– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – This is a short version to give me time to get everything needed for the visit to the surgery tomorrow. Everything takes much longer to get done nowadays, and I hate cutting down my beloved blog. But, needs must. Sorry.
I have to take clothing, shaving, etc., just in case they keep me in. They won’t, I’m sure; I’m not the King, so I do not need to close down the hospital kitchen and use my two personal cooks with me… or have a ward to myself with armed guards, two nurses and a sister 24 hours a day, and three specialists and four doctors in attendance for any operation needed.
But it doesn’t bother me.
Even darker this morning.
My Iceland Delivery arrived. With not having another delivery for eight days, I stocked up on nibbles & treats for the nurses, delivery drivers, and carers who call on me. A little concerned about the use-by date. On the cobs. Why has it got a hand-written 10/7 on a self-sticky label atop the square? They were hard to squash as well. Mmm?
I bent down to retrieve the just knocked over and clouted myself on the forehead against the tap. Then continued with my evacuationing… Eurgh!
The legs seemed one heavy, one lighter? The day set-up is due to be changed tomorrow. But only if the Carer arrives earlier. But I have requested it via other Carers, so I should have time… provided I get up early enough to get the ablutions done first.
An odd outcome for this zoomed-in shot of the street, Cavendish Crescent. Not very good.
Came. She helped me with the leggings. Bless her. Medications were issued, and we shared a laugh briefly. Nice!
An hour later, getting lighter.
Took its time getting light today.
On this occasion, the day punch had filled within two hours of emptying it.
Carer Came and went, and As I got settled on the computer again, I noticed the sound of the wind and saw that the rain had returned. Went on the balcony to take some views. All through the glass. To the right is the end of the car park with the mudslide from the collapsing mud on the park. Front view. Left view.
A rare lately, a second daily visit to the wet room… With sticky dumplings undercooked!
Easy-Peasy!
Imitation belly pork, fantastic oven chips, and a fruity brown sauce dip for the bread. Rounded of with a pot of orange jelly. Delectable nosh!
– – Or Political? – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 04:05hrs: I woke up, bursting into singing, badly out aloud; Oh, What a Beautiful Morning … Oh, all right then... I realised I needed a good shave and wash when I sniffed my torso as I got up to release the nocturnal catheter pouch. Hehe!. The urine was a little dark again. I was hobbling a smidge dodgily. I went into the kitchen, with the usual fear coming on that I’d find the hot tap or stove had been left on, but all was clear. As I took a photo of the high-in-the-sky moon. I made a right mess of that one. Tried again… This one was not a lot better.
Getting the diabetic socks off was not easy, and twice, I nearly took a tumble trying to get back upright after each sock was clawed off the legs. It had to happen, of course, as I tripped on the leg quilt that I had taken off. Somewhat painfully, although I didn’t hit the deck, managing to lean toward the itch-creating, bruise-giving, catheter-tube-tugging, crumb-decorated from my nocturnal nibblings, God-awfully uncomfortable, cringingly-grotty, no longer working, dirty beige recliner, anti-sleep designed, c1966, second-hand bought for £300, ten years ago from the charity shop, which broke my fall.
. This displays my stupidity, as I was about to go to the wet room to have a stand-up wash and shave, thus washing off the Germolene in the process. Humph!
Off to the wet room. First things first… Yellowy, runny, stinky! Above all, it was messy!
I’d got the larger Morrisons PPs on and set about removing them along with the dried blood from , after he’d been tugged at by the . The crusted haemoglobin broke, and red flowed down my leg onto the floor. I had to clean it up before starting shaving, in case I slipped on it. That’s two close calls this morning. At the back of my mind, I knew a third was due. A good job. I rose early again. But had to rush things a little in case the Carer called early.
Got the floor cleaned and started to get the shaving done. Things went well today. Just one teeny-weeny nick on the ear hole. But not for long... Putting the razors away and dropping them both it was a deja vu again! I hit my forehead on the edge of the sink, and noticed, somehow, I’d missed it earlier when shaving, but the red-eye was back again. Well, that was the third out of the way.
Dressing gown back on; it was a little cold without the strappings and socks on. But not for long… Ten minutes later, arrived. She Germolened the right leg for me first off. Then got the diabetic sock on for me, and we got the leg straps on between us. She did a good job of them. Then she issued the medications for me. She’s spent a little longer with me than usual due to the extra fittings needed, and she had to rush off. Bless her. Did a good job all around.
I was on the blogging, and doing well, I thought. Suddenly it was three hours later, and called on me. I was in a bit of a state of losing the memory of what I’d been doing for so long, and I mentioned the FND symptoms, of which memory loss is included, and she listened to me, which was nice. She took the laundry down with her for me.
After she’d departed, I made a brew of Glengettie.
Then returned to the computer to see what I’d been doing for hours. I came across a cloud photo that I must have taken earlier too. This inspired me to take a look at the end car park mudslide, and I took this. The pool had shrunken a little.
The leggings had not slipped. Mariam had done a good job on them this morning.
I made another mug of tea, and to my surprise, turned up. Where had the time gone? I was not concentrating at all.
No rush, I related the FND findings, but each time I looked at him he was on his mobile phone. Hehe! Nothing unusual with that. I was getting things off my chest to anyone who’d listen today. Even those who didn’t listen. Hahaha!
It is not advisable to think that because things like & have occurred three times in a day, and you have prevailed, it does not mean the fourth will not be the start of the next three. If you get my grift? I decided to get the oven heating up for the sausage and roast potatoes to be cooked for the daily meal later on. I dropped the tray of potatoes, oh Woe… The dish landed on my ingrowing toenail toe, Slipped, retrieving each potato… On the oven, I banged my elbow, Got them in the oven, on the wrong regulo, And I’ve lost my remaining libido! Hehehe!
Do not be idle like wot I was, and buy any Asda prepared frozen roasting potatoes for any meal. You will not like them unless you like the flavour of mushy-crushed cardboard. I imagine if anyone ate them, they would end up with tummy aches, as wot I did. And I only ate four of them before dishing the others in the waste bin, post haste. Although Not Glorious This Time!
Washing the pots, and the view on offer from the kitchenette widow, although a little dull with the clouds, was still Bootiful! Then a closer Kodak Tim shot was taken. A charm in this one?
arrived. Got the ankle & leg straps on first, as it was a bit nippy. Medications sorted. Extra pain killer, as suddenly burst forth with pain. Throughout the day, I was coughing and sneezing a fair bit. And was causing me to take deep breaths, and that also brought me pain from the back.
On the computer…
I thought moving about a bit might ease the back pains. So I sorted the waste bags into one and took it to the front door.This was not a good idea; kicked off something rotten! Humph!
The rain soon started.
I went on the balcony to take a shot of the end car park. A mudslide building up already.
Got some spuds in the crock-pot to have later. The plan is to cut them and put them in some vegetable soup.
As I was in the kitchen, the rain increased.
I just don’t know what happened here… nothing unusual there, though, is there? I’d clicked on Control I to open the import window, which I’ve done thousands of times. The small selection window came up and, out of the blue, expanded itself to the full-screen size! Now showing dozens of photos. The resize function not working There are no expand minimise buttons on this option, and now CorelDraw is not responding to the corner where one can usually resize it with the mouse! I checked every option I could find and tried a few things, not knowing what they were or meant, just in the hope that I could get the view back to standard size. Because I couldn’t see the work screen to know which graphic was needed while the import screen was so big! Eventually, I gave up. I may have cried as well. I indeed cursed and swore proliferously!
Hence, it is now gone 19:00hrs, and I have just returned the screen to normal. I’m only just starting this blog! There was an option on the page to ‘Hide Files’? But for hours, I was too nervous to use it. Desperation made me try… and the screen returned to standard size? I do feel like a fool!
arrived, and this was before I found the solution, so moaned away about my bad luck. Hehe! We had a quick natter and laugh.
The strappings that Carer Sam put on were holding up well. Thanks to Sam.
Got dark quickly tonight; it’s still raining with it. Again, I tried to get some decent shots for once, of the evening lights. Why do I bother to? Still, the night and lights were lovely.
Arrived. Got the medications sorted, and we nattered while he did so. I also, told him about the Corel Draw cock-up. (Not yet sorted out)
This is when I got the gumph to try the ‘Hide Files’ button. I was over the moon about this, but I am still worried that whatever I did to cause it in the first place might happen again. I turned off Corel Draw and loaded it again; boy, was I happy when it opened the right size! This got me thinking about the belated meal sorting out and prepping to be done. So, I did! Got the potatoes out of the crock-pot. Drained them and left them in the strainer sieve. Washed the crock pot and got the vegetable cutting board out. Some top go in the soup, others I nibbled as I prepared the nosh. Well! It seemed like a good idea. Washed and back to the kitchen. Got the chopped spuds into the soup.
Back in the front room to the computer. So far behind now after another catastrophe. I have to do at least some blogging, or I’ll never catch up after many lost hours. The state of the room hit me as I hobbled into it. A twinge of guilt, mayhap?
The landline flashed. It was someone, a bloke, from Meridian Care, telling me that the late Carer, who is so far behind, had a medical emergency to deal with. Fair enough, I replied, it can’t be helped.
Bet you got it? I didn’t, Tsk!
Nosh Time A Reet-feast! Added the cut potatoes cooked in the crock-pot to the can of soup. Added some liquid smoke. (I put some in when cooking the potatoes as well). Tomato Pasatta with basil and some distilled vinegar to the mix. Came out pretty good tasting for a guessed at flavourings soup. I could taste the liquid smoke! Nice! Flavour-Rating: 803/10. Note the tiny designer cut on the finger? Available via slicing potatoes with the steak knife. helped create it.
Arrived. I inquired if the resident, taken poorly, was doing okay. He thought so. He gave a good rubbing in of the. The back has been painful yesterday all day and worse this morning. The pain is higher than usual? Took some of the ineffective Paracetamols, and after Israel had gone, I took another Codeine. Which eased the agony after ten minutes… naturally it was still bad, but not worse. Hehe! Then I got the TV on and settled into the second-hand shop bought nine years ago for £300, c1966, discomfiting, alarmingly beige-coloured, crumb-containing, TV remote hiding, not working recliner.
Three things ruined any chance of a decent sleep! in the lower legs. And . Especially each time I coughed (which I was doing often) or when I moved position in the slightest. Which I did for a good but painful reason . I’d forgotten about reminding to please take off both of the . Hence, was having a ball, giving me anguish overnight!
The balance will be all to pot in the morning, I reckon. (Of course, it was!)
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!
I didn’t get to sleep until around 03:00hrs. Hence, I was late getting up, well after 07:00hrs. As I pulled the quilt to reveal my legs, I’d got one leg deathly white and the other almost orange? The toes on both feet were looking bloodless! By the time I’d had a wash and shave, Richard was coming in the door. His health looked poor, and he was coughing well in between the yawns. The poor lad! At least he had a few days off after visiting me, his last call. I got him a bottle of lime-flavoured tonic water; I thought the lemon might help with his throat a little. We had a decent natter, although he wanted to get home to bed. I gave Richard the stuff I’d had in the freezer for him for a few days but kept forgetting about it. Tsk! I hope he can get some sleep. Druggies, yobboes and the water companies’ works are still outside of his home. I mentioned the carers not pressing the door chime when they come, as the two who came last night didn’t. Wished him well as he left.
Minutes later, I got a text from Iceland. Substitutes again. I checked the Email.
A sorry company nowadays Iceland are. Mind you, the others are not much better. At least the payment for short goods is made automatically with Iceland. J Sainsburys send you a code to use and a limited time span on it when making the next order. Of course, I forget to. CRAP!
Were carried out. Not a good one again. As you can here on the right. Having said that, there are some much worse ones earlier. The pulse was high, and the Chinese body temperature was a little lower again.
Another decent evacuation, I have to say. So I said it. Hehehe!
The Iceland man delivered goods. leaving them conveniently blocking the doorway. Good job; we didn’t have a fire alarm.
I struggled with the carriers through to the kitchenette and a start on sorting and storing them. I’d only bought three frozen items, and I’m not sure that I meant to get the big bag of chips? Thank heavens, I remembered Richard’s stuff in the freezer this morning. Else there would never have been room in there to get these three in. Tsk! I bought some extra strong cheddar to have with vegetable shepherd’s pie… but being a dimwit of the highest order, I forgot to order the shepherd’s pies! . The short-dated replacement for the veggie burger had a ‘Free Short Dated’ sticker on it… which covered the ‘ Use By date! Good old Iceland! At least they had some bread in stock today, well, cobs, not the ones I wanted, but still. I got the delivery sorted and all put away… where might be a mystery later.
Started on the blog and stayed at it for a good few hours… it was an embarrassing slow, error-filled job. Much worse than of late.
The landline flashed. It was a lady from Link transport. Confirming tomorrow’s lift to the diabetes course. I checked it with the calendar. Minutes later, the Doctors surgery rang about my appointment with the nurse on the 26th. The surgery is closing that day for the Queen’s funeral. I bet the Queen never had to wait eight weeks to see her Doctor; now it will be ten weeks!
I found this photo on the SD card when loaded the others up. It seems that I had another meal last night or this morning? I was losing my grip on things here. Within minutes I had to stop everything to take a rest and get something to eat. I think the mind-blanks had taken another go at me. I really believed it was about midday. Checked on the computer, and guess what time it was? 17:10hrs!
Won’t be long until the carers walk in without ringing the buzzer. I’ll stop now and get some nosh of some sort for tonight made. Where did the day go?
Arrived, it was Riya; I knew her name as soon as she answered my question; “Erm, what’s your name?”. Hahaha! Riya pressed the door chime as well before coming in; bless her. I wonder if Richard mentioned anything in their office? She got me sorted in record time, and Riya asked if there was anything else. I said no, and told her to select a nibble and drinkie in thanks. By gum, she moves quick. I only just got to ask her to take the waste bag with her as she was closing the door.
I made up a meal, using the special offer 50%-extra free crinkle cut, McCains microwave chips. Some of the Jenny-supplied tomatoes and veggie burgers and sausages. I ate the burgers and sausages wrapped in a cob. Apart from the pathetic paper-tasting chips, all went down well. Taste: 6.5/10.
I managed to stay awake to watch a ‘Heartbeat’ episode, and I drifted off into the bliss of sleep.
What happened after that is a mystery, but evidently, I got up amd moved some clothes around?
CARTOON OF THE DAY – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Off to the wet room, where it was almost a pleasure to evacuate myself. Well, apart. I made a largely unwanted order with J Sainsbury’s later when I got back from the Diabetes session – mainly to order two tubes of Germoloid Cream. They didn’t have any of the ointment in stock; for next Monday. Shame! I got on with having a wash and getting changed into new PPs, socks, trews and the jacket with loads of pockets. I cunningly put the money, coins on the left, and notes in the right-hand side pockets. Thinking, they would be easier to get to when paying for the transport. Hearing-aid batteries, camera, keys and tissues into the lower side pockets. Got the shoes on with some difficulty – although not a patch of the problems I had getting the socks on. Then the glasses into the trolley-walker basket, with pen and notepad, oh, and the Course booklet.
It took me a while getting out of the flat due to the I got to the door, trolley ready to be removed, and went back inside for endless checks. ① Are the taps all turned off? ② Did I leave the oven on? ③ Have I closed the fridge and freezer doors properly? ④ Did I close the balcony door? No doubt there were other things I checked on. Tsk!
Eventually, I got out, locked the door and down into the main ground floor lobby. I’d spent longer than I meant to with the double-checking, and it was 10:15 already. So I got myself outside so that the minibus driver could see me easily enough waiting. He couldn’t miss my bulk. Hehe! I took these two photos from outside the foyer. Then had a chinwag with the caretaker while outside. I’d not seen or spoken with them for over a year. I thought they might have come to see me and asked if things were okay, with me not getting out much… but no. While we were nattering, the CT4N bus arrived.
Two drivers in it today. That meant I could talk to the one in the back with me. I enjoyed that a lot. A good laugh. They took the route that I would have taken, not the long roundabout route of last time. And this meant I was charged the proper rate, not overcharged as before. Hope these lads come next time. Hehehe! They dropped me off in the Riverside Carpark, and I remembered the way to get into the reception area. I sat next to a chap who was a Carer. We swapped tales, and I really enjoyed that gossiping session, too! I followed his lead; up in the lift, and he found which room we were using. It was almost full of people, and only one spare chair available. I apologised to everyone as I had to squash the three-wheeler in beside me. Causing a few tuts and shuffling of people’s chairs to let me in. I felt a smidge guilty! Tsk!
It was far easier than last week but still far from perfect for hearing what was being said and seeing the thingamajig, hoojamaflip, on the wall with course details. Oh, what-d’you-call-it?Ah, projector screen! But did take part this time, I asked four questions over the session, and I got one of two answers each time. “We’ll be discussing that at a later session”, or “Yes, but it is too early yet to bring this into the discussion. As we were about to wrap things up, and the room emptied in a hurry, the chap next to me told me my phone was ringing. I could not see who had phoned me and was using the magnifying glass to find out but was moved out to make room for the next whatever who had hired the room could move in. As I left the room, the Community Transport driver was getting out of the lift and was not happy at being kept waiting. She had other people waiting to be picked up, she said. What could I do? No clock in the meeting room, and I could not see the time on the mobile. And didn’t realise the time. So, I cringed and apologised. A good job this lady didn’t pick up cause she took the elongated route back to the flat. Which would have cost me double what I was charged. Phew!
Dropped me off outside the main doors, and I thanked her muchly and got inside the foyer. A got the Lumix camera out of my pocket and started taking a few photographs on the way.
Not a soul in sight. It had had a facelift recently, I reckon. There was a large beetle-like, brown & yellow creature on the pot plant leaves, and I thought I’d try to get a close-up shot of it. As I neared it with the camera, I realised it couldn’t have been a beetle, the flipping thing flew away, it didn’t half make me jump. Hehehe! I very nearly dropped the camera! Still hadn’t seen anyone to pester and gossip with. But I’m not complaining; I’ve got a good few chatterings in today, a worthwhile trip!
Not looking forward to the Doctor’s visit on Tuesday at all. I’ve just got a feeling about it in the gut. Stay tuned in to find out what went wrong. For something will, EQ has never been wrong yet. Although I’d welcome it if he was this time. The notice board that I have not read in years was about to be perused… Suddenly the rear end spurted wind, and I was certain an involuntary evacuation was on its way! I hastened to the lift, and it seem to take 15 minutes to arrive… it was probably one minute, if that… but felt so much longer as I gripped my cheeks and prayed I could make it up to the flats Porcelain Throne room in time… I was in such a panic; I can’t recall going up in the lift. My next memory was sitting on the Throne and sighing so loud with relief that I did make it in time, not a lot in it, mind. Is my luck changing? Mmm?
This shot of the Chestnut Way front car park outside Woodthorpe Court showed black, white and grey vehicles, and only one red one today.
The Nottingham City Homes letter about the Winwood Courts flats security breaches was given the magnifying glass treatment.
The evening carer is due anytime now. The day’s gone quickly; so glad I stayed up to start this blog template last night, or it wouldn’t have gotten done at all. Another bit of luck, mayhap? Now, this can’t be right…
I’d better get something to eat sorted out, then. Last, of the thin fries, bean pastie, and tomatoes, that’ll do. Heartbeat just starting, so I can have 15 minutes watching it before adding the pastie to the chips in the oven. It’s all planned here, you know, Hehehe! Of course, it didn’t work out like that.
Jozeph arrived. I’ve not seen him for a while. We managed a few words of natter, but the lad had to rush off; he’d got some extra calls to do.
Back to the cooking. Took this photo of the odd-looking weather with the light on the ground but dark in the sky view.
Finally, I got the nosh sorted out and served on the tray.
It didn’t look very appetizing, it didn’t taste very good either, and left me with tummy aches. Thankfully that was the last of the terrible thin fries. Flavour-Rating: 5.5/10.
Kept waking up repeatedly. around 01:00hrs, I gave up and got up and on with updating this blog.
07:20hrs: I burst back into the world of woes with the regulation jump, jerk and jabberwockies. Realising how late it was, I climbed out of the £300, second-hand bought, c1968, nauseously beige-coloured, not-working, rusty, rickety, crumb-holder of a tatty recliner, was on the way to unlocking the door for Carer Richard and I had to nip into the wet room. The actual evacuation was even easier than the last three days or so. But messier, you can’t win them all. It was the worry over the water flood in the room that spoilt my pleasure with the rare good Throne visit. The water does not seem to lessen at all overnight, and, I admit, it made me nervous to walk in the water to get to the sink for a stand-up wash and shave. I chickened out. Cowardy cowardly custard! I can remember a year or so ago when the drain stopped working, and my going in to get the ablutions done… Mostly I remember the walking stick slipping in the water and my falling and entangling myself with the sock glide. The cuts and bruises took ages to clear up.
Hopefully, the maintenance will arrive today to have a look at the shower problem. I hope so because I must be ponging a bit by now, going showerless for so long. I’ve just had a sniff… Yep!
Arrived, and I’d forgotten again to unlock the door for him. He was in a rush this morning, so very little nattering was allowed. A inquired about his getting some sleep, but he was down in the mouth as he told me of the 24-hour gas works outside where he lives still drilling away and partiers making a racket again. Gave him some lager, teacakes and a bottle of Inchcock’s Special Brew. (That be a litre of Schweppes tonic water, with some orange cordial added, and stored overnight in the fridge for him). I thought it might cheer him up a bit; I got the first smile off of him as he left, taking the waste bags with him to the chute for me. Poor lad.
I got out the checking gear for sphygmomanometerisationing and the temperature reading.
I thought it was an idea to open the balcony windows to let a bit of fresh air in while I did the HCs… having not had a shower, no signs of any NCH maintenance man arriving yet. The howling wind encouraged me to close the doors again.
The results were heartwarming, all good readings again, and I was back down into the amber zone! The third time in three weeks!
Back on the computer, Cleaner Esther came in to get the laundry things. And she did not tell me off about a single thing! Mind you, she has to come back with the washing yet, so we’ll see. Hehe! She doesn’t frighten me!
Is back at his hobby, making steam trains for charity. I’m not sure if he makes so much noise on purpose or not. Hope he doesn’t kick off late at night again.
The ♫ Oh, Susana ♫ tune rang from the door chime. My heart gladdened and burst with joy at the thought of the Nottingham City Homes plumber arriving to sort the shower out for me… Humph! It was neighbour Josie returning the things from her Sunday-Monday meal delivery. It was nice to see her, but all I said was not heard nor answered; she had not got her hearing aids in. So I smiled effusively and often. I never did find out if she enjoyed the meals or not. Bless her!
A text message came through on my G6 Nokia Lumia 929 Icon mobile phone. Only joking! I thought it might be from the NCH plumber (again, I am a fool), but no, it was EE trying to sell me some crap for when I go abroad to save money! Another flutter of hopefulness, utterly destroyed!
♫ Oh, Susana’s ♫ tune rang from the door chime. Aha! Is this the NCH plumber? Nope, it was Esther returning. She explained that she was going to South Africa for three weeks’ holiday but had someone who could cover for her. She phoned the lady, Carol, who came to check me out. Nice lady, an ex-carer, and agreed to do the washing for me after Esther had explained my problems. They left together. Now waiting for Esther to return, and she did. She’d spoken with Deana to see what day they may be coming. Deana has reported it. It’s just a case of waiting now… Fancy that!
With so little sleep, I am getting irritable with myself, I think. Not with others, just with me. Not much chance of catching up on the sleep, well, none! I’ve got to stay awake to have the slightest chance of hearing the intercom when they arrive. If I go into the wet room, I can’t hear it, so, no opportunity to address my filthy stinking body with a stand-up wash and shave… risky (tumbles, slips) anyway with water still on the wet room floor… I’m not a winner, am I?
I got creative when I went to make a brew of Glengettie Gold tea. Ailments have stopped me from taking landscape photographs long since. So I took two snaps of the view from the kitchen window, put them together and trimmed them with CorelDraw. This is the outcome: Rather semi-pleased with this.
After making the brew, it had gone a smidge dark, and I took this picture of the wonderful if dank clouds this afternoon.
Good for Esther to arrange cover for her holiday. Time to get something to eat, methinks. So I did!
I knew it would happen. I fell asleep. No idea if any plumbers arrived and could not get in cause I couldn’t hear the intercom. If I can wake up early enough in the morning, before the NCH plumbers arrive, I will have to risk having a shave and stand-up wash and be ready for the ‘Will they come today’ big wait-in. Again!
Sharon arrived to wake me up. Medications given. Cold drinkies from the fridge in appreciation chosen.
On with updating this blog. Then on the WP Reader, answered a mass of comments came in on this blog. Got them both replied to.
The landline rang; it was Nathaniel from the Diabetes Defence Team. It was hard to hear everything he said, but I think I got the gist of the call. He told me to attend the next session on Friday 12th August. He would stay behind afterwards and talk me through the missed first session. Being aware of Dementia Doreen, I asked him to please rng Warden Deana to inform her, so she can arrange transport – explaining that I feared I may forget to ask her. He said he would, and I thanked him profusely. Getting back may be dodgy, might need a bus or tram, then two more buses, to get back to the flats. Being a Friday evening, there will be no Wardens or Carer boss available if there are any problems encountered. I am a worry-guts!
I did it again. Drifted of to sleep, and I was woken by Carer Sarah. Who got the medications sorted, and I forced a treat from the fridge on the gal in thanks. ♥ I checked the texts on the super new G6 Nokia phone to see if any messages had come in from Nottingham City Homes about the shoer repair attendance. Nothing on it, so I hope I’ve not missed them. Sarah said they do not call on non-emergencies after 17:00hrs.
Which got me thinking. I could get a stand-up shave and wash when Sarah has gone. I can lock the front door and dive into the wet room, and if I take extra care throughout, can I still get the ablutions done? After dithering a while, I gave myself the go-ahead. Worra, good session! I carefully blocked off the flood water with a mop bucket, and I pulled the shower curtain over the other area. Then if I wandered into the danger area without thinking, the noise of either obstacle should alert me to the danger – it worked a treat! Fair enough, it did cause a , but it saved me having a tumble. I was proud of myself for once. No bleeding teeth, not a single nick shaving! Yes! And, just a few small flecks of blood from Harold’s Haemorrhoids and Little Inches fungal lesion had not been bleeding at all – plenty of stinging, of course, when I medicated the little unused other than for wee-weeing thing. Hehehe!
I came out of the wet room, a cleaner, sweeter-smelling Inchie. (Aftershave, deodorant, and the smell of Germoloid and Germolene creams helped. Hehe!) And had o go back in for a rear-end evacuation. Always something, whenever I begin to feel smug! It was a delayed action, a sudden swift and spurting movement, and so messy as things got sprayed to amazing distances. Cleaning it up also needed care to avoid slipping on the standing water. Still, I got it all sorted. Grade Two .
I sky when I got into the kitchen, was looking fantasic. I’ll put the earlier shots I’d taken here, with the latest one last. I’ll make the shots a little larger, so they can be appreciated. What a change!
A feast for the eyes. When I get cataracts done, I can really relish watching them again.
I carried in with updating and posted this blog off to WP.
For joy or success, I can only pray… After the daymare, called Wednesday, It all went ape-shit after midday, Full of decay, disarray, and dismay, But it is, after all, now a Thursday… I expect sorrow or deprecation, alackaday!
But, I must not look at it this way… These feelings of depression, I must allay! Ignore my Thought Storms who bring banality… But failure, for me, is an inevitability… An ageing body that can’t cope with a Segway, Dementia Doreen, who stealing my logicality… Cruelly toying with my already befuddled memory…
Kathleen Cataracts, Deaf Donald, annoy me, As does Arthur Itis and Cartilage Cathy… Then there’s the danger of Peripheral Neuropathy! Which is worse? Thought-Storms that gives no leeway… Always brain-rattling, confusing me… it never goes away…
Or my physical ailments, though not so bad today… Some pains so bad, they can leave me delusory… I even limp and fall over, somnambulistically! The falls were possibly caused clinicopathologically… No idea what that means; I dropped it in casually!
Well, that’s got the bad stuff out of the way… It could be a better day? Conceptualistically, Then again, it could go badly, confrontationally? I hope conversationally, or even convivially! Depressive, error-ridden, painful, or distastefully, If so, the day will go conventionally!
What a wet, embarrassing start to the day! I would guesstimate that from waking and getting to the NWWB (Nocturnal-Wee-Wee-Bucket), it would have been about a minute or so, although it felt like half an hour. And still, I didn’t make it in time! Shame, despondency, self-loathing, and the ignominy of it at my age… Weeing one’s Protection Pants! Still, they did the job, but unfortunately, I have little feeling when passing water nowadays and pulled Little Inchie out before he’d run his course… So, the second job of the day was cleaning up and sanitising, then a change of pantaloons, washing myself thoroughly, and getting the socks, jammie-bottoms and jumper in the bowl soaking in Dettol. Well, that wasn’t planned!
I tried to upload the photos, but the computer wasn’t having it. So, there may not be any of today’s pictures on here at all! I can clip stuff from the web, copy & paste them into CorelDraw and get some things on that way. Use old photos… but not import any at all! Gragnangles!
Now I should have been in a Dracula Depression over this, but I had no idea why; maybe the embarrassing event when wee-weeing had overridden… What am I talking about?
I got the blood pressure and the temperature taken. I didn’t bother taking any pictures. I felt it would be a waste of time. The SYS 158, DIA 69 and temperature 34.8°c, seemed okay.
The annoyance of not being able to use the photos I’d taken started to irk me badly now! I pressed on finishing yesterday’s blog and got it posted off. Then went on the WordPress Reader and Comments.
I took a photo of the end car park and a couple of the Ocado delivery, don’t know if I’ll be able to get them on later.
The Ocado delivery arrived, the driver put the bags through the door into the hall for me; thank you! As I was taking the bags through to the kitchen, ♫ Oh, Susana ♫ announced the arrival of Carer Richard. ho checked the use-by dates on the delivery and what I had left in the fridge; a few items had to be dished! Good of him, cause with Cataract Kathleen, Glaucoma Glenda and Sandra Saccades, there is no way I could read the dates on some of the packets! Thanks, Richard, me old flower!
There were some things that I could not recall ordering and certainly didn’t want or need in the Ocado order. Either substituted or ordered in error by me – which is more likely. So it was like a shopping trip for Richard; I kept asking him he fancied this and that, Hehe! Got medications sorted out, and we had a chinwag and laugh for a couple of minutes. Then he had to go; he was beginning to look wearier as time went by, which is not surprising as he’d just finished his night shift. He took the waste bag with him to the chute for me, Jolly decent chap!
An hour or so on the blogging, it was slow going again, but that will be the norm from now on, methinks. Then… off to the wet room… to make us of the Porcelain Throne; another bad one.
I took a Dioctyl (Poo-softener) capsule again. Getting things moving took a while and a lot of painful effort. I’ve not had to apply so much pressure for such a long time in years. All the way through as well! Still, to my surprise, there were only specs of blood. And the innards soon settled down again.
Hehe! I’d been that long on the Throne; my tea had gone cold. Made another and started this blog going.
Ah, I suddenly realised that there had been no noise coming from Herbert this morning? I hope he’s not well and had an accident.
I checked on the Amazon Deliveries, one today, one tomorrow. Shame they were not both on the same day. Hello, that’s the third change of ETA! Not that it matters, really. It’s just the thought of it coming late in the night and my having to stay awake to receive it that bothers me. Also, will the delivery person leave it in the reception foyer or bring it up to the flat? Mmm? Or… is it a ploy to have them both delivered on Saturday? Which would suit me; it’s just not knowing.
Ah, Herbert is back at doing what he does best (apart from sneering at and ignoring me when he sees me, Haha), Clunking, tap-tapping. But it didn’t last for long. Hehehe! He’s losing his annoyance Defcon 2 label here.
I tried to get the photos onto the computer again. Much to my amazement, the reader let me load some, not all of them, but still. Here’s last night’s super-supper. Which went down superbly, even if it was eaten after midnight! I burnt the potato waffles to perfection for my tastes. The beef, potatoes, cheese, and bean pasties were a delight and tasted. The mini tomatoes, red, yellow and green, were smashing! Which leaves only the mushrooms… Oh, dear, not good, I ate only one of them! Someone mystery person, whoever it was, told me to try wine vinegar with this fungi, so I did! Sickly sweet they tasted. Which kept the Flavour Score down to 8/10.
The end of Citrus Walk photo was… no, no, Chestnut Way, showing Red Van man parked back in his favourite position, on the yellow no-parking chevrons on the roadway. Not that it would bother him, I’m sure. Potentially blocking any Fire Engines from turning to get to the flats. Whoever he is.
A photograph of the Ocado carrier bags that were delivered this morning.
Hello, he’s off again! Bang, tap scrape, thud! Another short-burst. Thanks, Herbert!
The fridge was looking under-filled compared to usual after a delivery? Mind you, a fair bit of stuff was found out of date by Carer Richard this morning, and I gave him five items that had been sent, mysteriously… Well, I can’t recall ordering them. Tsk! Bonkersness comes in many forms… usually prompted by Vascular Dementia, Doreen, nowadays.
Ah, well, time to get the shaving, medicating and showering done. I thought I’d check on the Amazon tracker first…
Well, the Amazon delivery is just 6 stops away if the tracker is right! He’s got a lot of side streets to get his way through, so I’ll delay the ablutionalisationing until he’s been. Hello, Five stops away now. Exciting this is, innit? Well, not really, so fair enough!) I’m easy to entertain, ain’t I? Hehehe!
It’s still coming, but further away now? It’s all new to me this tracking lark.
Har-har! 2 Stops away now! I’m enjoying this; keep going to the tracker page and taking a shot of the map. As I say, I’m easily pleased.
I’m the next stop now…
Technology has always fascinated me… it’s a shame I was never clever enough to understand it, really.
Gorrit! A bit of an anti-climax! Hahaha!
I made a vegetarian feast tonight. A Bean & cheese flaky pastry pastie. fresh garden peas, honeyed parsnips, ready-prepared M&S Parmentier Potatoes – Diced British potatoes coated in shallot and garlic butter and sprinkled with thyme. (Boy, they were good!), with yellow, black & red tomatoes. Followed by a lemon mousse and a lime & lemon dessert. Taste rating: 9.2/10! It was worth the time to prepare and cook and the effort and time to clean up the mess I made afterwards. It cost a fortune as well! Lovely! I slowly digested every morsel, like a gastronomer.
Put teethings away after washing up, and got down in the rickety recliner, and off into the wonderful land of nod!
♫ Oh, Susana ♫ played from the door chime, and in walked Carer Elena. She soon sorted the medications out for me. I was having difficulty in hearing what she was saying with the ear wax blocking my hearing and the mask she was wearing. So despite her many patients, accommodating, asked-for saying it again… I had to guess what the Angel said, half of the time. But she left happily enough, taking the waste bag with her to the chute for me. 💙
I had a wash (I do that sometimes, you know), and got the bamboo socks on, and I got down in the recliner again.
Put the TV on… and fell into a wonderful four-hour visit with Sweet Morpheus… then woke up with the bigger jump! I had no idea why… But I thought I’ll have to get up to have a look around to make sure all is well in the Inchcock flatlet… But no! I involuntarily nodded off again instead.
23:40hrs: I removed my over-flabbily-bellied body from the c1968 recliner and utilised the NWWB (Nocturnal-Wee-Wee Bucket). A short sharp affair, with a lot of CMD (Cessational Micturition Dribble) to follow.
No messing about, I got on the computer to create a template for today’s blog. Starting with doing a few graphics on CorelDraw. But, I didn’t get too far, the call to the Porcelain Throne arrived, so, off to the wet room. Incidentally, Cartilage Cathy was a lot kinder to me this morning.
It seemed to me that the daily PTDDSB (Porcelain Throne, Daily-Domination-Stakes- Battle) for supremacy in the evacuation was a close thing. Still, a comeback from Constipation Konrad had curbed the rampant messy tendencies of Trotsky Terence for once! So, I had a go at the crossword puzzle as I waited for things to kick-off. Just as yesterday, I didn’t solve a single clue! (Well, I’m consistent, if not capable. Hehehe! The movement started slowly and stayed that way, but no pain or bleeding, and as I said, it was a lot less mess to clean up. I still had to refill the tank by hand though, I think the problem is the fluffy too-thick toilet roll paper.
Back to the grahicalisationing, I went. Then made-up and started this template. Which took me ages to get this far with. Then, I went on to update the Wednesday Diary, at long last. I got it updated fully, emailed the link and went on the WordPress Reader section. Which I enjoyed considerably. Pinterested a couple of photographs, the read and replied to the WP comments that had come in. Some witty puns and quips came on this Thursday.
I was about to start collating the advance templates and realised the hours had shot by; it was time to get the ablutions tended to. As is usual with me, I got into the kitchen and got myself sidetracked once more.
I decided to get the hand-washing done first. But and however – guess who had left the hot water tap (faucet) to run cold? Yes, pickle-brain Inchcock had struck-again! Gawd-blimey, I this far too often! Hence decision had to be made (another Inchcock problem area!) My EQ told me there nothing to do but press on handwashing boiling the water in the kettle and saucepan, for more Whoopsiedangleplops were on their way! He also called me a name, a naughty one!
So, the half-hour or so handwashing exercise took me nearly two hours! Not to mention the scolding of two fingers fetching the kettle to the sink… Oh, I’ve said it! It’s a good job that I was in a slightly better mood today! I washed the long-sleeve jumper, the jammie-bottoms and the pair of long bamboo diabetic socks. The washed ones from yesterday were not fully-dry enough to put on today, so I got a couple of 100% short-ones to adorn after the ablutions to wear.
Then, as I checked the dryness of the other things that were hanging above the kitchen window, with perfect-timing, Peripheral Pete went into an involuntary right-leg Neuropathic Schuhplattler dance routine! This caused me to drop the coat-hangars and the washing I had in my hand. Belt Cathy Cartilages knee against the floor cupboard, and hit my head against the heater getting back up again!
I made a start on moving the stuff back into the cupboard, but soon lost interest!
My new found emotions of satisfaction, semi-contentment and renewed hopes sank without a trace! I took some painkillers and moped my way to the wet room, leaving the clothes where they had fell on the floor, and swearing a little still, got to the wet room, totally uninterested in what I was there for! Pissed-off would be a quicker way of putting things!
Had I been aware of what was waiting for me, I wouldn’t have gone in! The worse Ablution session in months!
Ablutionalisticalisationing Report:
I realised there was no hot water to be gleaned from the sink tap for shaving! But felt sure I would manage using the hottish water from the shower-head without any bother (What an idiot!)
Have you ever had to keep going to the other side of the wet room, and with Peripheral Pete shaking me about like a good un, repeatedly, bring the shower-head, which only just reaches the sink, and spraying the tepid water all over yourself and the room? It’s not easy! The cleaning up afterwards wasn’t either!
The de-nasalising went well. No water needed, you see! One dropsy only!
The teeth-cleaning had a bit of discomfort.
Then the shaving began. I had to keep emptying the sink of the water that went too cold, turning up the thermostat, and dial, to get as hot that I could from the control panel, but it wasn’t scorching enough, even then.
The whole shaving job was farcical in the extreme. Although having said that, there were only five dropsies! A few little nicks and one cut under the chin. One the throat, two in the neck-hole, and one on the cheek.
I got belated Health Checks done next. The Boot’s, made in China Sphygmomanometer’s SYS reading was fantastically low! Grrreat!
At least I think it is; hang on, I’ll check on Mr Google later on.
The in Hong Kong produced, Chinese Harpin Xian Di contactless thermometer reading was, I think, a smidge high, but well down on yesterdays worrying high of 37.9°c – 100.22°f.
Since the side-effect-ridden AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccination was given to me a week last Saturday, SYS has also been higher, its the lowest reading today than for ages. I think I might be getting confused here, between the SYS and the temperature? Well, fancy that!
I found an NHS site on Google, where you can put in your reading for SYS and DIA, and you get an instant show of where you stand on the chart, with a black cross! Proof that I was right to worry when the SYS went up to 180 five days ago, well, that was well in the red area!
Gotten Himmel! Look at the time! What happened, where did it go?
I’d better close down and get my pre-planned, easy, tasty (I was well wrong there!) meal prepared. I’m afraid the beautiful looking Iceland bought tin of tomatoes was terribly bland, tasteless, watery. Savourless and unappetising. These Don Holio chopped tomatoes needed a warning giving-out about them for anyone unlucky enough to buy any. The Sainsbury crispy smoked ready-cooked bacon slices were very fatty tasting as well! The last of the sourdough bread saved the meal. A flavour-rating of 4.5/10 was granted. Reluctantly to a degree! Eurgh!
However, and leaving the pots in the sink in cold water to be cleaned when I have some hot water again, in the morning, at first, I was well-pleased that I was in time to watch the channel 11, Tales of the Unexpected episodes.
I stayed awake until the first set of commercials, and Sweet Morpheus visited me, and off into the land of nod I floated.
And slept for four unbroken hours, which was so nice! Ahh!
02:20hrs: I stirred, dreary-eyed, and found in the folds of my tummy fat layers, a page from the notepad, and as I looked down, a pencil dropped from behind my earhole. The reading glasses were hanging on the very end of my nose and fell off to join some (I found as I began to move), biscuit crumbs as well. Nocturnal Nibbling Guilt!
The scrawl on the paper was hard to decipher. Bits I could make out were, ‘dreams put in the blog’ and ‘wee-weeing…’ But unfortunately memories of having the dreams I’d apparently had were lost into the ether. They must have been interesting, or I would not have made the regrettably unreadable comments on the pad. Shame!
I went through the routine of getting up, catching the balance easily enough this morning. Noticing that the ankle ulcer was clearing up so quickly (Not complaining). The papule underneath the left foot was still tender, even though it had grown back on the bottom of the foot.
I tended to the Health Checks first.
The Harpin Xian Di Thermometer gave a good reading of 36.7°c, a very fair, in the green range result. Then, I got the sphygmomanometerisationing machine out to use, wondering if it will take a few tries to get it to work today, and worked on the third effort: The SYS was still a little too high, but it’s been worse many a time.
As I took the medications, I thought I heard a noise coming from the hallway, I went to investigate. There was a letter on the floor at the door, but that must have been there from yesterday. No one would be posting letters at 03:25hrs of a morning, so that wasn’t the noise I heard. No signs of anything fallen was identified, so I returned, and got the medications taken.
Then I opened the letter. It was an eight paged A4 notification, from HMG (Her Majesties Government), Department of Health & Social Care. It consisted of the following: Guidance for the festive period – Shielding – Access to health & care – Important Information about Covid-19 – Access to Additional Support – Vitamin D supplements – Socialising -Care & Support – Tier 1, 2, and three rules to follow – Going to the shops and Pharmacy regulations. Whether or not I will live long enough to read and digest it all, is questionable.
But, Hatt Mancock’s… sorry, Matt Hancock’s end quote of “We will Continue To Support You in your efforts to keep yourself & others safe!” gave me a warm-glow of bile, that did.
I assume he may be talking about my not getting my prescriptions without a battle on the phone each month with the Chemist I must not visit, to get them delivered? Or being unable to get my toe-nails cut? Or the cancelled Oncologist – Cardiothoracic – Endocrinologist – Pulmonologist – Neurologist – Urologist and Audiologist cancellations?
Or maybe as is likely, he’s more working towards the next general election than actually bothered about us all. He feels a bit of creeping and ersatz care pretending now, belatedly shown will ensure the votes? Who knows? You can’t blame him! Hahaha!
I remember the then New health secretary Matt Hancock receiving £32,000 in donations from the chairman of the think tank that wanted the NHS ‘abolished’! Matt Hancock received nine donations between £2,000 and £4,000 from the man who heads the board of the free-market group, the Institute of Economic Affairs.
I also remember him, defending his spending almost £50,000 on takeaways for his staff from just one London restaurant during the peak of the Covid crisis. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spent a total of £47,528 on takeaways from Bong Bong’s Manila Kanteen earlier this year, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed. Just nine orders costing £43,348 were placed at the fashionable “Filipino-inspired” eatery during April, then another £4,179-worth of orders placed in March! Just thought I’d mention it!
I got the updating of the Friday post done quickly. Sent it to WordPress. Did some Facebooking catch-up, then on the WordPress Reader section. Finally, got around to site comments.
Made the first mug of Glengettie tea of the day, and had a bag of Frazzles with it, well, no time for brekkers, I have to get on with making the templates up.
I took regular breaks over the.. wait for it… seven-hours I spent, getting the templates finished! The first being for some brekkers, of sorts. I had a pot noodle, and some nuts to nibble.
Back on the template slog.
Turned everything off computer-wise, to let it cool down, and got the ablutions done.
The ankle was looking much better now, but had still got the odd itching, with it? Feeling as if worms or maggots were underneath the skin?
The session went safely enough, dropsies of course, and just the one nick shaving.
The medicating went so easy as well!
I got the clothes all washed and sanitised afterwards and hung them on the dreaded, not used now if I can avoid it, doing so by not wearing any socks, Sock-Glide.
I must make an order for delivery soon, I’m low on disinfectants.
I got the unopened old but ere new when I bought them, trousers on. They were classed as brown, but only just. Hehe!
They fitted perfectly. Well, what I mean is; The legs were far to narrow, my ever-growing, bulging, flabby-belly made it hard work to fasten the waistband clip, the pockets were too small, the cotton thread hung from the bottom of the legs, the belt buckle supplied with the trews broke. The bum fitted a little too snuggly. Other than that, they were fine. Oh, and the back pocket had a hole in it!
I hand-washed the old black trouser, all done, done, rung and hung above the sink to drip dry.
Back to the templating. I got the computer going again, and got a message telling me that the hard drive is running low in space. I’ve no idea where the message came from, Microsoft, Google or the computer. After a few moments of frowning and fretting – the message disappeared?
I took a breather, of sorts when it started to be a grind, rather than pleasure, in doing the CorelDrawing.
I made up the small waste bags, added them to the others in the box, and got them on the three-wheeler guide, and taken off to the waste-room and down the chute. As I got into the lift lobby, I used the Cannon (It’s far easier to use when on the move, cause it fits in the pocket, which the Nikon Bridge camera will not do, too big). The first one, the view as I entered the lobby straight ahead, the none along the length of the lift lobby, and one as I turned around and snapped the three flats lobby. Mine being the solitary single one on the right. It was eerily quiet out there! With no workers, no noise from Herbert, and even the blasted ‘Hum’ seemed quieter to me?
I got the bags down, in the process gaining a pretty deep blue bruise on the knuckles as I trapped the hand as the lid shot back closed.
Back to the apartment, and took these shots of the darkening day from the gallery.
Back to the templating again. I worked through uninterrupted for a few more hours. Got the templates finally finished and began thinking of what to have for my nosh. As I nosied around to see what was available, favouring doing the meatballs and potato shapes, to help clear the freezer, then I can free Jenny’s space up and fetch the meatballs she has kindly stored in her freezer for me.
Then it hit me, the usual late weariness, lack of concentration and feeling of being oh, so tired and worn out.
I decided against doing the meatballs, in case I fell asleep with them being in the oven for much longer. I got the potato shapes out of the freezer, and dropped the damned bag, catching it before it hit the floor, but a few of the shapes fell out. I noticed as I picked them up that the letters spelt ‘Thick’. (A link there somewhere?) – Ah, clairvoyant potatoes? Hahaha!
The sky was changing as I farted-about making a right mess in preparing the cooking. Nicolas’ Neurotransmitter had been so kind all day. Still, it now was causing some dangerous situation with the oven and saucepan, like. I took a photo and another close-up of the picturesque peeping pink evening view.
Getting the pasties and potatoes out of the fridge, I caught my right arm on the oven. Puggleclumpdimwit! Ah, well!
I got the fodder l plated, and was amazed at the fact that I’d just made this meal! I was so, out-of-it, and drained? I must have engaged auto-pilot—a taste-rating of 7/10.
Too was tried to bother doing the washing up, and I required Sweet Morpheus.
But the Thought-Storms destroyed my hopes. Spurgledamnations!
