Well, I’ve been up since a quarter past two this morning and the wind just hasn’t died down. (I’ll have to give the beans a miss in future). It seems the tail end of a hurricane is with us and what a tail it must be as it’s now 11.00 pm. It was so dull this morning I couldn’t open Joey’s cage at 8.00 am, it was still bad at 9.00 am but I put the lounge light on for him before opening his door. The nurse came about 10.30 am and I was delighted that I knew this one. When I had the chest infection and breathing problems last year she was one of the team that came. She’s now changed teams and volunteered to come when she recognised my name today. I was pleased as she was very gentle. Still strapping those bandages high though. Had lunch at 12.15 pm and just didn’t enjoy it, in fact threw half away. But I did make up for it with two mince pies. After Bargain Hunt I slept till about 2.20 pm so had some catching up to do back at my desk. I still managed to fall asleep in my Antiques Road Trip programme and then again in Warehouse 13. I came back through at 9.00 pm ready to catch up for the evening and then go to bed and read. I’m heading for my bed now. 11.20 pm and all’s well.
Daisy Daisy give me your answer do……
Tuesday.
I didn’t get up until 2.40 am so by the time I’d faffed around getting to the kitchen and taking my meds I had to delay breakfast for an hour so it didn’t clash with the antibiotic. I took a coffee back to my room while I waited. I could still hear the wind outside. I went back at 4.00 am and got some toast to keep me going till lunchtime. By 7.30 am I’d just caught up on the overnight stuff and decided to get dressed, making sure I chose a pair of jeans with wide legs as getting the slim ones off is a comedy in itself. It looked fairly light do I stuck my head outside the front door. I was missing a doormat and my waste food bin. The latter I found buried in a clump of dog roses. I forced a slipper on as far as it would go and went looking for my mat.Pauline in the shop told me the wind would be gone by 10.00am. She was right too. I found the mat rolled up behind the big bin and stuck it back where it should go, Remembered my 9.00 am antibiotic half an hour late but I forgave myself. I didn’t report it to Yvonne in case she didn’t. I had lunch of beef stew and 12.00 pm and didn’t finish it. Just disinterest I think. The nurse came soon after, not one I’ve met before, yes, it is possible, I’m not always ill. Honestly. She was very nice and gentle but still strapped up to my chin. Move over Rameses I need room. I slept until 2.45 pm then watched a programme on finding lost family, very good programme. Once over it was back to work until 4.30 pm and my Antiques Road Trip, I stayed awake. Back to my room at 9.00 pm ti catch up on mail and record this, It’s 11.33 pm now and I’m off for a read.
A Star posing.
Wednesday.
2.55 am rise and shine. By the time I’d forced a slipper on each foot and been to the kitchen for my meds some of the shine had worn off. I came back with coffee to work until I could have my breakfast. I had cleared things by 5.00 am including the break for breakfast, some very uninspiring toast. I could only eat a round and a half. Anyway, at 5.00 am I went to sit in the lounge and try for a nap. It just wasn’t working so by twenty past I was back out. In that short space of time there were over thirty sneaky messages in. I set too again. At 9.15 am I dressed so none of the nurses were dazzled by my Welsh Dragon lounge pants and Bazinga teeshirt. The nurse came just before 11.00 am and was making a good job of the dressing when a neighbour popped her head round the door. She’s been shopping and had picked up some boxes of chocolates for my dwindling stocks. The nurse set to dressing my other leg as it’s showing signs of starting up again. Maybe we’ll have scared it off by tomorrow. My neighbour left followed by the nurse with her box of chocolates. Lunch was another ‘bing’ meal, braised steak and mash which I ate without enjoying it. I ate while Bargain Hunt was on then settled down for a kip. I woke at 2.35 pm and came back to work until 4.30 pm when Dil was due. I was just preparing his mug when he arrived. Overall tonight he won 2 games to my one but I’ve stopped swearing now. One last push to clear up and then a read I think before lights out at midnight.
Thursday.
2.55 am Saw me up and about. Perfect timing for my meds and an hour’s work before breakfast. That happened at 4.00 am and was my usual boring jam on toast. I’d sack the bloody unimaginative chef if I didn’t need the job so much. 7.45 am saw me sneaking out with slippers tied to my feet as my feet wouldn’t go in them. It was ouch. ouch, ouch every step of the way but I needed essentials, Cigarettes to last me to Saturday, Bread and most important Lottery Tickets. I was back in the house by 8.00 am knowing the nurses hadn’t caught me. The morning passed in work and for lunch I had one of my chips in curry sauce. No kip after lunch because Sharon was due. Typically she’d just started in the lounge when the nurses arrived. Both feet were still wet and needed dressing again but before it could be done my bloodthirsty little cleaner asked if she could take a look. Ugh, that’s horrible and “You poor thing” ( I think she meant me and not the nurse) were her responses. Once the nurses left Sharon told me to ring if I ever needed shopping and couldn’t get out which was amazing because she lives in a smaller village than mine which is a good way away and she has to take a bus. She got her box of chocolates to take home as the nurses had. I worked until 4.30 pm then started to nod off a bit. Mike arrived at 8.00 pm then at 9.00 pm it was back to work. It’s midnight now and time to finish.
That’s all folks….
Friday
12.00 am Bed 12.30 am finish reading lights off. Can’t sleep easily. 02.57 am up again. I must have swallowed an alarm clock but I swear I haven’t bitten off any Pirate hands EVER. It takes me a while to take my meds and then refill my tubs for the next week. Then, because I’ve finished the antibiotics I can have breakfast. I celebrate with Weetabix then make a coffee to take back to my room. Time to get some work done. I whizzed through the first forty or so until all that was left on the first pass was a single message that was going to take a couple of hours to answer. It was about 4.30 am I started on that. Many laughs, dirty chuckles and brilliant feelings of actually being someone, I finished my response and sent it off. Hoping I wasn’t coming across as a dirty old man. I worked on and at about 8.00 am Mike got up so I took a break. I got dressed quickly as I had no idea what time the nurse would come. Mike left about 10.00 am (after getting dressed) and the nurse arrived about half an hour later. It’s bad news, the bandages are up to my knee on the other leg now. It looks like I’m wearing football socks. Margaret my neighbour brought me two more boxes of chocolates, the last on the shelves apparently. At noon I tied my slippers on and walked very tentatively up to the shops to get some sausage and chips. I know I could make then at home but it would mean a lot of standing. Anyway I got my lunch, all the time regretting I hadn’t just made a sandwich. Towards the end of the meal there was a knock at the door and another neighbour, Mavis had come to offer er services if I ever needed any shopping. I think she was 86 last week. Aren’t people beautiful. Mike got home early, about 5.00pm and later on washed my hair for me. Not much chance of a shower at the moment so it was a strip wash. TV till 9.30 pm then back into battle with quite a lot waiting. 11.22 pm now so off to grab a small read in a minute.
Saturday.
Not sure where my head was this morning, probably up my ‘arris. I got up at 2.26 am and went straight through to the kitchen where I took all my meds and then ate my Weetabix. I was back at my desk with a fresh coffee 5 minutes before I was due to take my meds. For some reason I hadn’t stopped to turn on the computer ( by whispering sweet nothings in French down my speakers?) and start work until 3.00 am.When I did open the computer I was pleasantly surprised to find my overnight mail was only 21. I was able to whizz through that in no time at all not laying any emphasis on one from Mystic Mog who still knows the best time for me to try for my Lotto win. Considering I do all the Lotto days any win will come whether I pay her for the information or not. I think I’ll save the money for Lotto tickets. Anyway, another new friend from Camaroon wants to give me 10 million dollars to look after for him and I can keep 40% of it. It’s so exciting. Of course I’d love to get rid of the niggling doubt I have about him not knowing he perhaps lives in Cameroon or as I think, more likely Nigeria. Still maybe I can negotiate a bigger share? Mike’s alarm went off at 6.00 am and 5 past, ten past and quarter past. I shouted that his coffee was on his table at the 6.00 am call then gave up until I actually heard him rouse. We left the house on our Saturday adventure at 7.00 am and reached the Supermarket not long after quarter past. Then we wasted time finding the security man with the desk keys so he could release the keys to one of the electric wheelchairs. Eventually I was away like the wind scaring all the early birds that I was going to run over their toes. I noticed Mike kept a wide berth. Somehow, despite my being jet propelled, we wasted time so that it was almost 9.00 am before we left. I backed the chair into position and noticed two people move from one side of the reception are to the other. Cheek! After Mike’s breakfast at our next port of call we took a ride over to Flint to get coffee at our favourite cafe. Naturally while we were out we had to visit shops. After seeing our friends we found it was almost noon so we shot off for lunch. The Dragon’s Rest. Then we came home so I’d be in for the nurse. She thinks I need more antibiotics but we’ve decided to wait until after it’s been dressed on Monday to see how it looks then. She’s made a friend of Mike without him seeing her as she’s coming in the morning which means I won’t wake him to go out. I worked for the rest of the afternoon, had a bit of TV early evening then came through to work at 9.00 pm.
Don’t step on a crack.
Sunday.
Was awake at 2.55 am, groped for my glasses and got up In the kitchen I felt a little discombobulated I knew I’s definitely taken one inhaler but couldn’t remember about the other. I took the second one and hoped I hadn’t just doubled up. Then I found myself pressing out two each of my diabetic control tablets and went straight in to making two pieces of toast. One round of toast I slathered with butter and then strawberry jam, I cut both ‘jammed’ and plain buttered pieces on half and started eating. It was at this point I realised I hadn’t taken my normal daily tablets yet and eight of those is just too much to miss, I finished half a round of toast and took my first two diabetic tabs, then I had the other half with jam and half plain, took the last two diabetic ones and finished the last half round of toast. That just left all the forgotten tabs to take which I can manage as 6+1+1 if I take my time. Then a coffee to take back to my room. For some reason I finished my first batch of mail by 5.00 am and started to look at Ebay. No more mail arrived until just after 6.00 am. I was dressed by 8.00 am and the nurse arrived at 9.30 am, she took her time cleaning and dressing the legs then left me at about 10.00 am The first thing I did was put the kettle on as I knew Mike was awake and would want a great big caffeine overdose. Once I’d made it I had to leave to continue with an email I’d left. The wind was atrocious again this morning so when we came to go out at 11.30 am ish, Margaret came out and offered a wheelchair. It was too good to miss as we’d be able to move much faster than I could on foot. We enjoyed a nice carvery then went to look for a specific type of jar he’d got before that he wanted for his sugar. We didn’t find it but we did find a large glass skull (as you do) that would fit nicely in his collection. I found a small plate as a start to my Christmas presents. We came home I watched a bit of TV till I nodded off. When I woke an hour later Mike was just preparing to go. I waved him off and went to work. By 5.30 pm I was clear again and went to sit with Joey, I stayed awake, honestly. By half eight I’d had enough and came back to start work again. I’ve been here ever since totin’ that barge and liftin’ that bale.
Have a wonderful new week. Remember to tell everyone that at some point the killing must stop so why not now? Keep sharing the smiles and Hugs for not everyone has one but everyone needs one.
The oddest thing. I read until about 1.00 am then settled to sleep but it was a while in coming because I couldn’t get comfortable. I heard Mike get up and come towards my room where he asked if I’d heard an alarm go off. When I answered no he returned to his room muttering. Then he came back again, not thirty seconds had passed and asked if I was awake??? He thought maybe he hadn’t locked his son’s car because his own locks itself when he walks away from it. He trotted off out in his dressing gown. True enough he hadn’t locked it but at least we found out it wasn’t his car alarm that had gone off. I fell asleep. Then I woke again to go to the loo about 2.15 am despite having been before I went to bed. I climbed back into bed and just dropped off again and didn’t wake up until 7.11 am. That’s a remarkable sleep and over 5 hours. It really has been a long time since I achieved that.
So, at 7.11 am I got up, went to the loo (again) and then carried on to the kitchen where I took my meds and made myself a coffee. Having logged in next I attacked the mail. 97 it read at that time. 99 it read half an hour later.Then slowly but surely the levels came down. I was determined to carry on working until Mike got up but I did go through to let Joey out at about 8.30 am. Just after 9.30 am I heard Mike wake up coughing, but I thought he settled down again so I carried on. At 10.00 am I heard Mike go to the loo so I went through to make him a coffee. In the lounge I saw he must already have been up because his cup wad there almost fully drunk. I waited. When he came back I asked why he hadn’t come through to say he was up and he said he thought I was asleep because he couldn’t hear me tap-tapping. ( Put your hearing aids in Michael and then turn them on). He’d got up when the coughing had started and crept through in case I was asleep. No way would he catch me asleep at that time. I stayed in the lounge with him until 11.00 am and then went to get dressed as he’s said yesterday that he wanted to go looking for a safe this morning. By the time I’d got dressed he’s changed his mind and wasn’t feeling well. I don’t know if it was because he’d had to make his own coffee or at the thought of spending money(not even his ).
Mike suggested as we weren’t going out that maybe I’d like to work for another hour and he could do the flowers. Half an hour later he’s in the bedroom bending my ear about politics and he hasn’t even started the flowers. After a quarter hour he left me to carry on. At 12.30 pm when my hour was up I went through to see to lunch and he was in the kitchen doing the flowers. The savage made me stand there holding a bin bag open so he could add his flower waste to it. Then left me to carry the full bag to the bin with not a thought for my back.Savage. I made lunch, a beef and black bean concoction he’s chosen yesterday and for me a boeuf bourgingnon and mash. We both quite enjoyed them. Unfortunately I stayed in the lounge with him and after a while he looked sleepy. But, it was me who nodded off for an hour. Sometime during that hour he made his escape. I knew he was going back to Manchester to collect things from his dad’s flat before going back home to Rugby. I texted him there to say sorry I missed the big farewell scene. When I woke I came straight through to work. I stayed until 5.30 pm then went to get some tea so I could have my other diabetic meds. I found a film to watch until 7.00 pm.
I saw a film advertised for 9.00 pm with Simon Pegg which I thought I’d try so I devoted 7.00 – 9.00 pm to work so I could stay up. By 10.10 pm I’d given up as I’d not really been enjoying it. I know people swear, and I’m no prude but sometimes it’a overdone and I find it wearing. So, goodnight to Joey who’s been great today and I took my meds before coming through to work. As it happens for some reason the mail was mounting up again. Should still be n early night though about 11.30 ish.
Over the Garden Wall.
The knitted baby. Outfit by her Auntie Lynne.
Monday 22nd Feb.
When reading James Patterson, his chapters are so short you just fly through them. It’s so easy to get carried away and promise yourself ‘Just another two.’ I was in bed at 11.15 pm but read until 1.00 am because I couldn’t put the damned thing down. My right hand almost had to wrest it out of my left hand, put it down and turn the light out. I could not sleep on my back and had a bit of a time turning on to my side. Eventually I slept and as luck and maybe kindness would have it (thanks Somnos) I didn’t need a middle of the night loo trip. I woke and got up at 5.14 am. I made the morning pilgrimage and then came back to log on. 5.30 am came quickly so I nipped through to the kitchen to take my meds and make my one-a-day coffee. I was soon back in my seat attacking the mail.
There were about 20 pieces of mail left when I returned to my chair and by 6.10 am I as down to 11. Whenever I did one it seemed to be instantly replaced by a new one but instead of the new day’s mail coming in the usual rush, it took me up to 20 and then seemed to hover around that mark no matter how many I did. It always felt like less work. The highest it got was 31. At 7.45 am I put the washing machine on to complete while I worked. I was finished and clear by 8.52 am and rapidly got dressed ready to go to the Post Office with a letter detailing my recent changes of income to the Housing Benefits Dept of the Council. I did that and then called at the sandwich shop for a sausage bap having decided that I wanted breakfast after all. I came home and took my pre-foodies then sorted Joey out with a new seed bell and had a shave. I ate the bap while working on mail that had come in while I was out, then took my post-foodies. It doesn’t matter now if I have my lunch a little late which is always likely anyway since Bev seems to be calling later this last few weeks.
After I was up to date again I saw it was almost time for Homes Under the Hammer so I went through to join Joey. He became animated when the music came on and with me talking to him, but not for long. He soon adopted his crosspatch squawk that says he’s peeved at someone. I started falling asleep but he wasn’t having that and squawked louder still. There’s no ignoring him as he sounds like a torture victim from outside. I had to stand by the cage talking t him so he’s shut up. At 11.00 am I came back to the bedroom to work but I was trying to listen out for the drier finishing. I didn’t hear it so I went to check it at 11.30 am and folded all the bedding on to the airer. There was a programme on TV about people who put in false claims to insurance companies which was quite good. Surprising was the man who put some cars down as his on a multiple insurance for a garage business. He then created documents and sold policies to unsuspecting drivers for their cars who 18 months down the line tried to claim after accidents only to find they weren’t insured at all. It’s evil. I watched Bargain Hunt while waiting for Bev to come but no sign so at 1.00 pm when I went to work again I sent her a text to see if she was off. She texted back that she’d called on me about 10.30 am and used the bell. That was while I was watching HUtH so I was in. Perhaps I was in the kitchen and heard nothing because of the washing machine or maybe the bell didn’t work, though it did when I tested it later. At 1.45 pm I went for my lunch.
At 2.55 pm I finished my lunch. OK, I confess, I finished the kip after my lunch. Instead of returning to work I just watched Escape to The Country. When that was over at 3.45 pm I found more work than I’d expected in the mailbox. Since those fools in the BBC didn’t consult me first they’ve taken off my Road Trip so there was no need to return to the TV until 6.00 pm when Missing-Without a Trace came on. I waited until the first adverts came on and made myself some tea. A packet of Cheddars, a chunk of Cadbury’s chocolate cake and just to show how health conscious I am, a rhubarb yoghurt. The second of my two shows has been removed by another channel, again without prior consultation with me, and replaced by something I don’t watch so I came back through here at 7.00 pm for a change. Poor Joey must think he’s in trouble. It gave me chance to finish the earlier work I hadn’t completed and also the new stuff you sadists had sent when my back was turned. I do need a life you know. I did find a couple of very interesting blogs. That of Opinionated Man https://aopinionatedman.com/who had a fascinating childhood as an American child who didn’t like baseball! But whose wife is an accomplished artist with a very striking piece for sale. Also the wonderful Donna Parker http://yadadarcyyada.com/ who paid me the highest compliment possible in the comment section of her hilarious blog today. Donna and others are living proof that friendships as strong as those in everyday life are quite possible built on the net. I am possibly the luckiest man on the planet. Now if only I can find a blind lady with a dog that doesn’t bite, how nice that would be.
Early bed tonight and I hope the latest blustery rain had beaten itself out and we have a start like we had today. Sunny and bright but with a wonderful fresh nip in the air.
Monday Sunshine start.Fair of face and fffreezing.
A born salesman or Knowing How to Regain First Place.
Tuesday 23rd Feb
I got my early night and was in bed for 11.15 pm . I read till 12.30 am and didn’t want to stop but I’m on my last few chapters with no books in reserve. Out went the lights and I settled down. I don’t think sleep was long in coming. This morning I woke at 3.47 am and though I knew I’d be getting up I didn’t want to move from the warmth and just lay there plucking up courage to move until 4.13 am. When I did move I donned my dressing gown and paid a visit to the loo. From there I went to the kitchen and had my foodie tabs so that I could eat breakfast, Shreddies today, and then I took my morning meds and made a coffee to take back to my desk.
I logged on and started work on the mail. Things were going pretty well but my attention must have wandered because without me noticing it had suddenly reached 6.20 am. With shock and horror I noticed the dozen or so I had left was now 84. I had to break away for a quick weep while I got dressed. As I came back the number was now 92. I did 2 and that left a balance of 92 ……again? By the time 7.20 am came and I had to get my coat on to head for the bus stop I was leaving just 80. It wasn’t light enough for Joey to be out yet but I did open his cage ready before I walked up the road. I got my favourite seat on the bus. Stuck my shopping bag of gifts between my legs, put my chin on the armhole of my crutches and nodded off. Not heavily enough that I could sleep through my stop but enough to discourage conversation. The journey wasn’t bad and we arrived on time. Since Yvonne wasn’t at the bus stop I started walking in the direction they’d appear from. When I saw them Yvonne spotted me and was telling Reuben Pops was coming. It was an age before he saw me but what a roar he let out. I hope she never takes the chains off…….. When we were closer he was able to run up and grab my legs. It was a rugby tackle I think. I got up off the floor to hug Yvonne and to look in the pram at Amelie as we decided where we were going.
We settled on our usual shop first Primark, which meant we could go for a coffee and toast (insisted upon even though I’d had breakfast) and a sit down while Amelie was fed. I knew Yvonne needed some more bodysuits for Amelie. Once we’d had coffee and Amelie was getting her milk straight from the source, I told Yvonne I was going to have a wander down and see if they were doing any summer colours in the men’s jeans ( as if) which meant I could get the bodysuits, some shoes and a little dress for Amelie as well as a gilet, teeshirt and some jeans for Roobs. Fait accomplis means no arguments. Mind you, she did finish feeding baby and try to have a race to the till to stop me. Downstairs I was able to get a nightie and a top for her while her eyes were otherwise occupied. She was a very close second at the till though so I know the back is slowing me up.
Yvonne needed a visit to NEXT next (echo) at which point the pram in my hands exploded in a earful rebuke that a. I wasn’t feeding her and b. I wasn’t rocking the pram hard enough. We weren’t too far from a little Methodist church that has a playroom and a small cafe. Roobs would be fine playing with the toys there, Yvonne and I could have a drink and she could also feed Amelie again, after which I would get to hold her again. It all depended on me being able to get into church without being struck by lightning or scarred by holy water though at the price of water these days I reckon the one who bought it was more likely to be scarred. It was after the drinks that I saw I needed to depart so I said good bye and galloped off as best I could. They were about 10 seconds behind me at the bus stop, just as my bus arrived so I got another goodbye. By this point you’ll realise I’ve had two drinks and am about to spend an hour or so on the bus. For most of the journey it was a repeat of the inward one, eyes closed, gently nodding. quietly seething that someone else nicked my seat……. but somewhere it started to get a tad uncomfortable. When I got off the bus I blanched at the thought of how far it was to the house. I had to pass the shops and I had to ask myself if I was prepared to go home and come out again or would will power win out. Idiocy certainly did because I went into Pauline’s. She was in chat mode…aaarrrrggh….and I was so glad when another customer reached the counter. I got home as fast as I could. Transferring my shopping bag from right to left hand while in motion so my right hand was free to dip for the keys was an accident waiting to happen. I reached the front door. By now I was hopping up and down on alternate legs and my body was writhing but I managed to open the door. I didn’t have time to remove the crutches and the shopping bag was thrown anywhere as I darted for the loo. I was a fraction of a second away from not needing too dart there, but to dart for the mop and bucket instead. I wee’d for about an hour. Joey had heard me and was tweeting like billyo to remind me he was there. ‘Drained’ in more ways than one I went through to the lounge,collecting the abandoned shopping on the way. I talked to Joey for a minute and then apologised and said I’d be with him asap. I went to remove my crutches, my gloves, coat and shoes then checked the new level of post. 84 ,where I’d started the morning.
It was 1.05 pm so I just sat and worked. By 4.30 pm I was getting there and by 4.55 pm I’d only 20 left. I went through to the lounge and put the TV on to a programme I haven’t seen in a long time, Cold Case. While I was watching it I’d put a chips and curry sauce in the micro for tea and taken my tablets. I enjoyed it. I watched Missing, Without a Trace then Murder She Wrote before coming back through at 8.00pm. I’ve spent till 10.30 pm emptying my mail box and now started on the blog. Fingers crossed for 11.30 pm bed.
The Understanding
Contentment with a mouthful of bib.
And this is for the Beautiful Donna, my friend.
Wednesday 24th Feb.
Bed at 11.40 pm after plastering my feet in gunk and applying a Chinese herbal plaster to my back….or rather to my pyjama trousers and my teeshirt . I finished my book and made a start on a new one and read until 12.30 am. Then it was lights out and settle down. I found it easier to sleep on my side because I kept sticking to the bottom sheet with the plaster which seems to have got as wrinkled as heck in the process of settling. It seems to be one of the most awkward things in the word, trying to slap a large plaster on your own back straight. I’m sure there’s a knack but I don’t have it. I slept until 4.48 am with no interruptions which is around the four hour mark and not too bad. I paid a visit a visit to the loo and then carried straight on to the kitchen where I had a toasted bap for breakfast. I found this morning how true it is tht men are not capable of performing two tasks at once. I put a tablet in my mouth and a sip of milk then started to shake two little sachets of my sugar substitute to get it to the bottom while I tore the top off. So intent was I in performing that simple task that I quite forgot to swallow the tablet and the damn thing dissolved in my mouth. When I returned with my morning coffee I logged on to the computer and my gmails. It was not too bad and just took me nicely to 6.08 am allowing me a slight breather before the deluge.
After the new mail came the only break I got was at 8.30 am to let Joey out of his cage. I was kept hard at it otherwise until 10.10 am so I missed the start of Homes Under the Hammer. Joey didn’t seem to mind. What we did wonder though was where the heck the new cleaner is. I wondered the same thing at 11.00 am as I returned to my room. I sent a text to make sure I had the day right and she responded she was in a meeting but would be here. At 12.30[pm I was in a panic as I wanted to go to the chippy for some lunch but a new text arrived to say she’d be here at 1.00 pm. I went to get my lunch, came back and ate it. She arrived about 1.15 pm and went to work on the bathroom almost straight away. Down came the curtains which were give to me to put in the wash, which I did. She did a very thorough job in there and I’m afraid to go in now in case I dirty it again. I’m not sure how long I can keep these legs crossed though. I wonder if Bert next door will let me use his. Joey was in his cage so I cleaned off the mirror above which sent him flying out of the cage and in circles above my head gasping for breath. The loon didn’t even have the sense to find a different perch. The minute I stopped cleaning, even though I was there next to the cage, he landed on the mirror near me. Panic for nothing.
Jade left at 3.00 pm and after I’d paid her I settled down with Joey. I watched A House in the Country where a mother and son viewed properties which were to include his wife and his mother in law. They had a budget of £1.2m and saw some fantastic places. At 3.45 pm though I went back to catch up on any outstanding mail before my brother arrived. At 4..30 pm I went to watch Flog It.
As I reached the lounge Dil arrived. I made him a cup of tea and we watched Flog It together then Pointless. As soon as that was over the grudge matches started. Out came the Yahtzee and of the first six games I deservedly won 4-2. In the second six games something went awry and Dil undeservedly won 5-1. It was a fix and I’m sure he used weighted dice on his turn. When we eventually finished that and I’d stopped communicating with him in sign language, using only one finger mainly, out came the Trivial Pursuits. I gained my first four slices of pie before he’d got his first but then things turned a bit and he pulled three back. I went to five, he went to four. I got my last piece and started heading for the middle. It was outrageous, I couldn’t land in the middle to save my life and Dil managed to get his last two pieces of pie. It was a desperate battle ensued then as we both struggled for the centre. We both made it and asked each other questions we didn’t think the other could answer. But with a bit of judicious reading upside down I was OK in the end. I WON!!!!! Unfortunately someone had taken so long playing that we didn’t have time for any cards and Dil had to return home where it was snowing and his wife phoned to let him know. Here it was just bucketing down with rain as usual. Dil left and I tidied up and washed the pots , took my meds and came through.
There was plenty of post to do But hey, I have the time don’t I. Who needs sleep anyway. I started the blog at 11.12 pm so I should be in bed around midnight.
Before climbing into bed I removed the plaster which had been on he prescribed 24 hours. It came complete with hairs and I bit my tongue rather than scream.
Confirmation of the haircut and shave, Spring is due.
Family Group. Me and my Fan Club.
Thursday 25th Feb
I could only read until 12.35 am last night as the yawns were threatening to unhinge my jaw. I hadn’t got to bed until 12.08 am so it wasn’t much of a read, and it was mid chapter, but it promised to be a good sleep. I snuggled down and slept. It was 3.53 am when I woke and a couple of minutes was enough to convince me I wasn’t going to nod off again. I trotted off to the loo to widdle for Britain before carrying on to the kitchen to make breakfast and have my meds. As yesterday I had a toasted bap to use the last one in the packet and also to preserve the milk for when Mike arrives. I returned with a coffee to log onto the computer and attack my mail. I was about 3 in when the system shut down without warning compliments of Microsoft. There was a little blue tinge to the air above my head as I logged on again. I worked and worked. At 7.30 am I must have glanced at the clock then whoomf I was gone and didn’t wake until 9.05 am. I was horrified, all that time wasted and a mail count now of 81. Joey wasn’t happy with me either as I ran to open his cage door. I didn’t know budgies could scowl. I came back and got dressed then went to Pauline’s for my lottery , some ciggies and a BFG that accidentally fell out of the freezer into my basket. I was charged for it at the till before I knew it was there. It would have been inconsiderate to ask Pauline to knock it off my bill so I just handed her the money. I was doing a good turn anyway since I am a founder member of SOG and I’m a proud Soggie. (Save our gateaux).
I returned to work, even giving up my HUtH . Until I was clear at 11.20 am. Time to see to Joey’s water and seed before starting to peel my sweet potatoes. I made my usual Thursday lunch bangers and mash (sweet potato) with mixes veg and onion gravy, I used a whole onion for that. I’d finished making it in time to sit and enjoy Bargain Hunt though I got up and washed the pots before the auction. I didn’t even sleep through it. At 1.00 pm I returned to my room knowing some post would have accumulated since I’d left.It had. Doing it presented no problem though, I was in no rush. At 3.00 pm I went to watch Escape to the Country. The mystery House was an oast house conversion and it was beautiful.The couple searching for a house understandably fell in love with it . At the end of the programme it said they had put in an offer and had it accepted. 13 weeks after moving in there was a devastating fire. That leads me to presume they don’t live there now but the programme did say we’d be catching up with them in a couple of months. I hope to see that and hope neither was hurt. At 3.45 pm as I was just about to leave the room, Mike sent his usual ‘On my way bro’ text so I’ll expect him around 6.00 pm with luck. In the meantime I worked until 4.30 pm and then went to see Flog It.
After Flog It was part way over I turned to Cold Case and then Without a Trace. Mike arrived a few minutes into Cold Case and I had to explain it. In Without a Trace I had to point out Anthony la Plagia out to him a we’d had a conversation a few weeks ago about Frasier. In Frasier the character Daphne Moon was preparing to get married and her loutish brother from Manchester comes to stay, played by Anthony la Plagia. I’d said the accent was atrocious and instead of an American, surely they must be able to find a Mancunian actor over there. Mike looked him up and it seems he’s not an American either but an Australian. While Mike watched Manchester United win on his ipad I watched MASH until it was time for Death in Paradise. I’m so envious of the actors who get to stroll around in the sunshine and the beauty of wherever it’s filmed that I’m half tempted to go and bump them off and just let the director know I’m available for a small fee.
At 10.00 pm I came through to deal with the post and the blog. I was doing OK until Mike came through to ask how my hands are shaking at the moment. He wants me to trim his beard. I’ll do it gladly, but not until I’ve been to the chemist tomorrow to stock up on a styptic pencil and a lot of plasters (band aids). I was finished with the mail at 11.04 pm and ready to start the blog straight away. Midnight is my target.
Just in case you forget
King of the Castle
Friday 26th Feb.
12.02 am to bed, 12.47 lights out, and because I was tired, 12.48 sleep. I was up at 4.03 am again and went straight to my mail box. I kept going until 5.10 am then nipped to the loo and then to the kitchen to take my meds and start the Friday routine. That meant refilling my meds tray for the next week so I got my medicine drawer from the lounge and started the process, filling the drawer from my latest batch of drugs as needed. Then I suddenly decided to have breakfast and thought while I waited for the pre-food tabs to do their job, I’d spend the 15-20 mins rehanging my bathroom curtains I’d washed on Wednesday. That was knocked on the head when I realised I’d need the ladders and I didn’t want to get those out and risk disturbing Mike (by screaming as I fell off). That job could wait. So, I had a cigarette for timing and then ate a bowl of cornflakes (but not the bowl as well). Coming back with my coffee I found it was 6.01 am and I just had the chance to finish the last of last night’s mail before the new batch arrived.
There was a lot of mail this morning but at some point after 8.30 am I packed in halfway through one and lay on the bed before I fell out of my chair. Tiredness just hit me like a sledgehammer. I slept till 9.15 am then got up and finished the message I was working on. I only managed to do one more before at 9.35 am Mike got up. A big surprise. I went and made his coffee. As he sat down with it, I went and got the ladders out and set them up in the bathroom. I’d just started to put the first curtain back up when Mike appeared needing the bathroom and I had to depart. Getting down the ladders in one piece was a miracle. I went to talk to Joey for a few minutes. When I heard the bathroom door open I went back just as Mike was climbing the ladders to finish the curtain I’d started. He asked me to pass the second one which I did and up that went too. I thanked him and put the ladders back……. I wish I’d let him get off first, they were really heavy. We went to watch HUtH before he finally went to get dressed to go out and he suggested I get dressed too. Good idea really as the postman came minutes later, and me opening the door in my dressing gown might have been a shock. After all, not many dressing gowns have a door do they.
I returned to work and Mike left to travel to Manchester. I was determined to make up for the skiving this morning and worked until 12.10 pm before going through to get lunch and watch Bargain Hunt. I’d made a good hole in the numbers by then. When I went back at 1.00 pm the numbers had gone up a bit but were still manageable. I was done by 2.30 pm. I did Joey’s seed and water so he thought all his birthday’s had come at once, Who’s a cheeky boy then. I caught the latter half of a programme called Moving On which was excellent and then sat through Escape to The Country. Knowing I wanted to be back in there for 4.30 pm and Flog It I spent up until that time catching up on mail, doing some Facebook messages (I don’t go to Facebook unless forced) and leaving feedback on ebay. Part way through Flog It I received a text to let me know Mike was on his way. I was surprised as he’s not usually this early. At 5.00 pm I watched Cold Case then just as it finished and Without a Trace came on Mike arrived do I made him a coffee and he told me about his day. We were expecting a Road Trip at 7.00 pm but it had been replaced with the biography of an amazing man who Mike tells me died last week. A man who was in Berlin at the 1936 Olympics and saw Jesse Owens, who flew with the second highest air -ace from the Luftwaffe WW1 and then returned home to fight in the Navy as a pilot for WW2. He landed planes on aircraft carriers. After the war he was the first person to land a jet on a ship. We watched Mastermind still a bit open mouthed.
At 8.30 am I went for my shower. After it was over Mike kindly applied a new plaster to my back without attaching it to a single item of clothing. He made me promise it would hurt to take off and he wants to be within earshot when it does. I don’t see why, the hairs have already gone. The film Philomena came on at 9.00 pm and I watched with him until 9.45 pm then made him a drink before disappearing to my room. Lots of mail again and very strangely more new followers. They seem to be getting younger and I don’t understand the appeal. It was almost 11.00 pm before I finished though and had to go straight to the blog. I’m setting a midnight limit as it’s shopping day tomorrow.
Down by the River Dee
Welcome, do sit down.
Saturday 227th Feb.
Midnight bed, well a couple of minutes later maybe after getting the gunk on my legs. I slid between the sheets, I read until 1.05 to finish a chapter. It took ages to settle again, perhaps because I kept sliding down the bed. memo to self, use less gunk on legs. 2.24 am I awoke but after a trip to the loo I knew I wasn’t staying up. I couldn’t get to sleep though so moved my ‘booty’ to my chair in the lounge. I soon managed to nod off there. It was 4.29 am when I woke there knowing my night was over. Not a problem though as I could probably clear the outstanding mail before the new batch (no, not the Gremlins). I did manage to clear it, but what a close call it was.
Mike’s first alarm went off at 6.15 am. Knowing they could fly to the moon and open an Edam Cheese Mine before he’ll move I strolled to the kitchen to put the kettle on. Let’s skip to the chase eh, it was 6.50 am before he got his a*** into gear and brought his rapidly cooling coffee to the lounge so he could promptly fall asleep hunched over in his chair. I turned the searchlight on to hit him full in the face and reminded him not to forget his coffee as I took the food waste out of the kitchen to the bin. When I returned things had changed. He was asleep hunched over in his chair but now he was holding his mug in both hands. I daren’t speak for fear of startling him and of course it would be my fault there was a broken mug and a brown puddle on the floor to go with the spilled coffee. I tried to lift the mug from his hands first and his eyes flew open straight away. He lifted the mug to his mouth saying “I haven’t finished it yet.” I took the rubbish out next and when I got back he was having a huge coughing fit ( drink it Michael, you can’t breathe it). He went off to get dressed.
We left the house at 7.30 am today and it was almost 7.50 am when we reached the Supermarket. Mike got the trolley, I got the cash. Time for a change of role I’m thinking. We started with flowers for Ju and chose what I think looked a nice bunch. Then it was the normal clockwise tour picking items I needed as we went. I won’t bore you (this time) with what I bought but we were soon at the checkout where I’m afraid he was disappointed again at how little I had spent. Then coffee time. While Mike ordered,I got my cigarettes. When we’d done, Mike picked up something from the ciggie counter while I had a look at the photography section to see if there were any nice frames on a special. They are good to have in for gifts or if I need them on the wall of shame. After packing the car we called in at Pets at Home where I got Joey some seed but Mike didn’t get what he wanted. I suggested the internet. Then it was on to Flint and a coffee at Temptations, he had his usual. We found out a member of staff is single and he registered an interest with the others to put in a good word for him.I didn’t know it wasn’t just sailors could have a girl in every port, or in his case a port in every girl to ease the mood. We avoided being thrown out.
From there we looked at a few shops while a decision was made about where we’d eat today. As we left Flint it seemed the car had it’s own ideas and pointed in the direction of Prestatyn. But, when we got there, Mike didn’t park in the usual place but did the guided tour version until he found a pay and display car park we’d already passed once. We visited a little cafe we’d been to a few weeks ago. Both of us ended up with braised steak, I had chips and peas with mine, he had boiled pots and peas with his. It was very nice and it meant I’m in with a good chance of a Sunday roast dinner tomorrow now. We had a very quick look round one shop after leaving the cafe then headed for home. We struggled in with the bags at the other end and I almost tripped over a copy of The Watchtower on the mat. Religion had been out to get me for years. I didn’t venture further into the house until Mike was in and I could close the door. He went through to the kitchen , passing through the lounge first. I winced as the expected happened. Squawks and screeches galore, Joey really let rip at him. I came in a little more slowly, dumped the bags in the kitchen and came back talking in my most soothing voice about how he was my best boy Joey, Joey, Joey. He wasn’t hoodwinked for a minute and upped the tirade a notch or three. I backed gently away and started unpacking shopping and putting it away. I had the upper hand. Mike moved the car as the bin men were coming. I put the last of the shopping away and as Mike returned I said I was going to start work and not to forget to look at ebay for his fish food. That left him with Joey and me in complete peace. He does not like being left on his own for long which is strange as he never comes to either of us.
I worked from 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm without a break and just left a few undone. When I went through, Mike had found what he wanted, managed a kip though he wouldn’t admit it and then sat playing computer games. We turned TV on and found an easy programme to watch which also gave me chance to make some tea. Then we watched the last episode of Beowulf that Mike had missed. Then, a huge mistake, I turned onto Inspector Alleyn which was from the ark and badly overacted. I went to sleep in desperation. Unfortunately it was still on when I woke half an hour later. At 9.00 pm Mike wanted to watch an episode of something called The 100 so I was given the chance to leave and come back to work. By 10.40 pm I was up to date finally and able to look at the blog.
Well, after a great night I managed to get the blog out on time and I even managed some mail. When I got to bed finally I read until just 1.00 am then turned the light off. At 2.00 am I gave up trying to sleep here and went to the loo. I spotted Mike still playing with himself ( come on girls- I mean on his tablet) then went to the lounge and sat in the magic chair.
I had my usual smoke then felt relaxed enough to try for sleep.At some point I succeeded and my eyes stayed shut until 6.04 am this morning. That was great and I came back to my room to turn the computer on. A huge disappointment (as usual now) with Talktalk letting me down. Their system is really pants since they did ‘improvements.’ Luckily gmail had plenty to keep me going.
It was 8.10 am before I went to take my meds and I decided against breakfast at that time. I’ll eat lunch and tea today instead. I opened Joey’s cage to give him freedom and hoped he’d come out so I could clean the cage later, then came back to a few more from gmail and then tried re-signing into Talktalk. This time it came on with 102 messages waiting. Some were duplicates and I managed to zip through those. It was 10.08 am before I finished there but didn’t refresh as I needed to get to Joey and his cage. Just as I went through, so did Mike. I made him a coffee then nudged him awake to drink it and to help me get Joey’s cage of the base so the base could be cleaned properly.It took a while to be thorough with all parts of the base, it’s drawer and the grill that stopped Joey walking in the grit on the base. Eventually I went back through and nudged Noddy again to help me get the base back on. While he drank his coffee I put fresh seed and water in the cage and a new piece of millet. That was Joey done and dusted. My turn next. I went to my room to get dressed and to check on mail while there. Nothing up on ebay today. Mike got himself dressed and we eventually left the house to find food at about 12.30 pm.
When we got to Prestatyn it was approaching 1.00 pm but fortunately the lousy weather must have kept some people in, there was room in the CookHouse. As always the food was nice but I cut my portion down a little as I’d eaten last night. We did a couple of shops in Prestatyn and I got a few items for Christmas stockings. Then we came home and I sat chatting with Mike in the lounge until it was time for him to go home at about 4.00 pm. His granson is in hospital with pneumonia at the moment and Mike’s son is staying there with him. Mike needs to pick his granddaughter up from a friends and look after her, making sure she gets to school tomorrow. Everyone hopes his grandson will be out of hospital tomorrow.
Once Mike had gone I attacked the mail again until almost 7.00 pm when I went through to watch a couple of programmes I enjoy. I was ready to come back through at 9.00 pm when Joey decided to come out of his cage. While waiting for him to go back again I got involved in a programme about psychopaths because it was a bout a serial killer that my brother in law John knew from childhood. Peter Moore was gay but targeted homosexuals while presenting a very different image to the public as a businessman bringing cinemas back to North Wales. The man has been behind bars for about twenty years now but MuJo still get birthday and Christmas cards from him with news about appeals he’s going to make.
Monday 9th Nov.
I read in bed last night as usual.The antics of Terry Pratchett’s witches kept me smiling but I was tired too. Lights out at 1.00 am. I tried and tried to sleep to no avail. At 2.37 am I got up and went through to the lounge. Sleep eventually arrived in my chair, I think it had missed the last bus and walked to get to me. I was up again at 5.24 am. After paying a visit so I knew my bladder was happy I went to take my meds and make some breakfast. Yes it was cold toast and butter again. I put the washing machine on before I started eating though everyone says it doesn’t suit me. I used fastwash at 15 minutes so I only had to wait a minute or so for the cycle to finish before putting the drier on. Ax that takes 3 hours there was plenty of time to come through to my room and power up.
Talktalk was still not at it’s best. Having done one page of messages I attempted to delete them only for Talktalk to log me out. Feeling a bit peeved I logges in again but it was taking so long to load I turned to gmail instead. I dealt with everything they had to throw at me though I had to throw some back and then turned to Talktalk again. It had loaded properly and I was able to work my way through the list. That took me till 9.10 am at which time I needed to dress and get my prescription request to the chemist. I called in at Pauline’s on the way back to pick up a chips in curry sauce, just in case, you understand. I didn’t want to be out too long as the new postie is a bit erratic time wise and I’m hoping for a delivery today. When I got back the postie hadn’t been. I worked on mil until 10.00 am then joined Joey for Homes Under the Hammer, me to watch it, him to chunner through it. At 11.00 am I returned to work disappointed not to have seen the postie.
At 11.35 am my warden Bev came. Last week she’d been on holiday so I was able to ask her what the weather had been like hoping to brighten my day, but it had poured down for her just like here. To be fair she did get some sunshine so it wasn’t all bad. We talked about my legs so I got them out and waved them about a bit. I have no idea why as she’s not a nurse. I hope I didn’t put her off her dinner.While she was here the postie arrived and he did have a package for me. Bev left at noon and I took my pre-foodie tab and put my lunch in the micro. Yes, it was curry sauce and chips. Just as well Bev didn’t hang around. I watched Bargain Hunt while eating and my nemesis was on again. I think they chose him as an expert not because he’s any good but because it would get up my nose. ( No comments please about how roomy this particular schnozzle is). At 1.00 am I turned the box off and settled down for what I’d been wanting all morning, 40 winks. Joey wasn’t having any of that though. The moment all was quiet he set up such a racket. I had to start telling the vain little beggar what a pretty boy he is. Just to frustrate me further there was a knock at the door and another parcel was being delivered by courier. I was so pleased to see this one as I can now pack my Christmas watches away for Temptations staff. The boxes I’d bought previously wouldn’t close with a watch inside them. Annoying as they’re far superior boxes but I’m sure they’ll do for something someday. I came back to work again until 3.00 pm even though there was a temptation to slide onto the bed and close my eyes for a minute. I went back through to Joey and watched Escape To the Country. I don’t want you to listen to him if he starts spreading rumours that I dropped off.
After the programme I went through to Mike’s room and started putting the watches in boxes ready for wrapping sometime. There were also a couple of gents watches needed boxing ( and they only just fit ) ready to go in bags which I did. After that I came back to check the mail again and started work on it . I caught up at 5.35 pm and was able to watch my quizzes. Joey came out of the cage and I noticed he’d dropped the millet again so I recovered it and put it back up for him. It reminded me I was peckish so I had a couple of mince pies. I had MASH on for a while but wasn’t really concentrating as I had a magazine. I was going to watch a film but noticed at 8.00 am there were two episodes of DIY SOS which I really enjoy ( despite the lump in the throat) so I watched those instead. When 10.00 p,m came I said goodnight to Joey, took my meds and came through. I worked on mail first and then the blog. I’ll make the midnight bed deadline but I’m going straight to my chair tonight.
The distance between feet and pedals is all wrong.
You never said it was electrified.
Tuesday 10th Nov.
After reading till almost 1.00 am I turned my light off and made my way to my chair. Sleep didn’t come easy as I was listening to the latest hit from Stormy Gale and the Flying Slates. I woke at 4.04 am and the damn record was still playing. I headed in the direction of my bedroom and detoured to prove I’m no male witch as I was able to pass water. It felt I was there a long time but I was in the bedroom logging on at ten minutes past. Talktalk more or less behaved first thing and I was soon into the swing of answering emails. I broke off at 5.00 am for breakfast and my meds. I wasn’t sure at that time if I’d be going to Chester. Even if I was prepared to venture out in it I wasn’t sure I wanted Yvonne to, if she went down in this wind we’d never get her up again. And if I rolled her home the new baby would get very dizzy. It’s just a month and a half away before there’s another new baby in my world. Things are getting scary at the moment as I realise that in just two short months I’ll be 65. Officially too old for everything. To be honest I’m surprised I made it this far and plenty of times I wished I hadn’t.
By 7.30 am the wind was still howling a bit but the rain had stopped. I started out. Unfortunately the wind was coming downhill as I was trying to get uphill. Fortunately,Howard pulled up alongside me before I’d completely run out of breath. I settled in my seat and nodded off. Though I was awake every time we pulled up at a stop the journey still went quickly. Yvonne had let me know she was determined to come so I wasn’t worried she wasn’t there waiting. I walked up the street and met them. Reuben showed enthusiasm when he saw me but Yvonne had a good grip on his reins. I got my hugs and we had a waltz round a shop while waiting for our usual cafe to open. Once it did we took the lift up to the cafe and ordered drinks. I thought I struck a deal with Yvonne that I would eat a mince pie if she let me pay this morning. I seemed to get her agreement but she seems to have inherited a sly and sneaky gene from somewhere. She waited until I ate it before telling mt she’d transferred the money direct to my account from her phone while standing at the counter. Can you believe such deviousness, why can’t I do that? I got Reuben a jumper from that store but apart from tealight candles wasn’t successful with anything else. I’ve lost my superpowers. Yvonne even stopped me getting her a long shirt she liked.
You don’t want a blow by blow account of the morning but needless to say it was spent in and out of shops.I managed to get something ready for the new baby though. We made our way back towards the bus stop in plenty of time for me to nip to the loo first. I’d be able to call in at Pauline’s. After hugs and waving to them I settle in my seat and dozed all the way home. I picked up a few things in Pauline’s and came home. After taking my coat off I opened Joey’s cage ( he wasn’t talking to me) and made some lunch. Once that was done I left the TV on for Joey and went to work. Ouch, Ouch, Ouch. It was 5.30 pm before I saw the light of day again ( metaphorically speaking ). I went through to find Joey flying round and round the room as though being chased but probably just trying to overlap his mirror image if I know him. he went back to his mirror perch when I sat down and started watching half my quiz. There was an interesting programme on the last hours of Anne Boleyn that followed and then instead of watching one on the period of Henry VIII I settled for another DIY SOS. It’s lovely to see humanity at it’s best. At 9.00 pm I came back through to play catch up and to do the blog afterwards. It’s going to be a reasonable night timewise I think.
Competition?
Quiet, artist at work.
My name is Joey, you probably won’t know me but I’m being held prisoner. It’s a small cage, which OK I admit opens into a bigger cage that I can visit to stretch my wings, but even so it’s a small world. My jailer has two legs like me (though fatter) and much of the time seems to be in the same cage. He’s OK I guess with supplying me with food and water but that’s not much of a diet is it. He jabbers at me too, saying things like Joey,Joey, Joey, best, best boy as though I can’t hold a decent conversation in linguabudgie. What astonishes me is how I see him change his feathers daily and sometimes leave the big cage often coming back hours later of his own accord. Who is this jailer that he has that doesn’t allow me the same leeway? Well, he might have more feathers than me but they’re not as pretty and he can’t use them to fly as I can. I demand a retrial or at least time off for good behaviour. Please write to the Governor and demand my release.
Wedsnesday 11th Nov.
I was in bed for 11.30 pm last night. My Dad always said is I wasn’t in bed by midnight I was to come home. Still, I did have my book to read, I’m so looking forward to the Terry Pratchett one at Christmas. I read until just before 1.00 am, paid a visit to the loo then turned my light out. I was determined to sleep in bed last night but it was quite a wait, I know I saw 1.30 am pass by before it happened. Anyway, I slept. This morning I was up at 3.52 am and just powered up the computer and logged on. The first batches of mail on both providers was easy peasy and I finished at 5.31 am. That seemed a good time to go take my meds and have breakfast. My stomach reckons I’m addicted to the cold toast routine now and is swelling in opposition, however some of the local schoolchildren are starting to look at both my beard and my girth with some wonder. Last night I’m sure I saw a red nosed reindeer at the window checking me out.
After breakfast I came back to my room but decided to create a washload of jeans before working again. 6 pairs went in, not dirty but creased. I came back to work and found the daily reports of the blogs I follow have loaded. Ah well, Into battle. That took until 9.10 am when I got up and creakingly stretched, then went to let Joey out. I could hear his plaintive cries from the lounge. As I went in there silence reigned. I talked to him but the left shoulder hunched up and he pointedly ignored me. Nor would he come out. I left and came back to work. No sooner had the lounge door shut than I heard him come out and fly circuits of the room tweeting.I guessed I was in the bad books again. I returned to the lounge at 10.00 am for Homes Under the Hammer. Naturally there was no silence from Joey then. He’s a rascal. I missed a good bit of the programme because someone delivered the new collection dates for the household rubbish but I found it to be gibberish. I spent an age trying to work out what they meant before sticking it up inside the pantry so I never forget which dare the collection of the big bin is due.
I worked again from 11.00 am to 11.45 am then decided to make my lunch. I’d just turned the microwave on when I saw the postie approaching. I was expecting a wallet and that’s what arrived. Very quickly too. I’m just waiting for a couple of hats now that might come anytime after Friday up to the end of the month. Deliveries from China are very erratic, as erratic as India it seems. After lunch and Bargain Hunt I headed back to work. I was just passing the front door when someone knocked. It was my drug courier again bringing the fortnightly supplies. I passed over the chocolates and put the meds on the side to check later. I worked till 4.20 pm which is when the door opened and in walked Dil very quietly probably expecting to find me asleep in the lounge. I made him a cup of tea and we settled to watch Flog It and Pointless. At 6.00 pm the TV went off and out came the games table.
Yahtzee was a DISASTER. The first game was 3-3, the second 4-2 against me. I lost trivia though it could have gone either way as we both had all the segments. By now Dil’s grin was like the Cheshire Cat only before he disappeared altogether he had time for a game of Cribbage. Hallelujah !!! I won one. Only slightly diminished the grin disappeared and went home. I had a quick tidy up, had a few minutes persuading Joey it was time to go in the cage so I could turn the light off and then came through to work on mail, the blog and a few answers to comments on the Buthidar Blog I did today with it being 11/11. I had a message this evening from Mike to say his grandson is home today. I’m so pleased and I look forward to seeing him tomorrow evening for all the details.
Elevensies.
Am I bigger or is the elephant smaller?
Thursday 12th November.
Light off at 12.40 am last night. I stayed in bed and for once there wasn’t too much wriggling before sleep came. Ten minutes later the clock said 3.07 am and time to get your lazy ass out of bed. Anyone who thinks that is completely wrong, I don’t own a donkey and if I did, it wouldn’t be in my bed. When I said I love donkeys, that’s not what I had in mind. It’s just as well I haven’t said I love pigs or someone might take me for a Prime Minister. I paid my usual visit to the loo then powered up the computer. It took an age this morning. When it was finally live I checked my bank and there staring me in the face was the £10 my devious daughter had transferred to me. Even worse, my bank had not retained records of our previous dealings and held her account number so I could transfer double back as threatened. For now I am stumped.
One major shock when I signed in was no mail in my Talktalk account. Hopefully that’s because I’ve received none and not another glitch on their system. My gmail account had a few to be going on with at least. At 4.55 am when I was in the clear I went for breakfast and to take my morning meds. When I got back it was 5.25 am and very worrying to find still no messages on Talktalk and no more on gmail. Normally by this time I would at least have the daily updates on everyone I follow from yesterday. I spent some time on ebay checking for fun gifts for Christmas. At 6.00 am I gave up and went through to the lounge to shut my eyes for a while. At 7.15 am I came too and felt much better. Much crosser though when I looked at Talktalk. The internet service is free so I suppose you could say I get what I pay for and maybe they’re paying the price of their own popularity. But we’re paying that price too in terms of the lousy service. Honestly it’s been so much worse since things were improved recently. Anyway,I went round everywhere I could think of changing my email address for notifications to my gmail account. Hopefully tomorrow all the messages about your blog posts will go there.
After going to Pauline’s at 9.15 am I came back and checked the post again. Still no change with Talktalk. I did a few things like peeled some sweet potatoes and changed Joey’s seed and water. I watched Homes Under the Hammer and occupied myself until 11.15 am before going to prepare my lunch. At 1.00 pm Taltalk was still giving nothing away but the flow had increased nicely on gmail. I finished what there was and then at 2.00 pm closed my eyes for 5 minutes. It was a very elastic 5 minutes because it lasted until 2.55 pm. At that time I had a healthy queue in gmail but talktalk also gave up 3 pages worth of mail- it was back, but not with a vengeance as all my overnight mail was missing. All the stuff they gave me now was new. At least they were back and giving me something. Mike sent a text to say he was on the way so I worked hard. I was clear just before 4.30 pm and went through to let Joey see the antiques programme and to keep him company while he shrieks at the screen. Definitely not because I wanted to see it anyway- or hear it. Mike arrived at about 5.15 am and after making his coffee we settled to our quiz Pointless, yes that’s the name of the quiz not a description of out actions. Then another quiz, an episode of Big Bang Theory, the real story of the Mary Celeste, two more Big Bang Theories and then what I’d waited for, The Last Kingdom. It’s brilliant. The books are excellent but this series really brings it to life. Finally it was time to come through and do some work on the mail and the blog. It shouldn’t be too hard a night as you won’t believe this but Talktalk is still playing up. It just refuses to load. They should scrap the changes and take it back to the way it was when it worked. Even if just for one person who has stayed with them through the worst.
Preparing my Xmas cards 2 years ago today. Just 3 months old.
I’m in the mood for real nostalgia tonight. A superb singer
Friday 13th November.
Lights out at 1.00 am after a few more pages of my Pratchett ‘Thief of Time’. I suppose I should have been spooked by the date but the only witches I’ve met have been white ones or sandwiches (sorry). Perhaps it was spooky that I woke at 4.13 am? My bladder started having a very one sided conversation so I made a trip to the Piddle Palazzo then came back to log on. As expected Talktalk is still as useless as a chocolate teapot so I took the last move and diverted all my twitter posts to the gmail address. I worked on mail until 5.45 am then went to take my meds, have breakfast and prepare my drugs for next week in their pots. At 6.30 am I came back to find out Twitter had delivered all my notifications of posts to the new address. Magic, now I could get on. I could only work until 9.00 am though before breaking off to do a coffee for Mike in the hopes of getting him up and out. I tried to do the same for Joey but without the coffee. Joey managed it first but to be fair Mike wasn’t too much longer. About ten minutes. I’d want to say I went to sit with them but if forced to be honest, I sat with them for about fifteen minutes before nodding. As the TV was on with Frasier, I was conscious every time Mike commented on something or when Joey tweeted. I was fully conscious when Homes Under the Hammer came on though. When that ended at 11.00 am both of us left to get dressed (at last) and then Mike said his farewells as he left to visit his Dad. I came through to finish the mail I’d started and any more that had come in. I’m beginning to think there’s a little gremlin somewhere who sticks his head round the screen to make sure I’ve gone before he dumps a couple of bags of mail then runs. It’s fantastic not having to rely on Talktalk now.
At 11.45 I stopped again though I was pretty well done, so I could prepare my lunch. I’d been fighting a battle with myself all morning as to what I should have since I’ve got bacon in as well as my chips in curry sauce. I finally settled on the latter so I could have bacon tonight with Mike if he was hungry. Erm, don’t get the idea I’ve suddenly become generous and I’m sharing, he has his own bacon which is smoked and I hate it. Following lunch I couldn’t think of anything that would please me more than to try and get into Talktalk. I wanted to put a note on their forum about the terrible service but they needed to send me an email which I couldn’t access to verify it!! When I did get in at some time after 2.00 pm it allowed me to look at one message and that was it. No deletions allowed. However at 2.45 I tried again, got in and deleted the lot. No problems there since it’s all coming to me at gmail now. Help, is there any way I can make it stop? At 3.15 pm I took a break and went back to Joey to see if Friday 13th has spooked him enough to want my company.
I stayed in the lounge and at about 5.30 got a text from Mike to say something had happened and he’d be back late tonight. I just relaxed with the TV until 6.00 pm then came back to work and have a look at ebay. I won something. At 7.00 pm I went for a shower and locked the front door. At 7.30 pm I watched an episode of MASH then Mastermind. I left a terrible stain on my chair as I suddenly glimpsed movement from the corner of my eye. As I leapt in the air I saw it was Mike who hadn’t warned me he was on his way back. He made his coffee while I watched the end of Mastermind. There was a programme about a minister on the Falklands who will be leaving soon followed by an hour of Top of the Pops 1977 which I wanted to watch as Yvonne was born in December that year. At 10.00 pm I locked Joey’s cage and wished him goodnight, took my meds, wished Mike good night and came through to attack the work. As I came through I was laughing as Joey had been very loud when the music was on and also started headbanging in much the sane way that we used to when Status Quo were playing. Funny the thoughts that come to you.
I should be OK time wise tonight I think. Not so much mail I couldn’t cope with after the blog.
Saturday 14th November.
Last night was fine and I had plenty of time for a read. Light out 12.30 am and I’m pretty sure my lights were out soon after that. Waking time was 3.23 am and even had I still been tired I wouldn’t have dared go back to sleep in case Mike woke before me and caught me sleeping when he was up. I’d never hear the end of it and he’s probably create a blog just to say how many tries it took to get me out of bed.He’d be very inventive though and people are always happy to believe the worst. I’ve woken this morning to news of the atrocities in France. Yet again an enemy too cowardly to show themselves has taken the lives of the innocent probably for no better reason than they were enjoying themselves. La Belle France, you are in my thoughts. Don’t bow down before this mindless terrorism. For anyone interested, here’s a post I did on this atrocity. lorddavidprosser1.wordpress.com/2015/11/14/mindless-terrorism/
I worked on doing the above post and on my mail from gmail until almost 5.30 am. I was actually able to get into Talktalk this morning but all I needed to do mainly was delete the post there as it was now duplicated on gmail. At 5.30 m though, I went through to the kitchen to take my meds and to have breakfast. That meant there’s just one further meal needed with tablets during the day and I could choose which one. I chose lunch. I gathered up the rest of the paper/magazines ready to go out for collection, always assuming they’d actually pick it up this week. Then it was back to work until it was time to do Mike’s coffee. His alarm went off a couple of minutes early but I wasn’t going to complain. I went to do him a coffee. As I took it through the alarm sounded again but even in combination with my dulcet tones it didn’t move his caracase. So, I determined to take out the rubbish. It was quite nippy out this morning and Mike was lying on top of the bed with no top on. A draught may have slipped through while I took the rubbish out. I came back in for the paper waste just to be sure and by the time I returned then he was sitting in the lounge, tinged with blue and sounding like a typewriter.
We were on our way at 7.30 am and had started shopping at 7.45 am. I saw some things for the baby to be and also for my great nephew for Christmas. I loaded up on selection boxes to make sure I had enough and sweets to take to the girls today. I even put a little food in this week which might be why the bill was 50% more than I expected it to be t £60.00 ( they overcharged me £1 but I had it corrected) which in turn had Mike laughing almost hard enough for apoplexy. ( Not hard enough though). We had our usual coffee and I managed to complete a card with a sticker someone had left on a cup on the next table. On the way to Flint we called in at Aldi for some waterproofing spray which I thought might be good for my hat in view of the rain we’re expecting. I managed to get a couple of things from there. We parked outside Temptations but instead of going straight in hit a couple of shops. I had a niggle that I was looking for something in particular in Homies but couldn’t remember what so didn’t get it. We had our coffee and had a slow stroll to one last shop to check something out before getting back in the car. I’d left the decision about lunch up to Mike today and he’d decided on Prestatyn. A twenty minute drive down the road and we were sitting in our favourite seats ready to get a carvery. I took my pre-foodie first. I was only given two slices of beef but they were as thick as doormats and not much smaller. The meal beat both of us and Mike said it’s a first for me ever to leave beef. I didn’t want to but had I not the explosion would have been heard from miles away.
When we left the CookHouse we headed for another branch of Homies as I now remembered what it was I needed this morning. Some of my new Aveeno but with shea butter to try. I want to find which is the best one before trying to get it from the doctor again. Eventually we came home and after unpacking and putting the shopping away I was able to come through and work while Mike watched the run up to tomorrows Grand Prix, to get the grid places today. I worked from 2.00 pm to 5.30 pm watched our usual quiz when he called me and then worked again from 6.15 pm to 8.00 pm. I didn’t manage to finish but I have an agreement which says I have to spend some time in Mike’s company so I watched two programmes with him till 10.15 pm, washed a couple of pots then came back to do the blog and any mail I had time for.
Important. If anyone receives mail supposedly from me with the email address as shown with any similar subject, Please don’t open it. I haven’t sent it. I’m very sorry but it seems I have a virus of some kind annoying people with spam.
I wish you all a Great New Week full of Dreams come true and Hugs Galore xxxx
It was a late night and gone 1.00 am before the light went out. It was a struggle to sleep at first but relaxation came and wallop, I was away. This morning I had the pleasant surprise of waking at 6.32 am. Wonderful, fully rested for a change. After a visit to the loo and a trip to the kitchen for meds and to make a coffee I came back to see how bad the overnight mail had been. Talktalk said it was never ending and gmail just screamed for help but with perseverance and the judicial use of the delete button I was eventually clear at 9.35 am. To celebrate I took a coffee in to Mike thinking he should be awake to celebrate with me or perhaps just that he should be awake. It was 10.00 am before he actually got up and took his drink to the lounge. There must have been something soporific in Joey’s singing as Mike just slumped on the edge of the chair asleep. Joey wasn’t impressed and stating his preference for an attentive audience, he went full volume. Even my eyes went wider at that. Mike’s flew open and he started drinking his coffee. A beautiful friend of mine says Joey amuses her and she thinks I may be exaggerating the noise a tiny bird can make. I’m sure some of you can put her right as to how penetrating their top notes can be and how loud the sound can boom out from those tiny lungs.When Mike gets out of his car on a Thursday night he can tell whether Joey is awake or not right away. Those dulcet tones carry a great distance.
We got dressed and left the house at 11.15 pm. I was under the impression we were going in one direction to pick up fish food but Mike decided there was no rush. We ended up in Rhyl looking for some light fittings. We found them after some effort and went off to have lunch. Our usual cafe was closed but we easily found another one that did a good selection. Mike had a lamb dinner while I had a ham one. It was while we were at lunch that Mike got a phone call and I heard him expressing disbelief. His father was on the way to the A & E department again. That’s yet another Sunday he’s been called back. His sister has gone to the hospital with him, not a fall this time,just a bout of non-cooperation and non verbalising they’re worried about. Mike refused to go straight away as he knows no-one would get round to seeing his father for a least a couple of hours by which time the bout of intransigence may well be over. We carried on with lunch and then a visit to another shop where I managed to find a light adaptor I needed.Then we came home. I made Mike a drink while he did Ju’s flowers then about 4.00 pm he left. He promised t text when he got back to Rugby but I had an awful feeling he could have a long evening/night ahead of him at the hospital. I hope I’m wrong. After Mike left I came through to the bedroom to work. There was as always a lot of catching up to do. I was here until 7.00 pm when I went through to sit with Joey and to have some rhubarb and strawberry tart that I’ll have to eat all alone since Mike had to go. It was a pure accident that it wasn’t in sight until he’d gone. I wwatched TV until 9.00 pm and came back through until bedtime. I’m going to read in here then try and go to sleep in the chair. Not for too long though as I’m being MuJo’d in the morning and need to tidy up and if possible get my washing done.
Monday 19th.
Last night’s experiment worked well. I read until 12.30 am then went to sleep in my chair. Joey didn’t object to my company. I only slept until 3.14 am though. At least I got an early start on the washing and all my mail before having breakfast at 4.30 am. After that it was a case of staying awake until MuJo arrived. I gave John his lights and let him have the adaptor I bought yesterday as his hadn’t arrived.
A long day and a lot of mail this evening but it’s been fine.
That’s funny looking pastry Reuben.
Perhaps I won’t have a piece of pie thanks….
Tuesday 20th.
A successful experiment. I read in bed until almost 1.00 am then went straight to my chair. I slept until 5.23 am which is really good. Out of the house at 7.30 am to catch my bus. Joey not amused at being left in his cage. He didn’t hesitate to let me know the minute he heard my key in the door. I had mail. The light adaptors arrived so I have replaced mine and saved John’s second one until I see them again. John left me a message on Skype that the lights were fantastic, he seems to really like the effect.
Sunhat
Rat Hat?
Wednesday 21st.
An unsuccessful night this time. I lay in bed after lights out at 1.00 am and had still not fallen asleep at 3.15 am. I got up and distracted myself with work for a while. At 4.00 am I tried again and managed to nod off but only until 4.55 am. It wasn’t worth trying too hard again as I needed to be up by 6.00 am anyway. I had to be out at 7.30 am for my bus. I dressed, had my breakfast and meds then cleared my post boxes until it was time to go out. I shall have to find the opportunity of a nap during the day, perhaps my bus journeys, so I’m compost mental for my games night.
I may not be here but I am thinking of you all.
Happy Clown
Sanity Claus.
Thursday 22nd.
I read until 12.45 am then turned the light off and tried to sleep. I don’t think it was too long coming. Neither was wakefulness though. When I woke at 3.02 am I found I was already sitting on the edge of the bed with my feet in my slippers. Since there was no way I was going back to sleep again (yet) I visited Looville and then came back to the mail. Talktalk was not available (again) due to technical difficulties the team was working on. I went straight to gmail. There was quite bit but it soon became obvious that many of the blogs I have followed for a long time just weren’t there. I didn’t have time to try logging into them separately so I turned to my WordPress reader and going through them one by one changed each Instant notification to a Daily one. Fingers crossed I start getting posts again.
At 5.45 am I went through to the kitchen and took my meds and also had breakfast. For some reason today my stomach thinks my throat has been cut. For some reason today I wish it had. I saw my wife, I saw Julia and I started to follow her but it wasn’t she.
Seatgrabber, Saving this for my mummy.
Stepping Up.
Friday 23rd
Mike arrived at some time after 11.00 pm last night. I made him a coffee while he told me all about the latest things in his week. It appears that the hospital have released his father back to the home again despite saying they wouldn’t do so until they’d found somewhere that could offer suitable care. The home itself have taken him but said they don’t have the staff to stay with him when he goes into a fugue state as he has been doing with some frequency recently. Mike goes there today to try and get some answers and to set in process the giving up of both the new flat and the old one, now knowing his Dad’s onset of dementia is becoming quite rapid.
My light went out about 1.00 am and I had trouble getting to sleep. I was up again at 3.56 am catching up on mail from Talktalk which is now live again. I was not clear on both addresses until 6.50 am when I was able to get my meds and do the week’s meds before going out. Not out quite as early today as Mike will drop me off.
Trying the Pops Frown.
Saturday 24th.
Light off 1.00 am after a read. Woke up at 2.02 am but after a cigarette and a good talking too, decided to try again. It worked. Woke up at 4.09 am. but a good talking too didn’t work as I think my ears were going la, la ,la ,la while I tried. I got up, and while in an upright position decided to visit the Piddle Palace then come back to work. Talktalk was live this morning though still holding it’s head in shame at recent revelations. It’s ridiculous that a firm this size, that holds the banking details of so many of it’s customers can be hacked 4 times because they don’t use encryption software. That is NOT putting the customer first and I would imagine will not only cost them future custom but will also lose them many existing customers who aren’t tied in by contract. I wonder in fact if people will be able to end their contract early because of Talktalk’s negligence. I know they talk of the hacking skills of those from the Deep Web but that’s also where the skills to encrypt and defend from hackers is found. It’s fairly simple to imagine that if you refuse to pay for these skills then someone is going to hack just to show how easy it is. Shape up Talktalk!
It was shopping this morning. That of course starts with getting Mike out of bed. I know he didn’t go to sleep before 12.30 am because I was talking to him at that time and he was using his tablet to look for a ring. I’m pretty sure he carried on after I left to pick up my book.So, at 6.00 am I went through to the kitchen to take my meds and have breakfast. At 6.30 am I took a coffee through as soon as I heard his first alarm, and called him. No response at 6.40 alarm, 6.50 alarm or 7.00 am alarm but my prompt at 7.00 am about cold coffee did the trick. Final score C2 A4. It later turned out I hadn’t heard his first alarm, only his nearest. In error he’s set it for 6.00 am so had in fact ignored 3 more which would have made his final A’s 7 which even for him would be incredible so I won’t count them. With a concerted effort we were still out of the house at 7.30 am though I think he was still getting dressed as he hopped to the car. We were at the Supermarket around 7.45 am and after I’d checked I could get money on my card ( I was worried about the hacking of Talktalk) we went into battle.
First off this morning were Ju’s flowers. A pretty bunch of mixed colours. Then a fairly long loop round the store until we came to the food section. That was quickly done as I needed to buy pop and sweets so would be eating bread and scrape (dripping) all week. By the time we’d got milk and just about reached the end of the buying I was still on the £50 mark. We went for coffee, or rather Mike did while I went for cigarettes. When I got back he’d glared at two members of staff until they realised they were sitting at our table and vacated. From there we went straight to Flint. A sweep of our usual shops left no casualties in his wake so we went for a drink at Temptations. Kyle served us without having to ask what we wanted. He was having quite a busy time of it. I finished my drink and went to the other end of the shop to buy some silver wedding gift wrap and a bag. We’d had a conversation over coffee about our jaunt last weekend and some baskets we’d seen that came with packing to turn into gift baskets. Yes, I know I should have bought them at the time but I wasn’t sure who I’d use them for back then. Now of course I had two ideal people whose gifts would fit the baskets nicely but could we think of where we’d seen them, could we heck. We racked our brains about where we’d been and tried to narrow it down. I was pretty sure it was the big Homies but Mike wasn’t sure. However he agreed we should retrace our steps. What a waste of time that was though we did find something smaller that might do the job. Anyone got some shredded paper?
We came home about 3.00 pm and unpacked the shopping. Once it was put away Mike reverted to football on his tablet and I came through to clear my mail. It kept me going until 5.45 pm when I went through and found Mike snoring. I woke him and made some tea after which I quite happily dozed off myself. We did watch some TV together, did talk to each other and to the budgie but at 10.00 pm I had to come back to work. Mike went through to his room to fall asleep in bed watching more football. It’s been a strange week and I may have to carry it on a little longer but don’t take that as an indication that I’ve lost interest in my friends or stopped caring.
Circumstances conspired against me yesterday so that it was 1.30 am before my light went off last night. That meant a slightly later start this morning of 5.02 am. It sounds good but meant just three and a half hours again. Still, I can cope with it. My usual visit to the loo with an indecisive bladder meant not logging on until 5.10 am and I was slightly disappointed when I did with the amount of mail waiting. Can’t you lot write to me after breakfast or something? There were about four responses to the blog which was nice, and it seemed to have gone down well on the music front. I take this opportunity to remind you that I’m happy to take requests and I’ll try to find something nice.
I went through to the kitchen at 6.30 am to feed my pals and Sharkey II was noticeable by his absence. It wasn’t pleasant to find him floating belly up at the top of the tank well beyond any hope of the kiss of life. He’s my first ever loss other than natural age. I’m absolutely devastated as it’s only been a week and in that time he’s become a firm favourite. A beautiful, sleek graceful fish. I promise I didn’t do it from moustache envy. I note that perhaps the pump isn’t working at full capacity and wonder if it has some bearing on matters even though there is an airstone giving it some stick in there. I shall ask Mike to take a look when I get him up. I cleared him from the tank before he was cannibalised and placed him in a little container. I feel cruel for consigning him to the rubbish.Food went in for the others and they carried on as though nothing had changed. Maybe there will be a memorial service once my back is turned.
After taking my meds I made a coffee which I took back to my desk with me. More mail coming in all the time but by 8.45 am I was starting to keep pace with it. I knew that was going to change later when we went out for lunch. I kept pace until 10.00 am when I went to wake up the rest of the mourning party with a cuppa. I needed his help in seeing to the pump before we decided where to go for lunch and what to do today. He’s not renowned for speed. To be fair when I walked in and told his coffee was there, I added that I was going to say the three little words he’s longed to hear “I need you” typical response though when he said ” I thought at the least the words would have been The Lottery’s Ours”. He did get up though. He sat for so long looking at his tablet I almost fell asleep before we finally started on the pump. Once it had a good clean it was right as rain again. Then he told me what he’s been looking at the tablet for, it was to confirm Sharkey hadn’t died through my fault. It was because we hadn’t been given a fresh water fish at all, but one that needed brackish water and of course I hadn’t added salt. Also, far from the four inch fih I’d expected this could reach 13″ which was far too much for my tank. That’s a shop I shan’t want to visit again.
When we’d done Mike got washed and dressed and we headed off for lunch. All the way to Rhyl to the Red Cafe where we’d been last week so we could get some sponges for the filter from our usual fish shop, and to see if they had a pictus in. They didn’t. And though there was a beautiful large plec there I didn’t want it. I wanted something that moves a bit. We came away with the sponges, a new air pipe and some food. While we were in Rhyl, for the first time ever there I was accosted in the street for money from a homeless person. Though I did hand over money for a meal I couldn’t help but wonder if she was genuinely homeless and whether the money was going for food in the end. By the time we got home it was about 3.00 pm. Mike stayed another hour while I tried to keep my eyes open and then said his goodbyes at 4.00 pm. He was my excuse not to work so I dragged myself to the computer and screamed. 212 waiting. I could only work until 6.00 pm before having to make myself a sandwich for tea so I watched a couple of Big Bang Theories and fell asleep. I stayed there until 8.00 pm and with some reluctance came back through to work. I gave it till 10.00 pm then started the blog. Anything else can wait till the morning.
Monday.
Idle Human, bed glued to your back is it? Well maybe it seems like that. I was in bed for just gone 11.00 pm last night and light off at midnight yet it was 6.11 am when I woke. And even when I did, there was a reluctance to get up even though I wouldn’t sleep again. My bladder decided that for me and up I got for a visit to the loo. Only when I came back did I power up the monster where I found only half a dozen messages or so from last night, but a hole horde of them from this morning. I got started. I could only work until 7.00 am before having to go through to the fish. The morning light is a bit better so I could see some activity before the lights went on. Best of all was seeing the ancistrus out of it’s hidey-ole. As I turned the light on, he disappeared back to where he’s dug himself in underneath a shell. I feel a little guilty for having not put an area of sand down for him to dig into but he seems to have done well enough from the gravel. Big Al was unusually out of his corner and performing some beautiful arcs in front of me, little Al was matching him stroke for stroke. Pepper didn’t seem interested. As usual I wished them good morning as the light went on and as usual Morecambe came straight to my voice. Wise followed but at a much slower pace. Even one of the bronze corys came for a look. I stuck two algae tablets to the inside of the tank to disintegrate slowly and hopefully to interest the plecs then gave some of the new food, all in one, to the rest who attacked like they were kept hungry for week , they love it. For any of you tank enthusiasts out there, keep an eye open for foodstuffs by Fish Science. It’s really good stuff and is the result of someone going it alone after many years developing fish food for one of the top manufacturers.
Seeing the fish happy I got on with taking my meds and making my coffee to bring back. I also put a load of washing in the machine then came back through. I got stuck in. About 8.40 am I went back to the kitchen and put the washing on the drier mode so it would be ready to put on the radiator before lunch time. The first batch of mail kept me going until 10.00 am with the interruptions but I wasn’t worried. I’d no intentions of going out today. After that it was time for some kind of bravery. I refreshed my first mail account and opened the second. Oh my, will I never learn that you people never sleep. As Australia is heading in that direction, The U.S. is waking up and Europe is already on line. The Philippines is a little ahead but online now (when it works) and Thailand is in mid afternoon writing to break new records.Some very good blog posts, some adverts for the release of new books, some personal but very funny mail and even a couple of cons, it all flowed through my hands via my mouse. All of a sudden it was almost lunchtime. I went to the kitchen and decided I’d better empty the bin since I put something in and it bounced straight back out again. Then the drier stopped so I took everything out, folded it and put it in the airing cupboard for now. I took my pre-food tablet, buttered some bread then loaded the microwave while I had a cigarette. A beef stew with dumplings today. I prepared myself a tray with a light mousse for pudding and added my after food tablets to the corner of the tray. As I ate I watched an episode of Murder she Wrote. Once over I washed the pots and came back through.
I don’t know whether you’ve noticed, but I’m not falling asleep and missing the end of Murder she Wrote as much as I did with my antiques show. I’m not sure what that means yet. What I do know is it was flippin’ hard to keep my eyes open doing my afternoon stint on the mail. I was nodding, my right hand would jerk and the mouse would be off the desk dangling down the side of my chair in my hand while my head was going forward at a rate of knots towards the desk and a very hard ash tray. There must have been some recognition of the incipient danger running through my brain, as my eyes struggled to open and wake me up. Proof that it worked is evident by the 50% less bruising I had than usual. At 2.15 pm I had to admit defeat and got through to the lounge. ( For all you clever clogs sitting there saying I only went in for Father Brown, I didn’t even turn the telly on. Anyway Father Brown is over). I sat in my chair and relaxed I was falling asleep, having a dream and waking up, and repeating the whole thing. I know my wife was with me tough sometimes it was another person too but I can’t remember the context now. By 3.00 pm I’d come back through ready to go into battle again. I don’t know how many I shifted or what time things changed but there it was again, I was woken up by my head flying towards the desk. It was 4.30pm. Not only woken for my programme but somehow I’d also signed out of my messages I was getting less done that when I go out.
Time to watch my PYMWYMI (Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is for future reference). I managed to stay the course. When the next programme started I went to make myself some tea which I then ate while the questions were being asked. My excuse for not answering- my mouth was full. At 6.00 pm instead of the usual, I watched an old episode of Law and Order ten turned everything off and came back to sign in again. So much mail, I would have questioned whether I’d done anything all day if I couldn’t actually see the time these were received. I just plodded on and on and on until they were done and refreshed. By about 10.45 I was up to date and not stupid enough to refresh again. I took the opportunity to start on the blog instead.
Tonight I’m going to do two records to please the two ladies who asked for them and also to say thanks to them both for taking the time to comment.
Elvis Presley-In the Ghetto for my friend Lynne who writes as Lasvegaslinny
Tuesday.
So I managed bed just before midnight and still managed a half hour or so read before putting the light out. Lie down, start coughing, sit up, take a drink and repeat. I know why they call it a nagging cough now. I was awake at 3.43 am, probably overflowing from all the little sips of drink. I made my way to the bathroom feeling like a tugboat awash on a sea of lime juice. When I eventually got back I set the computer to warm up and checked my mail. Just half a dozen from last night and 53 from the morning which only averages out at 13 per hour which doesn’t seem bad for a change. I made a start. By 6.00 am I was over the half way mark but I decided to feed the fish so there wouldn’t be a mad rush if I forgot the time later. Cough, cough, cough, so no way I was creeping up on them. I put the kitchen light on and went straight over to do the same with the tank. Morecambe and Wise came straight over, Pepper did a loop de loop close to the front and the two bronze corys played tag. Big Al and Little Al seemed to be enjoying a swim in and out the branches of the bog wood. Even the hoplos seemed to be having a sort of game swimming to the surface and back. The plecs just lay sunning themselves, very inactive. The pretty V shaped tail of the ancistrus was showing as it tried to disappear from sight. Of the synodontis there was no sign. I wasn’t worried though. I places a little flake in for Morecambe and Wise to ignore, stuck one of the new algae tablets to the tank wall an dropped some algae pellets to the floor. Everyone raced for those so I dropped a couple more near the shall and the synodontis came out for an undisturbed nibble.
Leaving the fish happy I came away and dealt with my sprays then got my mug of milk to take my tablet. I added sweeteners to what was left of the milk and made a coffee. Once I’d taken my drink through I was able to wash and dress ready for going out. There was now time for a little more mail before going out at 8.00 am. Instead of me travelling to Chester by my usual bus we had decided to meet along the route at a Supermarket and I would travel by the bus I always used to take. So, in plenty of time I got my shoes on ( it takes an age), gathered the things I was taking for her ( the gloves we forgot last time), donned my coat and gloves and got my go-go sticks at the ready. Times beautifully for 8.00 am ( as if I’d say any different) I left the house and started walking to the bus stop.The bus stop was full of yammering kiddies and dammit I was early. Fortunately the school bus wasn’t too long in coming and there were a couple of quiet minutes until mine arrived. As I’d never got off at this particular stop before I’d had to guess how long the journey would be. I said about 45 minutes for me and about 15 for Yvonne. She wasn’t leaving Chester until 8.45 am. I arrived at he bust stop at 8.58 am and proceeded to press 5 sets of crossing requests to get from one side of this convoluted junction to the other, then a breath grabbing few minutes to walk to the front of the store. I arrived and stood catching my breath popping a cough sweet in my mouth to hold the coughs back from Super Nag who can hear a wheeze at 50 paces. I’d just found the energy to turn round when there was a call and she hove into view with the little figurehead at the prow pointing in my direction and laughing manically.
Yvonne and I hugged and I blew Reuben a kiss in case his insanity was catching. We went inside. I suggested a coffee before we started shopping so we went to MaDonald’s. I had a coffee while Yvonne had a soft drink Reuben could share, worryingly it always seems more full after he’s had a drink. Yvonne and Roobs shared a cheeseburger which meant he got the bread and the cheese part and showed disdain for the meat. Yvonne bought me a bacon (sort of ) bap which I didn’t actually want but hey, who listens to me. I thought I was safe as Roobs doesn’tdidn’t seem keen on bacon. Within moments he was pointing at it. I offered a piece of bacon thinking it would head floorwards as in the past and I’d be left alone. No way, all I hear was “More” continuously until the only thing I was left to eat were the tablets I was supposed to have after food rather than instead of it. We He finished breakfast and he went back in his trolley ready to wander round the shop. He’s much safer restrained. I got him some nice jeans and a couple of nice tops and Yvonne picked up a nice shirt. We picked up a few bits and bobs as we went around and believe me, we really went around. We were very thorough. So much so that when w reached the tills we found we’d been in there for two hours. Yvonne needed to get home for work and I needed to get home to deal with all these people who have nothing better to do with their time than write. We walked together down towards the bus stops. She’d be using the one I got off at this morning while I was staying on the same side of the road as now. I had just one crossing button to press, Yvonne had to deal with 5. My bus arrived just as she got to her bus stop but her bus pulled up directly too. So, we were both able to wave goodbye at the same time.
I was home again at 1.00 pm having needed a wee so badly I’d walked past Pauline’s shop yet again. Once the loo was out of the way and I’d put away my little bit of shopping I cam through to take my punishment for having a life. Cruel and unusual punishment judging by some of your posts. I’d given up the idea of an afternoon nap or an escape for 2.15 pm TV. but I hoped I could manage a 4.00 pm finish to get something to eat before my PYMWYMI. It was hard going, especially staying awake but at 4.05 pm I was down to the last 20 or so. I broke off and made a corned beef hash. As I finished that my programme came on. I put two matchsticks to hold up my eyelids and enjoyed the fight. I stayed there for the quiz but fell asleep before it was quite over, waking up 15 or so minutes later to find the news on. I had the last few minutes of another quiz then came through. Laughingly I left the TV on standby in case I got the chance to watch something later but the god of blogs chained me to my chair and here I remained until I was allowed to go for my tablets at 10.00 pm, and to turn the TV of properly. At 11.00 pm I gave up on post to concentrate on the blog. The rest can wait fopr tomorrow when the backlog problem will be even worse than usual.
Wednesday.
Before I shock you too much, let me explain it was 1.00 am before my light went out last night and gone 2.00 am before I was able to get to sleep. Between discomfort and coughs I’m amazed I got off at all. Now for the shock, it was 6.14 am before I got up. I was horrified, today of all days. It was loo then work in short order. I made the fish wait until 7.30 am before I took a break to see to them. As a treat I got out the bloodworm to give them a treat. It’s in a tray with foil separators like they use for tablets I inserted my thumbnail into a piece of foil intending to peel it back but the contents were still liquid and they just exploded all over me. What little was left went to the fish and I started trying to grab the splashed stuff off my dressing gown to put in. That which had reached the floor I decided the floor could keep. I added algae pellets to make up for the loss. I really didn’t have time to stand watching them this morning especially now I had to clean the kitchen floor. As soon s I’d dealt with that and no-one could prove a thing, I took my meds and made a coffee.
Back in the bedroom I went about getting ready for the morning and got washed and dressed than at last was able to sit down with some more work. For some reason I didn’t manage much and found I didn’t feel great so returned to the lounge with my coffee. I finished it, ate some malt bread for breakfast and promptly fell asleep. It was still only 8.00 am. It was almost 9.00 am by the time I came too and knew I needed to get a move on. I went to Gmail firsdt to the messages left over from last night as they were personal ones. It took some time but I got those out of the way and deleted the rest. Then I turned to my normal mail box and just started working my way up from the oldest date. It wasn’t even 10.00 am when I heard voice. The door opened and MuJo were there, much earlier than usual. I was very surprised especially as they’d said they were having new tyres put on the car first. That plan had changed for today and they’d come straight to me. I passed them the bags of things I’d picked up for them over the last couple of weeks and went to see to drinks. We sat chatting for a good while.
It was too early for lunch by the time the drinks were gone so I suggested a walk round the shops in Holywell before heading to John’s favourite place, the Chippy. They agreed so off we set. John was able to pick up a Mother’s day card for his mum who’s in her 90’s now and I was able to pick up a couple of things. Having wasted enough time, we went for lunch. I had chips with mince & mushrooms plus mushy peas, MuJo both had fish, chips and peas. After we’d finished we got back in the car and headed for Flint. After we parked up the first stop was Home Bargains where I got a few items and then onto B & M (Bum) Bargains where I got chocolates for the girls in Temptations. That’s where we went next. Ceri wasn’t there but Trudy was and I hadn’t seen her in ages, I also saw Helen and Sian so managed a few words each. After our refreshments it was gooodbye girls and back to shopping. Mu managed to get herself a couple of jumpers in the sale so she was delighted. After that, back to the car and home.
3.00 pm back indoors and as John relaxed Muriel went to Pauline’s to get her lottery tickets. They left at 3.50 pm to head back home again.After saying a fond farewell I flew into my room to look at the messages. With what was left from the morning and the new stuff that came in, well lets just say I need new tissues. I could only work till 4.30 pm as I didn’t want to be in here working if Lee arrived. I went through and sat in the lounge, coincidentally my PYMWYMI was just starting. Lee arrived at 5.00 pm and we sat talking about his impending fatherhood (April) and whether he needed anything for the baby. His dad arrived at 5.30 pm sans Matthew who apparently had just started work this afternoon/evening. He’s going to miss out on his little treats as I forgot to send them back with Dil later. As soon as the usual quiz was over we set up the table and started playing. Scrabble first, That game was mine. Nomination, despite a promising start I was robbed, my brother has no conscience and isn’t easily taken in by a facade of pure miser either. Then Crazy 8’s the the bloody highwayman struck again without even wearing a mask. Throughout all the games there had been constant jollity and little stories being told. Nothing had been played with any speed. They left at 9.30 pm giving me time to tidy, wash the pots and get my evening meds before burying myself in here. It’s going to be a very long night.
There it is Pops
I’m so excited Pops
Thursday.
As predicted it was a long night. It was almost 2.00 am before my light went out but at least sleep came easily. I woke at 4.07 am but my kind body informed me I wasn’t ready to get up and my bladder wasn’t pushing enough to make me. I went back to sleep again. At 6.33 am I woke again and this time was the real thing. This time my bladder gave a little twinge just to let me know that my legs were on the wrong side of the covers and they should be walking by now. I walked. I came back relieved in a few minutes and powered up the computer. Amazingly, I thought I could cope today. I could only work for about half an hour before the cries of the fish could be heard. “Feed us” they said. I turned the kitchen light on then the tank immediately after. No point in keeping them waiting. I opened the flap and sprinkled some pellets in which they went for straight away. Then I gave them half a sachet of daphnia and I was left wondering when I’d bought the piranhas . I had every intention of taking some pictures of the fish today but I’ve not managed a good shot at all because of the reflected light. For now I’m just going to entertain you with a couple of blasts from the past…..
The Infamous Oscar
Beautiful Bernie
After I fed the beasties I took my meds and made a coffee to bring back. At about 9.00 am I got washed and dressed though I hadn’t any intention of going out today. I do have something niggling at the back of my mind but can’t put my finger on it. I stayed in my seat all morning keeping pace with the mail coming in and once I was up to date in my main account I opened the secondary one and started there. I cleared all the duplicate emails until I came to the personal ones which don’t appear in my main account. I dealt with those, hopefully spreading a few laughs as I went. Finally, as I cleared the last one it was 11.50 am and time to think about lunch. I busied myself with some bread and butter then put a cottage pie in the microwave, turned the TV on ready for Bargain Hunt then as the pie was ready, settled down to watch.
As it came to an end I was allowing myself to settle down n the chair. The Zzzz’s were just starting to appear when my phone went. It took me a few moments to understand the source of the sound but when I did I found a message from Mike. He’s on his way and he told me all about the special friend he’s bringing with him for me. I’m very excited. Roll on 3.30 pm. In the meantime it’s just 1.00 pm and time to get back to work. Back at my desk I find no-one has been going mad for a change and the post is quite reasonable. I think I’ll be able to manage. I worked until 3.10 pm then left to put the kettle on, I knew Mike would need a coffee when he got here and I’ve no doubt the guest he’s bringing will need to relax. Mike walked in at 3.20 pm so I assume he’d used the convertible jet facility and landed at a local airfield. He handed me a bag which I took into the kitchen and gingerly opened. Inside was a polystyrene box which had been well taped so I had to use scissors on it. When I opened it there was a clear plastic bag filled with water and the most gorgeous pictus of about 3″. A huge whiplash moustache on it’s face swung about as he tried to turn circle in the bag. I started to undo it. After a lot of effort the bag was open. I tried to get rid of all the blue air I’d caused trying to undo the bag and rolling the neck down I said hello to Stan as I lowered the bag into the tank for the first acclimatisation session of 20 mins. I went through to the lounge and paid Mike, this is the nicest visitor he’s ever brought.
At the end of the twenty minutes I went through and added some water to the bag so Stan became used to that too. He’d need another twenty minutes now and then he’d be in the tank. When the time was up Mike was sitting closer to the kitchen than me so I asked him to see to the release. He did so gladly for me and called out that Stan was doing the full tour of the tank. I was glad.I hope he liked it enough to stay. Personally I think Mike will fall a little in love this weekend and want one of his own when he gets home. He got Stan from his own fish man at home when he went in to see about a new and bigger tank. It looks like he might have a 5 foot one before long. I’ve had to do some considering and decided I probably can’t get away with any more than a 3 foot tank in the space available in the lounge.That’s still enough for me to have some of the type of fish I love so much. Maybe I’ll just transfer most of my usual fish into a new tank and close the kitchen tank down.
I made some tea and we watched a bit of TV before I excused myself for a while. I wanted to see a programme at 8.oo pm so I needed to clear some work first. When I went back through it was for a DIY SOS to help a family with disabled 3 year olds living in a property too small for them. There was an 8 year old boy too.Dad was forced to work away from home to earn enough to keep them all and mum, a midwife, was devoting herself to the boys. The older brother was a little gem. The team did a 9 day job on the house and changed it beyond all recognition with the help of local tradesmen and friends. The response was phenomenal and it goes without saying there were tears at the end, even some from the family. It’s heartwarming to know people can still respond to things like this without putting themselves first. After that, I came back through to work. suggestions from a 24 year old woman ( ?) living in Paris but from Togo suggesting I might be a suitable partner and a good father for our children scared the life out of me but entertained Mike no end. A second and third missive to say she appreciated my honesty about my age and having a daughter older than her didn’t faze her in the least and cracked Mike up. I nearly cracked him myself. While I had him here I showed him a tank I’d found locally with it’s own stand that looked well cared for, was a very good price and just the right size, it had him running round with a tape measure in his hand deciding where we’d make space and even starting to move things. I suggested it might be little premature. He left to watch TV and I got on with my mail.
By 11.00 pm I had it down to a manageable level and turned to doing this blog. Maybe tonight will mean an earlier finish.
Friday.
Not quite as early as hoped but I was still in bed by 12.15 am. I read until 1.00 am and then settled down to dream. I think it was about weddings in which I wasn’t a willing participant but everyone else seemed to think it was OK. I wasn’t able to talk for some reason, perhaps fear of the club being held by a rather ‘statuesque’ lady who also carried two crying infants. I was up at 3.23 am and to be honest I think I was quite relieved. Actually that came next. Once I’d been to the loo I powered up the computer and started on the mail. I worked till 6.00 am then went to feed the fish. Stan seems to be another one for hanging around in corners. In his case it may have something to do with the light which is quite bright. I need to but some sand or gravel and put some plants in. I know pictus like to hide in caves where they can, so I’ll see if the tank can be rearranged to accommodate one. Of course if I get a new tank I can make sure that’s the first thing in there. I dropped some algae pellets in and a little flake and everyone moved except Stan. I added some daphnia and Stan came alive zooming along practically hoovering it up. I wonder what he’ll be like with bloodworm tomorrow.
Next job was to take my meds and I used the opportunity to fill my diabetic pill box for when I go out. I used the last on Wednesday with MuJo. Once I’d taken everything I prepared my mug for a drink then fetched my meds drawer through so I could fill my weekly meds boxes.Once done, I put the drawer away, wrote out a prescription request for next week to restock then made my coffee. It was then 7.00 pm as it’s quite a lengthy job, especially if you’re still concentrating on fish at the same time. I worked for an hour then went to do Mike’s coffee and give him a shout. He’s not put his alarm on today. It always used to be, Up at 8 (Thanks Cat Stevens), out at 9 and arrive at his Dad’s about 10. Now it starts call at 8 and hope for the best. I know I roused him a bit because he acknowledged the coffee. At quarter past I went through and noisily added a radiator rack to the radiator under the window. That also woke him and I got a “Wha?” After that I left him and at 8.40 am he came out more or less under his own power. At 9.20 am I got dressed and went to Pauline’s leaving Mike sitting there in his pyjama bottoms. Twenty minutes later when I returned he was still there. He started a conversation about immigration which lasted until almost 10.00 pm when he finally went to get ready and I went back to work. At about 10.15 am he came through to say goodbye and left to start his journey. It would be at least 11.15 am before he got there in time to have a coffee before going out for lunch.
I carried on working until 11.30 am at which time I went through to start making Mike’s bed. I was perhaps half way through when the doorbell knocked. It was the warden who hearing my breathing thought I was on the point of a coronary. Once I’d sat down a few minutes I was OK though I’d hoped she might have started the mouth to mouth by then. We chatted about the week and s usual the conversation got round to the fish. She wondered why I didn’t have the tank in the lounge. I had to explain there had been a tank in the lounge in the past. one of seven in the house and that this one was where it always had been and was the last of them. I’d left it there just expecting the tank to die off. I told her about the latest addition and she asked if I’d mind her taking a look. I didn’t mind at all if she didn’t mind scaling the ironing pile. She thought Stan was beautiful and Pepper very pretty but the Siamese were the only ones she recognised as her fish had been the tetra’s, mollys and the guppys that most tanks have. When she left I finished making the bed complete with hospital corners on the sheet and then almost collapsed into it.
Time for lunch. It was 12.15 pm so I put Bargain Hunt on and slammed something in the micro. It was only when I’d finished I couldn’t remember if I’d taken a tablet first. Oops! I did take the after ones just in case.At 1.00 pm I returned to work and started trying to work my way through both mail addresses. I wasn’t doing very well as my eyelids weren’t co-operating at all. I found myself falling forwards for the forehead tattoo quite a bit. In the end at some stage it just happened. I woke up at 4.15 pm with neck ache. I wandered through to the lounge ready for PYMWYMI and wondered what time Mike would be home. My programme was good but I let myself down quite badly by not seeing the very end, nor the start of the next programme. When I opened my eyes a little voice said “Hello”, so at least my last question had been answered. We watched the quiz and then I made something to eat while we watched two more. I even remembered my tablets. At 7.00 pm I went for a shower which I hoped would wake me a bit. I did feel a bit better afterwards as I went back in to sit with Mike. We saw a sports quiz then Mastermind where Mike had to keep checking to see if I’d nodded off again and it was a close run thing. Than I had a Big Bang Theory. I’d probably run out of excuses not to work by this point and came on through. I think it must be this bronchitis getting to me as it’s not as though I burn the candle at both ends is it.
It was fun trying to catch up and I really was making progress but at 11.00 pm I had to stop to give me time with the blog and I don’t think I’ll go back to it later as tomorrow is shopping day. I don’t think I shall be buying a new tank this weekend after all though, as Mike has fitted an air curtain to the existing tank and decided I need a stronger pump.I concur. A new tank can wait.
Saturday.
I managed bed at 12.05 am last night ( this morning?) so I had chance of a read before sleep. I did have a wee problem settling down before sleep as I couldn’t get comfortable, but eventually it came. I got up at 4.29 am so didn’t feel too hard done by. About three and a half hours on top of the skiving I did yesterday. I nipped to the loo before signing on in case it was a stop-start morning but the flow was uninterrupted. I hoped the same could be said of the mail. Well, in fact it could. I worked on the last of yesterday’s stuff and started today’s before knocking off at 6.00 am to see to the fish. First I gave them a frozen block of bloodworm from the freezer which Stan loved a he barged his way through the rest f the fish lining up for breakfast. Then I sprinkled in some of the new formula which sent them all into a bit of a tizzy. It was fun watching the tail of one fish swiping the face of another in it’s eagerness to feed, I couldn’t help but wonder if the slapped one got it’s own back later. At some points it looks like there’s a James Herbert creation of a massive fish with lots of tails waving. Time to concentrate on me….. I took a food tab and then the rest of my meds followed by the usual timing cigarette. Then I ate a bowl of cereal, unusual for me but at least I won’t have to worry about eating tonight.
I took my coffee back to the bedroom and did a little more mail before getting dressed. Amazingly I remembered to top up my phone. It was 6.55 am when I looked at my watch, time to get the kettle on. At 7.00 am I took Mike’s coffee through and non too gently “Yoo Hoo’ed” him awake. I left him to fall asleep again as usual but moments after leaving the room the first alarm went off. I didn’t go back and ten minutes later the second alarm went. I thought I’d leave it till the third one this morning and call him again but lo and behold the sneaky burger slithered his was through to the lounge after that second alarm. Mind you, I went through to tell him he’s upset my guess today and he was asleep in the chair until I spoke. Today I have to give him credit for 1 Call and 2 Alarms. Minutes later the third alarm went off anyway as ‘someone’ had forgotten to turn it off. The chair was his home until the last possible minute and he was dressed and ready to leave at 7.55 am. I was surprised but pleased since I’d had my shoes and coat on for at least half an hour by then. We set off and were at the Supermarket by 8.15 am. I managed to it the jackpot at that hole in the wall machine so I knew I’d eat again this week.
Once inside the store we found my Pepsi Max on a special in the litre bottles and bought two. I wandered over to get some potatoes and then we went to get some flowers for Ju. It took 3 bunches to make me happy this morning though of course I had to defer to my Florist Friend who would actually arrange them. We had a good wander round the store before heading for the part that actually feeds us. First some micro meals, sausages, roast beed slices and yoghurts. Then cakes, bread, puddings before picking up some tinned veg and milk. Then there are sweets ( not for us), pop and biscuits. Anything else I want I try to buy from Pauline to keep my local shop going. After going through the checkout and trying to slow my heart down after thinking I’d bought shares in the firm we moved on to the cafe. Shopping is very dry work. An Americano each and of course save the little plastic stickers from the mugs for a free one. We went round to get our cigarettes and I had a look ( as always ) at the photographic section to see if there are any fantastic bargains on frames. There were though I also bought a calendar as Mike said he wanted one for his Dad with enough room to write on. I don’t think he’s too keen on it though as he becomes fixated on specifics like shape rather than function. Still, no-one is forced to use it.
From the supermarket we traveled a short distance to Pets at Home to check out their pumps and I ended up buying one at £30 because it seemed powerful enough for the job.I also bought three plants to try and give Stan some shade. Just as well I’m not buying a tank soon. On to Flint to find some drawer knobs for Yvonne as the shop that sells them has run out in her area. Which really means, Yah Boo Sucks Yvonne, maybe you’ll let me get them next time we see them instead of delaying. Shock Horror, my branch had also run out but I asked a member of staff who knew that some had come in on a palette and he was willing to get me some.I was very grateful. I bought a couple of other things from the same shop and then it was time for a coffee. At Temptations Ceri was in with Kyle and young Charlotte was manning the card counter. Mike looked happy to get a little bit of banter in today. We had a look round a couple more shops for calendars in case there were any square ones but the only ones we saw had been reduced to £5 and were not really suitable fare for an 80 odd year old ( or his Dad).
Back in the car and head off for lunch. Though where was optional the car automatically brought us to The Ivy. The usual suspects were all there and it was nice to get a kiss from Angie when we went in. She asked if we wanted out usual drinks and set about making them. We saw Tariq briefly as he dropped a cartoon on the table as he flew by. It made me laugh. There had been a menu change so Mike was able to order a lamb shank for his lunch while I chose some pork and leek sausages, mash and garden peas. Once the order was in were went outside for a smoke. Despite the sunshine it’s still cold outside and Mike was right to put his coat on. When we went back in, we didn’t have long to wait for food. I called Rob over as we ate and asked a few questions about his fish tanks since he’ll be responsible for looking after the Ivy’s fish population if Tariq decides to go ahead and start a small pet area. He upset Mike by telling him about a beautiful 5′ tank for sale in the area very cheaply. Mind you, if it had come to my house it wouldn’t have left again. Are you sure you lot don’t want to send me 10c each to paypal? We eventually said out goodbyes and Mike ran us home. It was earlier than usual so when we’d unpacked and put away and Mike had fitted the new pump which created an air curtain along the back of the tank, I was able to attack my post sooner than usual. I was rather pleased with myself that I was up to date by 5.30 pm. I joined Mike in the lounge. He was playing on his tablet so I watched an old film The Scarlet and the Black. It left me with a lot of moral questions at the end. Worse still, the next programme was also a film which hit me badly with a story of the Warsaw Ghetto. It caught me so strongly in places I was forced to turn over for The 39 Steps, a big but very enjoyable twist on the original. At 9.00 pm I came back through.
It took me a while to reach the stage of being up to date again but at least it was early enough to allow me to do the blog post while still on Saturday.
It was a 3.28 am start this morning which was just as well since there had been a fair amount of activity by the scribes overnight. I was quite happy plodding along bringing the numbers down until I realised that they were all being replaced at the same rate so I had to up my pace. My Sunday morning body and brain weren’t keen on this idea and made me feel tired. I decided I’d lie down for a while once the fish were seen to at 7.00 am but it seems Somnos had other ideas. I’d been through and faced some kind of lecture from Big Al. The other fish carried on with what they were doing but Al parked himself at the front of the tank and mouthed off at me. It’s his own fault if the food landed on his head when I opened the flap. Oddly enough, just as the food hit, Big All jumped like he’d been shocked and I swear I caught a glimpse of Porcinus rushing off on his tatty cloven little tootsies.
I took my meds ( maybe they’ll clear up the visions) and made myself a coffee which I took through to the lounge. I often have more luck nodding off there than in bed. I was trying to nod off but every time I shut my eyes the sight of a young child, a baby almost in a formal 3 piece suit appeared behind my eyelids. He was smoking a cigar which you just knew had last been touched by a dusky maiden as she rolled the tobacco on her thigh (sigh) and he was enjoying every draw. I tried to open my eyelids to banish the sight but he just clicked his pudgy little fingers and they stayed shut. I was sort of getting an idea who this was but why should a god of lovers and wishes be dressed like some mafia lawyer, and what could he want with me? The answer was forthcoming as he spoke in a Texas drawl with a baby’s voice. It sounded a bit like an accident with the helium. The party of the first part (Somnos) wanted his contract fulfilled ( I said he looked like a lawyer) and he , an interested party in this contract expected to see it expurgated forthwith or even fifthwith.( Lawyers humour there). He had some growing to do and was anxious to start. “Oh, and by the way, as I’m the god of lovers” he said, “make sure you paint my image with lots of pastel colours.” While I was still trying to work that one out, he vanished.
I decided to go back to work for a while and catch up on anything new in . I was obviously delirious. At 9.05 am though a wave of tiredness came over me and I did one last message then lay on the bed and was gone. Next thing I know I hear the loo flush. I came awake with a start and went through to the lounge. Mike was up and drinking a coffee he’d made himself ( and I’m sure I never showed him how). It was 9.30 am. I asked how long he’d been up and he told me since 9.15 am. He’d seen my light on and stuck his head in. According to Mike I was laying on my back, mouth wide open and snoring like mad. I was an idle beggar still being in bed at that time.
We really took our time getting ready and it must have been 11.00 am before we were on our way out. We headed for Prestatyn where I got a plumbing pack with a radiator key in it. Considering I’d gone into the £ shop just for that I came out £9 lighter. From there we headed for Rhyl and after parking up on the street and finding it had gone midday we went for lunch to a place all locals call the Red Caff on account of the internal colour scheme and red plastic seating. It was OK. After that we had a general mooch looking for a case for a 10″ tablet and finding another pack of radiator keys for me. We ha a look round a store looking for a car coat for Mike without success but I fell in love with a jacket down from £75 to £30 in the sale. No I didn’t, I behaved. Last stop of the day was the aquarist shop where Ju and I used to buy a lot of our fish and our tanks. I got my Pangasius called Zippy from there. Today Mike saw a couple of fish he wanted for his tank and I saw some synodontis I couldn’t resist but I only bought two as it’s almost my birthday and I’ve been promised fish then. Anyone who knows fish will have seen a pattern emerging here. I just adore catfish.
Aren’t I beautiful.
We shot off home so I could start preparing them for the tank, 20 minute in their bag in the tank water, 20 minutes with some tank water added to the bag and then gently release them. Mike loaded the car, strapped his fish into the front seat and set off for Rugby to do the same with his fishy friends. It was just 3.40 pm so I was set for the first 20 minute stage. I started to work since I’d been away from my screen for almost 7 hours. There was just so much of it. At 4.00 pm I went through and added some tank water to the bag to acclimatise my new pals and then went back to work. I remember seeing 4.15 pm then nothing. at 5.05 pm I woke up.I knew I’d been to sleep as the imprint of the keyboard was in reverse on the palm of my hand. Fortunately my forehead had been resting on my arm. The screen was just filled with pages of capital G’s. OMG, the fish! I dashed through and released them. They were fine of course just having had longer to adjust than usual. I returned to my screen and started deleting all the G’s so I could get back to where I’d left off. Thank heavens I hadn’t sent it to someone. I wasn’t sure if the sleep was a present, a punishment or just a reminder from Somnos so to cover myself here is my promotion.
Fed up with your old household gods? Need a new breed for the New Year? Say hello to the bright young things of today who can serve you for tomorrow too. Start saying your prayers to the leader of the new Pantheon, Somnos. Offspring of an older god and who knows what, Somnos is the bright star in the heavens and can turn his hand to anything. A young master of life’s mysteries. Give it up for his brothers, young Porcinus who is god of household and not so household animals and Brother Jake who though the youngest is still a bit of a bright spark. Apart from being responsible for lovers he is also responsible for wishes.Not worth asking for Lottery Numbers he tells me, the elder gods have that tied up for years.
I had to take a half hour break to get something for tea as I’d only had one set of tablets today but after that it was right back nose to the grindstone ( it’s OK my beak can afford it). I’m making real headway now and hope to be in bed by midnight.
Monday.
Negotiation can obviously be rewarding. I was allowed until 4.47 am this morning. It was a bit of a blow to find no-one had arranged for their to be no post during the extra period so I could wake up relaxed but I suppose it’s my own fault for not getting the i’s dotted and t’s crossed. I’ll know for the future and squeeze harder than a lemon press. Once I’d come back from the loo and switched on I’d been disappointed but what the heck, I had time. I worked till 7.00 am and went through to the kitchen. I had to be quiet, my new catfish are very small and quite shy often hiding away during the daylight hours. I turned the light on and there they were enjoying the extra space in this tank. Where the others came flying over when the food was in they didn’t of course but I’m sure they’ll soon learn. That’s if Sharkey behaves anyway and he certainly wasn’t this morning. He was trying to chase everyone away from the food and even managed to startle Big Al this morning. It couldn’t happen often though as nothing can move the tank that Big Al is. He seemed in better humour today and didn’t even glance in my direction. That could be a bit worrying as though an event is due to happen and he’s distancing himself from it for when he secret police arrive…..and that’s despite the fact he probably orchestrated the whole thing. I may need a word with Porcinus to see if fish come under his purview.
I watched for long enough to see my two synodontis disappear inside an upturned ship and stay there. I decided there and then whatever I have for my birthday will be bigger…too big for holes like that. Maybe too big for Sharkey too. A couple of real battleships. I took my meds to get me down from this high and mad myself coffee to take back. I couldn’t be bothered getting dressed as I wasn’t going anywhere. By about 9.45 am I was happy with what I’d done and where I was so took a few minutes to head to the lounge and my chair. The first thing I aw was my repeat prescription request from Friday. Damn. I had to get dressed after all. It was such a pain getting a tiny sock on this big fat leg that when I was dressed I slipped a pair of summer deck shoes on. Even that was a small problem but I managed it and getting my jacket and crutches went out, locking the door behind me. I had to manage like Long John Silver, just putting one foot to the floor and swinging along on the crutches. It works well but is tiring.I got there and back without problems. Back inside I slipped off the shoes and put my slippers on and dealt with the actual mail from the postman.
Back to work. Still not too much in but enough to keep me going until lunchtime. I broke off at 11.45 am to start lunch and then found a Time Team to watch while I ate my shepherd’s pie followed by chocolate cake. At 1.00 pm I went back to work until 2.15 pm when the new series of Father Brown started. I have vague recollections of having enjoyed the books as a child and wanted to see what they were like. Not bad really. Then back to face the afternoon rush until 6.00 pm when I had Eggheads.( no, not personally, it’s a programme not a disease). After that I just had to shut my eyes as they were closing anyway and I stayed that way for 35 minutes before coming back through. Since then it’s been a slight struggle to keep up to date because certain personal messages I save till this end of the day to deal with and sometimes they’re long. But, I shall manage an early night I hope as I want to see my beautiful daughter and my grandson tomorrow. She’s threatening the doctor on Thursday.
Tuesday.
I had a 2.51 am start this morning. That’s approximately two and a quarter hours sleep if I slept the minute I turned the light off. I didn’t. Whatever AC Flory says,I’m not prepared to go down the photograph of a chocolate cake yet. And don’t even suggest prayer, I already feel preyed upon. Maybe I should have had a closer look at the small print in the contract. My leg was painful when I put it down so I hopped to the loo, reminded myself I’d made a mistake buying the Loo purple instead of the Loo Bloo, resolved to correct my error, and hopped back. There was quite a lot of mail to be dealt with and I’m currently open to suggestions as to how to cut it down. At 6.00 am I’d reached the end of the main ones and also of my tether. I felt tired. I needed something to brighten me but the buses weren’t running yet and my daughter wouldn’t be up. I settled for second best and went through to the kitchen. When the lights went on I was delighted to be able to see the new fish flitting back and forth. They have real speed and really are beautiful with their streamlined moustaches.
Morecambe and Wise came to the top to await their flake and most of the others moved into position ready for the pellets. Sharkey was being very annoying and I had o speak sharply to him but as usual I was ignored. Big Al was a worry though. No insults, no tellings off, no glaring. He sat towards he back of the tank , little gimlet eyes as wide as they’d go and looked shell shocked. I have no idea what- or who- happened to him. I did in fact feel rather sorry for him as I think he’s getting old now and I’m sure the synodontis won’t be interested in his lectures. I get the feeling they’re all rap and hip-hop. After watching the activity for a few minutes I fed them and left them to eat in peace. I did see Big Al move towards the food area before turning away. I took my sprays then put milk in my mug and took the tablets, leaving enough milk for my coffee. I sat and drank that in the lounge and considered shutting my eyes but was afraid of missing the bus.
I washed the now empty mug, picked up the gifts for Yvonne, Ugo and Reuben, switched the lights off and headed back to my bedroom. I got washed and dressed and started on the lesser messages and notifications until 7020 am when it was time to get my shoes on and prepare to leave. I allowed time in case I had problems finding the right shoes. At the moment I could do with a pair belonging to a clown though I dare say Mike would say I already have. I left the house at 7.30 am and started walking toward the bus stop. It started raining and then the bus went right past me. So that was the way the day was going to be. I reached the bust stop and climbed aboard. The driver, my regular, said “If I’d known it was raining I’d have stopped for you back there.” Luckily I hadn’t quite got my breath back so just said “Thanks.” On the bus Yvonne sent me a text to ask if I was coming and let me know she was waiting for young sleepyhead to wake up. That’s a first. I just sent a text saying I was on the bus.
When I got to Chester I saw Yvonne pushing the trolley out of a shop towards me. The plastic cover was down because of the rain and she was just telling me that Reuben wasn’t very well when he started smiling and pointing at me. I guess I had something stuck in my teeth. The joy didn’t last long and tears accompanied the siren as we walked round the first shop. It improved a bit when he was given a book to read and we headed for the coffee shop in the next place. Yvonne fed Roobs his breakfast which he took well. He did feel a little warm. She passed him the books I’d bought while she checked out the other gifts and loved the cardie and little jacket I’d got him. While we were having coffee she told me that Ugo is having Reuben confirmed in Church soon. I just nodded as this is their child and my opinions won’t count on this subject. But, I always thought a confirmation followed a Christening/Baptism and was for the subject to agree to follow the life of discipleship? As far as I know he hasn’t been baptised or if he has I wasn’t invited ( probably for good reason) and I’d say since he can’t talk yet, he’s far too young to be making any commitments. As I say , it’s their business, their choice but for me, I’d much rather this kind of malarkey was left until a child is old enough to know what they’re doing and can make an informed choice. Some people seem to need the community of a church but it’s not for everyone. CORRECTION. with apologies, I’m now innformed it’s a dedication and not a confirmation. This just welcomes him into the church and his parents and god parents attend to confirm they’ll teach him about god.Personally I’d rather he was just tauiught about people and how he should treat them. How he should protect the vulnerable regardless of race, colour,culture or creed.Humanity is One and we need to work together without divisions to learn tolerance. Rant Over.
We left the coffee house and headed for another shop but Reuben was obviously very unhappy. Neither books nor looking at his favourite toys would stop the siren in my ear. I suggested as it was 11.30 am Yvonne should take him home. Se said once we finished this last shop she’d do that and cool him off and let him sleep if he needs it. Lucky for me, this last shop was close to my bus stop and there was a bus due at noon. We said our goodbyes and she apologised. There was no need. I knew she needed to settle Reuben down and be happy that he’s OK. As for me, I get home an hour early and can start work again that much sooner. I’d have been out almost 6 hours by then.
When I got off the bus I dropped into Pauline’s for some supplies and my next TV mag. I found some chips in a mild and fruity curry sauce which I decided to have for lunch. It was lovely.I had bread and butter to make sure I lost none of the sauce. I did half an hour’s work then skipped off to watch an episode of Father Brown again. When that was over I piled into the work like a madman. After a while I must have looked like one too as I kept yawning so my eye were watery, they kept closing in an attempt to grab an after-food sleep and my head looked like either a nodding dog or one of those Ostrich things that used to dip their beaks in your drink. It got to the stage I had no idea what I was doing so I allowed it to happen. When I woke 25 minutes later all I had was a stiff neck. By 7.50 am I’d finally caught up and had an hour with the TV watching a celebrity quiz show for charity. They put up a good show but didn’t win.
9.00 pm meant back in here again and another session of catch up before I was able to start the blog. I will be in bed for midnight.
I keep seeing an advert on TV which has someone driving an elephant like a car. The tune keeps popping into my head so tonight I’m going to play it on here an hope it gets out of my head completely. Sorry about that, I hope no-one catches it.
Wednesday.
I made my midnight bedtime last might- just. I couldn’t cope with reading for very long and so the light was out by a quarter past. Sleep came quickly, and having delighted me with whatever dream left me smiling, it left just as quickly as well, at 2.38 am. You know at the time if you’ll get away with just snuggling back under the covers or whether you’re really awake and ready to create a new formula for world peace. I swear the powers that be keep sending the wrong people to do that job. Anyway, once up I did the Olympic Hop to the loo and the Olympic hop back afterwards. Times almost took a turn for the worse when the first hop was taken on the wrong leg. If anyone asks later whether I heard that strange sound I’ll just say no, what strange sound? I settled in my seat and turned the computer on. Straight away I wished I’d taken the other option which was packing my hankie and running away to parts unknown with no computer access. Actually I suppose I could just go camping up the road and have that happen. Warmer climes appealed but where? It has to be somewhere that isn’t trying to kill me from the moment I arrive via snake, spider or even mosquito. One of the South Sea Islands maybe. While waiting for my ticket to arrive I might as well do some work.
First job is to check my lottery ticket. I know things are looking grim when I see it’s a further rollover. Grimmer still when I see that damned machine didn’t even give me one number let alone the Millionaire Maker code. Ah well ( big sigh) maybe the weekend. I worked until 6.00 am and cleared both talktalk and gmail addresses. In celebration I decided to feed the fish a bit early again. I turned the kitchen light on followed by the tank light. Big Al blinked and as I opened the hatch he flew over and stationed himself underneath. No-one was getting food before him today. I dropped in some pellets. He wiggled his moustache, perhaps in thanks and tried to pick up one of the pellets whole. Others came to join him now including Sharkey who was trying to grub for food and chase everyone else off at the same time. The was no sign of my little synodontii though.( my guess for the plural as synodontisses doesn’t quite have the same ring), they were having a lie-in it seemed until suddenly I spotted a head moving about on the underside of the pump. Of course, these are often known as upside down catfish. I replaced the flap and left them to it.
I decided to have breakfast today so the first thing i to take a pre-food tablet then mess around for 15 minutes before eating. I had my sprays then took half my tablets and lit a cigarette. Then I took the rest of the tablets, took an empty plastic bottle to the recycling bags, took a book to the bookshelves in Mike’s room before returning to the kitchen to put some bread in the toaster, put my cigarette out and made a coffee. I got the butter and a knife out and a plate to hold the toast which soon signified it was ready by shooting a couple of inches in the air. As soon as breakfast was eaten it was time for the post-food tablets and I returned to work. Only about ten piece of post which were soon dealt with so it was time for 40 winks in the lounge with my foot up.I slept for an hour and found I’d been reading at the same time, or at least turning the pages of my book without taking anything in. To be honest, I wasn’t taking in much when I was awake either. This book hasn’t gripped me yet. That could be because there are a couple of books in my pile that I really want to get to grips with one of which is a John Grisham.
I returned to work and found a message telling me a doctor would be coming out today. If it’s my own doctor it will probably be after lunch. That was fine, I sent a message back thanking Yvonne only to get another requesting I let her know everything the doctor says and not just the finer points. She’s most untrusting. I grabbed some carpet fresh for the hall and then hoovered the lounge and lit a febreeze candle to overcome (?) any smoke smells but I should be OK as I’m never in there long enough to smoke much. After my mini work-a-thon the postman arrived bringing with him a request to write to one of the House of Lords about the Dignity in Death bill due later this month. I did that with pleasure. One piece of mail from my Causes group was from Portugal asking for some computer equipment for a Breast Cancer Support Group. It seemed little enough to ask for so I did a small blogpost on it.I’m hoping as people spread it, maybe it will just hit the right person who can donate the equipment needed. I’m not sure it’s something one individual can do unless they have the money to donate for buying fromnew. But there may be a firm out there who could sponsor such a cause and if so, I’m sure one of my friends will know. Otherwise I may have to see if the request can be given to one of the larger computer manufacturing companies. Any bright ideas would be welcomed.
I worked up until midday but didn’t eat in case the doctor came. I watched my antique show and made every effort to stay awake. Eventually at 1.45 pm I saw my doctor approach. I stayed where I was as she let herself in and came through. Out of manners I raised off my seat but she waved me down. he spent a few seconds playing with my upper leg to see if there was any pain ( no, but there was pleasure) in case there was a blood clot. Instead it appears I have cellulitis which is a deep infection of the soft tissue, usually strep. It started like gout but has stayed hot and swollen for far too long. To cut a long story short, I have to look out for other problems which might result in hospitalisation, but otherwise four to five weeks of antibiotics should do the trick. Next week we have to phone and describe the foot/leg to see if the swelling has gone down. If so, she’ll prescribe the next batch of antibiotics, if not she’ll come out to assess it again. At least my body temp and my blood pressure were good. She left me a prescription when I assure her I had someone to get it then she left. I put socks and shoes on an went out to pick it up. You might know there was none at the chemist but it was due in so they’d deliver it later. I went home again. I reported to the boss and she let me know poor Reuben’s problem on Tuesday was Hand, Foot and Mouth disease which I’ve never heard of before now. Poor little mite has a rash.
Back at work I tried sitting sideways on to the computer and stick my leg up on the bed. That was very uncomfortable so I had to make do with the floor. I worked until 4.30 pm them went to watch the Antiques Road Trip which I missed when they took it off over Christmas. After that I sorted the mugs ready for the appearance of Dil and Matt. I’d just sat down again and lit a cigarette when they walked in so I had to ‘Hop It’ again and make the drinks. As usual we watched the end of a quiz before getting the games table out. Yahtzee first which was a resounding victory for Dil tonight. Matt and I won just one each of the six games. We were going for Nomination next but delayed it to play the new game I got for Christmas. It seems everyone likes it despite us teasing Yvonne about buying it for her old dad. Matt won that and had a really good laugh at the same time. Then we played the Nomination whist. Things were going really well for me, I was well over 100 when Dil was just under 100 and Matt was struggling in the forties. As things carried on Dil won a few, I lost a few and Matt more or less stayed put. The poor lad could not win a break. It looked like this was going to be my game though even though Dil edged nearer. Then the last hand Matt shouted 4 and got them, Dil shouted 2 and got them and I shouted 3 and got 4. Dil and I were even so I was even deprived of a game in my own house by my guests.
They left at 9.35 pm and after clearing up, washing up and taking the night meds I came through. There were over 120 messages of which I only managed half before giving up to deal with the blog. The rest will have to wait for morning if I want to get to bed tonight.
Thursday.
It’s been a funny old day. I got up at 4.13 pm, almost luxuriously late and after the long haul one legged to the loo I came back prepared to face the hell on the computer. I didn’t, it was way worse than that. There were 87 pieces of yesterdays post to deal with before I got to today’s stuff. Have you people nothing better to do with your time? What made it worse for me was that most of it was interesting so I couldn’t be smug and just delete it. There were no attempts to part me from my money either so I can’t even try and entertain you.
Given the way my days are the best way I’ve been able to break down times to toke these new antibiotics are 6.00 am, 11.00 am, 4.00 pm and 9.00 pm or thereabouts. So 6.00 am saw me creeping into the kitchen so I didn’t disturb the fish (??? lunatic) and then creeping out again capsule in hand to take it from my drink in the bedroom. At 7.00 am I went back to the kitchen turning the lights on at the wall and at the tank too and chatting to the fish as I dropped food in for them. Big Al was boycotting me, Little Al was dithering between that and missing the food. Sharkey was his annoying self. Morecambe and Wise came for a chat as they like the timbre of my voice ( or is it timber as it’s wooden?) The plecs were happy climbing walls as usual but of my two new friends there was just an occasional glimpse as they darted from hiding place to hiding place. By 9.00 am I was up to date with last night’s post but decided to get dressed before doing any more. Needing a break I sat in the lounge for what I thought was a minute but in fact turned out to be 11.40 am. OMG, I’ve been abducted by aliens, but perhaps not as I hadn’t unlocked the front door this morning. I quickly checked my phone in case Lis and Charlie had been in touch about a visit but even though my phone was for once fully charged, there were no messages.
I hadn’t put socks on today but had to quickly slip some soft shoes on and go for bread so I could have lunch. I’d decided upon bacon with chips and bread with butter. That was very enjoyable and was over and done with by 1.00 pm. Time to stop skiving and get some work done. It was almost as bad as at the start of the day and I now have my proof that neither you nor I can find anything better to do. At 3.30 pm Mike sent a text to say he was on the way to me so I expect between 5.30 – 6.00 pm and then Lis sent a text at about 3.45 pm to say they’d be here about 4.30 – 5.00 pm. I ceased work at 4.30 pm to be ready ( and also to see my antiques show I admit) and they arrived at 4.45 pm. Hugs and kisses all round thoroughly enjoyed by me, so much so I went back for seconds but they beat me off. I got to hear all about Christmas and the New Year and Charlie had made me some dark chocolate gingers. Mmmm. They had to leave at 5.35 pm and not because I couldn’t keep my hands to myself. More hugs and kisses ensued. YAY. I finished watching one quiz and started watching another. Mike arrived about 6.15 pm after some annoying and typically expensive car troubles. We sat and chatted after I’d made a drink then watched an episode of Big Bang.
I made us both some tea an hour after my last antibiotic and then stayed with Mike a while until it was time to come to work. He’s watched an episode of Endeavour, the young Inspector Morse. I’m finally up to date (for now) but will check again once this post is finished. Who knows, I might make it by midnight again.
This song is a recommendation by my nephew Matt. I found myself enjoying it.
Friday.
This morning was a joyous 5.12 am, but only because I threw a real strop at at 2.08 am. Admittedly I enjoyed a cigarette at that time and made sure my rant lasted long enough but I absolutely refused to get up at that time again. I put my foot down with a very firm hand. The deal was off if I was going to be treated in such a cavalier fashion was rapidly followed by begging “Please let me have an extra couple of hours and I’ll mention all three of you tonight”. So, to show that I haven’t broken faith, allow me to reintroduce the Great and Uppity Somnos, his mediocre, but animal, loving ( and smelling) brother Porcinus and the almost nonentity Brother Jake. Follow them at your peril, admire them if you must but be sure to go through any contracts with a fine tooth comb.
The mail first thing wasn’t too bad after I’d caught up a little more before bedtime last night. It was still 1.00 am before my light went out though. I remembered to break off for my 6.00 am antibiotic. Talking of which. To remind me when to take them i’d written on the box, 6.11.4.9. When Mike came into the kitchen ( don’t be daft.it was never going to happen at that time this morning) last night he asked me why I’d written it and when I explained he said “Don’t you realise, you’ve written my birthday.” I don’t know how I hadn’t seen it. Plus it was confirmation that he admits to being 14 months older than me. I returned to work after the pill and carried on until 7.00 am.
Big Al had the weight of the world on his shoulders this morning. He was mooching round the front of the tank and kept throwing glances at me. I’m not sure If I was supposed to feel sorry for him. I decided to let them have one of the algae tablets this morning so after giving Morecambe and Wise their flake, I broke a tablet up and scattered it. Big Al latched his mouth on to the biggest piece as it hit the bottom leaving everyone else top find their own much smaller pieces. I’m not sure if it’s a perk of size or seniority. I left them gobbling and turned to take my own meds and prepare my drink. Once that was done and my tablets taken it was time for the weekly filling of the boxes and refilling of the drawer from my new drugs stash. That took a good half hour and so it was 7.45 am before I made the drink.Then I decided it might be nice to have some breakfast this morning so took a pre-food tablet, got the after food ones out ready and lit a cigarette. It should have been an extra five minutes but I went ahead anyway. A small pack of Frosties, just right with a piece of toast. Once finished my coffee was cool enough to take the two tablets with. I returned to work again. By 8.45 I’d done and got myself washed and dressed. As 9.00 am arrived I made a coffee and took it through to Mike who sat up and thanked me. I told him I was going to Pauline’s and wouldn’t be long.
At Pauline’s there was quite a queue. When it came to my turn I had quite a few lottery tickets to buy so I let a few people behind me go with just one or two items. When one elderly woman with a newspaper and a pint of milk appeared I told her to go because I needed a few tickets. She lay down the paper and milk and then rummaged in her handbag and preceded to bring out a winning scratchcard for her son who then wanted lottery tickets with the winnings and a winning scratchcard for herself and she also needed lottery tickets. I thought this was just enough cheek and took my turn straight after. She never even said thank you for the courtesy. So, it was 9.20 am when I got back home. I took my own milk to the kitchen and was surprised not to see Mike in the lounge. He was still in bed asleep. In a tone that implies deep disappointment I woke him to say he’d forgotten his coffee and reminded him what time it was. He shifted himself.
Sitting in the lounge with Mike I started to feel tired so when he went to the loo I just settled back in my chair for a minute.He decided he might as well get ready to go. That woke me of course, not that I’d done more than relax for a minute and I said goodbye noticing that he’d got up later but left on time compared to previously when he’s up on time and I can’t get the beggar out. Anyway, I went to see what messages had come in. One was an invitation to have a free birthday meal at The Bells of St Mary’s ( with another paying customer) which sounded good but I had the devil’s own job trying to print it out. There was no print option, just one to scan by phone. After a very long time I managed a screen dump of the part of the page showing the code. Then came three or four emails with Yvonne trying to figure out where to eat for my birthday. Despite it being my day, it looks like the options aren’t mine whether we go or not. She”s trying to work her way up to a biggie next year which I’m determined to have at home. I hate it when people are invited to meals like that and feel obligated to buy a gift and have to buy meals on top.
At 11.00 am I took my next antibiotic then carried on with the mail until 12..00 am when it was time for lunch. Another one of the infamous shepherd’s pies. I’d just finished when there was a knock on the door. It was the warden come for her weekly check on me. It was lashing down outside and the wind was picking up. Just as well she was wrapped up. We talked about the forecast of snow for tomorrow and she wasn’t keen on that at all. She gave me company for about 15 minutes then had to go to her next call. I didn’t envy her that rain. Worse still, I didn’t envy her the wind which was picking up in speed. I watched the remainder of the antiques show and shut my eyes for one of those thirty minute minutes. So it was 1.30 pm before I got back to work. That meant working hard in order to see the last episode this week of Father Brown. I was five minutes late. When that finished at 3.00 pm I made Mike’s bed before coming back through. Whatever happened I was determined to be done by 4.30 pm so my bed can wait.
At 4.30 pm I was temporarily up to date and went through to watch the Antique Road Trip’s last episode of the week. It had just started when my phone burped. I expected a message from Mike to say he was on his way back. I was 50% right, it was Mike only he was in a hospital in Manchester with his dad, just where he’d been 2 weeks ago on Christmas day. His wrist is broken after the fall after all. Today he’s having temporary strapping and has to go back Monday afternoon to have the job done properly. Mike needs to stay over Sunday night now. Oh good, an extra day’s B & B from him now. He’ll be back late tonight as he’s having a mel with his sister once he’s fed his dad and seen him off to bed. His carer will be with him for breakfast.( Dad not Mike ). At 6.00 pm I went through and made my bed then went to take a shower. After that I put in a little,work until an episode of Who Do You Think You Are with Gary Lineker. A fascinating programme. I wish we could all get that kind of help with our family trees. Having said that, if you need help try WWW.CT-RESEARCH.COM (lower case) . Connie and Tony are two of the most competent and helpful people I know. They’re good with puzzles and are really friendly.
I took my next antibiotic at 9.00 pm and realised somehow I’d missed the 4.00 pm one. I thought I might as well take my evening ones at the same time. I stayed in the lounge watching a comedy just in case Mike arrived back but at 9.40 pm as there was no sign I came to make up for all my skiving. I’m sure no-one heard me scream. There were quite a few in both mailboxes and it was difficult to catch up. But, being a veteran of these wars now, I gave it my best attempt. I an knocking off at 11.50 pm and Mike has just returned.
Saturday.
I went through to make Mike a cup of coffee and get the full saga of his day. And what a day it was too with carers, doctors, x-rays, bone settings and throughout it all having to deal with his dad whose mood was not the most helpful. The story took a while and I went to bed at 1.00 pm and Mike headed for his bedroom still jumping with adrenalin. I’m not sure when I went to sleep but 2.24 am was today’s prize time for getting up. Granted my bladder wasn’t helping much either. As I went to the loo I noticed Mike was still awake and reading. Once the deluge had finished I went through and we talked for a few minutes until I actually saw him yawn. I left and came through to the computer. At 3.00 am more than a little frustrated I went to get some painkillers and noticed sleep had claimed Mike.
When I got back to the computer I turned off and back on to start afresh. Every time I’d tried to like something so far, or pressed comment I’d been taken to the Blogs I Follow, WordPress page. I’d had to do a search on each blog to enter it and do what I intended. It was just taking an age doing it that way. The reboot worked and I sailed through the remaining posts finishing at 4.45 am. I celebrated with a drink of squash in the kitchen then a prowl through ebay at the catfish available there. I was so surprised to see small pangasius there ( Like my favourite fish ‘Zippy’) since anyone taking those was going to need a massive tank since some can soon grow to a metre. They’re known as shark catfish because of their look but I found zippy to be intelligent and to have a very passive nature.
Beautiful Pangasius. shark catfish.
I think I’m attracted ( in the right way ) to these fish because of their spectacular moustaches. At 6.00 am I went through to take an antibiotic and though I crept very quietly I felt eyes on me the minute I walked into the kitchen. It’s not even as though I turned the light on , my torch stopped me needing to do that…………. I gave in and turned the tank light on. Morecambe and Wise were watching me from the top of the tank, with Big Al, Little Al and one of the plecs watching me from below like the Codfather and a couple of wiseguys. If I’d have seen a violin case at that moment I’d still be running. Though officially it’s non-feeding day I was taking no chances and just tipped a full box through the hatch. Mind you, they’ll have the devil’s own job of getting the lid off. Hah.! I took the antibiotic and went back to my room. Another 30 minutes saw me up to date and I was feeling cocky enough to re-approach the kitchen. OK, I’d taken my dressing gown off hoping they’d think it was someone else. This time I took my normal morning meds , prepared a cup for my coffee and started to get the rubbish and the recycling waste ready to go out. Trouble was it was persisting down and blowing a gale out there. In the end I took it out and planted the food waste bin on top of the recycling bags to try and hold them down. When I came back in. I was amazed to hear Mike’s alarm go off. To be honest I fully expected him to turn it straight off but I saw him sit up. I asked “Are you going back to sleep bro, or do you want a drink?” He told me he’d have a drink so I put the kettle on while I made mine and when it was ready I made one and took it through. He was asleep again. “Coffee’s up” I called not really caring if he stayed asleep. I went outside and added something to the rbbish and when I came back in he was actually up. Honest, really, and he was awake and actually hitting his mouth with the drink.
It was a later start but not by much really as we left the house at 8.10 am. We were at the Supermarket by 8.30 am and in shopping mode. Within the first ten minutes I’d got some potatoes, Ju’s flowers and some clothing from the sale for myself. Well, you can’t NOT get a cardigan and a pair of jeans at £4 a peace can you? Please don’t answer that. OK, OK, there was a shirt too at just £3 but that’s it honest. After that we honestly put some food in the basket. Mike was doing some shopping for his dad today, washing powder etc so if there wasn’t as much room for food in my trolley ( technically his I suppose as he paid for it) as usual it’s all his fault. After going through the checkout we went for coffee.
When we’d packed the car and had a cigarette it was decided we’d go to Flint but on the way there was a slight detour via Pets at Home so I could see the pet rats and we could both view the fish. We didn’t buy anything and resumed the journey. Today Mike needed another coffee before anything else so we went in and had a Happy New Year hug from Ceri, had a laugh with Sian and tried not to upset Kyle’s hangover. Mike had his usual teasted toecake then threw the biscuit from his saucer straight into his coffee to soften. Oops, error, it was a change of biscuit this week and was already quite soft. It almost disintegrated in the fumes before it touched liquid. He had to fish it out in bits. He didn’t make the same mistake with my biscuit. I thought we were going to check one shop out for an ice pack when we’d done, but it turned into two, three, four as well as a minor detour inside the pet store to look at, you guessed it, fish. Tonight I’m writing begging letters to the Gettys, The Gugenheins, Bill Gates and Madonna to see if they’d like to buy me a 12 foot tank so I can keepadopt some large homeless catfish.
We realised it was now gone 1.00 pm and I’d forgotten to take my 11.00 am antibiotic and also I needed some food so we headed straight off to the Ivy. Angie gave us a kiss (each) and got me a glass of water so the first problem was solved. We had to share our seats today as interlopers had dug themselves in despite the reserved sign. Angie had got our drinks so we ordered lunch and I was able to take my pre-food tab. Young Rob came over to say hello as he passed by with some food deliveries. It was fairly busy again. We took the opportunity to nip out for a cigarette and moments later Tariq came flying out to say hello. He knew who it was as soon as he got the food order, double bacon sandwiches with a bucket of chips between us. After we’d gone back in, lunch wasn’t long in arriving and then Shella came out to say Hi too. It’s like coming to eat with family. He’s even given up arguing with me over payment these days.
Lunch over and hugs goodbye out of the way we headed for home. One we’d put the shopping away, I was allowed on the computer, well he is OLDER than me. In what I thought was a gross mistake I found 144 outstanding messages. I was within about 25 of the end when he called me through to watch TV with him. It had taken from 3.15 to 5.25 pm to get this far, and that was more luck than judgement. I stayed until 8.40 pm then he saw me twitching and let me come back. It’s been another long haul but I think I’ll make it before midnight- just.
I was pretty tired last night and couldn’t read for long. I think my light was out before 1.00 pm. I slept until 4.24 am and was up with the larks, or rather I was up before them to make their breakfast. At least there was chance to make a start on the mail, and what a bunch there was. Last night’s blog seemed to have a very good response. Of course I had to get a tissue out and dab my eyes as so many thought it funny I’d almost choked to death but we live in an odd world. Not one iota of sympathy that my tablets were wasted, that my wall was a mess or that my toes almost pointed up.
It was getting towards 7.00 am when I realised I was tired. It was the bruised forehead that gave me my first clue. Anyone watching would have thought I was trying to do a karate trick of breaking my desk in half. I just hope there were no garbage emails as well. I haven’t heard of any to date. I went through to the kitchen and played sneaky by turning the tank on first to see what I could catch them doing. Thinking about that statement now, it sound like I’m a voyeur but I’m not. Everyone was swimming about slowly with the exception of the Royal Bodyguards the dumb plecs, and his Majesty Big Al who upon seeing me swam lazily towards me, casually flicked his tail in disgust and swam slowly away again in an ‘I’m nor scared of you’ pose. I have the feeling I’m in the fishy equivalent of the dog house again.
Shoulders slumped I turned away and put the main light on and took my meds. Fresh ones, not those from the wall. I made a coffee and took it through to the lounge. It didn’t take long o drink and so I close my eyes for a minute that became an hour. It was almost 8.30 am before I went back to the bedroom to work. There was a lot of concentration going on so any early noise didn’t penetrate but finally I realised Mike was up. It was only 9.20 am, it was Sunday. I went through to make him a drink and he told me I’d been snoring away quite happily at 3.15 am when he’d been woken by a bang and padded round the house looking for the source. Unusually I’d heard nothing. He hadn’t even gone to bed until 2.00 am which made the puzzle of him getting up even bigger. I came back to finish the message I’d been working on when I’d heard him and then joined him.
We nattered aimlessly for a while…a long while since we didn’t get dressed until about 10.30 am. Then at 11.00 am we were on our way out and heading for Prestatyn. Once we reached there I suggested going to the Tesco Supermarket to look for something and while there Mike bought me tea and coffee pods for my machine and also bought sweets for The Ivy. We went to the shop I wanted to pick up some hessian Christmas sacks, some gift bags and a couple of small stocking presents for Reuben. I couldn’t understand why Mike was piling the bags on his arm until we were at the till and he tried to pay for them. There was battle royal as no way was I letting him pay for my shopping especially when it involved gifts for others.”Right” he said, “I’m paying for lunch then”. And he did even though I tried to. The Ivy was very quiet when we went in and Tariq was talking to us about doing Sunday lunches in the future though Shella isn’t keen and prefers to do different meals for those who don’t want the traditional. I can understand both camps as can Mike. We both like the traditional meal but there are plenty of places serving that. We probably won’t move no matter what they serve though a lot of the specials don’t appeal to me. I did drop plenty of hints that the Hotpot from last week was a welcome addition. By the time we left the place had started filling up quite nicely so maybe Tariq will have a rethink.
We left and came home so Mike could start his journey back to the Midlands. Ah, I’ve just figured out why he isn’t very tall, surely the Midlands is when the Baggins’s live in Tolkien’s book? Just a sec, I need to start running about now. He was calling it at World of Pets on his way to see if they had any female fighters like mine since they’re so colourful. That left me on my tod to try and catch up. A monstrous job given how long it had been since I touched it. 152 were waiting. I started at 3.00 pm and finished at 5.58 pm. At that point I needed a break badly and went through to watch some TV. I ended up with a Sherlock Holmes film starring Rupert Everett. I watched it while demolishing a piece of strawberry and rhubarb tart that Mike had had less than half of yesterday. There’s enough for my tea tomorrow too.
At 8.00 pm I turned off, went through to take my tabs and found the fish light still on. I waited till Big Al turned his back before turning it off then I legged it to my room. Someone had been very busy again so there was another pile waiting but as most were very complimentary I was in a forgiving mood. I finished those at 11.00 pm to start the blog and have no idea how many are waiting now. I may just have an early night as I’m being MuJo’d tomorrow.
Two very clever pictures doctored by Yvonne using an app on her phone called Cut Me In. Brilliant.
The trip to Paris Ju and I never got.
A change of venue,
Monday.
I didn’t get my early night after all but Somnos must have known he was risking his kneecaps to mess with me so I didn’t wake until 5.27 am today. Naturally today being the day of the visit I might have forgiven him for waking me a bit earlier. As usual I made the trek to the loo then came back and started on the mail. I needed to clear as much as possible. At 7.00 am I went to feed the fish. All of them moved to the back of the tank except Big Al who was joined by Little Al presumably for lessons in intimidation. It was the wrong morning to try glaring at me. “Boo” I said and watched Little Al skitter to join the others who seemed frozen in the water, little fins going ten to the dozen just to stay in place. Big Al had not moved of course when I’d spoken the first time. “Well, do you want feeding or not” I asked in very uppity voice. The others seemed to take heart from this and started to swim about normally. With a last glance Big Al turned as slowly as possible and swam over to Little Al as if to say “That’s how to do it.” I placed some food in the slot and resigned myself to warfare again. No more walking in and asking how my little fishes are. I couldn’t decide whether to turn quickly or to go slowly as had Big Al. I was resigned to doing it with dignity whatever. I didn’t quite full that off though as my feet turned one way and my body the other so even with my feet now pointing away, my body was still facing the fish. I almost had to unscrew myself from the floor to re-adjust my spinal column.
I took my sprays, had a pre-food tab, took my normal meds, smoked a timing cigarette and put the toaster on. As the toast was doing I prepared a coffee. The toast was nice with lashings of butter I could have floated a yacht in. It took two kitchen rolls just to clean my moustache and fingers. If I’f had anyone to kiss I’d have slid off them. I took the two post-food tabs with my coffee and went back to work. I couldn’t work for long though as I needed to be dressed before Pauline ( the cleaner not the shop) got here. I’d just made it before the front door opened meaning I needed a change of clothes already. I asked for some help to change Mike’s bed but as I couldn’t find nails we settled on just the bedding. That went quite well. Then I asked if we could do the lounge with visitors due this morning. I returned to work to try and catch up. Next thing I know is the sound of breaking glass. I have a tall stand in the hallway that takes tealights. About a dozen of them. Some in clear glass and some few in red glass. Pauline had run the hoover into the base of the stand and one of the red glasses was broken. I have two spare clear glass ones but no red ones. I don’t use real tealights there as it’s directly beneath the smoke detector so I shall have to check and see if the battery driven ones are intact before Christmas as they serve as my hall decorations. I have one group of lights intended to go round the lounge window for festive cheer.
Pauline left at 10.10 am and I came away (screaming) from the computer so I was ready for MuJo as they arrived. I went through to the lounge but decided against smoking in there so wandered into the kitchen and turned the fan on. It was about 10.45 am when they arrived. I saw to drinks and then listened to the story about why they were visiting today which is very unusual for them. They have a very full week ahead of them and they didn’t want to miss another week which is nice. The suggestion was we went to the Bells( of St Mary’s) for lunch for a change and then into Prestatyn if that was OK. I didn’t want to tell them I’d been there with Mike yesterday but I didn’t mind another visit anyway. Then John asked when was the last time I’d been there and I had to confess which started another round of ‘where shall we go then’ talks. In the end I managed o convince them the original plan was fine and we set off about 11.20 am.
It wasn’t too crowded when we got there which was nice and we had a choice of seats. It was my turn to pay and no-one argued this time for a change. We ordered 3 carvery meals and each had a coffee or a soft drink and the bill was still less than £20.00. You’d expect to have a poor meal for that money but not so. I do like the Bells, they might not allow me half a cow on my plate but they’re not mean with it, but everything else is help yourself which is great since I’m partial to my potatoes. And before anyone (anywhere) says anything, I had leeks and carrots too ( No way was I having sprouts or cauliflower cheese-ugh). Muriel had Turkey and John had Gammon with Turkey. There is also a half chicken option and even a fish and chips. Mike and I have said for a long time we’re going to go there for breakfast since that’s another help yourself meal and If I’m lucky they might do fried bread. The meal was very nice but we all left their full and headed down the road to Prestatyn. First stop the pound shop where I did buy a couple more sacks and a few other things. We then went for a coffee before John went to guard the car and Mu and I had a wander round M & S. Before heading home we had a trip to ALDI where you’ll be surprised to know I bought nothing.
At home they didn’t stay long as it was starting to get dark. It was about 4.00 pm. After I’d waved them off I scorched the path in my speed to get in and start work again. I’d been away 6 hours and who knows what I could expect. Well I got 183 and knew I couldn’t stop work until they’d gone as there would be another batch waiting from 4.00 pm onwards. No break for TV programmes until I finished at 6.55 pm. I went through to get some strawberry and rhubarb tart and watched a couple of episodes of MASH. At 8.00 pm I came back in and had 102 from that 4 hour stretch. I finished those at 10.15 pm and decided to do this early because I may decide to leave the post early tonight and try for sleep if I start yawning.
Talk to the hand pussycat
Tuesday.
It was 5.08 am this morning when I swung my legs out of bed and groped for my slippers with my feet. Years ago if Yvonne had been around she’s have gone “Yuk, tarantula toes” before I got my slippers on. It’s been so long since I saw my feet they might even have a comb-over by now. Anyway, I didn’t have he light on yet so I wouldn’t have sen them even if I could. I have a light cord over my bed but I never use it in case I tug the emergency cord by mistake. It’s a pain having to explain to the control what a divvy you are and believe me I speak from experience. I did a sharp left by my chair and turned the light on as I left the room to head for the loo and my rendition of Ol’ Man River complete with sound effects.
When I eventually got back I slipped my dressing gown on as there was a little bite in the air and then sat down and got ready for battle. The machine didn’t take too long to warm up and I was soon in the thick of it. I didn’t dare open the photograph one loopy woman had sent me as it would have meant putting teatowels over all the pictures in my room, especially the one with the teddy bear. My wife was no prude but I’m not sure she’d appreciate me getting both barrels at this time of the day, and as for my parents and grandparents, well…. nuff said? I did also have a new psychic who is quite sure I won’t bother to answer this first message. Well she got that right so why didn’t she wait until she was sure I would answer? If she’s thinking of wearing me down with messages she doesn’t know how many times I applied the Chinese Water Torture to myself in case anyone ever wanted me as a spy. I never broke down as I have infinite patience right up to the point when I haven’t.
Most of my mail was of the normal variety. I won’t say boring as it certainly entertains me. The trouble is there’s just so much of it. I took my normal 7.00 am break in order to make myself suffer feeding the fish. We seem to have undergone a sea change today though as Big Al is following Little Al around like a lost lamb unless of course Little Al is having exams and Big Al is following him round to score him. I’ll have to wait and see if Little Al tries to stare me down. Morecambe and Wise were floating about aimlessly looking pretty and Sharkey was having fun nudging a couple of the plecs though he gets no joy from the bigger one, all he’s likely to get there is a broken nose. There was no rush on for me today as I’ve asked Yvonne if she minds me skipping my Chester trip this week. I’ll miss her of course but at least I’m guaranteed an argument free day. I’m so under the thumb. For anyone who doubts this, please read the 100% factual My Barsetshire Diary.
After feeding time for the fish it was feeding time for me. I wasn’t having breakfast, just my usual array of meds. Pills and potions galore, you don’t need a meal. I made myself a coffee and there seemed less sediment coming in the water today, mayhap they’ve sorted the problem. I took the drink back to my room but before I restarted work I got dressed. About 10.00 am I was starting to flag. I could tell that as I’d leaned so far forward I could see under my seat. Trouble was the computer wasn’t down there. It wasn’t easy getting back up again either and I contemplated shouting the postman for help when I heard him deliver . I played that scenario out in my head first and realised the front door was still locked. If he wasn’t to break it down he’d need to come in through the lounge window. That was possible of course using he handle of his bag to pull the catch but then he’d set off all the window alarms and the police would come. They might anyway since my neighbours were bound to report a burglar. By the time they got here I’d probably have straightened up and then be charged with wasting police time.
The postie had brought me a book I’d ordered though it was a lot smaller than expected. Women tell me they have a lot of that in their lives. There were no measurements given on ebay though, but it’s still a nice book. I have one (somewhere) already which is a lot bigger ( women say they hear that a lot too) full of family history though it does need updating. Talking of books, my next email was from one of those companies that offers cashback on all purchases made through them. I signed up a long time ago but I’ve never done anything with them, I don’t know why. I also had an email from The Works who were offering free postage on a £10.00 spend and many of the prices were excellent like 5 books for £10.00 when they were £3.99 individually. When buying through this firm I was offered 21% cashback so it seemed to good a chance to miss. I still needed some stocking gifts and this was a great chance to lessen the list.
At 11.45 I ceased work and went to see about lunch. Braised beef steaks, baby boiled potatoes in herb butter and some mixed veg. It was ready in time for me to watch my lunchtime antique programme. Halfway through I dropped my tray off in the kitchen ready to be washed and came back to watch the rest. I saw some but somehow I managed to miss the end. Instead of going through at 1.00 pm I didn’t wake until half past. I washed the pots, put the washing machine on then realised I hadn’t changed my bed and added the bedding to the current load. I’ll have to do it in the morning. The work had mounted up again and it kept me going until 4.30 pm when it was almost time for Ugo and Reuben to come. An email from Yvonne tells me she told Reuben he was seeing me tonight and he went to the door to try and get out to come then. They both missed their morning mooch around the shops this morning.
Ugo arrived and couldn’t get in as I hadn’t unlocked the door all day. Wen I opened it Ugo was on the low steps folding the trolley and Reuben was on the top step with his hand out waiting for me to old it and bring him in. That must be the last time he allowed me to old his hand. Once I got him in the lounge and removed his coat, nay, even before I’d removed his coat there were ten pairs of hands picking things up. Ugo asked if I could cope and he’d go to pick up a meal. “Sure” I said. What an idiot. How long since I had a child this size around me. He ran me ragged until finally I picked him up and showed him the fish. I knew he wouldn’t be worried by anything Big Al could do. When Ugo got back we’d gravitated to the mirror so I could ask who was there. I put Reuben down and we moved to plate the meals up. Ugo was seeing to the sausage and chips he’d got Reuben and giving him pieces. Reuben was going from the kitchen to the lounge, depositing the food on the rug and returning for more. Ugo went through with his meal and sat with Reuben on his lap trying to feed both of them. Reuben didn’t like that and threw a paddy. As he was put down he swept everything off the table with his multitude of hands and somehow turned the TV channel over. Being told he was a naughty boy didn’t seem to have much effect. I had my sausage and chips once enough time had elapsed from taking my pre-food tablet. Reuben was still none too happy but brightened up when Ugo brought down a little toy dog that said “I wuff you, woof, woof” when pressed. A wonderful gift from delightful young author Patricia Carrigan whom I adore like a granddaughter. A little light came on where the heart would be which matched the light in Reuben’s eyes when he saw it.
They weren’t there too long after that as Reuben needed his bath before bed. No way was he going to give up the dog so I suggested he take it with him and I hope Ugo had a quiet journey . I had a quick tidy up and then came through. Except for taking my tablets I’ve been here ever since stuffing coffee creams down my face and working.It’s now 11.00 pm and time to have one last go at the mail so I can have a little read tonight.
Wednesday.
You’ll be pleased to hear today’s epistle will be short. Last night I turned the light off at one and fell asleep. I was up again at 1.35 am. Nothing could get me back to sleep there so I thought I’d try my chair in the lounge. I don’t know how long it took but I did nod off there. When I woke it was 4.51 am and it took my ages to see that because a) my neck was at a 90 degree angle, and b) the only light was from a lamp outside and I had to look at my watch as I hadn’t brought my clock through. Guiding myself down the passage towards my bedroom with my neck at that angle wasn’t easy and I kept hitting it on doorframes etc. I rubbed it with Fiery Jack ointment to ease it and then nipped to the loo. For anyone who’s never encountered Fiery Jack before, let me tell you something I should have remembered of old. Wash your hands FIRST even though you’ll be washing them straight afterwards as usual. Also, carry tissues as the tears will be streaming down your face. Washing only makes it worse. I once had a bad back and after easing my back decided to relax in a hot bath. That’s what I should have remembered today to.
When the pain subsided a bit I was able to gingerly go back to start work. All I can say is there was plenty of it and kit kept me going until lunchtime. I had to stand up and move about a bit for comfort and for the postman’s visit where he brought some jewellery I’ve been waiting for. After lunch I knew I was tired and allowed myself an hour though I didn’t sleep the whole time as the chemist brought round the missing bit of last week’s prescription. Very shortly after that someone came to read the meters. They’re supposed to make an appointment so Yvonne can arrange for someone to be here and the man told me he’d got data that said two appointments have been made, one today, one tomorrow. How stupid to send someone out to read the two meters on two different days. I let him in to do the gas meter on the understanding he moved any obstructions himself which was agreed by British Gas. He was happy to do so and put it back too. I had to get ladders for him to read the electric meter which is in a high cupboard outside. He was soon gone but I am cross that they didn’t make an appointment to do it. I went back to work after that until 4.30 pm and only gave up then in case Lee came early.
Dil and Matt arrived at 5.30 pm and I’d just made drinks when there was a text from Lee to say he couldn’t make it. It seems the traffic was very bad which is no surprise as it was rush hour. I enjoyed having the boys round and there was plenty of laughter, especially when Matt tapped the table for luck and a chunk fell off underneath. In Yahtzee Matt won three games, Dil two and I had just one. My bottom lip came out but no-one cared. In Nomination which most of you know is MY game, I was last. The scores weren’t a million miles apart but I lost. The bottom lip quivered, but no-one cared. In Crazy 8’s I wiped the floor with the opposition, winning comfortably. The bottom lip retracted to be replaced by the smuggest of smug grins, everyone cared and hit me. They left at 9.30 pm so I locked the door in case anyone had left a coat behind or their keys and started on the tidying up, the washing of the pots and the taking of the meds. It was about 9.45 pm when I came through and started work on the accumulated mail which I managed to finish for 12.10 am The blog is shorter than usual so I can go to bed before I’m due to get up again. P.S. I leaned down a moment ago and snapped the microphone off my headset so I’ll have to buy a new one this weekend.
Thursday.
I woke at 5.21 am which was quite good after last night’s late night.I was convinced I wanted to go back to sleep but it just wasn’t happening so I had to apply some of *Granny Weatherwax’s ‘Headology’ to convince myself to move. First and foremost was the promise of some breakfast a little later. I swung out of bed with such momentum I almost overbalanced. I was of course reluctant to admit that knowing some smartar*e will say how they knew I was an unbalanced individual. However I shall trust my judgement and suggest I don’t follow people capable of such slanders.
* Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg are part of Terry Pratchett’s Witches trilogy. Fantastic reading.
After logging on this morning I found myself logging off again compliments of a Windows update. Those thing can be a menace if you don’t notice the warning bar at the bottom and it closes down on you mid-sentence. This morning all was well since I noticed in time. It just delayed me. Still, I used the time to change my bed. Once back in again I started on the mail. I’m convinced I must be getting someone else’s as well by mistake. When I come across one by that devilish Sally Cronin talking about Chocolate muffins, I almost wish I was. On a ‘be nice to everyone’ day too. I swear that woman has a food fixation aimed at seeing me drown in my own saliva. You can’t tell her off though as she’s too nice.
I stopped work when I noticed it was 7.15 am. The fish would be waiting. Going through to the kitchen as fast as my legs would take me I saw the congregation massing round the front window. With spoken apologies ( in case they like the timbre of my voice) I opened the lid and put some flake in. Morecambe and Wise dashed to the surface to start eating. I put some little pellets in for everyone else and watched both Sharkey and Little Al dash for the nearest ones. I knew the grazers, the plecs would get to them eventually. Big Al just stayed where he was. I felt sorry for him in a way since he looked like the preacher where everyone had left during the service, or the General whose men have gone over to the enemy. I’d no sooner gathered those thoughts and was asking him how he was than he turned slowly , faced me and spoke. Since I don’t speak fish I have no idea what he said but I’m sure the bubbles came out blue. I told him it wasn’t my fault but he didn’t seem inclined to listen for as soon as I spoke he turned again and with a waft of his tail was gone. He didn’t go to eat but to sulk in his corner. I’ve no doubt he’ll eat when I’ve gone. You really don’t expect such language from a fish, I’m shocked.I suppose he could be talking about the deserters rather than me though?
I had my sprays and assorted tablets, made my coffee- forgetting my promise of breakfast, and returned to the desk. It doesn’t take long for the mail to accrue but in all honesty it wasn’t too bad. By 9.00 am I’d decided to take a break and venture to my chair in the lounge. I’d just got comfortable and was ready to drop off when there was a knock at the door. I came round unsure of quite where I was and also wondering why Ju wasn’t answering the door. She was very much on my mind after reading a very gentle piece by my friend Kim Gosselin about holding her mother’s hand as she passed away. Hmm, I think I have a leak, it’s raining on my face. I think the postman must have thought so too when I opened the door. “Caught you mid-wash did I?”he asked. There were two parcels, a small one for Mike and a larger one for me, that seems very fair. As I was closing the door I noticed some mail on the floor and found another smaller parcel for me too. Mine were yet another watch ordered for Christmas and two books for the same reason. Mike’s well that’s a MYOB until he opens it and shares.
Since I was awake again I went back to work and stayed there till lunchtime. I was a bit surprised at no answer from Mike after texting him about his parcel but no doubt he’s busy today. I enjoyed my lunch and after I’d washed the pots attempted to watch the rest of my programme on TV. I think someone drugged my Pepsi. It was 1.25 pm before I woke and came through and even then I think I was on auto pilot. I seemed to start a message from someone, nod off and come awake quickly to continue. Lucky it wasn’t emails or I may have written something odd. One young lady displayed a poem which she wrote as part of a threesome ( her description) and I could have had a lot of fun with that. I was tempted to ask where she kept her pen at the time but luckily a snooze took over and I was better behaved when I came to. Not that I’m into threesomes, it even used to embarrass me when the cat was watching. If staring was an Olympic sport he was a Gold Medalist.
By 4.00 pm I was clear again and went to watch a bit of the afternoon film. For a change, even though it’s Christmas it wasn’t a war film a cowboy or a Cecil B de Mille biblical epic. Just a gentle enjoyable comedy. When it finished at 5.00 pm I had something to eat to have the second set of diabetic tabs. It was getting on for 6.00 pm when I finally had a message from Mike in response to mine of this morning. He’s looking forward to seeing his parcel when he gets here. Watch this space. Doh!! I wandered through to the bedroom and have been steadily keeping pace with incoming mail as much as possible. I fully intended to be through watching my Big Bang Theory at 8.00 pm as I didn’t want to miss another episode like I did last week. I doubted I’d stay in there after that unless there was something exceptional on though as Mike isn’t due until about midnight. I did watch my Big Bang and as usual it made me smile as I made my way back to work. At 9.00 pm there was another text from Mike saying he was half way to me but the fog was bad so stopping for a wee and a coffee and he’d be here about 10.30 pm. I just let him know I’d have the kettle on.
It was just coming up to 10.00 pm when I had a heart attack as Mike walked through the door. He was sniggering as he explained that as he approached Chester the fog disappeared and he made good time after that. A rough translation of that is I went somewhat faster than the law suggests. I hadn’t put the kettle on so I rushed and did it then and made him a coffee. His life hasn’t gone smoothly this week and again he has to fly over to see his Dad tomorrow and sort out the care package. It seems the carers are not doing what they’ve been contracted for. It’s not an easy thing to deal with from a distance. He invited me to go over to Manchester for lunch with the family on Sunday and his sisters are going to throw him another little party to remind him how old he is. At almost 11.00 pm I left him and came through to see to the blog and finish as much mail as I could. I must go out tomorrow for lottery tickets and cigarettes so not too late in bed I hope. A midnight deadline.
Friday.
4.51 am didn’t seem like an unusual time to get up and so I swung my legs out, donned my dressing gown and made my way to the loo turning on the computer as I passed by. By the time I cam back it seemed like having to get up at that time was a cruel and unusual punishment only I wasn’t sure what it was that I’d done wrong. I’m no terrorist despite the fact I might put the fear of cat into the fish sometimes and I’m no thief despite the fact I might join the queue for more hugs despite having been hugged before. That’s only like trying to diddle the tax man though, a national pastime. Talking of hugs, one of my friends this week said that hugs of the virtual variety are definitely on the increase on the web thanks to my efforts. I’m thrilled at that and just think what an epitaph that could be.’He Hugged The World and The World Hugged Back.’ Who could ask for more. I know a lot of authors, bloggers and reviewers meet up so maybe the Hug aren’t always virtual. Anyhoo, I opened my mail box and was surprised Mike didn’t hear the strangled cry There were loads.
Only one stood out for me today that had been sent by a friend to inform me that Prince Ludwig von Pommern has titles for sale in Pomerania and Livonia . He sent me this as it was an area covered by us once or twice before on a website we had for frauds. There no longer exists a Pomerania nor a Livonia and nor is there a Prince Ludwig. The area was once part of Prussia but after Wilhelm II abdication became part of the Free State of Prussia until 1945 when it was gobbled up to be part of Germany and Poland. Please, find below a link to a Special and Limited Edition of 12 new Noble Titles with Ranks of Count, Marquis and Baron, featuring some of the most ancient geographical locations of Pomerania, Livonia and East Prussia. This is a limited edition, and NO OTHER TITLES OF THIS KIND WILL BE OFFERED TILL THE END OF 2015. Just as well really as he usually has a Count of, a Marquis of, a Baron of the same place meaning the area is flooded with nobles. That doesn’t happen in real life as the titles would vary according to the size of the place and a Baron might hold a small place in the large lands of a Count to try and simplify matters. So Christmas is coming and the fakers need some pocket money again. The Prince in question is the husband of an American business woman whose previous husband also sold titles for another area though these days claim to award them to deserving people.
Other than that the post was fairly normal, just plentiful. At 7.00 pm I went through to feed the fish and found Big Al in his corner with his back to me and Little Al hovering round his tail like a supplicant. Morecambe and Wise wasted no time in finding their food and Sharkey attacked his unopposed. No words from me would make Big Al turn round let alone go for his breakfast. I gave up asking and went to take my meds. This was the last set in the box so I knew the box needed filling up before the evening. I didn’t feel like doing it just then so made my drink and took it through to the desk. It was to early to consider making one for Mike. The work seemed to be going down slowly but I still hadn’t complete up to 5.00 pm and didn’t dare refresh yet. By 8.00 am I was at that point where I did it. That was a mistake. I had to plough into it again in order to clear it. At 8.30 am Mike’s alarm went off unexpectedly. I thought he was setting it for 9.00 am. He didn’t move however so neither did I. When it went off again after 10 minutes I went and made a coffee thinking he must be ready to move but he was still in bed when I went through. Telling him there was a coffee there I returned to my emails. Another ten minutes went by before the alarm went off again and this time he got up.It was now ten to nine.
I finished the message I was writing and went through to see him. He thinks I’m pale ( but not interesting) at the moment and probably unwell. He’s offered to go to Pauline’s for me before he heads off to Manchester.That means I can be a slob and not get dressed again today. He was on his way to Manchester by 9.45 am. I’d asked him why he didn’t stay there the weekend and spend time with his sister over from Canada and he thought I was trying to get rid of him. It seems he still loves coming up here to relax and have fun at the weekend so he should be back sometime this evening. It’s a long way to go just to avoid doing my hair.
The Postman brought just one measly letter this morning which wasn’t worth getting out of my seat for. I was on my way back when there was knock and a courier driver stood here with a package which could only be books. Great, that completes the gifts for MuJo. Having bought a replacement dressing gown last week I’m now informed the one they rescheduled for January will now be mid-December. They never responded to my request to cancel and choose an alternative which is why I bought one. So, I ( will) now have a spare. At lunch time I decided I’d better do my drugs and was halfway in when there was a knock at the door again-it’s like Picadilly Circus here today. This time it was one of the wardens who came in and sat down. I excused myself for a minute to carry on with the tabs in my hand before I forgot where I was when maybe my state of undress startled her and she said she wouldn’t interrupt me if I was in the middle of a job. As long as things were OK she was happy. I never got chance to sit down with her and tell her how black my life is and how unhappy I am. That would have had her leaving faster than she did.Perhaps she thought the dressing gown was for her benefit rather than as a statement of ‘I really can’t be bothered’.
Having now wasted the quarter hour needed for my pre-food tab I decided to just have soup today though with some bread and butter. Mushroom soup as my choice today because looking at the pantry that was the ONLY choice. I ate as I watched Bargain Hunt and despaired of their choices and then watched them pick up profits on two of them. My defence is even the auctioneer had given them low valuations so he was surprised too. After that I washed the post, STAYED AWAKE and came back here. I struggled to stay awake and answer emails or make comments but I made it until 4.30 pm when I decided on a short break. I turned the TV on and fell asleep. It lasted just over an hour and I woke up wondering where all the antiques were. I watched the latter half of the quiz that was on and then started on Eggheads and had some tea at the same time. The programme was just finishing as Mike came in. I put the kettle on for him then went to have a shower but Mike came through and did my hair first for me. That meant no hands over head and I was fine. After the shower w had an hour of old MASH episodes. I’d just got to my room to check on ebay when Mike shouted Mastermind was on. No way was I missing that so went back through.
At 8.30 pm I had to start work or I’d be up all night. I was really feeling rough. Sure I was going to be sick and none too sure about the other end either. I couldn’t give in to it however because there were 87 emails to deal with. They really kept me going. Once done I started on the blog before the messages had chance to pile up again. I needed an early night but wasn’t going to get my wish. In the end I had to admit defeat an packed in for bed at 11.05 pm.
Saturday.
I don’t know whether I was pricked by conscience (Mike would be quick to say Impossible) or whether there was some revenge because I jumped ship early last night but this morning it was 3.09 am. I was quite prepared to call the gods a name but realised they don’t have parents in the traditional sense anyway so it might not be an insult. I paid a quick slow visit to the loo, it’s all stops and starts these days, then came back , tried to make myself comfortable in the chair and turned the computer on. All the creases weren’t out of my bottom from last night so I tried stuffing a cushion underneath only to find my knees wouldn’t fit under the desk. I knew at that pointy I was just expected to suffer but I didn’t say anything about in silence.
Naturally most of N.America had been asked to write to me while I was asleep so my inbox was groaning at the seams. Untypically there was only one message I could see that could be tossed to the winds. A bank informing me that with regret they’ve had to suspend my account. I wouldn’t trust a bank that doesn’t know who it’s customers are so out it went. By the time 5.30 am came around I was flagging badly and needed a break. I went through to the lounge and promptly nodded off in my chair. It was almost 6.30 am before I came to. As I was closest to the kitchen at that point I fed the fish. All seemed well since the only ones I could see were Morecambe and Wise which probably meany Big Al had arranged a Union Meeting for bottom feeders. I privately cheered that I didn’t need to face him this morning and went about my business. That meant taking my morning meds and making my coffee. It was a quiet time to arrange to move things from one coat to another since it’s looking a bit grey out and I was intending to wear my duster coat if that was the case.
I boiled a kettle for 7.00 am and when I heard Mike’s alarm go off for the first time I mad his coffee and took it through. He ignored me like he had the clock but I persisted until I at least got a grunt. It was time to put the food rubbish and the recycling stuff out. Dressed in my Welsh flag lounge pants and a teeshirt I ran quickly up the path to place them at the end. I’d have looked like a rabid Nationalist of anyone had come around just then. Still, I might have been cheered for my patriotism. Back inside Mike’s alarm went off a second time. With a very deep sigh I got ready to go and remind him the drink was there. Before I could do so I gasped, he was up and moving around, after a fashion. The sound of shuffling feet and muttering followed him to the lounge. I sat down and tried to clear some more messages. Very soon though I needed to get dressed and then went through to see how Mike was getting on. “OK, OK, King of subtle, I’m going” he said leaving me confused at what he meant though I was glad to see him heading in the direction of his clothes, some of which I was holding in my hands.
While he dressed I attempted three or four new messages but he was ready quite quickly and stood in my doorway singing “Why are we waiting.” Just as well it wasn’t ‘Who ate all the pies’ as I was feeling pretty low about the size of my stomach which in turn was hanging pretty low now. When I’d gone out with the rubbish it had been damp and dismal so the duster coat and a waxed hat seemed a good idea. With the coat flapping round my ankles I felt the bees’s knees. We were supposed to be going to Rhyl this morning so I was a bit surprised Mike turned the wrong way. He tells me he changed his mind and decided to go after the shopping but I’m pretty sure he just forgot. We didn’t do too badly and were at the supermarket for 8.15 am. As usual I hit the cash machine, these big sledgehammers really work. Mike worked his way through the trollies till he found a freebie. Then we were ready for battle. Inside the doors 8 cans of pop on a special offer, potatoes, flowers for Ju then a wander to look at the sale clothing for youngsters. I did say Mikes’ only 3’6″ didn’t I? Ouch, Ouch, 5’6″ then, we all make mistakes.
The gents section saw some jeans reduced from £15 to £4 for Mike and a cardigan I quite liked at £16 to £8 which a member of staff reduced to £4 as we stood there, no way was I turning that down. Pity it’s not my size really. Then we actually moved along and bought some food. Not much as who can afford food these days, but the bread was cheap so I might have bread sandwiches next week. By the time we’d done it was time for a coffee, the only good thing to come out of MacDonalds for me. Then it was time to head for Flint. A couple of items in Home Bargains (Loo Bloo only purple) then across to see Ceri and the crown with their sweets. Another coffee for me and the usual for Mike with a drink. A swift visit to the frozen food shop for pizzas and it was off home. I was the poor slob who had to put the frozen food away again. I had my final book from the postman waiting which we both glanced at as I was explaining how a good family record book can help with the tree. Then at midday it was time to head off again. I got outside and had to put dark glasses on. Dressed in my duster ( no hat) I looked a right lemon. Dressed for Winter in the middle of Summer
This time he turned in the right direction and we headed off towards Rhyl. There was some discussion about stopping ion the way to eat or perhaps to stop and find somewhere in Rhyl. My common sense version won the day “Stop or die” so for some reason Mike kindly pulled up at the Bells of St Mary’s where I’d been on Monday with MuJo. We both had an excellent roast dinner before carrying on the journey. When we arrived in Rhyl I directed Mike to go round the roundabout, past the end of the High Street and then to take the third road on the left. Turning right meant a soaking as we were on the seafront at the time. He took the third left just as I realise I might possible have miscounted. “Not this third left Mike, the next one” I cried but too late, he took it. Luckily for me it had a right hand turn which took us to the road we wanted which I said I’d known all the time. We managed to find a parking place quite close to the aquarium. I was still wearing the duster and Mike put his jacket on and we walked into a sauna.All the humidity from all the tanks and we were wrapped like mummies. The sweat was dripping off us. Mike was here to find out about some lamps he wanted for his tank at home. Is that what he asked about? No, way, we had to explore the contents of about 100 tanks first fish by fish. All the time boiling away before he finally asked about the lights which they didn’t even stock. I had to be dragged away screaming as I fancied a couple of beautiful synodontis and some more assassin snails.
Synodontis catfish
We were finally on our way homes again and I had no fish or snails. All I had was panic at being out so long ( over 8 hours) and not having finished the morning’s post before I left. We got in about 4.30 and after setting up the i*on and i*oning board for Mike I came through to work.216 messages which included the unfinished from this morning, Oh joy. Mike left me to it until after his football than came to get me at 7.00 pm to watch a programme with him. We like quizzes. I did us something to eat while we watched so he doesn’t report me for neglect.I was allowed back at 8.30 pm but a little later he came through to tell me of a film he’s found to watch. I agreed to join him soon but it was 10.00 pm before I made it. It was a good film and kept me there till 11.15 pm when it ended. Thereafter it was time to abandon the mail so I could do the blog post. I am after all at your service.
Sorry Mummy, didn’t mean to trump!
I wish you all a wonderful new week and send you loads of Hugs. xxx
Back on track this morning at 4.22 am. I realised I’d forgotten my running shoes so went back home.-Boom, Boom. Mike tells me I blame him far too much for things on the blog so I want to make something quite clear this morning. It wasn’t his fault I couldn’t get back to sleep, it was the fault of his snoring. See Mike, I’m ready to apologise and apportion the blame properly. I’m sure you’ve seen films like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom where something is triggered and the walls of the room start to close in on you. If you enter Mike’s bedroom you’d be praying for him to exhale before you were crushed.
After refilling Niagara Falls I turned the computer on. It was really nice to see last night’s blog had so many likes and wonderful comments too from my friends. I do appreciate you all. The other blog is oddly quiet so I sense that people must think it’s a pipe dream with no chance of succeeding. I’ll keep on trying though as one day people may have had enough and the ranks may swell. Two idiot messages this morning but I just deleted them, they’re not even a challenge any more. One though did say I needed to get in touch to find out what major event would happen in my life in the next 5 weeks. I had to stop myself laughing out loud because it must be 5 weeks since the first one of those messages and the major event for that period hasn’t happened yet. Not even £10 on the lottery.
I worked till 7.00 am and took a break. Big Al was still passive and the plecs looked like they were glued on the sides of the tank. I couldn’t help but think the place was lacking a bit of colour. Big Al can’t be everywhere at once. I know I said I was going to let the tank run down but perhaps just a few more fish for a little longer. I had my meds and made my coffee which as usual I took through. I spent some time on Ebay looking for Christmas stocking ideas but found nothing inspirational. all the while keeping on top of my mail. As things slowed I got washed and dressed so the bathroom would be free for Mike. Not that I ever charged him much anyway.
He got up at 9.30 am so couldn’t moan at me for not giving him a lie in. One of these weeks though if the weather stays like this I’m going to upset him and suggest a car boot sale. I made him a coffee and sat in the lounge with him as he attached pins to his eyelids and with small strings thrown over his head proceeded to pull them open. There was an almighty groan as the daylight penetrated and he started to wake. The first thing he did? Turn the laptop on and go straight to Ebay to see the latest watch he’s bidding in. It’s due to have finished at 8.00 pm today and he couldn’t decide how much he wanted it. Plus, as he’s likely to be travelling at that time, should he let me deal with the final bids up to his top limit for him. I offered to do just that. Secretly I was hoping he wouldn’t go further with this one though which I’ll explain presently.
About 11.00 am he told me to get dressed (?) ready to go out. When I pointed out the clothes I was wearing he said “Oh yes, it must have been me I meant” which is an indication of the gibberish I’ve been dealing with this last week. When we were ready he ran me to Flint and to Jolley’s the pet shop to look at fish again. When we got back afterwards I welcomes to the tank two Siamese fighting fish ( female) Morecambe-Purple and Wise-Dark red. Also Sharkey a raspberry tipped albino shark and a Little Al. We left them in bags to adjust to the heat of the tank then after half an hour added some tank water to the bags before going out for lunch. I’ve made mention of Abakhan before where they deal with materials of all kinds, tiaras, wools and crafting goods. They have a nice new cafe there and though we’ve been there a few times this would be the first time for a Sunday lunch. We both felt it was a little on the mean side which judging from our waist lines is only to our benefit, but the food itself was very tasty. Once we’d finished it was straight back home to let the new fish into the tank. Sharkey hid as his kind is wont to do and Little Al latched onto Big Al and chased him round the tank. I think he wants his mummy. The fighting fish were fine and just swam round unconcerned by any activity.
Beautiful fish. The effect of the tail out when the Siamese fighting fish is swimming is great. This is not Sharkey since he’s albino but that’s just a bit paler than the one above and the tips rather than full fin are coloured in a more raspberry shade.
Once that job was done I got Mike to sit a minute while I told him I was worried about his birthday gift. If he didn’t come next weekend because his daughter is over from Poland he’d have to wait another week for it. Wouldn’t he please consider taking it home with him. He explained he wanted me to see his reaction on opening it which was nice. I was also a bit worried that the watch he wanted to bid on was quite similar to the watch I’d bought him. We settled that he’s open it today but save his card for the actual day. He was very appreciative. I knew he wanted one in a rose gold colour and this one was actually gold plated, a moon phase, day/date automatic. He did seem pleased as he actually cancelled his interest in the one online. Then it was time for him to leave and go to visit his father before heading home tonight. I had a message at 11.00 pm to say he was home safely. As for me, it’s back to the mail now.
Monday.
This was a 4.11 am morning. It was also the morning of the great flood when I went to the loo. I seemed to pass so much fluid I was looking out for the ark or at the very least a bird with an olive branch overhead. I really don’t remember drinking a bath full last night. By the time I got back to my bedroom Microsoft had another two releases out. Windows 10 now. There was a fair bit of mail but not enough to have me in a panic. It would be slow but steady first thing. Time enough to comment on other blogs and time to read blogs mentioned by others that I’m not currently following. I sometimes find new blogs to follow and sometimes gain new followers in return.
At 6.45 am I found myself trying to tattoo my forehead again and waking up with a start. I decided to finish off the batch of mail I was on and then go through to make a coffee to wake myself a bit. It wouldn’t do to go back to bed and then have the cleaner walk in on me and have to give instructions from my bed. Anyway, first off I went to the kitchen and turned the overhead light on and then the tank light. I could see Big Al straight away and I’m not sure he looked on me too kindly. The company I’d hoped to give him with Little Al seems to have backfired a bit as it now looks like Mary and a little lamb following on. The plecs seemed happy and the two fighters were looking bright and enjoying the space. The only one I couldn’t see at first was Sharkey who is by nature very shy and had insinuated himself into the smallest gap between the glass and the pump. I could see he was breathing and just hoped maybe he’d come out and grab a bit of the food I was putting in.
I decided to have some breakfast myself this morning and settled on a small box of cornflakes. It means that tea is optional later and I won’t need tablets with it if I do. Once the cornflakes were don I took all my meds and made a decaffeinated coffee to take back with me. Maybe that was a silly thing to do as it didn’t help with trying to stay upright with open eyes.I was just fading then jerking myself back and wondering where I was up to. As it was almost 8.00 am and Pauline was due at 8.30 am it was too late to take a different tack. I struggled on, sure I could manage 2 hours and then collapse onto the bed.
8.30 am came and went as did 8.45 am just then the door opened and in came Pauline bright and breezy with the warm weather outside. We exchanged hellos and then she headed off in the direction of the kitchen where I thought he’d start the ironing as suggested last week. Instead I heard the sound of dusting. Or rather I heard the sound of things clinking together as the dusting was done. My fingers were crossed for no breakages. Then there was some hoovering until at 9.45 she asked If I’d like some ironing doing. I said that would be great. Two shirts and a pair of pajama bottoms later it was 10.15 am and she was ready to move on to her next job. She’s promised to be early next week which is good as I don’t think an hour and a half’s work is the bargain made. Once she’d gone I was on my second wind and didn’t need to jump into bed. I carried on working until 11.30 am with a break when the postman came and delivered some CD’s I’d ordered for Christmas. There was also an envelope full of Christmas cards pained by those artists who paint by mouth or by foot. I refuse to call them foot and mouth artists to entertain you uncouth lot. They want me to buy 10 cards for £7.50 which I confess I find quite steep. I’ll have to think on it as I’ve already ordered a batch of my own cards for this year.
At 11.30 am I started on my lunch and at 12.00 pm settled down in the chair to enjoy it. Wen I’d finished I took the plate through for washing and came to watch the rest of Bargain Hunt. I lasted about 10 minutes before I was lightly sighing in the chair ( get that Mike? Lightly sighing!) I didn’t wake again until almost 2.00 pm when I saw Doctors was on and I wondered where Ju was. I turned the TV off and came through to start work again. I was determined to finish in time to watch (fully) an antique programme at 4.30 pm. I was just five minutes late for the start. It was a good show. During the break I made a sandwich then watched Flog It, Eggheads and The Big Bang Theory before decamping to the computer for the night. Lots of mail in as usual and I have to get as much done as possible so there’s a breathing space tomorrow when I go to see Yvonne and Reuben.
Tuesday.
I imagine a young god sitting on the edge of a mountain somewhere in Greece just sniggering. He obeyed all the rules last night for a Trainee god of sleep by helping me drift away when my light went off about 12.30 am. His fun came this morning when he woke me at 3.10 am and muttered “That’s your lot pal, it didn’t come with guarantees.” You’ll have to imagine the Greek accent of course. Once he had me awake and up he could nip down to the staff canteen for a pot of Greek yoghurt or some Ambrosia. He, lets call him Little Somnos, though I can think of more colourful names about now, thinks he has a ‘Wickid’ S.O.H. When I pop my clogs I may just be trying for a holiday in that region but instead of open toed sandals I shall be wearing something suitably fetching in a steel toecap.
I started on the mail. Anything to take my mind off the time even though I knew I wanted time to clear up before I went out. There was a message from my pet psychic again which was titled, Urgent, Read Me Before You Go Out. I was tempted to sit there puzzling about how she knew I was going out today until I realised that in the normal world people go out most days so there was a 95% probability I would be…or so she thought. For entertainment value I opened it but it was only another reminder that I should contact her to find out what the next three weeks holds for me and no prediction that my bus would be breaking down halfway up a mountain in a snowstorm. Mind you, in another month even that was an almost certainty. I disposed of it disappointed.
At 6.00 am I went through to the kitchen to feed the fish and like a little god myself, make their day by putting the light on. The plecs were lying in the open and I could see one of the assassins crawling across the tank floor.I bet that’s painful with all those sharp little stones. I can’t see hide nor hair of the other one nor of an empty shell somewhere. Morecambe and Wise were swimming about happily ignoring each other and each little spurt opened out their glorious tails. Big Al was doing a runner to avoid the attention of Little Al who obviously can’t take a hint. Of Sharkey there was no sign again but I’m patient. I dropped some food in and turned away to get my meds. It’s amazing how boring the life of the gods can be. The routine goes like this, I take both my sprays then three quarters fill my mug with milk. This morning because I was having breakfast I took a pre-meal diabetic one first. Then bravely I down six in one with a good swallow of milk and hope they stay down. Mike laughs at me because I keep the milk long enough to turn to yoghurt as I try to swallow. Then in turn I take one each of two huge painkillers with a swallow of milk, again taking ages before I find the right moment just to swallow. It’s lucky when he’s here there’s no chance he’d be up to see me take this first lot. What’s left of the milk in the mug is now the basis for my coffee. And the coffee is used to take the two post-meal tablets which are also torpedo sized and taken one at a time. I had a cigarette to time having my cornflakes.
The coffee came back with me to my room. It was time to get dressed ready for going out. It wasn’t raining and the forecast is for sunshine until late afternoon from about 9.00 am. I thought I’d risk a sports jacket with a waistcoat underneath. By 7.15 am I was as up to date as possible and had time to make a new post on the Buthidars before letting the computer rest. At 7.30 am I went out for the bus.The sunshine hadn’t arrived yet and I was bloody freezing. Typically the bus arrived at the stop a I did so I had a hill to walk up. The driver wished me good morning and commented how unusual i was that no-one was waiting at the stop. Either he couldn’t really see me or he meant other than me as there are generally a few more. I was grateful for him closing the door and driving off. We were halfway up the hill when…………nothing happened. No breakdown and no snowstorm. When we got to Holywell, I sent Yvonne a text to let her know I was on the bus then I rested my chin on my crutches and went to sleep. Crutches I said, I’m not a circus performer.
Obviously I woke up every time we hit a pothole so that was most of the time. These days we have so many there are even potholers climbing down them. People try to avoid them and drive like they’re drunk. Weaving across the road so that the oncoming traffic fears a crash. The surgeries are full of drivers with white finger syndrome. I was awake as we arrived at my stop in Chester at 8.45 am but there was no sign of Yvonne. I got a text to say Reuben had decided to fill his nappy as they were about to depart and she was running down the road to meet me now. I was glad as the sun was still now out and I was flipping cold. Five minutes later and I saw them in the distance waving like crazy. I checked behind just in case there was a building about to fall on me but it was just a hello wave. Reuben was about 6 feet away when he spotted me and broke into a grin. I was hoping it wasn’t because he was planning his moves for the day. We hugged and Reuben got a hold on one of my crutches which made walking a little hard. I suggested coffee.
Yvonne needed socks for Reuben so we went into a clothes shop that has a cafe upstairs. I nipped to the loo to chip off some icicles while Yvonne ordered a hot drink. I got my first proper hug from Reuben a he sat in a chair next to me. We had coffee and toast while Reuben had Weetabix and some toast which decorated the floor when he’d had enough. Then we went shopping. As usual she point blank refused a new coat but I’m going to go ahead anyway. I did manage to get her a couple of hats though and for some reason an owl cruet. We got Reuben’s socks and left for the next shop. Here I was lucky enough to fulfill some of my Christmas stocking needs. Things are really going great now.I think all my major gifts are taken care of, or I hope they will be if I get lucky on Ebay this afternoon. Just my gifts for abroad to deal with then. The next shop was a favourite and I picked up a fretwork wooden Christmas tree made up of words for Yvonne. Then it was time for another wee since my bladder was defrosting a bit. I went down in the lift leaving the two of them hovering upstairs on the ground floor waiting for me. I came back up on the escalator to surprise them and instead was nearly surprised by falling over as it moved faster than expected.
Another drink then and I opted for a crushed ice drink of lemon which Yvonne copied. Very refreshing and such a delight to see Reuben’s face when he demanded to try it. Fair play, he might have scrunched hi face up but he didn’t let it put him off. The only bugbear was he pile of ice he was accumulating in Yvonne’s lap as he didn’t like that.
Yvonne says this is the look of love. I think it’s the look of mischief.
Those gingerbread men don’t stand a chance.
It was time for the playground next. Reuben had been very patient with us so far but there’s only so much shopping a boy can take. Because it had rained early the slide was off the menu but he had the time of his life on the swings which he loves.
Soon enough it was time for us to say goodbye. I needed to catch the Ebay special home and Yvonne needed to get ready for work while Reuben had a nap. I caught the 1.00 pm and was at my home stop by 2.00 pm.A quick nip into Pauline’s and then home. It was nice to be home though I wasn’t thrilled with 208 messages waiting. I was still OK with Ebay which was due to finish at 3.45 pm. The messages were a priority so they were the first thing to be tackled. One thing that delighted me was that my friend Sally had kindly re-blogged my piece from the Buthidars and today there were lots of likes from people who’ve not been there previously. Some even started following that blog. Maybe the mood of the World is moving in a new direction….I wish. At 3.40 pm I went back to Ebay and poised myself for a battle before the item closed, I put in the amount I was willing to pay and then waited poised like a statue until the last ten seconds when I pressed the offer. I won, not just because of my immaculate timing but because no-one bid against me.
Back to the mail until 4.30 pm when I went to watch my antique show . I made myself a Big Soup which was actually beef stew and dumplings. There was a back taste I can’t identify which put me off having it again and then I had a chocolate cake. I must have nodded off just before the end of the show as I didn’t see who won this leg and I didn’t wake up until 6.05 pm. I wasn’t going to hang round for the quizzes today so it was back to work straight away. I’m as up to date as I can be and it’s now 11.35 pm and about time to turn in. I hope Little Somnos isn’t on duty tonight.
Just to show I do listen to some modern music too. I don’t know why this one caught my imagination.
Wednesday.
3.44 am saw me hopping round the last square foot of floor space in my bedroom with cramp in my calf. No dear, I’m not running a dairy farm, I mean the calf in my leg. The left leg as it happens which is lucky as my right leg is definitely stronger. Well, this knocks Mike’s theory on the head that I get cramp from too much salt, I haven’t had a bag of crisps this morning yet. I hopped round to the computer and bending down carefully turned it on before I proceeded to hop along the passage way to the loo. This was not an easy job today as my left hand was supporting me on the wall as my right hand massaged the offending calf. Well, the rest you’ll have to imagine for yourselves. The pain eased off and I was able to walk albeit haltingly back to the bedroom. I had at that point finished using the loo and had washed my hands. You know, a light bulb has just gone off in my head. If I’d sat down on the loo I’d have managed so much better. AC Flory often says she has to do my thinking for me.
The post from last night and the early hours has been heavy and seems to be coming in without a break so it’s all I can do to hold my own. ( Now now missus, behave yourself.) I worked solidly through until 7.00 am when it was time to go through to the kitchen. After putting the main light on so I could see, I put the tank light on so the fish could see. Like two pretty flags in the breeze ( waxing lyrical now) the fighters swam gently round the middle of the tank. The plecs lay unmoving on the bottom. Big Al was dashing back and forth and side to side only stopping once when close to me for a quick glare, but was soon on his way again hotly pursued by Little Al. Of Sharkey there was no sign but I was expecting that and wasn’t worried. I put some food in and went to concentrate on my tablets. How I could miss a mouth the size of mine I don’t know but I threw one past my head and onto the floor. I had a drink of milk and swallowed the others before looking for the escapee. I saw it and picked it up which had me looking in the direction of the tank again. Big Al had come to a stop in his corner right on top of a plec. Little Al came and settled down beside him. The plec not knowing what the heck was going on had to wriggle out from underneath. It was then I saw Sharkey’s nose just peeping out from inside a sunken galleon before nipping out and grabbing some nosh.
I took my drink back to the bedroom and carried on working. Time just seemed to fly by. At some point I got dressed even though I wasn’t going out. Most of the mail was pretty good until we’d passed 11.00 am. First came….. You’ll be surprised to hear what your future holds Wed, 05 Nov 2014 from Humanic web. I thought she was never going to bother me again if I didn’t answer her. Anyway, a Humanic web might hold a spider so I had no problem getting rid of that . I wasn’t many more messages along when the next one came…… Need your urgent respons…..Barakis Nooman to you. It seems Barack Obama sorry,Barakis Nooman is writing from the Ivory Coast. She is Congolaise while her deceased husband ( we know where this is going don’t we) was French. Long story short-….there’s $5.5 m in an account for children she’ll never have now. 30% is mine if I will distribute the rest to charity homes and the less privileged of the world, like there aren’t any of those in the Ivory Coast. I’m afraid this also went the way of the bin. I knocked off at 11.30 to start on my lunch which today was a lamb hock and some Colcannon potatoes. I hung around to watch my antiques programme which ended at 1.00 pm. Unfortunately I must have nodded off about ten to the hour and missed the end ( again). I woke at 1.48 pm just after Doctors had started. A good enough reason to get back to work.
I’d no sooner started back than I received a new message……. Eventually did I find you again DAVID ….Zora to you. Intrigued I opened it. What a pillock. This is from someone calling herself Zoradamus who’s had a revelation about me and wants to offer me a free clairvoyance. Probably I’ve had bad experiences from other fraudulent astrologers on the net but she’s the real deal. My name appeared in a subconscious vision, well, I’ll let her tell you herself……. How do I know you, DAVID ?
No doubt you’re saying to yourself «it’s anather scam, I won’t answer… ». However it’s a genuine proposal. Think hard, how do you think I know you? Quite simply because I’ve had a revelation about you and your name appeared to me in my subconscious vision. The hardest thing was to find you, and for this I used numerous search methods. Moreover in the course of these searches I learned that you’ve already called on clairvoyants, mediums and other so-called professional before and have generally been disappointed… Don’t confuse me with them because I’m here only with the aim of making your life better. I want to become your personal astral adviser and I swear to you that ill put all my power at your disposal so that you obtain what you have wanted for a long time… ( Oh yeah? ) By this time I was almost asleep again so it followed the other messages to the bin. My advice, If I suddenly start invading their brains like this, they should just tell me to beggar off and they should ignore me like I’ll ignore them.
I worked till 4.30 pm and was really getting up to date but I wanted to see day 3 of Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is- antique challenge. Then I needed some tea before the gang arrive. I only just made it. I finished two rounds of toast and put my plate in the sink when Dil and Matt arrived. I made their drinks and let them see the end of the quiz that had come on before getting the games table out. We had six lines of Yahtzee and somehow we all won two each. Then came the Nomination which was quite a struggle ,especially as I wasn’t doing the scoring, but I think Matt ended up winning because he was doing the scoring. Lastly was Crazy 8’s which I did win while Matt got hammered because I did the scoring in this one. It’s always a blow when 9.30 comes and they have to go . Dil always thanks me though it’s me who owes him the thanks for coming out so far after work, and Matt for giving up an evening to come. I tidied up and washed the pots, took my evening meds and came through. What a blow. Emails by the boatload and for some reason quite a few new ones. I had to stop at 11.30 to start the blog. It’ now 12.30 am and I don’t feel like going back to it tonight so I’m going to try and get some sleep soon.
PS. So honoured to have received an invitation to a wedding today from India. I wish Ratandeep Singh and his wife every happiness on Nov 15th. He’s a wonderful poet and I’m privileged to call him Friend.
Thursday.
Bizarre. I didn’t get to bed until 1.00 am and was determined to read at least a chapter before my eyes closed. What was difficult was getting my eyes to close despite being tired. I turned the light out at 1.35 am and tried laying there. At some point I slept. At 3.07 I was awake again. I said “Not a chance” and snuggled down again. I next came to at 6.45 am. Of course I could see that it was a lot lighter outside than usual an I panicked. No point in getting under Big Al’s skin once again. I literally flew to the bathroom ( Pan-Am in case you’re interested) and relieved the bladder that gave every indication that I was having an elephant’s pregnancy and carrying the herd. It took a while. From there I went straight to the kitchen and it was just touching 6.55 am. I was safe. Both lights went on and as the tank one flickered to life I could see Sharkey was already out investigating the terrain. Maybe the stories of the four second memory are true and he sees the terrain afresh all the time. Two of the plecs were stretched out on the glass which fascinates me as they appear see-through like that. Of course one of them may just be flat from being under Big Al yesterday. I couldn’t see the third but he was about somewhere. The fighters were waiting for breakfast- bang goes the four second theory-and flashing me their tails so I’d call them beautiful. Little Al was in the race of his life against himself as he’d seen his refection in the glass and Big Al was in his corner near the front watching every move I made. I put food in the top but Big Ala’s eyes didn’t deviate from their target at all. It was quite unnerving.
Having survived the feed and my various meds I made a coffee to take back to work with me. I signed into my bank to check the account then into the lottery just to see if my account was about to get healthier. It wasn’t. I logged into Ebay to see if there were any messages from the seller of the item I won yesterday saying she was withdrawing it because she wanted more money. When I saw there were 2 messages I started to panic, and both from her. The first one told me she’d be posting out the trainers on Friday? Trainers, what trainers? The second was to apologise and say she’d sold a few items and got confused. The item I bought would be going out tomorrow with next day delivery. Fantastic, I had a huge bargain there. Finaly I logged into my Emails. I don’t know whether it was to round yesterday off or to start today but there was a message timed 00.00 and marked Confidential Letter for You which intrigued me until I opened it up. There ran the usual……. My name is Mr. Mahdi Kaamil. I am working with one of the prime banks in Burkina Faso. Here in this bank existed a dormant account for many years, which belong to one of our late foreign customer. The amount in this account stands at $13,300,000.00 (Thirteen Million Three Hundred Thousand USA Dollars). Ah well, I suppose I had missed this one yesterday so here it was to satisfy my need to press the rubbish button again. I’m sure I keep most of that region in work, not that they get paid for it of course.
I worked fairly steadily throughout the morning and actually made great progress, catching up towards about 11.00 am. I started viewing gift ideas on Ebay again for some friends abroad and by chance found just the things. It meant having to get them now though as it’s unlikely they’d be there much longer. So some people will be having Christmas in November. I only have one more to find abroad now. One coat and a few odds and sods to find for stocking presents over here.Progress has been great so far. At 11.45 am I knocked off for lunch which I kept quite light today. I watched my antiques show and stayed awake throughout going straight back to work at 1.00 pm without having to wake up first. I had an email about Yvonne’s birthday gift which should be delivered no later than Monday. When I first ordered it the bummf onscreen said up to ten days delivery, at ten days I went on to query it and it had suddenly changed to 15 days so I sent a message for them to verify it was on the way. Today it finally is.
There was plenty of mail to keep me going until 4.30 pm but I actually finished a few minutes before then. I almost put my shoulder out throwing my arm up in a victory punch and hitting the shelf where my printer is. The blue air was soon clear again as I went through to watch Put Your Money Where your Mouth Is day 4. It might have been a struggle but I actually kept my eyes open. As it was over I made some tea. Mince pies and custard, perhaps not what the diabetic clinic would suggest but all the nicer for that. I saw two more programmes and at 6.30 pm went back through to save myself for the new episode of Big Bang Theory at 8.30 pm. The first thing that faced me as I opened the screen was a notice that Java needed updating. Since I’ve had this before and done this before I saw nothing unusual or suspicious so told it to go ahead. Aaarrrggghhh, there are times I hate me and hate the computer. The download seemed to finish then a message came up about registry errors which I deleted. It came again and more. Box after advertising, annoying bloody box. I went into delete programmes and deleted the four obvious ones and the Java update all from today but it hasn’t solved the problem. While I’m doing emails if I press reply a new advert comes up for bingo, if I move o respond on twitter I get an advert showing a topless girl ( and by topless I mean no clothes, because she certainly has a top), her advert says You Ring, We F**k. There are ads for Bingo and betting and at the moment the left side of my head is bald from me pulling my hair out by the roots. Some of these firms are huge but I’d never buy their product when they use these tactics of what amounts to home invasion. On the other hand, I do have a new hairstyle at least.
In between removing these ads I managed to get up to date in time to go watch Big Bang. It was great and put me in a great mood. A pity no-one gets the advantage of it before I revert to bear with sore head again. I returned to the computer and became the bear again, I shan’t mention the sore head. Once I’m up to date again I think I’ll call it a day ( a night?) and look at it fresh again in the morning.
Friday.
It was a long late night and a struggle and I still couldn’t find anywhere these damned add-ons were hiding. In the end I’d no choice but to give up before I was going to bed after it was time to get up. In the end I got up at 6.31 am. Still tired and still irritable enough to ignore Big Al after I’d been for a wee. He was swimming round in circles in the hopes of getting Little Al off his tail, I just said “Go for it Little Al”, that’s how brave I was. I left them all to it this morning an concentrated on getting my meds down my throat and then refilling all the poxy little dishes for the next round. I’m sure sometimes I must even do it right.
I brought my coffee to the bedroom and it’s here I’ve spend most of the dale making myself bald on just the one side so I can wear a cap at a jaunty angle and look as though I have hair. I did searches to try and help solve the problem and just spent so much time clicking obscuring adverts off. I was so cross I could’ve crushed a grape as one comedian used to say. In between I was going into gmail to try and keep up but it’s a problem that it’s not my main email base and doesn’t get them all. I went to talktalk but could not get into the normal mail session and had to sign into an older version that’s slower and you have to keep running to the top of the page to delete anything you’ve dealt with. The only break I got was when the postman came and delivered what he called a box of lead. It turned out to be a box of jewellery boxes for watches and bracelets. They were heavy too. I also received an attachment for holding the airpump to the wall of the tank which I’d ordered from the Isle of Man, and my Christmas cards. They’re a little different this year but I hope they’ll go down well.
At lunch time I was glad of the break from the screen. The adverts and the pleas to download things to speed the computer, de-gunk the computer or to make it sing and dance were getting to me as much as the general adverts. The adverts were popping up and down like tin cans at a rifle booth on the fairground. Wouldn’t I like a rifle right about now. For speed’s sake I made a quick pizza and chips which as usual I ate in front of the TV. Funny, the TV never gets jealous though. Once the last item had gone through the auction and I knew who’d won I came back to work. Back up a second, before anyone accuses me of being a bigger slob than I am, I did wash the pots first. The mail was still my priority as it was still coming in. I had to break off when the warden came to make sure I was still alive but that didn’t take too long. A I started getting closer to catch-up on the gmail I decided to have one last go at solving the problem. I did another quite specific search for help with add-ons on Windows Vista, I followed all the directions and found nothing where I was supposed to go but bizarrely I did find a link to some downloads and one of them looked promising. I tried it and the ads seem to have stopped. The talktalk problem didn’t seem to have resolved itself straight away but the ads had stopped, yes those damned ads had stopped, ceased, were no longer coming. Yippee.
After clearing the gmail box I thought I’d better sign back into talktalk slow version and at least try and clear some of those. Lo and behold, the normal version sign on came up and when I tried I got access. By the time 4.30 pm arrived I was beaming from ear to ear. “Where to where” you ask? “There to there” says I. I was able to go and watch the final night of my Antique battle of wits, a second antiques show and Eggheads before celebrating with my bi-annual shower. Is that twice a year or once every two years? When I came out I checked my phone for any messages ( I got dressed first just in case) but nothing from Mike. It’s possible he’s not coming this weekend. I’ll give him time in case he’s on the way. I was able to carry on working quite cheerfully and have been up to date a couple of times since then. At 9.15 am I sent Mike a text to see if he was OK and received one back “Lesbing (?) Rugby in 15 mins, refuelling and be there about midnight. That’s not too long to wait then so I’d better prepare his mug, the Chauffeur one. He arrived at midnight and we chatted for an hour before heading for our rooms. I didn’t even read.
Saturday.
OK, not too many viable excuses for the time this morning. It was 5.02 when my laggardly self got out of bed. Naturally I went with speed to the bathroom , speed had to wait it’s turn, I was first and I was desperate. Coming back I’d have slowed down considerably if it hadn’t been for worry about mail and how much time I’d lose today. But first, the lottery results just to put me in a black mood with little bolts of lightning forming above my head. When will those fools learn to pick the right numbers, by which I mean my numbers of course? I started on the mail. It was good, no problems, not too much stupidity. Nigeria and Burkino Faso must still be asleep. At 6.00 am I went through to the kitchen. The light in the tank showed me all was well with Morecambe and Wise, The pleks seemed happy enough in their little conclave, Sharkey stuck his head out, looked around and joined the throng and Little Al was like a flea on heat just bouncing around from place to place. Big Al on the other hand had me stumped, was that a look of hate he directed at me or mayhap it was a plea since there was an air of defeat about him. I do believe his new boon companion is rather less boon than I’d hoped and he appears to be running Big Al ragged with his attentions. I wonder whether I’ve made a mistake and maybe it’s Little Alice chasing the big man? Don’t say anything but I do feel sorry for him, he’s had things his own way up till now.
Medications out of he way I took my drink back to carry on working. It was a bit of a surprise when I heard Mike’s alarm go off so I gathered he intended to go shopping with me. I made a coffee and took it through. By that time Mike’s intentions seemed to have changed but I let him know it was there anyway. He did acknowledge me so I left him to it. By twenty five past it became obvious that he’d turned the alarm off altogether and it wouldn’t ring a second time. A little louder I reminded him the drink was still there there and might be going cold. I went off and started getting the bins ready to go out and came back to find him up. While he came to, drank the coffee and then got himself ready I went back to work and made great progress. We were late out and didn’t reach Asda until 8.15 am. I raided the cash machine while Mike got the bags out of the boot and found a trolley then we headed indoors.
Mike started feeling ill which is not the effect shopping usually has on him so I walked him to the loo and started the shopping while he sorted his stomach out. It wasn’t too long before he joined me which only proves he doesn’t trust me on my own. We sauntered around an found a pair of trainers he needed since his others were wet through from yesterday and we had a ball in the sweetie aisle. Otherwise we concentrated fairly well. His stomach seemed to be holding up well. We had a coffee, I bought Yvonne an extra birthday gift I think she’ll appreciate and then we packed the car and left. ( after a cigarette of course). In Flint Mike was indignant that someone was using his parking place until I pointed out we were a little late and perhaps they thought we weren’t coming. I wouldn’t let him ram their car out so we found another space and set off shopping. He sulked till we reached the first shop but brightened up when we started putting things in the basket. We fairly zipped round there then headed for the second shop where we knew what we were going for and didn’t deviate, mainly because we both needed the loo now. We headed for Temptations where I ordered the drinks, passed the chocolates and the money over and then disappeared. Mike kindly let me go first and didn’t put up his usual fight. That was probably because he was chatting to Ceri already.
I came out of the loo as Mike was putting the drinks on the table. I saw Ceri and had a quick word in her shell-like and reminded her of the Ginormous birthday of this week and just possibly suggested she stuck a candle in his teasted toecake. I sat at the table and started my drink leaving my aged bro in ignorance unto Ceri brought him a big balloon tied to a little cappuccino mug with Special Person written on it. I wish she wouldn’t encourage him, there was also a tin of mints for memory problems in old age. Boy did I get a look. Why me???? Two minutes later and she reappeared with his toasted teacake with a candle stuck in it and sang Happy Birthday to him. I had problems keeping a straight face. I went outside for a ciggie and left them to chat a little more. When he came out we headed for home.
Mike unpacked the bags and I put the shopping away then came back to work for a while until Mike was ready to eat. There hadn’t been any post but a knock came at the door and I thought it was Bert with a parcel. Instead it was a courier with a parcel which turned out to be Yvonne’s Birthday present. I can’t give clues as she reads the blog in order to find out what I’ve been up to. She says I tell her nothing, I say I’ve nothing to tell. She’s worse than me and has spies everywhere so, You’ll just have to wait a few weeks Sweetie. I must have worked till gone 1.00 pm before Mike came through to see what I wanted to do. I said I was waiting for him to decide, he said he’s been waiting for me. We both got our coats on and set off. When we arrived at the Ivy Tariq came with welcome hugs then showed us what he’s done with the Dali posters of Mike’s. They’d both been framed beautifully and though they were the same size, one had a border and one did not so Tariq had left them that way so the frames matched in size. I”m sure it won’t matter as they’ll be on opposing walls. As we went back out Angie mouthed hello and asked “Drinks”? She was with customers so I mouthed “Yes please”? As it happened Tariq reappeared at that moment and made them.
There was a discussion as regards lunch and I was undecided today. Bacon or a hotpot? Mike was having the hotpot and ended up tossing a coin for me. I lost. I had the bacon sandwiches. When the meals came the hotpot looked glorious but he wouldn’t swap. Shells says she’ll make sure it’s on tomorrow and there’s some for me. I wonder if I have any pickled red cabbage? We enjoyed the food and also the poke round in Tariq’s workroom as he showed us some projects he has on. He’s never still and is a real craftsman.
We left about 3.15 pm and came straight home as by now I was really panicking about the mail. I started work straight away and Mike settled to watch some football. I had a break from 6.0o pm to 9.00 pm which also gave me time to make tea or in my case eat two doughnuts. I know it was wrong but if it makes you feel any better they were awful. Almost stale and totally devoid of any sugar. Serves me right. At 9.00 pm after Jonathan Creek I started work and haven’t left my seat since. Hows that for dedication.
I wish you all a Wonderful New Week with joy round every corner.
Sunday.I know I turned my light out last night a little after 12.15 am. I could hear the film Mike was watching until I drifted away. I woke up again at what I think was 3.00 am but The Sleepless One who Shall Not Be Named swears it was 3.15 am. What’s a quarter of an hour between friends. When I went to the loo not long after I swear someone was asleep though he swears not. I started on the mail and by 5.45 I was almost there and decided I could probably go back to bed for a while. I did nod off and enjoyed a few hours sleep only to find when I got up it was all of 6.21 amand to add insult to injury that 30 minutes or so had collected me another 42 pieces of post. Still, it’s a Sunday, I have all the time in the world, why worry. I saw to the fish at 7.00 am, took my meds and made myself a coffee. I carried on working , commenting, liking, thanking, in my own little world when all of a sudden an apparition appeared at my door. No, not the ghost of Oscar but Himself. The man who can’t get out of bed without three calls from the alarm clock, a shout from me, a coffee and a bolt of lightning from Zeus himself. It’s 8.21 in the a.m. and he’s trying to give me a heart attack. you can tell he knows what he’s doing to me because this breathless wheeze escapes his mouth that makes him sound like Muttley.
I’m in such shock I let him make his own coffee. I’m thinking of having another mouthwash, purely for medicinal purposes you understand. He chooses that moment to dash off to the bathroom so I just carry on working. The forecast for today is quite good and Mike suggests a car boot. I like the idea but suggest not going to the big one as the ground will be sodden underfoot after yesterdays downpour. Instead there’s a smaller one fairly local which is on hardstanding so he agrees to that.We get out about 9.15 am and arrive about 9.40 am. There aren’t as many stalls as I’d hoped and the best bargains might have gone but there’s plenty left. We hit one stall and buy some books, 4 each from a young lady who said she didn’t think she was going to sell any of her books today. Mike said she just hadn’t had discerning readers up till that point as he chose 4 Stephen Donaldson’s, I chose 4 Terry Brooks. I picked up the obligatory picture frame as nowhere would be the same these days if I didn’t buy a frame. I think I’ve more frames than wall now. A couple more books and then something like a doorbell that plays a wicked tune and says Beware at the end because it reminds us of the Addams Family. Finally a computer/office chair which is leather and looks unused. We were done and decided we needed a coffee.
We headed for Flint and stopped at my favourite shop for chocolates on the way. Then a few minutes in a shop with SALE written across the windows of course. Finally we got to Temptations for a drink. He was very disappointed that Ceri wasn’t there to argue with. We enjoyed the drink anyway as it was awfully warm outside and with the chair in the boot we couldn’t have the roof down. So, we took the goodies home swapped chairs. unpacked the rest of the stuff locked up again and took the old chair to the skips. Once disposed of we headed off to the Ivy for lunch and to see if Tariq and the family had managed to get their holiday after all. Mike’s earlier attempt to kill me finally caught up with me in the car. They had managed to get away and we were both pleased. Despite the weather it was busy there and poor Angie was suffering, rushed off her feet and very warm. She refused all offers of help from us though. At least she had help in the kitchen. We got our drinks and lunch followed not long after. As usual we enjoyed it very much. Because things were so busy we decided not to hang around so expecting to get away without any argy bargy I went to pay. I hadn’t reckoned on Angie who was adamant I should pay the bill and nothing more who hadn’t reckoned on me who said I always leave a tip to show my appreciation and Suck It ! I won I’m glad to say. If they weren’t worthy of a tip I’d be a lot meaner.
We went home and Mike loaded the car with his suitcase in preparation for the next stage of his journey, to make his Dad suffer like he does me. He tried to persuade me to go to bed but it was a case of Talk to the Hand. I knew there would be a lot of mail. I waved him off and came back where I bumped into a neighbour and then came in and started work. 173 (Thanks a lot peeps) which kept me going until 5.45 pm when I needed a break. I took a tablet and had a piece of toast then turned on a film I’m sure they said was by Quentin Tarantino. A young orphan living in a Paris railway station winding the clocks unknown to anyone else. I’m afraid I was done by 6.45 and gave up. Back into battle. At 8.00 pm I went through to take my tabs and found I’d left the fish tank light on. They were out and didn’t seem to mind me seeing them. I turned it off with abject apologies and came through again for the night. I’ve kept apace with the messages so far but have broken off for this so I don’t knmnow how things are now. I’ll go and have one last effort.
We interrupt this broadcast with a Newsflash. Due to the pleading of the Lord Daud fan club, yes both of them The Snail and East Of Malaga I now have to shock some of you who have a delicate spirit. They require proof that I have indeed purchased and genuinely worn my Mr Men lounge pants. I am going to spare you as much as I can but it was necessary to take a selfie of just one leg. Look away now Ethel.
Stand near the fridge so you don’t overheat (laughing).
Monday. It was 5.12 am today. I consider it a lie-in and a treat.I know I’d been dreaming and as I went through to go to the loo I leaned in to the big bedroom to say something to Ju. It was deflating to see the bed empty and for a second or two I didn’t understand. I suppose it’s just as well Mike wasn’t there or I may have woken him burbling some nonsense or other. Going back to the bedroom and the new computer chair that also catches me out because I go to lean on the arm as I’m used to doing and it’s about 6 inches lower.I fall over. There was such a lot of mail today that when I went through at 7.00 am to see to the fish I had barely dented them. I went through the usual routine and took my coffee back to the bedroom. ( actually now I’m out of bed I should call it the office and make it sound grand).
I’d wrapped most of it up by 9.15 am and went to get washed and dressed so I could take my prescription to the chemist’s. It was really warm out and I was sorry not to have changed to sunglasses. The poor girl I saw in the shop was really warm. Taking a slow walk back was pleasant despite knowing more mail would be waiting. It was. Not a major problem though as today’s pace was going to be slow. At 11.00 am I knocked off for a break and went to see what was on the goggle-box. Sometimes there are interesting programmes on like Who Do You Think You Are. I’m not sure I got as far as turning it on before I nodded off. It was only for 35 minutes but was very welcome. I took my pre-lunch tablet and put some new potatoes on to boil. Cold meat, coleslaw, tomato and wonderful new potatoes. I even managed to stay awake for my antiques prog.
After that it was time to hit the mail again until 2.00 pm when I received a text from Yvonne to say my niece, Mike’s daughter was on her way. She’s over from Poland on a short visit and seeing everyone she can. I have a rough idea how long it takes for a car to get here from Chester so I went outside to meet the car when it was due. Lisa and her son Alex got out and I was amazed how much he’s grown since I last saw him. A quick hug and back inside for drinks and in Alex’s case, liquorice allsorts, chocolate biscuits and an ice lolly. Lisa and I had a good catch up on the rest of her family, especially her mother, and also on her pregnancy since she’s been for a scan. I now know the sex of the baby and can tease Mike since he doesn’t want to know. They stayed with me until almost 5.00 pm then headed off on their next visit. It was lovely to see them.
Next it was back to the dread machine again for an hour. I wanted a break for tea and a little TV so knocked off from 6.00 to 8.00 pm. Unusually for me I watched the news about what’s happening with the plane crash in the Ukraine. I’m devastated for the families of all those killed. I hope they release the bodies soon and treat them with some dignity. I also watched another Antiques Road Trip with two good participants so it was good. Finally at 8.00 pm I turned the box off, took my tablets and came through. I’ve been battling to get straight ever since. Time to have a last go at it before getting some sleep as I’m due out tomorrow to see Yvonne and Reuben.
Tuesday. A 3.50 am day. My pattern seems to have gone to heck just lately but at the end of the day I get up when I get up and that’s that. One day I’m going to surprise Mike and stay in bed longer than him. I started work on the mail and kept an eye on the clock, though I wish I’d taken it with me when I’d gone to the loo. One eye doesn’t improve your aim. At 6.00 am I went through (early) to see to the fish and one of the plecs was dashing about like a mad thing as though he had ants in his pants. At least he settled down to eating when I put the algae wafer in. The plecs are usually very laid back.My favourite fish of all,time ( sorry Olive) was Zippy who I had in a 6 foot tank. He was a rescue pangasius and grew to over 18 inches while I had him. He had to be rehomed with someone with a bigger tank still. He was a catfish and as you can tell from his name was rarely still. But he loved the timbre of my voice ( mahogany in case you want to know) and would come to the edge of the tank for me. So beautiful
Pangasius shark
Olive on the other hand was an oscar I had in a tank in my bedroom. She had a face only a mother ( or me) could love with a big bottom lip like she was sulking.Very, very powerful musculature. She was about 8 inches long when one night I woke to a crash and she’d jumped, thrown the double lid off the tank and landed on the bed with me. She was actually bleeding from contact with the lid but she survived. If I was working and ignoring her she pick gravel from the bottom of the tank in her mouth and spit it at the glass until I paid attention. A few words, a stroke and she was fine again for a while. On the other hand Ju had Ollie, Olive’s nemesis in a tank in her room. They were hell if kept together. And he’d wait for Ju to put her hand in to clean the tank and he’d go for her. More than once he drew blood the little so and so, but Ju adored him.
Olive. Ollie was darker with black streaks.
Ju had 7 tanks in total with all sizes of fish from a 20 inch catfish to a half inch neon. Eventually her arthritis + caused so much trouble she couldn’t manage anymore and we rehomed the fish and the tanks bar the small 32 x 12 x 18 tank I have now with the last 5 fish.
Anyhoo, I fed the monsters, had a piece of toast, took my meds and brought a coffee through. It was now about 6.30 am so I washed and dressed. I shot through the rest of the post as quickly as possible so when 7.25 came I was almost there. I put ‘puter into a deep sleep, got my backpack on , grabbed the bag of things I couldn’t get in the backpack and headed off for the bus stop. I was there in plenty of time as the bus was late. The usual driver wasn’t there but hearing someone chatting to this driver I found out he’s on a fortnights holiday in Sunny Scotland. The journey wasn’t bad in that we made up the lost time but that meant a very jerky Brands Hatch journey. Then when we reached Chester the man turned left instead of right and lost me completely. Eventually I got off in the main street by M & S and had to rush to meet Yvonne. At least she’d gone to the cafe when I said I was late and wasn’t waiting at the bus terminal. I was glad of my latte when I got there. Reuben was smiles all round at fist but a little tetchy later and it looks like apart from having been poorly his mouth is under assault from new teeth again. At least he was fine for me while Yvonne looked at all the new stuff I’d bought him. There were the usual moans to ignore of course.
We left there and went looking round H & M where for once I didn’t find anything for him. I didn’t in NEXT either though I did manage to get Ugo something, and stroppy madam bought herself something. We shopped for food, had a nice drink sitting outside a cafe, I had a milk shake. Eventually I did find something for Reuben and for Yvonne too and two more things for Ugo. Nothing for me today though. After the last shop I decided to go home while Yvonne went and got ready for work. She was swapping the care of Reuben with Ugo at the door of her work and Ugo was coming with him to me. When they arrived Ugo brought me the jacket that Yvonne had scored over me with. A match for last weeks waistcoat. Wonderful, but now I have to start plotting again. Ugo bought a chippie tea, I had sausage with mine, also gravy and mushy peas. I was very careful with the eating as it now looks as though I’ll have a mouth ulcer next. I think I’m run down even though I haven’t stood in front of Mike.
They left about 6.30 pm and I attacked the 184 messages and am still working on them without even a quiz tonight. Do I hear an Awww?
Wednesday. It was an amazing 6.05 am today, nearly 6 full hours with no middle of the night visits. It didn’t help clear the mail though. At 7.00 am I went through to th kitchen having barely made a dent in it. The cory and two of the plecs were waiting so I didn’t keep them waiting long. I had some toast and my tabs then as usual took my coffee back to the bedroom. The coffee seemed to have the opposite effect to it’s reputation, I was continually leaning forward and nodding off over the keyboard. It was so bad at 8.00 am I even went back to bed and did fall asleep. I was back up at 8.35 am though. Thst little boost didn’t do the job and I was still nodding so decided it was time for some fressh air and went to Pauline’s for my TV mag. I did feel better when I came back but I was back dozing at the desk before 10.00 am. If a man falls asleep at his desk and there’s no-one around to hear him, does he really snore? Of course not.
The mail was roughly up to date by 10.55 am so I went and sat in my chair in the lounge. Big mistake, its hot today and the sun is streaming in. Within minutes I’m asleep again, When I finally come to it’s lunchtime and I turn on the TV for the antiques show while I eat. I wash the pots and sit down again. There’s a very strange feeling in my chest like something about to happen but I’m not sure what. The pain isn’t like my angina and the tightness isn’t there. A quirt of my nitro doesn’t do much except give me a headache but by then I’m asleep yet again. It was gone 2.00 pm before I went back to the computer and Oh No, the inbox is full again. I had to stay there until 5.15pm before I got up to date. A few minutes after I’d finished Lee arrived.He’ working from home at the moment and really under pressure. Dil and Matt turned up about 5.30 pm so the crowd all here. I wait until the quiz on TV finished before I bring the card table out and crikey, that hurts. I can’t let Dil do it ass he’s hurt his back and he’d have to move if I got one of the boys to do it.
I decided we’re playing Yahtzee first and that turns out to be a big mistake as my brother who whinged about losing last week gets 3 yahtzees in the first game. While I score less than 200 points having lost my bonus up top, his score is over 600. We play four rounds of this with each of us starting in turn. I did manage one Yahtzee in total but no-one can catch Dil up. The game took quite a while and as we finished Dil suggested Cribbage in pairs. We managed 3 games with Dil and Matt taking 2 to Lee’s and my 1. So perhaps not my best night at games but at least there was some laughter when Lee obviously making allowances for the rate of inflation starts counting Sixteen for one, sixteen for two……. because he’s a novice at crib there was some hilarity when we came out with One for his knob and two for his ball and bat. From now on I think we’ll stick to plain counting. They all left at 9.30 pm and I tidied up and washed pots before coming through to do battle. It’s been hell. The pain is still there, the pain of losing never goes away and now I think I’ve got RSS in my wrists from typing. I hope you all had a nice Wednesday.
I don’t seem to be able to paste a video for you tonight, Sorry.
Thursday. I repeated the 6.05 am again this morning. This time there seemed to be less effort staying awake doing the mail even though there was another boring message from Burkina Faso about my millions and a clever one purporting to be from MBNA on behalf of Virgin credit cards. It might have fooled me if I’d had an account with them. The fish seemed quite happy to see me at 7.00 am which is worrying, I know where I am when they’re angry with me- usually a long distance away. I had the usual toast and my tablets then took the coffee back to work. At some point I got dressed and went for fresh baps. Oh my, it’s like being in the middle of the Nevada Desert with the sun beating down unmercifully on my head and me crying out for a cooling drink, but the pubs aren’t open yet so I go home instead.
I wasn’t sure if someone from the chemist might call this morning so I didn’t hesitate much to open the front door part way. It was a mistake. There were two people, an elderly gentleman and a very pretty lady who did the talking. She’s been before so bear this in mind. As always the conversation started pleasantly, as always I retreat into an utter wreck, shaking and stuttering for Britain. That I’m in difficulties and distress must be obvious. Trouble is I’m not impolite so even if I could have said “Get lost” I wouldn’t. I’m sure there Jehovah’s Witnesses are lovely people out of uniform but it seems once they don the jackboots everyone is fair game. At some stage I was asked some innocuous question to which I was able to answer “But I don’t believe in God” though you’ll have to add a lot more random D’s and B”s to that sentence to get the gist of how it sounded. She asked whether I was perhaps an evolutionist then to which I was able to nod though at this point I was more inclined to go for the Glasgow Kiss in which I’m sure Seumas can educate you. The , “We’ll go in a minute and let you get on” was followed by reading some passages from the bible which were meant to show God was responsible for building my bungalow and for the landscaping. After leaving me some booklets to look at they finally left and my doorstep was clear. I bet if someone was coming from the chemist they took one look, laughed and ran off. I’ve known them for over 5 years and would have been able to talk yet these people tried to make me talk despite the obvious difficulties. I told you to bear in mind the woman had been here before. I managed to tell her last time how difficult it is for me to face new people, to talk to them. I hardly ever open the door to them s I’m beggared if that fella from Burkina Faso ever hand delivers my cash. Yet because this woman , this church, feels the need to invade people’s space they’ll come again and again. Little wonder that people can be rude to them. I swear I’m going to reopen the Buthidar church and go into competition with them. A ‘One Size Fits All’ anti-religion where tolerance, respect, equality, love and above all Hugs is the order of the day.
For lunch I had bangers, new potatoes and peas. I watched the first medal in the Commonwealth Games fall to a Brit (OK, she was English but there were no Welsh contestants). It was for the triathlon and she was magnificent. Then it was back to work to make up for my unscheduled stop. I did have an hours sleep to try and help me recover from the discomfort I’m in and perhaps it worked a bit. I worked again except for a gap to have some tea and a break from 5.15 pm to 7.20 pm but no, I wasn’t eating all that time. I came back through to try and keep abreast of the mail ( Oh, I shouldn’t use that word in my state of health- to keep up with the mail is better). I needed to make sure I could get the post done before having a read. I also want to see if I can understand why youtube is not posting to here anymore.
Still having problems with youtube videos I’m afraid.
Friday. It was a 5.54 am day so the times are still hovering around the 6.00 am mark. Perhaps whoever does the book-keeping for the Gods realises they’ve been making an error for a long time and are trying to make it up to me before I go up and complain. As it happens this favour has put the pressure on a bit with mail but we’ll bypass that. The pain in my chest has receded even more it seems. There isn’t much tightness there either now. I still don’t feel like going out and the urge to dress is missing. I worked until 7.30 am before going through to feed the fish, I tell myself it isn’t because I got carried away and forgot but that they’ve had a couple of late nights since I got carried away and forgot.
Being Friday it was also time to do the weekly tablets ( yes, I’d forgotten that too) so I decided to save time by not having breakfast. I’ll just have to remember to eat tea. That took me until 8.30 am when I was able to go back to work with my coffee. I suddenly remembered that my nephew is coming this morning to collect my African art so I break off to go and take it off the shelves and replace it with all the board games that have taken up station next to the cupboard recently. I leave everything laid out neatly on the settee for him as I don’t know how he’ll want to pack it. I decide maybe I’d better get dressed after all but it can wait till I have my breath back so I sit at the computer with the mail for a few minutes that become half an hour. In fact I’ve not long been dressed before he arrives bringing his wife and little girl with him. I haven’t seen them in a while. Of course I’d covered up most of the available seating so we had to find bags to pack everything into. I offered drinks and they got to looking at the now famous photo wall. The photos made us touch on a couple of sore subjects which aren’t easily solved. I was also reminded that next Saturday I’m invited to a party to meet the Great Niece I didn’t know existed until recently.
They left before lunchtime and I had a further go at the mail before breaking off to make something to eat. A small beef joint and some new potatoes today but I couldn’t finish it all. I watched a little of the Commonwealth Games and then my antiques show before deciding to have a snooze. Oddly no text from Mike yet.That came at 1.30 pm and woke me up I’m glad to say. He’s on his way so I’d better make sure the mail is well under control before he gets there so I don’t have to love him and leave him. Given the usual 3 hours I expect him about 4.30 pm. After that time I start to panic but I don’t want to text and disturb his driving. I was in and out of the pit working a lot while waiting. In the end he arrived after 6.00 pm because of traffic problems. We gassed, put the world to rights and watched TV. Then it was time for the ritual hairwash and my shower. The pain was a little more prominent so Mike helped me dry off, at least he said that’s what he was doing when he kept flicking the towel at me. The worst of it was I’d had to sit down on the karsie by then ( lid down people).
I made us a sandwich which we followed up with dark choc ices and we carried on blethering until 9.00 pm when it was my cue to depart. I’ve made a good hole in the mail and managed to do the blog and it’s not yet midnight. Yay, I’m off for a read. Night all.
Saturday. Things must be getting back to normal since it was a 4.59 am day despite having read till well gone midnight last night. Mike was up even later than me watching something on TV . I didn’t even have any wanderings in the middle of the night so was more than ready to get out of bed when I woke. Because I’d finished a little early last night there was an accumulation of mail from yesterday to finish before I got to today’s. Not that I was too worried as I felt OK at that stage. At about 6.45 am I went through to the kitchen to shine a light on my fishy friends and to take my tablets. I was on my way out to check I had enough tabs to take out in my little pillbox when Mike’s alarm went off. I turned on my heel and went back to make a drink for him. Once done I followed the well trodden path of taking it through and a little louder than necessary, announcing it’s arrival.I checked the pillbox and went back to the kitchen to get my own drink and to empty the bins. Yeah, I nearly emptied the damned things all over the floor when I saw this apparition sitting in Mike’s chair, holding Mike’s coffee and having the cheek to light one of his cigarettes. Not even a second alarm. The little beggar even had the impudence to smirk at me. I almost changed my mind and emptied the rubbish over him except I didn’t fancy the job of cleaning up afterwards. Instead I asked him to put new bags in the bins while I took the full ones out. Then I put the recycling bags out , washed my hands and nipped back to my room to check the mail. Just 6 so I rattled them off and took my drink through to the lounge to keep Mike company ( If it was really him).
With a little gentle cajoling and some outright sarcasm I got him to get ready to go out and we beat our previous best by a few minutes arriving at the Supermarket by 8.05 am. After getting the jackpot on the ATM again we started shopping. There wasn’t a great deal to do but there was a lot of ground to cover so it took a while. We had a coffee afterwards and mine was one of those cold frappe ones with loads of ice so he sat watching me like a hawk hoping I’d get brain freeze. From there we headed to Flint as I’d heard one of our shops has a special on furniture at the moment and I was hoping to get a big brother for the micro bookshelves I bought recently. No joy I’m afraid but we both came out with some unnecessary clothing that was too good a bargain to miss. Then it was time to witness the sexual innuendo and affectionate banter between Mike and our Ceri in Temptations. I swear there are customers on a Saturday morning who just go in to listen to those two charge their horses at each other in joust. It’s almost like peeping through the nets at something naughty happening on the lawn only to find the nets are too thick so you end up having to imagine it. She’s an absolute dream though and so funny.
From there we went home to unpack. I was hoping to see to the mail before we went out again but somehow we ended up on Facebook trying to befriend Ceri and finding she doesn’t have a friend request box anywhere and believe me we looked. I’ll have to wait till we see her and ask her to befriend me instead. By the time we’d both given up in disgust it was time to go for lunch and we were looking forward to finding out if Tariq managed to get the family passports sorted in time to go on holiday. He appeared delighted to see us when we walked in and came round the counter to give us hugs. I still don’t know many men who aren’t afraid to do that. After that Shella came out and passed me a bag which contained some sticks of rock they’d brought back after I’d joked with Tariq about it. I didn’t expect they’d be able to get rock abroad and so was only teasing him. We all burst out laughing but I managed to get a hug and kiss from Shella. I put the chocolates on the counter for Angie, she’s done a great job while they were away. Tariq made our drinks and took the food order while Mike and I went outside into the beautiful sunshine for a cigarette. Lunch didn’t take very long when we were inside. Afetr we’d finished we had a long chat with Tariq and then Shella came to talk to us too. It’s like going to a friends house for lunch. Fortunately as it came time to leave I was able to give the money to Shella who doesn’t argue with me even though she passed it to Tariq I was OK as he was busy with someone else.
As we left I was expecting to head home to do my mail but Mike expressed a wish to go to Llandudno to see our friend. I could hardly refuse so Mike phoned him and turned left out of the gate. The journey was a little short of an hour and we got there to listen to the story of the woman upstairs who’s harassing him for having a dog when she has a cat.I used the term woman instead of lady as I’ve heard some of the language she uses which puts me to shame. We decided to go out for a drink instead of sitting inside in all the heat. That’s probably the last time today I’ll rub it in about our weather . We got to a parking space and walked round to a cafe where I ordered a milkshake it being to warm for coffee…I thought. The sun was shining down but this Queen of Resorts is famous for being a windy city and it’s reputation was well deserved today. The wind was colder than the milkshake, I held the cup to keep warm. When we finished and defrosted, moving back into the sunlit streets without wind it was glorious again. We dropped Brian off at home again and started our own journey so we arrived back at about 6.00 pm. I’ve been in here ever since apart from a ten minute break to wash some pots and to put Ju’s new flowers into vases for her. It’s now getting late.
Sunday. After such a late night I didn’t get up until 5.00 am After turning on the computer and saw how many emails were there from yesterday as well as this morning, I regretted moving. Just as well the Eisteddfod is just once a year. There were hundreds and it took a long time to sort the wheat from the chaff. By the time I’d made any headway it was 8.00 am and I hadn’t fed the fish. My albino cory was not amused and started dashing round the tank as though being chased by the devil or a large shark maybe.
You can almost see the look of disapproval yet he’s only about 2 inches long. Sometimes I get a very dismissive flick of the whiskers. He can be almost as stern as Michael who was a bit dischuffed when he found out whose face was on the cat last night. He issued a very stern warning.
“Don’t do it again” he said. No way was I entering into a My swords bigger than your sword argument because I know how his mind works and anyway he’d probably threaten to produce references from all his paramours so I’d be reading for a week. I’ve known men brag about a different woman for every day of the week, but never before one who adds, 52 weeks of the year. Anyway, stop diverting me, let me get on with the tale. I left the fish feeding and took my meds as I made myself a coffee and prepared a mug for when Mike got up. He’d already warned me he’s have to leave early today as he’s going out for a meal with his Dad his two sisters and his brother in law. I went back to work.
At 9.00 am I heard Mike’s alarm go off so I went and made him a drink and took it through. As usual he’d ignored the alarm and turned over so I made sure he knew the coffee was there. I carried on working. Two more rings of the alarm brings us to 9.30 am and I heard movement. I was practically up to date so I went through to join him. He has the nerve to tell me he’s hardly slept even though he appeared to be well away wen I went to the loo at 1.00 am and again at 5.00 am when I got up. He asked what I wanted to do this morning and when I said I thought he’s have breakfast and leave he answered he was OK for a while yet. In the end we settled on a trip to Flint to check out the Argos sale and to pick up some more chocolates. That was about 10.45 am and we didn’t leave Flint until 11.45 am when we headed straight for The Ivy where we had something to eat and a coffee each. Things were looking a bit more hopeful for Tariq and his family with passports though it’s ridiculous that he has to travel to Peterborough to get the ones they’ve found and he’s going to threaten to stay in the office until they find the others. I have everything crossed I possibly can for them. Mike liked a picture and asked the price. “They’re nothing today” said Tariq. We knew getting a straight answer would be hard. “How about £5, that’s about what it cost me to make. Which one do you want” “I’m not telling you unless I get a sensible answer”said Mike. It went on a while until I said ” How about £10, I’ll get him to say which one he wants if you’ll accept £10.” Even though it was still not the true price he agreed and I handed over £10 and made him put it away before Mike told him. Then the picture Mike wanted was so much bigger and would have been much more than £10 Tariq would brook no arguments. At least when we left today I had no arguments about the price of the meal. The big crisis facing Mike and I is that next Saturday the place is closed as Angie is at a wedding.
Mike dropped me at home at 1.30 pm and shot straight off to Manchester leaving me to face the music of all the waiting mail again. Naturally there was a fair bit and it kept me occupied until almost 5.00 pm.I had a sandwich and then forced myself to eat what was left of the BFG after Mike had been there last night while I was out as I didn’t want to to go off in the heat. The effort I have to go to sometimes. I watched a bit of a film but couldn’t get into it properly partly I think because I’m not much of an Adam Sandler fan.This was better than some I’d seen though. It wasn’t long before I came back to the bedroom and started on messages again along with blog comments and tweets galore. Some of the comments in answer to the great remarks I had on my post from last night. I wish you lot would stop being funny though, you put me to shame. Ah well. Time to finish the last messages of the day and head for my pit. I wish you all a great week.
Piggy Back riding
with Uncle Mike
Monday. It was a 3.05 morning and I’m convinced I should still be in bed and the first sign of nodding, that’s where I’m going. Did I nod? No way. I still hadn’t finished the mail at 7.00 am when I went through to the fish. I think they must all have had an argument as they were in three of the four corners of the tank, with one stuck to the filter in the fourth corner. The smallest one, the fan tailed guppy was swimming quite happily up top waiting for the food trapdoor to open. He was claiming First Dibs. I saw to my drugs and had a piece of toast before taking my coffee back through to the bedroom. The post seems to be never ending today, I wonder if I dare thin out the number of blogs I follow in order to have a life. I’d just about finished at 8.50 am which gave me chance to wash and dress in order to go to the post office. I wanted to post a large, nay Ginormous letter to a friend. I was holding it between my fingers which were wrapped around the handle of my crutch and yet it was almost dragging on the ground. I just hope she’s got a big letterbox.
Back home I put some washing on and then came back to the mail. There was one from delivery firm Hermes who annoy the heck out of me. You have a tracking number and get through to their system which follows the time they received it, when they logged it etc, etc and then you come to one that says Out for Delivery. To me, the customer, that means Great, a courier has it on his van and will deliver today. Accordingly I’ve been in all day. What it actually means is that it’s out for delivery to a courier and even though he may have received it, he hasn’t logged it with himself yet. So tomorrow when I’ve arranged to be out it will probably come. Then because you’re not in you stand the chance of them taking it back again. They need to make their site much clearer and also include telephone numbers . This is the slide I ordered last week for Reuben. I’ll have to leave a note on the door asking them to leave it with a neighbour. I carried on answering mail until I heard the washing machine stop then went and set the drier. I told it a lie and said it was a load of shirts when actually there was a towel in there too. I wonder if it can tell?
At lunchtime I had a cottage pie and an episode of my Antiques programme. At 1.00 pm I thought forty winks were in order so settled down. RATS, the front door. Someone wanting to check a master key on my door in case of emergencies. I tried again and the blasted window cleaner arrived. OK, so no afternoon nap is on the cards today. I might as well work. There are some truly amazing bloggers out there who write purely to inspire and lift others. It’s truly nice to know there are such selfless people around. There are some very informative bloggers who ensure we miss nothing from the world around us be it from a conflict somewhere or a new species of bird found . I’m mostly grateful for the time and effort they expend on the rest of us. There is kindness in the World, and maybe like my friend Rosie’s good example of a good deed a day it will inspire me to be a nicer person.
At 4.30 I packed up intending to have a break so I could have a piece of lemon meringue pie and to watch a couple of quizzes on TV. The first was easy, the second I managed to miss by getting caught up in something else. Then, I managed to nod off and missed the first half of Law and Order. Fortunately it was a repeat anyway as was the next programme, a Murder She Wrote so I turned off and came back through. When I check the mail I see a message purporting to be from a barrister addressed to me by name via Facebook. I don’t usually open mail I don’t recognise but where it’s using my name I thought I better had- wondering who I’d pissed off enough to threaten to sue me this week.
Even the crooks in Benin have got it in for me now. I remember getting a message from Facebook recently to say from now on messages sent to us there would not be stored but would be sent to our email addresses. That’s clever really since the email address this came to isn’t the one I registered with on Facebook. So, in an effort to miss any more of these things I’m going incognito, I hope I can rely on you not to tell.
Now I must go back to my emails to clear as many as possible before going out tomorrow. Night all, I hope my secret is safe in your hands.
In honour of my beloved Ju whose birthday it is tomorrow.
Tuesday. 3.25 am today. Plenty of work to do before going out. The only interruption was at 6.00 am when I did the fish early in case I was attacked and had to hide the wounds. Maybe they weren’t ready for me or perhaps just in a generous mood as I got away scot free. After taking my morning fix I got washed and dressed before taking my coffee through and carrying on with the post. By carrying on I don’t mean a full blown affair, more a dalliance in the stock room. I wasn’t taking it too seriously this morning. Eventually time came to leave the house. I’d donned my leather jacket as it had been raining and the forecast said cloudy and rain today.In fact I feel as though I was wearing a sauna suit it’s been so hot.
We met in the Costa where I already had an iced coffee in front of me because I wanted the points on my card as Tuesday is double points day at the moment. Yvonne had told me that Reuben was full of cold but said the fresh air might help or I’d have put them off. As today is Ju’s birthday I suspect we each wanted to stop the other brooding. I’d taken some Tanzanite earrings of Ju’s and a Wedgewood pendant of my mother’s for Yvonne so she put the earrings in straight away to be close to her mum. We had our drinks while Reuben slept in his pushchair. He’d had no sleep the night before she told me. When we left we took a trip along what are called ‘The Rows’ which are shops on balconies above the main shops of the main street.There are a number of jewellers and they’re very exclusive which translates as expensive. There are also some unusual shops here. Then we went for another drink as Reuben awoke. I was able to have him on my lay while Yvonne got the drinks. He was very sneezy and obviously still tired but tried hard to be smiley for me.
We had a teddy bear made as we left the precinct and then we walked up the main street to Argos to see if some toys I wanted for Reuben were in. They were. By this time I was in need of a wee and we thought it best to get some lunch before carrying on the expedition. Marks and Spencer’s was our choice. Wow, they don’t even do beans with the baked potatoes and still charge a fortune for them but the loos were nice. Such a relief. There were still two or three shops to visit afterwards and I was successful at getting a couple of shirts and a waistcoat for Ugo in one. Unfortunately I lost he smugness game today when Yvonne bought me a waistcoat too. Poor old Reuben’s patience was starting to disappear like a rabbit down a hole and he was beginning to do ear piercing ( well ear-drum at least) exercises with his vocal chords. We thought it best to take him home.Yvonne insisted I went with them and we could resume our Tuesday teatime chip meal after Ugo had run us to my house. I agreed before she started ear piercing on me. Ugo left work but thanks to a mix up in marital communications headed for my house without us. He had to turn round to collect us. We got home. Ugo went to the chippy, I went to my neighbour’s to collect Reuben’s slide which had come and Yvonne was left minding the baby. We had tea, Reuben decorated my floor with most of his and after a tidy up they left.
I came through to see to my messages before they’d even shut the car doors. I confess to being in a panic, but in all fairness I was right, 203 times right. It’s taken all night to reach somewhere near caught up before getting to the blog so tonight no entertainment, no pictures.,just a hope your day has been good.
Wednesday. A dark and early start saw me getting on top of the emails this morning. When I broke off at 7.00 am I was almost there. After throwing a leg of lamb into the fish tank from a distance I took my morning meds and had a piece of toast before taking my coffee through. When I got back some kind of world disaster must have happened because there were almost 100 more messages than when I left 20 minutes earlier. I wonder whether America knows it’s supposed to be in bed. I started again where I’d been at 3.30 am.
By 9.30 am I was back at the almost finished stage. The postman had been and still without my last missing package from China. I’m begining to wonder if this is another one held by our Customs Service to screw extra money out of me. It’s funny though, that usually happens once a year to me but it’s never actually been on one from China so far. Once a year one from China usually doesn’t reach me and it’s always the one with multiple purchases for some reason. If it hasn’t arrived by Friday I have to open a case with ebay and get in touch with the seller. They’re usually excellent at refunding but the annoying thing is I don’t want a refund, I want the goods. To do that I have to start with long delays again and hoping it gets to me. If I do that I risk going beyond the time where ebay will refund for non-delivery. I may have to accept a refund and then either order from them again or choose another supplier of similar items. Since I didn’t have to wait for the postman I decided to go out to Pauline’s for fresh bread and my TV mag.She was quite busy so I joined the queue and listened as she spoke to all her customers as friends. It’s nice.
Back home I was rattling through the rest of the mail when one for a sale at my Saturday Supermarket came up. Naturally since Mike and I have been keeping an eye on the sale in store when we go I found many items had sold out or weren’t available in my size ( obviously the most popular one) but I was lucky to find some jeans I know I like, some slippers I need since one toe is currently peeping through the top of my current pair and a dress shirt complete with bowtie which was reduced to £4. I expected to pay a lot for next day delivery but was amazed to find it was also just £4 even for the 6 items I ordered. Great value.
I knocked off at 11.00 am and went through to the lounge. I needed to think about what I wanted for lunch and I was tired. I nodded off for about half an hour. Before hand I’d decided on bangers with sweet potato mash but now I couldn’t be bothered and settled on a corned beef hash. Small and quick. It was OK and all I needed to wash was my fork. After lunch I was back and forth to the computer to try and keep the mail down as I’d miss 3 hours+ this evening but I couldn’t resist another siesta when the sun was really getting warm through the window. That must have lasted an hour or so from about 3.30 pm. It gave me such a conscience that I darted back through and found loads waiting. I was concentrating so hard that when the door opened I thought Dil and Matt had arrived early. It was in fact 5.50pm. Work stops, play starts.
Once drinks were dealt with Dil got the Yahtzee out to play. We had 3 games. Matt won the first as he got a Yahtzee where both Dil and I crossed it out. I was the lowest in that game losing badly. The next game was mine as despite Matt getting another Yahtzee, I got TWO, and won easily. In the third game there was no quarter given and Matt won again after getting two Yahtzees. We reverted to cards next and went back to Nomination Whist which after having been on the ‘catch up’ most of the game I romped ahead when needed and won. Finally the crib boards came out and the Goddess of luck was smiling on me as she gave me both games as quite easy wins. It was time for Dil and Matt to go. Dil muttering under his breath about seeing me next week ( and it would be his turn to completely thrash us then). I had a quick tidy up, washed the pots and went back to do battle with my email adversaries. It took me till gone midnight to do the blog and to clear the mail to within about a dozen which would have to wait till morning as some required longer answers. I’m knackered now and need a little read before sleep.
Thursday. 3.50 today so a slight improvement though having a late night last night didn’t help. Maybe I shouldn’t have celebrated my wind with extra mouthwashes. Having seen my inbox I’m glad of an early start at it since everyone whose side of the world is now heading for darkness has written to me while I slept. And anyway, the message I had from Asda said my delivery could be any time from 7 am. I doubt I’ll hold my breath though. At 6.30 am I sneaked into the kitchen and turned the light on inn the fish tank. I was hoping that half an hour early might catch them off guard. It didn’t, and one beady red eye was watching my every move. Because of that I moved very quickly. I took a pre-food tablet, had my sprays, swallowed the umpteen other tablets, had a cigarette to time things and then made myself a piece of toast. I was perhaps a little generous with the butter as the first time I tried to take a sip of my coffee, my moustache just slid across the front of the mug. I either had to wash off the excess or save it for sustenance later. I settled on a wash so I could drink my coffee.
I went back to the computer and was working steadily on emptying the mail box as the rest of the world tried to fill it again. At about 8.30 am I decided to get dressed thinking the time of delivery must be getting close now and I didn’t want to open the door in my dressing gown, not that I really have a door in my dressing gown of course. I worked on and on and on until finally at 11.00 am I could work no more. I went through to the lounge to evaluate the patterns on the inside of my eyelids for a short time. It was actually no more than about 15 mins before the phone rang.I decided to peel some sweet potatoes instead, ever the man of adventure me. A bit later I put my sausages under the grill and set my potatoes to boil. Soon enough I had the delights of bangers , sweet potato mash with peas and carrots before me. It was a feast. I washed the pots and settled down in my chair again when I heard a van arrive. Nope, it was the laundry service visiting Joe with all his freshly pressed shirts. One of these days I’m going to empty my laundry basket, and I’ll give it to them to deal with. About ten minutes later the van from Yodel arrived and I knew it was for me. I signed for the parcel and tore at the wrapping as I got it to the lounge. First job, throw old slippers away and don new moccasin ones. I know the jeans are good because I’m wearing a pair and the jeans for Mike look OK too. The dress shirts are great, all I need now is an occasion. My new lounge pants are covered in Mr Men so I won’t be letting anyone see me in those unless it’s Reuben.
I worked most of the afternoon so there could be a TV break this evening. It was 5.45 pm when I knocked off. I managed to see my Law and Order and then turned over to see Jessica Fletcher solve another crime before the police did. I saw the first 5 minutes or so and then totally zonked until the last 5 mins. I suppose I caught the important bits. So, at 8.00 pm it was back through here again and it’s now 10.47 pm and I still haven’t emptied the mail box. Time for one last marathon effort.
Contemplation
Friday. Blah , Blah, Blah early morning. By 7.00 am I was almost abreast of the mail and went to see to the fish. Not a single one in sight.They must be OK as there are no bodies floating but they’re playing mind games with me now, they’re making me panic. I took my tabs and then started to refill the empty container. Thanks to those piscatorial pests I was putting night time ones in daytime slot and verce visa. A ten minute job took a long time…long enough for the 15-20 mins in which I was to eat had passed by. I quickly put some toast on to boil. I opened my mouth as wide as possible and ate as quickly as I could ( according to Mike I’d have got the lot in at once if I’d tried). I made my coffee and took the two after meal tablets . OK, I was up to date. With a last glance at the tank I picked up my coffee and returned to the computer.
Amongst the new set of messages was one from another firm telling me their sale starts tomorrow but as a valued customer I can buy today AND get an extra 10% off at the end. Since I mentioned on Tuesday that my sneaky daughter had bought me a waistcoat, she now informs me she bought the matching jacket. She’s going head to head in the smugness stakes now. But, I decided I’d better get a pair of trousers to wear with the new ensemble so I ordered a pair of brown trousers with a shine like a mirror. If I ever go to a racecourse I’ll blind the horses. ( just the ones I haven’t backed though). I also ordered a new pair of braces since I need something to fight gravity now my waistline has gone. There were a couple of other items in the sale so I went to the checkout and entered my code and paid. Dalmations, the discount hasn’t taken!!!!!!!!! I’ve emailed them to see what went wrong.
A little later I dressed and went to Pauline’s to renew my lottery tickets. I picked up fresh baps and some milk while I was there just in case Mike is coming. I haven’t heard so far. At lunchtime I really couldn’t be bothered with a large meal so I made beans on toast which I haven’t had for ages. Time to hunker down for a nap now or at least as soon as the antiques programme is finished. It finished at 1.00 pm and I’d just stretched my legs out when my phone beeped. Naturally I’d left it in the bedroom. With an exasperated gasp I went to get it. There was the message I’d hoped for “On way”. I went and snored quite happily for an hour.
The mail had built up again in my absence but with Mike due about 4.00 pm I didn’t mind too much. I actually got up to date at 3.50 pm and was able to put the kettle on ready for the arrival which almost exactly on time. The ‘boy’ racer said the traffic had been bad. I settled him down with a drink and we both talked about how our week had been. We watched some quizzes calling out the answers to the screen to see who was fastest. His favourite quiz was missing though due to golf so I left him with Law and Order while I came to try and keep up to date again before my shower. Mike washed my hair in the adverts and I had a shower before changing into the new Mr Men lounge pants and a tee-shirt. NCIS was next on his menu and when a second episode came on I went to make him a meal of a lamb shank and some sweet potato mash, he said that was adequate veg. At 9.00 pm I came through for the night to keep the mail as up to date as possible and to get the blog on. I think it’s back to it again now because it’s an early start for shopping tomorrow. Can you hear the sarcastic laughter?
Saturday. I didn’t move my lazy ass today until 5.45 am. ( I bet you didn’t know I had a donkey did you?) I had only an hour answering the millions of comments from last night’s blog as well as other emails before it was time to feed the fish and prepare to make Mike his coffee. One fish allowed itself to be seen this morning but I swear he was just keeping cavey for the rest. By 7.00am I’d had my tablets and made a cup of coffee for myself. The lketttle was boiling awaiting the sound of the alarm from Mike’s room. By five past I’d heard nothing so I made the drink and took it through. My cheerful greeting was only tolerated without a well aimed show for two reasons. 1. It was his coffee I was holding. and 2 He just grunted but didn’t wake up. I took my coffee through and continued to tap away at the keyboard.
At about 7.20 I heard the sound of the loo being flushed and my intuition being what it is along with my deductive powers, I decided it was much more likely to be Mike than the fish. He was up and I hadn’t heard the alarm go off at all. I closed the screen down and went through to join him in the lounge. I was only able to join him bodily as his senses had yet again deserted him as he slept on the edge of the chair gradually leaning further forward until soon gravity would do it’s job and leave him splattered on my floor. I wouldn’t mind but he’d be a beggar to hoover. A quick (loud) cough and he woke up.We were out of the house with seconds to spare before 8.00 am.
The main shopping didn’t take too long but the delays I caused looking at children’s clothes did I’m afraid. My trolley was starting to look like Reuben’s lucky day. And of course I was expecting a delivery of clothes I’d bough for him online, today. We had a coffee after shopping while we decided the next move. I’d mentioned to Mike last night that I wouldn’t mind going to a certain shop with a sale that started today. He agreed and so we headed off there. Yet again Reuben was at the forefront of my mind and struck lucky. Mike also found a suit in a wonderful colour. I’m sure he’d have had a second one in another colour had the jacket been the right size. This wasn’t the branch of the shop I’d originally thought of and there was nowhere to eat close by so Mike suggested we visit the second branch where there are plenty of eateries. I had no problem agreeing since the word SALE is like a magnet to my poor addled brain.
We hit the other branch and came up with yet more things for Reuben though poor Mike was disappointed with his suit here as they had none of them. I did buy him a pair of shoes as compensation though were really nice.I got some braces and a couple of belts. We headed off for lunch and celebrated with a pudding today. The weather outside was awful with rain bouncing down ( or up) so we stayed in the cafe till it eased. Mike was proud that he got me out without me spending anything. We did however go to another shop before heading home and I was allowed to spend there in case my pockets healed up.
At home there was no sign of my recycling bags after the bin men had been. For all I knew they could have refused to bring them back in the lousy weather. We put the shopping away and I checked the door to see if there was a not from the delivery men to say they’d been. I was a little dejected to find nothing. Mike felt unwell and went to bed so I started to catch up with today’s 200+messages. It was about an hour in when I saw a message from one firm saying the goods were being delivered today. Checking the trace I found the package had been signed for. Yay, they’re next door with Bert. The weather was clearing nicely and the ground looked almost dry.I went out and actually met Bert who’d just seen his son off in the car. He told me where my recycling bags were and that he had two parcels for me. You’d have thought it was my birthday. Everything was fantastic and I think the trousers I’d ordered will go nicely colour-wise with the waistcoat and jacket from my bolshie daughter.
At 5.45 pm I’d all but caught up and decided to have a break for a while. I turned to the TV for Who Do You Think You Are which takes celebrities on a journey into the history if their family. It can be quite fascinating. Mike came through so when it ended I turned over for the Grand Prix qualifiers and the news. Then we watched Lewis . We had sandwiches and a small cake in the intervals. At 9.00 pm I deserted Mike and came through for the next battle in the message war. I think it’s going to be a long night.
David found a surgeon who could turn him into a hamster. Now he could store his chocolate properly.
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