Political Cartoon

Inchcock: Thursday 3rd November 2022

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00:30hrs: Got up for a wee-wee; that was terrific, gobsmackingly, absolutely free! Grrreat!
But releasing things ready to use the NWWB (Nocturnal-Wee-Wee-Bucket), I got myself in a tangle with the jammie bottoms cord. So, had to go and wash limbs etc., throw the jammies in the laundry bag, and get a dressing gown on. There was no point in getting back to sleep now; I was wide awake.
Went to make a brew of Glengettie tea.

I tried to take a photographicalisation of the morning view.
My first effort came off a bit smudgy, and the second one didn’t get onto the SD card at all!
For the next one, I changed the selector on the Lumix camera to the night view option on the wheel first.
This one came out acceptable to me.

While making the brew of Glengettie, my neurotransmitters failed, and as I was stirring the tea bag as well – So, over went the china mug of tea. Another fine mess to sort out! The one redeeming factor was that the mug stayed on the counter, so at least I didn’t lose another one. Haha!

Updated the Wednesday Blog. It cost me a three-hour struggle, with all the mistakes, and towards the end of doing it, the started, but this time it lasted for longer than ever before. Usually, they are over in seconds… but not this time! Peripheral Neuropathy Pete had never bothered me for so long, with so many incidents, some were quite serious. The first one was as I was stirring my tea bag, it’s hard to explain what happened clearly, but I’ll try: The Peripheral Nerves will suddenly not work, and occasionally they go on-off repeatedly. So the brain does not get a clear message from the neurotransmitters of what they want to do. Then the brain seems to guess but gets it so wrong sometimes. Imagine you want to pick some up that you know is very hot… you test it first. Well, it’s similar to that; the fingers keep nearly doing something and repeatedly miss doing it; why? I think the brain is preventing them. Hence I look like a fool, trying to pick up a piece of paper or anything really but just cannot get the fingers to do the right thing. The same if you want to drop or let go of something – you can’t; it’s impossible until the neurotransmitters send a clear message to the brain, suddenly they will, sooner of later, and things go back to near normal for a while… until the next loss of contact from the nerve-ends.
The fingers are the worst affected, but it can and has, in the past, happened with the toes and feet and can easily have me over.
The silliest and most scary to anyone seeing this happen is when I get what I call an . It’s the equivalent of doing the Oki-cokey; the foot will not settle back on the ground until the nerve ends re-contact. It’s always (up to now) the right leg.
And with , it is always on the right side, never the left? I think that my having my stroke on the righthand side helped to create these phenomena.

The was needed as I entered the wet room with the clothes to change into after the shave and shower. Aha! The evacuation was a little easier today – Small blessings are all welcome! I fang-you! Unfortunately for me, the again.
During this session, the counts increased ridiculously! I had some irritating and annoying incidents to contend with. But they were short-lived, and after the wet room activities, the nerve ends were back to normal, with just the usual odd ones catching me out. Nothing new there!
Dropped the toilet roll into the water! I cut my gums while cleaning the teeth and broke off another bit of the shattered double molar. Four cuts shaving. Carbolic soap dropped twice. Hit my head on the power box and couldn’t find my glasses after showering. (They are still AWOL [Absent Without leave[)

Arrived. Yawningly, Hehe! It’s his last shift for a few days, so I wished him a good rest and much sleep. Got the medications sorted and managed a couple of minutes of chinwagging. Saw him off as he took the waste bags. I shan’t see him for a bit now. Hope he catches up on sleep.

I started on the blog again: it was darned slow work.

Then Windowman Joe arrived. Not getting much done today. We had a laugh and chinwag, but like lighting at cleaning windows, soon off and gone.

Tried to get some graphics done… Cleaner Esther arrived. She was in and out for over an hour. She kept nipping down to check the laundry. She cut me a hole in my trouser belt – I can now wear them with more confidence, Hehehe! Finally told me her new minimum rate of pay is going from ten to fifteen pounds an hour for doing the laundry. Humph! I could do little or no work on or for this blog. I could not concentrate on Esther’s incessant talking. So I gave up and listened to her.

Finally, she departed. Ah, now I can get on with the blog…

The landline rangeth…
It was Sister Jane. We had a jolly long conversation, and I found out I was eating the wrong foods, buying too much of it, and should eat more pasta. Fair enough, she was right. But we had a laugh or two. Said out farewells.

And back to blogging...

It was the Asda delivery. The driver helpfully threw the items ordered into the boxes provided for me… this chap was a lot more careful about not putting things like mini sponge rolls at the bottom of the box; bless him. I thanked him and got the food and things into the kitchen.

The big items I bought were the Flash speed Mop and extra pads. There’s a reason I bought these, and I can remember why, too. Oh, YES! Mind you, I can’t remember who it was that extolled the virtues of the costly Flash mop… but someone told me how great and easy to use they were. Although on later looking at, but unable to read the small print on how to set it up and operate it, I’m already sorry I bought them! !
I left them in the hallway – and hoped that one of the carers may as me why and hopefully know how to set it up and work it. Humph!
I thought I could smell bleach, and one of the bottles was leaking… So I got the box with the cleaners in it opened first to check... Yes, the bleach had been leaking! Grangknangles! I checked in the empty box, just in time to see the cardboard disintegrating, and got it in the sink. Tore it up… I didn’t know I had so much anger in me, but got the cardboard box pieces and put them in a large plastic bag, and I hobbled grumblingly out loud as I took them to the waste chute and deposited the bag. Coming back to the flat, I realised how childish I’d been and felt a fool for getting all hot & bothered over it. I envisaged my moving into a home for Dementia sufferers, and it didn’t seem that far away!
I sorted out the food box next. The only item they had none off in stock was the tomato passata with basil. Shame, ’cause I’ve got none now. Haha! I’m glad they had some of the Soya lemon yoghourts, though; they are nice and tasty without being too sweet. The vegetable pasties that I tried last week, and they were good and tasty, also arrived. I do not remember ordering any fresh tomatoes or cooked chestnuts… but then again, my saying I do not remember – is becoming my catchphrase, I think. Hehe!

I got things put away… not the Flash Speed Mop, of course, and had a wee-wee. As I was washing my hands, I realised that I’d had the potato simmering away for over six hours now in the crock-pot!
In the kitchen, I trundled and turned it off. The large potato had split open, and bits of flesh were floating about in the pan… Tsk!

I got back to the computer and started working in CorelDraw, making graphics, tabs and an Ode… I was doing well… I thought… which was rubbish, of course. CorelDraw kept freezing, and MS word, in which I was creating the ode, did the same? I gave up!

The landline rang and at the same time! I’m just lucky, I guess… Esther returned to get something she’s left, and I asked her to talk to the woman who phoned for me; cause I couldn’t understand a word she said! Neither could Esther! So put the phone down. Esther said she was trying to get me to join Virgin Media, I said I’m already on it…
IT dawned on me after Esther had gone. A woman who I could not understand rang, but no dice with hearing what she said. When Jenny phoned me to warn me that Liberty-Global Virgin Media was going down on Wednesday, it did. I wonder if it’s going to go down again?

I’ve got so little done today. I’ve now been up now for 16hours. Frustrated at every turn. Evening Carer is due anytime now. I’m tired, hungry and pretty miffed off with things. And still way behind on blogging! Well, it’ll stay that way! I’m gonna get a mug of Thompson’s tea, then something to eat.

I took this evening shot of the view from the kitchenette window while doing the cooking… Blimey, I multitasked there!

At last, I made and ate a decent meal. This one was a gorgeous soya Frikadellen and a veg pastie, tomatoes, yellow and red ones, very tasty, sweet! Sourdough cobs, and a mandarin & lemon mousse. Oh, and a boiled potato. Lashings of BBQ sauce.
Bootiful! Taste Rating: 8.9/10! However, in the preperationing for this meal…
and … When it came to cleaning the Crock-pot used to cook the potato, The bottom of the base had been leaking! The metal plate underneath had split somehow. So, I no longer have a crock-pot. I saved the porcelain bowl and lid, they are fine, and they may be of use to someone in the flats or carers to have as a spare? I got the slow cooker into three black bags. I may have to take it down to the recycling bin in the morning. It won’t fit in the heavy-metal waste-chute lid. Shame! Then, I may be back… but I doubt it until the morning, with more catching up to do. Muckleworthiness and Crab-ends!

Morning Update:   Chloe woke me up. We got the medications sorted out okay. I was still half-asleep. I recall walking to the door with Chloe, taking the waste bags for me; I locked the door and returned to get a meal made.

Had lost interest in me getting back to sleep. It took hours before I faded. Flibblegonknackles!

Another Doreen Dementia Driven Day. Dangnab-It!

Inchcock Today: Wednesday November 2nd, 2022

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I bounded out of the recliner, did some skipping, touching-toes, and a few press-ups, and went onto the balcony for the hip hinges and Tai-Chee exercises. I yodelled as was worked the weights. I gave out a loud “Whoop!” as I made a perfect double-flip-over loop.
NokiaI 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.

GC sleepSat 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.

GC sleepI 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!

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Evening all!

Inchcock Today: Sunday 30th October 2022:

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Panic-Modes – depressions – self-pitying,
Doreen Dementia & Anne Gyna, combined
with Frustration Frank today. To curse everything
that I tried to do or find solutions too!
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Woke up. (Well, it’s something to do, innit?) Got the waste bags made up took the overnight wee-wee bucket to be emptied, washed and disinfected, and back to the kitchenette to make a mug of tea.

And I started sorting out the fridge contents. As you’ll have noticed, the mind was a smidge wayward and wandering this morning. I took a terrible photo of the morning view as the day was getting brighter, the thought to myself, I do a lot of that, you know, Doreen Dementia permitting, of course!)

Made the brew of Glengettie and took it with me to the computer, and… a Panic Mode was engaged. What had I done wrong here? The time on the computer was an hour different to all the other clocks. I checked on the mantle top one, the kitchen clock, the wristwatch, and the wet room clock. In fact, I used the Porcelain Throne while in there – one word covers the experience – Solid!

Washed and back to the computer. Even I can’t believe this… but I phoned Jenny to see what time it was! Yes, I’d missed the clocks going back! Which explains why I was also concerned, thinking I’d not heard the Carer arriving. Tsk! It’s beyond sad; this is bad.
Class One – Grade A – Docility-Status, Frustration and Self-Loathing modes briefly attended as well.
Arrived, and looked tired again, poor lad. But he was bright enough, and after the tablets were taken, we had a minute nattering he was in a rush but still took the waste bags with him for me to the chute.
Josie’s meal prepping next.
I boiled a large potato, and when it was nearly done, I cut it up into Josie-size pieces, and got then sprayed with oil, and into the preheated oven to crisp up.
I think Josie likes these in the chilli-stew. Which had been on the stove gently warming through, with 7-Veg sauce, tomato passata, onions and some chopped tomatoes. I hope she appreciates the effort I put into this for her. She rarely says thanks to me. As long as she’s happy. It’s getting harder and harder to do now. Still, as long as she enjoys them, I can ask no more.


What a great session that was. So many of my usual annoying ailments gave me a free ride this morning –
And, as well, besides that, I only had one shaving cut, a tiny one. The were also kind to me. I may be laughing here, but it’s Worrying this is? Hahaha!

Grrreat Blood Pressure Result today!

Finally, and proudly on time yet again, I got the meals for Josie prepped and served up on the tray. A cold version in the grey-lidded tub so she can put it straight into her fridge to eat on Monday.
Drinkies and after nibbles supplied as per... and off to deliver it to her door.
There was a long wait, several minutes, and I pressed the bell again; in case she was in the shower and did not hear the first one. The meal was getting colder and colder. There was no point in me having heated it up for 30-seconds in the microwave before delivering it, was there. The main worry was is she alright?
As I was going back into my flat to call someone about Josie possibly being poorly or having taken a fall… The door opened to reveal Josie. That was a relief! The casual semi-annoyed likelihood at me pressing the bell twice was, “I was on the phone, too, my Sister!” I think she was a little peeved? Ah, well, you can’t win them all. Hehe!

Finally, I got the Friday.. no, Saturday blog posted off. And had to have a break and sit down; the sudden fatigue arrived. I put two baking potatoes in the oven, and .

I woke up, and darkness was falling.
I went off into the kitchen and took this photo on the left, of the evening view, in mid-stream of getting the potatoes out of the oven. I halved them and removed the innards into a large mixing bowl. Where the flesh was mangled and mashed with a blob of butter, sea salt and much of the gated Leicester cheese!
The resulting meal from my culinary escapades, with the last cod and veg sausages, was one of my better efforts, I’m proud to say.
The cheesy baked potatoes were the highlight, taste-wise. Stunningly tasty, the sausages were grand; even the cheap large white cob, which was used to wrap around sausages and dipped into the BBQ sauce, was a cut above my usual too. A Flavour-Rating of 9.3/10 was given! A record-high score, I think? Well filled up and satisfied by the feast… I .

Rudely awoken by , as (I think?) came into the room. Being half-asleep and not having made any notes, I’m not sure if anything of note occurred during the visit, but have a vague idea she was asking me if I was sure I was okay? Just being so tired gave the impression. But I was fine otherwise… hope I thanked her for the concern. Sorry if not, Jodie… also I hope I got your name right too?

But it was fitfully broken. So many times did I wake up and nod off again. I lost count of how many springing awakes I had. But, I was grateful that I got back into the land of nod each time.
After the umpteenth time of waking, I needed a wee-wee this time. And the most annoying was needed as I was preparing to use the NWWB (Nocturnal-Wee-Wee-Bucket) with such a lot of PMAD (Post-Micturition-After Dribbling) that by the time I’d waited for it to all flow, I was much more awake, and started working on this post updating around 00:30hrs.

Someone said I should lead my life precociously…

So I looked it up on synonyms; Advanced, forwardly…

Before one’s time, improperly, preliminarily & brainily…

Precedently, unwelcomely, cleverly & soonly…

Well, this has stumped me!

Inchcock Today: Saturday 29th October 2022

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Early Morning Skies

Mystery Photo?

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.

Keep Safe, Sound & Memories a Soupcon Souvenired!

Inchcock: Sunday 23rd October 2022

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I couldn’t get to sleep until around 01:30hrs. Then the horrible dream wake-up, and repeat sessions started. At 07:30hrs, I did the usual jolting awake wet again, this time realising what the time was, and had to get up, in case a Morning Carer arrived… Or had they already been and could not get in cause the door had not been unlocked? Not that it would have mattered for many of them, just the ones who refused to press the doorbell and walked in; would they have gone away saying they could not get in? This was my worry; with it being the weekend, I often get outside carers, who may not know about it?
I rose wearily and reluctantly. It’s been bad nights for sleeping for a few days since the Covid-Booster jab. But, at least I got in some broken bits of kip this time. Another thing, how come I can so rarely remember my dreams nowadays? Maybe Doreen Dementia? Although a few days ago, I had terrible repeated dreams that had different outcomes but were based on the same problem scenario. I did recall bits of them. I Made a start on prepping Josie’s Sunday meals.

Got the ingredients in the saucepan, chillie, beef, and vegetables.
Added some flavourings and got the potatoes in a boil. To be sliced into small cubes so that Josie can cope with eating them in the chilli-stew.
I managed to burn my left hand yet again.
I’d not done for a couple of days. Hehe!
Left the pans on low heat settings and made a start on updating the Saturday blog.
A pity, but I got myself into another state of confusion with the folders I was using. Gawd knows how I did it, but it took me over an hour to find where I’d put them!
I was amazed when at 08:40hrs, the Carer arrived. I was in the kitchen, titivating Josie’s cooking. I’d forgotten all about him coming, that or thought he’s been. came in, and we had a natter and laugh after he’d done the medications. I had to tell him about the changes; Omeprazole got to take two a day, mornings, and the Peptac four by 15ml a day, which I’d missed taking cause the lad came so late. Not his fault. No problem, we sorted it… well, he did. Hehe!
The lad left, taking the waste bag with him. Thanked him in the usual fashion. Then I spent I don’t know how long working and making many time-costly errors on this blog.

I got the meal nibbles and cans of plonk on the tray for Josie.
We had a bit of a downpour outside. I was tempted to open the window and shout up at the weather, “Haha! You missed me this time!” I am a right fool but harmless… Except for myself!

Got the dirties pots and things to soak in the sink, and I decorated Josie’s tray.
Cheese, tomatoes, nibbles and the regulation two cans of plonk, and took them to Josie’s door, and I rang the bell.
I answered the inquisitional questions about what the meal was. I acknowledged her mentioning that I was on time this week. (Last week, after nearly three years of cheffing every  Sunday for her, I was late by five minutes for the first time… She may never forget or forgive me! Hahaha!

The rain was easing off when I got back in the flat, and I had the mammoth task of cleaning the trays, saucepans, mixer bowls, cutlery, slow cooker, oven and stovetop.
All that to get told off! Hehehe! Only in fun, mind you… I think!
After scrubbing things up, I got on the computer again. And checked the WordPress comments. I was a smidge worried about my American Family, Lisa-Petal and Billum. Bill was having a trial, I think via his new Doctor, on Methotrexate.

He said he would check the side effects first. I looked it up on Google and was so pleased he is checking things out.
Serious and life-threatening side effects! Oh, dear,  Billum, I’m all with you on making sure before going ahead, mate!

When I got back into the main (other) room, I spotted the belt that died yesterday.
I picked it up and hung it across some kitchen towels to take a photo of it.
Such a young age to die! Hehe!

As I got back on the computer, I thought I heard a noise from behind me. But didn’t notice at that time what had happened. A couple of hours of failed blogging later, I got up to make my first mug of tea, Glengettie. That was when I discovered what the noise was.
The ‘Genuine Imitation Leather’ belt that Amazon sold me three months ago had fallen into the part-used Wee-Wee-Bucket! What an ignominious short life that poor belt has had! Its own buckle almost exploded, snapping the ‘Genuine Imitation Leather’ belt in half, allowing my trousers to fall down. I tried to console it. Hung it up today, took its picture as a sort of memorial, and then the poor thing goes and drowns in a wee-wee bucket!
I think that Amazon ‘Genuine Imitation Leather’ belt and I share a lot of things in its short 3-month life. I shall remember the date and celebrate the Amazon ‘Genuine Imitation Leather’ belt’s short life. That is, of course, if I don’t croak put myself first, but that’s only common sense, innit?
Daft as a brush, ain’t I? Hahaha!

I took a shot of the sunset from the kitchenette window while I was drying the drained pots and pans and putting them in their places.

Very pretty; it all seemed calm and peaceful now the rain had stopped!

I set about utilising the Health Checking tools.

Not a bad result overall?
Very much down on yesterday’s returns and nearly in the Amber Zone on the NHS analyser.

.Even the body temperature was the best since last Tuesday.

The 7-Day HC Graph, copied from the Excel file, was looking promising.

The end results on these graphs from the NHS still leave me a smidgeon confused about how they work out all figures to arrive at their ratings. But I’m not complaining about today. I’m pretty chuffed

Hello, it’s suddenly started to go dark quickly; I’ll take a look.

Oh, it looked reet-grand out there now.
The darkening high sky gave the whole scene a contrast.
The middle bar, sunlit from behind clouds, looked magnificent!

Well, the Evening Carer could call anytime now; I’d better get the Rostis in the oven. I think it might be Carer Carol-Ann coming.

I got the Rostis, Frikadellens and beans served up. I took a photo to show off this culinary effort – But it somehow ended up in the Cara memory, which I can’t access, and not on the SD card? Anyway, it was delightful!

As I was getting the meal served up, Arrived as I was serving up the meal. And kindly helped me tidy up the kitchen mess I’d made dropping stuff, bless her. Got the medications sorted, had a little chinwag, and thanked with the usual offer of a choice of nibbles. Carolynne took the waste bags with her on departing, and I locked the door after her.

I ate & enjoyed the meal, flavour rating given 7.8/10.

Now, the challenge of getting to sleep had to be tackled. After an hour and a half, I put the TV on… Glad I did; for showing was two episodes of Red Dwarf. No nodding off with that program showing, I do so love it, and still, I laugh or smile even when I know what is coming! A tribute to the scriptwriters and actors.

The show finished, and I continued watching some rubbish or other, and yet, still didn’t nod off. This was strange! So I turned off the TV, and if on cue, as I resettled in the darkness- of kicked the damned .
I don’t know how long they kept on for, but it felt like a day or two.
Once they eased off, I fell into a sleep that was unbroken for once. Reckon it lasted for a good four hours, which was welcome. The waking up was not!

Inchcock Today: Saturday 22nd October 2022

/ Inchie / 8 Comments

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I actually got some sleep last night. I admit, not a lot, but the sleep lasted more than for the last three nights put together – 5-hours!
I woke around 05:30hrs, and after pondering over what day it was and what needed to be tended to… out of the blue grew! I was sure that something favourite suspected, , was my most regularly committed one, of leaving a hot water tap running.

If anyone was taking a video or filming in the flat for the next ten minutes or so. They would have captured enough comedy material to sell a series of comedy sketches to a TV channel! Of course, it’s all just everyday life to me! Here’s how I remember it going:


❶ Flapped about to get free of the recliner, and instead of getting up on my feet, my bum hit the chair, then the carpet. Bump Bumped! But this only delayed me for a minute. Somehow I got up on my pins within seconds? (Or, did I) I soon regained a modicum of control in my mission to check every room.
❷ Even though I could feel and sense the blood coming from Harold’s Haemorrhoids, I had to do these checks; whatever happened!
❸ Into the kitchenette, all the usual checks, windows, oven, stove, microwave, slow cooker and the taps (faucets). All clear there…
❹ Checked the front door, which was locked as it should be. I did unlock it then, as with getting up late, there is a possibility of the Carer arriving early.
❺ Into the wet room – I gave the door frame a shoulder charge as I went in – Luckily though, and for the first time ever, I hit my left shoulder on the door – thus, I avoided waking up or disturbing or damaging the right Covid booster arm, by clouting the right shoulder. Having semi-satisfied , you can never guarantee this fully; I returned to the front room to get my clothes on and get the brain running.
❻ Brian Ricks, Charlie Chaplin and Del Boy to have performed what happened as I got the trousers on, any better than I did. Of course, for them to do it, needed a script, but my performance and facial expression needed no acting. Again though, to be fair, I couldn’t see my face; bewilderment, I imagine, is one word anyone seeing it might happen to use. Here’s the rundown as best as I can explain it:
❼ I got the trews on and knew I would get the ablutions done next and medicate the poor . I quickly pulled the belt to close the buckle – (bearing in mind these belts were only bought 3 or 4 weeks ago from Amazon). The buckle shot off, hitting the computer screen at the other end of the room, and the perfect trouser drop (Comedy-wise) was performed! I later found the buckle pin, three rivets and an unidentified metal ring on the floor.
❽ The belt itself fell limply to the floor, hitting a !

This ended any of my enjoyment of or seeing the funny side of the occasion. And not a soul, other than me, to see the happening. It just doesn’t seem fair to me! I could have had a belated career as a comedy writer! Humph! Mind you, with my blog followers list being so high, I should be content. They both occasionally email me.
To the wet room next. , Teggies, teeth, and then shaving. Kept down to just two mini-ones. Then under the shower. After today’s start with the trousers, somehow, I enjoyed the unrushed showering session greatly. Oh, and the showering, I kid you not, was free!

I fear something of a mind-blank happened here!
When the memory returned, complete with the ‘brain-freeze’ results. I was in the right predicament because I did not know what I was doing on the computer in the slightest. I’d got the Blog open, CorelDraw, the Ode Writer on Word, the calendar and WordHippo all open! Something I never do; is open so many programmes, but there you are… as lost as I am, presumably.
On the memory pad on the side of the computer, it said, “Took photos”

Which I show here on the left. Apart from the fact that they obviously made bad efforts at photography, I can tell you nothing.

Ah, the next line, which may or not be helpful, says, ‘ Inspired?

It also appears that Carer Sam had been, and we had a chat and a laugh. And the Pentac bottle dose-pot, I found wet on the kitchen draining board. So I knew she’s been, I looked up, on the Meridian record folder. I can’t remember washing it, so I assume Sam did it for me? A vague memory of walking her to the front door and wishing well as she took the waste bag with her?
Aha, I vaguely remember doing this line. Took a photo of the flats in town, then zoomed in to take a close-up of the block. No reason why I did this on the pad.

I assume something witty, clever or interesting must have come into my mind? (They do that sometimes, you know – the last time was about 1966).

Found a note written on the wrong pad, and I realised it was for today, but only when I read it: Four visits to the Porcelain Throne in three hours! I bet I bored Carer Sam with that bit of news? Hahaha! Maybe not. Sorry the mind-blank to the memory away, now.

And after doing the checks again, I set about sorting out what it was I was up to with the computer. It must have taken me hours to get sorted… Well, partly understood. Then I got the Friday blog finished and posted off. By then, it was about 14:00hrs!

Pretty confused and not totally content with the mind-blanks increasing. Glad I’ve got the face-to-face with Dr Vindla coming up on Tuesday morning. I shall try to be a bit pushier when telling her the facts of what I’m going through. It will be interesting to see what she says, and I might learn if she is ignoring was worries, as it seems to be to me. But of course, as I am nowadays, I just don’t know.

The was Kylie who arrived, and she got the medications sorted. She was in a hurry, but she kindly read the first part of this blog about the trousers and said it read hilariously and that I should show it to the other Carers. Hehehe! That cheered me up magnificently! She took the bin bag with her as she left, and I clearly remember locking the door.

Oh, better do them, belatedly…

I finally got on with creating this blog – sounds so easy, doesn’t it? But, no! 
. What did I do? I’ll tell yers! I’d made a base template for Sunday, and I started this blog on that one! I even got confused when copying and pasting to the right post – and had to start afresh again! However annoying as this was, I handled it with more aplomb than the earlier cock-ups; because I’d cheered up since Chloe’s visit. I hope I’ve not got the Carers’ names mixed up? Worrying about this is all part of the attention from . The never existed until after Doreen started calling. The Memory-Blanks, either. If, and I’m not saying I expect, the Doctor ignores the signs again, I shall have to swap Doctors. Although, there is nothing to indicate a different quack will be any more interested in listening than Dr Vindla, either. Rambling on again there, sorry!

Well, with all the farcical events today, it is already four hours beyond my usual Shut-Eye time! And I’ve not had anything to eat yet. I shall have to get something quick and get my head down.

Oh, blimey, I’ve just remembered the mushrooms that I put in the slow cooker – around 15 hours ago!

I took the top photo just after putting them in the bowl. I’ll go to photograph what they look like now… back in a bit…
I hope.

The bottom two I’ve just taken.

Shrunk a bit, haven’t they? Hehehe!

I had a job prising the mushrooms out of the porcelain bowl of the slow cooker. The scalded finger will heal. I had to manually pull most of them out, but it wasn’t worth the pain and effort. Still, if I need something leather-like to mend any holes in my shoes, I’m already set up?
So, no mushrooms with the rice tonight, fair enough. I get the meal made mushroomless, of course, and catch up in the morning in the event that I wake up, of course.
TTFN.
Sunday AM, late, very late, updated this blog.
Found this email from Amazon. Checked on the tracker, and it’s not yet dispatched.
Made the most belated meal; BBQ rice (microwaveable), with 7-Mediterranian roasted vegetable sauce heated in the saucepan. A lemon yoghourt. and got settled. No mushrooms, of course!

I was going to have the last two microwave sausages; I even put them on top of the microwave to remind myself. As far as I know, they are still there.

Yet again, Sweet Morpheus was reluctant to permit to nod off. Even putting the TV on didn’t help. It must have been four hours before sleep came – then it was another load of weird dreams with it. Humph!

The Stigma of Dementia stinks!

Inchcock Today: Friday 21st October 2022

/ Inchie / 6 Comments

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Last night, I had just got to sleep, and 20 minutes later, I shot awake in some pain, with, of all things, agony with the Covid Booster arm. Followed seconds later by ... Hang on, I think I put this in the Thursday blog?
Anyway, it put an end to getting any sleep. I wanted to get on with blogging, but I could sit there in the  £300, second-hand, c1968, cringingly-beige-coloured, not-working, rickety, incommodious, grotty recliner, stewing in my thoughts, and I admit it, self-pity. I walloped some extra Codeine 30g down and took a dollop of Pentax in vain hopes of easing , but she didn’t have it. Why did I go 12 hours after getting the injection with no signs of discomfort? Then when I finally get to sleep 20 minutes later, this happens?

I did muster enough interest to take these three poor shots of the view from the kitchen window.

There was no way I could muster the interest to try and update the blog… which is not me! Out of desperation, I put on a Sherlock Holmes DVD. But, the interest was not there.

Nine hours later, blasted from the doorbell. It was a very tired-looking Carer Jodie who came in. Tired as she was, she listened to my tales of Woe regarding the Covid jab and giving me trouble. I sorted some treats out in thanks. Bless her!

The arm is not getting any easier yet… but has eased off a bit. When Jodie’d gone, I pulled myself together a bit. And decided to get make a start on the
The blood pressure had gone up a smidge into the Hypertension 1+ area.
I got a little interest coming back now, and I changed the colouring on the Inchcock graphic. and the head photo too.

What did I say a few minutes ago? About ? She’s kicking off again with venom. Naughty ! I really must stop showing signs of hope and thoughts of improvement and shut my cake-hole

The Body temperature was still low. Why? I don’t know.
When I went on the NHS grading and recording site, I decided to do a few extra days’ worths. To give a better picture of how things were going these last few weeks.
There seems to be more in the amber this last fortnight?

All to the good, methinks.

I set to do the updating of the Thursday blog. Not a lot to put on it, mind you.
But I still made plenty of grammatical errors in doing it and getting it posted to WordPress. I’m good at that!
As I was making a start on this post. You would believe how much worse turned.
No concentration now, so I tried to make a meal. But was unsure if could eat it. In a pickle mentally here! I’ll make a smaller meal. But it turned out a bit of a chore this time. The Asda Parmentier, as usual, varied in size so much there was no chance of baking them from the carton, and the larger ones had to be quartered, so they were all about the same size for cooking. So I got the chopping board and sharp knife out.

Rang out, and I went to investigate. It was an Amazon delivery. Two items this time.

A bag of kitchen towels, a big one as well.Slightly smaller towels, but handy for the nose-blowing and rectifications of any , and/ or blood escapages. Not a lot of people know that! Haha!                                                  And two of the electricity box openers, cheap as well, they were. £2.50 for the pair. Looking at them, one can see why they were seemingly such good value. Hehehe!

With perfect timing, what I call ‘s ‘Stop-Me-Sensing’ with the finger ends, which resulted in two little cuts in the finger, and the loss of many of the potatoes when the nerves were not telling the brain I wanted to touch or grab anything. In this case, the potatoes to cut! I was silly to carry on with it, really. Cause I know this usually lasts for a few minutes at most. But, no, stubborn me made such a mess that needed cleaning up, blood, spuds on the floor and a knocked-over oven tray… which cost me ten times as long as it would have if I’d just waited! I think (I do that occasionally, you know!) it may be a part of my pointless resistance to having Peripheral Neuropathy? Does that make sense?

About three hours after putting the meal in the oven, it took that long I had to reheat the potatoes in the microwave oven as I cooked the Frikadellens! Served it up and added the tomatoes and naughty pot of lemon yoghourt. It was an even smaller meal than I had planned; due to the PN-inspired dropping of about a third of the cooked potatoes on the floor.

Despite all the malarkey in getting it cooked and the wee-wees going on a six-count flourish of visits to the NWWB (Nocturnal-Wee-Wee-Bucket) with plenty of PMD (Post-Micturition-Dribble) while I was supposed to eating it; I enjoyed it although it was colder than planned, there was less of it due to the many and multiple , so not as cold as it would have been, had I had a proper plateful… I’m getting confused here.

Chloe arrived. Advised her on the change in medications, which was prompted by my being given only one of the Lansoprozole capsules. With the agony of all the Angina attacks and getting the Doctor to listen to me, she doubled the dosage. No one had told Chloe. I’d written on the box in pen x2 now new dose. But obviously, she did not see it. I’ll have to speak to Richard on Monday; he is the one monitoring the medications. I got two boxes of Lansoprozole this month. so that’s good. Now I must let Meridian know about the two changes in doses. Cause the carers don’t all know. Not their fault. But I do not want to miss or have half of the Lansoprozoles while Anne Gyna is playing up so bad. Gave Sam a choice of treats, thanked her, and got ready to do battle with Sweet Morpheus again. Will he let me sleep tonight? I pray!

Wednesday 19th October 2022

/ Inchie / 6 Comments

POLITICAL CARTOON

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A proper short one this time, sorry.
But, it took me that long to get the.
Monday blog updated (15:00hrs) & I
must rush cause I’m out tomorrow for
the Covid booster. TTFN.

Up at 03:30hrs: Worked on yesterday’s ode until 05:30hrs. Then off to the Porcelain Throne. Easier today! I set the alarm off by accident in the dressing stage, didn’t know I’d done it, but I thought I heard a voice in the flat. Had a look around and saw the alarm box flashing. Apologised.

Morning Views

Richard arrived, Yawningly – he was so tired. But, we managed a little natter and laugh, even a moan about things to each other. He was reluctant to take the freebies in thanks, but I sulked, and he took them. Hehe!

Was noisy again.

I literally got lost in everything I tried to do today.

Got a call from a woman. The only words I caught were Virgin Media?

I got some potatoes on with the black bean sauce; I hope it works out alright.

In the amber, nearly the green!

Grrreat!

PHOTOS?

CARE IS DUE SOON MUST GET SOME MOSH SORTED

Just getting the meal served up, and Kylie arrived.

She helped me prep the meal. Then got the medications given. Had a laugh and natter, which was nice. Took the bags with her as she left.

Back to the meal, for me.

I soon demolished it!

TTFN

Inchcock Today: Tuesday 18th October 2022

/ Inchie / 6 Comments

COST OF LIVING
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I was deep in the Land-of-Nod; burst forth from the door chime, I wriggled with embarrassment in the £300, bought eight years ago from the second-hand shop, Harold Haemorrhoid testing, repugnantly beige-coloured, bleak, crumb-containing, virus-breeding, acne-giving, rickety, none-working recliner0 Realising I had not unlocked the door, I rose up onto my feet, a little too quickly and, fell back down into the recliner, and poor old paid the price, as they started to trickle out warm blood into the Protection Pants. I was well pleased I had them on!
Even poorer, Car Richard has to wait so long for me to get to the door (Sorting the piles and new pants on); I thought he might ask me if he could have a shave. Hahaha! He’d waited that long to get in!

Things were hectic, and so much going wrong; I didn’t even start this blog until Wednesday. The many problems start here, but will be in the short form to save time, else I’ve never gotten around to doing today’s blogs started either!

Richard seemed in and out quickly today, but of course, I was and got more confused as the day went on. Humph!
After Richard had gone (A lot of writhing on the memory pad about Richards’s visit, but was unreadable).
Got the Health Checks done.
, and got dressed, mostly in a haze. I found a few later on.
Mug of tea and started the Ode for Tuesday. (Which, I’ve only just finished 05:00hrs Wednesday Morning!!!

The doctor phoned: Told her of the Paramedics and the Gyna. Lansoprozole Capsule to be increased straight away, 15 to 30ml. She told me to call the Surgery reception and book a Face to Face meeting regarding the results of the Severe Frailty Test. It sounded like an order from Hitler and had a tinge of a threat in it? Hahaha! The problem now; is to get hold of ILC (Independent Living Coordinator), Oberstgrüppenfuhreress, Warden and Primo Ballerina, Warden Deana, to ask for help phoning. Also, is the left arranged for the Covid booster jab?

So, I rang Deana to ask about the lift first, and hose said she’ll ring Easy-Lift… is that their name?
To ring me back, must remember to ask her to call the wack to make a face-to-face meeting.

I took the photos on the left here while making a brew of Thompson’s Punjana tea.
A lot of vehicles parked up this morning.

I have a bit of a possible Memory Blank here. What bit of writing there is on the notepad is ridiculously deciphered, scrawled and unintelligible.

I vaguely recall going to the Porcelain Throne for a second time, but have no idea; how things went.

The next thing readable on the memory prompt pad was that the intercom flashed
It was the Asda food order that had arrived.
Five substitutions; one was sent back, Chicken sauce for BBQ?
Most of Richard’s treats had arrived.
Beef in black bean sauce.
An eight-pack of tangy Cumberland sausages. Glad I got the belly pork for Richard; I know he said how much he liked them, hope I got the right flavour.
The Lemon Soya desserts look interesting; they have a long date on them, so I’ll eat the vegan lemon yoghourts first.
The new 7-Mediterranean Vegetable sauce with basil came, but I have doubts about my decision to try this one. Just a feeling that I’ll not like it?
Had to make do with BBQ sauces of brands substituted that I’ve never tried as well.
A feeling I’ve eased my money here!

The bag of small potatoes didn’t look too fresh.
I’ll try them tomorrow, all being well. But I’ve my doubts over how fresh they are and will last? I’ll ask Richards, if he comes, to check the dates for me.

Got the things stored away in the fridge and cupboards. Drank the cold tea.

And meandered into the balcony to take a snap of the end car park again.

Wowser! The spiders from somewhere had been busy.
I took a close-up view of the car park. Three vehicles, one parked perfectly and two not so perfectly. Hehe!

Then, I foolishly took out the SD card from the Lumix camera and put it in the reader to download later.

I took the mug to be washed. I’d left the window open, and I must have had 40 or 50 meat flies of varying sizes in the kitchen Heck of a time-consuming effort to get rid of them!

ILC (Independent Living Coordinator), Oberstgrüppenfuhreress, Warden and Primo Ballerina, just married Warden Deana phoned to say she had arranged the lift for the Covid booster on the 20th, and the Diabetes Riverside for the 28th, Bless her cotton socks. I asked if she could also call the Quack for a Face to Face meeting for the results of the Frailty Assessment on the 24th. She kindly said she would come up later.

Then, my bugbear, as it is to thousands of other idiots who unknowingly joined Virgin Media: Before Liberty-Global, led by the smoke & mirrors, number-crunching, blurring of facts & figures, hocus-pocus, nod & a wink, mumbo-jumbo, misleading $23.6m a year, plus bonuses and an expense account salaried Mike Fries bought-out Virgin Media. And has done such a clinically-perfect job of destroying the previously good reputation of the company by proving does not have the know-how or qualities to get a signal to Nottingham for a whole day! In fact, LIBERTY-Global Virgin Media goes down diurnally! Today three times, for a total of approximately four & a half hours! Sad, pathetic! But of course, I believe there is a larger reason for this miserable performance. Chicanery, double-speaking and thaumaturgy-practising financial manipulators such as Fries is bound to have another plan that will make even more money for Liberty-Global. That is, if Virgin Media last long enough. Or maybe that’s part of his underhand scheme and design for them to go bankrupt?

ILC (Independent Living Coordinator)  Oberstgrüppenfuhreress, Warden and  Primo Ballerina, Warden Deana, and ILC (Independent Living Coordinator) Generaloberstess, Ice skating champion florist and Warden Julie arrived. Without their help, I’d be in the right pickle & mess! ♥

Sinead arrived; I was half asleep at the time after having to close down the computer after Mr Fries’s inability to get a signal through to Nottingham again shone miserably through… I’d nodded off! She is a lovely gal who always cheers me up when she comes. We had a natter and laugh about nothing and everything. I insisted on nibble giving, in thanks. Sinead took the waste bags with her when she left. I do appreciate a few minutes to chinwag and laugh with the carers, you know. But I can do I not push it. Went to get a meal started, and I took this rather decent snap of the evening view.

Aha! I got the meal cooked, but not without an of sorts, and a realisation that the Asda brown cobs were unbelievably crap!
The thing that pee’d me off most, though, was when I put the NoMeat meat slices in the oven, I thought, “Ah, that’s an idea; I’ll spray some olive oil onto them as I put them in the oven.”
Not a good idea; I discovered it too late! When it came to taking out the NoMeat slices, they had seemingly welded and concreted into the oven tray! There followed a series of & , what literally amazed even me; and I’m the famously unlucky one, but I was amazed at how many came within minutes of each other!

① I burnt several finger ends chiselling out the NoMeat from the reluctant-to-let-them-go tray.
② Put the tray in the sink to soak and realised that the black coating on the tray had lost lumps of whatever it was painted on them. I thought I was rather cunning here and put the slices; well, they were bits by then in the microwave to keep warm. It took me ages to get the bits of black stuff off of them. Still, a !
③ Wrapped up the burnt-up, misshaped tray in a few bags and put them in a big waste bag to go down the chute in the morning. As I turned back towards the sink… It only lasted a few seconds, but was enough to have me over!
④ I’d learnt from past tumbles in the kitchen that by far the easiest… no, least painful way to get back up is using the front of the sink with both hands and hauling myself back onto my feet that way. So I did!
⑤ However, as I struggled to heave the body mass up, the left hand slipped and went into the sink with the dirty water, bleach and soda in it I’d used to try and clean the tray with. If you know anyone who would like a partly-disintegrated pyjama top or bleach-shredded bottoms, let me know, please. !
⑥ I ditched the pyjamas, wrapped them up in two bags, and then into a larger one to go to the chute in the morning. Humph! Reset the timer on the microwave that was keeping the slices warm; they looked passable on this check.
⑦ As I was changing into new PPs, I smelt something not right… I’d left the beans on the heat in a saucepan!
⑧ Into the kitchen and added some citric acid to the beans, with some passata, crenellated, and stirred the beans to break them up. Burning the same two fingers that I burnt in the oven tray! Cleaned and applied some Germolene.
⑨ I managed to salvage some of the beans and sauce. But had to add another small can and mixed them in. Got the meal served up, and it didn’t look too bad. I thought I’d done a decent job of rescuing things…


⑩ Until it came to eating it. Instantly, at the fork spoonful of the beans – I’ve never tasted anything so foul in a long time!; Then, kicked off, quickly followed by .

I think some bleach might have found its way into the brown cobs as well!

I put the meal into a small bag, then a stronger blue one, and then in a black bag to go down to the chute in the morning. The morning Carer is going to get a shock, Hehehe!

As I checked the kitchen to make sure the taps and oven were not left on, the sink and floor had been cleaned up, and the window was shut too!

I got down into the c1968 recliner, in need of rest, if not sleep!
But, no! was showing no signs of allowing me to nod off!
Turned on the . I suppose because of the calamity with the meal, I had no option but to respond each time by worrying about things like, ‘Did I check the wet room sink?’
‘Is the oven turned off?’. ‘Did I take the Peptac?’ Where did I put the camera?’ ‘Did I close the balcony windows?’ ‘What day & time is the Booster for?’ What’s that noise I can hear?’ ‘Did I leave the heater on in the wet room?… on and on they flowed, and I meekly checked for whatever the concern was every time one came to me.
Not only did I tire myself out with my tramping into every room in the flat and back to the £300, second-hand, musty, Haemorrhoid Harold testing, cringingly beige, crumb-covered, not-working, rickety recliner. Constantly for what seemed ages. But in the process, I got a , and walked into the doorframe, setting off!
It reminded me that I’d mentioned to the Doctor on the phone about all this malarkey. I’m glad I did but did she listen? She said not a word about it when I mentioned it to her.
Then the arrived. At least for a while, I stopped getting up to check on things. How the mind seeks out so easily the slightest things that you have any concerns over is distressing. Well, the fact that one can’t stop them is more annoying!
Then, another arrived in the brain… ‘Did I lock the door?’. So off again to check… I hadn’t, as it happens – so I did! 

On the way back to the recliner, I espied a late night sky I thought worthy of photographicalisationing. So, I did.

The Lumix was in auto-mode as I took the picture. It made the photo much more bright and light than it looked to my eyes.
Back into the recliner, brain-drained and so tired-out. However, the had at last departed… Now my mission was to get to sleep before the ing started again!

Which I did, Hurrah!