0315 hrs: I lay thinking of the dreams I’d had. (Although now I’ve gotten around to writing the down, they’ve gone. Most vexatious!)
I stirred, passed wind, felt the horrible warm wet sensation from the lower regions, swore, then struggled up and to the bathroom. ‘Little Inchy’ needs attention – (I must ask Deana the flats coordinator to ring the surgery for me after the Windwood Comunity Shed Social Hour this morning) The other regular ailments were all being kind to me at this time, though.
Remembered to do me checks today: Sys 132 – Dia 66 – Pulse 73 – Temp 36.2 I wish I knew if they are alright? I keep meaning to ask the nurse: but keep forgetting to. Huh!
On the throne, I thought I was going to cough my way into me coffin; it persisted for an hour or so, then dissipated almost entirely? Made a cuppa, took my medications while I thought about it, and got the laptop on.
I assembled the Easter-nibbles for the tenant meeting.
I hope BJ turns up.
I also hope I have amassed enough for me to offer each of them one; Mini egg, chocolate rabbit or a Ferrero.
I did this while I thought of it, then returned to the laptop and completed yesterday’s diary.
Then, I had to have another go at sorting out ‘Little Inchy’, painful, messy affair. Tsk!
Did some Facebooking. Then emailing, Then started on a new ‘Humorous (I hope) post about Nottingham City Homes Repairs and my struggles with them. I’ve not gotten it anywhere near finished yet.
Time for the srub-up, polish and bath. The only hiatus in the proceedings once again was having to treat ‘Little Inchy’s’ lesion. Heck of a job stopping it again.
Got the bag ready with the things needed and set off for the Community Hut. Met three gals in the lobby, thus; the laughs started on the walk to the shed.
The meeting went well, with much joy and dry humour abounding between us all. The nibbles went down well with them.
I felt elated and exhilarated after the session ended. A bit sad BJ did not show up or let me know how he was; I’ll ring him later. (Did I remember. Huh!)
Spontaneously decided to catch the L8 bus to Mapperley Tops, and get a TV paper and have a toddle around the shops.
Had a natter with a lady who also caught that bus, and she dropped off at the same place.
I walked along the road, terribly disappointed in the lack of choice between the shops.
I went into the Co-op and got a TV paper and some Brown bread thins.
When I came out, I was going to have a walk back to the flats. As I approached to pass a bus stop, I espied that an L9 was due in one minute, so joined the queue. The lady who came up on the bust with me, called to me “Gerry, the L9 is coming, hobble faster!” I took to and liked her sense of humour immediately.
We had a chin-wag en route back to the flats. Shared the lift, she lives on the fifteenth floor, had stolen my heart; But has a hubby was waiting for her. Humph and double humph Hehe!‘Taint fair.
To the bathroom and made use of its porcelain.
Laptop on to update this twaddle.
Then I put the lamb shank in the saucepan to simmer away, a large potato in the oven to bake and opened a tin of garden peas.
I kept nipping in to check it’s progress.
The meal went down well, but at a cost so to speak.
I needed a new saucepan now and got another burn off of oven tray.
Hey-ho!
Spent far too long once more (Nearly four hours!) on the NCH Homes post, and was well drained when suspended this activity. I hope to get it finished tomorrow.
I fought to stay awake to watch some Dr Who episodes, gave up, and then struggled to get to sleep then!
0350hrs, I stirred to semi-life and lay thinking of the dreams I’d had. Not nice ones, as usual, I was being chased again. This time through corridors in a brand new office complex, up and down the stairs through many floors. The lifts all had the same sign on them; “Cost: A trip up 5p per floor, down £1m per floor – Credit card payment accepted on Wednesdays only”? I had cleaning tackle all over me, brush, dustpan, dusters and a bottle of Morrison’s bleach in my pocket? A round shaped feather duster on my shoes? There were probably more, but that is what I could recall. Those pursuing me were all dressed formerly in suits with brightly coloured ties and a mobile phone in their hands? As each one caught me up, they just laughed poked me in the eye, then ran away? I wish I knew a dream analyser
I wish I knew a dream analyser or reader. Humph! Perhaps not, though?
As I attempted to encourage the mass that was my body to move. I trod on the headphones; that were at the end of them then! Good start, Tsk!
Got to the WC, ‘Little Inchy’ needed decoking, cleaning and creamed to stop him bleeding again. I’m bit bothered with this.,
Arthur Itis, Roger Reflux and the back were not too bad at all, but Anne Gyna was giving some elbow.,
Made a cuppa and took the medications, got the laptop on. Yesterday, I emailed the surgery to make an appointment for the next INR blood test for the date on the result sheet from the previous one, for the morning of Mon 21st March. I felt confident that with them giving me a week free, and the date so far away, that I would easily get a morning appointment. Their return email arrived. They gave me one for 1300hrs! Swines! They know that I fade early in the day nowadays too! I think they are going off me yer know? The nurse makes a mess of my last blood test, they tell me to see the chemist about when the following medications are due, and now can’t fit me in for a morning appointment and they have two weeks notice? Swines! Dummkopfs!
Still, it doesn’t bother me in the least.
Then I got the Diary for Thursday finished and posted, and started this one off.
Had a bash on Facebook. Then got carried away a bit doing graphics for a later post. (Three hours, Tsk!)
As I got ready to my ablutions, I noticed the fog was lifting now.
Carried out my decontamination procedures with the following results:
Taking off my clothes and putting them in the laundry bag, banged left knee on WC porcelain.
Getting into the tub, nearly had a Whoopsiedangleplop.
Bathing ‘Little Inchy’, the blood flowed. Managed to stop it.
Getting out of the bath, oh the pain! Cramps had started. Tsk!
Drying ‘Little Inchy’ ready for creaming, the sore started leaking again! Huh!
Got the things ready for the Nottingham Hospice Charity shop, my shopping bag, wrapped up well and set off on a little walk through Woodthorpe Grange Park and into Sherwood. Threw my rubbish bags down the waste chute, got to the lifts, and went back to get my hearing aid in. Humph!
Down and out up the gravel hill to the park.
The beauty of the skyline did impress me enough to take a photograph of it.
All the fog had cleared, and it was getting warmer I thought. Odd that for so late on in the day?
On the walk down the path to Mansfield Road, I espied a wood-pigeon high in the leafless trees.
Took a photograph of that too – but this time, I found out later, it had been taken in mono?
I suppose I did something wrong, caught a button or something? Not that it mattered, ’cause it was a horrible effort!
Onward up the hill and over into Sherwood, where I tried out the camera again.
Suddenly I realised that the bird one was not in mono, the grey sky and dark tree branches?
I called into the Co-op store and got a potato for baking and a lamb and potato ready meal. Then down to he Hospice shop, gave them the books and DVD’s and bought yet another Morecome & Wise book from them.
As I was checking the bus times and decided to walk back, a Git of a Pavement Cyclist nearly had me… Grrr!
Wondered back to and through Woodthorpe Grange Park, and a lot more people were using it now, I stood while and watched the dogs taking their owner for a walk. Hehe!
Low and behold, another damned Footpath cyclist nearly had me here, too! Then he swerved between some other people and I could see they were not impressed as they shook their fists at him as they gave him some verbal advice.
Good for them!
We ought to form a Vigilante group with mini-stingers!
On the way down the gravel footpath to the flats, it seems there had been something going on animal-wise. A load of white feathers or down were near the bench, which was not there when I went up the path earlier?
Back to the flat and I remembered I had to do a wrist alarm battery check with Nottingham City Homes Response place.
So I did; The line was engaged! Huh!
Got the laptop on, and Grammarly had stopped working. I exited WordPress and opened it again, no luck, still no Grammarly. So I closed and opened Google, then WordPress, no Grammarly access? Pee’d off now, I tried restarting the laptop and into Google, then WordPress, and it started working again. Flibblewoksticks!
Got the nosh cooking, and caught up with this diary.
The fodder came out alright, Lamb hotpot with extra gravy, potato farls, beetroot and some nicely and well done roasted vegetables.
A pot of dessert I was going to have with it, I found in the morning unopened at the side of my broken 1959 imitation leather armchair.
Huh!
I rated this one at 9.45/10.TV – book
Did the washing up and I watched Heartbeat on the TV, tried to read my book, but couldn’t keep awake.
There are hundreds more of these Celebrations Days, but I chose these, because, in actual fact, none of them apply to me.
14th February – We have a Valentines day;
For those involved in sexual passions and have a partner.
1st March – We have St David’s Day;
For the Welsh folk.
6th March – We Have Mothers Day;
For those ladies who have children.
8th March – We have the International Women’s Day;
General celebration of respect, appreciation, and love towards women, to a celebration of women’s economic, political, and social achievements.
9th March – We have The National No Smoking Day:
To shame the poor buggers who are addicted to nicotine.
17th March – We have St Patricks Day;
To boost the sales of Guinness, and give the lads an excuse for being late for work in the morning.
18th March – We have Purple Day;
To brighten up everyone’s day with a little bit of purple and a lot of fun iin your school, workplace or community. (?)
19th March – We have National Poultry Day;
Chicken, turkey and other birds we commonly consume are celebrated on this day. (?)
1st April – We have Walk to Work Day;
For those who just might still have a job. Introduced to encourage people to be mindful of their health and their carbon footprint and a great excuse to treat yourself to that latte on the way to work, as your reward for all those extra calories burned off.
2nd April – We have The Pillow Fight Day;
A pillow fight flash mob is a social phenomenon of flash mobbing and shares many characteristics of a culture jam. (?)
2nd April – We also have – International Children’s Book Day;
Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday and since 1967 International Children’s Book Day has been celebrated on or around this day to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children’s books.
15th April – We have Microvolunteering Day; is now in its third successful year, and is a unique opportunity for
Now in its third successful year, and is a unique opportunity for microvolunteering platforms, volunteering involved organisations & individuals to join together in a synchronised effort to demonstrate the empowering potential of the microvolunteering concept.
23rd April – We have William Shakespeare’s day;
To celebrate the bard.
19th June – We have Father’s Day;
To mollycoddle those who can’t keep their pecker in their zip.
21st June – We have Summer solstice day;
For pagans, hippies, druggies and wino’s.
5th July – We have Eid al-Fitr Day;
For Muslims, to celebrate the end of Ramadan.
30th November – We have Diwali Day;
Festival of Lights for Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities.
30th November – We also have St Andrew’s Day;
To assist the whisky and haggis industry and hopefully devolution.
Up at 0400hrs, again in need of the using the facilitations of the bathroom porcelain. Little Inchy needed decoking and cleaning after last nights Whoopsiedangleplop. However Anne Gyna had eased, but the Roger the Reflux Valve was making me gasp and struggle a bit.
To the kitchen and put the kettle on.
I made an effort to take another photographicalisation of the view, with the light reflecting on the photo from the light behind.
Just for a bit of fun. Well, I say fun, is fun the right word. Should I have used amusement or interest? And am I losing it early today? Hehehe!
Made a cuppa and took the medications.
Pondered on the days requirements. Try to get some WordPressing done. Doctors at 1100hrs. Phone Clinic to confirm my appointment time. Oh, the dentist, no that’s tomorrow isn’t it. I really must try to get some cleaning up done sometime today, even if it’s only a bit. I can’t get rid of the feeling that I’ve forgotten something? A horrible sensation that!
Got on with completing Sunday’s diary, and tries to do an Iceland order, but at the end of the process it told me ‘A problem has occurred – Please go back, so I decided not to bother and ignored it.
Did some Facebooking. Had to prevent myself from forgetting the time, need to have me bath and ablutions yet, before I get the things ready for the walk to the surgery.
I cleared away and titivated the kitchen, then got into the bathroom to do my ablutions. Rather disappointed as the water ran cold so quickly and had to make due with a few inches of water. Must inform the caretaker later.
Got put sooner than planned when I started shivering. It took a while, the back and Arthur Itis saw to that.
Pottered about and got the things ready for the INR blood test, bus-pass for later, mobile phone, camera, nibbles for the medical team and gloves all into the bag.
I did my usual checks to make sure I’d not left anything on: And found the hot tap running in the kitchen! Grottyswellski! No wonder the bath was not hot!
Took the rubbish bags and put them down the chute on the way down.
Walked down the Winchester Street Hill into Sherwood, left up the hill then down into Carrington. Phones sister Jane on the way and had a little natter.
Arrived at the surgery and booked in, and got the crossword book out. It was the Obergruppenfurher nurse on duty today, but she was surprisingly friendly with me? She decided to find a new vein today because she said the old one was overused and going hard?
Left the bag of nibbles with the receptionist and poddled to the bus stop and caught a bus into town. Arthur Itis seemed to be easing off, ni idea why, but I was pleased with this. The back continued to give me some jip, though.
Dropped off the bus and walked to Upper Parliament Street to catch one to Morrison’s in Netherfield. Took a photo of the crowds on Clinton Street. It reminded me of New York, with the moody sunshine and folks all wrapped up well.
I got to the bus-stop and looked up to take a photo of Centre Mission and Church.
I said a few words asking for the easing of pains for a few friends who are suffering at the moment.
The bus arrived, swiped my bus-pass and enjoyed the sunshine as we drove out through town, Colwick and to Netherfield. I’d decided to go to Morrisons cause Iceland’s website, wouldn’t take my order for delivery.
I checked the times of the buses to go back, not a bad service, three an hour during the daytime.
I’m afraid I bought some ‘Naughty foods’ : Strawberry desserts (3), Hartleys mandarins in jelly (4) Honey coated cashew nuts, honey yogurt… Tsk!
Timed it well to get the bus back to town. Got to Queen Street, and again was lucky with the timing as the L9 turned up at he bus stop as I did. (Getting a bit worried about things going right for me at this point, my EQ told me I was going to pay for it later!)
I even fell asleep on the bus, but woke up as it was driving into Chestnut Walk outside the flats, brilliant!
As I got into the foyer, a lady there spoke to me, as I checked to see if there was a washing machine free in the laundry room, (No, all in use) and I could feel the blood running down my arm onto my gloves. I had to leave her rather abruptly as I hastened up to the flat, into the bathroom and cleaned it up, and had to put some Brute aftershave on it to get it to stop. (Stung a bit that did, hehe!)
Put the things away in cupboards and fridge, had to manipulate the contents of the freezer to make room for stuff to go in.
Kettle on, and started to prepare the nosh.
Took a photo through the window of the glorious clouds.
I stayed in the kitchen and read my bookwhile the fodder was cooking, and kept a close eye on it.
I thought it came out okay.
I made some lamb gravy to add to it. The vegetables were not too bad. Added beetroot and a cooked chicken thigh.
Added beetroot and a cooked chicken thigh.
A pot of the Strawberry dessert for afters, and moved it all into the front room on a tray, to eat on my knee while I watched TV.
The idea turned out not to be a good one! The Whoopsiedangleplop proved this!
I managed to fall asleep and dropped the tray and fodder off of my knee. Bits of the meal were spread on my dressing gown, slippers, the carpet, on and under the arm chair & cover… I swore quite a bit.
Fetched Horatio the Hoover, and in combination with Boris the mini Black & Decker hand vacuum, set about cleaning the mess up.
Down on the knees to clean under the chair (Roger Reflux, Anne Gina and Arthur Itis were not pleased with this and had been giving me anguish ever since, Humph), picking the bits up by hand that had somehow gotten everywhere and it felt like into every crevis!Sprayed fabric deodoriser, over the materials, then passed the wind, and sprayed citrus fresh air spray all over. Getting back up was not an easy or pain-free job either.
In the middle of all this sorting, the phone went; It was the Iceland delivery???
I thought their system told me they could not take my order? I had no email to inform me about it? Had to re-sort the freezer again to make room for the chips that were delivered.
Had to re-sort the freezer again to make room for the chips that were delivered.And how I managed to order this great big box of
And how I managed to order this great big box of Surf is anyone’s guess?
Still, the Whoopsiedangleplop got me to clean the room up a bit, Hehe!
Had a cuppa, felt sorry for me, a little depressed and put the TV on.
I succeeded in watching a whole programme, then off into the land of nod, at last!
Been awake for ages, stirred into action around 0500 hrs, carefully mind! Roger Reflux valve and Anne Gyna had both been giving me grief during the night. The lower back seems to have calmed down after all the bending to clean up after last nights series of Whoopsidangleplops!
Not feeling so good again (So tired and again already) now, but not complaining, at least, the ulcer and Arthur Itis are both being kind to me this morning. I made a cup of tea and took the medications. Getting low on Glyceryl trinitrate now, good job I’m going for the INR blood level test tomorrow, I’ll ask for some extra. Dentists on Tuesday.
Found some bits on the carpet from last night’s Whoopsidangleplop with the fodder, that I’m missed when cleaning it up. Very gently I got down and picked them up, took them to the bin, and returned with a damp cloth and got down again delicately, to try and remove the stains. Did a reasonable job, then getting back up again I felt the warm wet feeling coming from Little Inchy’s area. I’m managed to get the lesion bleeding again. Into the bathroom to clean him up, then applied the Dakacort cream again.While in there, I popped on the throne. As I sat there, I noticed the carbolic soap in the tray near the bath, and felt cheered up a bit somehow? Is it, or not is not sad for an old fart to get himself taken to heart at the thought of having a bath using his beloved carbolic soap or not?
While in there, I popped on the throne. As I sat there, I noticed the carbolic soap in the tray near the bath, and felt cheered up a bit somehow? – Is it, or not is not sad for an old fart to get himself taken to heart at the thought of having a bath using his beloved carbolic soap or not?
I looked at the laundry bag; it was getting filled up again, so decided today to get the laundry done. If I can catch a machine, that’s not in use. Decisions decisions Hehe!
After I get the laundry done, I might get a walk in the Woodthorpe Grange Park while the dryer is working and get some photographicalisationing done?
Best see how the weather develops.
The scene from the kitchen window was nice looking.
The thermometer on he window side was up to 57ºf.
I got the laptop on and completed yesterday’s diary. Then, checked the weather forecast for today; Cloudy, 44ºf and the winds twixt 7 and nine mph, doesn’t sound too bad that.
Had a good wash and brushed up, the shave producing several cuts on te chin and one on the neck.
Took my bag with me with the dirty washing, and got down to the Laundry Room. Got the washing machine on ‘Fast mode’, and did some crosswords in the foyer while waiting. Not many folks around today and those that did pass-by were not in a talkative mood to reply to my “Good Morning, are you keeping well” greeting.
One washer machine and one dryer were in use. As soon as my wash had finished I got to clobber into a drier. The one that was in use had ended earlier, and someone had left a green bag on top of the machine. I took their stuff out, and folded it into the green bag and left it on top of the dryer. I was obvious by the clothing, it belonged to an old dear.
I got the dryer going and departed for a walk up to the park with my camera.
I decide against going round the back of the flats into the park, as it looked rather muddy.
Hobbled up the gravel footpath instead, not that was a lot less muddy.
The Copse had many broken branches strewn around, as did the path at the top the of the hill.
Up, on the main footpath, at the head of the hill, the mud was unavoidable and very slippy. I noticed some daffodils or narcissus growing under some trees and foolishly tried to walk closer to get a photo of this wonder of nature.
I saw some daffodils or narcissus growing under some trees and foolishly attempted to walk closer to get a picture of this wonder of nature. What a plonker! Got myself stuck in the mud, nearly lost a shoe, and had a hell of a time finding a way back to the path without slipping over! Tsk!
I walked up the path to watch some football match for a while, but gave up, even the road was covered in mud at that end.
On the way back after deciding to retrace my steps to the flat, I met the Greyhound Lady with a different Whippet. He was friendly enough, and the lady told me this dog refuses to walk in mud and always avoids it. I wish I had been as wise!
Many people out in the park today.
I managed to get down the gravel path and into the foyer. Tried to clean off some of the mud on the kerb beforehand, not very successful, though.
I went into the laundry room and used some tissues and ran water from the tap to clean up my shoes best I could, and then tackled mud on the bottom of my jeans when I noticed it putting my shoes back on.
I wished I’d known who’s the washing in the green bag was, it had still not been collected, I could have taken it to her flat for her.
Did some more cross-wording while waiting for dryer, to finish. Got the togs folded into my bag, and got back up to the flat. Put the clothes away and made a cuppa.
Laptop on to update this diary, the started the ‘Ode post’.
Got it done and posted, and then went on Facebook.
Feeling a bit better now, Anne Gyna has eased off a lot.
Got the fodder prepared. Beef slice, potato cakes, roast vegetables, four little potatoes, made gravy, beetroot, and put black bean cooking sauce on the slice. Then when I served it up, dropped two chicken thighs on the tray. Greed!
Crossed fingers it comes out okay. Strawberry dessert (Last one, sob!) for afters.
No Whoopsiedangeplops while making or eating this gastronomic delight. Pigged it and ate the lot! (Coy mode adopted)
However; when I did the washing up afterwards, I found it no effort at all to drop the washing-up liquid bottle and coat my trousers socks and slippers in Morrison’s Savers green liquid. Then slid painfully about for a few seconds on the now almost like an ice rink floor.
This incident and the cleaning up afterwards brought on Anne Gyna, Little Inchy bleeding again and even Arthur Itis joined in. Notwithstanding, I kept me pecker up, cleaned it up, changed clothes, took me late medications and settled into the even more damaged 1959 imitation leather arm chair, painfully.
Watched a lot of TV tonight, over three hours. Fair enough, it was interspersed with nodding-off periods, but overall, I did well staying awake. I eventually went off into the land of nod, much needed after the last two nights, managing four hours without hiatus. Zzzz!
I stirred around 0500hrs, after a night of more waking than sleeping and reflected on the disturbing dreams I had earlier.
I read somewhere that: Humans are constantly making evaluations about the direction of movement in time of systems perceived as relevant, concerning whether things are moving to the better or, the worse.
Whoever wrote this was dead right in my case this morning! I felt rotten, pessimistic, miserable and an overwhelming feeling that something so disastrous was going to take place, it would destroy my hopes and incapacitate my mind? Wicked emotions.
I glanced down at the mini Otterman at the side of my 1959 imitation leather armchair.
The items on it made me think of how life is nowadays for Nottingham’s Puerile Pensioner.
A book about WW2 memories of a sniper, and a Bygones newspaper, all stuff from the past. Which is where I belong I suppose.
Anne Gyna and Roger Reflux Valve have never given me so much of a bashing at the same time before. This means I cannot do any cleaning in the flat, and that really annoys me and gets me down. How long before they give me a break? No sleep as such for a couple of nights now. I didn’t go out yesterday and feel ashamed of my lack of enthusiasm for anything. Still, I did get an idea for a funny post when I was on the throne earlier this morning. That actually cheered me up for a few minutes, and then I went into the kitchen and saw the state of it and the need for cleaning, and felt down again. I must not give up, though, and try to do what I can later, else it will get too much to do when I do feel better?
That’s all my grumbling and griping done now, sorry about that.
Made a cuppa and took the medications. Laptop on and finished Fridays dairy off.
Made another cuppa and took an extra 30g Codeine phosphate.
Started and finally finished the Lavatory post. It might get some laughs, I hope, cause it’s all true!
Had a jolly good bath and spit and polished up myself.
Off out, and met Norman at the lift, Norman is the other 93-year-old who I went to Sainsburys with the other week. We had a good natter and caught the L8 bus into Sherwood, where Norman caught a bus to Arnold, and I crossed the road and got on one into town. A grand chap is Norman.
When I got into town, I dropped off the bus at Victoria Centre.The new
The new American Diner was not doing very well trade-wise, lots of empty chairs and tables outside. Mind you, the Big Issue seller woman would have driven any customers away with the poor thing repeating “Big Issue, Big Issue, please!” in her accent that made it sound like “Big Tissue Tease!” I felt a bit sorry for her and slipped her a quid as I passed by into the Mall.
I limped up the escalators to the top floor and made my way to the hardware stall, and took this photographicalisation of some layabout shoplifters having a rest in the ‘S’ seats.
I proceeded in an Easterly direction and arrived at the Market and commenced to have a wander around the stalls.
I got three bars of their Carbolic soap at 50p (72cents) each.
Then as I making my way to the other end of the Mall, approaching the escalator to go down a floor, the damned back started to stab at me and the Anne Gyna joined in – Humph and Tsk!
As I got near to Tesco, I called in the HMV shop – a terrible mistake and I knew it at the time that my bank balance was going to get a battering! I dare not say how much I spent, but I only went in to see if had any Hetty Wainthrope DVD’s in, but they didn’t; Unfortunately for me they did have a full James Bond compilation and a Jonathan Creek episode I’d not seen before, and … Oh, shame on me, spending again!
I limped painfully to Tesco and spent, even more, Lamb Hotpots, Seaweed snacks, Potato Cakes, Bread thins and even had to buy a bag to carry them home in.
Getting very weary now, and the bothersome pains were not getting any better.some
I walked through Trinity Square and took a photo to post on Facebook, of some Bling for the TFZ lads, and one of the pigeons I slipped clandestinely some seed to.
Hobbled and struggled to the bus stop, and caught one back to Winchester Street.
I took a photograph through the bus windows of the Nottinghomians milling about.
The reflection from the glass made it look a little odd I thought.
We were soon on the hill where I dropped off and managed to cross the road without any undue hiatus this time.
At least, my spirits had risen a little as I made it back safely to the flats and visited the lavatory!
Made a cup of tea and put the things away. While doing this the wind suddenly got up, so much so I feared the block of flats might tumble over.
A light mix of snow and rain came later, but soon dissipated, the wind remaining, but not so bad as an hour earlier.
I started to make the meal.
Laptop on and started this diary update.
Feeling tired, weary and in pain with the Anne Gyna and lower back. But avoided feeling sorry for myself for once, and started singing to myself as I proceeded to check the fodder cooking regularly.
Put the lamb hot-pot into the oven for a while, then added the chopped vegetables, leeks, carrots, onions, and swede. Sprayed some oil on them, and added them to the oven tray with the hot-pot. A little bit of advice for other Senior Citizens attempting to prepare vegetables for roasting. When chopping them up nice and small so they cook quicker, please make sure the chopping tray is firmly secured on a flat surface. This may prevent the whole shebang tipping over onto the kitchen floor, a lot of very painful cleaning up, much bad language and pissing yourself off.
Then I chopped some more veg and put some garden peas in the saucepan on a low light.
While the cooking was progressing, I checked the TV paper and found something I fancied watching.
Got the fodder out and added some beetroot, three small slices of brown Irish Soda Bread slices, a strawberry dessert, and would have added a mini pot of ice-cream, but I forgot about it and left it on the side when I took it our of the freezer, where I found it hours later, picked it up and the liquid poured out – right onto the spot where all the chopped veg fell earlier.
Rated this effort at 9.25/10.
Onto the tray, into the front room, TV on, settled in the 1959 damaged imitation leather armchair and started to watch Top Gear.
Ate the food, fell asleep and woke up with the tray and the remnants of its contents on the floor in front of me, bread crumbs, bits of veg residue, gravy and cutlery spread out on the carpet, the Ottoman cover, and my pajamas!
At this point, I lost the little buoyancy I’d accrued during the day, and quickly turned into a self-pitying pathetic, depressed old man, my spirits sank with all the many Whoopsiedangleplops I’d suffered in the last few hours. Of course, all the bending to repeatedly to clean them up had now caused Anne Gyna to give me more hassle. Breathing is painful and not easy.
This may have had something to do with the fact that I could not get to sleep again? I watched all the programs until I eventually nodded off three hours or so later.
I woke up around 0200hrs, Oh great, then the Reflux Valve started. No more sleep, much more self-pitying and the like until I decided to force myself to get up around 0500 hrs.
Tsk! Right fed-up I am now. Still, I can have a carbolicalisationing session in the bath later. Hehe!
Woke up at 0335 hrs, to the porcelain, and more blood from the rear end. Once more and I’ll have to see someone about this.
I made me a strong cup of tea and had my breakfast.
I looked fleetingly at the dirty marks on the kitchen floor. They’re still there, Tsk! Bent down to wipe one spot and the lower back started off. What a start, still bleeding from the rear-end, now the backs started. And just to make my morning, I had to pop back in the bathroom for a leak, and Little Inchy joined in with the others and he was bleeding. First time in three days too. I assume when I bent down, he got squashed a bit and this pulled on the lesion and started it off? After such a good day yesterday, I half expected some medical hiatus or other to come on today. Tsk!
Took this photo of my breakfast above, got the laptop on and finished the Wednesday diary off, and then started this one.
The Winwood Residents Meeting is at ten o’clock in the hut. I made sure I’d got the stuff to take with me for their nibbles. My mate BJ might be coming to the meeting, he missed last weeks but didn’t sound too keen when I asked him on the phone if he would be attending this one. Bet he does come, just to prove me wrong (Hehe!) He might call later, don’t want to phone him, because he is not an early riser.
I got my Grammarly assessment through email.
I’m definitely getting worse at this spelling and typing lark. Humph!
I had a quick look on Facebook.
Then set to work doing, or rather doctoring the graphicalisation I did yesterday for the TFZ gang.
I added some of the TFZ gals to it as spectators/audience.
Took me three hours to complete.
Now I have to rush about to get ready for the Winwood Community Hut meeting.
Tsk!
Still, it didn’t come out too bad, considering I was rushing a bit to get it done.
Got shaved, cleaned the teggies, and dived into the bath with its Radox and lavender antiseptic disinfectant in it.
Well, I say dived into the bath; more a sort of painful struggling into the tub – it was even more so getting out of the tub. Medicated the body sections requiring such treatment and got dressed in clean togs and departed the flat to walk to the Winwood Centre.
The sun was bright, but it was 0º f on the thermometer.
I arrived in the centre, quite a few folk there already. I gave them the bag of nibbles to use as they saw fit.
Popular little gathering each Thursday, I’m hooked on it now.
So pleasant to listen to the others and talk about olden days.
It got busier shortly afterwards, and then BJ arrived, late as usual.
A good natter ensued, they had a raffle for bits of stuff, and much talking and laughter was present all the time.
BJ (41) left, Ernie (93) right, at the WinWood Hut, Coffee Morning
I sat next to Ernie, the 93-year-old tenant, and BJ sat opposite me when he arrived.They pulled his leg for not coming last week, and he paid them what he owned them.
They pulled his leg for not coming last week, and he paid them what he owed them fro to weeks ago.
He won on a prize in the raffle again! Hehe!
The time flew and it was time for us to be kicked out of the hut, as Deana and Julie reclaimed their workspace.
I went to see BJ off at this car. He hopes to come next Thursday again, as he enjoyed himself so much.
Back to the flats and as I passed the laundry room, I thought I’d better get some done while a machine was free; then realised I had the Morrison delivery coming soon, so made a cuppa, visited the WC and got the laptop on to update this diary while waiting the arrival of the fodder.
Not arrived yet, so I posted the photographs of the meeting on TFZers Facebook page.
The Morrison delivery arrived, no paperwork with it, despite my asking the driver for it and he telling me it was in one of the bags, it wasn’t? Naughty boy!
Started to prepare the meal. I’d ordered a bag of pre-cut fresh roasting vegetables; Potatoes, carrots, swede, leek and onions. Sprayed them with cooking oil.
They took the same time to cook in the oven as the Shepherds pie, so they went on the same tray. Had three small, I say Small, slices of Irish Soda bread to dip in the gravy. Followed by a Strawberry dessert. Not a small one. Hehe!
The vegetables came out rather well cooked and singed at the edges, but that is how I like them. Superb tasting! I rated this one 9.4/10.
Took the medications and creamed and gelled certain parts of my flobby-like body that needed attention
I watched some more of the A-Team DVD episodes and nibbled some nuts when I woke up an hour or two later.
I noticed some mail had been delivered. The Nottingham City Homes People had kindly informed me that my Basic Rent had gone down this year! I was overjoyed, and then I read on, to find the Service Charges, Support Charges, and Health Alarm charges had all gone up! Ah, well!
They also made me aware that I could write to my Councillor, MP or The House of Lords?
The other letter was from the caring Severn Trent Water people, advising me that I owed them £312.26 for the flats usage and £256.12. For the old house, that has still not been sold yet!
That cheered me up no end that did!
Got down in my 1959 imitation leather arm chair with the arms that are collapsing when I lean on them, and snuggled into the deep luxury throw, and drifted off into a dream (Nightmare) filled sleep.
If you see a Lawyer passing your car while riding a bike,
Why would you Not, run him over?
It might be your bike!
******
Sunday 28 February 2016
I burst awake at around 0220hrs, fretted a few seconds, then realised the heinously detestable dream I’d been having had not real; Boy was I glad about that! I was sweating and aching all over, and wrote down some notes straight away; Just as well I did, because by the time I got to writing this diary, so many of the details had drifted off into the ether.
I had got a job, in an immense conglomerate of a site, that seemed to have all the machines and offices that I’d ever worked it, and people I knew, but couldn’t name or link to anywhere.
The dream started in an office for the interview; and they seemed glad I joined them, then into a canteen with hundreds of four seater tables. Then someone came up to me and cursed me for not being in the loading bay to record something on the log? Then I was running all over the place searching for the loading bay.
Then someone told me when I asked them, where the bay was; On the roof?
Why I don’t know, but I went out of the complex, when I eventually found the way down and found myself climbing along the outside of cliffs, that turned into different types of buildings further on. The brickwork crumbled and somehow I clung on, then started mountaineering upwards and came to an inferner lift device, one for up, one for down.
Here I had the job of taking kids out of the dodgem sized scoops that came up to where I was, and throwing them into scoops on the downward section of the lift/hoist? The ankle snappers were each giving me much grief, some picking my pockets, some kicking me in the knees and privates and some throwing sweets at me! I had to keep climbing onto the rails and down or up to free the scoops when they jammed?
Not sure what happened then, but I found myself back at the complex, searching for an office I could not find. At times, I had to tackle climbing along sticks on the walls?
Boss’s kept chasing me and telling me this or that needed doing.
Then I was back on the coastline cliffs on the roofs of cottages with decaying tiles, desperately trying to catch some burglars who kept stopping shooting at me with I think, water pistols, it felt like they loaded them with bleach, it syng so much.
A bonkers dream, but frustrating all the way through.
The reflux valve was giving me some hassle this morning.
To the porcelain, to find ‘Little Inchy’ had been bleeding while I was sleeping.
Cleaned him up then made a cup of tea and got the laptop on.
Did yesterday’s diary and started this on off.
I had to rush to the WC Throne, during which I passed an emission of extraneous wind from the rear quarters, that must have shown as about six on the Richter Scale. This started the haemorrhoids bleeding away. Tsk!
The reflux valve was causing breathing difficulties now. Humph!
I spent many hours creating a graphic for the Troll Free Zone members.
Not one of my best, but I was glad to get it finished and posted.
Decided to get a cuppa, have a good soak in the bath, and take a walk into the park and try to get some interesting photographicalisationing done.
Going for me ablutions and medicalisationing of all quarters now. Hehe! Then get ready for my little walk.
Back in a bit, I hope.
1500 hrs: I’m back. Got the laundry going and started to read my book. Some folks coming and going had a natter or two or three.
Moved the clobber into the dryer the net off on a walk around Woodthorpe Grange Park.
On the way up the hill behind the flats to the park, a new tree had been planted, with this plaque at the foot of it: “In Memory of David Alex Gillett (My Darling) Loved and Missed so much”.
Felt myself swell up a bit.
Very touching.
Got to the top of the hill, and there were plenty of folk about today, football matches, pavement cyclists, screaming ankle-biters and yobboes lurking about in little gangs.
It was cold again too.
I walked along the top towards the footpath back down to the flats, and near the copse, I noticed a squirrel going across the mud and grass, then up one of the bare trees.
Got the camera out and tried to take a decent shot of him or her, but it went even higher, so these were the best I could manage to get.
This is the first squirrel I’ve seen for weeks. Do they hibernate?
Down the gravel footpath back to the flats, and had another read of me war book.
Then the foyer got busy with other tenants, and I enjoyed some more quick gossips in between.
About 30 minutes later, the dryer finished and I took out the washing and returned to the flat.
Put away the cleaned items. Got the lamb shank simmering in the saucepan. And took the two rubbish bags to the waste chute.
Made a cuppa. Changed into my slippers and put the dressing gown and sleeveless gloves on, it was getting really cold now. The forecast is for -3º c tonight.
Garden peas in the pan, made the gravy with the juice from the peas and got the fodder served up.
Had some potato cakes (Just out of date but still).
Put food in the small bowl and had a great time eating nd enjoying it.
Rated this 9.62/10. Great flavour!
I must try to get some more of those lab shanks tomorrow after going to the doctors. They are nearly all bone, but the taste is excellent.
Up at 0335 hrs, wide awake and hobbling as rapidly as I could to the porcelain. The tender tingling pains from Little Inchy en route indicated that I had some medicationalising to do. I was right! Humph!
Still hating myself for missing yesterday’s Community Hut Meeting, I made a cuppa and took the medications.
Started to clear up the things on the draining board from making yesterday’s delectable meal; I dropped a glass saucepan lid, that hit the floor, bounced back up and cracked me on my arthritic knee, as it went down again and landed edge first on my corn – then rolled and settled under the wall heater. When I bent down to retrieve it, I hit my head on the corner of the heater, swore, and as I got up the back went into agonising spasms that left me in pain with it all day! But, thinking about it, I most likely deserved it for missing the meeting yesterday? Gawd, I feel so guilty about that!
Got the laptop on to finish Wednesday’s diary. During which, I received and responded to several calls to the porcelain; Oh dear!
I must get down to the Co-op store in Sherwood today and get some of their Blitz paper towels while they are on offer, two rolls for £2 at the moment. I have some in stock still, so to speak, but like to keep ahead of the game with these, because the usual price is around £1.50 each. They are marvellous for cleaning the bath with, and using as a first towelling off after having a bath. Saves me having to wash so many bath towels. Proper little housewife (Well, single male flat dweller), I’m now becoming now I’m in me flat like, aren’t I?
Went to make another cuppa and take an extra Codeine Phosphate 30g, and suddenly became fixated with should I have Vegemite or Marmite on my toast tonight?
I’m pretty sure I’m going a bit pottier than usual today. Losing it in a pretty big way, but it had to come, as my Dad used to say; “You’re not adequate enough to live a successful life, so make a good job of your death. Oh, and don’t take a wife!” I never did understand that?
Priorities seem to be getting moved about in my head? Perhaps the end is nigh?
Still, if it is time for my departure, there will be some benefits, oh yes!;
You can all, help yourself to my stock of Blitz Towel Rolls. (See later)
Then there will something for folk to remember me with, as they clean their toilet bowls and windows? Hehehe!
I managed to regain a modicum of sanity and started this diary off.
Checked the emails then did some Facebooking and much graphicationalising.
Hours later I got an enjoyable bath and readied the things and myself for the walk into Sherwood. I got one of the high-quality Asda two for £10 jeans on. Not much room in them, Little Inchy might complain later, Hehe!
Set off in the misleading sunshine, shivered and hobbled down to the shops on Mansfield Road in Sherwood.
Taking a short cut through though the leave lined streets I passed where the builders were building four new luxury homes, ‘Coming Soon’ the sign said.
Hardly a brick in sight yet. Plenty of wood, though?
Called in the haberdashery store and checked out their Throws available. I was after a larger and thicker one for me 1959 Leather old fashioned easy chair wot I fall asleep in every night.
I got one, a brown one that suited the job, £20, very warm too. And it hides the hole that’s appeared on the right arm of the chair and stains from where I spilt the wood dye when I was treating the walking stick to a bit of renovation, which turned out more expensive that I thought it would.
£7 for the wood dye for the walking stick then had to throw away a saucepan after dropping the can and some spilling into it, £106 for replacing the spectacles I broke when the chair arm collapsed, £15 for the first quilt, that was not big enough, £20 for the second quilt, Tsk!
Up the road to the Continental shop and got a half-loaf of Latvian Sweet and Sour Rye bread. (I’ll try almost owt nowadays?) It was made in Peterborough, Complaints address in Huddersfield and the company was registered in Berlin.
Further up the hill and got to the Co-op, and tried to get some of the Blitz towels on offer at £2 a two-pack. I couldn’t carry too many as I had the large Throw to carry. Not that this mattered, they had put them back to full price; £3.65! Swines! – But it’s my fault for not getting them earlier innit? Yes, guilty as charged!
I left empty handed, to the suspicious glances of the Security Guard. So, no Blitz towels for you to grab when I snuff it, sorry. You’ll all have to fight it out for who gets any of my four cameras then? Word of advice here, don’t fight for the small Canon one, the battery cover is broken. The big Canon and the Lumix are the best. The little Nikon one is nice too.
Got to the bus-stop to check if a bus was due, and had about 15 minutes to wait. I had a natter with a sweet old dear also waiting; I think she fancied me because we compared walking sticks?Hehe!
Then when the bus arrived and I got on, I left an unfortunate aroma behind as a little ‘plop’ of an escapage of wind came out as I mounted the bus.
Back at the flats and remembered the parcel for the lady next door that someone had left outside her door, that I took into the apartment for safe keeping. (The parcel, not the door). So I fetched it and knocked on her door and handed it to her.
Put the kettle on for a cuppa, and then got the new ‘Throw’ and tried it on the ailing 1959 Leather armchair in the living room.
Very snug and cosy! It looks messy, but that’s alright, I got it for its warmth, not cosmetic value.
Note how I’ve gone for a minimalist and easy to clean design? Bottled water, newspaper, pen, TV paper, footrest and walking stick all handily placed? Just thought I’d mention it like.
Set about getting the fodder ready. I was suddenly feeling a bit ‘done-in’ for some reason. Put a steak pie in the oven, beans in the saucepan and seasoned them, when they were both done, I added the last of the boiled spuds from yesterday. Some Irish Batch bread, that was so nice.
Rated this overall at 8.8/10. Well, I’d spoilt myself with the lamb stew and lamb knuckle over the last two days.
Sat down and that was basically, the end of the day, put the goggle box on and fell asleep within seconds!
Woke up in the dark. Forced myself into the bathroom for a titivation, ailment creaming and the use of the porcelain. Changed into my night attire and took the medications.
I made two slices of the Latvian Sweet and Sour Rye bread and covered them with Vegemite. Nice!
Back to the living room. Selected a couple of programmes to watch.
Fell asleep, woke up around 0115hrs laying on the carpet with the throw over me? Not the foggiest recollection of doing this? Stayed there. Zzzz…
I stirred into life at around 0300hrs. Lay thinking about the dreams I’d had. Fell back asleep, woke up around 0600hrs and forced myself up and to the bathroom.
No hiatus’s in the ailment department, just coughing and sneezing as I passed almost life threatening emissions of wind.
Made a cuppa and took me medications, onto the laptop, and decided to upgrade my WordPress thingamabob to Premium.
A fat lot of good that did me! I expected the font list to appear in the editor, but no. I have to keep going into Appearance, Fonts and selecting a font from the miserable choice there each time, not knowing yet if this will affect the previous posts or not?No Dutch fonts in there anyway.
No Dutch or Goudy fonts in there anyway. The font colours were the same, with an option to add Custom colours, where you have to use a colour wheel to pick the one you want, and when I do another post, you have to pick them all over again?
Maybe it’s just my lack of education preventing me from grasping things, but I feel so disappointed with this after paying out more dosh!
There is an option under the normal Text type box appeared, to select ‘Preformatted’, but I can’t find out what that means or is.
When I select it, the text comes out like this; Preformatted?
Tsk, huh! And Humph! Still, I’ve got more memory for storage to save me deleting any more of my graphics I suppose.
Cash and time spent just getting myself annoyed and frustrated with my lack of brainpower, computer programming and education. Help! Hehe!
I went back to the kitchen, made a cuppa, passed more wind and shot to the porcelain. Phwoar, nearly gassed missen! Hehe!
Back to finish making my cuppa, and saw how beautiful the view was; despite the temperature in the flat being only 55º F.
Then trapped my finger in the drawer as I closed it.
It had to be the finger I burnt yesterday in my culinary experimentations with the Lamb Stew, Huh!
Finished yesterday’s dairy off and got it posted.
Must get some Facebooking done, I didn’t get to do any yesterday with getting home so late from Sister Jane’s posh house.
1000hrs: I’ll do it now I think.
1035hrs: Facebooking finished.
Hurriedly carried out my constitutionals, ablutions and took a bath. Nothing pernicious found.
As I left the flat, I met Malcolm from next flat to one, and he said for me knock on his door when I return and he’ll have a look at the TV to see if he could sort out for it to show the CTTV in the flats entrance for me, bless him.
Got out just in time to catch the L9 bus to Arnold.
Dropped off on Front Street and did some unnecessary random shopping and spending again. Tsk!
High above the great clouds lingered once more in the pretty blue skies. I wondered how long they would last.
The Fulton food store had some bargains I could not reject or deny myself; Two lamb hocks for £2.99 well in date and baby carrots at 39p.
I decided to have one of the lamb joints tonight and add the remaining bit of the minced lamb stew and some potatoes to it. Salivating at the thought I was, honestly.
I moved on, and nipped in a discount hardware shop and had a good meander through it. Buying, even more; A colander, stick on hooks, and a strainer.
Across the road, and up to Asda, calling in the Menswear section first. They had some jeans at two pairs for a tenner (£10), so I indulged myself and got some.
Then, I was off to the food sections and made for the bread department. Here, I did go overboard a scintilla: 6 Potato Cakes, a loaf of Wholemeal Irish Soda Bread and a pack of 6 slices of Irish Batch Bread all for £2.80.
Thoroughly ashamed of myself, I set off for the bus stop and waited for the arrival of the last L9 bus, back to the flats.
En-route, the astounding clouds continued to amaze me.
When I got to the flat, after staying awake the whole journey ‘Smug Mode Adopted’, I Visited the WC, then knocked on Malcolm’ door.
He came over an hour or so later and spend ages trying to get the CCTV channel on the set for me without any success. Shame. However, he did get the East Midland programmes on for me, including Nottingham TV. So now I can get the weather forecast for where I live as opposed to Birmingham. Hurrah!
He showed me how to choose the programmes I wanted to appear on the remote’s Guide listing. I’ll have a go at that later; if I remember that is. Sad!
I got the potatoes boiling and updated this diary.
Had a cuppa and took the medications.
Got the Lamb shank on the boil.
Put the potatoes in another pan to keep them warm.
As I was making the Nosh, I remembered I should have gone to the Community Hut Meeting this morning! I’m bitterly disappointed with myself now!
I had the nosh and a half, it took a lot of preparing, but it was so nice and tasty, it was all worth the effort.
Rated this one 9.59/10, the lamb shank and mince, could still taste in the morning.
Mmm!
I toyed with the channels on the TV Malc had adjusted. So, now I have Nottingham TV and East Midlands Channels.
Watched some programmes, falling asleep during each one; Heartbeat (Nodded off at the first commercial break, missed the last 45 minutes altogether). Road Wars (Nodded off many times, missed the ending). Hetty Wainthrop (Managed almost to the first break, missed the rest of it), and Jonathan Creek (Didn’t get to the first break even!). Huh!
