Category Archives: personal

personal

Unblogged November

Being some notes on things (all too personal as usual) I haven’t otherwise written about this month.

Monday 3
Is anything happening out there? One way and another I just cannot keep up with anything, let alone what the world is doing. To the extent that I missed this evening’s Reading Group call, almost without realising it.

Wednesday 5
I was awake just after 04:00 this morning, to a very pretty moon veiled in some “lumpy” cloud. Difficult to photograph without crashing around to get my big camera, but here’s what I got with my phone through the bedroom window – the double glazing probably accounts for some of the refraction patterns. It was actually a lot more stunning than the photo gives the impression.Moon and clouds

I also wasted five minutes playing around to see what my phone would make of a selfie in the dark – but that will make this month’s self-portrait!

Friday 7
Another trip to the osteopath. Back still isn’t right, but is improving very slowly.

Monday 10
And still the work piles up faster than I can clear it, which means this week is going to be a horror as I also have four medical appointments and an evening meeting over the next 3 days, and thus also 3 early mornings. I just feel swamped; totally submerged.

Wednesday 12
Phew! What a day – well morning really. First thing a check-up with the tooth surgeon; as predicted it took 5 minutes to say all OK, go home. After which I spent an hour sitting reading in the hospital before being picked up and whisked off to an osteopath appointment. Different, recommended, osteopath. Very efficient. In fact at one point I had two of them working on me! They do seem to have crunched my back and so far it feels much better. Another appointment next week, and then maybe regular massage. Home for lunch and went to sleep in the afternoon, while N went for an eye appointment. But hey! We’ve made some progress today, which feels good.

Thursday 13
And there’s more medical stuff! Excellent review of everything this morning with my GP. Never let it be said that most GPs won’t give you the time if you need it. I’d asked several weeks ago that we review everything, including starting to discuss care plans. My young lady GP scheduled us 30 minutes, and we actually had 45 minutes. And yes, we did cover everything. I’m going to get a couple of precautionary referrals (6 month waits, here we come); and I have a couple of things to action as well. So another day with a result!

Friday 14
Why is it that no-one can explain why there are days when everything conspires against one? Nothing is straightforward or easy; if something can screw up, fall apart, or drop on your toe, it does!

Wednesday 19
So I looked up at about 08:30 this morning to see large lumps of snow falling, which was rather unexpected. It was however disappearing as soon as it made contact with the ground. Within an hour it had turned to rain, which then stopped by lunchtime; and there was actually some sunshine during the afternoon.

Thursday 20
Blimey it’s been cold today. The cab driver earlier was complaining of the cold, and I struggled to get warm this afternoon. Although our postman said he thought it was warmer this morning, mainly as yesterday’s wind had died down. And it looks tonight we’re in for the first frost of the winter.

Friday 21
As predicted there was a good frost last night, around -2°C, followed by a clear sunny morning.
As often on a Friday evening the pussys got fresh cooked cod for tea. Boy Cat appeared in the kitchen about 17:00 singing for his cod – he only does it for cod – long before it was going to be cooked (we were getting our tea in the oven). How does he know there’s cod for tea this week? One can only think he must hear it arrive through the front door!

Monday 24
There’s something odd happening. I’m growing horns! Arrowed in the photo. (Click the image if you really want a larger view.)forehead

Tuesday 25
Another of those days where anything that can be unobliging is so.

Thursday 27
So what we had yesterday was a budget was it? From a purely parochial point of view one is not impressed. We get shafted. Income tax thresholds not increasing until 2031! Well I shall get stung for higher rate next year, if not this year! Plus increased rates on share dividend income (although that’s scarcely even chicken feed for us) and savings income. OK, so state pension goes up, but I’ll lose all of that, and more, in tax. Alcohol will cost more, but (at least in theory) energy bills might come down marginally. I get the feeling (I’ve not had the wherewithal to calculate it yet) that from April my net annual take-home will go down fairly sharply; and certainly, given that bills keep escalating, disposable income will take a hit. Moreover I’m already having horrors at the thought of what my medical insurance is going to cost; it’s already astronomical! Yet I shouldn’t really be complaining (except maybe about the medical insurance); after all we can actually afford to pay a bit more tax. But not impressed. Bah! Humbug!

Saturday 29
I keep thinking of little snippets to write here – and then forgetting them!
One nice thing at sunset today was a gorgeous fiery pink layer of cloud making a line right along the eastern sky, with above it a misty quarter moon. Rather stunning.

Sunday 30
It’s the first Sunday in Advent. Just where has that year gone?

memes, personal, ramblings

Unblogged October

The usual round-up of things which happened that I didn’t otherwise write about.

Wednesday 1
As usual the first of the month was busy with household etc. admin. It was made worse by two things. First it was one of those days when everything did its best to conspire against any and every activity. Secondly the gardener was here. Having him here is so disruptive, even when all he’s doing is beavering away in the garden. As N observed we never get anything done when he’s here; certainly it is difficult to concentrate on anything significant.

Thursday 2
Another day struggling against the depression, achieving little, and failing to get to the bottom of the pile of paperwork on my desk. Seldom has there been such a rubbish week. And next week isn’t looking too good either.

Friday 3
Got my new hearing aids today. 14:30 appointment; arrived at 14:00; seen at 14:10; out by 14:20 and home at 14:45. Now that’s what I call service! First impressions are that they are much clearer than the old ones – and more comfortable.

Saturday 4
Today is N’s birthday, but as she’ll be at the hospital for a large chunk of the day (and home late) the major celebration will be tomorrow – although presents this evening accompanied by pizza.

Sunday 5
N’s birthday, Part 2. A culinary day. First off we finished the Sweet & Spicy Apple Cheese – we’d cooked down the small or damaged apples from our crop on Friday, and now sieved and jammed it. (I should write it up!) Then I sieved out the proto-tomato soup, ready to be finished for lunch tomorrow. Dinner was duck and avocado salad, followed by peaches in alcohol with cream, washed down with a bottle of Champagne. Result!

Monday 6
What a curious and interesting day. It started just before 05:00 with a gorgeous full moon setting in the SW, at times draped in thin ethereal cloud; couldn’t photograph it because it was right above an annoying street light. Then off for Covid & flu jabs, and get a new passport photo. Home to find that author Jilly Cooper has died; she was a long time friend of Anthony Powell and a great supported of the Society; we last saw her at the anniversary lunch in June. Fell asleep for a good part of the afternoon. Finally this evening a good reading group call.

Wednesday 8
Two or three days ago the moon was rising in the early evening at about due East. This evening it is rising a good 45° to the north, ie. around NE. How has the orbit moved so far in only half a handful of days? Well, checking it out, it seems like it does! The direction of moonrise has moved 44° since last Saturday!

Thursday 9
Off to see the senior partner at my GPs this afternoon as he does minor surgery. As I suspected he decided to scalp my infected elbow. Apparently there’s no obvious underlying problem. Seen 15 minutes early, and all done, in and out, in 20 minutes. Job done. Result!

Friday 10
It is Saturday, isn’t it? Really depressed; feeling completely drained and unable.

Saturday 11
It doesn’t help that I’ve done something to my back. Not sure if it’s the old injury or a trapped nerve. Anyway I’ve managed to get an osteopath appointment for Monday afternoon. And this on top of still feeling really depressed and incapable.

Sunday 12
Keep your elbow dry in the shower they said. Hah! Some chance. Well at least we tried: taped a protective plastic film over the area, but of course it comes off as soon as you flex your elbow in the wet. But it did make me remove the dressing, which I’d been told to keep on for 2-3 days. The wound looks quite good, although oozing slightly (probably because it got wet). An hour later and it’s almost dried up, which is good. Just don’t lean on it!!!!

Monday 13
Comes the gardener. In tidying up the front garden he discovered a very well hidden wasps’ nest. Basically they’ve hollowed out one of the railway sleepers used as border edging; at least two large entrance holes, but the actual nest is well hidden as you cannot see it! Still quite a few wasps around the entrance. We will, of course, leave it alone.

Tuesday 14
Feel dreadful. Back not really any better. Trapped nerve pain in front of right thigh. Can’t get comfortable; didn’t sleep well. And no power in fingers/hands. This despite osteopath yesterday.

Wednesday 15
Also last Saturday I completed the latest board of Postcrossing postcards: numbers 401-450. The display (below) was taken down today to make way for the new set.cork board display of postcards

Friday 17
Still in trouble with back & right leg, so another trip to osteopath. Not sure how I managed the journey through the pain and panic attack – but I did.

Monday 20
Time for the Paraffinian’s Autumn campaign, although they never seem to make any advance. As is traditional, the campaign started this weekend with Diwali.

Wednesday 22
Quick medical update. Back is improving, but leg still painful: but all seems to improve with each visit to osteopath (which done again today). Elbow healing up well; scab beginning to peel off. Having lost a lot of power and dexterity in my right fingers, this evening I realised what may well have caused it: using a potato ricer to extract the juice from cooked apples for the apple cheese a couple of weeks ago – it was certainly hurting my hand at the time. New hearing aids working well, and more comfortable than the old ones.

Thursday 23
The house is littered with well-loved and beaten-up catnip mice, which wander the house courtesy of our 3 felines. Today I found a couple of new catnip mice and gave Tilly one. This was the result …

Saturday 25
N came in from dialysis about 19:15; when she got upstairs she was very shaky and uncommunicative. Wouldn’t/couldn’t tell me anything. So an ambulance was called. Impressive response time about 15 minutes. Well checked over by 3 paramedics and taken off to hospital. Probably an infection as high temperature. We’ll see. Now I can’t do anything.

Sunday 26
A day struggling not to be completely paralysed with stress, depression and panic. N still in hospital; may be out tomorrow if she continues to recover.

Monday 27
Last evening I caught a late BBC weather bulletin. The presenter is already wearing a Remembrance poppy. Come on guys, it’s still two weeks to Remembrance Sunday. Gah!
[As long-time readers will know, I majorly dislike Remembrance Day; I wrote about it 15 years ago!]

Wednesday 29
N finally home from hospital about 18:30. She’s glad to be home, although still a bit weary. She’s under instruction (from me) to get to bed early and rest – the question is, will she take any notice?

Friday 31
It’s been one of those months, and it ended with yet another such day. I still have a stack of stuff to do, which should have been done ages ago but I can’t get to – for lots of reasons – so I’m well behind. I shall be glad to see the back of October; I just hope November is better.