Progress Plus

Monday.

Up  at 4.10 am I risked the last of the two pints from Saturday in my coffee and on my Weetabix. Since it’s been coddled and wrapped in a bag of ice in a bucket of cold water since Saturday it was just about OK. When I went out to the chemist with a handwritten request for drugs (Hand some over or I shoot), I was starting with a cold so covered the lower half of my face to prevent infecting anyone, that would have made intelligible speech all but impossible. I called at Pauline’s for cigarettes and a new two pint of milk and some baby gift wrap as the new event is imminent a new great nephew and brother to Nathan.                                                                                                                                          The only other event of note was the great reveal. I took the plaster off my foot. It was beginning  to look a bit rough anyway from where I’d reached down with my backscratcher. It came off easily which if Mike’s reading this will disappoint him. No hairs lost in the process. There was still blood on the plaster but I’m not worried as the area is smaller than it was.

Tuesday.

Up at 3.12 am full of excitement at the delivery of the new fridge. They said between two and three o’clock so I hope I’ve not missed it already. I used milk to take my tablets and decided it felt warm so the Weetabix would get a miss. I put some toast on to cremate but remembered I’d adjusted the colour to a nice tan. While the bread toasted I went to the freezer and got out the butter Mike had put there on Saturday. The old butter resembles either cuckoo spit in yellow or maybe badly scrambled eggs. Out it went. I hadn’t given thought to the new stuff and had only just unwrapped it when the toaster threw out my toast. It was like trying to carve ice and the bits I did get off, the toast wasn’t hot enough to melt. It was nice when I had it though.                                                                                 There was a phone message at 12.30 pm after my lunch of sausage and chips (along with the news that the chippie was also waiting for a delivery of a washing machine from the same firm), the message said they hoped to be with me by  2.00 pm. If only they knew how close I am to the chippy. They got to me at 1.35 pm and it was unloaded and in the house before 1.40 pm. I gave them a tip and they left reminding me ‘That’s it for 4 hours now squire’. Damn, that means no shopping. I looked at the package and stopped breathing, that will never fir under my counter I thought. “Come on you plonker” said Mike’s voice inside my head, “it stands on polystyrene, it’ll be fine once you get it unpacked”. He’s right too.                                                                                                                 At 6.00 pm I pushed the fridge into place and turned it on ( lots of sweet nothings about how gorgeous it looked in white). It lit up so that’s half the battle. I turned it up a bit, put a few things in like the rest of the milk from yesterday and hoped for the best.

My Dog Brutus. Very quiet and easy to feed but burglars beware.

Bonzo. Still very much the puppy but he’s had Mike’s leg for hitting me with a remote.

Wednesday.

I survived the milk at breakfast with my tablets but couldn’t face cereal so instead it was toast with sloppy butter. As soon as 9.00 am came though I went over the road to the One Stop (I actually got dressed first though, my reputation wouldn’t survive another incident). I managed to get the last semi skimmed 4 pint of my multiple filtered milk which I can’t get from Pauline’s. I got bread and butter, paid and went home. It broke my heart to throw out my ham, my bacon and my yoghurts that all say had to be kept cold but I’m going to Pauline’s in the morning so I can get emergency supplies to last till Saturday.                                                                                                                                            The council came to collect the old fridge today free of charge.                                             Games night improved when I won the Yahtzee and the Nomination Whist tonight, I didn’t mind losing the cribbage then.

Thursday.

Since I got up at 2.40 am I was able to turn everything on before heading off for my 3.00 am breakfast and the coffee I bring back with me. There was a fair bit of post but I needed to check my bank first. Once that was done it was full steam ahead on the mail. I worked till 9.00 am then went to Pauline’s for some shopping and my lottery tickets. When I came back I fed Brutus and Bonzo to keep them on my side and gave Joey fresh seed and water. Back to the mail until 10.00 am when it was time for Homes Under the Hammer. Disappointed that I wasn’t buying one I returned to mail at 11.00 am.                All of a sudden, Disaster. Midway through answering an email  my keyboard no longer wrote, and my mouse was drunk and ungovernable. At 11.45 am I was frustrated (No dear, not sexually) and scared at the imagined expense, I had to leave it to go and start peeling some sweet potatoes for lunch. Once they were ready to cook I put on some sausages ( a well known Irish brand) and as soon as they were a quarter browned I put my potatoes on for 8 minutes.  As each section browned I turned the sausages then as my potatoes were ready I removed them , drained them, added butter and mashed them. As soon as that was done I stuck my baked beans in the micro for 2 minutes and plated up the mash. I added the sausages and then the beans as my timing was spot on. I ate it watching Bargain Hunt.                                                                                                                      At 1.00 pm I returned to the computer and drew a sigh of relief that it seemed to have sorted itself out. My cleaner arrived so I decided to stay out of her way and work. I was able to complete the email I’d had to stop at before. Sharon left at 3.00 pm and I broke off work for a while. Not for long though as I wanted to be finished by 4.30 pm.                       I  got a message about 6.00 pm the Mike was on his way. He arrived at 8.45 pm so I had time to make his  coffee before retreating to my room to finish my emails for the night. Guess what! Mystic Mog is back again, for a small fee and since she knows me so well she’ll be able to tell me all my lucky spots in the next couple of months so I know when to buy lottery tickets, She’s obviously never dealt with OCD before and doesn’t know I have a routine.

Friday.

Unhappy today as I was up at 1.50 am and nothing was going to convince my body I needed more sleep just then. I did emails till 3.00 am then went to take my tabs and refill the dishes with a new weeks supply. Breakfast next and I stuck to toast with some jam on one slice.Back to the emails and by 5.30 am my body decided to be tired so I sat in my chair in the lounge and dozed for hours and hours or until 6.10 am, whichever came first. Emails came and went until 6.55 am when I went to put the kettle on and at 7.00 am I called into Mike’s room that his coffee was ready and on his table.                                        At 8.00 am we were both ready to go out and Mike took me to Chester to meet Yvonne then stayed and had his breakfast with us. I was in awe of Yvonne (on her diet tut tut) tackling a breakfast of blueberry pancakes and maple syrup, there were 3 (large) plate sized thick pancakes. She just about made it to half way then Mike had a little go as he’s finished his bacon sandwich by then. I know certain people will be asking themselves the question but no, all I had was a latte.                                                                                                 Yvonne had a lot of bags by the time we finished and remarkably I had just one though I was helping to carry hers. She walked me to my bus stop to see me safely aboard where I wouldn’t be disturbed and we were off, me waving goodbye wildly. Her shaking bags in my direction. I got home, had a wee, made my lunch ( don’t ask) then started work again. I wasn’t able to move from my seat until 4.40 pm Mike arrived home soon after 6.30 pm I got him to watch The Antique Road Trip where one of the experts had bought a small box with a scientific instrument inside, it cost him £60. Bidding at the auction started at £1000 and ended with a new record of £20,000. Had a shower, watched Mastermind then came through to work.

Saturday.

Up for some reason at 1.38, sleep hadn’t even reached the interesting part. Not that I can usually remember anything interesting anyway. Medical opinion comes down firmly on the side of , We all dream. The period is recognisible from when REM starts. For me their music is welcome at any time but I wonder if all these doctors know how hard it is to check for REM when most of us sleep with the light off. Shining a torch in someone’s face tends to wake them up grumpy by the way.                                                                                     Michael got up at 6.20 am with the not so subtle tones of me yelling his coffee was ready and going cold. Somehow he’d managed to balls up his alarm again. We were out at 7.15 am and in full shop mode at 7.30 am. We were in our second supermarket and ordering his breakfast by 9.00 am. I even had a teasted toecake myself. Shopping took most of the morning which of course includes our stop at Temptations in Flint. From there we went for lunch at The Dragon’s Rest, I had some bacon while Mike tried some chicken and ham pie. Afterwards Mike needed something for his shoes so we stopped off in Holywell. At home after putting the shopping away, I left Mike to see if he could get his football while I worked.

Sunday.

Mike set his alarm for 7.00 am. Once I’d heard it ring I went through to wake him, tell him to turn it off and go back to sleep. I didn’t have to tell him twice. I’d checked outside the front door first and though it wasn’t raining then, it hadn’t long stopped. My phone said showers all day though the computer just said light cloud. I’d sooner believe my eyes. I just carried on working and getting up to date. He got up about 10.30 am and I was doing OK then. We left about 11.45 am to head for our carvery lunch. After lunch a visit to TK Maxx got Mike two storage jars with vacuum seals that looked really good.            Back at home it was Joey’s lucky day, his cage was due for a clean. After debating whether to do it with him in or out I said out was better but this time we closed the lounge door so we weren’t sending search parties after him. It went well and I sat with Mike until he did the weekly flowers for Ju and he was ready to go. As soon as I waved him off I flew into my room to start work again. Amazingly it didn’t take above an hour and a half then I was able to watch a very entertaining Jack the Giant Killer.                     9.00 pm my usual quit time I said goodnight to Joey and the dogs and came back through again.

Lets try and make it a little more sane this week. Kneel (if you can) to show support for colour equality. The shootings and the killings have to stop. It’s outrageous that no-one bats an eye when it happens to a black person( or hispanic) but there’s an outcry for a white person. All races living there are Americans and are deserving of the protection of the law and of fellow Americans.                                                                                                Share the Hugs and Smiles with everyone and have a great and rewarding week.

 

New Queen of Bacon & Unbeatable

Sunday 3rd April.

I turned my light out at 1.02 am last night. This morning I’m still this week’s sacrificial lamb with getting up at 2.42 am. It isn’t that I’ve fallen out with sleep, heck I haven’t even fallen out with Somnos or his kin for a change ( as far as I know). I think sleep and I are playing hide and seek and he’s winning. I opened the mailbox and started to work. I don’t know what has come over me last night to do two blogs when I have enough with one. It’s all the fault of youtube reminding me about John Farnham. And could I just skip onto a different song?  Oh no,I had to listen didn’t I and then start thinking (actually that’s when I stopped thinking properly) and do a blog.                              Of course I’m paying for it this morning in comments. I’d ask Joey to give me a swift kick up the rump if I wasn’t afraid he’d lose it.There must be middle aged spread+ from all this sitting down.

At 5.45 am I was clear and decided it was a good time just to relax for a minute so I lay back on the bed. I woke at 7.32 am. It  was the triple jump to get to the loo while holding my knees together. Once back I opened the mail box again and decided I felt unwell. Unfortunately I didn’t believe me and had to start work. The doorbell rang at 9.00 am and it was my neighbour Bert come to check I was OK  as he hadn’t seen me all week. ( His kitchen window is whited out pending the arrival of new blinds). I asked if he wanted to come in for a cuppa but he declined in case he had a visitor. I had to stand letting the heat out and the chill pervade the bottom of my dressing gown for 15 minutes as we chatted instead. As he left it reminded me that I hadn’t had a coffee this morning nor taken my meds so that was the next thing to do before resuming my seat. My seat was in fact pretty numb by the time 10.48 am came round and I’d cleared things enough to go through to Joey.

I watched a DIY SOS while I was in there and then at 11.55 am took my pre-foodies and put a meal in the micro, a Beef Sunday Dinner. I enjoyed it while I watched a second DIY SOS.At 1.00 pm I left the room with a large lump in my throat at people’s kindness. Then, working on the mail I found a comment on the blog which left me with a lump in my throat like I’d tried to swallow a large and very hot roast potato. You can tell I’ve tried that before can’t you. I worked until 4.30 pm then disappeared back to the lounge to have a break. I watched some tripe on the TV (Why are Sunday’s so bad?) then made some tea. A piece of gala pie ( pork pie  baked with a whole egg inside it) some strawberries and cream and a doughnut. After washing the pots I returned to the TV to see what I could find, answer virtually nothing and I amazed myself by sitting there with Disney’s Snow White on. At some point before too much singing started, but after the Queen had poisoned the apple I nodded off. Then things got surreal, because in my mind I came though to work, turned round and saw my bed had just one pillow and went through to the lounge to ask where the others were of my mother? I sat down while she was on the phone and then woke up in the chair to find I was on my own, it was 9.10 pm and I was very surprised. I took my meds, said goodnight to Joey and came back to my room still convinced I’d been here working before I’d seen the bed.                                                                                                                                                             Fair play, the pillows were back which was a comfort but seeing the amount of mail waiting was not. I had no choice but to plough on. I finished those at 11.02 pm and started straight on with the blog which is now well under way and I can safely see myself in bed with a book at midnight.

You talking to me pal?

They call me mellow yellow.

Monday 4th April.

I finished my book at 12.50 am last night. I chose a new one to start tonight them turned the light out. Sleep didn’t come easily and at 1.32 am I had to get up,take a drink, smoke a cigarette then nip to the loo before trying again at 1.51 am. I chose my left side and that seemed to do the trick. I woke at 4.38 am  and knew that was it, or for now at least. I think the sleep I had yesterday has thrown me out or I’d have slept longer.                                                                                                                                                                               Anyway, I was up so I might as well sign on and check my emails.. I was distracted when I got on with the news bar do had a quick peep at the weather. It promises rain for today, how bloody unusual. Before starting work I suddenly decided to take my meds and while there to put the washing machine on. I added breakfast to the list. So, I headed for the kitchen, took my pre-foodies, put the washing on, had my other meds and left the kitchen. Fortunately I hadn’t quite reached the bedroom before I remembered breakfast and went back. I had a toasted bap, made a coffee , took my post food tabs and checked I’d done everything before leaving this time.                               The overnight mail took until 7.10 to finish and I took a break not knowing how many would be thrown at me by the morning rush. I went to see to Joey’s seed and water before opening his door.

When I returned to my screen the tide level was rising,slowly at first and then getting bigger. It took me until 9.43 am to clear them and still allow me time to go and empty the washer/drier to put everything on the airer. I was grateful to the little fairies who live in the non-run sheets that keep my colours intact. I had new red bedding in the wash alongside my partly white ( red dragon) lounge pants, and somewhere in the mix a maroon shirt. I was safe, my pyjamas stayed white.                                                   The window cleaner came this morning and so did the Warden after missing the last 2 weeks. She stayed chatting almost an hour this morning.I didn’t realise until she’d gone it was 11.55 am . I was peckish anyway and ended up having another roast beef dinner. Two down, one to go.                                                                                                                    Once Bargain Hunt was over I had to return to work before I fell asleep as I’d dodged missed so much of the morning . There was a tidal wave waiting to swamp me but, after checking to see if there was anyone outside who wanted to earn a few bob answering my mail, I buckled down to it. I even tried the Blind Beggar, Oops, no, that’s the Inn in Treasure Island isn’t it. OK I might have exaggerated a little bit. I worked until 4.20 pm and as the box was empty decided it was an appropriate time for a break          (for four and a half hours).

I made myself a sandwich and chose a strawberry yoghurt for afterwards then sat and annoyed Joey for a while until my Cold Case was due to start. Once it was on I showed him who’s boss by hushing him, and he showed me who’s the bigger boss by carrying on chunnering. I lip read the programme instead so he didn’t beat me. Next was Without a Trace and I wouldn’t have minded falling asleep then, but didn’t. During SG1 I was wide awake and was a bit annoyed that it said To Be Continued as I’m guaranteed to fall asleep in the next one. Then it was Sanctuary and again I didn’t nod off and that also ended To Be Continued which no doubt means I’ll sleep through two programmes tomorrow.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Joey was in his cage so I just closed his door then went to take my meds in the kitchen. I came out and wished him goodnight saying I’d let him out in the morning before I leave. It’s going to be very awkward tomorrow that I’ll be leaving just as the new mail now  comes in and it will gather more and more to it before I get home wanting some lunch tomorrow. Maybe I should have breakfast and then starve myself till tea time. I checked my mail box tonight and it wasn’t as bad as I feared with only 49 waiting. By the time I’d finished those another 7 had rolled in. It was 10.26 pm. Time to start the blog. I think 11.45 tonight with luck, a prevailing wind and no more mail.

About a foot apart, six inches deep in sandy soil. Water well….

Again with the camera? I’ve not done my hair yet.

Tuesday 5th April.

11.45 pm was close enough last night. I started my new book ‘A Pale Rider’ the second n the Last Kingdom series, and read until almost 12.55 am.  I had a series of mini sleeps when I dozed off for a few seconds then woke again before I managed a deeper sleep. I woke at 4.42 am but lay until 4.44 just luxuriating in the warmth of my little cocoon.It ejected me and so it was the new triple jump record to the loo and back and a sign on to the computer. I worked until 5.45 am then went to take my meds and have breakfast, it was to be cornflakes today with fresh cold milk. I returned to work at 6.17 am and worked until 6.52 am when the box was clear. When the flood starts I shall be on my way out so it will be waiting for my return, hiding in the dark of the base. slowly multiplying ready to create creases in my brow and drag the screams from my lips. Still, as long as it doesn’t interfere with my eating.

I left at 7.25 am and walked up to the bus stop. The bus must have reverted to it’s proper time and not be fighting for trade with the other company, I had time for a cigarette after I’d got my breath back from the walk. The bus came at 7.40 am. I was the first passenger but I didn’t get a prize. When we reached Holywell I sent Yvonne a text to let her know I was on my way. Then I rested my head on my sticks and feigned sleep. A text came back from Yvonne that things were going well and she’d meet me on time if poomageddon didn’t strike. When I arrived in Chester a few minutes early at 8.40 am she texted again to say she shouldn’t have tempted fate, poomageddon struck them both as she closed the front door. I told her it was OK I could look round Wilko’s while she caught up. We met up at 8.57 am just in time for Primark opening so I could use the loo then have a coffee to refill me. That was nice.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   I’d said I wanted another single sheet to match the bedding I got in the Primark sale and I found a sheet and some pillowcases I liked. Before going to pay for them I found a lovely pair of trousers in Prince of Wales check but I was cross that I couldn’t find a waistcoat in the right size….just before I did on the wrong hanger. Both in the sale so I was very pleased.

When we left there we had a wander round another shop as Yvonne had a few things she wanted like a years supply of bum wipes. Then we headed for a supermarket which has a clothes shop attached for sale items……….no, I was very good and some random bully wouldn’t let me buy the kids anything today. Inside the supermarket the same random bully bought two packets of bacon, TWO, and she, I mean the bully, is the only one who eats it. You know, it’s not like I was invited back for BLT’s and I swear there were eight slices in a pack. I’m going to join this fatness, fitness, diet club if you can eat lots of bacon and as many potatoes as you like. Mmmm potatoes. It soon got to time for me to walk back towards my bus stop. They walked with me (to make sure I left I think) and waved as I left.  With my eyes closed the journey was over in no time. I called in at Pauline’s on my way home and got some micro chips and bread etc. When I got home and calmed Joey down I put one of my beef joints on and then had the micro chips with it. With apologies to Joey once I’d eaten, I had to come and see to the post.

I worked from 1.50 pm to 4.35 pm to clear the backlog and then took a break. It was a chance to check out my ebay. I wanted to order a canvas for John’s birthday. After doing that I turned the TV on for Cold Case.  Quite a sad one today with someone dying from a brain tumour killed by too much morphine. It was a mercy killing in the end. Then Without a Trace came on. I’ve said previously I’m a bit unconnected to the characters /the actors in this, I can’t quite put my finger on it as though they don’t exude any real warmth. So, as it was on I happened to look at Joey’s cage- he wasn’t in it at the time- and noticed a lot of little white pyramids below his favourite perch. I lefted the who cage down to the floor and scrubbed the deposits off the ladders etc then took all the dishes out to wash then finally removed the base so I could dispose af all the seed husk and put in new sandpaper. I might as well use newspaper really as he never goes down to the base so his nails don’t benefit. I did all that, replenished the seed and water and replaced the cage. Then had to sweep up the mess on the floor before Jade comes tomorrow. I got back to the show before it fisnished and Joey went in to check out his new surroundings, or more correctly to fill his face with seed.

Next was SG1 which was even more annoying than last night as it’s another to be continued which I’ll miss because it’s games night. At least with Sanctuary the two parter finished tonight so skipping an episode won’t hurt. I was now on 9.00 pm so went to take my meds and open a new spray for beside my bed. I said goodnight to Joey and came through to take up the slack again. The mail was done by 10.40 pm and the blog started. I’m predicting an 11.45 finish, mainly because that’s in 5 minutes from now and I’m not far off finishing. I just hope there are no more emails to spoil it.

Utter contentment.

Comparison of them both at about the same age.

I like this song but I wish they’d stop putting people on top of tall buildings. I have trouble holding on to my stomach when they go to the edse.

Bonus.

Wednesday 6th April.

I was in bed by 11.50 am and picking up my book to enjoy. Lights out 12.45 am Lights on again 4.08 am but I didn’t wriggle my l’il bottom out of bed until 4.22 am. After turning on the computer a message flashed up to say Adobe needed updating. I really didn’t trust the message and refused to do it from that so spent ages checking the Adobe site to see if I could see a critical update. 3 hours ago they were talking about getting one out on Thursday. I decided to download Adobe again making sure to give permission for them to update automatically so I shouldn’t get notices anymore with luck.                                                                                                                                                                    When I got as far as my messages I was gobsmacked to find a wonderful review of My Barsetshire Diary by another author/blogger whose blog I follow. Donna D Vaal of the excellent My Heartstrings…Fiddledeedee ,   https://fiddledeedeebooks.wordpress.com/2016/04/05/my-friend-lord-david-prosser/ author of The Living Miracle, a love story.Her blog is very diverse and covers a multitude of subjects. I was so taken aback by this wonderful gesture I even re-blogged it.

Naturally there was plenty of other mail as well which I started doing,taking a break around 5.30 am for breakfast and my meds. Back to work at 6.05 am until I was clear about 6.50 am. I went to sit in my chair in the lounge until the new post was in. At 7.30 am I came back through and wished I’d got something bigger than just a canoe because the waves were threatening to overturn me. Each wave deposited a new batch of mail on the beach. I was paddling like mad until it was brought under control at about 9.50 am when I had chance to nip to Pauline’s. Oh fabjoy, the cigarettes, MY cigarettes hadn’t been delivered yesterday because they had no price marked packets. I know my kind , considerate Government increased the price in the budget so I know I’ll have to absorb an increase. Why not send the non-price marked packets?                   I came back and watched HUtH with Joey.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Part way into the programme the postman came and I really felt sorry for him. There were 5 books (2 missing as yet) and 4 canvas prints A3 size, which weren’t light, in his bag for me. I really liked the quality of the prints too, they improved on the original pictures, and I can happily recommend deco_matters from ebay if anyone wants a canvas doing from a photograph.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        At 11.00 pm I returned to work to try and clear the mail before lunch. Since it took till 11.45 am I was a little pushed but managed to stick the third and last roast beef dinner in the micro. I watched Bargain Hunt and woke near the end with a start when I burnt my finger again. No warning I was about to go.

Since I’d had no word from Jade and she hadn’t arrived ‘Same time next week’ as mentioned last week, I sent her a text. She replied hoping that tomorrow afternoon would be OK. I said “No problem” but in fact it’s good news and bad news. The bad is that I have to clean up more of the mess I made doing Joey’s cage last night before my brother arrives tonight, the good, at least I don’t have to change Mike’s bed today as I’ll ask for her help tomorrow now. During lunch of course more mail had arrived which needed to be dealt with, and I also needed to leave feedback on the goods that had come so I was stuck back at my screen again from 1.00 pm. At 400 pm I stopped work and went to the lounge. I’d no sooner turned an episode of The Indian Doctor on when Dil appeared. I went to make him a drink hen we nattered about our respective weeks since last Wednesday. He’s still wearing the watch that counts his footsteps and works out how much energy he’s used up as it also checks his calories taken in against the allowed amount depending on his days exercise. He said he bought a new set of scales at the weekend that must have been a bit wonky, it added 5 stone to his weight after a long walk on Sunday. Proves what I always said, that exercise is bad for you.

While watching one of our programmes I must have nodded off and come to before the quiz was over, but realised Dil must have changed channels to the quiz while I was away with the fairies. I do feel guilty but I have to get my cat naps where I can. At least I was ready for battle. On the Yahtzee I won the first round 5-1 and the second 3-2 with one game drawn. I won the Trivia quite convincingly too. Going on to the cribbage we end the evening with I won both games. Dil said about the only thing he won was the cut to see who goes first. Just to add insult to injury, it was bucketing down outside when he left.                                                                                                                                       Once he’d left for home I tidied up then made myself a corned beef sandwich before washing the pots. I closed Joey’s door and wished him a goodnight. At 9.50 pm I started on the mail and finished at 11.05 pm. I think it’s going to be a midnight bedtime the way things are going.

Ready to Charm…

Looking very tall.

Thursday 7th April

It was midnight ass predicted before I got to my book  last night. I read for the full hour almost, putting the light out at 12.54 am.  I stuck a new battery in the internal alarm clock hoping to get a small lie-in this morning but instead it became the infernal alarm clock and woke me at 4.03 pm. I didn’t shift until 4.12 am though. I sat for a moment and tried to concentrate on teleporting myself to the loo but it didn’t seem to work and the time wasted meant I now had to run. Lucky the runway lights were still on  or I wouldn’t have noticed the large candle that was lying in my path ready to stub my toe. I replaced it on the console table and carried on my journey. My deep sigh moments later spoke of great relief.

I came back and turned the computer onto mail and I also opened my ebay to check how my bids are doing on birthday prezzies. Mail first though. I worked until 5.05 am and then went for breakfast and to take my meds. It was 5.30 am before I got back and carried on. By 6.50 am I was clear. On ebay I was outbid on one item, winning on one and on one hadn’t reached the reserve price. The latter one really annoys me, why not set the start price as the reserve price so everyone knows where they stand. I never understand setting a start price of 99p if no-one can win the item until it’s reached £20. Just stop wasting my time and/or building up my hopes please. A couple of times I’ve had the highest bid when an item ends but I can’t have it because the reserve hasn’t been reached. I might not have bothered if I’d known what the reserve was.      OK,gripe over. Coming back to the mail at 7.30 am I found it had crept in quietly while my back was metaphorically turned. I wish it had just cr*pped and crept out again.

I got dressed before tackling the new day so if I lost track of time I wouldn’t get caught out  at the front door in my ‘Animal’ lounge pants aka my pyjamas. At 9.50 am I came to one of those natural breaks where you know the next one is advertising junk.I checked outside and there was a short lull in the rain so I put my shoes on and went to Pauline’s for my lottery and some ciggies and bread. I wasn’t too long and got back in time for the postman with the missing two books and a parcel for Mike. I gave him a box of sweets and apologised that I have two heavy months of birthdays coming up. I was also in time for HUtH with Joey who was really very raucous today. Someone was getting a major telling off. I hoped it wasn’t me. Typical though, I nodded off a few minutes before the end and was there till 11.30 am. I couldn’t get stuck into peeling my sweet potatoes yet as I needed to check the post. I cleared what I had by 12.05 pm.                                                                                                                                                                                           Then it was time to start peeling and putting the sausages under the grill ready. As soon as it came to first turn on the sausages the potatoes went in the micro for 8 minutes   (they were big chunks). They were done a couple of minutes before the sausages so I had time to put the veg in the micro and mash my spuds. Potatoes on plate, add the sausages then the veg. At that point I did some instant thick gravy and poured it over. It was only 12.30 pm so I still had most of Bargain Hunt to watch. I left the washing up till the programme was over.

At 1.00 pm it was back to my desk. A message from Jade says she’ll be here about 2.30 pm so I could take my time with work. I was tempted to nod off again but I didn’t. When the mail was done at 1.40 pm I checked a couple of pictures to see if they’d make good canvases then put an order in. At 2.25 pm I had a text tom say Jade was stuck in traffic on the M6 but would def be here by 3.30 pm or tomorrow afternoon if I prefer. I told her I don’t mind which but that I couldn’t be late tomorrow as I have been threatened that Ugo is coming to take me shopping as Saturday morning isn’t possible. I’ve said not to worry but since when did anyone listen to me. I guess Jade had chosen tomorrow afternoon as well when she hadn’t arrived by 3.40 pm either. That’s OK for me but I must remember to get some help to change the bed before Mike is back and I don’t want to take chance on another week where the appointment keeps changing or as once before moving to the next week instead. No use if he comes back and finds me dead, wrapped inside his duvet cover because I tried to do it alone. I know him, he’s use my duvet cover instead.

I knocked off at 4.30 pm when there were no more messages and I’d stopped spending on ebay. If I buy my gifts too far in advance I’m likely to give them well in advance of the day just a ‘coz presents and have to start buying again. As it is I’ve nearly got this month covered but once they’re done will need to start on next month when I have Karen, Lee , Nathan, Matt and Jess to contend with. I ate a yoghurt and a piece of chocolate cake then washed my plate just in time for the start of Cold Case. I thought I was OK but there must have been a lazy bug flying around which stung me because I fell asleep during the last ten minutes. I completely missed the next hour of Without a Trace and woke up ten minutes into SG1. It’s awfully hard to make sense of the third programme when you’re still expecting the first. The costume is different for a start. You don’t expect  Tilk, with the metal logo in his forehead to be investigating a Cold Case. I managed to get my head round it  and to watch Sanctuary without getting any more confused even though we were left wondering which orifice a bug had entered someones body without being noticed ( answers on  postcard please). We do at least know it came out again via the mouth. At 9.00 pm the TV went off and I wished Joey goodnight. I took my meds and came through to work. Mail was done by 10.20 pm and the blog started. I’m looking for an 11.30 pm bedtime with fingers crossed I can sleep tonight after having so much earlier.

I nose you know.

I’ve got a tip for you.

Tonight’s song is dedicated to my good friend Merril at   https:// merrildsmith.wordpress.com for her post Railways

Friday 8th April.

It was close to 11.45 pm last night and I read until 1.00 am. here was lots of yawning once the lights went out but sleep was along time coming again. I was paying the price for so much sleep yesterday I think. When I did nod off it was only to wake at 2.18 am where I refused to get out of bed and managed t sleep again, then again at 2.57 am  and finally at 4.59 am when I knew I wasn’t going to be lucky a third time. I decided I’d have to stand all day to make sure I didn’t sleep this time. Ha, fat chance.                                      A visit to the loo was followed by a trip to the kitchen to take my meds, and once done, to replenish the pots for another week and prepare a prescription request to go in on Monday. Looking at it I got a little cross because I realised how long I’ve been taking statins now and yet my surgery refuse to issue co-enzyme Q10 to offset the damage they can do despite me having given them the research done on the combination and the fact that some countries don’t issue one without the other meaning they take the research seriously. Australia and Japan are two of those countries if my memory serves me rightly. Even more annoyingly, my B/I/L’s surgery took the research seriously and issued them to him and just recently he’s changed surgeries and the new one has also agreed to issue them. For a long time I bought them myself but had to stop as it was too expensive to do so. It’s time the National Health Service issued instructions that co-enzyme Q10 should be issued with all statins and showed they’re not the penny pinchers many people think them at our expense.

Another gripe over. After doing the drugs, I made a coffee to take back to my room where I started on the mail. There was enough to keep me going until 10.00 am with a slight pause for the postman who brought me another picture which is a gift for someone. Nothing was going to stop me breaking for HUtH though which I enjoyed even more when I got Joey out of the cage so I could replace his millet and also  get part of the cage back in correctly that I notice I’d ballsed messed up the other day when I cleaned it out. After the programme, which I managed to stay awake in, I came back to work on the post I hadn’t managed earlier and the new post just in. It was just enough to keep me until 11.35 am and let me see to my lunch. I want that out of the way before Jade comes and I don’t know what time that’s happening yet.                                                   Well, I quite enjoyed my lunch and the episode of Bargain Hunt before coming back to work. I found an order I made to Zazzle this morning hadn’t completed. I won’t be buying from them again if they only ship from the US as the postal price doubles the cost of an item which in this case was just too appropriate to refuse as a birthday gift.

It was a funny old afternoon. I worked till 3.40 pm all the time expecting Jade to appear. I know she’d had an appointment at a Manchester hospital on Wednesday which is why she didn’t come and I just hoped she was OK. I did a quick catch up from 4.30 pm to 5.00 pm then sat and watched my Cold Case. I guessed she wouldn’t be coming at that time. But because they can’t take me shopping tomorrow, Yvonne had said Ugo would take me this evening.There were messages going back and forth between us with me saying “He’s worked all week, feed him and let him put his feet up” and her saying “He’s coming and that’s that.” Time went on and ‘Without a Trace’ came on. I though it was Yvonne to say he’s on his way and I was getting ready for another try but it was Jade to say Sorry and could she do me (Oh fan me I’m fainting) Saturday or Sunday. I said of course. At 7.50 pm Yvonne did text to say Ugo had left and my pleas fell on deaf ears. He arrived at 8.20 pm while Sanctuary was on. I said to check my local Supermarket rather than go to ASDA and I was in luck it’d late night on a Friday. I was out before 9.00 pm and home not long after. I’d even put the shopping away and taken my meds by 9.20 pm. By the time I’d got my coat and gloves off and settled at my desk it was 9.30 pm.  Into the valley of death rode the 600, well OK there was only me but I should get credit for dramatic effect. Perhaps I should have tried, Into the Valley of the 600 rode me. It felt like that many though of course there weren’t, it was just about 10% of that but that makes for a lousy poem and virtually no dramatic effect at all. Banging my head on the wall would be better, but not necessarily from my point of view.                            Anyhoo, I was clear by 10.50 pm and able to start the blog. At least I won’t still be working come the morning.

Babywalking duties.

They’re always rabbitin’.

Saturday 9th April.

Midnight in bed last night as I’d spent a couple of minutes putting cream on my legs. I was actually able to ignore them after that. I don’t mean I didn’t make use of them as I walked to the loo afterwards or I’d be as close to the ground as Michael. I stopped reading and put the book down at 12.59 am and settled to sleep.I didn’t have too long to wait.This morning came at 4.53 am with no disturbances throughout the night. Not too bad at all. After a hop, step and a jump I made a start on the mail pausing at 6.00 om to take my meds and fill my face with cornflakes. Then I did the bins and the recycling bags in case the lorry turned up early again (no, not on it’s own, that would be creepy). Once done I sorted some clean lounge pants out for tonight and some clean clothes for the morning before making a coffee to bring back to work. It took until 9.35 am to to empty the box. I joined Joey for a while.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             At 10.15 am the postman arrived with two more gifts for birthdays. Things are coming along nicely. Not too heavy for him today. The binmen arrived and remembered to empty mine this time. Even the recycling lot came early and left me a bag more than I’d left out. I hope someone claims it later.

I checked the deliveries were unbroken and that they were suitable as pictures online don’t always give the full story, but all was OK. I left them in Mike’s bedroom which is where I always store gifts. I must try to leave him room to get into bed when he’s back next week. More mail had come in so I dealt with that while I had the chance. I know you’ve heard this before but Jade might come today and I don’t know what time. At 11.25 am I knocked off so I’d be free to see to my lunch. I was undecided what to have but I know I miss going out to eat. I’m glad that will be resumed soon.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            In the end I had braised steak and mashed potatoes with onion and carrots. Very tasty. With no Bargain Hunt on a Saturday  I checked TV and found a film to watch for a while. Every adverts I came through to see if there was any mail. All the time I wondered if Jade would arrive and I wouldn’t see the end of the film. I saw two! By the time 4.00 pm arrived I knew she wasn’t coming today and so it must be tomorrow. With luck she’ll text me a time.

So, at 4.15 pm I came through and settled to get up to date again and managed it by 6.40 pm and decided at that point to lock the front door and go for a shower. I thought it might be an idea to do the washing tomorrow as next week I’m out on Monday instead of Tuesday. If Jade come’s tomorrow and I get her to help me make Mike’s bed I can do that washing on Tuesday. I know if she doesn’t come I’ll have to do it myself which I can manage slowly. The shower went well but I hate getting in as that’s when all the bits of cold water spraying from the edge catch you. When I was out and dry, I got my fresh night clothes on- Minion lounge pants and a tee-shirt with a lightweight dressing gown.I hope it’s going to start getting warmer again. I stayed with the film channel for a while then watched a sci-fi TV programme which took me to 10.15 pm, a full hour later than I usually stay there. I had to get a move on to come through. It would have been awful had I not spent so much time catching up at shorter intervals and If I’s been out during the day as I usually am with Mike here.It still took me until 11.05 pm to finish before I was able to start the blog. Since I post around midnight on a Saturday I should be able to finish by then.

I’m sure someone called me a cheater.

The dino-mite dancer

How the Mighty Are Fallen & We Have Lift Off

Sunday 20th March.

It was about 12.15 am before I got into bed and I think I was past the point of tiredness just then. I read 2 chapters of the current book and turned the light out at 1.10 am. It was a short while before sleep came thanks to the legs.
I woke at 2.36 am and using the landing lights, took a stroll to the loo. On my return I sat on the edge of the bed with a cigarette, it was pretty good company until it’s light went out. I shuffled back into bed and waited for sleep again. I woke the second time at 4.54 am and knew that was it for now. I didn’t mind too much as there was always mail waiting. I didn’t know how much. Apart from a minor hiatus at 6.00 am when I had breakfast I sat at the computer until 10.38 am. I think Joey hates me now. I can’t remember another Sunday with this much mail coming in.

I stayed in the lounge until after lunch time- which was a microwave Roast Beef Dinner- then returned to the computer. First in Mike’s room where I had another go at raising anyone via the skype. Nada. Then on my bedroom one and I went to Facebook where John came through on what he said was Messenger, which I don’t know. I could see him but not vice versa as my camera is on the other computer. We didn’t manage many words before it started cutting out and breaking up. I don’t know if that’s the fault of my headphones or of Messenger itself which I’m not signed up for. So, I still haven’t managed to get any news. I carried on answering mail,reading blog posts and retweeting. I gave up the ghost on messaging and at 5.00 pm when the mail box was empty I retired to the lounge.

I had a generous bowl of trifle for my tea, it does have fruit in after all. I sat watching a film until 7.00 pm then watched the last episode of Beowulf. It came to a very bloody end as expected but the goodies won (I think). I wasn’t ready to come back through at that point so watched an NCIS episode. I stood up from my chair after turning the TV off and tripped over my own feet or to be more accurate (It wasn’t me) over the cord from my slipper. I was going forward and was about to wear the TV round my neck. I even had time to be glad it was off. I had one chance and that was to twist sideways and sort of fold. I made it though as I landed I understand there were reports of an earthquake. I had the breath knocked from my body. I was quite worried Joey would be scared, not a bit of it. He came to the edge of his cage, hopped onto the door where the seed tray is and started eating. Just to add insult to injury the husk from the seed was going on my face and in my hair. As I slowly came to my knees and then stood he moved back into the cage until he was in his corner. I said Goodnight and shut the door. Feeling very sorry for myself I limped back to my bedroom sans slipper.

After tying the lace again in my slipper and putting it back on I had a couple of painkillers and started on the mail again. It was slow going. At 9.15 pm I went through to the kitchen for my spray and evening meds. By 9.53 pm I’d cleared all the mail that was there and started today’s blog which is much shorter than usual since Mike isn’t here to insult. I’ve been through to turn off the other computer but only after checking Skype. I can’t understand why John hasn’t received the two requests from me. I’ve also looked at this Messenger and can’t see how to do anything so maybe I need to get a new headset and try again though it works for me when I’m doing Youtube. Anyway, I shall be done by 11.15 pm tonight and soon with my book.

Trip out

Startled !

Monday 21st March.

It was closer to 11.30 am when I got to my bed in the end. I was a greased monkey except for my hands so that I didn’t stain my book. I read until 12.45 am then settled down to sleep. I didn’t move between going to sleep until  3.42 am this morning when I woke. I reckoned I’d done well and had I not needed the loo I’m sure I would have slept longer. However the journey woke me as I was still wincing from my fall, or as some youngster might have said, from enjoying my trip. By 3.50 am I was sitting at my desk signing in to my gmail box ready for an early start. At 5.20 am I took a break for my meds and some breakfast so I’d be back before the flood started. When I returned there was an email waiting from my friend and superb author SJ Sprague offering me some great advice which has given me plenty to mull over.

A Presence in Russell County. The Organisation Book 1.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Presence-Russell-County-Organization-Book-ebook/dp/B009QFC5GW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458537931&sr=8-1&keywords=SJ+Sprague This is the first book in a series with book 2 ( Mulberry ) already out and book 3 being written. A fantastic read. You’ll never look at small town policing the same way again.

I was back before the flood, remarkably sound considering I’d just tried to juggle with the bread knife and only just avoided amputating my right leg. I knew I should have completed the Online Ninja Training Course, I could have snatched that knife out of the air without squealing. It was lucky I’d already cut the bap for my toast in case it got covered with blood. Once I’d eaten and filled all the gouges in the floor with plastic wood I made myself a coffee to take back with me. I sat working again from 6.00 am as a trickle became a flood. At 9.20 am I had a text from Jade about working today which was fine, but I couldn’t have her 3-5.00 pm as suggested so we settled on 11.00 am to midday then 3 – 4.00 pm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       At 9.40 am I went out to Pauline’s to ensure I had enough money to pay Jade. When I returned I worked a little longer then stopped to watch HUtH with Joey who was again determined to be a barber and part my hair for me. I’m sure he must have been a Hedgehopper in WW1. As the programme ended i returned to work yet again. Despite having worked from 3.50 am I still have 54 to go.

The doorbell went about 11.10 am and there was Jade straight from her work as a carer and in between appointments. I asked her to get stuck into the lounge because of today’s visitor. She did a good job though after she’d gone I noted she’d used my new squeegee mop but not emptied the bucket of dirty water or replaced the top of the bucket or the ordinary mop. Hardly a great problem. I did those and moved on to lunch. After taking my tablets I rammed a beef hot-pot in the micro and turned the TV on for Bargain Hunt. I can shout at the screen and give them the benefit of my nil expertise and more upset stomach than gut feeling. At 1.00 pm I turned the TV off which shut Joey up straight away as he wondered what was going on. I came back through and tried to get the upper hand on the mail. By 1.45 pm I was fading fast and needed my power nap. I went back through to the lounge, sat in my chair. I zonked until 2.26 pm.

Coonscience ( yes I have got one somewhere, or I did earlier on) got the better of me so I returned to work again. I’m not sure which of the small gods I’ve upset but I reckon he’s recycling other people’s mail through my address. Somewhere are a lot of people with smug grins on their faces because they finished early again today. Mine seems never ending. It was 3.20 pm when I was disturbed from my reverie by the doorbell. It was Jade back for her 3.00 pm shift? She attacked the bathroom with such gusto I began to think it as dirty though I knew it couldn’t be. She also hoovered in the hall. It was 3.50 pm when the doorbell went again and woke disturbed me. It was my expected visitor from the Office of National Statistics. I directed him through to the lounge while I finished an email and Jade finished what she was doing, which it’s just as well wasn’t me given the circumstances. Sigh. I logged off, paid Jade and she left……..left me to clear the mucky cloth and sponge from a bowl of dirty water in the sink.        I moved to sit in the lounge.

It’s quite strange and a little unreal to spend an hour or so answering questions about your finances for the Government. The thought has to flash through your mind that maybe they’re asking this to find ways of taking some back. All kinds of questions came like whether I own property, do I have savings, how much, do I have ISA’s and again how much. What is my income and how often paid, state pension, private pension(s), disability living allowances, housing benefits and the same from Council tax and how many bank accounts. Certainly there were times my mouth didn’t really want to answer but I’d agreed. Can I manage on my income, do I have credit and /or storecards. Very thorough I must admit. The purpose supposedly to see whether people are managing their money well and whether they can manage on their current incomes. It was 5.10 pm when he left. A very pleasant man but I was relieved. There was no point going back to work now so I turned into Cold Case followed by my usual programmes except I fell asleep again in SG1 and missed most of it. The smiles at the end of the show don’t really tell you about the crises that went before.

At 9.00 pm I turned off the TV and shut Joey’s cage. I took my meds and came through. The mail was up again and took me until 11.15 to finish so it looks like this is going to be a late night.

Art class

Artwork

Tuesday 22nd March

The age of miracles is not past. It was almost 12.30 am before I got to bed and took up my book. I got a little carried away and read until the end of a third chapter ( that’s upset the OCD a bit) so lights out was around 1.50 am. But, I didn’t wake his morning until 6.33 am. Taking my meds was the first priority and I felt it a little late for breakfast so I’ll have to remember to take some meds at tea time……and actually have a tea time. The only other drawback to getting up at this time is that I didn’t have chance to deal with last night’s mail before today’s started to come in. So, when I went back through with a coffee and signed on, I was faced with 86 already.                              Head down and into it I went, answer one, receive two seemed t be the formula until I shouted at the screen, “That’s a bloody nuff,” and it worked.

By 9.30 am I decided I needed a break, so with just 28 left to go I got dressed. With Joey squawking “Don’t forget me” I went to Pauline’s where I got Joey a copy of next week’s TV programmes while I got my bread and some cigarettes. The talk in there was of bombings in Brussels. On my return I turned the TV on and told Joey his HUtH wasn’t on today. The news was bad with 13 dead and 30+ serious injuries. It seems to be i response to the capture of someone involved in the Paris bombings just a few days ago. It seems they can react very quickly. There was mention of a possible suicide bomber and of shots fired and Arabic shouting at the airport. The second bomb was at the Metro. If the intent was to shut the City down it worked, if it was to scare the West it didn’t. I’m not about to say the West haven’t provoked these kinds of reactions with our interference in other countries for the sake of oil supplies but what the world needs to understand now is that no-one wants a world ruled by these fanatics and governed in such a way that women are disregarded as individuals and not worthy of education, not allowed to drive a car and unable to dress in fashionable clothes. A totally patriarchal society. Most of the Arab world don’t want it either so they must help the West crush ISIS  at every opportunity. It’s no use Saudi Arabia funding them and hoping to be left alone to rule as it won’t happen. If they get strong enough the ruling houses will topple under a headman’s axe and Sharia law will prevail.

I detest war and killing. I’m not proud of some things my country has done as in their creativity as an excuse to invade Iraq. But this is different as it’s not about oil for a change. ISIS are fanatics bent on changing the world to bend to it’s will. It’s evil and needs no excuse for it’s cruelty, though with so many beheadings recently Saudi Arabia also has a claim to that. There’s no democracy where you can’t criticise your Government without fear of imprisonment or death, where the Government will  brook no opposition to it’s rule. I don’t object if that’s the way a country wants to be but there are no countries who don’t have opposition to that kind of rule.                                                So for the first and hopefully the last time ever, I’m asking ALL Governments and ALL peoples who want some kind of democracy and those who believe that women have an equal right to the things men take for granted, to join together and stop ISIS in their tracks. Help the Kurds who are fighting them and ask Russia to stop bombing those who oppose President Assad in Syria. If he has committed atrocities against his own people because they oppose him then he has lost his right to rule.                                            Make the world a safer place, bring about peace and then stay within your own shores to protect your borders instead of invading someone else’s.

I’m a parent and a grandparent. I have seen death take so many of our children and ravage so many generations. We need leaders who are going to protect those who could grow to be the new Einstein or Rupert Brooke ,who may solve the energy crisis, find a way to repair Gaia or feed the World so that we can leave a legacy for generations to come. I don’t want my children or grandchildren to face the uncertainties of war or the death of their planet. Let’s learn to live as one and grow as we were meant to.

I worked until 11.50 am and then realised that lunchtome loomed, sorry, lunchtime, the other is a book you read while you eat. I went for speed so had a beef joint that can be done in the micro with some micro chips and mixed veg. The vinegar from the chips goes so well with the gravy. I watched a few minutes more of the news and obviously the death toll has gone up. The wilful disregard for life is sickening and these people don’t care at all whether it’s someone of their own religion who dies. However, I watched Bargain Hunt right through to the end before I allowed myself to Zzzzzz but I enjoyed about 45 minutes afterwards. Then as always I returned to the battle in the demented hope nothing more had come through. I was to be disappointed but it was my own fault as I’d posted the piece starting from 9.30 am today to my Buthidar’s site and it was bound to draw a reaction. I worked until the folder was empty again about 3.15 pm then went to look at Homes in The Country. I was destined to be jealous again but three quarters of a million isn’t in any of my piggy banks. I enjoyed the viewings though and what my imagination could do. I’m especially fond of the mystery house at the end.

At 3.45 pm I decided to try Messenger that John had mentioned to me. It took me straight there as though I’m already registered so it has to be through Facebook. Then as it happened while I was checking a few messages I had on Facebook, John rang me. He turned his camera on so I’d have the privilege of seeing ‘my leader’ and for a moment I was grateful my camera is attached to the other computer still or he’d have seem my face too. The disappointment in my smile. He says they’re back to visiting again next week. It’s been about 5 or 6 weeks now since I’ve seen them and it’s quite worrying. He sounds OK so I guess they’ve just been busy. If they were a bus ride away I’d try to get to them but they’re buried in the country.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               At 4.45 pm I excused myself and went to get some tea which I had while my Cold Case was on. Then Without a Trace which I find myself less fond of every day. This was of course followed by SG1 and Sanctuary which was almost a comedy show tonight. 9.00 pm and it was time to lock Joey in and wish him goodnight, not all jailers do that you know. I took my meds and came through to start work again. It had mounted up quite a lot but I had some time teasing Yvonne because she thought it was Wednesday today so that helped take the edge off things for me. I worked till 11.05 pm on the mail then started the blog. I will be in bed before midnight, a matter of seconds only perhaps but before midnight.

Pals at Play

Father and son portrait

Wednesday 23rd March.

I made the midnight deadline but I’m not saying how close the call was. I did the cream on one leg then rubbed them together to save time. I had to stop  when the sparks and smoke came though. I’m not sure I’m covered for arson around. I sneaked in three chapters and decided I had to have a fourth to satisfy the OCD need for balance. I lit a cigarette in readiness and started and for the first time ever turned the page to find the chapter ended halfway down the second page. What should have given at least half an hour’s pleasure lasted a minute or less. I couldn’t help but laugh. It served me right.The light went out at 1.06 am. It went back on at the end of my night which was 4.32 am which proves I spoke too soon (tongue in cheek) yesterday about the age of miracles. Hey ho, at least I had an undisturbed night.(No sarcasm intended O’great and mighty Somnos).

I did my mail until 5.55 am when I cleared the mailbox. I knew it would fill again while I was away having breakfast but I couldn’t feel guilty at not having done it as it hadn’t yet arrived. I had thick toast from an unsliced loaf I’d got from Pauline’s yesterday. I ate it fresh instead of letting it go cold for a change. Once finished it was 6.33 am before I took a coffee back to my desk. What is it they say, “I’m never wrong but I’m right again.” There was so much mail I couldn’t even see the postie behind the sacks. How can we all have so much to say? To be honest I was so engrossed in great poems and fine art that I lost track of the time. It was 9.20 am before I looked up and decided I should get dressed. Once I was decent again I took a walk over the road to the One Stop shop, I rarely use this as Pauline’s is handy and has most things I need. I think it must have been Jade who told me that the One Stop had flowers and it really looked as though I should have got some on Saturday. Anyway I went and they didn’t have any flowers left. They did however have a pot plant so I bought that. Now my record with pot plants is not good. Jade pointed out to me on Monday that I’m cultivating a stick on the kitchen windowsill. Once home I put the plant in a more attractive container and watered it. I have to try and make sure it lives until I get flowers on Saturday.

I watched TV at 10.00 am with Joey who’s doing a lot of chunnering under his breath this morning with the occasional exclamation mark thrown in as though he’s berating someone. For once it doesn’t seem to be me. But, as I turned the TV off at 11.00 am he went quiet with it. I carried on with mail until 11.45 am then went to see to my lunch. It wasn’t bad but I really wasn’t in the mood for it. I watched Bargain Hunt  then noticed two ladies walk past the front window, You can tell when they have a sense of determination and are coming to your door. They were. I opened it and there was Jade asking whether I got a text. I had to admit I didn’t have my phone in the lounge with me ( I usually do). Anyway she’d brought someone to meet me who either works with her or for her and who might cover for Jade sometimes if I don’t mind. I’m happy if someone cleans no matter who. They left in time for me to catch the auction part of the programme. Both teams made a loss.

I returned to the computer to leave some ebay feedback and to catch up on mail again. At 3.15 pm I was done and took a break until 3.45 pm. I’d come back and answered 2 emails when I heard the door open quietly. It was Dil who’d been on an outside job so I broke off and made him a cuppa cha. We had a good natter and watched our usual shows until 6.00 pm when war broke out. As always it was Yahtzee first and I was devastated to lose 4-2 on the first game. I couldn’t throw a Yahtzee to save my life while I had to check the soles of his shoes he threw that many. The second game eventually went 4-2 in my favour and I had to check the soles of my slippers too.                                    The Trivia started well and I got 3 pieces of pie in short order and was on my 4th before Dil won one. He soon bucked up and as I got my 6th he was just one behind. I managed t get to the middle 3 times and was thwarted by his choice of question twice, answering correctly on the last one. That game was mine. The cribbage also ended up one game all so the honours were fairly evenly spread except of course I WON.

Dil left at 9.30 pm and after I’d escorted him off the premises and locked up I had a quick tidy up in the lounge, renewed Joey’s millet and then made myself a sarnie. I’d just washed up and taken my drugs when I was left in the dark. It seemed only the kitchen and lounge were out so I had to grab the ladders and go outside to check the fuse box. I found just the one had tripped so flipped it back again and came in to check. The kitchen was back on but it looked as though the bulb had blown in the lounge. I decided that could wait until daylight. I came through to have a go at the mail which kept me going until 11.10 pm.  I’ve fought hard with the blog and don’t feel inclined to let it beat me so I predict bed at midnight.

King of the Castle

A proper girly-girl

This must have taken some organising………

Thursday 24th March.

My prediction was off by 5 minutes but on the plus side. I read for an hour then put the candle out in my Wee Willie Winkie holder ( in case the lights go again ) so by just gone 1.00 pm I’d settled down to just listening to every noise and wondering if the burglars were back. I slept until 5.32 am which is really good going. No broken toes from middle of the night wanderings so it was a win win night. I made a start on the mail but had to stop at 6.00 am to get my meds and my cup of coffee. When I returned the floodgates had opened.I turned everything off, went to Mike’s room and disconnected the new computer bringing the base back with me. Virtually lying on the floor with a torch I disconnected my original base part by part and putting them on the new base as I did so until the old one was free.I turned the new one on and We Have Lift Off.  I worked again until 9.15 am then made the effort to get dressed, no point in going out in my dressing gown as it was persisting down out there and I’d catch a chill coming back. I had to go to Pauline’s for the lottery before I forgot and I was due out tomorrow. I came back and took up the work  again until 10.10 am when done and I could treat Joey to an edition of my his HUtH.

Once our programme was over I did come back to work. I caught up on the mail and then checked on the times of the buses for tomorrow. My normal bus is the T1 which is on Sunday service tomorrow. Clever as it doesn’t run on a Sunday. The other option is the No 11 which goes a different way and takes longer. It’s also on a Sunday service which means 2 hourly so I’d have to stay in Chester an extra hour before getting home for my lunch. I sent a text to Yvonne to apologise. She came back with the idea of coming shopping with me on Saturday which would be great ( especially as she’s found a new shop she wants to go to) and then I’ll see her Sunday too.                                               At 11.45 am I went off to peel my sweet potatoes ready for lunch. That done I put my sausages under the grill for the first quarter browning then put the potatoes in the microwave as the sausages got their first turn. I had peas and carrots with it and some thick chip shop style gravy. Luscious.

After Bargain Hunt was over I settles for a power nap but a knock on the front door disturbed that after just ten minutes. By the time I realised what it was and opened the door whoever it was had gone. So, I came back to work and as it happens you’d all been busy while I was away. I also spent a little time with photographs ready to be used on the blog and then at 3.00 pm I broke off for Escape to the Country. Today it was a couple wanting to buy their first house together in Sussex. One was a lovely property from 14th C, absolutely beautiful. Globules of green jealousy were dropping off me and ruining the leather of my couch. I’m not sure how as I was sitting in a chair. I returned to work at 3.45 am and found a message from Yvonne that says it’s OK to miss tomorrow as she’ll come shopping with me on Saturday. That’s good news as she’s less restrained even than I am. I’ll get away with anything.

At 4.55 pm no matter what I abandoned my post (literally) and went through for some tea and my evening’s viewing starting of course with Cold Case. I was still awake for Without a Trace, I risked one eye for SG1 (it was a silly storyline) and then enjoyed Sanctuary with both eyes again. I don’t know whether Joey enjoyed them but he was in and out of his cage a lot while they were one. Problem was when he came out to his usual perch on the mirror ( the bottom of which is now missing all it’s gold leaf) his fiendish foe always seemed to be waiting for him. I was therefore treated so a session of headbut morse code against the glass. I don’t know why he either just doesn’t ignore him or at least takes the high road and befriend him. Probably too mean to share his seed. He’s not touching the honey seed stick despite there being no fruit in it. I think he just likes the shape of the bell version.

At 9.00 pm I turned off, then turned the TV off too and locked Joey’s cage. I had my meds and came through to tackle the mail which took until 10.35 pm. I’m doing wellwith the blog and expect to be in bed by 11.30 pm unless more mail has arrived by then.

Protective Big Brother.

You going ? Me sad.

Friday 25th March.

It was nearer 11.45 pm last night as more mail came in while I did the blog. No problemo. It was close to 1.00 am when I finished reading and put the light out and I don’t think sleep was long in coming. Unfortunately neither was waking which happened at 3.44 am. I say unfortunately because I was dreaming and it was an inopportune moment to wake. No-one can say Somnos doesn’t have a sense of humour ( I can…..and do) because he woke me as I was about to make love to a beautiful woman. Maybe he did me a favour to save me from causing disappointment or just from  trying to remember what to do. These days I’d probably have to feel my way round a woman by braille over the various lumps and bumps to remember what they are. It might have been Ju as I never quite got to see but I’m sure that after 5 years she wouldn’t have objected. She was taken from us 3 years next week and I’m dreading the day.

After a visit to Pee Paradise I came back ad worked on my mail till 5.40 am when I broke off to take my meds and have breakfast. Since it’s Friday and that means there’s not much Good about it, I also had to refill my pots with next week’s drugs, and prepare a prescription request of the drugs I’m low on. That can’t go in till Tuesday next week so It’s as well I won’t be going to Chester then. So, back to the mail then, lots of it having passed deluge time. I got dressed at 8.30 am and went out at 9.30 am. Pauline had my baps in but not my brand of cigarettes so I’ve changed brand for the day. They’re getting cheekier, there are just 17 in the packet now. Going home I did a little more mail before Joey insisted I spend some time with him so I turned HUtH on  and hoped he was in the mood. (No, not THAT mood you mucky devils).                                                              Once again when it was over I returned to work on the mail. I kept going until 11.45 am. It was time then for lunch.

I had bought a bag of Welsh potatoes to be used as baked spuds. There was a great instruction on the packet about how long to put them in the oven for but no similar destructions for the microwave so this would be a trial and error lunch. I chose two potatoes though I had no idea if I’d finish them, it just didn’t look a lot. In they went 7 minutes. Bing Out they cam to be tested, still a bit hard in places. I thought another two minutes should do the job so back in they went. I opened a tin of beans to have with them once ready. Bing Another test and they seem much better. In go the beans for 2 minutes while I do a deeper cruciform cut on the top to open them a bit and drop in a load of butter. Bing. The beans are ready and get poured over the top. I add a small strawberry yoghurt to the tray and go into the lounge. I turn the TV on and start to eat. Mmmm, not bad at all. OK, baked potatoes can go back on the menu but from now on just the one I think. The yoghurt was good. I washed my pots while the contestants in Bargain Hunt were still walking round the shop and was back in my seat well before the auction. Both teams made a loss again.

At 1.00 pm I returned to work but I’d promised as today was a bank holiday to work less so this little energetic burst only lasted until 2.00 pm. I went back to the lounge at 2.00 pm ans started watching one of the Dr. Blake Mysteries. A nurse is found dead on the floor and a patient sitting by her with the knife says he can’t remember. OK, it becomes obvious he’s had ECT treatment to wipe the memory and we know he doesn’t touch knives. Blakey is on the trail of who really dunnit when dammit I fell asleep. Somnos mocks me by letting me wake up just after the programme has finished. The next one is a new quiz so I stayed for that too.At 3.00 pm I had to return to my screen though as I don’t want to leave a mess behind me when I go through for the evening. I caught up and kept on top until 4.45 pm when I decided to have some tea. Then I watched Cold Case and Without a trace till 7.00 pm before I went for a shower. I do wish I had a bathtub instead. When I was a clean boy ( sorry, there’s nothing I can do with my mind) I went to watch SG1 and hadn’t missed too much. I’m not going to say I fully followed the plot but maybe I’m just going Mutt n’ Jeff. Sanctuary was last and If I don’t stop doing this silly Quasimodo impression and using a heavy lisp I’m really going to kick myself in the Esmereldas. Once it was over I locked Joey in and went to take my meds, then said goodnight to Joey as I headed for my room.

Lots of post to catch up on but not to bad I was done by 10.40 pm. When I’ve finished the blog it will be another pre-midnight bedtime, though I do need to do the legs tonight.

Excited face.going to watch Beauty and the Beast.

Tired baby. Not too excited.

Saturday 26th March.

Bed at 11.50 pm and read until 1.00 pm, slept pretty much straight away asking myself how it’s possible after my power naps during the day. I was awake at 2.18 am  knowing I’d want to sleep again later, just not sure when.  I hoped it would be soon. By 3.25 am I’d dealt with all the mail and decided to  try lying on the bed for a while. That stretched to 5.00 am. There weren’t many emails in when I woke again and I was able to enjoy Episode 1 of my friend Teagan’s new weekly serial with as usual, 3 things donated by the readers that she has to include. http://teagansbooks.com/2016/03/26/guitar-mancer-episode-1-luci/  . It’s always great fun if you want to join in and maybe even donate the three items one week.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 I had breakfast at 5.30 am then returned with a cup of coffee to work. I was in time for the start of the deluge which always starts with a minor trickle then throws the worst at you while you’re answering someone so you don’t notice.

I continued to work even when I heard the strangest sound outside. I thought it was Bert taking my bin down as it was 7.35 am and I’ve normally done it by now. I went and checked out of the window so I could say thank you but was shocked to see it was actually the bin men themselves. They were half a day earlier than usual and they’d come and collected my bin off the step for emptying it instead of ignoring it as they had last time. They even delivered the empty bin back to the step. The only trouble was they had the food bin collection too and I hadn’t emptied mine. Luckily there wasn’t very much and it will do next week. As they were disappearing in the distance I took out the paper, plastic and tin bags ready for the recycling collection whenever that might be.                                                                                                                                                                                      I ploughed on with the mail to get as much out of the way as I could before I’m picked up. I had an email at 8.30 am to say Yvonne, Ugo and Amelie were ready and willing but Reuben was still snoring. Considering the nights recently he hasn’t slept but kept them awake it’s just as well he’s sleeping now, just not very convenient. I said to bring his asleep and he can breakfast out but was joking.

At just gone 9.30 am I had a text to say they were on their way. I had all my begs handy ready to go and a full jar of copper to go into the machine if I could carry it that far. The post man arrived with letters about my council tax, yet another change in the amount I’ll pay next year (from April) and naturally it’s more. Still it has to be paid so the direct debit is in place. I’m getting closer to that date and I still don’t know what direct debits have been (or will be) set up for me to pay on the rent for the house or the garage. It’s very difficult to work out my monthly costs without that information. He also brought me some more jewellery for my stocks. I worked on my messages up to 9.55 am then put my coat on, braced my back and went outside to wait. I’d only been there a couple of minutes when they arrived.                                                                                        Off we went to ASDA.When we arrived Ugo dropped us at the door so he could go off for petrol. First he helped Yvonne get baby in a papoose pouch and Reuben into the trolley. I went to play the cash machine and try for the jackpot.

Inside, I had Yvonne pour the change into the machine and wait for a ticket. I went to get my sweet potatoes. The ticket came to just over £26 so of course we had the usual row when I told her to keep it and use it against today’s purchases. You might not believe this but I won. We were both picking things up as we were going round and we hadn’t even reached the food yet. I got flowers for Ju. I also picked up a couple of fun costume type things for Reuben and Yvonne got bibs for Amelie. I managed to pick up a couple of small gifts I wanted for tomorrow.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      As always happens, eventually we hit the food. Then it was a case of seeing who could fill my trolley faster. I went for bulk and at least got more space. Ugo came and took Roobs away to visit the loo while Yvonne and I headed for the tills. I must really be on form today. I let her stuff go through first. Ad the register showed the amount owed Yvonne handed over the voucher from the machine and while she or Ugo who had rejoined us went to pull cards out to pay the extra £12 I just handed over £20 to the cashier with a smile. Yvonne tried to stop us but I said “Too late, it’s been put on the till now.” Hola, another win! Mine went through and I laid it in the bags I’d set out in the trolley, such organisation. We went for a drink but certain surly people wouldn’t let me pay.

From there we went to look at The Range, a new store that had only opened yesterday. 16 different departments and 65,000 different products. It was great. Really nice stuff but I’d need much longer to look round properly and to stop for a drink while I thought. A weekday would be best when hopefully a lot quieter. There were too many people for me today. Time was really running away from us today and so we came home. It was about 2.15 pm when I got here. I made sure they took the chocolate and biscuits from last week with them then waved them off. I spent an age putting the shopping away and put Ju’s flowers in a vase out of the way till later. I made myself a late lunch and sat with a very excitable Joey while I ate it. Once done, I apologised to him and came through to start work. It wasn’t as bad as feared since I’d done so well with the morning’s post before going out. It still took until 5.30 pm though to get clear. It’s not worth say I watched TV during the evening as I seem to have been more asleep than awake and very sluggish and sneezy ( no missus, not the dwarf).

At 9.10 pm I shut Joey in and went through to take my meds.  Ju’s flowers were looking a bit worse for wear and I thought maybe I should have put water in those vases really.I did so and decided to let them soak a bit. I’d do the flowers properly in the morning. I came through and started work. The mail I got through by 10.40 pm and I started the blog though I tried to keep up with any more mail coming through. I know I don’t usually publish this until midnight but I shall be a little early tonight as I want my bed. Perhaps 11.50 tops.

Wishing you all a Great Easter Sunday, a wonderful Bank Holiday Monday and a Fabulous new week ahead full of dreams come true. xxx Hugs Galore xxx

The ‘Butter wouldn’t melt’ look

And the crockledile took two of Pop’s fingers Ami.

 

Scrooge is alive and Well & Dongle Dismay

Sunday 6th March

I was in bed at 12.17 am last night and my light out for about 12.45 am due to being tired. I hate being deprived of my power naps and sulk so much you could rest a cuppa on my bottom lip. Wake up time was 4.36 am but I didn’t feel begrudging. Maybe I’ll get double the power naps today. After the inevitable skip to the loo (my darling) I started work on the mail. At 5.15 am I broke off to take meds and make a coffee to bring back then returned in the hope of clearing all before 6.10 am. I finished my last post at 6.08 am. Of course my break was only for two minutes before it all had to start again. I just carried on and was clear at 8.55 am for a while. I’d just stood up to go to the lounge and see Joey when I heard Mike’s alarm go off. I was shocked. Joey got his cage door open but I had to go and put the kettle on.

I took a drink through just as the second alarm sounded. A few burbling sounds greeted me and I knew he wouldn’t be up in a hurry. It was 9.30 am with the last bit of his alarm ringing in his ears. By that time I’d almost snuggled down in my chair and nodded off but he wasn’t having that. I left him in the lounge with his coffee while I went for a shave and to get dressed. We were out of the house a little after 10.30 am and on our way to the Greyhound Retail Park in Chester. We had a good look round the shops for a console table or something similar to hold the heads he bought yesterday but nothing seemed to please him. We both ended up buying another head each, me a very slim Buddha’s head and Mike a skull with inscriptions all over it. Gruesome but intriguing.                                                                                                                                                                        Dinner looked like it would be a problem as Prestatyn is in the opposite direction to where we were. I din’t want a pizza place again and wasn’t keen on going to Frankie  and Benny’s. I suppose we could have gone a short distance into the city for a pub meal but we settled on a cafe inside ASDA. Mike was really taken with the coffee.

Afterwards I suggested a look round one more shop for ideas if nothing else. It was remarkable, all the time wasted earlier and I take him there. He picked up a box of three children’s wall cubes down from £15 to £5 and decided they’d be perfect ( Scrooge). A head on each. From now on I’m going to plan the route and then cross off everything except the last. We came home again and I leaned against the front door (the inside or I’d have fallen over) and refused to let him go until he’d done the flowers. I stuck around till they were done then threw him out. He was intending to listen to his team play as he drove home. I was able to start work. It was 4.00 pm.

I worked until 6.00 pm then went and made some tea. I remained with Joey through Beowulf and then The Midwife but gave up at 9.00 pm and came to start again. That took me until just gone 10.30 pm when I was able to at least start the blog. It should be an early night hallelujah.

It wasn’t me!

Monday 7th March.

My early night was so much wishful thinking thanks to a late flurry of mail, but I suppose 11.55 pm counts. It was just gone midnight before I slid between the sheets and I use that word advisedly since I’d just slathered my legs in gunk. I enjoyed a read despite thinking I’d be too tired for that and the light went out at 12.48 am. Even then it was a while before I could sleep as I had to find cold spots for my legs to help stop the itching. I woke this morning at 4.53 am.                                                                                                A quick hop, step and jump to the loo and then to the kitchen to take my meds. I didn’t bother with breakfast as I wanted a run at my mail first. I brought a coffee back and signed in. There was more mail than I expected with friends still commenting on Saturday night’s blog post.  I got stuck in but couldn’t clear them all before the new day’s mail burst into being.

At 7.30 pm Joey was tweeting again without even using a computer. The mornings are much lighter for him now. I opened the cage and returned to work. At 8.45 am I went to start the washing machine, something I should have remembered to do when I first went to the kitchen. When I came back I worked until 9.20 am to finally get up to date. Time to go to Pauline’s. There was quite a queue in the shop but I wasn’t in a rush. When I got to the counter I expected conversation about the weather but it was actually about chips with curry sauce.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 The tumble drier went on when I returned as the wash cycle had finished. I did that then went to Mike’s room and put the box with the computer on the bed and carefully unpacked it. There was a little table there which I set up close to the plug. Lee said I should check it before he comes to be sure I have no problems with the seller. I didn’t have time to do it just then as the warden-Bev- arrived earlier than usual. She stayed for a good half an hour chatting before going off to meet a social worker.

Joey came out and landed on the mirror (as always) and started tap-tapping his beak against the beak of the impertinent bird the other side of the glass. I took the opportunity to bring his cage down to floor level so I could remove the base totally and take it through to the kitchen for cleaning. Before that I had cleaned all the detritus off the objects under the place he often sits in the cage. With the base replaced and fresh sand paper added I put the cage back and went to pick up a fruit and honey seed stick for him as I’d run out of seed bells. He didn’t even seem too bothered as I replaced the cage right under where he was sitting. At 11.00 am I went through to set up the computer to test it. An older desk top base and a slightly newer monitor but the necessary cables were there so despite problems I managed to put it together. The most awkward problem I could see if that there were just two USB slots. With the mouse and keyboard in place I’ll have problems. The printer should be OK I hope as I don’t think that’s USB but my webcam will be and so will my speakers I think. Now I think about it, I don’t recall a place for my headphones either. Still, these are minor crises that can be overcome. Since there isn’t a slot to read memory cards I’ll need a USB for a card reader too. Ebay here I come.

At 12.15 pm, assured that everything was working OK  I broke off to watch Bargain Hunt. Before it started I grabbed my pre-food tablets. As the start of the show isn’t (to me) as important as the finish I was able to put my meal in the microwave and empty the drier, putting everything on the airer. I dashed through once the microwave binged me and got my meal to eat in front of the TV. I didn’t miss any of the auction nor one team making £135 profit on one item. An antiques show and the best profit is on an item made from  resin!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     At 1.00 pm  I turned the TV off much to Joey’s disgust and came through here adding to his disgust and his squawking displeasure. There was plenty to do which also included a visit to Ebay as I’d promised myself. I was spoiled for choice.                                                                                                                                                                                                           At 3.00 pm I started playing yo-yo by going back to the TV for  A Place in the Country  until 3.45 pm then back here until my regular departure at 4.30 pm. The cycle then proceeded as usual, Flog It, Cold Case and Without a Trace until 7.00 pm and then new to this channel for me Stargate. The only problem has been that I saw the start of Without a Trace then nodded off until halfway through Stargate. Two programmes where I couldn’t follow the storyline.

At 9.00 pm I reminded Joey it was bedtime and like a good lad he went into his cage. I wandered through to the kitchen and took my meds with my eyes roaming everywhere for something to chomp on. I wasn’t hungry, just a greedy pig. In the end I had nothing as my willpower shone through. Lights out I came through to work knowing there would be a good bit to catch up on. Who cares, sleep is overrated anyway.

That crockledile is ready for those fingers. Any mo’ now.

Note, I wore a more conservative yellow for St. David’s Day.

  Sorry,it’s the best version I can find.

Tuesday 8th March.

Bed was around 11.30 pm and of course I had to read for a while. Two chapters of this one took me more or less to 12.25 am and lights out. I didn’t have much wriggling last night as I’d read with my whole body out of the covers and my legs were col. Some nights it’s just too nippy to do that. I was up at 3.09 am this morning so had time to clear a few items of mail before having to leave for Chester. I had my fingers crossed for a nice day as most of yesterday had been. Bright but with a crispness in the air. I’m fed up of the damp now.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Once the triple jump to the Kingdom of Karsie was done I came back and logged on. There was plenty of mail and I had a good start with it. I did break off at 4.00 am though to go and get my meds and have breakfast. Indecisive as ever I couldn’t settle on either cereal or toast so my wonderful diabetic intuition told me Both. The cereal was Rice Krispies ( come on Kellog’s, I’m doing product adverts for you here). Things were going well Having had a spoonful of cereal I went for the toast next bu dropped it from a height. Somebody’s law (Murphy’s?) dictated where it had to land and moments later it looked like I had facial boils, including my glasses. Oliver Cromwell and his ‘ Paint me, boils and all’ would have been proud. I looked like a plague victim and so did the surrounding work surface. Fortunately for me I didn’t have to have reconstructive surgery (though many say I should) nor even go round with a sterile needle.

It was about 4.45 am when I returned to the computer which I thought should have come awake a lot quicker given that it had slept longer than me. I continued with the mail and was clear at 5.35 am though stragglers kept coming in. I opened up Ebay and started looking for coz presents ( here’s a present coz I love you). Sometimes it’s nice instead of an egg at Easter. Hm, sometimes it’s nice as well as an egg at Easter.I had a message from Lee who said he was surprised I could only find 2 USB ports on the new computer since it’s standard to have more. Knowing I’d ordered the hub with 4 on I didn’t worry too much but something made me go and take another look. First off, there are two USB ports on the front of the base which is magic for putting my card reader on, but on the back I found 4 more (I think) apart from the two I’m using. How the heck did I miss 6 ports like that? Tomorrow night it should all be up and running and I don’t mind admitting I’m nervous. I almost tried to persuade Lee to put Windows 7 on the existing computer and I’d carry on with it for now, perhaps update the memory and the HDD at a later date. What surprises me is how blase he is about the change. He reckons 10 minutes to download the files I want to the slave HDD and then just attaching that to the new one and uploading them. It will take a while but doesn’t need my attention. The thing I want most at the moment is my SKYPE back.

At 7.20 am I got my coat on and made ready to leave. I opened Joey’s cage so he had freedom while I was out, closed the lounge door and left. I’d put on a sports jacket because it looked quite nice but of course it started raining half way up the hill. I tried to speed up, I may be shrink proof but I’m not sure about the clothes. Two other buses stopped to see if I wanted to get on but I waited for mine who was almost back to the old time of 7.45 am. The journey was OK except I had to keep trying to do a Whoopi Goldberg and get the traffic lights to change. There were delays with roadworks. Somehow we were only about 3 minutes later than usual. I thanked the driver and got off. They were waiting for me in the bus shelter as it was raining in Chester too.                                                                                                                                                                                       There was a big grin off Reuben and a lovely hug from Yvonne. Amelie snored gently in her pram. We headed for an old shop in new premises to get out of the rain. It was very nice, a lot more stock and very roomy. Once we’d had a good look round and Reuben had a new toy we left to go for coffee. He really showed his displeasure when we bypassed a toy shop he wanted to go in even though Yvonne said we could go there after a drink. Heavens, Reuben can throw a better tantrum than me when he doesn’t get his own way. Take me out of a shop when I’m looking and watch me perform.

We had our coffee and I had hold of Amelie who’d woken up. She wanted her breakfast too. When it came to feeding time Roobs was watching something on Yvonne’s phone and she was obviously otherwise engaged, I said I’d take a walk. Now you have to be fair here. I found some nice bedding in the sale but didn’t buy it. However, I walked round the gents section and came out with a shirt and 3 jumpers for less than 20 quid. It’s not my fault, If Amelie didn’t want feeding and if Yvonne didn’t give in to her, I wouldn’t have been alone and seen this stuff. Yvonne looked very surprised when I returned with my bag and said t was time to go. I didn’t admonish her as I’m a very generous chap.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      We moved on to the shop Reuben had wanted before and I found a book there for emergencies. He got another toy. Again we moved on, this time to the Grosvenor Precinct which is the main shopping centre on Chester. I managed to get something nice for Amelie and some lovely long gloves Yvonne liked as well as a watch for Ugo. Then it was time to go for my bus. I was on time and had a decent journey home. I called into Pauline’s and for some reason bought 3 scratch cards. When I got home and had a tongue lashing from you know who, I took my pre-foodies and set a chips and curry sauce on. It’s a new make and the timings are very different. It has more chips and more sauce and the latter has a very fruity genuine curry taste though still very mild. I enjoyed it. Once lunch was over I couldn’t go to sleep so came through to see what the damage was.

I worked from 1.30 pm  to 5.00 pm before having a break. I hadn’t caught up. I had my programmes from 5.00 pm until 9.00 pm before coming back to have another go. More had come through since the world never sleeps. It kept me going until 10.40 pm until I was clear and able to start the blog. It’s a midnight finish.

At Betws y Coed

Also at Betws y Coed

Wednesday 9th March

I made it to bed at 11.50 pm  and read until about 12.30 am when I put my light out. Falling asleep wasn’t a problem, staying asleep was though. I’d fall asleep for to or three minutes and was then awake again. That must have happened 5 times. Eventually I fell asleep and stayed that way until 4.18 am when I woke properly and ready to face the new day. Well almost. First the Piddle Palace and then the kitchen where I took my meds including my pre-foodies and then had breakfast, a toasted bap today with strawberry jam. I came back to start work coffee in hand. I worked until about 5.00 am when Microsoft informed me it was closing down for updates. I told it to postpone for 4 hours and threw myself into the mail. After about 20 minutes it suddenly closed down. I hate that happening. Luckily when it came back it brought the appropriate pages where I’d been back up again.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I started again and finished at 6.05 am. I sat in my chair head back, relaxing. Not enough to nod off though. Eventually the new lot came. 14 at first and I thought all would be OK. I’d only done 2 when it jumped to 33, to 64 and thence to 97. I just kept going and had to fight the urge to nod off, especially as I relaxed and burned my hand on a cigarette I was holding in the other hand. 9.42 am showed on the clock before I finally finished. Joey was delighted.

I did watch HUtH with Joey but as he yattered all the way through it I’m beginning to think he doesn’t care about the programme, just about me being in there suffering earache. Some gratitude that is. At 11.00 am I returned to work and wondered why I hadn’t heard from Jade who assured me last week that it would be Wednesday this week. Mind you, she did say that the week before as well. At 11.45 am I was clear again and went for lunch. I took my pre-foodies then went to the chippie. I’d just got back when Jade sent me a text to say either 3.00 pm today or 2.00 pm tomorrow, she’d let me know within the hour. By 3.30 pm it was pretty clear to an intellect as sharp as mine that she wasn’t coming today. A fair chance she wasn’t letting me know either. Fine, next week I’ll work on ESP alone maybe.                                                                                     I kept the mail down as much as possible all afternoon and only stopped at 4.00 pm when I wanted to be handy if Dil came. He turned up at 4.30 pm so I made him a cup of tea and we chatted. At 5.15 pm we watched out quiz but Lee turned up at 5.25 pm. He and I deserted to look at the computer. I thought all was going to go well now and that Lee would show me how to get the files I wanted onto the slave drive and then I could bring the new one through and transfer the files. I think there must be a new small god I haven’t met yet. My computer wasn’t recognising the slave drive. Lee spent as long as he could trying to find out why not and see whether the problem lay with the computer or the drive. Typically it’s the computer. Quite a major glitch if something has crawled into the woodwork on the back of something else.                                                  He decided the way forward was to put the files I want onto discs and so he showed me drag and drop. That seemed to work. I did one disc and thought I’d try the transfer when it finished. He looked at my skype problem and said just download it as new on the new computer as it’s a bad problem on the current one preventing it. By 6.30 pm he had to go, understandably as he’s been at work all day.

I left all computer related stuff and rejoined Dil for our games. Is there by any chance a small god of the dice too? In the first Yahtzee run I lost 4-2. Not too bothered I started the second run hopeful and won the first two lines, then we had our first ever draw and he won 2 lines. I was determined the last one would be mine. I can still hear the mocking laughter. A disaster. And so, out came the Trivial Pursuit. I was able to answer questions no problem as long as I wasn’t on the square that won me a coloured piece of pie. Dil just romped away. He had 5 pieces in before I got my third. I almost grovelled at his feet when it was time to go and he said “We’ll have to call this a draw” or this would have been the worst day in a long time. Once he’d gone I had a very quick tidy up then washed the pots. I came through and got the disc which I took through to the new computer. I managed to open it no problem but couldn’t find a way of downloading the files. It was quite hard in Mike’s room as I have no computer table in there. OK, forget the files, let’s see if we can solve the Skype problem. I opened the Google Chrome button but it said there was no internet. WHAT !!? I came back here and sure enough the internet is live. On the new one it said no internet detected, none available to connect to. I haven’t an ethernet cable and if I had it’s too far to the box. I think I need to call a professional in to sort it and pay through the nose. Sobbing and chewing a cushion to drown the noise I gave up and came back through to see to the mail. It took until 11.08 pm to clear the last of that and start the blog. Midnight is going to be touch and go.

Scared at the cinema but Roobs is OK.

Looking out for l’il sister.

Thursday 10th March.

Well, midnight came and went and I got to bed at 12.28 am. I read until 1.15 am or until my eyes were ready to close so I didn’t even finish the chapter.  It was another of those nights where I slept for a couple of minutes then woke again as though I’d heard something, I hadn’t.  I woke at 2.28 am as though it was time to get up but I fought back. Eventually I slept again as I knew I would. I woke at 5.12 am and it was getting up time and not in  the delicious sense that means you have a partner still. I did the triple jump to Pee Hall and came back to log on. I was part way through a response to a message when without warning, Grrrr, Microsoft decided to provide some updates. My computer closed down and not a thing I could do about it. That really annoys me. Sometimes I get warning and can postpone things but not today.                                            I headed for the kitchen and took all my meds then made a coffee to bring back. When I got here the screen was waiting for me to log back in. It was 6.15 am and going back to the net I found I’d lost all the response I’d made to the message I’d been reading and had to start again. Worse still of course was that my mailbox was filling with the daily deluge.

At 9.15 am it was time for Pauline’s for my bread and lottery tickets. I walked back with Margaret, one of my neighbours, and we nattered all the way back.I have no idea  what we spoke about so it may have been talking for talking’s sake. So much for my inner calm this morning. At home I managed a few more messages before deserting and going to watch HUtH on TV. The postman brought my USB hub during the programme. I won’t tell you what Joey did on one of his bombing missions. Suffice it to say I hope it’s lucky and that his pocket money will be stopped to pay the cleaning bill. At 11.00 am I returned to work and stayed until 11.57 am when the box was finally cleared. Now time for lunch. I peeled the sweet potato, put the sausages under the grill and when they were due to be turned put the sweet potatoes in the microwave for 7 minutes. I’d just finished plating up when I found myself glancing at my pre-foodies which I’d forgotten to take. No way was I waiting for 15 minutes so I settled on 15 seconds today. I enjoyed my meal and at least remembered to take the two after meal tablets.

At 2.30 pm I received a text saying Jade had been asked to cover for sickness and would be here on Saturday instead. I explained I’m not in on a Saturday but I’d see her next week. She promised Wednesday 100%. I told her I’m keeping the text handy. I spent the next hour online trying to find out which end of the feather duster I hold, it only took so long as I found a few novel ways and enjoyed them. I plugged the end of the hoover wire into the wall but no noise issued forth nor did it pick up anything from my carpet even though I tested it with a plate of biscuit crumbs. I started to put it away and found a little switch on the wall which I clicked. No, still no noise but the music from the radio was nice. I had to take a brush to the crumbs in the end but even though it was specified as a crumb brush it took forever. I need help or at the very least written survival for a single man instructions.

Crumb brush and tray, late Victorian Art Nouveau.

I alternated the afternoon between bouts of working while sobbing uncontrollably at the unfairness of it all and joining Joey for a bit of leisurely TV watching.I the end when I’d vented my frustration on all you in the unreal world, I stayed with TV starting at 5.00 pm with my Cold Case. It was good but I can’t say the same for Without a Trace as I only saw the first ten minutes and fell asleep. The last five minutes at the end made no sense as I made tea in the kitchen instead. Mike had sent a text at 5.00 pm to say he was on his way so I expected him about 7.30 pm. I was watching Star Gate when he sent another text at 7.30 pm to see if I wanted anything from the chippy. My hand acted independently from my brain and sent ‘No thanks’.  He arrived at 7.50 pm and I had to sit here watching him fill his face. It almost made me miss the beginning of Sanctuary. At 9.00 pm I said I was coming through and I waited for him to complain, he must have known I’d stick my arm down his throat as he didn’t say a word.

He went to bed about 10.45 pm and I nipped through to tell him about the scratch cards (which I see I forgot to mention to you). Each card had 4 lines on. On the first card I had one line winning £2 on the second card I had a line of £1, another of £1 one of £2 and the last was again £1. On the third card I won nothing. Can you imagine it, taking my money under false pretences like that. Mike pointed out I’d won £7 for a £3 outlay as though that made a difference, and where was his share. At that point I remembered the bread baking in the oven and had to run. I was done with mail at 10.57 pm and able to start the blog. I’ve assured my fingers of a rest at midnight.

Time for sleepy byes.

The gardener to be….

Divine.

Friday 11th March.

Midnight it was. I crawled into bed and read for slightly more than an hour then lights off and settle down. I must have slept fairly quickly which was good.  I woke up at 2.18 am. I knew there was more sleep to come but first I needed to scratch the skin off my leg then apply some cream  which stung. Not exactly the way the treatment plan was supposed to go but it works for me. I had a cigarette, hobbled to the loo and back then settled down again at 2.30 am and tried to ignore the itching. When I woke properly this morning at 4.43 am I saw that I’d better put a dressing on my leg. I found some steroid cream to hold the dressing on while I taped it , crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. It was itching again before 5.00 pm as I walked towards the kitchen but with a display of will power I ignored it…..for a minute.

I took my drugs, then being Friday I needed to replenish the drug tray. I got my drawer from the lounge and started to stock up, marking the repeat prescription with things I needed again next week. It’s ready to go to the chemist on Monday. Once done, I set the Tassimo to make my coffee, returned the drugs drawer to it’s home, disposed of all the empty packaging and was back just as my coffee was ready. I came back to the bedroom and signed on. It only took until 6.07 am to clear the existing mail. Time for a breather. A short breather by necessity as within minutes the box was filling up again.                                                                                                                                              By 9.20 am I was free to go see to Joey. He’d been very quiet so far which was strange. No admonishment for leaving him locked up in daylight. He was still subdued as I opened his door and as I sat in my chair talking to him, and before you say it,Yes, he could get a word in edgewise. All I could wonder is whether it was the sound of a drill from next door upsetting him, but it wasn’t loud. I put Frasier on the TV. At about 9.40 am Mike emerged from his pit and went straight to the kitchen to make a drink. Up at that time with no alarm, I wondered if it was the end times. You know, the Mayan calendar not having made an allowance for leap years all those centuries ago.

At 10.00 am HUtH came on but Joey still kept quiet. Mike didn’t though, he chose that time to go into a very detailed explanation of something and I almost missed a property in Tonypandy. Joey came out and sat on the mirror and did a headbanging spectacular with his oppo in the mirror. Ah, maybe it’s concussion keeping him quiet. After the programme I returned to work and Mike went to get dressed and go off to Manchester and his father. Margaret who I’d talked with yesterday called round with details of one of the computer repair shops in he area. I’d meantime found another one much closer but my emails were being bounced back. Maybe I’ll have to deal with the one in town. I worked until 11.50 am then went to start seeing to lunch. I actually remembered to take my tablets 15 minutes before I’d eat today. I ate very quickly so none of you would see what I was eating (again) then sat watching Bargain Hunt. Joey never made a peep. I fell asleep in my chair ( the next one who says ‘How unusual’ in a voice dripping with sarcasm is in trouble) until 2.03 pm when yet again I returned to work.

Messages consumed me until 4.30 pm when I knocked off till late evening. A few minutes of Flog it before my Cold Case came on. Mike sent a text about 7.00 pm to say he was on his way.I saw my Without a Trace peacefully and also Star Gate. I was watching the semi final of Mastermind when he arrived.  He sat and watched with me as he likes quizzes as much as I do. At 8.30 pm I went to get a shower. Instead of having a coffee Mike was there to wash my hair to try and prevent more angina attacks this week. After that, I watched half an hour of football with him then disappeared to work. The mail was clear before 10.30 pm and I was able to start the blog. Woo Hoo, it’s an early night for me.

Erm’ has someone forgotten my seat belt?

Mummy said I could slip into something comfortable. I did, their bed!

Saturday 12th March.

Bed at 11.45 pm, read till 12.50 am light off. Sleep. Wake at 2.12 am. I decided just to class this as a trial run for the real thing so after a visit to the loo and a ciggie I got back into bed. I next woke at 4.41 am and this was the real thing. Bright eyes and bushy tailed are just two of the things that didn’t apply to me this morning. I got stuck into the mail until 5.30 am when I went and had some toast and my meds. I took a coffee back with me to carry on knocking the post out of the court but I knew I’d be defeated soon. At 6.10 am the mailbox was filling up nicely and at 6.15 am Mike’s alarm went off. I went to do his coffee and take it through to him. The usual grunt in reply and after 5 alarms he got up at 6.50 am. I’d done a bit more mail by then.

While he was perched in his chair with matchsticks holding his eyes pen I did the bins, household and food and took them outside. Once that was done I just had to wait for Mike. He came to move me along at 7.00 am. On our way out I met my other next door neighbour Dorothy who complained that despite living next door she never saw me. Mike suggested she count herself lucky. Dorothy could chat for Britain and rarely pauses for breath but he’s a delight and I didn’t want to be rude. Bert came along and gave me the excuse I needed. Mike complained that despite being dressed and ready early, we were actually still only getting out at our usual time.                                                    At the supermarket not long after I got the cash while he got the trolley then we went to select Ju’s flowers. We ended up with two nice though small bunches. Further into the store Mike went to find some deodorant to take to Canada ( don’t they sell it there?) While I went to  find some dressings and some micropore tape. Next is round the corner and a few degrees due West to the kiddies clothes. Amelie was lucky today. We edged towards the gents clothing as Mike still needs some things to take away.

Once Mike is sorted we move towards the object of this exercise-Food. But first we pass the toys and I find something fun for Reuben that makes up for not getting any clothes. I know which he’d prefer anyway. As we pass more shelves with food, the trolley starts getting less and less room. In goes the bread, the cakes, the sweets, the pop, the coffee pods, the milk, micromeals, roast beef slices, sausages and we mustn’t forget biscuits and yoghurts. I paid up and we went for coffee.                                                            When we’d finished we headed for Flint and undertook a minor detour to ALDI so I could look at Easter eggs. I decided they were unusual enough that I got four from there and Mike added a bunch of daffodils to my basket for Ju’s vase to add a little colour at the front. We headed off again and parked up by Temptations. Making sure I had a bag in my pocket we walked over to Homies enjoying a cigarette. There I got the last of the Easter eggs I needed. They made me pay for them before I could leave the shop though. I must get bigger pockets.

We walked over for our coffee and Mike’s breakfast. Ceri was on with a young lad we hadn’t seen before. It turned out he’s Sian’s son. We were gobsmacked to say the least as Sian never seems to be over about 25 and this lad was not in nappies.( at least as far as we could tell). We said hello to quite a few of the regulars and enjoyed some banter with Ceri that can’t be repeated but which was funny. When we left we had a look in a large catalogue returns shop at computers and TV’s for no real reason then got in the car and had the usual ‘where to now’ conversation we have every week. We settled on going to Holywell where I think Mike hoped to persuade me to visit one of the computer service shops but which I was in no mood to do. He took the opportunity to visit his building society and then we walked down the street. There in the window of a charity shop was the perfect console table and instead of it’s usual £100+ price, it was £25. The only problem was it wouldn’t fit into Mike’s car unless it could be disassembled. He went in to ask about it. A few minutes later he was out again. He’d paid, and they’d agreed to take it apart while we had lunch. We ate in the top Bells.

Coming out Mike walked up to where we’d left the car and drove round to the other end of town so he could access the main street which is one way when it isn’t fully pedestrianised. He parked in front of the shop. There was a youngster of about ten helping , ready to open the door for me. First Mike and I took all the shopping out of the boot and put it on the pavement then he set the roof to lower into the boot space. The youngster was fascinated. I told him Mike was preparing for space mode. We brought the table out and packed it behind the front seats. It was a tight fit. Then out came the roof again and back into the boot went the shopping. I gave the youngster £1 for his help. I know he’d have done it for nothing if he could have retracted that roof just once. We came home and emptied the boot.

I put the shopping away and made my excuses to come away and start work. I made Mike a coffee while he tried to move the table to the boot though I warned him it wouldn’t go, he swore it would. I was disappointed that my card reader still hasn’t arrived though it was due Thursday. Anyway, I started work. There were over 100 messages and they kept me pinned to my chair from 1.45 pm to 5.55 pm when I needed a break.Mike had been in a couple of times to see if I was awake and whether I was coming through. I stayed watching the box with him until 9.00 pm and then had to come and start again. I won’t have this problem for the next month. I’m trying to keep pace with the mail as I do the blog tonight so there’s nothing there when I’m ready to turn in.

Wishing you all a Great New Week and the opportunity to spread a few more hugs around.

What shall we talk about next?

Share my food. What choo talkin’ ’bout?

A bonus track by the same beautiful lady, taken from us far too soon.

 

 

 

A new Computer ( just not unpacked yet) & Predictive Text.

Sunday 28th Feb

I was actually in bed close to midnight, or at least on bed as I slathered myself in enough gunk to do a Channel swim. When I’d thrown out a couple of anchors to keep me in place I started reading which I ended just gone 1.00 am. It took a short time to find a cool enough spot for my legs and then I slept. The first period lasted until 2.28 am and then I woke ready to go to the loo. No problem as I hopped back into bed straight after a cigarette and was able to sleep again. The second session ended at 5.01 am which seemed on a par with usual really. This time I didn’t need an immediate visit to the Piddle Palace and so was able to log into the computer. I made a start on the mail from overnight but broke off at 5.45 am to get my meds.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        When I came back I was heading towards completion when the new batch arrived.  I ended up working until 8.15 am before the first clear patch and the chance of a break so I disappeared to the lounge to let Joey out and sit with him for a while.

At 9.15 am there was a knock at the front door. It was my neighbour Bert to see if I had a mirror he could use to see the back of his head as he trims it. I do have one somewhere but I couldn’t find it so he left empty handed. I did say if he had no luck later, to call and I’d trim it for him.                                                                                                             As soon as he’s gone, Mike got up. Very unusual for a Sunday. I made him a coffee while he asked what Bert wanted. We watched a couple of episodes of 8 Simple Rules from the early series while John Ritter was still alive. Then I went to get dressed. When I was done, Mike toddled off to his room and got ready. At 11.00 am we left the house in search of mirrors. We went to Tesco where we found two mirrors on stands at £2.50 each which were good but I asked to go to Home Bargains in case they had a hand mirror. The first think I found were two mirrors on stands like the Tesco ones but with a magnification of 3X on one side and they were just 99p each. Mike found one hand mirror.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     When we’d finished in Homies we gave some thought to lunch. Knowing Mike wanted to get away early this afternoon I didn’t want to suggest anywhere and he didn’t want to decide either so we gave the car it’s head. The Cookhouse was the choice. Wise decision, there were so many moans of ecstasy coming from our table at the taste and tenderness of the beef (plus pork in Mike’s case) we were getting a lot of funny looks. Four people just ordered “Whatever they’re having.”                                                                   After lunch we came home and I fell asleep the minute I hit my chair. Not too sure when Mike left but he’d gone when I woke. I was glad as I hoped it would give him time to get the problem sorted with his visit to Canada in a couple of weeks. He’s been given 10 days to sort it yet it took them 3 weeks to notify him there was a problem.               I turned to work. It was 3.15 pm and I stayed until 6.00 pm when I went to have some tea. I stayed there until after Beowulf and then came back through to make sure the mail was cleared before starting the blog. It took until 10.49 pm but I’ll be in bed before midnight I’m sure.

Feel the force

Getting the punch line.

Monday 29th Feb.

T’was a funny old nite. I was in bed for 11.45 pm and I could only read until about 12.15 am as I did feel tired…of what I’m not sure. I don’t imagine it took me long to get to sleep but waking at  2.01 am came as a bit of a shock and didn’t feel right. I sat and had a cigarette while I decided what to do and after some consideration, going back to bed seemed favourite. I lay there for some time willing sleep to come but it obviously missed the first few buses so I took to my chair in the lounge. That worked  and it was 5.34 am before I resurfaced. Despite the fact I was still yawning it didn’t seem a bad length of sleep.                                                                                                                                                    I went straight to the kitchen and took my meds realising that I’d completely forgotten last night’s again. Oops! I made a coffee to bring back to my room stopping off on the way at the House of Pee when I realised I was hopping from foot to foot.

I signed on and started on the mail. I was making real headway before the new batch arrived but they didn’t seem so bad this morning. I was finished by 8.50 am and able to get dressed ready to take my prescription request to the chemist. Mail was still coming in but in much smaller , more manageable batches. I went to let Joey out and tell him I’d be back to watch TV with him later, then walked up to the Shop Parade as it’s known and tucked my prescription request in the box provided. I know it will be back on either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday. It was cool out but fairly bright so I chanced a sports jacket instead of my leather one. I was well layered beneath it though. It was really nice and it seemed a shame to be coming back indoors. I hoped tomorrow would be a similar day so I could dress as though Spring has sprung.                                      When I got back in I returned straight away to the mail to keep some kind of control on it. At 9.55 am I went through to join Joey for HUtH. I know it’s his favourite because he chirrups through it.

Once it was over and I’d taken in a parcel from the postman I returned to my mail. Quite a few in while I was away. One I found absolutely amazing was here….                           https://meatdoesntgrowinmygarden.wordpress.com/2016/02/29/ausones-notebook-22-nd-instalment-amwriting-mondayblogs-cats-iartg/    It seems that in Belgium in the town of Linkebeek there were elections at which the same French speaking candidate was elected 3 times but was not empowered as Mayor by the Regional Dutch speaking Authorities who instead appointed the second place man who then had to step down as he had no majority. The area is predominantly French speaking of course. And people wonder why I laugh at the idea of a United Europe and want to leave the fold.                                                                                                                                                                         I thought I must have missed my warden again despite telling her (by text) to come in if the door is unlocked, but even as I thought it she knocked. We had a good natter then she left to go elsewhere and I saw to my lunch which today was a beef stew and dumplings. I watched Bargain Hunt and enjoyed seeing two teams of youngsters make a small profit each.

I came back to work again and found a message from Yvonne asking me about a new coin the Royal Mint are going to do. Grandparents it’s time to prick up your ears or maybe your eyes. What a delightful keepsake for a child and possibly a small investment too.  Maybe a full set of 4 of the general coins in uncirculated condition?                     http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/royal-mint-making-coin-honour-10963753  I only needed to work until 3.00 pm and the box was empty again. I was supposed to be looking at starting something creative but after staring at the screen for about 5 minutes I gave up the ghost and went to talk down to Joey. He doesn’t like it but he’s not big enough to matter. See how brave I can be ! I fell asleep, but then you expected that didn’t you. I wasn’t out for long as I wanted to spend from 3.45 pm to 4.30 pm in here in case more mail came and also to leave feedback on ebay for this morning’s parcel. From 4.30 pm I fully intended to be watching Flog It, and I was. For tea I had some biscuits and a yoghurt so I could take my tablets For a change I had dark chocolate digestives and was so proud of myself for having the half chocolate covered item for a change. Talk about health conscious.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            I watched Cold Case, Without a Trace and then an ancient episode of Murder She Wrote with Malcolm McDowall, It was one of the early Iron Age Episodes and I think we’d just started occupying roundhouses. The various grunts and beatings of the chest left me a little confused so at 8.00 pm I locked Joey in, took my meds and came through on another catch up with my peeps who I can at least understand. Well, some of you anyway. I’m tired and intend to have a very early night. Fingers crossed it doesn’t result in a very early morning too.

Mum, Amelie is going to pick her nose.

Tuesday 1st March. St David’s Day.

10.40 pm bed and I only read until 11.15 pm before attempting to sleep.  I know midnight had come and gone before I was able to do so as despite the applied creams my legs, especially the left, itched like mad. It was difficult to even relax when all I wanted to do was scratch. At some stage I fell asleep but woke again at 1.12 am, it was the itching. I was still tired so I moved to my chair in the lounge and fell asleep with my pyjamas legs rolled up to the knee. I slept until 3.17 am and that was the end of sleep for another night. The early night had been countered by the early morning. Ah well, at least I was guaranteed an early start on last night’s mail considering how early I departed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The mail took me until 5.20 am and I chose to go have my meds and breakfast then. I was surprised just how awful it sounded outside as I hear nothing in my little room usually. When I’d eaten my toast I sent a text to Yvonne to see what she wanted to do today as I didn’t want her to get drenched bringing the babies out. On the other hand I haven’t seen them for a week and I do have some choice prezzies to take. By joint agreement a few minutes later I’m not going to Chester today. No point in all of us being wet and miserable, I can do that at home. I will ask Mike if we can meet up with them on  Saturday morning after Reuben has been to the cinema.

So, I was able to stay with the mail  until completion. I had a small break at 9.00 am to go to Pauline’s for chips with curry sauce and some cleaning materials. Then I came back and continued until 9.40 am when I could shout Huzzah from the rooftops, or I might have done if I could have reached one of the perishing things. The mailbox was empty! Temporarily I know, but for now empty. I went to talk to Joey who was actually having a (not very intelligent) chat with his friend in the mirror. Isn’t it amazing how they’re both as aggressive as each other and he still hadn’t noticed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                At 10.00 am I put on HUtH to distract him. It did, he flew from the mirror straight into the kitchen and straight back out into his cage. Even Bev yesterday noted how much he loves his cage. Strange when the door is open and there are a multitude of perches in the room he could try if he wanted, including my head and/or shoulder. After a while I was distracted from my programme when he came out of his cage and landed on the chest of drawers to the left of the cage, plopped himself down in front of a photo of Ju and tried to start an argument. Of course it may have been his reflection in the glass again but who knows.

At 11.00 am I returned to work and turned the TV off. Joey shut up immediately I got out of the room while the miracle was still happening. There wasn’t too much post I’m glad to say so at 11.40 am I was able to give some thought to lunch. Ha, don’t make me laugh, I’ve been thinking about chips and curry sauce since I bought it. I took my pre-foodies and buttered some baps before doing it so it was 12.10 pm before I was ready to sit and eat. I saw Bargain Hunt out.                                                                                  The minute it was over, I rushed back, found 3 pieces of mail only and decided to have a power nap first. Back in my chair I closed my eyes and blinked…..one long blink until 12.55 pm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Then I came back to try and decide whether to risk buying one of the computers I’m looking at on ebay. They call them refurbished and they have 8G of RAM and 1TB of memory, Windows 7 and are dual core. My nephew is trying to dissuade me from getting one of these and suggests another site but they’re twice as much and more there. I think he may have relented a little as I sent him the details of two more a little later, both on ebay. He must have realised my financial limitations and said whichever one I chose he’d help me with.

The afternoon was charged with little darts back and forth between the lounge and work. There seemed to be less to do today which was great as most Tuesdays are frantic. So, had I gone to Chester I wouldn’t have been too stretched when I got back. There was a knock at the door about 3.00 pm which because I was expecting my drug dealer I answered. There was a man in a white coat and I panicked. But when he spoke it was someone from Grimsby selling fish. I’m shocked since we have Conwy a few miles down the coast with it’s own fishermen. Grimsby is a long way from here and there must be somewhere between here and there that they could market their fish without driving this distance. Perhaps not. Approaching 4.00 pm the doorbell rang and this time it was my dealer. In exchange for  a month’s supply I passed over a box of Quality Street. I’m sure most dealers don’t work so cheaply.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      At a few minutes to five I had some chineapple punks and then watched Cold Case which was really quite sad as it involved lobotomies. Then it was Without a Trace which I missed the very last couple of minutes of by dozing off. It’s bloody annoying. Why I punished myself by watching another ancient Murder She Wrote where our heroine played herself and her London cousin at the same time I don’t know. But I did. I have actually enjoyed this series in the past  but some are really old hat.

At 8.00 pm I came through intending to stay and make sure the mail is kept down before doing the blog. It’s possible I may have slipped into ebay here and there purely by accident of course. Actually I was sending a friend the number of my Himalayan Salt lamp which she’d never heard of. It’s supposed to help the air when it’s on. But it’s really quite pretty too. I also ordered a new computer which will arrive Thursday.

Not for sale.

Kraftwerk?

Wednesday 2nd March 

I got an early night and was in bed by 11.00 pm . I read until 11.45 pm, it’s a book by Gerald Seymour and promises to be good. Sleep wasn’t as hard to come by as last night but a couple of times I dropped off only to wake up seconds/minutes later.Eventually after a proper sleep I woke at 3.13 am in my chair in the lounge. I sort of have memories of  going there but can’t remember when or why.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      It being far too early to take my meds I picked up a fresh bottle of Pepsi Max and went back to my bedroom to sign on. I did my gmail first then at 4.25 when I had emptied that, I turned to ebay to check out the temporary insanity of yesterday and ordering a new refurbished computer like I did. Since it’s Windows 7 and has 8 Gig of RAM and 1TB of memory I’m hoping for more speed out of it and perhaps being able to get my skype back. Lee says I should back up my files to the slave hard disk drive but I have no idea how to do that. This Silver Surfing thing only goes so far with me.

At 5.00 am I went through to the kitchen to take my meds and have some breakfast. Toast again this morning, but a bap rather than sliced bread. When I came back with my coffee afterwards I took the bull by the horns and decided to learn how to back things up. I started it going but am not sure if I’m backing it up to the right place- the internal or external HDD. The choices were limited to 2 things and one of those was the DVD writer so I opted for the other with was labelled D Drive. I’ve set it to do a weekly back-up from now as well.

I started again on the gmail stuff that had come in. At 6.10 am more and more started coming until I thought I’d be here all day. As it was, I was clear by 9.40 am. As it was very light now I went through to let Joey out of his cage and to change his water, seed and millet. Obviously I had to wait for him to come out before putting the millet in. He was in a very good mood this morning, very chatty. As usual all I understood was Joey,Joey, but he seemed to enjoy me repeating it to him when he said it. He could just think I’m a trained parrot of course. I stayed with him until 11.00 am when it was time for another turn in the trenches. This time I was occupied until 11.50 am when I thought it time to start my lunch or I’d miss Bargain Hunt. Today I had some corned beef, micro chips and a small tin of beans. I’ll use another one of the micro meals on Friday but tomorrow is my bangers and mash day. At this rate I’ll only need to buy one meal for next week.

1.00 pm should have been a return to the computer but my backside just sidled down the chair and I closed my eyes. Forty minutes later I was as fresh as a daisy. I wnt back and worked until 3.00 pm when Escape to the Country was due to start. I had everything under control so I was happy to leave a few till later and disappear to watch it. Big mistake! I returned to the bedroom at 3.45 pm and sat down. I had just opened the first email when I heard the front door open very quietly. As I leaned over and looked towards the front door, there was Dil almost an hour early. I’ve asked him whether it’s worth working these days. He’d been on a site meeting fairly local and just finished. It wasn’t worth driving all the way back just to finish and come back here again. Anyway, the boss said it was OK and he’s the boss so who’s going to argue.                So, I went through and made him a cup of tea while he took his coat off. We chatted about our weekends then watched half a quiz, an antiques show and then our usual full quiz.

At 6.00 pm as the TV went off the table came out- the top fell off- it was replaced and I put the Yahtzee on the table. OMG, he won the first sheet 5-1 I didn’t know what had hit me. I won the second sheet 4-2 giving him the over all win. The Trivia came out. the opposite of last week Dil was the first to start collecting pieces and he had 3 in before I got my first. I did manage to get the sixth and last piece just before him but that didn’t help much. We shuffled round trying to get to the centre. I missed an answer and then Dil missed two on the trot. Finally I managed to get back thee for another try and he asked me one I knew. That’s one game each. We had time for one game of Cribbage before he was due to leave and he beat me with a street to spare. I swear he’s better at cheating than I am these days.                                                                                               I waved him off, quietly regretting it wasn’t raining harder then came back in to tidy up and wash the pots. I wished Joey Nos da but all he did was hop into the corner of his cage as the cruel master locked him in for the night. A quick nip to the kitchen to take my meds and then through to the bedroom to start work again. It was bad. It’s going to be another midnight finish.

Masterchef.

Is it love I see?

Thursday 3rd March.

I was in bed at 11.50 pm and had a good read for an hour before turning out my light. Sleep wasn’t too long in coming once I made myself comfortable. No wake ups in the middle of the night and I slept until 3.11 am. After a nip to the loo I came back and signed on. First job was to check the bank. My pension was in OK but there was no deduction for further rent or Council Tax so it looks as though they’ll have to take everything on 15th March so I don’t end the year in debt.  That could be a fair old chunk of money from January.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             I started on my emails but broke off around 5.00 am to take my meds. I also filled 3 small Pepsi bottles from a big one and put them in the fridge. A much easier size to keep next to my bed or on my side table in the lounge. After making a coffee to bring back I returned to work. I finished the emails before the next lot were due to arrive so I started looking at ebay. At smart TV’s of all things. I was so tempted last Saturday at Argos, a 43″ screen at a cracking price that would have been like the cinema in my lounge but I reckon my ‘bro’ wouldn’t be able to say he couldn’t read the quiz questions on Pointless any more.

I worked until 9.15 am then nipped to Pauline’s to get some bread and other things including my lottery. I had to leave a note on the door to say I was out for 5 mins unless Jade turns up. I still have no idea what time she’s working today. When I got back I’d had an email to say my computer will be delivered between 13.28 pm  and 14.28 pm which I thought was very specific . I did some more mail until 9.55 am then left the rest while I went to watch HUtH with Joey. Once that was over and the turning off of the TV stopped his running commentary I went back to do some mail for about 40 minutes then went through to the kitchen to peel my sweet potatoes. At 11.15 am I had a text message from Jade to say she’d be here at 2.00 pm. Good, I thought in case I needed someone to carry the box. (joke).                                                                                                  At 1.00 pm I started to clear the next lot of emails that had arrived and since there was the opportunity to follow the driver of the van bringing me my computer I decided to  do so. It showed our relative positions on the map. Alan is currently delivering parcel No 43, you are No 38, Alan will be with you in approx half an hour. I followed him along the coast road until he ended up a little past me doing drop No 40. Alan will be with you in approx 15 minutes. At 1.35 pm he arrived. I signed for the box thinking it was a bit small but of course there won’t be all the polystyrene to get rid of if this is a refurbished model. I slid the box along the carpet to Mike’s bedroom and left it hopefully where he’ll catch himself on it. If he breaks it I can sue him for a better model. If he breaks a toe I can laugh.

I was tired this afternoon but as Jade would be coming I wasn’t going to get any rest until she’d gone and before Mike arrived. That’s if he”s still coming today. At least I could stay up to date with my mail. Jade arrived about 2.15 pm and got straight down to work. She was going to top up the lounge (naughty Joey) and do Mike’s bedroom today. She didn’t need me underfoot. I slipped into the lounge about 3.05 pm when she’d left so I could see Escape to the Country, my emails were up to date so I wasn’t exactly skiving. She came back through after seeing to Mike’s room about 3.40 pm and knowing she had another job to go to I sent her away. She offered to reduce the rate for not doing the full two hours but I told her to buy a box of chocs for herself.                                                                                                                                                                                              Since I knew I would be skiving at 4.30 pm I checked on the e.mails but I only needed to do about 5 so I dodged off earlier and watched a different quiz to my usual. For some reason I stayed awake. At 5.00 pm it was Cold Case and at 6.00 Without a Trace. When I checked my phone during one of the advert breaks (it was in the kitchen on charge) I saw Mike had sent as text at 5.50 pm to say he was setting off.  I got his cup ready about 8.00 pm but it was half past before he arrived. It seems it was filthy weather out and had been all the way. I hadn’t heard the rain until that moment beating against the windows. We chatted about his week and at 9.00 pm started watching Law and Order. I had to make a sandwich in the break and that should be against the law sometimes. At 10.00 pm I came through to start work and Mike followed me to ask about my Skype. I told him I removed it completely and then tried to download it again but it still won’t work. Amazingly there wasn’t much mail to deal with ‘cos I’ve sent everyone to Coventry this week so I was able to get to the blog much earlier. Perhaps even an 11.30 pm bedtime.

My lovely Great Nephew Nathan. 10 months old.

Slurp!

Friday 4th March.

I got my bedtime around 11.30 pm as hoped and I only read until 12.15 am before settling down, albeit on my wrong side, for the night. When I woke up at 3.41 am I was on my right side which is the right side and tells me I don’t keep still at night and my  body ignores it. I still don’t understand how it can ignore moving as far as another room though which at least wasn’t the case today.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I paid my all important visit to the Piddle Palace and realised my intuition that there was someone else in the house was correct for a change when I passed Mike’s open bedroom door and I saw a misshapen lump in the middle of the bed. That could only be Mike. I came back and started work on the mail until 5.00 am when I went through to take my meds, prepare my next week’s meds in their container and then have some breakfast. It was 5.50 am before I returned and started work again but I was done by 6.05 am and just sat enjoying my coffee until the next batch arrived.

At 8.30 am Mike’s alarm went off. I knew he had to be gone by 10.00 am but that was early for him. But,I took his coffee through and made sure I woke him properly so he knew it was there. I even got a sensible answer but he still didn’t get up until 9.10 am. I went through to the lounge and woke him by standing on the toe he didn’t break on the box. He was out at 9.55 am and promised to text when he’s on his way back.                                                                                                                                                                                              I went back to work and cleared the box at 11.00 am. I know Joey is disappointed to have missed HUtH but we all make sacrifices don’t we?                                                                By 11.45 am I was clear and able to think about doing lunch. Lamb and colcannon today. I very much enjoyed the latter but I’m going to say my imagination let the lamb down, the thought of all those little white clouds sproinging (I like this word ) along in their fields in a few weeks………  I watched Bargain Hunt and then allowed myself a power nap. Oops, when I woke up Doctors was on and I found myself watching it before I realised. I managed to break away before 2.00 pm though. Work until 3.00 pm then Escape to the Country. At 3.45 pm I did some other work and wrote a few personal emails before clearing the decks again in time for Flog It.

I ran the gamut of my ‘almost’ usual Friday viewing,  Flog It, Cold Case, during which I had a very late delivery of pyjamas for Amelie and  at the end of which Mike sent a text ‘On Way Bro’, Without a Trace, an episode of Mash during which I got another text to ask if I wanted anything from the chippy. Naturally I said no because of my diabetes but for some reason the predictive text wrote Yes, chips, get here now, then A Question of Sport which was halfway over before Mike arrived back from all the way round the corner. I almost tore his arm of helping him put the food out with one hand and buttering a bap with the other.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         At 8.00 pm I went for my shower aiming to be back for Mastermind. It turned out to be a special for celebrities rather than a semi final or the final but hey,it was OK. At 9.00 pm was the important bit of the evening, no not more food, the last episode of  Shetland. Fair play to the writers, they’re excellent and just when you think you’ve the story figured out ( and you’ve translated the Scottish accents) they put another twist in the plot. Look away now if you don’t want to know whodunit. It was, Aaaarghh. Is there a doctor in the house, oops, perhaps Jessica Fletcher or  detective then?                                                                                                                                                                                                As always on a Friday I knew it would be a push to catch up on my mail and do the blog. Midnight tonight I reckon.

Wot a larf

Nursery with Bug Boy

Saturday 5th March.

I managed 11.33 pm bed and enjoyed my book until about 12.30 am when I paid my last visit to the loo with my light going off a minute later. I woke mid-dream at 4.35 am hoping I had time to make it to the loo. I actually wanted to go to the cellar first (?) but the need was greater. By the time I reached the loo I was aware that the cellar didn’t exist and was just a lingering past of the dream, but I was glad I hadn’t tried to make the detour first.                                                                                                                                                  Vastly relieved, I washed my hands and tried to get a grip on the dream. I know Ju was there and I think it was for her I was going to the cellar to collect something but I think it was for someone else, possibly Mike. That sounds reasonable I suppose, him using my legs rather than his own. I gave up and headed for the kitchen where I took my meds and then made myself some toast for breakfast. It was 5.50 am before I got back to my room, just enough time to finish the last of this morning’s mail before the new lot descends. I’ll be a little stuck when that happens I think, making Mike his coffee if he’s set his alarm. I need to get the rubbish and the recycling out ready for collection then.

The alarm went off and I made and took through a coffee. I know I reached into his sleep because my bellow got a grunt in return. However, as always it’s all promise, no action with him. I listened to every alarm he ignored until 7.00 pm before he finally moved.I dealt with all the bins while Mike went to sleep in the chair but I turned the light on, made a noise with the bins and coughed a fair bit. We left the house at 7.35 am. At the supermarket we decided to buy the flowers last today, on the way home so they didn’t get knocked about in the boot. We carried on and I bought a bunch of kids clothes so they’ll be OK till they’re about 14 now. Once all the shopping was in and Mike had insulted another Mike who works there and we’d got insults in return, we went for a coffee. It was much needed.                                                                                                        From there we headed for Flint and Home Bargains, then B & M then finally Temptations taking a box of chocs in for the girls, who just happened to be Ceri 1 and Ceri 2 this morning. After he’d filled his face with teasted toecake and we’d finished coffee we stood outside for a cigarette. I realised how late it was getting and we set off for Chester to be there ready to meet Yvonne and the family. They’d taken Reuben to the cinema this morning.

When we arrived at Broughton Park Mike and I went into Tesco where he found some good items in the sale to take with him on holiday.Two or three jumpers, a pair of jeans and I think a teeshirt. He was just in the queue to pay when I had a text to say they were out of the cinema and where did we want to meet. I suggested a pizza place close to where they were standing so they could get out of the cold. Just a couple of minutes from where Mike and I were. We found them OK and I had hugs from Reuben and from Ugo but Yvonne was wedged in her seat with a fast asleep Amelie on her knee. We ordered drinks and when those came I was able to take my tabs and we ordered food. I wasn’t pleased to find I couldn’t have an Hawaiian pizza as they don’t use pineapple.It was a shame we hadn’t chosen the pub where we used to meet. Anyway I took Amelie and passed Yvonne the gifts. She seemed to love all the clothes and all the baking /cake decorating and mini wines for herself. Ugo liked his shirt and tie and his chocolate puddings. The meal came, Ugo took Amelie and we ate.

Once finished Ugo was taking the family home then going to play football. We were very close to a shop we both like so Mike  suggested we go there before going back to Tesco’s to buy the flowers. It could have been a mistake. Mike saw a phrenology head he liked though he didn’t buy it. I pointed out a glass head, and said I wouldn’t mind having it and using it as an ornament/hatstand, alternating the look by changing hats. I decided to buy it. Mike loved the idea so when I saw another one round the corner I said I’d buy that one for him, then he found a third which he’d buy himself. Of course then he had to have a discussion with himself about whether to buy the phrenology head to put in the middle. Something caused a break in concentration and it didn’t get bought. We had to go and look for a console table next to stand them on but we were in a very expensive shop and he blanched at every price ticket. I was following behind with a bowl expecting him to throw up. He nipped next door to look and while he was away I got the heads and met him outside.  Headhunting over Mike took the bags to the car while I walked slowly to Tesco’s. He met me there and I got the flowers needed for Ju. We came home.

Joey was over the moon to see us poor soul.It must have been a long lonely day for him from 7.00 am to almost 4.30 pm. We unpacked the shopping and got it put away then I left Mike with his football results and came through to start work. I’ve had two bouts of angina this week, when I saw the mail box with letters bulging from every seam I nearly had a third. I was tired following a 4.35 am start and having missed my power nap this afternoon. I worked till 7.00 pm then made some tea and took a break. Unfortunately the break lasted until 9.00 pm and I almost nodded off but Mike decided it was a good time to talk to me. When he goes to Canada on 17th he won’t be able to moan at me working or wake me when I’m going to catnap. YAY. At 9.00 pm after watching a programme of Dusty Springfield songs I came back to work and have put my nose to the grindstone. Anyone got a spare plaster? At 11.00 pm I had to break off to start the blog but I’m still hopeful that I’ll finish before it’s time to get up again.

Wishing you all a Wonderful New Week full of dreams come true. Hugs Galore one and all.

Happy Girl.

Engrossed.

 

Does Anyone Ever Listen? & Bacon is Best.

Sunday 7th Feb.

Quite a bitty night followed my lights out at 1.00 am. But at least when I got up at 4.14 am I was able to smile. I got out of bed wearing my slippers which I hadn’t worn when I went to bed. I listened to Mike coughing a lot too, I dare say he wouldn’t have had a lot of sleep either. I paid my visit to the loo and came back to log onto the computer. I like to open Skype too but it refuses to open and keeps telling me to check the internet- which is fine.                                                                                                                      On gmail I was horrified by the amount of mail and did my best to get going but I had to think of everything twice to be sure I had it fixed in my head. Like a OCD, I think there may have been a little residual tiredness there. I worked away until 6.00 am then went to take my meds and get a reviving coffee. When I came back the next batch had downloaded and I was way up high again.  I really wasn’t in the mood for it this morning. But, remembering how much might be there later, I carried on. By 9.00 am I was making headway and by 9.40 am I was up to date. I almost scorched the carpet leaving the room so fast.

I let Joey out and sat talking to him with my eyes closed, relaxing in the chair. Damn, it didn’t work. I put the TV on instead, there were two DIY SOS Big Builds on which meant I got interested and couldn’t go to sleep then either. The first one came to an end at 10.00 am and left me with a lump in my throat. At least Joey wouldn’t poke fun. The next one started and I really got involved in the family story, a youngster born with spina bifida whose brain had been largely destroyed by a cyst. Then you see this bright little smiley boy who tries to talk ( he’s only 18 months) and obviously understand much of what’s said, it was amazing. Then, despite being paralysed from the chest down was trying to pull himself along the floor.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Mike got out of bed half way through and sat down to watch it with me. Questions, questions but he soon shut up when he saw the youngster. When it was over I removed the fly from my eye(s) then passed Mike a tissue. We were talking about his night when the next programme started and it was Move to the Country (or something) and a couple with a budget of £1.2m , our collective jaws dropped. , even Joey’s.

At 11.30 am I had to (reluctantly) drag myself away and get dressed. That forced Mike into action too so he headed for his room. By midday we were both ready to go out. As usual we didn’t know where but it turned out that the car knew where to take us anyway……Prestatyn. In the CookHouse we were seated in a different place as our usual seats were occupied by fans of the rugby, and Wales were playing Ireland this afternoon.Look away now if you don’t want the results a week late…….it was a draw. We had a nice lunch and a wander round a couple of shops, Mike got himself a couple of tops for his holiday and I bought a couple as a gift. We came home.                                              Mike went into the kitchen to do Ju’s flowers for me and I came through to work. It was 3.00 pm. Next thing it’s 4.00 pm and Mike is about to go. I waved him off and returned to work. It took until 5.50 pm to get back up to date then I could go through and have something to eat and watch some TV with Joey. I watched till 8.00 pm, came through and cleared the decks again so I could stay with Joey till later so at 8.40 pm I was back with him till 10.00 pm. At that time it was definitely “Nite nite Joey, see you in the morning.” and I came back to deal with both mail and blog. Given time I was going to see if I could solve the Skype problem as well. I think I’ll have the time, just not sure about the patience.

Are you serious……………………………………?

…………………………………………Oh good, you’re not.

And for all the World’s grandchildren

Monday 8th Feb.

It was the Worst of times. It was the best of times. (Apologies to Charles Dickens).The worst of times was settling for sleep at 1.15 am and being brought back to the surface at 2.05 am.The best of times was sitting having a cigarette and clearing my mind (THAT didn’t take long believe me, I have a head start) before finishing the cigarette and just lying on my back and hoping for the best. Since there seemed to be no lunatic women around at that time, I settled for what I could get, a bit more sleep. I woke again at 5.34 am.  I headed for the kitchen with my usual detour on the way. Once I’d had the morning meds I was able to take a coffee back to my room and make a start.

First job I tried to load Skype again but it wasn’t having any. Then my system wouldn’t move and ctrl/alt/del had no effect. I had to wait for the ‘System not responding’ to clear which took ages. I gave up on Skype and went straight to mail. By now it was almost 6.30 am so the new day’s mail had started joining last nights remnants. It took until 9.28 am to clear. I went through and opened Joey’s cage, washed my mug then came back and got dressed. Better to present myself as human (approximately) when Bev gets here, if she’s coming today. I went back to the lounge to watch Homes Under the Hammer with Joey.                                                                                                                               I worked again at the end of HUtH and since Bev didn’t call I assumed she must be off this week. About 11.50 am I made myself some lunch and stuck an episode of Murder She Wrote on to give me company while I ate. It was just typical that I got down to about a quarter of my steak in ale with mash when I saw Bev approach. I almost threw my tray into the kitchen and dashed to open the door.

She stayed a good 20 minutes chatting and we had a laugh about music from the 60’s which came about because I’m wearing one of the shirts Yvonne got me for my birthday. The only thing missing is my bellbottoms and I’m not missing those much since I like the slim or skinny leg jeans now. Don’t tell any teenagers I’m wearing them though or they’ll never wear them again. I remember a pair of flared trousers I used to have 60’s/70’s that were tight down to the knee and then just flared out from there. I loved those trousers which I think came from C & A. They got harder and harder to replace once styles changed, the manufacturers never seem to think of the generation who wore them still wanting them. It’s all about the next style down the line. While I’m ranting about style too, why is it women have so many more styles and colours to choose from? It doesn’t just affect me during the normal year but at sale time too as there’s hardly anything for men. In the 18th C men were the peacocks, why not now? Since my daughter and wife used to pinch my shirts it seems we can all wear and share a lot. No skirts with my knees but load my shirts with colour.

Bev left and I attempted to finish my now cold lunch. I washed the pots and went back to work. It was pointless going back to Murder She Wrote as I’d missed so much. Anyway, I noticed Twiggy was the subject of a Who Do You Think You Are at 2.00 pm so I’d come back and watch that instead. I finished in time to go back and enjoyed seeing Twiggy trace her maternal ancestry with one or two surprises. I also saw Escape to the Country before making myself go on a catch up session. I was surprised I’d stayed awake throughout. It was a close call this time in catching up with mail and watching my Road Trip and typically I enjoyed the start very much but I never reached the auction before falling asleep. I slept through the quiz ‘Pointless’ too.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Somehow I managed to wake in time for 6.00 pm and instead of having the second quiz Eggheads I watched Missing followed by Bones. Then the TV went off and I had a period of just trying to persuade Joey to say Best Boy. I was flogging a dead horse and I don’t see things changing now. He seems to be in a pattern that suits him. I wished him a good night, turned the lights out and went to my room. I worked till 9.30 pm then broke off to take my meds and just be sure I have everything I need for tomorrow in my coat. Judging by today’s weather I’m going to need it. That done I returned to work and just kept going until I was clear and able to do the blog.

The Happy Flower

The Mudlark

Tuesday 9th Feb

I was in bed by 11.45 pm last night. As usual I had a read and turned the light out at about 12.45 am. It took a while to get comfy as whichever way I lie, I manage to push the fat to the highest point and it’s all bone at the point that touches the mattress. I can feel every spring. Anyway I must have managed it as I was woken up by a loud sound. It took me a while to realise it was my phone telling me I had a text. It was 1.12 am. I smiled and answered then settled back down. Ten minutes later as I’m nodding, it went again. After responding to that one I thought I was safe and settled for the third time. All remained peaceful. I woke by the natural order of things at 5.01 am. Not bad at all.

I went straight through to take my meds and have some breakfast. This morning I did two rounds of toast as usual but could only eat one. I felt sick. I don’t want to jump the gun or anything but I do wonder if I’m pregnant. It would have to be a phantom pregnancy of course since I could only possibly ever have relations with a ghost. Isn’t it strange to hear it called relations as though we do it in front of an audience? No wonder male impotency is such a problem, the thought of the in-laws being there.                     As usual you’ve made me digress. It’s a couple of days I’ve felt a little off first thing and I wonder if my anti smoking tabs could be doing it even so late as 3 weeks after starting them.

I went through and signed on. The first thing I did was set the computer to restart from a previous date to see if it would solve the Skype problem. It actually brought back to old Skype logo to my screen but whatever the problem is, it’s still there. I’ll have to ask my nephew about a downloader. Ignoring that problem as something I can do nowt about, I went into my mail and almost fell off my chair. There were a lot and at 6.00 am I had ten minutes and there’d be a lot more too. Unfortunately I wasn’t going to make much of a dent in those before going out. I  got dressed so there were no last minute complications about getting on the bus then I started. By 7.15 am I’d dealt with 32 and was quite pleased but there was still twice that to go. The thought of making them go crossed my mind but I decided against that way. I opened Joey’s door and left the house.

I caught the bus without a problem though it might have been easier if he’d lowered the step. He was in a race with another bus from a rival company so I just sat forward, head resting on my crutches and drifted away. I got off in Chester at 8.45 am and as Yvonne wasn’t there, starting walking to meet her. I thought she’d have Reuben with her this morning too, but when she came into sight it was just Amelie again. Roobs would be joining us a little later it seemed. We went into a shop close by where we met to give Yvonne chance to use her phone, it’s like a telephone exchange sometimes. I pushed Amelie round until she was done. Once she was and took the pram back Amelie woke and with a cry said she was hungry. We headed for our favourite shop and the cafe.                                                                                                                                                                          I nipped to the loo while Yvonne ordered then took baby on my lap for a few minutes. As soon as Yvonne had donned her cape she fed Amelie and I ate my toasted sandwich (that I hadn’t wanted and had refused. Doesn’t anyone ever listen to me?) Once she’d been fed, I had Amelie back while Yvonne ate. I was pleased to get one or two little smiles (From Amelie not Yvonne, she scowls/growls to keep you away from her food).

Once we’d finished coffee and breakfast we went to get Reuben some pyjamas and I also found a sweet pair of pink dungarees with a cat’s face on for Amelie. I found a gilet for Roobs too for when it gets a little warmer. We went downstairs so Yvonne could get something and then out to another shop and another. Then we took a slow walk down to a cafe within a church which has a playcentre. I had another hold of Amelie while Yvonne ordered me a cup of tea. A few minutes later Roobs and Ugo arrived. Roobs was quite taken with the goat figure I’d bought his last weekend when shopping and Ugo seemed more than pleased with the chocolates I’d taken him.The special toys with a penguin and an owl that have 55 songs and can sing singly or in a choir we left with Ugo to read the instructions and sort out rather than let Roobs see them yet.

Once I’d finished my tea I saw it was time to go for my bus. Yvonne walked with me to the stop and out timing was perfect. The idiot driver didn’t lower the step again and this time I didn’t even have the aid of a pavement. Then he was so anxious to go, he moved off while I was still retrieving my travel pass. It was a job to reach a seat upright. Still, I did and assumed the position on head on hands and eyes shut to speed the journey.                                                                                                                                                                        When I got off the bus I called in at Pauline’s before dashing home to have a wee. I said hello to Joey, put my shopping away, took my coat ff and started work. That was at 1.10 pm. I didn’t get to move again until 4.20 pm just before the Road Trip. Not that I’d finished work but as a reward for having done so much. I fell asleep during the auction (Damn) and slept through the quiz as well. I woke up to realise the news was on. When that fact penetrated my brain I realised Missing had started on another channel and grabbed the remote. I followed that up with Bones and thought maybe that was enough of a treat for one day. So at 8.00 pm I turned everything off, made sure Joey was locked in and came back through. I spent until 10.15 pm getting finally up to date with mail before starting this, my blog. Early night I hope and no going out tomorrow. I want to get some washing done.

Gorgeous

My baby and her baby

Wednesday 10th Feb

11.30 pm to bed and a read till 12.20 am so I could finish the book I was reading. I woke once in the night to  visit the loo but had no problem dropping off again. 3.28 am was my time of being awake even though it was 3.31 am before I swung my legs out of bed. I logged onto the computer and headed straight for my gmail messages. There were just 27 this morning. By 4.35 am I’d finished those and moved on to the kitchen to take my meds and have breakfast. I put the washing machine on a quickwash. Today I had some Shreddies but after half an hour felt nauseous and had a bad headache. I wonder if it really is a reaction to the Champix I’m on to give up smoking. My mood is pretty low still too. I put the washing on to dry, went searching for batteries for an automatic air freshener and then found it was empty before taking a coffee back to my room. There were just 8 more messages to deal with which were done with by 5.40 am. I decided to lie down to try and clear my head.                                                                I rose again at 7.10 am and after checking my in box, wish I hadn’t. I went to empty the drier instead.

There was no use hiding. I worked till 9.00 am then stopped long enough to get dressed and to open Joey’s cage and make vague promises about HUtH at 10.00 am. I needed to get a move on if I wanted to see that. I did the best I could but was still 22 adrift. Still, I went to see my programme anyway. At 11.00 am I apologised to Joey and came back to work. I was clear at 11.50 am and wen to see to my lunch. I was going to have a cottage pie with two baps but when I buttered them I thought how nice they’d be with bacon on. It just so happened I had a packet in the fridge that had to be eaten by 13th. If ever a sign was needed, that was it. So that’s what I had for lunch.Two rashers of bacon on each bap and a little tomato sauce.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              I watch Bargain Hunt while I was eating and I knew that one team made a record profit at the auction. I wanted to see that but fell asleep just before the auction and didn’t come round until 1.55 pm. I slunk back to work.

At 3.45 my work was clear again and I decided to take a break. I wandered through to the kitchen and laid out some new coffee pods for the Tassimo machine as I used the last one this morning. I tidied the tinfoil from the grill where I’d done my bacon and tried to make he room look like someone cared. Then I went to the lounge and chatted to Joey. The conversation lasted about 10 seconds as I saw Dil approaching half an hour early. I bolted into the kitchen and started making him a cup of tea determined not to appear surprised at seeing him. He told me he’d been to a meeting in the Heritage Park over the road which finished early. There was no point in driving nearly an hour back to work then out again.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      We managed to have a good chinwag about our weekends, his being much worse as he’d been laying laminate flooring in the bedroom and redoing his bathroom floor. He still has twinges. We watched both our programmes, The Road Trip and Pointless before turning off and getting the games out. I believe the term they use is ‘least said, soonest mended’ so we won’t dwell on tonight’s results. I’m sure you’d only be bored. To put it another way, when he got up to leave at 9.30 pm I was ready to give him his birthday card to take home but keep the present to give to the first deserving person to walk past the house. I thought better of it but only because I’m a good brother who isn’t always out to beat his brother in every game.

After Dil left I did my usual tidy up then closed Joey’s cage before he came out to taunt me, washed the pots and then took my meds. Turning the lights off I was free to go through to my bedroom to start catching up again. That took me till 11.10 pm and then a quick blast at the blog means I hope to be in bed about midnight.

My delight.

Having a chat.

Thursday 11th Feb.

I made the midnight target with minutes to spare. I started a new book Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell. So much of it is familiar that I’m not sure whether I’ve read it before or whether it’s because it’s only recently I saw the excellent TV adaptation. (roll on the next series). I only read until about 12.45 am because the chapters were long and I prefer to finish reading at the end of a chapter even though on occasion that makes it very difficult to stop reading. Getting to sleep didn’t seem to be a problem.            No trips to the loo overnight but I did go when I woke at 4.28 this morning. Then it was a case of signing on and attacking my gmail messages. There were only 27 and I was clear by 5.35 am. I checked my bank and my State Pension had been paid , now based on a weekly payment rather than 4 weekly thanks to Yvonne. At 5.45 am I went to the kitchen for breakfast and to take my meds.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         After my cornflakes I was back in time for the deluge.

I thought I was prepared but I wasn’t. Things started slowly with just 1 then 6 but before I knew it they were on 57, 62, 71. I countered a threat from Microsoft of an update that would close my system in 4 mins thus kicking me out in the middle of something. I managed to put it on hold for 4 hours. I was done by 9.12 am and quickly got dressed and went to Pauline’s to do the lottery and get some bread. It turned into a bread only mission when I learned the lottery machine was down. When I got back I took the bread through to the kitchen then opened Joey’s cage door and refreshed his water and seed. He still hides in a corner when I approach the cage as though I’d hurt him. I’d have to catch the beggar first. I returned to work and found Microsoft was back on it’s 4 minute countdown. This time I left it and used it as an excuse to watch Homes Under the Hammer.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     When I came back it was finished and I had to sign back in again. There were only a dozen messages awaiting my attention which didn’t take too long to deal with. My postman came with details of my tax allowance for next year and then the both phones rang. I checked the mobile and it was an unknown (even though it was a local number) I refused the call and deleted it from the memory. I checked on the house phone and there was a message waiting. I always listen to them in case it’s something Yvonne has to deal with. No, it was yet another annoying message called at random to tell me I can claim from my bank. Well I can’t so bugger off will you !                                At 11.30 am I went through to the kitchen to peel my sweet potatoes and ready my sausages.

By 12.15 pm when Bargain Hunt started I was sitting down with my lunch. Ax the contestants were only part way through their buying when I finished eating I took my pl;ate though and washed everything I’d used. When I returned, they we’re ready to buy their last items each before going off to the auction. I tried really hard, honestly I did but I still managed to fall asleep before the auction. I didn’t wake until 2.05 pm and found Doctors on the TV. Disgusted with myself I turned the TV off and came through to work Joey squawking at my retreating back. He really doesn’t like the lack of sound around him when the TV goes off or I close my mouth.                                           Work was steady in the afternoon and I got a text at 4.00 pm to say Mike was on his way. I said I’d expect him about 6.30 pm ish. At 4.30 pm I abandoned all ideas of work to watch the Road Trip. I saw it to the end. I watched pointless almost to the end then must have nodded off just before 6.00 pm. I came round about 6.45 pm and perched next to me in his chair watching me was a Gremlin in the form of Mike. Guiltily I got up and made him a drink. By this time I’d missed most of ‘Missing’ but still had time for ‘Bones’ followed by ‘Would I Lie To You’ and then Murder in Paradise.

At 10.00 pm I locked Joey in, sent Michael to his bed and came through to work . My only interruption was when Mike got irate at the programme on TV and the contract they want ‘Junior’ doctors to accept and I went through thinking he’d called me. I finished the mail about 11.10 pm and started on the blog. I’m still hopeful for midnight.

Little Man

Coquettish.

Friday 12th Feb.

Midnight bed, read until 1.00 am then settle down.  Up at 2.10 am for a wee but I knew that wasn’t time to stay awake today. Back to bed and warmth.                                     Next time was different though, that was AWAKE time 3.44 am it read on my clock and I did verify it with my glasses on before moving. I powered up the computer and logged on going straight to my gmail.  Wonderful, only 32, I could knock those off in no time. In fact it took until 5.20 am with one or two more coming in.                                   Next I went through to the kitchen to take my meds. I decided against having breakfast as this is the morning I do my drugs for the week. I got my drugs drawer from the lounge and started. First of all one of my capsules split and started spreading powder everywhere then two tablets broke as they were being pressed out of a blister pack. Next, one got away and skittered across the floor. Naturally it played hide and seek before I finally found it. I was sorry I’d started. Then I prepared my next prescription request ready to deliver to the chemist’s on Monday. All of a sudden I started dry-heaving. All I’d had was the milk I take my meds with but I realised it was probably the anti-smoking drug as some people say you need to eat with it.

My coffee seemed to settle my stomach and I returned to the bedroom. I’m off to the nurse this morning and wondered what to do about these tablets. For a couple of weeks now I’ve known and others have mentioned that my mood isn’t as usual. For once they’re not being insulting. I’ve been low, I am low and the direction it’s taking isn’t what it should be. I’ve had some terrible nightmares which in one actually had me being violent towards someone else, that’s never happened before except towards myself. I’ve also been hallucinating- unless I’m being haunted that is. Seeing things running across my floor, seeing people approach in my peripheral vision who aren’t there sometimes even hearing things that aren’t there either. I think they’re all related to these tablets and I’m thinking I should stop them while I still have the common sense to do so.But, I have to ask. I may not have stopped smoking while taking them but at least I’ve cut down by two thirds which is pretty good.                                                      I carried on working.

At 7.15 am Mike’s alarm went off despite me telling him he needn’t set it. He wasn’t intending to go to his Dad’s until 11.00 am so he could have stayed in bed a while. Setting the alarm for that time meant he was intending to take me to the doctor’s.  If I were paranoid, I’d think he didn’t trust me to go. Anyway, I made him a coffee and took it through. It was up to him whether he left it and went back to sleep or got up. Eventually he got up. At about 8.10 am he ran me up to the surgery and then as usual carried on to his Dad’s or to Manchester at least.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Inside, it took Sister S about ten seconds to tell me to stop taking the tablets. She could see things weren’t right and said here was always the chance it would happen but we’d given it a good go. She didn’t harp on about carrying on with the non-smoking but said how pleased she was with progress made. She was there if I wanted more help and to ring if I needed her. I nearly laughed as I haven’t rung anyone in years so I’d be stuffed. When I left there I headed towards the bus but decided to go to the LIDL Supermarket as it would be warmer than outside. I got Ju’s flowers a day early. I still froze to death at the bus stop. When it came I was glad to sit down. I called at Pauline’s when I got off and did the lottery before going home to Joey and Homes Under the Hammer.

After my programme I came back to work to try and clear this morning’s batch. It took forever, or at least it did except for the break I took from 11.45 am to 12.30 pm when I had lunch. Today I just couldn’t be bothered so I went to the chippy. The curry sauce was terrible, like water with a raisin in. I couldn’t eat all the chips of course so the waste bin saw the rest as I’ve put Joey on a diet. I did return to work after lunch even giving up my Bargain Hunt as I wanted to reach the point of being clear before I did take TV time out and before Mike returned.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              I was clear by 3.00 pm and to celebrate I had a break to watch Move to the Country then I worked again from 3.45 pm to 4.30 pm and went to watch my last Road Trip of the week.I managed to see it all the way through tonight and started on my quiz. Part way through that I lost the plot and Zzzzz’d away for a while. I woke at 6.15 pm having missed the first quarter of my Missing Without Trace ( or whatever it’s called) but at least I caught the rest. Mike sent a text at 7.00 pm to say he was on his way so I watched Bones alone. Then ten minutes into Mastermind he arrived. I made a coffee and we watched the rest of it.

At 8.30 pm I went to get a shower.My mood was so low I didn’t even ask Mike for help with my hair. I noticed however that I’d have to ask for a haircut before the weekend is out. Between 9.00 – 10.00 pm I saw Shetland which is a really good thriller before finally closing Joey’s cage door ( don’t worry, Mike made me go back to let him in) and returning to my room. I was working on my mail when Mike came in and sat on my bed. He was worried my mood could mean I was cross with him despite knowing there was no reason. Once he was sure he was OK he decided to get up my nose in general by talking while I was trying to work. He was still there when I finished the mail and started the blog.  I had to physically overpower him, truss him in a sack and roll him along the passageway to his bedroom.  I still think there’s just a chance I might make midnight.

What Pops bought me.

With Bunny ears tucked under my chin.

Saturday 13th Feb.

I was in bed by 12.10 am with so much cream on my legs I almost slid right out again. I went for two chapters last night but had to settle for one and a half or I’d have been awake all night. The chapters are so long. So lights out about 1.00 am  and though I saw 1.20 am come and go I must have been asleep soon after. I woke at 4.48 am and don’t recall any nightmares but I know there were a few dreams that were uncomfortable though I can’t recall the content luckily. I attacked my gmail messages and cleared them by 5.50 am so went straight to the kitchen to have some breakfast and take my meds. I was just coming back to work when I heard Mike’s alarm for the first time. I know he didn’t sleep well last night so I took him a coffee and decided to leave him without a second call. If he got up great, if not, well so what.                                            He did get up 5 alarms later at about 6.50 am. By which time I’d been in hear over half an hour with the mail. He was ready to go by 7.20 am.

Having been to LIDL and got the flowers yesterday I didn’t want much main shopping this morning. Mike got a trolley, I got my cash and we bypassed the fruit and veg and went straight for the children’s clothes.  We made our way round and picked up what I needed and then after paying went through to get a coffee at McDonalds. My phone went with a text. It was my niece Karen who wanted to know if we were going over to collect the pies she got for me yesterday. I confirmed YES and arranged to meet at lunchtime. Off we went to Flint where we looked for a trolley for Mike to move a washing machine. We had no luck at what Mike thought was a reasonable price. Then it was coffee time so we got the chocolates from the car and headed to Temptations. Double trouble today as Kyle was off so we had two Ceri’s to contend with. One we don’t usually see as she usually does afternoons.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   We had a drink and Mike had his teasted toecake while the girls raved about the chocolates which were special handmade ones (not by me I hasten to add). Afterwards we looked at a few more shops then realised how late it was getting and had to head off on the next stage of our journey. Mike was worried our 40 minute journey to Colwyn Bay wouldn’t be done in the 45 minutes we had so he took the route I hate most-The Expressway- donned his cloak of invisibility with fingers crossed and revved the car up to a minimum of ten miles above the maximum speed all the way. I was really worried the g-force might leave me with a smile that ended round the back of my head when we got there. We made it with about thirty minutes to spare……..on the day before we left. I knew that electric storm was trouble.                                                                           Karen was already there when we arrived, but it’s only two minutes walk to her home from there. We were meeting in a pub called The Plough in Old Colwyn. First we traded kisses then we traded gifts so I had my precious pork pies. We chatted for  a few minutes before I ordered drinks and the food.  I had steak and ale pie with mash and it was excellent. Karen had a chicken burger which came with fries and a big side salad while Mike had fish and chips and he later said the fish was great. We were there for about an hour and a half.

Eventually we had to go as we still needed to find Mike’s truck, get back home with the shopping and see to Joey. I needed to work. Having said goodbye to Karen we drove into Colwyn Bay Town Centre and looked in a few shops before eventually finding one the same and at the same price as we’d seen in the morning. He took it……then thought better of it and paid. Back to the car again and this time without the cloak of invisibility and crossed fingers  we drove home the pretty route and as sedately as Mike ever drives ……..up every other driver’s exhaust pipe while cursing every driver on the road as incompetent, female or as a granddad (which he tends to forget he is).  At home we unpacked the car and put the shopping away. I released Joey but he wasn’t speaking to me and didn’t move from his perch. I had to leave to start work. Mike did Ju’s flowers into a lovely display for her.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     It was 3.00 pm and I worked like a Trojan ( not the virus honestly) till 6.00 pm then went to watch TV with Mike . NCIS then two more programmes I’ve forgotten already. At 9.00 pm I cam back through again to try and keep up with the mail to give me a clear run at the blog.

Face Off

Howdy pardner

 

 

 

 

Windscreen Wipers for my Glasses & The White Stuff Finally Appears.

Sunday 10th Jan.

Things are at least stable at the moment. I got my bedtime read until 1.00 am then turned the light off. Sleep wasn’t to long in coming. Neither was wakefulness though which caught me this morning at 4.54 am. We’re still hovering around that 4 hour mark. I don’t know whether the small gods have set that as my limit or perhaps they’ve gone (for now) and it’s my own body that’s betraying me.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Being so late, I went straight to the kitchen to take the anti-smoking tablet and took all my other tablets while there. This new tablet has to involve food so I had 2 small slices of toast from a mini loaf. That meant waiting around and having a cigarette to help me with timing. Maybe I’ll have to buy a kitchen timer soon.                                              I returned to work and stayed there hard at it until clear at 9.40 am. By that time I was yawning so often I never did get my mouth shut ( oi, play nice you lot) and the tears in my eyes were causing double vision. I went to the lounge and sat down. Well,I changed Joey’s seed and water first, then I sat down. I fully intended nodding off but got caught up in an episode of Matlock.

Mike got up about 10.45 am and didn’t seem much better. I said I didn’t mind if he went home almost straight away to get back to his bed and seeing a doctor. He said he wanted dinner first. We got dressed at 12.00 pm and about 12.30 pm headed off. It was Mike’s choice and he chose Prestatyn. We had a nice lunch though Mike didn’t have the appetite to finish his. When we came out of there it was a visit to a shop close to the car to look for a jumper in the sale. It was no M & S no, that’s not a sale price. We went back to the car and drove home.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Mike didn’t even get out of the car. I waved him off so he could go home and visit a drop in health centre before going to bed. I just came straight through to work. I worked through until about 6.00 pm then went through to have some tea, and to put the light on for poor Joey. He seemed quite talkative so we are obviously OK.

I stayed through there until Endeavor was over at 10.00 pm. I was able to come straight through and start work again on the blog and on catching up on the day’s mail. I think I’m looking at about 11.30 pm bed if I panic and write quickly enough. No doubt you’ll have caught on to the fact the blog is a lot shorter. It’s because My arms have shrunk and I can’t reach the keyboard.

Roobs asleep on mummy.

Ready for bed.

Monday 11th Jan.

Well, how things are looking up. I read till 1.00 am and turned out the light before falling asleep. I woke at 3.02 am but didn’t feel I had  to get up so didn’t. I lay there spending the lottery win I haven’t had yet. Yes, don’t worry, I hadn’t forgotten you of course. I’ll send a cheque. At some point I must have bored myself to tears changing all the rooms in the new house to accommodate all the guests, yes of course you’re one of them, need you ask? I fell asleep again. Next think I know it’s 5.44 am.                      I needed the trip to the loo and after an age of stop, start, I think I’ve finished, no I haven’t and don’t want wet feet, I went to the kitchen to start on the meds. The anti-smoking one first then the sprays, then the diabetic ones and lastly the usual crowd of 7 in 5+1+1 order. Then a cigarette while I put the toaster on with 2 small pieces of white bread. Tomorrow the anti smoking one is twice a day and then next Monday it’s double strength. Before day 14 I expect to be sucking my finger for timing instead of smoking a cigarette.

It was 6.30 am before I got back to my room with a coffee and I knew the avalanche would have occurred in my mail box to add to what I hadn’t done from midnight onwards. It was showing 94 when I started. Twenty minutes later it was showing 97. That’s not the way it’s supposed to go with hard work. It was about 8.15 am  when I paused to get dressed as I think my warden returns today. It was 10.05 am when I finally cleared everything and went through to the lounge to see Joey and also watch Homes Under the Hammer just in case I invest my Lottery winnings in old property and become a Landlord.  No, not Rachmann dear, I’ll be nice. Joey came out so I could replace his millet then went straight back in as soon as I had. At least he’s in chatty mood today.                                                                                                                                                           After homes Bev had still not called so I went back to work for a while.                                                                                                                                                                                                               At 11.50 am I was clear and still no visit so I went and made my lunch. The people at Weightwatchers would probably have screamed if they’d seen me have two rounds of bread and butter with the bangers and mash but to be brutally honest, the onion gravy was the best part of the meal and I wasn’t wasting that.

When Bargain Hunt ended I should have gone to check my mail box but I was too busy snoring by then. If Bev came I didn’t hear her. Maybe her holiday has gone a little longer than expected. I slept until 2.45 pm and even then finished a quiz that was on before moving. I felt so guilty when I went back to work that I stayed until clear at 4.40 pm and missed ten minutes of The Antiques Road Trip. I remained with the TV, except when I made myself some tea, until 9.00 pm when I turned off and wished Joey a good night. I took my meds then came through to play catch up. I’m due in Chester tomorrow and want to be as up to date as possible.

Wot choo doin’?

Haaaaiiiiieee ya, Take That !

Tuesday 12th Jan.

Arseinthis was less than generous this morning. I’d read until almost 1.00 am as usual then settled down snugly. After changing position a few times for comfort I dropped off. I woke or should I say was woken at 3.53 am to the sound of Arseinthis trilling, presumably in her bathtub. Something about Old fashioned Millionaire’s if I remember rightly. Not that I don’t appreciate a classic song or even that I deny someone the right to miss every key they aim for, it’s just a more appropriate time if preferable. Four hours in the future would be perfect. The big puzzle of the morning is why I’m attuned to her at all. She obviously didn’t intend to speak to me so no ‘favours’ were needed by her boyfriend or his kith and kin.

So, I was up. Might as well get on with some work so I signed in and hit my gmail post. As always I was moved by some and entertained by others,especially one from a friend who described how her State Governor has opened his mouth to say something ridiculous  and racist. Then he’d denied saying it at all before, in the face of video evidence, claiming the press was out to get him. This is a man who somehow despite similar gaffes in his first term of office managed to get re-elected and still won’t shut up. Perhaps a sign of things to come if Trump is elected President?                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I worked till 5.05 am then went to take the first of the anti smoking tablets of the day and my regular meds which included the pre-food ones as I intended to have breakfast today. Cornflakes it was and though tasty, I’m still not a fan of breakfast. I wasn’t sure if I had a sore throat starting but it seemed to disappear so I was still planning on Chester. I took a cup of coffee back to my bedroom office and started again.

At 7.00 am I got dressed and was dreading going out as I could hear the wind and the rain outside. At 7.20 am I left the house with my two bags of gifts which meant only being able to use one crutch properly. I wasn’t ten yards from the house when I was soaked to the skin thanks to rainwater running off my leather coat. My suede shoes were a much darker grey than when I put them on. By the time I reached the bus stop I couldn’t see.(I never did find windscreen wipers for my glasses). The rain was running off my hair, down the slick path  that is my forehead and straight into my eyes. I couldn’t put the bags down because of the puddles.                                                                 After 5 minutes the bus came. The driver must have felt sorry for me as he took my pass and scanned it himself. I sat down and put the bags down on the floor. Then I tried to get tissues out of my pocket to deal with my glasses. Doing anything with wet hands wasn’t easy. The journey passed in little bursts of me having my eyes closed.

Once I got off the bus I headed to a shop for more tissues. The rain in Chester was sporadic but was still there. It’s quite a long walk to Yvonne’s house so it took me a while and what a drag it was with those bags and the rain. When I rang the doorbell I’m sure Yvonne didn’t know whether to laugh or not as I must have looked a sight. I got rid of the coat and my gloves which helped and then unloaded the bag of gifts I’d bought. There were only Yvonne and Amelie downstairs. so they had theirs. Yvonne said Reuben would want Amelie’s penguin money box as he’s penguin mad.                                                                                                                                                                                                             Yvonne made me a warming cup of tea and then Reuben came down. He liked his Gruffalo book but he seemed to love his Elmo toy which was a surprise. Ugo came and had his hat and fancy sticky tape  dispenser. I took my tea through to  the lounge as Yvonne took Amelie through. I held Amelie on my lap and she was as good as gold. Yvonne warned me she wouldn’t be quiet for long but I didn’t hear a squeak from her all morning and she was only away from me for a feed. It seems I’m the lucky one she’s chosen to be calm with which is lovely……or lucky.

At midday I announced I had to go as I had a lot of work to catch up on. Ugo said he’d run me home rather than go out in the rain again. On the journey I decided to have sausage and chips from the chippie rather than spend time making (heating) something. Ugo pulled up and came in with me, He had fish and chips to share with Reuben. Reuben was really good with Joey, keeping his distance and just talking about him. There was no destructive mood either but he wasn’t very good at eating any fish. When it came time to say goodbye I waved them off then came back to wash the pots before starting work.                                                                                                                                                   I worked till 4.30 pm then went through for my Antiques Road Trip. I was asleep before the set had warmed up. I woke up in the adverts afterwards. My quiz started, I saw a little of that and bang, I’d gone again. I was awake in the adverts and had to force myself to watch the second quiz, then a Railway Journet before the Celebrity Antiques Road Trip at 7.00 pm. No way was I falling asleep during that.

At 8.00 pm after my programme was finished I decided I’d better turn off before I fall asleep again. I said bye-bye to Joey but I’d see him again at tablet time, and came through. I worked and answered mail until 9.15 am when I broke off to take my meds which included the second of the non-smoking tablets. Maybe we’ll see of this makes a difference. After that it was a proper goodnight to Joey and I returned to the attack, the blog past had to be done too. I was clear of mail by 10.10 pm so able to do the blog at my ease and I can pick up any stray mail later and still manage an early night.

Amelie and Me.

Family trio.

Wednesday 13th Jan.

It was a 2.53 am start today which isn’t as bad as it sounds since I turned my light off for sleep early last night having only read until 12.30 pm. I know I’ll reach ‘zonk’ stage at some point today but I’ll have to hope it isn’t mid Yahtzee. After  visiting The Palace of Piddle I came back and signed into the computer and headed for my gmail. By 4.20 am I’d cleared the first lot and was taking a well earned breather. I’d been reading about the plight of the orang-utan in Borneo as a result of the slash and burn policy of those growing the palm oil crops. Their are respritary problems and deaths of humans as well as the orang-utans but nothing seems to stop the increase in the palm oil trade. An excellent piece by Darcy Alexander Shilllingford brought this to life for me  http://travelingspaceopera.com/2016/01/08/bornean-sanctuary-part-ii/   I hope something can be done. I don’t think we can afford to lose another species, especially one so important.

I’d taken a drink of my Pepsi Max and had such a pain across my chest that it was putting me off drinking again. Ridiculous isn’t it. Suddenly I felt mortal and started to think about all my family and friends. Then I decided there was no way I was going to pop my clogs before my beef dinner on Sunday and my birthday on Monday. Sorry, I stopped thinking about you all and risked another drink. I survived and carried on working until 5.35 am when I went for breakfast and meds. Two rounds of toast and lashings of butter I had and it was lip smackingly good. I put the washing machine on quick wash and took my coffee through to the bedroom. It was 6.06 am when I started again and just managed the one before the three became eighty eight. This was hard graft. At 6.20 am I checked the washing machine and put my stuff on to dry for 3 hours.

By 9.00 am I was doing quite well but I stopped anyway and got dressed. It was time to visit Pauline. Horror of horrors, not that I wanted one, she had no chips and curry sauce left. I had to buy a liver and onions with mash, not that I wanted one. I got bread and my TV mag plus some cigarettes. Once I got back home I sorted Joey out then hung my almost dry washing on the airer. No avoiding it any longer I had to return to work. I was clear at 9.45 am and had a little search on ebay for a shirt. I dream of finding one like I had in the 60’s, my favourite shirt ever.Instead I bought a different one as there was nothing like  mine there.                                                                                            I wen through to watch Homes Under the Hammer with Joey and I slept through part of it wondering if the Lotto was going to come up for me and give me the chance to buy and redesign a house or would it go to someone with good taste.  The postman has come while I was asleep and left a card to say he’d tried to deliver a parcel that needed signing for. I didn’t hear a thing so it’s likely he didn’t use the bell.                                                                                                                                                                                                           After that I returned to my screen to play catch up again and to have another peep at ebay. I was there till 12.10 pm before going back to do my lunch.

From lunch I went straight into sleep mode for three quarters of an hour so it was 1.45 pm before I got back to the bedroom. There had been a little surge so I was occupied until almost 3.15 pm. TV till 3.45 pm work till 4.30 pm then Antiques Road Trip. I wasn’t many minutes into it when I saw Dil approaching. I went to make him a cup of tea before he came through, he was too fast. We watched the end of that and then as usual watched Pointless. As soon as that was over off went the TV and out came the table and the Yahtzee. I won the first game 4-2 despite Dil having Yahtzees. Somehow my game was just glued together better. The second game was 3-3 so I still won overall much to Dil’s disgust, he’s convinced I copy him.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           The Trivia didn’t go my way at all Dil had more pieces than me all the way through and I couldn’t hit the place where the pieces were won. To be fair he played very well though I’d never tell him that as it’s more fun moaning at each other. Anyway he reached the middle and answered the question. There was still time for one game of cribbage and though I had some reasonable hands, Dil had good ones and he played for my points. He won by about a dozen points and went home the victor. I told him I’d see him Sunday and he didn’t think I knew about it. I told him it’s a freebie and he said it isn’t so I have another argument on my hands now.

Dil left at 9.30 pm. I washed the pots and tidied up before wishing Joey goodnight and coming through. Just as well as there is plenty of mail again. Still, I reckon another early night is on the cards.

The Champion’s Fist.

Mummy’s Love

Thursday 14th Jan.

It’s truly remarkable. I woke this morning again at 2.53 am, I felt for the lamp to turn it on and couldn’t find it and something seemed out of place. I found I was already sitting up on the edge of the bed scratching my left lag. I’m so glad I trimmed the talons last night or I doubt there’d be any skin left. I have no idea how long I’d  been sitting there. As my internal alarm went off or before that maybe? I visited the loo and then came back and signed on. I was so frustrated when doing the mail as I’d just reached the last lime in a long letter when the system closed down on me. It was only as it automatically restarted I realised what had happened.  Microsoft updates again with no warning so it could be postponed. It took from 3.40 am to 3.50 am and I was so relieved to find it had saved the email I was working on.                                                                         At 4.50 am I broke off to have breakfast and take my meds. I also decided to peel my sweet potatoes for lunch and an onion to make onion gravy at the same time. I was going to have a beef joint with the potatoes but that already comes with gravy so I settled on sausages. That way there will be some left for a sandwich for Mike if he needs it.

By 5.30 am I had also taken a full bag of food waste out and started a new one. I came back to my room to start on the mail again but there wasn’t much there. The perfect opportunity to have a look at ebay before the mail came pouring in. I did what needed doing and at 5.45 am signed into ebay. I’ve always been fascinated by the steampunk clothing, I think most of it very stylish. So when I did a search for brocade waistcoats I wasn’t surprised to see a lot of them were steampunk. It also brought up some very stylish Edwardian jackets/coats. I’ll say here and now if I’d won the lotto last night I’d be needing a new wardrobe. Though I do wear Edwardian clothes, the steampunk just add a new layer of style completely.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Between 6.10 am and 6.20 am the mail started coming and then kept coming. I concentrated on it to the exclusion of anything else except when I read a piece by my friend Geoff at Tangental who happened to be in Denmark and made mention of bacon. At that point I had to divert long enough to stem the flow of saliva by planting a couple of tissues in my mouth and using a couple more to clear the puddle from my keyboard..

It was 8.40 am before I cleared that first lot. It was a good time to get dressed ready to go to Pauline’s for my new lottery tickets. It was raining on my way there but I noticed a number of cars going past with snow on their bonnet so it must have been snowing in Holywell and the villages beyond probably. It was raining even harder when I was going home again. I was glad to be in it was really quite cold outside. Joey was happy to be released from his cell and must have been feeling quite chatty. He came out to visit his mirror so I was able to put some new millet in for him, that should last all of ten minutes. A few pieces of mail had come in which I cleared and at 10.00 am I was ready for Homes Under the Hammer.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Once that finished I worked for 35 minutes and then went to make a start on my lunch. Of course I forgot to take my pre-foodies before I started so there wasn’t a 15 minute delay between taking them and eating as there should be. There was a least 5 minutes though and I’ll add an extra 10 minutes to the breakfast ones, how’s that? The meal was very enjoyable, especially all the onions in the gravy.

I heard from MuJo that John has been ill with his Angina again and now it snowed all last night and shows no sign of letting up today. I hope I see them before Summer  or I’ll be buying the next set of Christmas presents.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            I also heard from Mike who still feels rough and won’t be over tonight. How inconsiderate of him, I’ll have to eat the sausages I save him for a sandwich now. All he thinks about is self, self, self. He’s not going to see his father tomorrow either which is most unlike him. In a way it’s good (I hope) in that the home will have to see he gets safely to the hospital for an x-ray instead of always waiting for Mike to arrive from so far away or arranging his appointments for a Friday because Mike is up. It means he doesn’t get good visits with his Dad.

I spent the afternoon making sure I stayed up to date until 4.30 pm when my time was my own. Nothing could spoil my Antiques Road Trip ( other than one of the dealers who was on). Then of course came quizzes 1 & 2 followed by a quick nip in here to see things weren’t getting out of hand so I could get back to WHAT!! It’s not on? Oh no, I had to quickly rearrange my viewing. It turned out if didn’t matter much as I watched something from 7-8.00 pm  then fell asleep during the first half of the surprises London has to offer beneath the ground from Churchill’s War Cabinet Offices. To the Silver Storage place and now the floors being built beneath street level for the British Museum, four floors I think. At 9.00 pm I came through rather than waste more time

I had been working on the mail for a while to get me to a reasonable state again. I shall try to describe my room to you. A square-ish room I sit with my back to the window. To my left is my bed and in front of me the wall on which the door sits, which is almost exactly to my right ( I never said it was a big room). Right, it was about 10.00 pm and the hairs on the back of my neck rose. From the corner of my eye I saw someone walk into the room beside me, dressed partly in green I think. My first thought was another cheeky burglar though I wasn’t in a panic. I looked up…..and nothing, no-one. I’m either going doolally tap or I’ve just been visited by a ghost. I promise I was not dozing at the keyboard as I’d have accepted that  and laughed it off. I think it was a male and almost definitely not belonging to me. Is it time for a new pair of glasses? I wrapped up the mail quite quickly to concentrate on the blog and the chance of asking you about this. To my mind, this is now the second time I’ve had a definite visit I can’t write off to being ‘More of the gravy than the grave’ to quote Ebeneezer.

Hoping for quite an early night as I have the surgery at 8.30 am again.

From 7th Jan

From 14th Jan 2 wks old today.

Friday 15th Jan

3.21 am saw me up and about today.I’d got my early night at 11.30 pm and turned my light off at midnight so not too shabby all things considered. Nothing disturbed my sleep and I got up quite happily. After a visit to the loo my main concern was mail so I signed in and started on that straight away.  At 4.30 amthough I took a break to go and take my meds as well as prepare next weeks meds in the container. Once that was done I put two slices of bread in the toaster, took my two pre-foodies and my anti-smoking tablet. For the sake of irony I then smoked a cigarette for timing before having the toast. I took my two after food tabs and brought the coffee back to my room. By 5.45 am my post box was empty so I got dressed. I could hear the rain coming down out there still so I knew I’d get soaked on the way to the surgery later.

I left the house at 8.45 am and underwent a major surprise. It had been snowing overnight and though the rain I hear had lessened what was on the ground, the rain had now ceased and it was snowing again. I had to hope there wasn’t a long wait at the bus stop as I was shaking with the cold.                                                                                                      The bus came quite quickly and I was in town by 8.00 am. No point in going round the supermarket so I stepped out for the surgery trying to avoid slippy spots on the way. The worst place was the surgery itself as it was quite a slope down from the footpath to the doors and there was ice about. Inside it was nice and warm but I made sure I didn’t go to sleep.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       It was just 8.10 am when I got there so I’d done quite well. Twenty minutes to wait for my appointment and sure enough dead on time she was there. The appointment itself lasted all of 5 minutes but it was worth any time when she agreed to call me David and said “And I’m S…….” which was unexpected but nice.

It was time to walk back into town. I was there from 8.50 am to 9.15 am and frozen to the core. The bus shelters offered no respite from the biting cold. I was never so glad as when the bus finally came except maybe actually getting in the house 15 minutes later. The warmth was glorious. I let Joey out, told him I’d be back at 10.00 pm to see our programme and came back to restart work. I worked from 9.30-10.00 am, from 11.00-11.50 am and from 1.00- 3.55 pm before catching up. After that I went through to join the bird who’d been calling his name quite loudly to get my attention. I found a text on my phone from Mike sent at 1.14 pm that said he was on his way so he shouldn’t have been too far from 4.00 pm arriving. It seems the roads weren’t too nice and he arrived at 4.45 pm while I was watch the Antique Road Trip. I made him a cup of coffee anyway because I’m good like that. Between the two of us coughing and spluttering we sounded like the doctor’s surgery.                                                                            I caught up on how Mike’s doing and what kind of a week he’s had. Rough by the sounds of it. I mentioned it might have been less rough if he’d gone to the doctor on Monday and he just made some nonsensical noises about pots, kettle and black.

We watched Pointless then for some reason I thought it was 6.30 pm and being nothing much on I’d go for a shower. It was of course only 6.00 pm and I missed Eggheads because I didn’t think to check. To be honest I think I was starting to drift off for a power nap which I hadn’t managed today. Anyway with Mastermind and A Question of Sport there was something to come back to and then we tried the first episode of a new series. Quite good but I was pee’d off that it wasn’t a complete story each week so now I have to make sure I watch it for the next 5 weeks.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            At 10.00 pm I came through to  play catch up with the mail and to get the blog done. Shopping tomorrow.

Roobs starts a zoo

Cows join the Zoo

Saturday 16th Jan.

I was in bed for midnight and after a short read found myself turning the light off at 12.30 am and snuggling down under the quilt. Time up today was 3.50 am and after the obligatory trip to Looville I went straight to the kitchen to take my meds and have some breakfast. Today is the first day of week 2 of the non-smoking meds and the strength doubles. I’m expecting great things of the altered receptors in my brain over the next couple of days. I’ve heard such good things about this drug, and seen it in action with Mike that I can’t accept failure. I hope there’s a miracle in the offing.

Coming back from the kitchen I logged on to the computer and opened the mail. Not too bad at all. I was able to get clear by 5.50 am. That meant I would be clear when the deluge started and ready to leave it to get Mike up. Leaving it when I know it’s there has always proved hard. Like last week his alarm went off at 6.15 am. I darted through to the kitchen to put the kettle on, there was plenty of time though. He totally ignored that first alarm and also the second one which went off before I delivered his coffee. I woke him to say the drink was there then returned to my desk. There was another alarm which was also ignored and then one last one which was followed by some real groaning and the patter of tint feet (size 6’s).  4A and 1C is better than some weeks. After ten minutes I followed him through to the lounge. I could see the shape of him in the chair hunched over like a bird of prey. I suggested he minded his eyes (no response) so I turned he light on. Yep, fast asleep again. I woke him and suggested he drink his coffee.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I managed to do a few pieces of my mail then paused to get dressed. I heard Mike go through to his room to do the same so I guessed he might just be awake. We were on our way out at 7.20 am but it was minus 2 when we went outside and the car windows were caked in ice. We still managed to get to ASDA by 7.45 am and I found the one cash machine with any money so things were going well.

I didn’t need potatoes today so first stop was flowers for Julia, we chose a nice mixed bunch and I added a bunch of Welsh daffodils to decorate the front of the vase. I bought some candles and also some decorative model houses which burn tea lights. I didn’t think I’d bought a lot of food today not a lot of gifts but the bill at the till certainly gave me pause. Mike gave applause to the cashier for giving me a heart attack and we headed for the cafe so I could sulk and recover. From ASDA we drove straight to the Parcel’s Office in Flint to collect the parcel I’d missed on Wednesday. It turned out to be two shirts I was waiting for. We moved on and parked up outside Temptations. There was time to have a cigarette as we walked over to the shops first where I didn’t pick up much and then after picking up so seed bells for Joey we went to Temptations. I ordered the drinks and Mike’s teasted toecake and passed over a box of chocolates for them to enjoy. I wasn’t expecting Ceri to hand over a card and gift to me. I sat down in surprise and asked if I was to open it today or wait till Monday. Today was best. A lovely birthday card which unfortunately showed the right age so I knew where their information had come from now. The gift was a beautiful boxed pen. I thanked everyone who was there.

We had a look round a couple more shops that were showing Sale signs but the only thing we bought were a pair of innersoles for Mike’s shoes. As it was getting on towards lunchtime Mike asked what we were doing. Thinking of proximity I suggested a place then came up with another idea, a cafe we’d visited just once before where I could satisfy a craving for bacon and Mike could have a meal if he wanted. In the end I had a sausage, bacon and black pudding toastie, Mike had the same content but in a bap. They were very filling. Finally we could go home.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Once we got here the shopping was unloaded and put away. Joey was released from his enforced imprisonment and I was able to come to work. I stayed here solidly from 12.45 pm to 5.15 pm until I was clear. I knew that wouldn’t be an end to it but I could devote some time to keeping Mike company and watching TV. We seemed to take turns at nodding off and missing chunks of programmes but we did have two episodes of Beowolf and the final episode of Foyle’s War. At 10.00 pm I came through to finish the night off with a mail catch up and finishing the weekly blog.

All in all not a bad week.

Spot the Baby.

We are the Champions.

Thanks for popping in. I wish you all a wonderful new week with wishes come true and Hugs Galore.

 

 

Arseinthis descends & Open Rebellion.

Sunday 27th Dec.

I know I said I’m feeling somewhat better. I improve daily and return to normal. I just don’t need to rush to normal as quickly as I seem to be getting there. Are you listening Somnos? Over the Christmas period going to bed late isn’t strange, so turning my light out at 1.00 am last night after the first two chapters of my last Terry Pratchett book is normal. There was no real need though to be up and about at 3.12 am. The same messages would have waited until a bit later, until a fair bit later in fact. No-one can be surprised should I have a snooze later.

As it was, I took the opportunity to deal with my post which included kind comments on the last blog posted just last night. So hard to  believe this new blog will cover the period of a New Year. As I wasn’t having breakfast today there was no rush on taking my tablets so I hung on until I found it was almost 8.15 am. I took  everything I needed to and then carried a coffee back to my desk. As soon as the mail was clear I joined Joey in the lounge. Mike got up about 9.50 am and I made him coffee then sat aghast as he fell asleep in the chair and ignored it. How can anyone spend ten hours in bed and be tired?To be fair he wasn’t well and couldn’t bring his breathing under control. I remember being told about breathing into a bag helping   so I stuck him in a back bin bad and kept breathing till the air had gone. Didn’t seem to help so that’s one old wive’s tale to ignore in future.

There was no urgency to go out for dinner today so I made something at home and tried to get him that way. At least while he ate the lamb and sweet potato mash I managed to eat the rest of the Titterton’s Pork Pies before he announced he was peckish again. We even had a pudding of syrup  sponge and custard  just to be on the safe side. We both relaxed after lunch until Mike announced it was time he was on his way. I know he had to see his Dad before travelling back down to Rugby and home. He brought the car to the front of the hose and I helped him load up. I knew he had a bag of washing ( which I would have done had he been staying longer) so I added a bag of mine since his machine would be on anyway. That means I just have to hoover tomorrow.

I found myself watching an unusual film called Beautiful Creatures which I quite enjoyed. The ending was left open enough for a sequel I think. I’d love to see it as I like a happy ending and it showed promise. After it was over at 9.00 pm I closed Joey in , turned everything off, took my meds and came through to work. There was quite a bit of mail to cope with but I’m under no pressure.

Monday 28th Dec.

I  read until 1.00 am last night then lights out. When I woke I lay there on my back for a minute before getting up. It wasn’t that I couldn’t move, rather that I was waiting for the right moment. It appeared the right moment was 2.22 am. I laughed, ha ha at the whimsy of the gods as they must laugh at my naivety and oft times stupidity. This felt a little spiteful and way outside the capabilities of my usual crew. Given that it’s been a while since I saw them even though I have felt their capriciousness a few times, I wondered if they’d been able to learn these new skills. No, this definitely had another’s touch. Should a fresh name be added to my Pantechnicon of the gods?

Without a doubt. Arseinthis seems to have stepped aboard the bus and is looking for new worshipers to give the adoration she craves. So far that adoration seems to consist of a sewer rat that got in the way of her mental thrust and a very small budgie. As yet she’s barely 6″ tall and is hoping to catch some of the weaker minds to help her grow in stature. Small but perfectly formed as they say. Perfect if you’re an opera star I think, as that seems to have been her model. Not just any opera star though. Swathed as she is in a bedsheet with one shoulder showing, and with a bosom you could rest your teacup on. Her vanity shows through as she asks, ” Does my bum look big in this?” Immense might be a better word though already lacking sleep I hesitated to use it.

By 5.30 am I’d had enough of hearing how Arseinthis deserved to be adored and thought she was doing such a great line in self-adoration that she wouldn’t miss me. I escaped to my chair in the lounge and promptly fell asleep until 7..45 am.  It was wonderful. I went through and took my meds and had a small breakfast before bringing a coffee back to my now unoccupied room.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            I worked until I was clear about 9.15 am then got dressed and went to Pauline’s for bread. It was strange to see the road so quiet and though there was one person chatting in the shop, I didn’t meet another soul outside. I bought some crisps, bread and my cigarettes to keep me going a couple of days. I know things will be back to normal tomorrow but I won’t be taking my bus to Chester as Yvonne will be in hospital why they check her and the baby out to make sure they don’t need to operate again. She actually has her fingers crossed as it will mean 3 days complete peace and quiet in hospital. I’m hoping it will be a natural birth this time.

I returned to work until 11.00 am then went to keep Joey company and turn the TV on. We (I) watched the absolutely terrible UK version of buying lockers which haven’t been paid for. At 12.30 am when Bargain Hunt came on I had lunch. Back to normal meals Yay. After lunch I came back through here just to keep up. There was a constant stream of post from across the world. One thing that affected me deeply was the outpouring of love for my friend the beautiful Jo Robinson who lost her husband suddenly on boxing day. She’s been supportive of so many other people it’s nice the support is going in her direction now.At 4.30 pm I went back through to the lounge  until bedtime. I watched the first part of The Hobbit which though good, didn’t grip me in the way the LOTR films did. But it was the same with the books too. It was a pleasant few hours though. I was ready to turn off at 9.00 pm as usual when Joey decided to come out, hedge hop my forehead and go land on the mirror to argue with himself. I had to wait for him to go in so I could lock up, turn off and go through. That was about 9.15 pm.

Since then I’ve dealt with my post and coped with arguments with my daughter about my birthday. I want to slip a £10 max budget on a gift and limit it to a shirt. She has other ideas. I don’t want a fuss or I’m going to start believing the hype that I’m getting old. I still have an 18 years old’s brain and damn him he says he wants it back.

Cat allergy.

A life on the open road

Taken in hand by a Beautiful Woman.

Tuesday 29th Dec.

I turned my light out at 12.30 am to get to sleep sooner. It didn’t work too well as for some reason I was tossing and turning. Eventually I was away so I’m not sure I gained any sleep time. I woke at 2.17 am to a screeching in my head “But they must believe”. I saw the one with the super bosom for her tea, and tray for those behind which I hadn’t noticed somehow yesterday. She was about 4″ tall giving me hope that the sewer rat had reached the end of it’s short life or the budgie had found a more suitable recipient of it’s belief. A short time with Somnos could do that. Whatever the reason Arseinthis sounded desperate. I have to hope that there are no weak minds about. I’m so glad Mike has gone home since he’s susceptible to the siren song of a woman. Their chances with me are strictly limited since I can barely( pun intended) remember what a woman looks like. So yet again I’ve been woken for nothing.

One night last week before Christmas arrived I was just nodding off when a woman came up behind me and encircled me in her arms. The soft feeling I had in my back was enough to startle me awake. The whole thing lasted about 20 seconds which might be a record for me. Getting back to sleep proved difficult. Getting back to sleep this morning was proving just as difficult. I turned to my mail and dealt with that but it was soon done so there I was at 3.45 am with nothing to do. I got back into bed and started to read hoping that would help me drop off. All it got me was a few chapters further on in my book.                                                                                                                                      By 5.30 am I realised I’d no idea at all what I’d just read and it would be tonight’s reading again. The thing is I know what day it is. Yes it’s Tuesday but it’s also the day everyone is back in work. Under normal circumstances that would hold no fear for me but today it does.

I got out of bed and went through to the kitchen to take my meds and to have breakfast. The last few days have been no fun with the meds as I’ve wanted to vomit every time I’ve taken a drink to swallow them. I think my head is fixated on a what if scenario if the milk was off. Anyway today I decided to take the meds using Pepsi max as I usually do with my pre-foodies. Ugh, that was awful. Pepsi Max doesn’t mask the taste of tablets that start to dissolve ………… milk does.                                                                        I had two small rounds of toast that had gone cold and made a coffee to take the two after food tablets. My coffee I took back to the bedroom and has just finished the four pieces of mail in my inbox when the daily deluge started. It didn’t worry me at all today as I had time on my side.                                                                                                                         I couldn’t remember whether the DWP (Dept. Works and Pensions) started their phones from 8.00 am or 8.30 am. Normally it wouldn’t bother me as Yvonne makes and takes my calls for me but today she’s in hospital being monitored….or she was at the time. They’ve since sent her home saying they’ll start on 31st but today the head isn’t engaged. So,it falls on me to make my own phone call scary as it is. I chose to try at 8.15 am and after the usual push button 1 a few times got through to a human being. The call centre is in Scotland and I got through to a very patient person. A call that might normally take 5 minutes took 20 minutes of stuttering that annoyed  even me. The young man on the other end didn’t try to finish my sentences, allowed me plenty of time to answer his questions and was generally very helpful. I explained (again) that I NEVER answer the phone so he’d have to leave a message if he wanted something. I came off the phone a nervous wreck and totally drained but I’d claimed my state pension to start next month (January)

I returned to work for another hour or so and then at 10.35 am got dressed and went to Pauline’s to collect a free lottery ticket, my new TV magazine and a meal which for a change was steak cottage pie with mini roast spuds and veg. Pauline said it was proving popular. When I ate at noon I could see why. It did make a difference to the usual microwave dinners you get. Even Joey thought so, or at least that’s what I imagine he was saying when he sat on top of the cage bobbing up and down and squawking. Either that or he was testing the springs in his legs for a high jump and was egging himself on.

After lunch I caught up on the mail that had come in before returning to the lounge and my chair. The intention was to do an internal examination of my eyelids but despite having the TV on it seemed one of the small gods was hovering nearby, It may have been Somnos or one of his brothers or perhaps Arseinthis still smarting about some of my earlier thoughts and seeking sweet revenge. Never let it be said that the gods are benevolent, they’re as vengeful as can be. I opened my eyes and sat up attempting to take an interest in the goggle-box but it couldn’t grip me. It’s lucky I think Joey’s brain is small enough to be missed as nothing stopped him providing the entertainment I needed. At 5.00 pm I had a light tea which was good considering the amount I’ve put away over the holiday period. I watched my quiz, some film or other then turned over to watch the last hour of Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather during which he appeared in the final scenes.                                                                                                                                                    At 9.00 pm I turned off, locked Joey away and went to take my meds. That done I turned the lights out and came through for a last go at the mail and to do the blog.

I can’t find my legs. Anyone seen em?

Portrait of innocence.

Wednesday 30th Dec.

My light went out about midnight, remarkably after the antics recently of Somnos I slept until 5.17 am. I don’t know whether I dreamed the rumour that (My) Brother Jake has fixed Somnos up with Arseinthis to try and increase the stature of both. Though I’m nor sure Arseinthis could manage a change in stature without falling over. I’m not sure if goddesses get bra fittings but I’m sure hers will contain at least 3 x’s and I’m sure I’m talking kegs here. Anyway the sleep having been enjoyed it was time to get up. A visit to the Palace of Piddle first then through to  the kitchen to take my meds and have breakfast. Breakfast being a necessity today as it’s games night and no time for tea. I had a message from my friend Charlie last night that she’s made me a cake and Lis, her Mum, will be playing messenger with it today. She herself will be over to see me during the first week in January. Apparently it’s a walnut and banana cake so anyone of you who want a slice and a cuppa feel free to pop in.

Once breakfast was over I nipped a card round to Bert next door who is 70 today. He doesn’t look or act that age. He’d be out of the house to pick up his morning paper at 7.00 am. One of the best neighbours it’s possible to have, Bert collects my bins and recycling bags after collection on a Saturday and makes sure they’re safe on my porch. I started to work on my mail which this morning was way over the 100 mark with more coming in all the time. At 7.15 am I pause because the sky has just descended with a clatter outside my front door. When I checked it was the bloody wind throwing my big wheelie bin and little food waste bin around like toys. I had to fix the lid of the food waste bin. As I was finishing Bert appeared with his paper and thanked me for the card. I told him to drop in for a cuppa and some cake this morning.

In the end I didn’t see Bert because his family picked him up but Lis came with the cake. I think she remembered I’m not a fan of cake as she suggested I give it to visitors. She left about 11.30 am after a coffee as she was going out for a birthday lunch with her daughter in law. I did myself some micro chips which I had with cold meat left from Christmas. I didn’t tell Joey I had chicken on my plate. We watched a double show of Bargain Hunt together then I left to return here to work. More emails to go at. At 2.00 pm I’m intending to watch a film with Nicholas Cage who I don’t rate at all, but some of the films he’s in are good. National Treasure today.                                                                  When we reached 2.00 pm I got a text from Mike to say he was on his way. That meant about a 4.30 pm arrival. I started watching the film and at 3.30 pm Dil arrived unexpectedly. I made him a cup of tea and we chatted about Christmas as we watched the film, Dil having said to leave it on as he enjoys that type of film. It finished about 4.00 pm but we left it as the film Monsters inc was due on which would bide out time till Mike arrived.

Dil heard the door about 4.30 pm so I went and put the kettle on. Someone walked in wearing Mike’s face but carrying fruit so I knew it wasn’t him. These aliens are devilish clever. Anyway, we needed the third player now so the TV went off and out came the Yahtzee.The first 6 games I was swindled and bamboozled as the pair of them got Yahtzee after Yahtzee with no effort and I just played wallflower round the edges. I think Mike won 4-2 over Dil and I just got nowhere. The second set of 6 started badly I recall but then I felt the tingle in my throwing arm. Once we realised it wasn’t a stroke I threw and actually got a Yahtzee. Huh, I made it look so easy as to be criminal. I won three games but only drew the match.

Out came the 20th year Anniversary edition of Trivia. Surely I could show my mastery here. But no, as the game came to an end, despite me having answered lots of questions, some of them even correctly, Dil had 5 pieces of pie, Mike had 4 pieces and I was drowning in the shallow end with just 3. Like I said, swindled and bamboozled. Dil went home at 9.30 pm and I sat with Mike to watch 2 episodes of Would I lie to You. Believe me, they would. After that I was able to come through to do the blog and answer my outstanding mail which was at 79 at that pint. I will be in  bed for midnight though.

Thursday 31st Dec.

OK, this morning I was in open rebellion, I just wasn’t sure who against. I got to bed around 12.15 am. I started to read but was visited by Mike who wanted to show me something(s) on his tablet. It turned out to be shoes, wingtip, co-respondent, two tone call them what you will. He finally left me about 1.00 am which left me smoking a cigarette and half way through a chapter. I read on. The book went down and light went off at 1.15 am.                                                                                                                                              I was sitting on the edge of the bed wondering why I was awake at 2.44 am. When trying to go back to sleep didn’t work I fired up my poorly sick computer and visited the bank to check my money had gone in (it had) and then to gmail to see what was waiting for me.

At 4.12 am I was still wide awake but currently finished. I decided to sit in my chair in the lounge and see if I could nod off there. Maybe Joey could keep at bay whoever it was who delighted in keeping me awake. I did manage it and didn’t wake until 6.25 am when I just went straight through to the kitchen for my meds and a coffee. I didn’t linga longa for breakfast as I knew there would be plenty of mail to have a go at. I wasn’t wrong and just ploughed straight in. I had no idea what time Mike would get up or when we would go out so I needed as little work as possible waiting for me when I came home. Plus, Yvonne was going in hospital this morning  and I didn’t know how long everything would take,

Mike’s alarm went off at 7.30 am which was a big surprise. It only took going off three times to get him up too. But first I took him a drink through and made sure I woke him as well.  We left the house before 8.30 am with the intention of going to Chester and I hadn’t at that time made much of a dent in the mail. Part way into the journey I suggested we detour slightly and go to Broughton Park . If we couldn’t get what Mike needed there we could just pick up where we left off. There’s a shoe shop Mike is quite dismissive of but I persuaded him to look anyway . Lo and behold he was lucky and for a lot less than we’d looked elsewhere. He wanted trainers to start a weight loss programme next week. Personally I think his heart will explode and that’s the only way he’ll get rid but watch this space as I may be forced to eat my words. While we were out we visited a farm shop cafe for a sausage sandwich breakfast. Very nice it was too.                                                                                                                                                                              We had a really good look around Broughton Park and I bought a few gifts. Then we move on again heading for Chester but this time detoured to have lunch at a big Supermarket. The fates intervened.

We’d just started lunch when my phone went…..I missed it. It was Yvonne so Mike rang on his phone. Long story short as most of you will know is that my new granddaughter was born at 12.20 pm after Yvonne had a section. Amelie Rose was 9lb 3oz. It was just before 2.00 pm so we said we’d be over to the hospital in a flash. I was able to buy a beautiful bouquet, some chocolates (though I’m sure wine would have been more welcome) and some cards. We wrote the cards in the car with the rain bouncing off the roof again. We were at the hospital by 2.30 pm and went to the ward where eventually we were told Yvonne hadn’t been brought up yet, just sit over there till she’s here. We did and it was 5.00 pm before she was brought up looking tired and in pain. The baby was beautiful, well, ugly in the way most new babies are ugly but beautiful nonetheless.

A beauty all of her own.

It was 8.00 pm before we got home and brought some light to my budgies life. I started work for a while, Mike watched TV. Eventually I took a break and had a sandwich but when a film came on Mike wanted to see I left him to it and returned to work for the rest of the night. It’s been non-stop. Late in the day now but close enough for me to wish all of you a Happy New Year. I hope it’s to be a fantastic year for you all.

Friday 1st  Jan.

Well, here we are on New Year’s Day and we’ve survived another year. I didn’t stay up last night to usher in the New Year but I got to bed just before the midnight moment. Mike stood outside and watched the fireworks for a few minutes then came in and wished me a Happy New Year. After he’d gone I resumed my reading till 1.00 am. Lights off I found sleep. Wakefulness found me at 2.10 am. I went through to the loo and found that Mike was still awake and playing on his tablet. His meds weren’t helping him find sleep , mainly because he had forgotten to take them I found. I went back to bed and read a little more until about 2.45 am I tried again for sleep. My wish was granted and I slept until 4.04 am. I checked on Mike and found him well away and using his buzz saw.

I worked on mail until 5.00 am then it being Friday I went through to take my meds and to prepare my drug trays for the next week. When I came back it was with coffee in hand. It was only 5.45 am so I had 25 minutes before the onslought. Because I’d caught up with last night’s mail I was able to mess about on ebay looking for the shoes Mike wants. On the subject of last night’s mail, I don’t think another post has had the response of last night’s announcement. Even when Ju passed I don’t remember such an outpouring of kindness. It was like the switchboard lighting up in a very large hotel there were so many comments. Thank you everyone.                                                                  The influx at 6.10 am brought 117 messages to deal with. That was OK. I was in and had the time. At 8.40 am when I’d caught up I took a walk out to get new lottery tickets only to find Pauline’s wasn’t open. I knew I’d have to ask Mike a favour and see if he’d pick them up for me or perhaps nip me somewhere before he had to leave to see his Dad. I came back to carry on working for a while.

#CHAMPIONSAWARDS    When I returned to the mail  I was surprised and delighted to find I’d been given a new award and had been sponsored by the founder Seumas Gallacher.. I haven’t been accepting awards for some time but accepting this gives me the ideal opportunity to pointedly recognise some deserving people. This is part of thr reason for the award’s creation……………. there are already gazillions of splendid Awards, recognising the goodness of so many of our fellow scribblers and readers… supporters all in their own way, worthy of a thousand special ‘thank you’ nods… the intent of these CHAMPIONS AWARDS is to differentiate those fine people who go that extra special mile for others… my fervent hope is that this will circulate and ‘viralise’ (new WURD, Mabel, settle down) and trigger your own CHAMPIONS AWARDS for those you know deserve it :                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The rules are simple.

Recipients, if you choose to accept and wish to propagate the CHAMPIONS AWARDS, please do the following:

1. Post this Award Sticker on your blog, with the hashtag #CHAMPIONSAWARDS
2. Acknowledge the sponsor of your Awards.
3. Choose at least five of your own nominees and advise them accordingly, attaching these 5 guidelines.
4. Keep it simple… no need for explanations for the Awards… we know how great these folks are.
5. You are free to give out these Awards as frequently as you wish.

My Nominees are. Paula Acton of paulaacton.com/   Fiza Pathan of http://www.fizapathan.com/    Rob Goldstein of http://robertmgoldstein.com/    Laine Anne Jensen  of http://frommidnighttodawnlight.com/  and Melanie Marttila of Writerly Goodness at http://melaniemarttila.ca/  The list is not an indication that these are the only worthies as those are too numerous to list now but each of my friends above occupies a little niche that helps others. There may be more to follow.

At about 9.15 am I was straight again and went to sit in the lounge. It must have been just minutes before I was asleep. At some point Mike was there. I got an hello in before I was off again. I was expecting him to be off to his Dad’s today as usual but through the fog I heard he’d changed his mind and would go on Sunday instead. When I asked about lunch he said that’s why he was waking me up so I climbed my way back to consciousness. We settled on lunch in Prestatyn at the CookHouse then on to look at the sale at the Tweed Mill in St.Asaph.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Outside the CookHouse we saw a sign that said O.A.P.s got a reduced carvery Mon to Fri. We joked and said we wondered if today counted as it’s a Bank Holiday and also whether reduced meant the price or the quantity.  It turned out we got the reduced price today so Mike treated us to lunch , it also turned out the quantity was less (the meat) too but not enough to matter.

We had a ride to the Tweed Mill where Mike got a nice fleece for after the gym, I think he wants to look sporty. We had a good look round and stopped for a coffee in the tower coffeehouse but as time was getting on we decided to come home to Joey. We were back about 4.30 pm and obviously I had to come to work straight away having wasted the morning. I still managed to get some TV in during the evening, watching Judge John Deed with Mike. Then it was back here again with plenty to do.

Saturday 2nd Jan.

It was almost 12.45 am when I finished my Pratchett book. As always I was sorry I had, though this time I think there was some story missing compared to the usual Discworld books. Lights off ready to sleep. I was up for the loo as early as 2.20 am but managed to settle down again afterwards. Then it was 4.38 am and up. Not an unreasonable time compared to recent nights. Mike thinks that 7.00 am is still the middle of the night so perhaps I should complain more. He still doesn’t believe there are two seven o’clocks in the same day.Then he surprises me. His alarm went off at 6.15 am. I waited until it went off the second time before taking a coffee through thinking the second one may wake him a bit. It was the fifth one that finally forced him out of bed to fall asleep in his chair in the lounge.  I just turned the overhead light on and left him. He’s be ready when he was ready. Blow me, by 7.25 am we were on our way.

I bought flowers first in the supermarket, then bedding in the form of sheet and pillowcases then a beautiful little pink frilly dress with matching knickers and with pink roses sewn on all round. My bill was rising even before I got near the food. At the till eventually Mike’s grin got bigger as the bill did. We went for coffee. I bought a couple of cube photo frames on our way out into yet another day of rain.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          We headed for Flint and had a look round a couple of shops for some particular style of joggers Mike wanted but the legs were all far too long for him. We headed for Temptations and our friends where we got New Year hugs and kisses and thanks for the watches I got as Christmas gifts this year. They were liked. When it was time to go we headed off towards home then Mike detoured ti have lunch in Holywell. We settled on the Chippie so he could have fish. I settled on sausage and chips with…you guessed it….curry sauce. Very nice too.

Once the meal was finished we came home to unpack the bags and let Joey out. I was a wee bit annoyed that the recycling hadn’t been collected as I didn’t want to bring the bags which were now soaked through back into the house. We put the shopping away and tried to encourage Joey to say hello but his back was turned to us for hours. Mike settled with his tablet to watch his team play while I came to work and tried to made a dent in the 65 I’d left behind this morning plus what had come in between times. I did pretty well and was through with Mike by about 5.00 pm. When I say with him, I mean more in body than in spirit since I put a film on TV for us and promptly fell asleep. At least I was awake for the end and to turn over for the Iron Man 3 movie which I slept through as well. He didn’t complain too much as it seems I’m far noisier with the coughing when I’m awake.

At 9.00 pm I came back through away from the temptation to sleep and started work instead. I hope by the time I get through in here I’ll be tempted to sleep again, just in the right place next time.

The Wee One

Beautiful Grandbaby

 

 

Just a Widdle Bit & Sartorial Elegance

Sunday 29th Nov.

I eventually got to bed last night. It was about 1.15 am when my light finally went out and that was with just the briefest of reads. I was up again for the loo about 2.25 am and had to make myself go back to bed rather than disturbing Joey and going to my chair.
My day started at 4.11 am and no matter how I wished it otherwise, I was awake. I turned on the computer and let it power up as my pea sized bladder took me to the loo again. When I got back I started on my gmail and was chuffed to see so many responses to last night’s blog post.                                                                                                                           At 5.45 am I went through to the kitchen to  take my meds and get an early breakfast. When I came back with my coffee it was almost 6.20 am and by heaven the storm had hit. The numbers were jumping as I sat there trying to do them. It was 9.00 am before I was able to get away and let Joey out.                                                                                      I stayed with him for a while hoping he’d come out so I could fix his millet which he’d managed to knock off again. He was in quite a chatty mood but didn’t seem to want the freedom offered by the exterior of his cage.

At about 10.00 pm I returned to my room to play catch up.Joey squawked as I left the room. I wanted to watch a DIY SOS at 11.00 am so I prepared to o through a few minutes early. That’s when Mike decided to get up. I’d forgotten he was still here by then.It was a bad one today where the  house was in a terrible mess, a couple and their three children occupying one room because of damp and holes in the wall. The man of the house had terminal cancer but handled it with great courage. I could hear Mike sniffing next to me and I knew there were tears in my eyes. A few ‘Best Boy Joeys’ in a deep voice would hide how I felt I thought.                                                                                       They made a fantastic job of the house with lots of help from locals and I almost cried allowed when one business owner put up a 2 storey extension for free and then told us all she’d seen her specialist the day before and she didn’t have long either. Such generosity of spirit. I was glad to go and get dressed in the adverts. I did one and Mike did the other and probably both used the tissues.

We left the house at midday to go for lunch. The weather was atrocious with strong winds and rain so we stayed local and went to a pub called the Market Cross in Holywell for lunch. It’s part of a group called Weatherspoon’s where the food is pretty basic and bought in. I had faggotss which were pleasant enough but I wouldn’t repeat them. Mike had a mixed grill which seemed strange as it was mainly meat but excluded bacon . There were things like rump steak,pork loin, gammon and lamb with a few chips and peas, no egg. We did a little shopping after that, mainly for me for stocking gifts as it worked out. That wasn’t the intent. But, I did also get some remote plugs to replace my current ones so I can turn the power on without bending. Since my power supply is behind the TV I son’t have to move that. One click and the power is on and I can do it to four different place and just use the one remote so maybe turn an electric blanket on without having to go through to the bedroom and maybe a lamp so I can see my way through. Very clever things.

When we came back Mike did the flowers and I did a few minutes with the post. When he finished I joined him until it was time for him to go home. That was about 4.00 pm. Once I’d waved him off I came back to work until I’d cleared the post which was about 6.30 pm. I went through and put the TV on and interacted with Joey. I must have nodded off about 8.00 pm and was woken by a loud advert at 10.00 pm.  Back  in here to do the blog only to discover another 67 pieces of mail. I wish I’d woken myself earlier by snoring now. It’s not to be an early night .

The look of Wonder.

It isn’t Pops is it?

Monday 30th Nov.

I got to bed eventually.I was awake enough to read thanks to the sleep I should have missed before but the light went out at 1.15 am. I got to sleep with no problems but was loo bound at 2.35 am. Sleep was no problem after that either. I woke for the final time at 4.07 am ready for what the day might throw at me, however if it included snow, gales or rain while I was out or unmanageable workloads when in, Forget It! I’m going back to bed and staying there. It didn’t.                                                                                               The early morning post was fine and kept me going steadily until 5.45 am when I went for my breakfast and my sanity pills.

I returned at 6.10 am just in time for what I expected to be an influx of emails. There were a few but nothing major. Nor at 6.15 am or 6.30 am. What was going on. Did most of you take a break from writing yesterday? I don’t believe it. Just as well I didn’t as 7.00 am and things started happening. 3 email, 14 emails until it read 84 emails. As I did them, more came.but at 9.40 am I was officially clear though I didn’t know for how long. I went through to run the (new- yes another) hoover round the room as well as trying to keep Joey settled while I did it. Then we settled down to watch Homes Under the Hammer. I’m sure Joey likes that programme as he seems to get excited/agitated in some parts. Usually the parts I want to hear.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             From 11.00 am to 11.45 am it was back to work and then time for lunch. As always I watched Bargain Hunt while I ate.  But as I was going out I had to turn it off at 12.45 pm to get my shoes and coat on. Joey was really showing his disapproval when the TV went off and so did the light, and as for me leaving the room you’d have thought I’d just tried to murder him.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              The rain is so atrocious today I had to wear my long duster coat with the flaps tied to my leg so they didn’t-flap that is. I was wearing a hat too but it was soon off my head and in my bag as the wind picked up. I knew I shouldn’t have had beans for lunch. It was a long walk to the bus stop and I was drenched and blind. On the bus I held my travel pass over the scanner for a ticket but nada. The driver took it to check and it seems I was holding my shopmobility scooter card instead. He said no chance was I driving. I got off near the Tesco Supermarket and crossed the road to the bank. Then I walked up the street. The rain eased a little.                                                                                   I wanted to waste a little time so I went in a couple of shops but I was out fairly quickly as they had customers for some reason and I couldn’t cope with stray conversation on my own.

I visited LIDL for a brochure because it wasted a few more minutes and got me out of the rain.I was early. In the end I walked to the surgery because my pea sized bladder started talking to me. I tried to log in but as always when I reached the end the machine blew a fuse before registering me as there.’There is a problem with your appointment, please report to reception.’ I don’t know why I bother. It was 2.00 pm and my appointment was at half past. How best to avoid going to sleep while waiting??? I know, put one of your crutches on a foot and rest on it. The pain will keep you awake………. or make you faint maybe. I stayed awake.                                                   I was called right on time.Sister S is delectable . She’s also pleasant and quietly spoken and you want to please her. So, when she says how are you and you have pneumonia you say “Fine thanks”. We rattled through the flu jab which she was willing to give without me making an appointment. She did BP and blood oxygen levels and then the notorious breathing tubes which either gives me angina or leaves me whacked. Not much change and not for the better. Who knew?                                                                                  It’s at this point we usually have our serious discussion about smoking or rather the giving up of to be more precise. I’m an idiot. She arranged for another blood test for my heart and was going to find something else out for me by Wednesday when I’m there again. She opened her mouth and I knew it was coming so I stopped her. “I’m going to surprise you this time” I said ” I want to ask about Champix because my brother has had great success with it.”                                                                                                                        “I wasn’t going to mention the smoking this time” she said. For now I mentally kicked myself but the real thing would follow. She did tell me she had to find out if she could prescribe that one for me due to some contra-indications she mentioned. She’ll try and get an answer for Wednesday. I suppose I’m going to have to ask for he to see if she got the answers now.

I walked back to town-without having a cigarette which would have fallen apart even if I could have lit it in the rain. I didn’t have long to wait for a bus and I was soon home again. I squelched when I walked in.  I don’t know if Joey laughed at me or gave me a bollocking for leaving him but either was he was vocal. I dried my hair and beard and went back to work. It was 3.15 pm  and I worked till 5.15 pm. I fully intended coming through at 6.30 pm to carry on but I decided to watch The Secret Life of Bees which went on until 9.00 pm. Time enough to do the blogpost and catch up on the mail and still manage an early night.

Donkey ride with Santa’s Little Helper.

‘Elf and Safety’ bring Rudolf out.

And just because Christmas is coming at the gallop….

Tuesday 1st Dec.

I got my early night and enjoyed a good read. Lights out at 12.45 am ( memo to self, pay electricity bill). Up this morning at 4.11 am,full of beans, I knew that midnight snack was a mistake. It felt a little foggy, now that could either be the beans or my imagination because it’s Dec 1st and to me fogs always feel ‘Winterish’. On the other hand there might really have been a fog but I couldn’t see one through the window. Mind you, at 4.11 am what the heck can I see through my window?                                                       I took a leisurely 100mph trip to the Piddle Palace then came back to sign into my gmail. There were enough to keep me going for a while, possibly until the influx of the daily digests. But at 5.10 am I took a break to have some breakfast and take my meds. It was toast again this morning as I’m sure my moustache is empty now.                             At 5.30 am I returned and carried on to be ready for whatever the world threw at me.

From 6.10 am it threw bricks at me. I was sitting at my desk totally unprepared for the floodgates to burst open as they did. I worked on them without seeming to get anywhere. At 8.345 am I got dressed and as 9.00 am came I went out to the Post Office to send some cards to the world in general. Over £33 for  about 8 cards and 2 calendars. Just as well I have a supply of beans in the house. When I got back (via Pauline’s) I went back to work until 10.00 a when I had Homes Under the Hammer. Joey said I mustn’t miss it. I did some polishing while I watched it but couldn’t do his mirror.                                                                                                                                                                              Back to work at 11.00 am until 11.50 am when I was finally clear and able to go and see to lunch. I had a chips and curry sauce I discovered in the freezer.( I’d put it there around 9.30 am ).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Among all this morning’s mail I received one from a company I’ve used quite a lot over the years. If you have friends or relatives in the U.S. who may be missing some of the treats from the UK or maybe if you’re an ex-pat Who lives in the U.S. you can still get your Cadbury’s chocolate or your favourite biscuits from this firm. I buy and have them delivered over there which saves a fortune.   englishteastore.com  do take a look at some of the treats they have and the excellent Christmas gifts.                               After Bargain Hunt at lunch time I really wanted to nod off but today I fought the urge so I could come back to keep on top of the mail. If I keep it  down maybe I can stay up to watch a late film or something.

It looks like the late film wasn’t on the cards after all as I had a break at 3.00 pm for Escape to The Country and fell asleep anyway. We were part way into the next programme before I woke. As I did I caught a glimpse of someone standing on my left, dressed in a grey pullover and it looked like they were having a shave. I thought it was mike and flashed my left arm out to play the bongos on his stomach  but he faded away. I perhaps should have realised that as my chair is against the window no-one could have stood to my left but I was a bit slow on the uptake.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Yet again I returned to work and this time stayed until almost 5.30 pm e’en though my quiz had started at 5.15 pm. I was temporarily clear again. I celebrated with a mince pie and a strawberry yoghurt. Joey came out of his cage and I was able to set him flying round the room as I got the old millet from his cage and then put a new one in. I noticed something out of place. He’d broken the set of balls/bells in the cage and they were on the cage floor. I put my arm in this time and not a move out of him at all. He just sat on the edge of the mirror looking at me. I wondered how I’d repair it when I found it wasn’t actually broken. Somehow he’d opened a key ring (in miniature) and slid the chain link out until it was free. The weight would be enough to make him drop it. I really don’t know how he manages such precision work. I could open the key ring with my thumb nail but it was so small I couldn’t slide a link of chain back in. This will have to be a job for when I have time and I’m sitting down. I know he misses ringing this bell as he keeps going to the place where it hung. I don’t think a lecture from me on leaving things alone is going to help.

I returned to my room at 6.30 pm for half an hour’s catch up then went to see The Antique Road Trip with two members of my Eggheads Quiz . A bit of light relief. Both teams made a profit I’m glad to say. Not much of one but a profit nonetheless. After that I watched DIY SOS  before bumping into walls on my way back here due to tear blinded eyes. In truth I wasn’t so bad today though I was still astounded at people’s generosity. I wished Joey goodnight and shut the cage. He was fine about it if a little quiet.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    I worked on mail for the first hour before turning to the blog. I had the opportunity to enter a competition to win some Elizabeth Shaw sweets but I drew nil on each of the three boxes I opened. I didn’t even tweet about it as I though why offer you lot chocolates when I didn’t get any. If I remember I might try again tomorrow. They’re doing other prizes too like watches I  think all the way to 25th so if anyone is interested just go to the Elizabeth Shaw page on Facebook. I get 10% if you win though.                           I’m predicting bed before 11.30 pm tonight and I need a good sleep. As I’m back at the doctors for another review tomorrow and I have to pee in a tiny jar first thing I need to be awake. I could be there half an hour trying to fill it stop, start. stop , start or it could be a rush where it overflows before I’m ready. I hate that. What I really, REALLY hate though is carrying it in my pocket all the way up there and worrying about a leak. Everyone on the bus will think I’ve wet myself from the smell. Wonder if I should send it by taxi and meet it up there?

Hey, What’s up Doc?

Wednesday 2nd Dec.

I just made my 11.30 pm deadline and was considering sleep at midnight only I got a text bout a visit today from MuJo. I explained about the diabetic review but offered to meet them in town at about 11.30 am.. There was no response for a long time so I turned the light out and prepared to sleep. My phone went off again. They decided to put the visit off to a day when I don’t have any appointments. There’s only Thursday this week and they have a visitor that day it seems so the visit will be next week now. I remembered to tell them I’ll be in Chester on Tuesday for Yvonne’s birthday.I’ll wait for a text next week now. The light went off again at 12.20 am.

3.22 am was the next time I woke. I’d put the sample tube in my dressing gown pocket so I didn’t forget to do it. I went to the bathroom.  On went the light as this was a procedure not left to chance.The trouble starts when I wonder how much I should fill the tube. I can’t allow myself to start until I’ve decided. How much do they actually need to get the information they want? I decided to fill the damn thing and they can dispose of what they don’t want. I make the same decision every time so why don’t I just ask? How much should I widdle in your tube? For all you ladies out there, w’re not bragging when we say we don’t fit inside the tube. If that makes it difficult for us heaven help the problems you must have. Now, you’re obviously holding the tube in one hand and yourself in the other. When you’re widdling you have to decide on a cut off point somewhere before it overflows. You have to cut off the flow with the non-tube hand and keep the flow off while you move the tube to a safe place. Then you can widdle to your heart’s content, finish and turn to put the top on the tube. Then what. Do you leave the tube in a prominent place so you don’t forget to take it or do you place it in your coat pocket in advance? I chose the latter but then I’ve been known to put on a different coat to go out. Maybe my subconscious does these things on purpose as it knows I hate the thought of it being in my pocket because of leakage. As I said last night, I’m scared of it happening while I’m travelling with it. These early morning thoughts might wake you up but they’re not very welcome.

So, I started on the mail. Not too bad really, mid twenties, but enough to keep me going until 5.15 am when I decided to have breakfast and take my meds. I returned with my coffee about 5.45 am to do some more. I was coming to an end gradually on the the few that had come when 6.10 am arrived . With it, someone opened those flood gates again and it poured, it poured and it poured some more. Damn umbrella was no use at all. I just had to keep plodding on. I let it go as far as 9.00 am then I got myself ready to go out, making sure I had the right coat with me. I went back to work until 10.00 am.                                                                                                                                                                 I was walking up to the bus stop when one passed me and drew up at the stop. Someone got on, but as I moved closer it started to pull out.Then it paused and for a moment I thought he’d used his mirror and seen me. Instead someone ran to the bus from the front and got on. I was much closer now but he still drove off.                                                    It was almost half an hour before another bus came and it was driven by my usual driver Howard. It got there at 10.35 am and reached town at 10.45 am. I just hoped I could make the surgery on time. With borrowed wings on my feet I made it.                                                                                                                                                                                                      I had to go to reception again as the registration machine rejected me as usual. I must have too much electrickery in my fingers. The appointment was OK but my blood sugars are up a lot so they’ll consider changing part of the medication. She noticed that I needed blood tests for a couple of things and I said I’m going on Friday anyway and told her what for. Kindly she offered to take the lot today and save me a trip she knows I don’t want to make. She also weighed me, 13 st 2 lb fully clothed including very heavy gloves. And perhaps I’d breathed in.

I’d got outside and was walking back to town when I decided to have a smoke. I put my hand in my pocket and encountered the infamous bottle of pee. I had to turn round and take it back. Lucky for me she didn’t have another patient in. Back to town I went and didn’t wait too long before a bus came. When I walked down from the bus stop I noticed it was 11.50 am and then I noticed the chippie was open. For no other reason than to save me messing about when I got in, I detoured. Small chips, 2 small sausage and somehow I must have said out loud a small tub of curry sauce. I was able to take a tablet when I got in and then have my lunch at 12.15 am when Bargain Hunt came on. As soon as it was over I nodded off for an hour. It felt wonderful.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          At 2.00 pm I returned to work. With Dil coming sometime I didn’t want anything left. I stayed her till 4.30 pm. I got up when the doorbell went and I heard the door opening but as I looked towards the front door from my room it wasn’t Dil unless he’d been keeping secrets from me. It was a district nurse looking for Joe who lives almost opposite. It’s funny, I’d seen him in the surgery when I was there only not to speak to. Five minutes later Dil came in and I heard hi say “Come on, get off that computer now”. I had to say I’d only just got back on.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  We went through and as I made him a cup of tea we chatted then I turned our usual programmes on until 6.00 pm.

Out came the games table and out came the Yahtzee. The minute Joey saw the box open he started chunnering. There weren’t enough play sheets so I left to print some off and when I got back Joey hadn’t paused for breath. The first sheet of sic games Dil won three then I won three. For a draw we had to play again. The next sheet he won 2 I won one, he won one I won two so  it was a draw again and we gave up at six all. Joey had chunnered throughout the whole of the game and only stopped as we put the box away.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    I got the  Trivia out and decided to use the millenium edition this time to see what it was like.  Out came Joey to sit on his mirror and just repeat his name constantly. I was repeating it too him so he knew someone was paying attention. This edition of Trivia is slightly different from the usual.  The number of spaces round the board are different and the question categories are different too.  Some of the questions themselves were rather funny (peculiar) and had us bursting into laughter. As time ran out Joey gave up and went to bed. I reached the middle mof the game but got my question wrong. However it was deemed I’d won as I had all six segments to Dil’s five. Spurious but I’ll take what I can get.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    After Dil had gone and like a good big brother I’d told him to be careful, I tidied up and washed the pots.  I closed Joey’s cage door and wished him goodnight. Catching up on mail took me until 10.50 pm and then I remembered I hadn’t taken my meds and had to  creep back to the kitchen to do so. Once that was out of the way I was able to start the blog. It’s just gone 11.30 pm and I don’t think I’ll be too much longer and then I get a read.

Thursday 3rd Dec

Well I got to bed about 11.50 pm last night and read until about 12.30 am. My get up and go time was 2.21 am,and when I’d been I couldn’t get back to sleep. I powered up the computer and logged on. Talk about frustration, getting onto the net was no problem but I couldn’t open a single bloody programme when I did. I just kept getting a message about it not being available, try again? Time after flippin time I did so until finally after logging out and in again I had to System Restore to 30th November. It was almost 4.00 am by then so I had to fly to try and get the mail that was already waiting done.                                                                                                                                                                     At 5.30 am I had to break off to get my meds and some breakfast. I returned with a coffee about 5.55 am and carried on. I was probably down to about 6 when at 6.10 am  I was hit repeatedly by a mail sledgehammer. They came in and the numbers just went up and up. There must have been a million before I stopped counting but oddly when I looked properly there were only 104 though there must have been more as I was working as they came in.

At 8.30 am I got dressed. I find it better to do so as people look askance at me in the shops with my big caveman slippers and my Red Dragon leisure pants under my red and black striped dressing gown. Sartorial elegance and style always worry people not used to such sophistication. Instead I changed into my black jeans ( now more grey) and a black and grey top with a little orange. I don’t remember that being there before I had my curry sauce yesterday.                                                                                                            I picked up bread, ciggies and my lottery tickets ready for Friday’s draw. When I got back I unpacked my bag, gave my bedroom a hoovering ( I bet that shocked the carpet) and settled to, for another half hour on the computer before going to watch Homes Under the Hammer at 10.00 am.                                                                                                Joey was perched high in a corner of his cage, probably trying to dislodge the millet branch to attract my attention as it was empty. I wasn’t going to do anything about it while he was in there. For most of the programme he stayed in the same place then suddenly he relaxed and ventured down to a perch near his door and started talking to me. There must have been some queries in there as I could see the odd question mark drift past my eyes  but since the only words I recognised were Joey, Joey I was a bit lost. I promise to renew the millet sometime today.

From 11.00 to 11.45 am I worked again and did quite well but that was my time to make lunch so I had to break off. Baby potatoes,mixed veg and a small beef joint for lunch. Very nice but I couldn’t finish. I’m thinking about my blood sugar being so high. I still ate my rhubarb yoghurt though. I was asleep before the Bargain Hunt action so that could have been any time from 12.45 pm onwards. I woke with a bad headache at 1.15 pm. A couple of tabs, a quick Joey, Joey Best Boy at the bird and I returned to work. I stayed until 3.05 pm when I was clear again.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               It was time to do some more Christmas cards, not a job I enjoy.  Working my way through I realised I was at least one special card short and I was very soon out of stamps too. That means another bank loan I suppose.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               At 5.15 am my first quiz started so the cards went away. I watched TV until 6.30 pm then once again went into battle with the mail. Mike sent a text at 7.30 pm to sayhe was on his way so I reminded him to be careful in the rain.At 8.00 pm it as The Big Bang Theory. I saw the episode I’d missed last week as well as the new one. Magic!!! That was followed straight away by the next episode on The Last Kingdom. Today Alfred went into hiding in the fens, for once we saw a more human side to him and a new determination too. I’d just turned off and gone to the kitchen for my meds when Mike arrived. I had the kettle on so made him a coffee but apologised and left him to it so I could come and see to the blog post and the remaining mail. I shall be in bed by 11.45 pm t the latest.

Hmm, indecision. Straight on or right turn?

A few more feet and I’ve finished first.

Friday 4th Dec

Disaster!! I got to bed by midnight but didn’t start reading straight away as Mike stuck his head in to talk. Once he’d gone I finished the book I was on and knowing he was awake went through to pick a new one from my bookshelves. I didn’t read too much of it and my light went out about 1.00 am.                                                                                              I was up again at 2.00 pm though it wasn’t for too long. But when I lay down I just couldn’t drop off again easily. When eventually I fell into a sleep I was there until 7.21 am. When I get my hands round the neck of Somnos I shall wring it like a Christmas peal.                                                                                                                                                                          Being Friday it’s the day I prepare my drugs for the week so that was next on my list. I went to the kitchen to take this morning’s doses to leave the container empty. I didn’t have time for breakfast. My drug drawer is next to Joey so I had to go carefully in case I disturbed him though it was light enough at that time to see me. His head swivelled as I arrived but not a murmur from him as I pulled it out and returned with it to the kitchen. Once the meds were all  done I returned the drawer and got the same reaction again. It seems as long as his door is shut he trusts me, but when it’s open……. he panics and I expect his beak in my eye at any moment.                                                       I took a coffee back to my room for the next phase.

Power up, log on and sign in. Sit there for 15 minutes as the system tells me that it’s nor available (again) before finally groaning in frustration and doing another system restore. By the time I finally got there I  could hear the gods sniggering in the background as I opened my gmail. It was on 104. I worked solidly until about 9.45 am when Mike stood in my doorway to let me know he was up. The body of a God- Buddha, standing there in his shreddies ( underpants) scratching his bum with one hand and his head with the other. As he went to the loo I went to make his coffee.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  As he came through he noted it was almost time for Homes Under the Hammer so we turned it on. I was waiting for Joey to come out of his cage so I could re-hand the bell toy he’d dismantled earlier in the week. I’d managed to re-attach the balls and bell to the hanger. He just sat in the cage and chunnered without coming out. At 11.00 am it was time for the TV to go off as I returned to work and Mike left to visit his dad. When I returned to the computer the mail was at 96 again though I’d got it to 72 earlier. All I could do was sigh.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        No  way could I stop for lunch and my usual Bargain Hunt so I worked on until 1.10 pm when I was clear, if only for the moment. The Post Man had delivered an implement to help me get the tops off difficult jars so I left my feedback and then went through to have something to eat. I settled on a small cottage pie today with some bread and butter. It was quite nice and as Joey came out to see me I nipped up  and put the bell in and a new millet spray. I had ten minutes of snooker on the TV then returned to work having promised Joey I’d be back for 2.15 pm. He made me put it in writing the distrustful little thing.                                                                                                           Just before time Joey started shrieking so I went to see what was wrong and found Dr Blake just starting so I sat and enjoyed it. Joey was peaceable which was nice. I still needed to return to work after that but he let me go. I was only to be away until 5.15 pm anyway.                                                                                                                                                          At 5.15 pm I returned to watch my quiz and as it ended I realised it was Friday and the planners had stolen my second quiz off me. I sat and watched an old Star Trek for fun instead. Mike texted me at 6.15 am to say he was on his way home. Then it was Mastermind at 7.00 pm during which I almost wet myself when Mike arrived at 7.15 pm. He told me he was part way through his journey when he texted me earlier………….of course he didn’t think to mention that at the time. Joey greeted him and the language was a lot less choice than mine. We watched ‘Would I Lie To You’ until 8.00 pm then I left him with his football while I went for a shower. Yes, I had to have my head down between my legs to wash my hair and almost went A over T as they say.

After the shower I came back to work until 9.30 pm when I went to see how his day had been. I was a little too soon as the game was still on and he was being as vocal as ever. It wasn’t made any better that Joey was just as bad and seemed to have suddenly learned to whistle. Bang go the eardrums. As the game ended I quickly turned away from that channel and caught a programme on ageing rockstars. Should a man approaching 70 be singing about sitting in the back row of a cinema with his 18 year old girlfriend. According to the rockstars the answer is no. The programme that followed was fascinating for both of us as it was about the birth of 10CC  and their musical creations. From getting together until their musical divorce was quite a journey and one I enjoyed with them at the time. When I realised it was 10.45 pm and I was still sitting there I got up to come back here. Mike took great pleasure in reminding me I wasn’t drugged to the eyeballs yet so I had to detour first.

Hm, I don’t usually get to pet my meals.

I still think that’s my Pops or maybe Uncle Mike’s tummy.

Saturday 5th Dec

I got into bed about midnight after Mike was kind enough to do my legs properly for me. I think the rubbing aids the circulation too. Naturally I read a while and it was about 1.00 am I extinguished the light ( Saturday and I’m still using big words). I got up at what I thought was 3.21 am but which turned out to be 3.01 am, maybe I should try opening my eyes first. I visited the loo and saw the water level way down because of the strong winds outside. I tried to raise the levels singlehandedly.                                    When I came back I had the same frustrating quarter hour trying to get in before having my third system restore on the trot. I know there’s a major problem but have no idea what to do. The £5 won on Thunderball last night isn’t going to pay for a new computer.                                                                                                                                                                When I finally got in I opened my gmail and started on the mail. A few of them led to a post about the latest in a long line of killings in the US. Some people believe that more belief in their god is what will solve the problems. They blame the killers because they follow a different god without for one minute thinking it’s the fact that so many innocents are killed in places like Libya that the people there might be upset enough to seek revenge. The best way to stop these killings is to stop killing. Many people believe like me that the UK is wrong to agree to more bombings over there. They’re sending recruits to ISIS with their actions.

I finished with the mail at 4.49 am and took a break to sit in the lounge. I wasn’t sure whether to risk sleep in case I didn’t hear Mike’s alarm. I thought I’d give myself half an hour then return to clear any new mail and if there was none then ebay beckoned. Since I was still awake at 5.15 am ( yes, I cheated, it’s not half an hour) I went through to the kitchen to load up on meds and to have some breakfast to hold me. I enjoyed it.                                                                                                                                                                                Also enjoyed was bringing my coffee back at 5.45 am and finding just one item of mail in my box. That was soon dealt with and I headed off to ebay with nothing specific in mind. At 6.10 am I heard Mike go  to the loo. I asked him whether he was going back to bed or did he want his coffee 20 minutes early. “Let’s just see when my head hits the pillow” he said.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           We drifted up to 6.30 am when Mike’s alarm went off and I went to make him a coffee. When ready I took t through but heard no second alarm. I woke him.”OK ” he told me. There was no alarm at 6.50 am either so I knew he’d turned it off. I gave it 5 more minutes and went to call him again reminding him a coffee was there. If he didn’t move after that I’d leave him till he was ready to move. At 7.05 after what should have been 4 Alarms and 2 Calls, he finally moved. Somehow we were out of the house at 7.30 am and on our way.

We selected two nice bunches of flowers for Ju this week and I’m sure that was my most important purchase. Just now I can’t think of anything else I actually bought but I know the bill was coppers short of £70.00. Ah yes, I bought some fruit and Mike is still laughing about it.It must have been very expensive fruit.                                                       We seemed to get round quite quickly and were soon having a coffee ( or molten lava) in McDonald’s. The weather is atrocious with gales everywhere. There are floods across parts of the country. These storm fronts change so quickly, I think this one has a male name and begins with D following Clodagh from last week. When we got outside we didn’t hang about. We set off for Flint but detoured slightly to ALDI for a brochure on the way. We both bought a few things but again if you asked me what, I have no idea. The trouble is, when you unpack things are put where they should go so it’s out of sight out of mind. Perhaps I’ll remember when it comes to wrapping them.

When we parked up outside Temptations Mike went inside to warn them we were around while I started walking over to Homie’s and smoking a cigarette. Lighting that was a treat I can tell you. Mike joined me there to carry my bag expecting us to go on to another shop for more stuff. I thought we had what was needed and a coffee would be nicer so we went straight back to the car for chocolates and headed into Temptations. Kyle was preparing the tray as I reached the counter but I had to cancel the teasted toecake much to his surprise ( he fell over in shock) as Mike has decided on crumpets today.                                                                                                                                                                  We had a little chat with Ceri and with Sian who was on the card section again. I finished my latte and went outside for a ciggie while Mike finished his drink and leering at the girls. We had a small run round another shop ( yes, he’s right. I find it difficult to go into a shop without spending only he puts it less politely), then got in the car. The usual question reared it’s awkward head, “Where next?”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             I’d have been quite happy to go home and start work on the backlog but Mike had other ideas and drove right past and ended in Prestatyn. He gave me the choice of where to lunch and for once it wasn’t the CookHouse. We went to a tiny cafe and had a brunch for me (Mmm bacon) and a large all-day breakfast for him. It was really nice and I saved a fortune too. Back to normal tomorrow I expect.

There was no real reason to stay out in this foul weather so Mike brought me home. We were in by 2.00 pm. First job was to open Joey’s cage so he’s stop shouting at me (I told him it was Mike’s fault) and then on to  unpacking and putting away the shopping. I had to be very fillosoffical after that and come through to start work on the mail waiting for me while Mike got to watch ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. The way Joey was hammering on his bells I’d say a lot of angels were getting their wings today.                               Because we have an agreement that when he visits I don’t leave him sitting in the lounge all the time while I work, I knocked off at 5.15 pm to watch Mastermind and them Pointless, our usual one. After that it was OK to come back to work until 8.00 pm when the series about the early Canadian Detective was on. I do hate to miss that. But then I got caught up in A Murder in Paradise until 10.15 pm and had to get my skates on then. I’m doin’ OK though, don’t worry about me, after all who needs sleep anyway?

Crafting for Christmas

Decorations for Great Aunt Mu.

A time when there was such great hope with youth. I was 18 and sure I was at the start of something special. It’s not too late.

An extra track but there are some very upsetting images on here so beware if you’re sensitive. This has to end.

Have a wonderful new week and I hope it’s filled with dreams come true and Hugs galore.

Brass Monkey Bus Stop & Bitten by the tsetse fly.

Sunday 22nd Nov.
I made it to bed early, had time for a read and turned out the light at 12.30 am. It was still a bit of a shock to be perfectly awake again at 2.55 am.                                                       After a flying visit to the loo I came back and logged on. In amongst the variety of mail it was lovely to see so many likes for  last night’s blog and of course the wonderful comments. I always get some pleasure answering those. I finished what mail there was by 4.50 am and suddenly felt tired again. Rather than go through to my chair, I turned the light out and gave sleep another chance. Sleep accepted and the next time I woke it was 7.09 am. Dn Dn Dn. When was the last time 7.00 am and bed were in the same sentence without Mike’s name being mentioned? (Rhetorical question).                                                                                                                                                                                                  I went through to the kitchen and took my meds, made a coffee to bring back and prepared to go into battle.I grided my lions ( whatever it was they didn’t like it )and dove in.It was no fun.I got to 76, did ten and checked again and it was now 78. I’d do another dozen or so and check, now it was 93. This is not the way it was meant to go.

By 9.00 pm I was on 93 and five minutes later on a resuscitator when Mike walked in. Unbelievable, not even one battle. I went through to join him in the lounge leaving the post to self combust in my absence. Mike may have been up but nothing told me he was awake. I had to catch him at the right moment. I waited until his eyes closed and each time they did I spoke as though I hadn’t noticed. The eyes opened again. When he was ‘compost mental’ I suggested that as he wanted to visit a place for his fish foods which was beyond where we usually ate, why not stop on the way through and have breakfast instead of lunch. I think he agreed. I could taste the bacon already.                       I went to get dressed and carry on with a bit of work while he tried to open the roller blinds on his eyes. I heard him go through to his room a few minutes later.

At 10.15 am we were on our way. We needed to be there before 11.15 am as they stop serving breakfast at the Bells of St Mary’s then. We got there at 10.35 am and paid for our plates. I just had to wait for my tea so I could take a tablet. Once that was done I hoped no-one would get in my way. 3 rashers of bacon, 2 sausages, 3 pieces of fried bread, i fried egg, 1 spoon of scrambled egg, 1 plum tomato and a few beans. Mike had an extra sausage and an extra fried egg but no scrambled egg or tomato. We didn’t make any toast just then. All that bacon on display and I was so restrained.                                                                                                                                                                                                      It was really nice as a change. I had two slices of toast and Mike just 1 afterwards but I got plenty of butter for it and Mike had strawberry jam on his. I finished my cuppa and as Mike went to the loo I stood outside to enjoy an after meal cigarette. I don’t know how Mike’s willpower holds so well. He’s been stopped for 4 weeks now and says he doesn’t mind. I hope I cope that well when my turn comes.

We drove to Criminal Bay and Mike picked up the fish food he needed then as we walked round he chose a couple of Christmas presents. They were really nice. It was quite funny really as Mike often says he doesn’t ‘do’ Christmas and he often says it about birthdays too, yet here he was shopping.                                                                                                 We left there and drove into Rhyl to visit Homies as there was something else he needed, which we got, and then went to Matalan for a look round but neither of us bought anything there. Finally we drove home. I struggled to keep my eyes open on the return journey but it was that or be mocked.                                                                                              We arrived back about 3.00 pm. I made Mike a coffee while he did the flowers from yesterday. Then I went to do a little work. I was up at 166 but couldn’t stay there as Joey had been without company most of the day. As I went back to the lounge Mike was trying to  put the new baize on the card table. I helped and was able to talk to Joey at the same time. That job was finished about 4.00 pm and I had to come back through. Mike got his stuff together and headed home.

I stayed glued to my office chair until 7.30 pm then went for  some tea to take my second lot of tabs. Joey started coming out a bit as I put the TV on so when I came back though at 8.00 pm I left it on for him. There was a film on at 9.00 pm so I had to make a concerted effort to get the numbers down. I managed it but I knew there would be more later. I have to have bloods done at the hospital in the morning so I need to rest a bit better tonight. Of course tomorrow’s work  will pile up while I’m out. It’s the nature of the beast. I went through to watch the film. Damn, I wish I’d learned to read. I thought it finished at 11.10 pm but instead it was 11.45 pm. It was a gallop to come back and complete the blog. We’re looking at 1.00 am bed without touching the mail.

Monday 23rd Nov.

I made it to bed for 1.00 am. I only had about ten minutes with my book before trying to settle. It wasn’t easy but eventually I dropped off. I dropped on again at 3.09 am and was wide awake. There was a sudden need to pass water ( thus proving I’m no witch…….warlock , well there’s no need to be rude).                                                                             Back in my room again I logged on and checked my gmail. Heck there were loads of emails from Yvonne with pictures of Reuben.  It was like she’d been sending them all night. Still as it was only 3.15 am that was a distinct possibility. I was clearing messages until 5.15 am when I went too take my morning meds and scoff some cold toast. I wanted to do the washing but realised I’d have to leave the drier on when I went out and I won’t do that. It’s going to have to wait till Wednesday as I have the hospital this morning and then MuJo are visiting. Tomorrow is my visit to see Yvonne and young toe cruncher.( My toes).

I left the house at 8.10 am and walked to the bust stop which was still chock a’block with the pimplies. It wasn’t long before a school bus came and I saw my bus pull in behind. The driver must have been there for a count of three and I must have been in clear sight in his rear view mirrors hopping up the road with sparks flying from my crutches. He pulled out and beggared off when I was withing 20 feet of his ‘I hope your wheels fall off” bus. Did I mention it was piggin’ freezing this morning? No, then let me mention it now, it  was brass monkey weather,so bad my sheepskin coat was shivering. (OK, poetic licence there, I don’t have a sheepskin). The next bus to arrive did so at 8.35 am. I had to borrow a blowtorch to release my shoes from the pavement. The latest people to arrive at the stop thought I was a statue which is probably why he chap next to me hung his brolly from my arm while he read his paper. Someone carried me aboard the bus.                                                                                                                                   We were in town within 5 minutes and since my appointment wasn’t until 9.00 am I had 20 minutes to get to the hospital. It’s one of those places I have to stop regularly on the journey to remind myself to breathe. Still I got there with 5 minutes to spare and only one person was called before me.

Once released, and I knew I wouldn’t bleed for long as the blood was already frozen in my veins. I could hear it crystalise as I walked back into town. There was a temptation to stop and go round LIDL but I decided as I needed to go to m chemist to get home quickly. This time I only had a 5 minute wait for the bus and I was soon back in Greenfield. I dropped my prescription request off and came home.No need to get chips and curry sauce from Pauline’s as I know I’ll be eating out today and I can call in there tomorrow on my way home providing I’ve been to the loo before getting on the bus.                                                                                                                                                          Since it was barely 9.30 am I had chance to do some work when I got in. No before spending a few minutes talking to Joey though who definitely wasn’t talking to me in return. About 10.30 am I had to break off to go and brush up the seed husk Joey happily scatters about. I didn’t know what time MuJo would appear. It urned out to be about 11.05 am.

I did drinks, passed them  gifts and we chatted for a while before it was time to move off into town.Mu went to the bank and Post Office while I accompanied John on his regular visit to two charity shops. Then the cold was biting so much we took refuge in the chippy where it was wonderfully warm. The cold had hit my kidneys and I needed a wee so I headed for the loo to be presented with an ‘Out of Order’ sign on the gents. Oh how I wish I was wearing my kilt….wait a minute, it’s bloody freezing out there, no I don’t. The ladies wasn’t occupied so I went in there and locked the door…firmly.When I came out I checked my skirt wasn’t caught in my panties and went to our table. Mu joined us pretty quickly.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  After eating we took a walk down to the third charity shop.While MuJo were inside I spotted a game of Trivial Pursuit in the window. It was a special edition which I thought might have more questions. MuJo came out as I was finishing a cigarette so I said I was going back in to look at the game. Instead, they went in and bought it and another different one. They refused to let me pay.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Leaving there we headed back up town towards the car. I needed to call in a shop to see if they had any farm animals, but before we got there we called into a hardware shop that sells decorations. John wanted a couple of birds ( don’t we all?) for his tree. They also saw an LED plant that radiated colour in waves, it was nice. While they looked for the birds I paid for the plant. I got the lady to give it to them as a prize before they left to save arguments but it turns out they really aren’t as green as they’re cabbage looking.(Damn). I managed to get the farm animals and we went to the car.

Next stop Flint. Mu wanted ALDI so I bought chocolates for Temptations there. Once she had what she wanted we drove over to Temptations and went in. Mu ordered the drinks and I said hello to Ceri, Sian and Kyle and handed the chocs over. We enjoyed the warmth though it certainly wasn’t as cold in Flint.                                                                  From there we paid a visit to Homies and to BuM where we all picked up a little something. It wasn’t catching though so you’re all safe.                                                                            We drove home again. John had some cake to take with his tablets and we chatted a while before they left to visit his mother who’s well into her nineties now. That was about 3.30 pm. I waved them off at the door and it had just started raining. John said “You know the photo of Ju in the ‘Love’ frame?” I told him I did. All the time he was walking away up the path. “Well when you get back in, you’ll find a £20 note for the flower. We’re not having you pay that out as well as everything else.”                                     They were too far away for me to argue but I have the memory of an elephant and you can believe it doesn’t stop here !!

I started work on the piled up mail, taking a break from 5.15 pm to 6.30 pm. Then I came back and caught up so at 8.00 pm I was free for DIY SOS The Big Build. I was a wreck as the second story was a man who lost his wife to cancer much as I lost Ju only he had 6 young children all in a 2 bedroom house. The finished product was amazing as it was now a 6 bedroom house, a fantastic open plan downstairs with a great kitchen and a wonderful garden with playhouses and sheds for the children as well as a football pitch. Seeing people cry affects me so I was almost blubbering as I came back to my room at 10.00 pm to put the finishing touches to my day. I need windscreen wipers on these glasses.

Cold Day in Colwyn Bay.

Just before the explorer fell in the sea. Man Overboard!

Tuesday 24th Nov.

I son’t know whether there were remnants of last night’s DIY SOS in my brain or whether I dreamed while asleep but I was convinced Julia was in the other room in bed when I woke. That was at 2.49 am. It’s  3.18 am now and it’s taken until now to realise it’s not true. I don’t know whether I’m more grateful to the period where I believed she was back or now when I know the truth. Either way, there’s a huge void inside me and it’s Ju shaped. She’d have been so excited we’re seeing Yvonne and Reuben today and excited at the thought of maybe more Christmas shopping.She loved this time of the year and buying presents. She was the kindest of people, always thinking of others. Photographs of her surround me and I daren’t  look up yet.

I signed into gmail while all this thinking was going on. Despite what’s thought men can multi task (cough) and I was answering or generally dealing with mail. By 3.40 am I’d temporarily cleared gmail and was working on Talktalk stuff which still comes in despite nothing going out from there to friends now. That only took ten minutes and I signed into ebay. I knew I had time for a few fun searches. I needed them. At 4.00 am though I went to take my meds and make a coffee.                                                                       By 4.30 am I was back complete with coffee, ready to do battle if necessary. It was actually fairly steady going until the dread hour 6.10 am when the floodgates opened.     I worked hard to hold the flood back but when I had to stop at 7.15 am there were more than I had started with. I started to get my coat on and get the bag of gifts for the new baby I was taking with me. With candles in jars in there I had to watch the bag didn’t swing into my shins while I walked.                                                                                               Shouting goodbye to Joey I locked up and started out towards the bus stop. I was lucky not to make itall the way there before the bus pulled in beside me at the kerb. Howard saving me from the rain.

I nodded for most of the journey which was good as the journey goes much quicker. In Chester Yvonne and Reuben weren’t waiting fir me so I started walking in the direction they were coming from and having a cigarette as I did so. I met up with them soon enough.  Unsurprisingly enough for a man with a bladder the size of a pea, I wanted to pee. We went into a Cafe Nero for our morning drink as our usual shop wasn’t open for another ten minutes and Yvonne didn’t think the current rain was enough for me to decorate the pavement and no-one would understand if I walked round with a look of sheer bliss on my face. So, I went to the loo in the cafe and then refilled straight away with a pot of tea.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 When we came out our shop was open so we went in to buy some things for Yvonne’s hospital bag. I was carrying the stuff and was heartened to hear from Yvonne that we weren’t going to have an argument about paying for these items today. I was pleased right up until the moment we argued. She said she meant we weren’t going to argue because SHE was paying !!! I can’t help it if I didn’t understand. I thought her statement lacked clarity. I took the easy way out by pushing her over, pinching her debit card and paying myself. Much easier than arguing. I did buy some slippers as part of  a stocking prezzie. In another shop I got a couple of silly gifts to go into a stocking too. There are times the stocking is much more fun than the main gift.

Time ran out and I had to go to the bus stop. Reuben helped by holding onto my crutch, trouble was he was lifting and moving it in direct opposition to the rhythm of my walk and I was all over the place. I didn’t have time to visit the loo before departing either so I’d be relying on willpower. I wasn’t feeling very well and was looking forward to nodding off on the bus.I managed that fine.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  At the other end I had to decide how urgently I needed a pee. It was too urgent for the chippie but not quite so urgent that I couldn’t call in at Pauline’s quickly. The trouble was, when I’d got what I wanted a small queue had formed at the counter.  By the time I’d got out we were going into Def Com 3 and the need was more urgent. By the time I got home I was hopping up and down on the step trying to get my key in the lock, and the hopping didn’t help. As the door opened I flew, dropping shopping around me and leaving the door ajar with keys in. Anyone hearing the cries of relief would have wondered just what was happening. I came back,  took my keys out of the lock and closed the door. I picked up the shopping and put away in the freezer some things I had bought. I took my coat off and carried the rest of the shopping to the kitchen.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Joey was my next priority. I opened his cage door, talking to him all the time. Being ignored as usual but at least he didn’t fly off in fear. His seed and water were changed and then I could go and see to me lunch. When I walked into the kitchen he started talking but when I leaned through to talk back he shut up again. When my lunch was ready I took it through and sat with the TV on low. He flew out of the cage and parted my hair but as usual he wouldn’t land. He did start talking to me though.                          After lunch at about 1.30 pm I came to work on the mail. 142 pieces (Thanks folks) and stayed until 5.00 pm then took a break till 6.30 pm. When I came back I caught up onm the rest pretty quickly so at 9.00 pm I could watch an historical programme on Prince Arthur and his murder by or at the behest of King John. I’m so sorry I watched it. Experts talking on the likelihood of who did it and how it was done. Different historians and their opinions, forensic psychologist to talk about John’s ability to do such a thing ( they were joking-right?). You might have well as said, Arthur was killed. No body was found but it was in John’s interest for it to happen since Arthur had a better claim to the throne. Only he didn’t….Richard on his deathbed declared John his heir and since Arthur had never visited England and spoke only French the English didn’t want him. Case closed.

I had time to work on the blog and will be able to finish the rest of the mail afterwards. Some better sleep tonight I hope.

In the doghouse?

Keep rockin’ or the polar bear gets it.

LYRICS:

Oh What will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney
Is there hope for the future?
Say the brown bells of Merthyr
Who made the mine owner?
Say the black bells of Rhondda
And who killed the miner?
Say the grim bells of Blaina
Put the vandals in court
Say the bells of Newport
All would be well if, if, if, if
Say the green bells of Cardiff
Why so worried sisters? Why?
Sang the silver bells of Wye
And what will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney
Oh What will you give me?
Say the sad bells of Rhymney
Is there hope for the future?
Say the brown bells of Merthyr
Who made the mine owner?
Say the black bells of Rhondda
And who killed the miner?
Say the grim bells of Blaina

Wednesday 25th Nov

Well, the light went out at midnight after just a short read. I think I was bitten by the tsetse fly again yesterday and the sleeping sickness was upon me. It’s not like I didn’t take advantage of the bus ride to sleep.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                It was 3.49 am when I woke this morning so I was quite pleased. That’s getting on for 4 hours continuous.  I put my dressing gown on, turned on the light, powered up the computer, cleared my chair…..and nipped to the loo. When I got back, everything was ready for me. I started on the mail and when that was cleared at 5.11 am I went through to the kitchen and took my meds. I had my usual cold toast , put the washing machine on (it was heavy so I took it off again) and brought my coffee back to work. I just had time to clear what was there before the day’s deluge started.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    And boy did it start. I worked through till 10.00 am and still had 54 to go.  I watched Homes Under the Hammer with Joey who was obviously excited about some of them then came back to work some more only to find I was up to 77 now.

I was going to start again when there was a knock at the door. It was a pretty young lady from the gas board come to read the meters. The one outside was no problem but the gas meter inside had to be unburied. I’m supposed to be on the list for a smart meter but I dread to think how long the list is.                                                                                            At 11.20 am  I’d finished with her and made an attempt to clear some of the post. Then the post man turned up with a parcel for me and as I had to go through to the kitchen to open it I stayed for lunch. Lamb’s liver and onions with baby boiled potatoes.                                                                                                                                                                           At 1.00 am I returned to work and found myself back up near 100. I worked solidly till 3.25 pm and was finally- though temporarily- clear. Yay. My timing was perfect as the doorbell rang and my drug mule was there. I swapped the drugs for a box of chocs and went to put them away.                                                                                                                       There was no point in going back to work as I needed to have a general tidy up before Dil arrived. He did so at 4.20 pm. I made a cuppa for him and we watched Flog It as we chatted and then our quiz, Pointless. With our memories it seems like it might be .

When 6.00 pm arrived off went the TV, out came the table with it’s new baize covering and we started gaming. The first game of Yahtzee Dil won 4-2. I don’t know whether he wanted a second game to thrash me again but I’m going to be generous and say it was to give me a chance. Well, I took it and I won 4-2 this time. We settled on the draw. We opened the 20th Anniversary edition of Trivial Pursuits which was one of the two MuJo had bought me on Monday. It was much more difficult to play than the original which is where our memories reside. But, there were two highlights to the game when I answered a sports question to get my orange segment and then when I answered a second one to win the game and Dil’s jaw dropped as he was sure I wouldn’t know it.                                                                                                                                                                                    This game had taken a lot longer to play than usual so it wasn’t worth starting another game. Instead Dil left about 10 minutes early. I don’t blame him of course as he comes here straight from work and hasn’t eaten. He must be tired and tonight his leg was giving him some gyp too so I’m sure he’d be glad to rest it. Anyway, it just meant I could do my victory dance a bit earlier.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              I tidied up, washed the pots and tucked Joey in for the night then came through to work. Plenty of mail waiting again which I did first tonight. I started the blog at 11.00 pm and think I’ll make it to bed for midnight.

A take out lunch.

Look Mum,I’m a statue.

Thursday 26th Nov.

I don’t remember going to sleep last night. It may have been I was out for the count before my head hit the pillow. I’d put the light out at 12.10 am as I couldn’t concentrate to read. This morning it was a memorable time when I woke, 3.33 am. I paid a swift visit to the Piddle Palace and came back to log on. I had post enough to keep me going until 4.10 am so I chose that time to take my meds, have some breakfast and make my coffee. When I returned about 4.40 am there was more. OK, I could live with that. It held me until 6.00 am.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   At that point I decided to make the best of my break and take a cruise snooze. Fat chance!! It’s pitch black and Joey chirped at the vital moment and looking at the screen I see someone left the tap running. I dived in but still the level rose. I was still at it at 8.30 am when I had to stop to get dressed. I needed to go to Pauline’s for bread and my lottery tickets.I admit I’ve considered throwing my hand in if they keep ignoring my numbers like this. It’s getting to feel personal.

I got back at 9.20 am and took the bread to the kitchen. It was light enough now to let Joey out. I opened his door and he hopped up to the next bar and tucked himself quietly into a corner. I stood talking to him but got no  response so I moved away to the kitchen door and tried again. Still nothing. I’ll have to hope that maybe the TV going on at 10.00 am will bring him to life. It did. Bring him to life that is. I was fading away ready to doze and he was full of the joys of spring.                                                               After our programme I went back to work for a while as more stuff had com in the hour I was away. It took me till 11.45 am to do it and then I had to run and peel my sweet potatoes for lunch. Today I was especially thankful for bangers and mash. Joey on the other hand seemed to disapprove as he gave me a right roasting when I went to eat it. Of course he could have been complaining that I’d made him miss the start of Bargain Hunt.                                                                                                                                                 I was close to missing the end of it as my eyes seemed to want to close. I fought back and went to my room to see if more messages had come through. They had, so I didn’t  let them mount up. I kept making things worse for myself though by looking at all the Black Friday offers I’d been sent. In the end I ordered something from ebay that wasn’t in the Black Friday offers but I hoped would make a good Christmas gift.

By 3.00 pm the mail boxes were clear again and I could feel my eyelids going ready for internal inspection. I went through and sat in my chair,said hello to Joey and zonked. I was only out for 40 minutes but I felt so refreshed. There was a residual headache though but I think that was down to the disapproving one continually having a very loud conversation with the bird in the mirror who annoys him dreadfully.                                                                                                                                                                                                I cleared a few more messages before 5.15 pm and quiz time arrived. It was at half past six when the second quiz was over when I found out my organisational skills were lacking. I checked what time I was due back in the lounge (if at all) for another programme. I found I had just half an hour to work and then things to watch from 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm. First The Antiques Road Trip for an hour then One about a lawyer ( Garrow’s Law I think?) and then the next episode of The Last Kingdom. It’s like tasking a holiday only as we know holidays have to be paid for.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   I came back at 10.00 pm to start work on the blog and to clear the newest emails. Then at 10.45 pm Mike arrived and my plans took a nose dive rapidly. We both wanted to hear the news of the other and Mike’s week has been very active. I finally packed him off to have a coffee but there’s now no chance of bed before midnight. If I’m very lucky it might be half past the witching hour.

Friday 27th  Nov

I made it to bed for 12.30 am- just. Reading was limited to just half an hour before the light went off though.  I was up again at 2.20 am while my pea sized bladder did it’s work and for the time it took me to convince my body I wasn’t quite done with sleeping as it thought I should be.  At least I had time for a cigarette during the debate. I returned to bed and lay staring at the wall in defiance, determined that Somnos was not to win. I fell asleep again. I got up at 3.44 am and this time there was no going back.

Friday mornings being what they are I went to the kitchen as soon as the bladder had made it’s presence known again. I took my meds and sprays then prepared my cup for coffee and brought my drug drawer through. I added the new drugs that had come on Wednesday and then sorted the next week’s drugs out in the meds tray. At about 4.30 am I returned to the bedroom and powered up and logged on.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 There were quite a few messages in my gmail but there was time enough to deal with them before the deluge. I made a start. One of the odd things I noticed was a lack of Black Friday offers considering this was the day. Still, there was time, no doubt they’d arrive at 6.10 am. Only at 6.10 am just one message arrived in gmail and two on my Talktalk. I  dealt with them and sat twiddling my thumbs. At 6.15 am they were there. 104 for starters. It took until 9.50 to get clear enough to say good morning to Joey and take Mike a coffee. They both ignored me.

At 10.00 am I turned Homes Under the Hammer on and naturally Mike chose that moment to come in. Yawning, twitching and one hand seemingly doing a count of the body parts he deems important…..and I don’t mean his eyes. At the end of the hour he still hadn’t finished his first coffee. I had to return to my room and Mike had to get ready to go out. The work was still coming in .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Mike left about 11.15 am to go to Manchester . I decided if I had a rare chips and curry sauce (cough) I could afford to stay here until midday, so that’s what I did. Joey and I watched Bargain Hunt and I finally think I have it figured, he loves the theme music to my shows and the exit music but can’t stand the bits in between.  Once it was over my eyes were on autopilot and closed. An hour and five minutes I was out so I had to dash back to work yet again and play catch up.                                                                                 In between bits of work  I wrote some more Christmas cards ready for those to go abroad. The nearer Yvonne gets to having the baby the more likely I am to forget. I now know that the baby is breech too which is a tiny worry. If it can’t be turned beforehand they’ll have to do a caesarian between Christmas and the New Year. At least someone is still making sure I get my Capricorn.

At 5.00 pm I went back to the lounge and readied myself for the quiz, so I had some tea and settled down in my chair. Joey was dive bombing me then going back to his cage and saying “Joey Joey” in a very self congratulatory way. I missed a few questions that way.                                                                                                                                                      After the show was over I knew my other quiz wouldn’t be on as they extend The Dancing Show to an hour on a Friday. I went back to work until 7.00 am. I had a text from Mike at just gone 6.00 pm to say he was on his way so maybe he’d be here to share the Antiques Road Trip with me.                                                                                                          During my messaging I had a reply from a lovely friend to say she didn’t know I was in Wales and that her church had sent a couple of missionaries over here some weeks ago. They were still here. I didn’t think anything of it at the time but all of a sudden I burst out laughing. It hit me…….Missionaries here, do they think we’re not civilised yet? I can imagine them hacking their way through the bush of someone’s ornamental pampas grass or bamboo only to be captured by the natives and eaten, or at least forced to eat pysgod a sglodian ( fish and chips) or bara brith. In fact, maybe that’s why they’re still here. I wish I’d thought of it while  I was answering her.

I went to the lounge at 7.00 pm and was horrified that the programmes had been changed and my Antiques Road Trip wasn’t on, instead they’d put the dancing show on later. I was still sulking at 7.20 pm when Mike arrived back. I made his coffee and we chatted a few minuted before Question of Sport came on. This was followed by Mastermind and at 8.30 pm I went for a shower.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           At 9.00 pm I had Have I got News For You for  a bit of light relief. It was very funny tonight. After it was over it was a case of locking the bird in his cage to a sound bollocking and telling Mike I’d be back later for my tabs. Off back to the slave labour then. At least I’ll be able to get an early night.

I’m checking where I’ve been not where I’m going.

Yes, you hold on tight Daddy, I’ll keep you safe.

Saturday 28th Nov

I got my early night and was in bed by 11.35 pm after doing my legs. I read until 12.45 am and then settled for sleep. I didn’t wake until 4.39 am this morning, with no overnight trips to the loo. That’s great.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Saturdays being what they are- busy- I turned the computer on, went through to the loo, washed my face and hands then headed straight for the kitchen to take my meds and have breakfast. At the same time I ran over my shopping list to see if I’d missed anything. I brought a coffee back to the bedroom and did as much as I could for half an hour before taking time out to get dressed. By the time I’d done that, my outstanding post had gone from 17 to 93 and was gaining ground. I was able to do a few more before Mike’s alarm went off and it was time to head back to the kitchen to make him a drink.                                                                                                                                                                When I took the coffee in I woke him and let him know it was there just before his alarm went off for the second time. Panic had caused me to return to work. At 7.00 am Mike’s alarm went off for the fourth time and I had no choice but to remind him not to forget his drink and to tell him the time. I couldn’t return to work as I needed to get the food waste and the recycling bags out, making sure a good cold draught hit Mike’s bedroom. He went through to the lounge. I allowed myself another quarter hour of work before being prepared with my coat and bags. Mike was getting dressed in his room and after my prompting I didn’t want him being ready first. His morning score was A-4 C-2.

We made it out for 7.30 am by some miracle then Stirling Moss had us at the Supermarket by 7.50 am. As usual he got the trolley while I got my cash. First think was a new supply of sweet potatoes then it was time to choose the flowers. We needed a full change this week so got 3 bunches of mixed to display together. I picked up some teeshirts for Reuben but the rest of the shop wasn’t important really.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  After coffee we visited a LIDL not too far away to get some of their bread rolls then rolled on into Flint as usual. I picked up a few items from my fave shops then we took  the chocolates to Temptations and had our drinks and Mike’s teasted toecake. After there we went to another shop where Mike did some of his Christmas shopping and bought himself a pair of shoes. That necessitated three more shops on the look out for some innersoles he needed. For some reason I wasn’t feeling too grand this morning . We drove over to Prestatyn for lunch and we were quite a bit later than usual which didn’t help me much, but it was a nice lunch anyway.

It wasn’t too much longer before we were able to set off home. Joey was a bit disgruntled at being left captive so long but he did forgive us eventually. Once the shopping was away I came through to work. It was 3.00 pm. Mail up to  187 by then I did what I could. I still wasn’t feeling good but I think I discovered why. I was tired. So tired that I nodded off over the keyboard ( please Somnos don’t let me have sent out any idiot mil again). What was worse was waking up at 4.45 pm and thinking it was in the morning. I heard Mike go to the loo and I went to check on him and heard the TV going in the lounge. When he returned I asked if he hadn’t been to bed yet. He was looking very smug as he’d been through and seen me asleep (and snoring according to him). Luckily I couldn’t have been out above half an hour, but half an hour wasted.  I was due in the lounge at 5.20 pm to see Mastermind and give Mike some company so I didn’t manage miracles with the mail. I stayed there until 6.40 pm then was allowed back to work until 8.00 pm.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Then it was time for the Murdoch Mysteries and Murder in Paradise which took me until 10.20 pm when I was free to come and attack the blog post and anytime I have left I’m free to work on the outstanding 93 messages.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 The weather here is still cool, windy and wet. I don’t know if there’s any improvement on the cards. I hope so.

Wishing you all a Wonderful New Week with dreams come true and Hugs galore.