oil and butter them and get them in the oven, they break up, which spoils them.
Got some ingredients out ready for the flavourings. Then cubed the potatoes and sprayed them in the oven tray with butter and olive oil.
They kept their flesh integrity… is that the right word? Anyway, they didn’t crumble. Hehe!
I checked on them every few minutes as I got the chilli and veg sorted in the saucepan.
It took about 20 minutes, and they looked and tasted good to me. Nice and crisp on the outside.
I got them in the pan of chilli, then turned off the heat, after adding a bit more chillie, the tomatoes, mushrooms and onions. Washed the oven tray and chopping board with the utensils and made a brew of tea for myself. Thompson’s Punjana this time. Then back to the computer to start updating the Saturday blog. Burst forth from the door alarm and came in. It was so late I’d forgotten about him not having come yet.
The first thing the lad said was how sorry he was for being late. I told him it couldn’t be helped, and being the weekend, I’d not have any medical appointments to rush to. He got the medications sorted for me, and I asked him to check the date on the milk bottle in the fridge, please. Which he did. I took a photo of it, but still can’t read it when blown up! The combination of; , , Chloramphenicol Eye Drops, and see to that. Jozeph was given a choice of drinkies from the fridge while he was in it checking on the use-by dates for me. He took the waste bags with him as he departed.
Kicked off doing some drilling in the flat above. I coped with the noise this time. But when he started the bang-banging and constant tap-tapping a little later on, I returned the favour by hitting the top of the tall bookshelf with Metal-Mickey. Grrr!
I was getting n with the updating of the Saturday post again and was enjoying doing it. I didn’t enjoy the mistakes and omissions I was making, of course! Has it not been for me actually hearing the rain fall, and getting up to see if it would be photographable, I may have carried on blogging and not noticed the time and would have been late for the first time ever delivering Josie’s nosh. I’d only got 12-minutes, but it only needed dishing out, basically.
It was a close call, but I managed it just in time! Back I went to the flat and got the rest of the mess cleaned up in the kitchen.
Spent the next few hours getting this blog started. The fatigue came over me, and I had to stop. Uh, I’ve not had anything to eat yet! I’ll have something simple; let’s see what I do quickly. Ah, a mock Cottage pie in the fridge that can be microwaved. That’ll do me. I can have a cob with it and dip it in some BBQ sauce. And, I hope, then fall asleep before the evening carer wakes me up.
I poddled into the kitchenette, and I took a photo of the view from the window. The first one I took came out rather vivid, so I checked what setting it was taken in, but couldn’t find it, so I reset it to auto-mode and took the second effort. Which was a lot more like it actually looked. Then got the meal prepared. The Asda Cottage pie, I can do in the microwave in 9-minutes later on. I got the potato cakes in the oven to cook for twenty minutes, hoping to remember to add the meal to the microwave ten minutes later; I think I got that right?
But, I got involved in doing up a word-rhyme list, and it went on for far too long; two hours later, I remembered the potato scones in the oven! I abandoned the word listing (I hope I saved it first... Oh, dearie me!).
The poor scones were hard, dry, and well-withered.Yet they were so tasty! I had to eat them carefully to avoid causing any toothache bother. I added some BBQ sauce to the meal and mixed it in. Two wholemeal cobs were dipped and eaten too. Then a pot of the delightfully tasty Soya Lemon yoghourt. A Flavour-Rating of 7.8/10 was given. Nice!
Washed the pots up, turned the computer off (Forgetting to check that I’d saved the word list – Bet I didn’t) and got down the recliner.
Woke me up. She had not used the door chime. I gently explained my Instantly-needed wee-weeing and possible bleeding attributes with it and being caught with not being aware of a Carer coming into the room unless I could hear the chime. Bless her; she said she thought the chime may disturb me. And she will try to remember in the future. Sweetheart! All very low-key. I certainly was not telling her off; just explaining things. A lovely gal. Who got the medications sorted, and we had a minute or too nattering, which I always appreciate. Treated in thanks, hobbled to the door with her, and she took the waste bags, farewells swapped, and I remembered to lock the door.
The evening view was rather worth trying to photograph, so I tried. , Cataracted right eye, and , the scone on the viewer looked so different to the ones coming out on the camera. The photographs looked disappointingly smudged in comparison to how my eyes viewed them? Flibblegonknackles!
I got resettled in the £300, bought eight years ago from the second-hand shop, Harold Haemorrhoid-testing, c1966, repugnantly beige-coloured, crumb-containing, virus-breeding, acne-giving, rickety, itch-producing, none-working recliner. Had a look at the TV listings and was overjoyed to see several episodes of some early Red Dwarf that were currently being shown. But could I stay awake each time the multitude of commercial breaks came on? No!Not a chance. I may have seen about ten minutes of Red Dwarf, the averts came on, and usually, I woke up during the next episode. Grrr! Yet, I love the program so much that I suffered this for several hours. Knowing I should just turn it off to avoid the frustration… but somehow hoped that I’d stay awake… It must have been gone at midnight before I came to the last episode. Of course, I nodded off again at the first commercial break in it… Most annoyingly! !
03:00hrs: I woke, but without the usual jump and or jerk? Not complaining, mind you. As I was manipulating the challenging struggle to get up on my feet, I got a little help to make me move faster… The rapidly getting urgent need of a wee-wee!As I approached the grey overnight bucket, it became apparent that I would also require using the Porcelain Throne. So, I went to the Porcelain Throne. Well, it seemed sensible! Boy, what a session! I’d got myself ready for the usual struggle to pass, got the crossword book out… Things started moving straight away! Smoothly, painlessly and bloodlessly! Yee-Ha!
Rinses and cleaned, and went out into the kitchen to get the kettle on.
Number One: I took these photos of the morning view as the water boiled, and I made a right mess of the first one. I didn’t think I’d even had any shakes, , and were not giving me any bother? But I still made a hash of it. Tsk! The second try came out a lot better, even if not like modern art, as the first one was. Hehe!
Then, as I was making the tea, there seemed to be water all over the countertop. At first, I thought the kettle was leaking. But after a quick inspection, I found nothing untoward there. The water seemed to be getting worse, so I got some paper towels and wiped it up. Then had, a look up to see if anything was coming down through the ceiling. Nope! number two: Eventually, it clicked. The slow cooker had been leaking, and I think must have made me miss a load of it from last night. Phew!
I got on the computer to update yesterday’s blog. Five hours later, had blanked out a lot of concentration, and blogging was a morning nightmare. If anything was forgettable, do-wrongable or losable, I did it. I had to take a break, so I did.
I pottered about in the kitchen; even in doing that, I started things and moved on to sorting something else with the first thing being finished. At one stage, I started to pour all the part bottles of disinfectants into an empties spray bottle. Then found I was placing a baking potato on the counter to cook later? What? Got back to the disinfectants and saw I had no bleach under the sink. I wandered around trying to remember where I put the bleach that was delivered on… erm… last week. Talk about confused! I got back to the disinfectants and mixed in the different types and scents with each other… at least judging by the smell of them later on. And I was happy doing them?
The light was coming early. Then again, I didn’t realise how late it was in the morning then – Confusion Conrad was in charge this morning.
These three photographs were taken, its a miracle they came out so well. Because my mind seemed to want to get back to sorting the cleaning bottles? Well, I thought they did.
Came in, the poor thing was yawning again. Hehe! Got the medications sorted, and as if something had clicked during this visit, my concentration began to return? We had a little natter about this and that. I insisted she takes a drink and nibble with thanks. She took the waste bags with her. ♥ Oh, I nearly forgot; I asked her to take a look at the dates on the Enoxaparin hypodermics. They are too small for me to read them. They were well out of date. Jodie said to tell Richard on Monday. So I will!
I got back to the computer, still not concentrating as I should, but better than earlier. It’s funny that; getting it back never happened so quickly before? I wished it had lasted for longer.
The noisy neighbour from above kicked off big time with his banging and clanging. The concentration was lost again. But I pressed on, not doubt missing many errors, and making more, I got the blog finished. Then made up an Ode for today and then one for tomorrow. I was feeling so tired suddenly. Then realised I’d not had much in the way of sleep again and had been up for over twelve hours already. I got the potato in the oven: it’ll be about an hour, I should think. Now I have to ensure I don’t fall asleep, and it burns.
I’ll try to get on the WP reader now. Ah! Not done the Health Checks – Next job then! Better late than never…
Not bad, down a little anyway!
The potatoes in the oven looked like a giant passion fruit when I took a look. Hehehe! I dished it and had the last two Sourdough cobs well-buttered. Cooked chestnuts, gherkin slices, red and orange tomatoes and all of the remaining mock bacon slices. Which were rather nice! Flavour: 8/10. I cleaned the pots, wee-wee’d washed, medicated the eyes, olive-oiled the ear-holes, and got down in the c1968, £300, second-hand charity-shop bought, crumb-containing, odour-retaining, Harold’s Haemorrhoid-testing, nauseatingly beige coloured, non-working, virus-breeding recliner. To watch the regular weekday ‘Heartbeat’ episode.
But: Can you believe what they did? The Swine at Channel ITV 10, on Freeview? They only took of the Heartbeat episodes! Gits! Scumballs! Have they no compassion or understanding of senile old fools who watch this programme? (Fair enough, I usually fall asleep when the averts come on). And what did unthinking twerps show in the place of the best TV series ever made? Horse Racing! My being lucky enough not to have any pathological gambling, compulsive gambling or other gambling disorders or interest, I looked up this race day: The Breeders’ Cup 2022 with Grade 1s each way you turn at the Kentucky venue. The year-end championship for North American Flat racing, it has attracted star horses from across the globe.
But at the cost of making many old farts in the UK sulk and even get annoyed at losing their ‘Heartbeat’ to watch.
I am aware that in our block of flats where will have several senior-aged ‘Born Gamblers’ who will welcome horse racing. Good for them! Gambling is classed as an impulse-control disorder. It is included in the American Psychiatric Association (APA’s) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fifth edition (DSM-5). Problem gambling is harmful to psychological and physical health. Ha!The gambling-addicted lads and lasses in our apartments look fitter and happier than I am! Mind you, they all have ticks, smoke and drink!
Good luck to them, I say. A man with my luck cannot dare risk gambling, so I’m safe from one addiction, at least. Hahaha!
I’ve forgotten what I was on about now… Oh, yes, ITV Channel 10 removing Heartbeat. The Swine!
chimed out and came in. He looked a lot less tired tonight. Nice lad. We had a decent chinwag after he’d done the medications. Selected a cold can of orange juice from the fridge by way of thanks and took the waste bags to the bin on his way out.
I resettled in the £300, bought eight years ago from the second-hand shop, Harold Haemorrhoid testing, repugnantly beige-coloured, crumb containing, virus-breeding, acne-giving, rickety, itch-producing, none-working recliner. Sleep did come easier this time, but t was dream-filled crap again.
Three hours later, I burst almost nervously wide awake to find myself needing the NWWB (Nocturnal-Wee-Wee-Bucket), with a lot of PMAD (Post-Micturition-After-Dribbling) following the main event.
That did it, of course. I tried but could not get back to sleep. Humph!
I bounded out of the recliner, did some skipping, touching-toes, and a few press-ups, and went onto the balcony for the hip hingesandTai-Chee exercises. I yodelled as was worked the weights. I gave out a loud “Whoop!” as I made a perfect double-flip-over loop. I grabbed my Nokia G400, Android 13, 5G, 128GB, 6GB RAM, Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3.45), aluminium framed, Nano-SIM, GPS, GALILEO, microSDXC (dedicated slot), LED flash, HDR, panorama, FM radio, Type-C 2.0, USB. With On-The-Go Features; Sensors Fingerprint (side & rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, and barometer. Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable. Charging Fast charging 20W – Power Delivery 3.0, N1530DL £345.25 mobile phone, and rang King Charles to see how he was going on and asked if he needed anyone else topping… Hahaha! 02:30hrs: Then I woke up, belched and got the taste of the cheesy potatoes I had last night come up my throat, and I took a swig of Tonic Water I’d flavoured with Roses lime juice – the two tastes did not go well together. But they blended together enough for me to get out of the £300, used, second-hand shop bought nine years ago, c1966, discomfiting, alarmingly Karki-beige coloured, crumb containing, TV remote hiding, not working recliner, on a mission to get myself a good string mug of tea, Glengettie perhaps, to rid my mouth and tongue of the terrible taste. I caught my balance and was feeling in better shape than of late. Of course, that was corporeal.
Mentally I was a wreck; Thoughts wandered into my mind at will, no chance of me sorting out any that may need attention or were important though… The need for the Porcelain Throne arose. Yesterday morning the evacuation was rock solid torpedo style – knowing my cunning innards have the ability to alternate twixt brick-like torpedoes and slimy-sludge on each visit, I anticipated that Trotsky Terence would be in charge this morning. How wrong I was! I sat there on the Throne and had to force things along painfully. I had the hearing aids in, so heard a rare plop every now and then as another one of the pebble-sized products was pressured-free, and it was like this for ages! What made it more frustrating was that I’d left the crossword book in the three-wheeled walker trolley from yesterday! The cracks in the wet room ceiling seem to have reduced? I could only see 21 today? I’m sure there were 34 yesterday? It must have been a good ten minutes or more before the last of the dark brown hazelnut-shaped turds was pressured into evacuating! What a relief I felt! But not for long; as I got up to clean things, I felt poor warm blood running down my inner thighs. I cleaned things up and gently applied some Germoloid ointment onto the pained area at the rear! Real Relief! Had a stand-up wash. I had a farce with trying to put in the Chloramphenicol antibiotic eye drops. More went down the cheek, in the nose and mouth than ever got close to the eyes! I got dressed and took a Senna tablet, just the one, to try to ease the concrete rear-end passengers’ trip to freedom on the next visit.
This could prove to be a mistake if Trotsky Terence makes a comeback on my next visit to the Porcelain Throne? To the kitchen to make a brew of tea. This time it will be a tasty Thompson’s Punjana The kettle was put on. I took this shot of the car park below from the kitchenette window. It was drizzling with rain at the time, but I’m blown if I can see any in this rather decent picture? To the balcony… Where I spotted the rain-induced mudslide from the nearby Woodthorpe Grange Park, had made another entrance into the end car park. I think there is a drain under the water, but obviously, it isn’t coping very well when we get a rainstorm. The people taking the dogs for a walk and crap go via this route, coming and going… I’ve forgotten why I said this now! Dementia Doreen! I can say this now the Doctor’s confirmed my latest ailment. Hehehe!
Sounded, and in came . I had forgotten to unlock the front door again! apart from giving me a sideways glance and tutting as he came in, he was fine about it. Haha! What a great Carer Ricard is. As we got into the room, he produced a list in an envelope of all my medications and how much and when they are given. Worra, great chap! I thanked him profusely and pulled out the pink gins I got for him yesterday at Lidl’s. That was a marvellous thing to do for me; another worry over the trip to the hospital was now sorted! Merci Mon Ami, Richard! I fear he was over-yawning again. But this didn’t stop us from having a little natter and laugh after he gave me the medications. After he’s left, taking the waste bags with him, I found a bag with some bottled water, a rice meal and chilli in it – it was for Richard! Thanks again, Doreen!
Back to the computer. This time, thanks to Jenny, I was expecting it. Yet an hour or so later, it came back on? And seemed a little quicker. But an hour later, it was back to slow coaching. We’ll see if it goes off again… if they are upgrading, it must surely go off again? Or the upgrading has failed… hard to believe from Liberty Global Virgin Media, Hahaha!
So, I got a meal made up. It looked good, and most of it was fine. Those gorgeous Frikadellens tasted superb! The tomatoes were just grand and sweet flavoured, both yellow and red ones. The Lidl Parmesan potatoes, let it down. They were so tasteless! But looked and smelt good? Taste: 6/10.
Sat down to wait for the Carer to arrive . And that was it until the Evening arrived, and I got a rude awakening stirring me back to life when the chimed from the power box in front of me, forcing a Shake, Rattle & Roll in surprise, and I all but fell out of the recliner! The lad Jozeph looked so weary and tired, he’s even caught the yawning bug from Richard – both hard-working Carers. It looked so odd when yawned with his facemask on. Hehehe! I tried to cheer him up. He got the medications sorted. He even cleaned the Pentax measure-dose pot for me and returned it to the carer’s desk. Had to push him to select a can of pop in thanks. Walked to the door to lock it, and he took the waste bags to the shoot with him.
I thought I’d try the computer again to see if it was reconnected yet, to update this blog. But my body and mind had other ideas for me… I again! And I stayed there for hours. But it was an often broken sleep, interspersed with weird dreams. Short odd senseless ones and I woke up after each one. At least, it felt like I did, to lay there trying to fathom out what it was all about, then drift off and have another dream that was short and unfathomable to me. Repetition is the word needed here.
PART RECOLLECTIONS OF THE FIRST DREAM
I dreamt I was an auctioneer... Folks were bidding to buy gunpowder? But I knew it was only chowder flour? Some as they ran to their helicopter… Said, “Aha, we’ll blow up another tower!” A policeman I.D.’d himself, a CID inspector… He asked them to reconsider… Cause there had no M.O.T. for their copter… This dream couldn’t have been gimpier!
05:00hrs: I have never woken up like this before. The bursting back into imitation life was so violent, my whole body, and there’s a lot of it, you know; jumped up and landed back on the second-hand, £300, c1968, overwhelmingly-sickeningly beige coloured, tatty, uncomfortable recliner, and the second I realised that poor were bleeding, another problem arose. The need most necessitous need for the , this became crucially obvious. No leg stretching or balance exercises were considered. In fumbling-bumbling fashion, I somehow got myself to the wet room in what must have been a record time for me. I’ve no idea how I held things back in rush to get there on time, but I did! and I believe warranted in this case. Although as I sat there as the evacuated produce squelched its own way out, I became aware of a pain in the left foot , and I assumed I must have stubbed it en route, but in my panicky haste to get to the Throne, hadn’t realised it. No extraordinary pong or bleeding either, and also, there was no input needed from me. Why I almost enjoyed it! This incident had taken my mind off of the disasters suffered yesterday. But as I washed and got changed into the day clobber, the memory of the hospital letter came to the fore, and I worried about how I was going to cope and not make mistakes with it. I got cleaned and ointmentated. I was definitely in a better frame of mind than I was yesterday, but naturally, I was still worried about coping with the Cataract instructions, arranging the Easy-Lift both ways, can I find out what time to pick me up afterwards, have I got to use one of those listed in the letter transporters? How can get someone to go with me that doesn’t cost a fortune? Now, I’m getting myself worked up for nothing. Because there is nothing that can be done until Monday… and that’s if I can get through to anyone. Humph!
is starting to give me what for now. If joins in, I don’t think I’ll be any good for anything then.
I got on with updating the Friday blog. With all the details of the farces that took place and the worrying letter etc., Believe it or not, it took me a further nine hours to get it done! And then, before I made a start on this one! I fell a little and my thoughts got me feeling again.
Arrived and was in a positive mood. I feel my telling her about yesterday’s farces, and the Cataract letter should not have been mentioned. I think I must have sounded like an ineffective whinging old man! Which, fair enough, I am! But no need for me to advertise the fact is there. Sam asked me if she wanted me to ask… I’ve forgotten her name now, but the new lady in charge at Meridian Health and Care; to call and see me on Monday. My EQ warned me of staggering upcoming charges at this point. But I’m stumped; how can get free help? Sam selected her bottle in thanks, and Sam took the two waste bags with her to the chute for me. ♥
Many hours later, still, I was still updating the Friday burlesque happenings when the landline rang. It was my neighbour and friend Jenny. She is on Virgin Media, and she told me that she’d received an email telling her that the internet would go down on Wednesday, 2nd November, for maintenance work. She knew I was on Virgin and let me know in case they hadn’t informed me. I found out later they had not let me know. This all adds to the frustrations. I mentioned the Cataracts are being done on the 1st of November, so I may not be able to use the internet for several days until the eye cover comes off. That was kind of her. Thanks, Jenny! ♥
In fact, I started to feel a little out of it after doing some more work and finally getting the blog sent off. Afterwards, I tried to get into the WP reader. Oh, I’m in… but will it let me post comments and likes? I’ll give it a go? Grrreat! I Got on! Better get the Health Checks done, then. It is getting late. The evening carer is due soon. Better get the sphygmomanometerisating done. Better late than never. You never know; the BP might be lower now? We shall see…
It was lower as well! Close to the Amber Zone, no less! Only just in the Hypertension Red-1!
I put some imitation slices in the oven on a lowish heat.
And in came Chloe. Told her, not moaningly though, of the problems I have with the Doctors visit and the Cataract 8-page letter of instructions that merely confuses me. Also, getting the cash to pay for the lifts and which service I am allowed to use, then booking them. I’ll only have one day come Monday, to sort it all. Then I’ve got to locate the two departments I’ve to go to? Pre-Assessment Clinic, then the East Day Cases Unit Outpatients Clinic! Chloe did the medications and said she would also remind their boss, Tina, that I needed help. I insisted she chose a drink in thanks. She took the waste bag with her when she left. Telling me not to worry. Not to worry? Me? Mission impossible nowadays, that is. Haha!
Then, yet another problem came to my attention. I found that I’d got an Asda-Walmart order due for Wednesday, the 2nd of November, the cataract repair day! WHAT NEXT? So, I changed the order day on the web. It took me a while to work out how to do it. But, within an hour or so, I’d got it moved to Thursday. Worra life!
Added these evening photos of the amazing sunset, all taken within half an hour. The rapidly changing scenes were brilliant.
Dearie me, Then I whiffed a smell of burning… the food in the oven!!!
I got the slices hacked free of the oven tray and got the pan in the sink in bleach, washing up liquid and soda. Got the burnt offering slices and some fries from a packet on two paper plates and took them through to the computer. Pulled out the drawer and ate the burnt offerings while working on this blog. Not a wise decision after losing a tooth eating the same thing last night! But I got away with it.
Then the job of cleaning the oven, kitchen and pan had to be done. Was again reluctant.
