0100hrs: I woke, and it took a while for the dream that I’d had to clear away. I was in the most comfortable and well-equipped coffin and had been going through the act of vivisepulture; in this sarcophagus in the middle of a field of cauliflowers; with those in attendance singing “Come, all ye faithful!” up above. A Royal Blue coloured telephone was stuck on the lid of the coffin. I was thinking, marvellous! Now I don’t need my sleep, nobody rings, then I heard a knocking outside of the casing? I can only recall up to here of the dream but feel sure it developed much further.
0110hrs: Out of the £300 second-hand recliner, with unexpectedly remarkable efficiency and minimal nocive effects. I’m sure it is a different person wakes up in this recliner every morning. Hehe!
Fully extricated from the chair, and off to the Porcelain Throne. Oh, dearie me! This session was Trotsky affected, kerplunk-push-gush-cling like glue, affair. Messy in the extreme and left a sanguinary splattered Inchcock and wet room. Haemorrhoid Harold and the fungal lesion all bleeding. The cleaning up and medicationalising treatments took me fifteen minutes. Adopted a new pair of Protection pants. These episodes changed my previously perky-outlook on things.
Had a visit from Dizzy Dennis as I made my way to the kitchen, and got the Health Checks sorted. All the readings looked fair to me.
Made a brew and took the medications.
On the computer and started this load of hogwash going.
The innards started to rumble and grumbled, then hurt, followed with another visit to the Porcelain Throne.
Same as the previous session. Fewer evacuations though, and far less bleeding, thankfully, so the cleaning up was much easier to do.
Back to the computer and checked the calendar for today’s reminders. Morrison delivery due 0630 > 0730hrs. And twixt 1400 > 1600hrs Robin Hood (Nottingham City Council) Electricity supply change application for suitability meeting. Must email Mate Mike.
Went to make another brew for the other that I let go cold.
A foreboding looking sky outside as I waited for the kettle to boil.
0315hrs: Then I moved on to finishing yesterdays post. This took a long while.
0700hrs: Got it finished.
The Morrison man arrived, grand chap.
Got the stuff into the kitchen and eventually sorted and stored away.
The fridge now loaded a bit more.
I had the struggle to get the fresh fodder into the fridge.
It didn’t seem such a load this time.
That was because the bulk cost was the new saucepans.
Which came with instructions that could have easily baffled and bemused Albert Einstein!
Hand Wash Thoroughly. – Precondition the non-stick surfaces, wipe on the cookware with vegetable oil, heat gently, cool thoroughly and wipe clean.
A List of where not to use them, avoid scorching and hot heating? Conditions to use them in. Do not scratch surfaces. The cooker hobs may be damaged? Many more instructions on using them. Then a monologue of how to clean them. Storage methods. A list of Cautions etc…
Sorry I bought them now!
By the time I’d got them out, being too scared to use them, it was time for the ablutions so I can to the meeting in time. I’m fed-up already now!
Had a good scrub-up. Medicationalised the areas needed to be done. Took the black bags to the chute on the way out.
Lifted the saucepans empty box and filled it with recyclable stuff and took it down with me as I left to go to the Obergruppenfurheress Wardens Shed, to find out the time of the Robin Hood electrical suppliers meeting.
I dropped off the box near the recycling bin.
I noticed this wood pigeon on the opposite side of Chestnut Grove on the back verge and took this photo of the little beauty.
Bootiful!
As I made me along the road, taking care not to have an Accifauxpa on the wet leaves, I also avoided the deep puddled.
So much traffic and so little space for it.
I got to the hut, and Obergerfreiteress Julie and two other Nottingham City Homes employees were having a cuppa and nibble. One of them was the caretaker, I didn’t know the other bloke, but he didn’t smile or answer my cheery greetings.
Two tenants joined me as the three agreed that they will have to go and get something done. Hehehe! We had a laugh and nattering session.
I left, out to the bus stop where a few other residents were waiting. I was only going a few stops up the hill. Barry’s better half, such a friendly gal sat next to me and had a few words and a smile. I dropped off three stops later at the top of the road and made my way to the Aldi store. Where two more bags of shopping and £20 lighter in the pocket. I’d paid the lady and was on the way back to the bus stop.
I waited and waited.
Ten minutes after the bus arrival time, I walked down the hill two bus stops. Still no appearance of the vehicle.
I could see the flats in the distance, and decided to walk it anyway. Slowly.
It doesn’t show clearly in this photo, but at the bottom of the road, as I neared the right turn onto Chestnut Walk, the pavement was sheer wet, compacted leaves. I had a choice of walking on the street and getting knocked over or hobbling on the leaves and slipping over. I must have looked aright old dodderer gingerly making my way on the dodgy pavement.
The sun came out when I got close to the flats. It lasted a good two minutes, then withdrew; its days work finished. Haha!
I got the fodder away, and then suddenly decided to go to Asda instead of the electricity meeting. I’ve no idea why I made this choice. I think the brain kept it a secret from me.
Did the midday checks and medical thingamabobs.
Caught the bus to Arnold, the 15th-floor lady was also on her way out again, here she is in a deep-pink coat. A few tenants on the bus and we were somewhat raucous with our jokes and insults to each other, much laughter until they all got off the bus in Sherwood. Apart from me, who stayed on into Arnold; wondering why the heck I was making this long trip, just to get some Potato nibbles and Sourdough Bread? Especially at this late time of day? Had I finally lost it?
I alighted the bus, and straight into the Asda store, directly to the nibble shelves and got some Beefy Potato Sticks and Cheesy Curls and paid for them and was out and standing at the bus stop all within fifteen minutes.
I got the Dennis Dizzies while waiting for in the bus-shelter. Fool!
Back at the complex, tired and well weary now. I noticed some of the make tenants stood in the drizzle and looking almost what appeared to be longingly at the workers in the centre compound. I wondered if they were having withdrawal symptoms from their working days?
I see this often. No expressions on their faces, it seems they had accessed their memories and were replaying them. Were they perhaps builders of some kind in their younger days or what? Both of these two appeared to be in a trance as they stared at the workers?
I pressed on down to the Woodthorpe Court apartments and went up to the flat, in an almost completely-fatigued mode.
To the Porcelain Throne, where only wind and stomach pains resulted from my best evacuational efforts. The better side of this visit was that Little Inchy had bled just the tiniest bit. Haemorrhoid Harold had made much use of the Protection Pants, though. Haha!
Change togs and carried out the Health Checks, took the medications and got the nosh sorted. The gadding about must have increased my appetite. I ate all of this food tonight. Took me a while to get through it, but Herbert upstairs accompanied me with a little tapping and knocking, bless him. Everything on the plate seemed to taste fantastic, even the Sourdough bread went down so well. Why I had three pots of desserts, I can’t understand. But they were a delight to consume.
I managed to get the pots in the bowl to soak and back to the £300 second-hand recliner, got a DVD on and was in the land-of-Nod in seconds!
0015hrs: I gave up lying there in the recliner, trying to get some sleep. I emancipated my tired, weary wobbly body from the £300 second-hand recliner.
Made a brew and took the medications.
Got the computer on to update diaries.
0050hrs: Remembered, I had the laundry to sort out, so stopped the writing and collected the things and went down to the laundry room.
Spotted a new poster on the elevator corridor wall, and made a note of the date, to add to the calenders later.
Might be worth talking to them perhaps. Save a bit of money?
Hobbled to the washing room and got the things into the washer. Back up in the lift to the apartment and had a wee-wee. Then made another cup of tea to replace the one that had gone cold.
Apart from feeling phenomenally tired, the ailments were not severe.
Topped-up the soap capsule and freshener pots ready for the next visit. I did not wash the dressing gown or towels so they will need doing soon.
Did the Health Checks for this morning and collated last weeks one for the nurse.
0125hrs: Time to go down and move the gear into the dryer. The filter on the dryer had not been cleaned again, but I was too tired to get miffed over this infraction of Stalag Woodthorpe Rules. Hehe! Got this done and back up and added the things to the calendars, book and internet.
I found a note that had been shoved through the door yesterday that had floated in the breeze coming in from the gaps on the door, windows, and air-vents, landing behind the new heater in the hallway.
Got the Sunday post almost finished.
Then off to the Porcelain Throne. The left ear was found to be bleeding behind the tab-hole? Harold’s Haemorrhoids were bleeding extensively, but not a patch on how Little Inchies fungus lesion was profusely bleeding. Once more, I was glad I was wearing the protection pants. I cleaned up all but Little Inchy, I’ll do that later when I have the shower. Far easier to do it then, no less painful, but definitely less bothersome.
0218hrs: Off down to collect the washing.
Took this photograph through the lobby doors. Drizzling with rain again, but there was no snow at least. And it didn’t feel too cold out there.
Into the laundry room.
Got the things out and folded up.
Then got them into the bag.
Cleaned the filter and wiped the casings of the machines.
Back up to the twelfth floor.
Made a mug of tea, put the clothes away and had a wee-wee.
Finished off the Sunday diary and got it posted off, at last.
The dreaded wet and warm sensation came from the lower regions. Oh dear!
Harolds Haemorrhoids were leaking again. Cleaned up, applied the cream and change into another new set of protection pants. Blooming good job I’ve had Michael’s help and plenty of them in hand! (As if to put it!)
I was getting a little frazzled with life and things. Possibly through feeling so stonkered and all the new appointments, bleeding, and lack of sleep confusing me. And getting out of my control? Anyway, I was in an edgy mood as I closed the drawer after replacing the hydrocortisone tube after use, I managed to trap my finger in it! What a Plonka! Huh!
Made a start on this load of falderal. 0500hrs: Getting up to here, then went to the WordPress Reader page. Followed by a visit to the comments section.
Then, on to Facebooking.
Ablutions and medicationalisationing tended to. Not a pleasant task, sorting the fungal lesion out.
Took the rubbish bags to the chute on the way out. Where I realised I had not got my hearing aids in.
So I nipped back to the Batchelor-Pad and quickly collected them, and off out to the Obergruppenfurheress Wardens shed on Chestnut Walk. Had a natter with some residents in the foyer on the way.
The morning was looking a tad gloomy. Got in the shed and asked Lynne about the Heater lessons and Robin Hood dates and times, to confirm them. Not easy this task, as both hearing aid batteries had run out?
Out to the bus stop and another good chinwag with other residents there. I found that four of our apartment block clan have died this year so far – None of them was pleased with their new radiators or increased costs of running them. Yet, a smile and laugh emitted from most of them. A few are well known to be affected by geliophobia, bless them.
I had an enjoyable natter with the lovely lady on the bus from the 13th floor. I only got three answers in the crossword en route, and (I’m ashamed to say, I do not know the ladies name… well, can’t remember it, Tsk!) she gave me one of those answers. I had a feeling of cingulomania for a moment but controlled myself. Hehe! I found two batteries in the bottom of the bag and fitted them in the hearing aids.
I dropped off the bus at the terminus on Queen Street and took this attempted moody photograph as I walked down into the Slab Square, with the warmless sun facing me. A little pleased with how it came out. (Smug Mode Temporarily Adopted).
I thought about calling at the centre to get some new hearing aid batteries but remembered that they are closed on Mondays.
The shops looked a bit depressing in the City Centre, so many closed down nowadays.
Sad I know, but those in charge of things, the hierarchy doesn’t seem to be too concerned about this state of affairs. Or at least if they are, they’re not letting on.
I plodded to the Poundland World on Wheeler Gate. Where I got some two packets of suet pellets for the mallards on the canal, two more screw-top containers and spotted they had some Pork Farms pork pies in stock with an extended date, so got two of them as well.
Paid the lady on the till and had a Dizzy Dennis. This was a bad one, so I decided to make my way home instead of going to feed the mallards.
I made my way slowly toward the bus stop. Passing on Long Row a so-called Street Sleepers den in front of yet another closed down business.
I caught the bus back to the flats, no fellow-tenants got on en route today.
Once in the flat, I put away the purchases and did the Health Checks and imbibed the medications.
Got the fodder sorted, a bit of big one this time. (Too big, I left a lot of it, Tsk!)
A mixed rating gave for this dollop of nosh. From 1.5/10 to 9.7/10. Don’t know what that makes the average for the meal though. Let me use the calculator for this… Average 7.09/10 I think.
I wanted to watch some TV, thinking this will surely send me to sleep for a bit. For some reason the Freeview programmes, well 2/3rds of them would not show, just a black silent screen? So I reloaded them. While sorting out and deleting the many channels I did not want on the list, I accidentally hit the delete button on channel-801, which is the CCTV camera outside the foyer entrance. So I started over again.
This time it appears, I chose the West Midlands option over the East Midland one and got the wrong area on my listing. Getting annoyed with me now!
Herbert upstairs continued his occasional tapping and banging, while I reset the blooming thing for the third time! Guess what…
Even I found it hard to believe, but I got it wrong again! What a Plonka Grade One! .This time, I’d got it all right I thought and went to remove the unwanted channels, all seemed well… not sure what I did wrong or missed doing, but, when I got it all done, the previous screen still came up with West Midlands channels again!
Many years ago my old boss at the Co-op store I was working at, told me: “You are an Accident-Disaster-Prone-Kunzite!” I’d just stabbed myself while boning out some shoulder bacon. If only he knew how right this was going to prove to be all these years later! Hehe!
Peed off with meself now. I got the last Health Checks and medications taken? Then returned to the TV with renewed confidence and determination to get it right this time. I lied there!
I wet through the updating bit, then slowly and gingerly deleted the channels not required – then even more carefully, the last screen where I select the options. Made sure I chose the East Midlands… and… Wallah! Got it right! Hurrah!
Of course, by then the programmes I wanted to watch had been long gone. Tsk! Very late for me to be still awake, yet I turned on the DVD to watch some Torchwood Episodes. Selected the first episode I wanted to view and fell to sleep. I woke several hours later and turned off the DVD.
I believe I am getting far too lackadaisical, forgetful, Laodicean and incapable of living on my own without some sort of help, assistance or care. Still, never mind I thought and made a mug of tea, dropped it, cleaned it up and bent the mop handle!
Written by Nottingham’s most frustrated Pensioner. Hehe!
0025hrs: I gave up again, on getting any sleep. And with little bother from the ailments, dismounted the £300 second-hand recliner, into the kitchen to do the Health Checks and take the Medications.
0120hrs: Despite feeling so drained and tired, I soon got on the computer and started to update the Thursday post.
0230hrs: Got it all done and sent off to WordPress.
The stomach gurgled.
0238: Went to make another mug of tea, and that fearful wet warm sensation was felt again in the lower regions. So, off to the Porcelain room, I poddled. Oh, dearie me. The Little Inchy lesion had been pouring blood again. Heck of a job stopping the flow. Time-consuming, painful uncomfortable and messy task. But, thanks to my adorning the Protection Pants, a lot of hassle afterwards was saved. Thanks to Michael, by the way.
Feeling reasonably pleased with how things had gone, I got another pair of PPs on and started to get the pyjama bottoms back on. Lost my balance and over I went, landing on top of the clothes warmer. Which, is now a custom-designed garment-warmer. With more bends in it that it came with initially, and a new bruise on the right wrist and Hippy Hilda unhappy with me. Tsk!
All refreshed, I went back to the kitchen to make the mug of tea.
A bit of drizzle outside, but no high winds like yesterday morning, thankfully.
A taxi was lurking on Chestnut Walk. Either he had dropped one of our alcoholic tenants off, or was waiting to pick up one who worked odd hours. But he was right in between the two blocks?
I got the pain gel out to put some on the chest and wrist, and again Dizzy Dennis visited, and I went forward. Put my hand out stopping myself hitting the counter. Unfortunately, the gel tube of was in that limb! Comforting to know, that the cooker top, counter surface and crock-pot will be protected from pain for a bit. Hehehe, it shot out all over the place.
Back to the computer, and did some WordPress reading. Then the comments.
0355hrs: Next, the big job. Creating the page top graphics on CorelDraw and Paint. Back in a bit. Hehe!
0358: Sidetracked, off to the porcelain Throne in response to the gurgling and rumbling innards. Excellent session. No bleeding. Back on with the page top graphic making.
0740hrs: Got a few done. Then got the ablutions tended to early, as I anticipate medicationalisationing activities will be required. They were.
Got the bag ready and took the waste bags to the chute on the way out.
Blimey, it was cold out there.
Tip-towed through the ice and on into the Winwood Social Hut to wait until the bus arrived.
A few other tenants doing the same. Much chinwagging between them.
Caught the bus into town. A crow of us got off, an all the others sped away from me? Well, I’d had a shave and shower and used deodorant afterwards and put clean clothes on? Mmm?
I wondered if there was some Sale-On in town. No stopping the gals if that was the case. Hehe!
I crossed over and went to Tesco to the Victoria Centre (Mall). Bought some lemon curd yoghourts, sugar snap peas, pork knuckle a pork pie some Boczek meat and a TV paper.
Along Upper Parliament Street and crossed over the road near the Theatre Royal and down Queen Street to the bus stop.
Hilda Hip gave me a blast of twinges as I stepped onto the crossing.
Thankfully, it was not a really bad one, but it seemed to last longer than usual. But, there you go. No complaints today, I was doing well ailment-wise. Just the lack of sleep did me.
A bus driver was in a nook on the Post Office building smoking his vaping thingamajig. It didn’t-half pour out some sweet smelling smoke, through which I saw a pile of nub-ends thrown into a corner on the pavement, and thought it must be better for him than tobacco? The Vap thing, I mean.
One thing tickled me on the bus stop wast bin. A poster saying Thank You for keeping Nottingham clean! And underneath it dozens of fag-ends! Hehe!
Caught the bus that was late by ten minutes. I was glad I had not gone down the hill to find number 40 bus, though. The driver said the traffic was chronic!
He soon got me and other who got on later, back to the flats. One lady said the ride was like on a waltzer at the fair!
I poddled to the apartment and put the stuff away and got on with preparing the meal. So tired now, I did nowt but eat the fooder; and very good it was too! Did the checks and medication taken.
I rang Sister Jane to see how she was, a little better I think she sounded, her hubby Pete was coughing in the background. Hope they will be alright.
I did the pots and just settled, having put on the TV to make sure I fell asleep. Which I did in minutes. Then the workmen’s crane in the centre of the buildings started to creak and clang and it woketh me up. Tsk! Eventually, it stopped, and I turned off the TV, confident my lassitude and fatigue would soon have me in the land of Nod, which it did – until the hoist platform things started going up and down. Woke again and gave up for a bit and got reading the book. Not long after that, the hoists stopped moving, and I settled back.
Into sleep mode at last… for ten minutes, then the damned strobe and pillow fire alarms went off! I dare not ignore it of course. So the old rigmarole performance had to be done again. I think this must be the twentieth time it has given a false alarm since being installed a couple of weeks ago! Out of the recliner, to the door and tested it with the back of my hand for any heat, none there, opened it to listen-out for any alarms going off, none heard. Then, to the kitchen window and looked down to see if any fire appliances had arrived, there were none. Back to the recliner, now in desperate need of sleep!
Sod-me! An hour or so later, the door chime rang out! Humph! I have to admit it took me a while to dismount the recliner and get there to answer it. Nobody was about at all?
Back in the recliner, then the landline phone rang and flashed. Being on the stand-by list for the haemorrhoid strangulation operation, I dare not ignore the call. A chap with an Asian sounding voice, who waffled on, I had not the slightest idea what the man was saying. Put down the receiver, and felt like crying such was my need for sleep!
0150hrs: I gave up on getting any sleep, Again! The moaning noisy howling winds being the cause of this last night, they are still blasting away at the apartments now.
How the poor tenants with decent hearing are managing to cope with this awful scary wet weather, I don’t know. I bet I hear some tales at the Social Hour later. This along with the hassle of the radiator installation horrors and the mess cannot be doing us old fogies any good health or temperament-wise. I bet Jenny will have some words of wisdom for us at the Social. She can often use a couple of words that make such commonsense it stuns me, and makes me realise what a plonka really I am.
Now its started to rain with the gales. Tsk!
Off into the kitchen to put the kettle on and take the photo above. Then the call to the Porcelain Throne arrived. Oh, dear! Haemorrhoid Harold and Little inchy both bleeding somewhat profusely. At first, I was concerned at how long it took Little Inchy’s lesion to stop bleeding, but when I remembered the INR Warfarin level being so high, all concerns evanesced. I started to read the last chapter of the Lenigrad book. I wish every warmonger and their families would peruse this, horrifying true tale of human endeavour.
Cleaned up and back to the kitchen. I made a brew in the last remaining China mug I have left. (After breaking the best one last night, Humph!) Took the medications and did the Health Checks. The readings seemed okay to me.
To the computer with my tasty drink of Extra-strong English Breakfast tea and studied the scribbled reminder notes I’d recorded during last nights farcical Accifauxpas and Whoopsiedangleplops. And updated Wednesday’s diary.
This took me about two hours or so.
The winds not yielding at all. I’m getting fed-up of their noise after suffering them for over ten-hours now.
I closed the kitchen door. To keep the winds that are blowing in through the cracks in the wall, the air vents and the cracked window frame, from making the rest of the flat so cold. Still, we have all been instructed to keep that door closed as part of the fire regulation instructions. I kept it blocked open though, naughty me. I feared I would not be able to hear or smell anything burning on the stove from the other room with the door closed. That is my only claim in my defence, your Honour. Hehe! Shutting it did lessen the noise slightly, though.
Got the post finished and posted off. Started on this one up to here… and realised that the wind was no longer howling? Just blowing strongly.
I checked the WordPress comments and replied.
I nipped (Well, hobbled) into the kitchen to make another brew, and the room was like a walk-in ice-box! The winds I’d thought had decreased had not. It’s just that they were not getting through while the door was closed too. As I was making the tea, the winds whipping in from outside swung the kitchen door shut with an almighty bang!
0455hrs: Boy, am I going to be popular with the neighbours now!
Created the High Winds header for this post.
Then went on WordPress Reader. Next, I checked the Emails. None from the Prime Minister or Jeremy Corbyn, but Asda and Iceland sent me one. Hehe!
Went to make another brew, and the wind had definitely dropped now – but it was freezing in there. I turned up the radiator and put the oven on.
0635hrs: Back to the computer and perused the local news. Here are some of the headlines. Not very encouraging. Tsk!
I spent the next two-and-a-half hours getting graphics suitable to use in creating page-top headers. Worth the effort, but now I have to find time to get them done.
Took a photographicalisation from the main room window of the picturesque skyline.
Ablutions tended to, much less bleeding now.
Rubbish bags were taken to the chute, and off to the Winwood Tenants Social Hour Meeting.
Not so many made it today. I presume the poor things like most of us, got no sleep again with the howling winds.
Jenny was the Oberleutnantess for the meeting, very busy gal. The shed soon filled-up with more residents. It was another highly vocal session. Much laughter, singing and, as Jenny put in so well, much loud raucous noise. That the two new chap tenants were surprised at, I think. Hehe! I love to hear them laughing, shouting, insulting each other and singing. So full of life!
BJ was in much better health this week and chirpier. Helped me with the crosswords. Clever chap BJ is. I asked Jenny if she would keep my nibble-box there ready for next week and she kindly obliged. Then out to the bus stop and a chinwag with some smoker tenants out waiting for the bus.
The winds had dropped altogether by the time I arrived in Arnold and exited the bus into Sainsbury’s. Where I took a leisurely limp around, ending up buying: Apache Potatoes, Jersey milk, Marmite Cheese portions, Surimi sticks, Marmite Crisps, Melton pork pie, Anchor butter, flatbread and nibbles.
Out of the tore and had a hobble to the Asda store on Front Street, and got some potato chips and Curly Cheese nibbles.
I got the shakes at the check-out, which was a bit embarrassing. But I managed with the one steady hand. By now, I had two bags full of fodder to carry, but this helped keep the left-hand still. By the time I’d got to the bus stop, all was well again with the shakes.
Had a friendly natter with a chap while waiting. Who lives on the 6th floor, never met the bloke before, but he’s been living in Woodthorpe Court for six years he said. His brother lives on the 14th floor. I knew him, he was the man who was a sniper in Korea.
When we dropped off on Chestnut Walk, a crowd of other tenants go on the bus. and this time, I got a response or two, to my cheery “Hello, hello, are you all alright today!” Like from Roy: “What’s it got to do with you?”, and Lillie: “Gerrout of the way!” Hehehe!
Having gone two nights of sleeplessness, I felt well drained when I got back in the flat. I had some of the Apache potatoes, curly fries, potato chips, Marmite and Stilton cheese, pork pie, beetroot, tomatoes and sliced apple, followed by a lemon mousse.
Rate this plateful as a 9.1/10.
I felt beyond doing anything but try to get some sleep. To ensure this, I put the TV on, this usually does the trick, and it did. When the first set of commercials that came on, off I went. But not for long. Anne Gyna started giving me some uncomfortableness and the stabbing pains that woke me up. After this, it took me a long time to get off again, as the brain started its wanderings and diagnosing everything, questioning things, analysing, jumping from one topic to another.
Then the mobile phone rang on the Ottoman. As usual, by the time I’d gained enough nouse and found it, the ringing stopped. As I was fumbling to see who had called, the landline chirped up. I battled the £300 second-hand recliner and escaped its clutches and got to the landline in time. T’was Sister Jane. She did not sound very well, a nasty cold at least. I must send her an Email in the morning, as I was not entirely compos-mentis at the time. I did scribble down on the pad, ‘Pat, Cyril Road, Pam flat 80. Know each other.’
Back in the recliner, I managed to nod-off and woke up minutes later with a warm wet sensation from the lower regions. Off to the throne room, Little Inchy had and was, bleeding again. Luckily I had on the protection pants; this saved an awful lot of time cleaning up afterwards and avoided my having to throw away another pair of my knickers. Hahaha! Cleaned-up the room and me, packed the pants sealed them in a plastic bag, and used a separate disposal bag for them. Stopped the bleeding eventually. I will be so glad when I get the new cream from the clinic. This Daktacort is not so useful at all when the lesion bleeds heavily. Messy job.
Now there was no chance of any sleep. Laying there fretting, and feeling sorry for myself was no good. So I got up.
0230hrs: After another sleep-wake, sleep-wake horrible night in which I somehow found the time to have some nightmares, I gave up trying to rest and rose out of the £300 second-hand recliner and made my way to the Porcelain Throne. Gawd it felt so cold this morning! As I slowly engaged with the reluctant brain, I felt the pain in my right index finger. It had swollen and was very tender. No idea what had happened, though.
The session confirmed that Trotsky Terence had returned for an extended stay I think. Messy and uncomfortable.
Off to the kitchen and did the Health Checks. When it came to taking the medications, a significant cock-up, come Whoopsiedangleplop was discovered. Last night, I’d imbibed the Midday medications in mistake for the evening ones. Got a little confused over this.
I could barely believe what the kitchen thermometer was indicating. It was on freezing? And I felt it too! Brr!
I recalled last nights phone call from the lovely sounding lady from the QMC Haematology & Anticoagulation Department. Shame it came when I had just nodded off. I hope I got the message clear enough. No Warfarin tonight, then back to two a night.
I tried to use the new system given me yesterday by Nurse Nichole to book the next appointment. After getting lost and in a muddle a few times I got registered on the network. But it said this would take a long time to be activated. This is not good, for I am as sure as Tony Blair has plutomania additions, I would forget to do it later. So I used the standard email route, which they told me not to use, once registered on the new system. But I’m not logged-in yet cause I have to await confirmation, and I am all confused now, and apologise for confusing you. Tsk!
Typing is exceptionally bothersome this morning, with the mystery swelling and pain in the index finger. On the bright side, only Duodenal Donald and Dizzy Dennis are joining in the ailments daily ‘Let’s have a go at Inchcock’ sessions. Hehe!
0310hrs: Stopped doing this blog and went back to yesterday’s to complete that one. Doing this gave me an idea for a humorous ode. So I set about doing a graphic and then the poem.
0615hrs: All finished and posted now. The kitchen has warmed up a bit as I made yet another mug of tea. I realise now that I forgot to tell Nurse Nichole yesterday, about the thirst I have on me. Huh!
Went to WordPress comments. Time to get the ablutions done, to get ready for when my pal Mick… no, he prefers Mike arrives.
Has a nose-bleed, Haemorrhoid Harold bleeding, the tongue the same now and then. All I expect, due to the high Warfarin level.
Mick arrived, bearing gifts. A fantastic chinwagging session took place. I learned more about his escapes. A couple of hours spent that I appreciated and enjoyed. Cheers, Mick… Mick!
I was feeling a bit tired after my mate departed, and not of much use in the practical stakes.
I got the nosh ready.
Three small Pork knuckle sandwiches, sliced apple, potato chips, pork pie with the crust removed, tomatoes and beetroots. 9.1/10 rated.
As soon as I had gobbled it up, I fell asleep and had a dream.Again, I was being chased all over an abandoned or bombed out office block, through corridors, offices, stairwells, I was wearing yellow wellingtons and wanted to stop to take them off so I could run faster, but could not find anywhere to hide to do this? It felt at the time to have lasted for days, in reality, a few seconds. For the door chimes rang out and woke me up, seconds after I’d nodded off.
I still had the food tray on my knee, no spillages from the food-tray whatsoever, the yoghourt, which had the lid removed but not eaten earlier, was fortunate, it had turned green!
I made my way to the door. It was a chap came to see the kitchen radiator, and it’s being fitted too close to the cupboard and drawer. After he wondered why I could not make do with. By lifting the drawer and dragging it on the top of the radiator and taking the paint off of it with the metal runners underneath the drawer to open it. He said he would return in a couple of weeks and move the radiator, which will involve leaving holes in the floor tiles. I was still half asleep at this time, so I hope that the facts as mentioned earlier are right. A nice chap.
I got back down in the recliner, but could not get back to sleep. As I lay there, the grey-cells wondered off on their own independent course, until the Fire Alarm Strobe and pillow shaker activated. Humph! This meant I had no option but to get out of the £300 second-hand recliner again and to investigate. By doing all the usual checks; Find and put in the hearing aids. Go to the front door, touch the handle with the back of my hand to test for any heat, unlock it and listen for any alarm activations. Go to the kitchen and stick my head out and look down to see if any emergency vehicles had arrived, then wipe the counters and ledge and take off the now rain-soaked dressing gown (Tsk) – Rearrange and retrieve items blown over by the near gale-force winds that carried the rain into the flat. I found nothing untoward. Swore a bit, and return to the recliner.
This time I did nod-off quickly. Then the noise of the howling winds woke me up. Horrendous winds, made worse by the frames, scaffolding and holes in the wall outside I expect. So, I decided to make a mug of tea, fought my way out of the recliner again and to the kitchen.
Made a brew in the medium-sized China mug, and turned to carry it to the Ottoman, and Hippy Hilda gave-way painfully. I no longer have a medium sized China mug. Well, I do, but it is in hundreds of little pieces and has been deposited in the waste bin. Bending down to clean the kitchen floor started off Arthur Itis and Anne Gyna, and I cut my knee bending down, on a bit of broken porcelain. Beautiful that, just what I needed!
The winds had got a lot worse, too much for me to get back to any sleeping. I felt so sorry for the other tenants up here, who had good hearing, it must be terrible for them. I sat there thinking of all sorts of things for a while and decided I might as well get up and on the computer to update this diary. As I was getting up, I felt the spectacles breaking under my hand I was using as support… I wanted to cry. Hehehe!
0255hrs: After another night of very little sleep, and all of it seemingly in repeated five to ten-minute spells, I felt so tired. Forced my short-plump wobbly body mass out of the £300 second-hand recliner, to be met with Dizzy Dennis as I finally got up into a semi-perpendicular position. The brain joined the body shortly afterwards.
I decided that this morning, I will get down to the laundry room first-thing and do the washing.
Collated the clothes into the bag with the already prepared accoutrements and down in the ‘making a grating noise’ elevator.
Got the machine going and nipped outside the foyer doors to take this dreary photographicalisation of the view and weather. Wet again!
I got back up to the flat sharpishly and to the Porcelain Throne. I was sure that things would be messy, but no. Just wind. Nothing else. Despite the strangely different. Louder than usual rumbling and grumblings from the innards.
Down to move the stuff to the dryer. This was when I noticed the state of the machine. Whatever it was spilt or dropped onto the top of the dryer, it took some moving. Luckily I’d bought some cleaner and towels down with me.
Bits of similar marks were removed from the sink. It had dried hard.
The filter, I’d never seen so clogged and dirty. I think that maybe some new tenants might not have been aware of the need to clean them? But, there are notices on the wall asking us to clean the filters?
Back up to the dwelling and back in the wet room in another attempt at evacuation. All wind and aroma!
Set the timer to remind me about the washing. Got the computer on and downloaded and edited the photographs to use in this and yesterday’s diary. Started this blog off.
Made a brew and took a photo from the kitchen window.
Got the Health Checks done and took the medications. Made up last weeks record card.
430hrs: Alarm chirped into life, and off down to collect the clothing.
I saw that Jenny had some different posters up on the lift lobby notice board. Well, I say new, I haven’t been out for two fun-filled days.
Got the clothing out of the dryer, folded and into the bag.
Up again to the apartment and got the clobber put away.
To the Porcelain Throne yet again. Still all wind and aroma!
Did an Emergency Wrist Alarm Battery Check. Told it was okay. Thanked the chap, and had to adopt an ‘Urgent Ooh’er Mode’ and get to the Throne ASAP! – I needn’t have rushed. I got through two chapters of the Clarkson book waiting for something to happen. When it did, oh the pain. Rock solid – which confused me having all the rumbling innards earlier? How many other people toss-up a Senna and Dia-limit capsule in the air, and whichever one they catch first, they take that morning? One extreme to another nearly all the time. Humph!
Things developed a little contrarily. Little Inchy was now bleeding, Haemorrhoid Harold was bleeding. I was uncomfortable in the extreme, and I stubbed my toe on the floor cabinet while applying the Betamethasone cream. Then dropped the lid off of the Daktacort tube and clouted my elbow as I bent down to retrieve it and Hippy Hilda started playing up! I was turning into a wreck! Hehehe!
Pressed on updating this post up to here, and then went to the WordPress Reader. Next to the comments, not many, so I visited Facebook.
Made another mug of tea. (The thirst is still lingering?)
Tended to the ablutions. Took all five black bags to the waste chute, and readied everything, remembering to take the Audio-Clinic book with me to get some more batteries.
Off down and out into the rainy morning, but it was not cold with it.
The workmen were busy, deliveries coming in regularly.
Had to be careful on the wet leaves in the puddles and pavements.
I stopped half-way to the Obergruppenfureresses Wardens Shed and took this photographicalisation of the progress in the new four-storey apartment block being built.
The new higher crane had had its concrete blocks fitted.
Went into the shed and found Obergruppenfurheress Deana and Obergefreiteress Julie busy and just leaving on their duties. Quick greetings and off they poddled. Jenny and about six other tenants were in there, keeping dry and warm while waiting for the bus. A welcome and chinwagging session ensued.
Jenny asked if the radiator blocking the kitchen cupboard and drawer had been moved yet. I said no. I think it was only Thursday when I noticed this, and Jenny mentioned it to Deana, so I should hear something from them soon. So kind of Jenny to look after me.
Out to the bus stop and another natter with Roy and Gladys.
I snapped this drab picture of the two blocks with the cranes showing. The one on the left was blowing about a bit in the wind. I also caught Roy, bless his cotton socks as he adjusted his lethal four-wheeled shopping trolly. Great chap Roy and his better half. I’m lucky in some ways here. Jenny, the Newcastle gal, Margaret, Deana, Julie, Roy and many other folks I consider as ‘Special’, and all might pull my leg, but they seem to give me time, and I love them all for that. Without them and my Cyber-Buddies, life would not be so good.
Caught the bus, had a bash at the crossword book en route. Dropped off in town and went into the Poundland Shop in search of some Payne’s Chocolate Brazil nuts and any Pork Farm Pork Pies if they had any. I came out with two Pork Pies and four screw-lid containers, well pleased with that. I can use the lidded boxes to keep the potato chips now and have a fresh nibble at leisure. Haha!
The rain got a little heavier as I made my way down into the soggy slab-square.
Crossed through the square and up Friar Lane, then right and along to the end of Maid Marion Way then left up Standard Hill to the Audio Centre. I have to mention that Hippy Hilda, Arthur Itis and Anne Gyna were all gentle with me, and I got up the hill almost with ease! Great stuff!
As I arrived, I thought we were going to be in for a right storm. Darkness fell, and the rain turned into a drizzle, but by the time I’d crossed over to the clinic, it had brightened up a bit, and the rain stopped altogether? Weird that. Being as it was not open, I did not go in. Hehehe! But, not to worry, I can get some from batteries from SpecSavers. Which entailed me walking back the way I came from, Tsk! At least it was downhill this time.
Down to get the batteries, and called into the Poundland shop on Fletcher Gate en route. Maybe they will have some Payne’s brazils at this branch?
Nope! I came out lugging a full shopping bag now. With, a pack of sliced wholemeal rolls, Zoflora disinfectant, Bliss Lemon Yoghourts and some bars of chocolate called ‘Twin Peaks’. Should come in handy as Raffle Prizes at the Tenants Social Hour on Thursday, because they are different? Methinks anyway.
I forgot all about getting the flipping hearing aid batteries, due to my excitement at getting something interesting for the raffle and the screw-lid containers. Sad, innit?
I hobbled to and over the slab square and up Queen Street to the bus stop. Only the plates-of-meat (Feet) was hurting now. But they were making an excellent job of it. Haha!
The Newcastle Lady and a bloke tenant were waiting alongside me. I Wished I were better at remembering names. She is a right character and lovely woman. We had a chat, and all got on the bus. We were soon back at the apartment. We both walked from the bus stop, having another chinwag. She got off at the floor below mine, we said our farewells and wished each other well, and I got in and id the Health Checks and visited the Porcelain Throne, and sat and waited for yonks! Blow me, back to all wind again this time?
Washed up well, and wiped the contact surfaces with antiseptic disinfectant. Best be safe I thought, with the ever-changing evacuations modes, and the non-stop thirst, something might be brewing-up, a cold perhaps. Getting wet again won’t help.
I took the cellophane off of one of the lidded containers, and found it had a second slightly smaller one inside! So I washed them an filled both up with potato chips. One with beef flavour, the other with plain salted and added some BBQ flavour powder to it. I’ll have some of these on tonight’s meal later on.
Got onto sorting the photos and updating this post.
I stored the other bits I’d bought away and got the Health Checks and medications tended to.
Readings a bit up & down today. Hey-Ho!
Must get these trousers off and into the jammies, the legs and feet feel terribly cold now. All done! That’s a bit warmer now.
Got the nosh sorted.
Not as enjoyable or good as the last one, but I still enjoyed this one. The Pork Pie was delicious. (Note I removed the fatty crust this time, due to the increase in my weight of late!)
Gave it a rating of 8/10.
After washing the pots and settling to watch a DVD, dear old Herbert above was clanking and banging away again. But it didn’t last for long this time.
I got the DVD on, fell asleep and woke with the phone tinkling away. Getting out of the £300 second-hand recliner and over to answer the ringing, I stubbed my toe on the Ottoman. It was my old mate, Mike. Saying he would visit me in the morning. I explained about the blood test I had in the morning, and he kindly thought about it and said he would call Wednesday morning if I was free, which I was, and informed and thanked him. I think, being half-asleep at the time. Great of Mick to call again.
It took a hell of a while to get back to sleep after the grey-cells had been activated again. They went off on their own thought patterns again, determined that I should solve the problems of the world. Haha!
Settled and seconds later I had to go off to the wet room for a wee-wee. Bit of a Dizzy Dennis as I got out of the recliner, and banged my shoulder against the door frame en route. I believe I might have uttered words to the tune of “Oh, blow!”, or something similar.
Eventually, I got off to sleep a much-needed sleep, thankfully.
0220hrs: After getting over the resisted and reluctant waking up hurdle, the brain seemed atonally challenged and took a while before it joined the body in a sort of semi-coherence condition and a make-do survival state. When it kicked in, it was in a garrulous mood, but not making a lot of sense as it nattered away to me about things that needed getting done and sorted. The link to the memory didn’t seem active though.
Moments later everything my brain had informed me of, had diminished into the ether as the innards rumbled and grumbled, forcing me into a battle with the overnight fluid-filled legs to escape the £300 second-hand recliner in haste, to get to the Porcelain Throne in time. Which I achieved with about 2-seconds to spare! This session’s activities on the porcelain could be described as: “Whoosh, splatter, splat done!”
Diahorrea Duncan has returned. Took a lot of cleaning up of me and the porcelain afterwards. When I do the ablutions, I think it safer, bearing in mind how close I came to another Whoopsiedangleplop, I add a Diah-Limit capsule to the morning medication pot and will adorn the safety pants again today.
Tended to the morning medications and Health Checks. Readings were looking good.
Temperature a little high, and I’m still drinking a lot of juice and tea.
The itching around the upper torso is back again, driving me potty this morning. No pain as such, until I over-scratch. Rubbing the back against the edges of the door or using a towel. I’ll mention these things to the Nurse on Tuesday blood test.
I found the little notepad on the floor when I got back in the other room. As soon as I read the scribble on it, memories of the nightmare came back to me. For some reason, the writing was all readable and, this decided me to get the computer on and add this to yesterdays diary.
Went to make another mug of tea.
While the kettle boiled, I stuck my head out through the window to take this photo. I hope the lady who drives the red one on the far left, isn’t planning on going out this morning? Reminded me of the Parking Wars programme on TV.
Got the Friday post finished and started this one off up to here. Then posted the Friday one. Read and replied to the WordPress comments. Made another brew, and visited the WordPress reader.
0545hrs: Checked the Emails. During which knocking sounds heard from somewhere above, or maybe outside overhead? (Hearing aids not in) Had a look around but could not find the cause of them.
Then did some catching up on Facebook. The posts with the flashing moving pictures are giving me the dizzies, I might have to consider leaving Facebook, there are so many of these annoying things coming on nowadays it’s doing the eyes and health no benefit. It will not let me close or hide the posts, only the comments on the site. The only option is to ‘Unfriend’ the poster, I don’t want to do that, but may be forced into doing so.
I did some TFZer prep work on CorelDraw.
Stopped to get the vegetables prepped and in the Crock-Pot. Green beans, Chestnut mushrooms, parsnips, red onions and sugar-snap peas. Seasoned with a little Maggi. Back to the Facebooking.
Sorted the bag made up for the Nottingham Hospice. So glad to get rid of some of the stuff, to make it easier when they get the balcony done, and the big clean-up will be needed. Meanwhile, I dwell in a state of untidiness and noise from above during the week that gets worse every weekend, that is getting me hassled.
Then I got the ablutions tended to. Wrapped up well in warm clothing and set off on a walk into Sherwood.
As I got out and poddled up the gravel footpath hill to my beloved Copse, I could see right through her. So sad I felt, that. But the ailments were not too severe for me.
I turned back and took this photo of the complex.
I could feel the stomach building up for a rumbling grumble. A funny turn arrived, and in my mind, all the priorities, desires, needs and worries changed. I sat down on the damp bench for a minute.
The mind seemed to clear in a minute or so, and the Dizzy Deniss’s disappeared. I felt a little unhappy about this returning to so-called normal at first. It was as if I’d become a different person, yet with the same problems for a while? Hope this makes sense to you, cause it doesn’t make any sense to me. Tsk!
So, this stranger and I hobbled on up to the park and down the footpath onto Mansfield Road. I turned left up and over the hill and down into Sherwood.
This bit of the walk or instead memory of this bit of the trail seems to have skipped my mind as well. But the picture helped.
Into the Nottingham Hospice shop and dropped off the bag of donations. New lady in charge now, seemed nice enough bless her and the volunteer lady too.
I had a look around afterwards to see if they had any of the narrow at the top mugs. They didn’t. So I said my farewells and thanked them.
I left, out and over the pelican-lights lights safely; despite a pedal cyclist going through the lights on red and nearly hitting me and another old chap as we began crossing. Humph!
To the Royal Mail box and posted the letter I’d received for some unknown previous tenant of the flat, marked Not At This Address’. Then, I’m afraid, I started a search of all of the Charity shops (Well, most of them) for any keep-warm mugs.
Sur Ryder: Came out with nothing. Mencap: came out with a jumper. Children’s: Came out with a DVD. Oxfam: Came out with a towel. Mind: Came out with two mugs. What a clot! I took into the Nottingham Hospice Charity Shop, jeans, undies, saucepan, towels, t-shirts and other bits, and ended up coming home with more rubbish to take back to the Hospice! Apart from the mugs, which the lad at the Mind Shop would not let me buy one of them because the ticket said £3 the pair on it. I suggested I took one and paid the £3, but no, I had to buy them both.
Got some tea-bags and lemon curd yoghourts from the Co-op and made my way to the bus stop at the top of the hill. Here, I met Welsh Bill and lady tenant. We had a good chinwag. Bill told me about the surgeon who had been searing his initials on peoples kidneys when he replaced them.
Back in the messy, untidy scrappy apartment, to be greeted by Herbert above’s noise, banging and tapping this time. Every weekend it is worse than weekdays.
Got the pasty and potatoes into the oven, turned the vegetables in the crock-pot to a low setting.
Made up the meal, and very-nice-too! Beef pasty, tomatoes, sliced roast potatoes, parsnips, green beans, sugar-peas, mushrooms and parsnips. Yoghourt and a mug of Clementine Juice, using the new bigger container I’d bought earlier. A mandarin & Lime yoghourt too. Rated this as a 9.54/10.
I think Herbert above dropped something heavy while I was eating this feast. I heard it while I had the headphones on to listen to the DVD I’d got and didn’t need. Tsk! The Magnificent Seven, the 2016 version I think. Crap! Violent, but the storyline terrible. I’ll take it back to the charity shop later.
After washing up and utilising the Porcelain Throne (Messy, wet!), I changed and settled adequately into the £300 second-hand recliner to watch some TV. Dizzy Dennis returned, and concentration was almost zero. So I turned off the television and listened to Herbert’s noises for a while. Tap-tap, chipping, knocking… I can’t complain really, cause it is still so early in the evening.
But getting any sleep was farcical. Not because of the noises from Herbert, but the noises in my head. The body needed to sleep, but the brain refused to cooperate with it. This has never happened before like this, and I don’t know why it is so.
0240hrs: Woke, while remembering a dream about being chased through sewers the brain informed me that I was thirsty yet again. I reached for the mug of orange juice on the Ottoman near the £300 second-hand recliner, only to find it was bone dry. So, I gingerly manipulated the body mass free of the chair and put the empty giant mug in the bowl to soak and made a small cup of Yorkshire tea.
Got the computer started, took the medications, then did the Health Checks. All the results looked okay to me. A bit up and downish though, this week.
Off to the Porcelain Throne. Messy, very messy!
Downloaded the photographs to use on yesterdays and this post. Did this one up to here, and updated the Thursday codswallop, and got it posted off.
At last, I got around to responding to the WordPress comments. Then I did some WordPress Reading. On to Facebook catching up.
Ablutions tended to. Put the radio on while shaving and Bad News Flowed. I heard that the Nottingham Trams were not running due to an armed robbery incident on the route.
The Nottingham Train Station was evacuated after the fire broke out at around 6.25am.Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Servicesay that 60 firefighters from eight stations are at the scene. The Station is closed, with no trains arriving or departing, and is set to remain shut all day. Oh, dear, and they just paid £50m to upgrade this too!
Roads around the station have either been closed off or are very congested.
Nottingham City Transport is not serving any stops at the station or at Arkwright Street.
Various roads closed off for the investigation by the police; this news was followed with: Nottingham Railway Station has twenty fire-engines in attendance at a fire that apparently started in the toilets on the concourse. No trains and no trams today; This was followed by reports of Traffic mayhem, and we must check before we attend any hospital appointments today, due to staff being unable to get into work.
I checked on the weather I was about to go out into. Tsk!
Spruced up, I took a recycling bag to the chute on the way out.
I thought it might be a bit of fun if I took the camera and went up to Nottingham Castle to get some shots of the Station Fire if I could. So I did.
Outside and took a couple of photographicalisations around the block of flats.
Got to the bus stop and had a chinwag with some others there, Frank and Welsh Bill both in the sarcastic, insulting mood, and we had a laugh or two.
Had a go at the crossword book en route into town.
Made my way straight to Robin Hood’s Maid Marion Castle. I got a bit of a shock when I went into the little shop to use my Pensioner’s card to gain entry.
Yep, £6 to get in. I fumbled and found the one twenty-pound-note I had left, put on confident, nonchalant smirk-come-smile and cried inside, and paid the nice-lady. Hehe! She said I could use the ticket again if I want to gain entry, but it had to be used before March. I was not sure I’d be up to wanting to go there in freezing February?
Paid my respects at the War Memorial. Ten minutes or later got a sensation from lower regions. Embarrassed, I went into to some trees and had a feel around. Just a little bleeding from Little Inchy, but nothing to fret over… I thought.
Then at the Victorian Bandstand, I took a photo of the castle from the low area.
I struggled up the incline to the Eas-West wall and hoped to get a photo of the station and maybe a little smoke or fire engine or two. But no luck, wrong position and a little misty. I thought I’d plod on my way up to the top level to try there. By the time I get there, the mist might have cleared by then.
But, iI did take this of the old cave houses that Nottinghamian Proletariat folk did live in, many years ago. The brick building was built in 1895, much modernised since.
A bit of a steep walk up the path to the old stone inner moat bridge.
Where I came across this whatever it is? Plainly very old and weather worn, a bit like me really. Haha! I can’t recall seeing this before on any of my many previous visits. I spent a while recalling my meeting a girl who worked at the Wimpey Bar on what was then Gramby Street (I think) before they changed the name to Maid Marion Way.
Be about 1963/4 I reckon.
Over the bridge and left, looked at the steps that needed climbing, took a breath and pressed on up to the top in one go. (Head shakes with pride mode adopted!) When I got to the top of the concrete, there were two animals straight in front of me, a squirrel and a magpie on the small lawn. I carefully got the camera out as I took the last two steps… and tripped. Flash, whoosh, they were gone! Humph!
To the wall and the entrance to Mortimer’s Hole. Mortimer History ← Click here.
Of course, there would be trips down this time of year during the week.
This brought back memories of long ago and got me a little excited.
I went to the uniform gallery, and that was locked up. Then to the History Museum and that was also closed.
As I turned the corner to go back around and down to the lower level, there came the wet, damp sensation from the lower regions. This time there was no need to check. Good job I had the safety pants on, I think I must have had a message from the EQ that made me wear them today? I carried on down and out, to catch the bus back so I could clean up, use the Daktacort cream and sorts things with Little Inchy. Darnations! just paid £6 for this visit too! Huh!
Luckily I did not have long to wait for a bus as good fortune had it arrive within three minutes of my getting to the terminus stop. A most uncomfortable ride home. I thought things had settled and the bleeding might have stopped on its own; as I fidgetted in the seat.
The compound was abuzz with activity as I walked back from the bus to the flat.
Hastened into the wet room to sort out things. Well pleased with how the pad-pants protected me this time. Far less mess and hassle to clean things up. Put the unwanted items in a blue bag, sealed it, had a shower then took the blue back to the proper bin. Returned to the flat, changing into fresh trousers and fell over when I got my leg caught in pulling them up. What a state I was in. Hit my shoulder on the way down and banged my elbow on the way up. No, hang on, that was the other way around. Hahaha!
Took the belated midday medications and did the Health Checks.
Got the computer on and had a couple of hours and a bit updating this post.
Nosh sorted. A simple affair, curried beans, tomatoes, sliced apple, potato chips, Scottish Plain Bread and pork knuckle followed by a lemon mousse.
Did the pots and drank more Clementine juice and made another mug of tea.
Health Checks and medications tended to.
Settled in the messy, untidy room to watch TV. Unhappy with the mess around me, but aware that they will be returning to knock out the balcony and fit a new one, also to sort out the radiator drawer and cupboard door blocking and making more mess.
Started to watch a Law & Order episode and lasted only up until the first set of commercials, the nodded off.
A scary dream woke me. In it, just about everyone I’ve ever known, and film characters, singers etc. were chasing me, in underground tunnels. “Shouting “You’ve got to go youth!” repeatedly. Where to I didn’t know, just felt I did not want to go wherever it was. We were suddenly on a ship, below deck, (Me still being pursued on foot) a cruise liner type, but it was scruffy, for there were portholes in the passageway… I was ejected out of one of these openings and recall thinking as they hacked off bits of my torso to get me to go through the window, “Well, at least I lost weight before I died”. Down into the cold ocean water… something else happened I’m not clear on, and then, I was in a barred cage with penguin looking angels approaching. They were most annoyed telling me they did not want me here, there were not enough pilchards to feed me… and I was back, body-parts reattached and being chased in the underground tunnels, by all and sundry?
I got the torch and scribbled notes of this dream. So glad I did now, cause the memory of it was very vague in the morning when I updated this blog.
I spent a few second trying to work out what could have prompted this episode. Not that it mattered, and was soon off into the land of nod again.
Odder than usual morning today. I stirred into imitation life around 0215hrs, no memories of any dreams, although I know I had some. I had to make a concerted effort to create a bee-line for the Porcelain Throne, after the most amazingly straightforward and near painless task of getting out of the £300 second-hand recliner. All of the ailments, apart from Hernia Harry were still asleep I reckon. Haha!
But, once I settled on the plastic seat, Dizzy Dennis awakened, fiercely. I even thought I was going to topple off of the Throne! Only lasted a minute or so, though. Another messy multicoloured session. Not that it concerned me overly, what with Arthur Itis, Hippy Hilda and the other ailments being so kind to me.
I knew I had run out of advance prepared drafts and Top of the page graphics. So I decided this needed doing first.
It took me until gone 0800hrs to do the pictures on CorelDraw and make up the diary drafts.
Then, I did the medication taking and Health Checks.
Still got a bit of a thirst on me.
I semi-cleaned myself up ready for the Morrison delivery.
Then realised that they were not due until 1100 > 1200hrs. What a clot.
No signs of any workmen down below yet?
Lots of tasks to get done yet. WordPressing and more CorelDraw stuff in the queue. Facebooking and mails to examine; and, the time ran out. I must get ready for the Tenants Social Hours, TFZer catching-up, get the prizes and nibbles sorted, bo the waste bins. Oh dearie me!
Back later.
I’m back. The Tenants Social Hour went exceptionally well, today. The gals burst into song occasionally, well, twice. I led the applause after each occasion. Very upbeat session. Plenty of sarcasm flowed twit us all. Along with laughter and leg-pulling. I put the prizes with the others. Jenny was in good form. Bought the raffle tickets and gave them away. BJ came, and we managed a little natter before he took the raffle trolley duties up. I left a bit early in case the Morrison van arrived.
Back in the flat, and made yet another mug of tea. This thirst is bamboozling me!
Got on the computer to update this load of codswallop.
The site was buzzing with busy people by now.
I feared that the Morrison man would not be able through to the flats with all the commotion of the delivery lorries bringing concrete blocks, cranes and more scaffolding for the Willmott-Brown men.
But he got through on his second effort.
I’d forgot about ordering the tomatoes and bought some yesterday. Seems like I’ll have to live on these tomatoes now for a few days or more?
What a thumble brain I am!
1125hrs: The door chime rang out; It was none other than my old mate Mick Charnley!
Boy, was I glad to see him! Stories, memories and recent history were exchanged. We shared much laughter for hours. Mick departed around 0330hrs, leaving a happy, but tired Inchcock behind him. I pictured him leaving and giving me a wave as left. Bless him.
I pressed on with the updating of this post to here. Then, got the nosh sorted out.
Scottish Plain bread smoked sliced belly pork sandwiches, mini-tomatoes with balsamic vinegarette, sliced apple (Without cutting any fingers!), potato chip sticks, sugar snap peas, BBQ lentils, red onions, two miniature pork and pickle pies. A case of the eyes being more prominent than the belly again, and I left some of it uneaten. But enjoyed it.
Got the washing up done and settled to watch some TV. A farce really, kept nodding off and waking to a different frame or programme altogether to that I was watching, when I drifted off. This went on for ages until I found the sense to turn off the TV and sleep.
I woke up in the early hours, wanting, no, almost needing a drink. The mug of clementine juice was empty, so I got out of the £300 second-hand recliner and went to refill it. Signs of nocturnal nibbling and possible somnambulation were spotted. A tub of chocolate nibbles had the lid off of it? – The cold tap was gently running? – A cupboard door was left open? Most mysteriously to me, my fingerless gloves were on top of a lidded saucepan on the stove?
0145hrs: Seemed to shoot awake and found myself looking around the room for an old lady who had been in my dream, and blimey, it felt so real.
The lady floated down through the ceiling and hovered above me, then sank down and stood in front of me – I got the sensation that I knew her, but was aware even at the time, that I didn’t? I thought, this can’t be a dream because she has a shadow, so she can’t be a ghost either. Thewhole thing only lasted a few seconds; well, it felt like it to me. She spoke with the most beautiful Welsh accent: “You must not donate, they will come for more, and you will fatally give more… Remember this, my love…” and she faded away while blowing me a kiss?
Afterwards, I thought, perhaps she got the wrong address? Hehe!
Not the most interesting of dreams to remember, but I felt so much like it was actually happening.
I had to pull back my mind from this and make an effort to rise out of the £300 second-hand recliner and off to the Porcelain Throne. This session could best be described with two words: Messy and Yellow! We’ll say no more. Cleaned up and off to the kitchen.
Did the health Checks and took the medications. Made a brew and got the computer on to finish yesterday’s post and sent it off.
0240hrs: Remembered that I needed to go down to the Laundry room and get the clobber cleaned, so I did. Collated the equipment and washing, down to the foyer on the way to the cleaning room.
Three new posters from Jenny, on the wall. The saddest sign of the year greeted me on the board facing the doors as I got out of the elevator. Dear old Eddie has passed away. An amazing man, who everyone liked or loved, a treasure lost. This photo I took is of Eddie enjoying his tipple on 16th December 2016 in the Social Hut. Cheers mate! Of course, now I am banned from making any snapshots of the residents nowadays.
Another poster was on the wall, from Jenny. (Busy gal!) informs us of a possible sneak thief in our midst!
I’d have thought a CCTV camera would have been installed in such an establishment as this. Not only or primarily to catch or identify naughty people, but to monitor the health condition of the Senior Citizens. Even those stealing from other pensioners! Just a thought.
Last of the posters, might seem inconsequential compared to the other two. But, it is kind of Jenny to remind us of this availability on a Saturday, and for opening it up for our use if wanted. Personally with the buses on a Saturday being only every two hours, and a total of four, if I go out on a Saturday, I tend to get confused and often miss the bus back.
I don’t know why I mentioned that, cause I get confused most days. Hehehe!
Got the washing in the machine and back up to the apartment.
Started to do this post, then back down to move the washing to the dryer. Oh, dear, the dryer filter looked like it had not been fluffed-out for several washes. And the sink was disgusting! Looked like someone had been plastering a wall and cleaning the tools in it! I’ll take some spray down with me on the last trip.
Up to the flat. Took this photograph out through the window.
No frost or ice this morning.
I started this post updating. Time flashed by and back down to the launderette to collect the clobber and titivate the room a bit.
Got the clothes folded and packed into the bag. Cleaned the filter and wiped the casings.
Then tackled the sink that someone had left in a right state. I reckon it might be one of the new tenants because this has never occurred before.
Naughty Tenants!
The grime took a long while to get cleaned off; it had an alabaster-like texture to it.
I opened the washers to freshen the insides a little, and in the first drum, I found more alabaster-like patches stuck on it?
So I cleaned them off, but they were easy to remove, not like those marks in the sink.
Then, as I was opening the door to leave the room, Hernia Harry started giving me grief suddenly? This might have been caused by the bending down or scrubbing away at the sink. Either way, he was not welcome! Hehe!
0435hrs: All the clothing stored away, accoutrements placed in the laundry bag ready for use on the next wash. Kettle on and made a brew. As I sat down to continue with the updating of this post, Hernia Harry again let me know he was active.
Did the graphic above of the dream and put it at the top of this post.
Made a graphic for the TFZers:
Nearly time for the ablutionisationing. Quick bash on Facebook and WordPress reader, them off to scrub-up.
Teggies done, then shaved. A Jolly nice shower was taken. Medicated the areas in need and got the rubbish bags to the and down the waste chute. Tried to make sure I had everything needed.
Took this photo just before leaving. The mist cleared, but the rain did not.
And guess what I forgot to take with me. My hat! I realised when I got out into the rain, Well, I would wouldn’t I? Haha!) Too late to go back up now to fetch it, I thought if I did, I’d miss the bus. I’ll see if I can buy a cheap one while I’m in Arnold.
Got to the Obergruppenfureresses Hut and had a quick chinwag and laugh with some other residents. Then caught the bus into Arnold. Nice chit-chat with a lady passenger. Made her laugh a bit, and that cheered me up.
Out in the rain and into another shop. Every one also too large. I popped into the Poundstretcher and got some black waste bags and a fabric refresher.
Called in the butcher and got some shop-cooked belly pork. Then in the big store and checked out their hats on sale. Every cap was too small, apart from one that was far too large.
Walked, getting wetter as I plodded on, to Asda (Walmart). First I went into their clothing section, and believe it or not, every hat they had was too small for me!
Spent a good while nosing around the food shelves and ended up getting: Four more tins of the curried baked beans, pork steaks, tomatoes, mushrooms, nibbles, a parsnip, a turnip, green beans, sliced red onions, sugar-snaps, Cox’s apples, orange yoghourts, and a TV Magazine.
Paid the nice gentleman on the till what I owed and made my way to the bus stop. Where I met fellow tenant Roy from the fourteenth floor. Good chinwag. Welsh Bill and four other residents got on the bus in Sherwood. Welsh Bill said he had now sorted his radiators out, he hoped. The Company that manufactured them told him to reset to factory standard. Which he did, and all seems well now, but he has not had a monthly bill yet, so he’s see what happens then.
All off the bus and they all went into the Social Hut. Roy caught me up before I got to the flats and I told him about Polish Eddie, pointing out the notice Jenny had put up about it. His only concern was the stealing of the Bone China cups. The other fellow with us, kind chap (I hope he is not the noisy Herbert from above me – He wasn’t, he got out of the lift on the 11th storey) Said our farewells, and I got into the apartment and had a wee-wee.
I was about to get the fodder unloaded as one of the Willmott-Brown external platforms came up passing the kitchen window. Although I didn’t catch them by the time I got the camera out, there were three women workers on it. That could be awkward if they found any bloke stripping off in his bedroom? Hehe!
I had a terrible thirst on me. Guzzled no end of orange juice from the fridge.
Unloaded and checked the items bought with the receipts. No overcharging today. Although some git gave me a five-Peseta coin in with my change! Humph!
Got two of the pork thingies, Shoulder Steaks, that’s them, and trimmed some parsnips and turnips, plopped them all in the slow-cooker with some pork gravy granules and a drop of Maggi in the water. The sugar-peas and green beans I can cook separately later in a saucepan afterwards.
Took the hearing aids out and noticed they needed a little TLC.
Got the tools out and de-waxed them, poked the tubes out and washed them. Then changed the batteries.
I was pleasantly surprised at how the fingers let me get the task done. No freezing or twinges. Then I realised that apart from the still stinging poor old feet and Little Inchy bleeding, the other ailments seemed to be giving me a break today? Good Stuff!
Putting the things back in the medical drawer and shook it a bit, and the Enoxaparin needle fell off of the top and shattered. As I recall now, I might have muttered something like “Well, fancy that!” at the time.
Poured out another giant mug of orange juice and got the computer on to update this diary.
Half an hour or so later, I went to check on the crock-pot and remove some fat that had floated to the top. And refilled the mug with orange juice. Why this thirst? Is it due to the radiators? Can the Aliens take the blame? Have I got a cold coming on?
The tiredness dawned. And I decided to set the alarm clock to remind me to check the pork and get my head down for a bit. One last check on the crock-pot before I got my head down, and to my surprise, the pork was well cooked and ready. No head down for me yet. I turned down the slow cooker and got the vegetables cooking. Sugar peas and beans in one saucepan and mushrooms with Soy sauce in the other and prepared them quickly. Got two part-baked cobs in the oven.
Can you see the face in the pork steak?
Picked out the turnips and parsnips from the cooker, then the pork onto the plate. Put things in the sink to soak as I went along. Added the veg and sliced tomatoes. Added the chips, two cobs and lemon mousse to the plate and got settled to dine rather well, I thought. Another mug of orange juice.
I purposely ate slowly. Savoured this much-better-than-of-late feast. Rated this as a 9.4/10 effort. I think cooking the parsnips and turnips in with the seasoned pork turned out to be a good idea. I slowly voraciously devoured and decimated all in front of me. (Not the cutlery or tray, you understand? Hehe!)
I put the dish down and drifted off into slumber. Woke-up shortly afterwards in desperate (I thought) need of the Porcelain Throne. Out of the £300 second-hand recliner with relative ease and lack of pain and got myself seated on the Throne… wind and nothing else evacuated. Read a bit of new book while waiting. I was well-awake of course by the time I gave up, still have the sensation that I needed to ‘go’.
Took this photo of the rather beautiful sky.
I washed the pots up, feeling in a sort of haze of thoughts, everything and everything seemed to come into my mind for pointless considerations. Terrorism, Brexit, the radiators in the flat, Hippy Hilda, which tea-bags were the best, Poor old Eddie, Fooey, Dad, the lack of buses, hearing aid problems and I felt sorry for Teresa May having to cope with the mess that the coward Cameron had run away from, sorry for my not getting a proper education. Oh yes, the mind did its own thing, wandering off on tangents and I just let it go.
Which was not a good idea as it turned out. Cause I got the pointed end of the steak knife stuck down a fingernail while drying the pots! Still, it brought the mind back to reality. Haha! It also made me realise I had not done the Health Checks nor taken the medications, so I belatedly did so.
Once again I got settled down. I think the mind must have felt guilty at letting me stab myself and gave me a rest so I could nod-off quickly, which I did.
