Thursday 24th August 2017

Bulgarian: Четвъртък, 24 август 2017 г.

0200hrs: Pulled my lumbering flobby-body up and off the £300 second-hand recliner and to the Porcelain Throne. Unsure if Trotsky Terence was trying to return this morning, sort of half and a half if you know what I mean?

Took the medications with an extra Diah-limit capsule to be on the safe side. Made a brew and poddled back to the wet room for a wee-wee again.

I took this shot of the view and horizon. It didn’t seem too cold and no fog or mist this morning. Then I hung out of the window-frame and took this photograph of the car park and entrance to the flats area. No free parking spaces today.

Dizzy Dennis paid me a visit for a few moments while I had my head outside, but he soon departed.

Got the computer on and finished off yesterday’s diary post. Passed the wind, and had to nip back into the wet room to check things out, but all was okay – false alarm!

Went onto Facebooking, somehow I missed updating it yesterday?

WordPress reading next.

Now the Emails, then Facebooking.

Ablutions tended to.

Checked the raffle prizes and nibbles were in the bag, also that I’d got the NHS Audiology Record Book with me, and set off out to visit the Copse on my way to the Temporary Winwood Portakabin for the Social Hour.

Walked up to the Copse, and had a little wander around.

It was windy this morning, but not cold with it.

Back down to the road and along Chestnut Walk to the Portakabin. I came across a discarded used food tray laying on the grass verge and took these photographs of these beetles, apparently having feasted on whatever was left by the naughty person who had dropped it?

A bit further along towards the Social Hour Shed, I espied dozens of flies showing interest in a nettle leaf.  As I got the camera ready to picture them, all but this one flew off.

This little chap, or lady, proved she was not for moving at any price or cost? I wish I knew what interested her so about this leaf? Egg laying maybe?

Only twelve people were attending when I arrived. And that counts with the two NCH representatives. BJ arrived late, as usual to a cheer from the others. A well-loved chap our BJ. Another two residents joined us. Obergereiteress Jenny was in good form. She advised me that the arranged day-trip to Scarborough had changed to Skegness asking if I was still interested in going, in a verbal and bodily fashion, that told me I was not going to go. I told her I would not be going, as it was because they were going to Scarborough is why I added my name, Skegness did not appeal. I knew I’d said right for once when she smiled and said: “Fair enough, my dear!”

Handed in the raffle prizes and distributed the nibbles. They liked the new Hob-Knob bars. All seemed to enjoy the social and had a laugh or two.

I love some of the old uns humour. As I departed to catch the bus to town to go to the Audiology place, I bade my farewells, one said “Sod-off then” and another “Don’t get ran-over again” Hehe!
With the old hearing aids, I would never have heard these comments.

To the bus stop and a chinwag or two there, and into Town.

Dropped off and hobbled up Glasshouse Street. As I limped along, several Police vehicles sped by at a good rate of knots with their blues and twos on. By the time I got the camera out, I could only catch the last one, which was well behind the others. I’d love to have known why the five police cars, including one ARV amongst them, were going and why?

Got in the Aldi store and had a mini-spending spree. Tsk! Again! Iced fingers, apples, crisps, ready meal, salad dressing and a wholemeal loaf. Not one of which I really needed! (Well, maybe the bread).

Paid for them and out over and through the Victoria Centre Mall and out and up to Trinity Square. Not many people about in this neck of the woods.

Avoiding the Nottingham Pavement Cyclists at various points en route, I walked along to Upper Parliament Street to the Derby Road Island. Spotting the mobile-sign about the closure of the Broad Marsh Car Park, I thought that after going to the Audio Centre to be spoken down to and sneered at (If things go as usual there, that is), I’d go and take some photos of the collapsed wall car park on Mount Street.

The first task was to get across the road and up Standard Hill, on Park Row.

A deceptively steep one this is, and the last few hundred yards it gets steeper still. Anyway, amazingly I got up it with far less bother than the last time, last week. But I’d had the feet tended too in between.

Got into the main doors and walked through to the C1 Audio clinic

I was surprised to see such a small collection of audio patients. There were only 19 sat awaiting their appointments and only two in the queue reporting on arrival at the multitasking winning receptionists desk.

I stood awaiting the conversation between the two Scharfuheress receptionists to end. (This was when I had the time to count the numbers of people, scratch my nose, massage Hippy Hilda and ponder on the meaning of life… Hehe!) It took a while, so I assumed the conversation between the two gals must have been of the highest importance.

Another patient arrived to disturb the other one at the desk, and I took my chance to dive in quickly, verbally:

Me: “Morning, I’m having difficulty with my hearing aids, they were fitted in 2009, and no one has contacted me for any servicing or checking, and I am now getting…”

Receptionist: “What is it you want?”

Me: “I was explaining… (She was writing on an appointment card as she fumed and spoke, pretended to listen, and kept up her conversation with the other receptionist at the same time, credit where it’s due, her multi purpose multi tasking skills beyond question, brilliant!) I need them checking out to see if…”

Receptionist: Writing on an appointment card and chatting with her neighbour “Can you get to an appointment here for Wednesday 13th September at nine-o’clock?

Me: “Yes!” I pointed out again that I had not been seen or tested since 2009.

She grabbed my booklet and perused it.

Receptionist: “You need to start from the beginning again with a hearing test… You’ve not been tested since 2009!”

Me: “Yes!”

Receptionist: Angrily rubbing out what she had written on the appointment card and replacing it with new writing. “Can you get to an appointment here for Monday 18th September at nine-thirty?

Me: “Yes, thank you”.

I didn’t hear her say any farewells or goodbyes but did notice she returned her concentration back to the chinwag she was having with the other girl as I departed. I felt so guilty and uncomfortable at disturbing them.

At last, I can get things sorted on the 18th Sept, and then have a pleasant experience of having two sets of aids, so should not be without one or the other again.

Walked out and down Standard Hill and right to have a look at the state of the collapsed car park close up.

Looked at the new student’s flats that were built last year.

I remember thinking how quickly these were erected and finished then filled up entirely so rapidly.I wonder how many students are at colleges in Nottingham nowadays?

Then down and over Maid Marion Way and down St James street into the city centre.

Brought back some memories this street did. Not the best of memories, though.

They were from my drinking days. Some bad decisions were made then. Tsk!

Into Slab Square and enjoyed myself taking some pictures of the amusements, rides, the beach, pickpockets, muggers and shoplifters. Hehehe!

When taking the bottom middle one, a chap came to me and asked what Lens aperture I was using? I didn’t know what he meant, my being a learner of sorts. I showed him the pictures on the camera and told him I was in Auto mode, and he looked a little incredulously at me, said they were good, but he couldn’t understand how I do not use lens ___?___ on them. (I can’t remember the word, but I knew I’d never heard it before). He walked away giving me a look that told me he thought I was either lying, stupid or both?

I had an hour before the nest L9 bus was due in, so I wandered down Exchange Walk to St Peter’s Church, and foolishly meandered into Marks & Spencers Food Hall in their basement. Fatal for the waistline and bank balance this turned out to be. Huh!

Bought a BBQ meal, balsamic dressing, fritters, meat, potato rostis and a bottle of Cider Vinegar by mistake for plain vinegar. Humph!

Paid my dues and up and out into Wheeler Gate.

Passing the street artists aplenty, beggars, Big Issue sellers, street sleepers with their dogs and pavement cyclists.

Then, back up through Exchange Walk passing McDonald’s and up through the slab to the L9 bus stop.

Back at the flats, the plates were giving me some grief. Got in, had a wee-wee and got the meal started cooking. Rostis, tomatoes, mini cheese pork pie, mushrooms, beetroot, free range chicken leg,  a slice of wholemeal bread and an apple. Lemon curd yoghourt to follow.

Rated this at 8.9/10.

I had a look on the web for how many residential students were in Nottingham. It appears there are over 49,000 in total, with 20,000 residential.

So tired again, I did nothing afterwards, apart from the pot washing, many wee-wees and falling asleep watching the DVD.