T***o!

The veg box delivery ran out of potatoes yesterday, so I had to place an order with T***o for delivery today between 3 and 5pm (the earliest vacant slots.)

5.30 I phoned as the order had not arrived. Soft words "the order is on its way".
Forgive my doubts.

6pm I phoned again. Same thing.

6.30. Eventually the store called me back. The order had been left with a neighbour.

At last I collected it and I am now fed and watered.

It is so frustrating to be dependent on deliveries like this. I have so many times had trouble with them.

With an electric scooter I could keep the fridge and store cupboard stocked on a regular basis.

Aaargh!

Subtle Hints

I respond very well to subtle hints, especially if they are applied with a sledgehammer.

Accordingly, having rejected the suggestion fom both TBSITW and daughter that I get rid of one of my chests of drawers, I then went on (with TBSITW) to look at desks and was slightly horrified at how small a desk would fit in to the space available.

So, this morning I emptied one of the chests. The jumpers were easy - out of polythene bags and on to hangers.

The medicines were remarkably difficult, and the 'jools' are currently sitting out on top of one of the chests, but still, a good job done.

Cooking Again

Thursday was back at the Day Hospital and once more worked hard by the physiotherapist. She did give me a bit of a row about my expedition to the butcher and told me not to do it again. Not likely to anyway as I found it quite scary.

This morning I made use of 2 tattie scones from the freezer and a packet of pancetta to make bacon, egg and tattie scone for breakfast. (pancetta is not as good as Wiltshire bacon for this purpose). I don't know how long it is since I made a cooked breakfast.

Shortly after I finished, TBSITW arrived with two dogs - I always love to see them. We then went off to Dobbies to find a tray with bean bag. I must confess that, for eating on your own, it is wonderful. It also acts as an excellent tray for my book. (The Return by Victoria Hislop).

We also went looking for a desk with filing drawer. No success at the first shop, but got a better idea at Staples of modular furniture..

I had no real idea how small a desk would fit.

Both TBSITW and daughter suggested that I try to relinquish one chest of drawers to make more room. I kept saying it could not be done, but I am trying it out now.

That could make a bit difference.

I came back to tackle the pok choi from the organic veg box delivery and made soup with it using my usual "green soup" recipe. No, I had never heard of pak choi either (or Chinese leaves). Soup made and meal of potted meat, potato, and broccoli eaten.

I had to place a Tesco order as, amongst other things, I am completely out of potatoes and onions.

Re-approaching Normality

Yesterday was another day at the Day Hospital. I always offer my neighbour my pen to fill in her menu (she still does not have one!) Virtue brings its own reward as she encouraged me somewhat forcefully to get up and go over to the the table for lunch. There were 3 tables for ladies and 3 for men.

At the last moment, one poor lady came up, but there were no seats left at the ladies' tables, so she had to sit with the men.

I knew there were a lot of people there but had not realised that possible consequence.

It must have been a bit boring for her as 'men talk' as different from 'women talk'.

I had a good going over with the physiotherapist, working not only on building up muscle strength, but also balance. She has a special balance mat, about 3 foot by 2 foot 6inches and 4 inches deep.

These measurements are guesstimates, you understand.

I call it an instrument of torture as I find it very difficult to balance on it. Good for me.

This morning the doctor's surgery called to ask me to come in on Monday for a blood test and a blood pressure check (there you are, they do read the discharge letter!)

With my appetite coming back, I fancied some potted haugh (don't ask) and phoned the butcher to ask if he had any in. Yes.

I then phoned the taxi firm to ask if I could have a taxi to the bottom of the High Street, to wait while I went to the butcher and to bring me home.

Yes.

So, I did it, although the short walk to the butcher was very hard and I was afraid of falling.

We won't mention the fact that the taxi cost more than the meat!

Can't wait to get an electric scooter.

The Whirlwind!

TBSITW visited yesterday and tidied out my freezer.

How can I be such a slut as to let it get in such an untidy mess?

And how can I let that lovely contents list, which she made for me not that long ago, get so WRONG?

She is coming back soon to defrost the freezer.

What a wonderful person.

She tempted me to half a glass of Manzanilla sherry. I complained about the quantity (as you do), but when I had finished and she offered me more, I said I had had enough.

Must be ill!!!

She also left me a small serving of "rib-sticking" roe soup and put me on my honour to eat it.

Must have done me good as I had two cooking apples, and peeled and stewed them. I served them up with some ice cream from the freezer.

Don't know if it is the antibiotics but the ice cream went from plate to sink after a small taste.

I really need to kick-start my appetite......

Had a really good night's sleep, but still feel tired this morning......

Dear Daughter - M and Grandsons

A grand day today today, in spite of still feeling tired.

First off, we went to Dobbies for lunch. I found I could manage only the vegetarian one, but at least I ate it all. Dear daughter wheeled me in a chair to choose my salad then over to my table.

After lunch, elder grandson wheeled me round the shop where I bought very little.

Then we came home and daughter tidied out my wardrobe, a desk, removing stuff including a computer with which I have finished, and my bookcases leaving room for many more books which need filing.

Medical Intervention

Well, I certainly got my money's worth out of the NHS today.

Off to the Day Hospital in a blouse and t-shirt, although I wore a long sleeved blouse to hide the fact that I was still wearing my long sleeved vest.

We always get greeted with a cup of tea, then I was gathered up by the physiotherapist and really put through my paces. Sadly she leaves us next week to go to the bigger hospital near by. Never mind, another will come along and take her place.

And probably put us through our paces in much the same manner!

Next up came the occupational therapist, who questioned me in depth. I found myself saying things I had been keeping to myself, like a quite severe loss of appetite and no interest in cooking. She has suggested I come and work in one of their kitchens. No bad thing, I think.

Later the doctor wanted to see me and said that the x ray when I was admitted showed a chest infection, so she promptly prescribed some antibiotics - and I had them in my hand as I left. I said I was having a bit of difficulty answering questions about "when did such and such happen" - and often giving a wrong answer, before remembering the correct one later.

She reckons the chest infection could be at the root of much of my recent problems.

Interesting.

A very brief post today.

I had a wonderful day out (known as a "jolly") with my very good friend C and her husband B. We went for a long, rambling tour through the countryside - in perfect weather, stopping off for lunch on the way (I had fish and chips and a small bottle of Chenin Blanc.

I am just about to get ready for bed as I am very tired and it is off to the Day Hospital in the morning.

The Interregnum

On Monday, I was at the bridge club, when our chairman looked across and noticed I looked unwell. She got one of the gentlemen to drive me home. Very shortly afterwards, our House Manager took one look at me and said "you're getting an ambulance now. And so I was transferred to the District General Hospital.

I remember very little about the next 24 hours....

However, here am at home again large as life and twice as ugly.

I was told that, once again I was a bit dehydrated and must drink plenty. Interestingly, I always used to drink sparkling water, but gave that up some time ago as tap water was "perfectly good" Without realising it, I had come to dislike the taste of our local tap water, whereas that at elder son's is delicious and TBSITW has one of these American fridges so gets filtered chilled water, and ice "on tap" as it were. the lab always comes running when he hears the ice machine.

So today I am going out for lunch with a very good friend and tomorrow it is back to the Day Hospital.

Farmers Market with TBSITW - and after

I can't remember much about what I did on Friday This may turn out to be significant. What I particularly remember is going to bed and having a wonderful night's sleep, getting up, showering, getting dressed and finding out it was 11.30 pm!!!!! After that I crawled back into bed.

On Saturday morning I felt better but did not have a shower as I felt too tired.

Later on Saturday morning TBSITW came round and took me to the Farmers Market. I didn't buy much, but I always like to look round. We then went on to Asda and got some shopping. You may not remember that my kind neighbours left some marshmallows, so I bought Thornton's toffees and Rice Krispies. This is to make these wonderful krispie cakes.

We came home and had cheese scone (me) and carrot cake TBSITW) and had a good blether. TBSITW sorted out some things on my laptop for me.

The BEST thing was that she brought me a gift of Molton Brown's Naran ji room spray. Now she knows how much I like Naran ji. I bought her liquid soap and hand cream for Christmas, and - as you do - bought some for myself at the same time.

After she left I felt rather tired and sat down.

Later, I got up to make a cup of tea, and managed to have yet another fall, once again onto my sit-upon. Unlike the other day, I could not get up onto my hands and knees and certainly not up to stand.

This is becoming a bit boring and repetitive, isn't it?

A lovely lady from the County Falls Response Service came and got me up using her wonderful machine.

Still not feeling great so I fell, once more, into bed. A bit of a disturbed night, and did not feel up to having a shower, but I have had a cup of tea and 2 cheese scones.

There is something of an irony about all these falls. The Day Hospital was trying to persuade me to get these special pants with inserts to protect the hips. Two things were off putting: I have never fallen on that part of my anatomy - face, head, shoulder, arm, back, knees, tail end and the other is that the pants are terribly reminiscent of incontinence pants. If they want to protect me from injury from falling, they will have to dress me up as the Michelin man, or put me in a padded cell. I would not mind the latter too much - as long as I could have access to plenty of books!

The Day Hospital revisited

At the day hospital, the first person to approach was a girl with a badge saying "Student Nurse" .



Now you fans of ER may remember (I think it was during the very first episode) when Dr Green kicked backwards his wheeled chair from the desk in order to look in amazement at what was approaching,



It was Noah Wyle in a lab coat so starched and white it was amazing, and also obvious that it was his first day.



So I asked the Student Nurse if it were her first day out from the university. Oh, yes it was. I was almost blinded by the whiteness of her top, and I bet the starch doesn't last too long.



Nice girl, and she was being sent round to interview all us old ladies. Good practice.



I also saw the physio again in the afternoon, where we did some balance assessment. She was a bit 'hyper', explained by the fact that she had just bought her first house. It is in the next village along from the one where TBSITW lives.



I have learned that there can be gaps when nothing is happening, so I take a book. I think I am going to sound like a bit of an intellectual snob here, so the book is carefully selected. It is a historical novel, but could at a glance be mistaken for a historical romance. It is about Lady Jane Grey. I am ashamed to say that I didn't really study history at school, sticking to maths and the sciences as well as the obligatory English, French and geography.



I am finding the Tudor times fascinating and have been learning about all King Henry VIIIths wives

This morning I got a telephone call to say that the Day Hospital was cancelled as the roads were so bad, with more snow forecast.

I have really made use of the unexpected free time and have been de-cluttering my filing cabinet. I need to get the contents of a 3-drawer one down to fit a 1-drawer one, so masses of shredding has been going on. I have lost track of the number of times I have emptied the shredder and taken the contents to the paper bin in the refuse room.

I think that is me beat now, back to the books and the jigsaw.

Feet and Mouth

No not Foot and Mouth.

While I was still stirring the onion soup, the phone rang, so I removed the pan from the heat and answered it. It was Bob from the Bridge Club, asking why I was not there last night. I explained that my partner could not make it. He said I should have phoned in as there was someone looking for a partner, and they ended up with a half table too. Oh silly me. He also asked me if I was coming to the new session on a Thursday afternoon and I had to say that I was really sorry but I would be at the Day Hospital every Thursday afternoon.

I then mentioned that I was making onion soup. We'll pass over the fact that he said he loved onion soup - I don't feel I know him well enough to invite him round.

The feet and mouth bit arose from the fact that he said "Do you make soup?" In April there is a soup and sandwich event on a Sunday and I seem to have talked myself into making lentil and vegetable soups. Not for the whole 60, but these have been chosen as different peoples' should be compatible.

I have removed a "stew soup" ie gravy and veg left at the end of the casserole from the freezer and am going to make it it into a vegetable soup. This will be a start. I shall need to make another vegetable soup and also the lentil one.

Cooking Over The Years

My organic vegetable box was delivered yesterday and before I put it away, I removed everything in the vegetable drawer and discovered an excess of onions and potatoes. Today I am making onion soup (and later my sprout and chestnut recipe) with leek and potato and celery soups to follow at the weekend if not sooner.

Looking through my files for onion soup recipes set me thinking and remembering.

When I got married I could not cook; it had always been considered that my studies were more important, and to me were much more fun!

A small and somewhat insignificant wedding present came from the mother of a school friend: this was The Penguin Cookery Book by Bee Nilson. This became my cookery ‘bible’ as it covered absolutely everything from boiling an egg to baking cakes by way of vegetable cooking and choosing and cooking different cuts of meat. I still use it, although I had to buy a new one as the first one was falling apart at the seams.

To illustrate how little I knew, my toes still curl at the memory of a visit from my lovely mother - and father-in-law. We must have had roast chicken the day before because for this lunch I made my first ever chicken casserole. The meat was cooked, so all that now needed to cook was the vegetables (potatoes and carrots I think).

Now, we all know that potatoes need only to boil for 20 minutes to cook.

I think you might be ahead of me here.

I popped the casserole in the oven (and I can’t remember if I even preheated the oven) and left it to cook for 20 minutes.

I was probably green enough to set the oven temperature to boiling point.

This was in 1961, so I don’t think they would be cooked yet.

Exit one very red-faced Elaine.

I checked the recipe books after that until I had more, well-informed, confidence.

The next cookery book arose from the fact that we were entertaining a bit, so I bought The Robert Carrier Cookbook, a fat paperback. This is very 70s, full of rich food. I used it a great deal, so much so that it is falling apart. I don’t use it often now, but it is still there. Following on its heels was Robert Carrier’s Cooking for You, a hardback with two recipes to a page and a picture with each recipe. It is a bit like learning to read, a picture does help when learning to cook!

Next, of course, was the famous Delia, another well thumbed paperback.

Now I have a bookshelf of cookbooks on differing subjects, Indian, Italian to mention two. Over the years I have borrowed recipes and adapted recipes and kept them in a folder – they are now of course transferred to my computer, but are constantly being adapted and updated each time I make a recipe, and of course I am constantly borrowing.

Off to the onion soup now.

Bridge again

Defiitely back to usual

TBSITW lived up to her name again by coming over this morning. There had been quite a lot of snow last snow last night, but the main roads were clear.

I was so pleased to see her that I hurried to greet her at the front door, and tripped over my walking stick!

At least now I was able to crawl back to the flat and use the bed to push myself upright.

She was surprised to arrive here and find the car park only partly clear. However, off we went and got a 4 - 1 USB adaptor (apparently, that's what you get.) and then went to ASDA where I collected some sprouts to make the sprout and chestnut dish. I also got some biscuits for the barrel and some stock to use to make onion soup - I love it and I have a surplus of onions: serendipity, I think.

I had such a good afternoon's bridge with a new partner (who also drove me home) but arrived back too late for a cup of tea with the Scrabble group.

Normality

Definitely heading back to normal.

I have a combination vacuum cleaner/carpet sweeper which is just wonderful. The base is rectangular with a dust tray about the size of a toaster's crumb tray; round all four edges are rotating brushes. It is operated by a rechargeable battery and is so light that you hardly feel you are using it.

It would be no use for deep cleaning carpets, but for general tidying up it is excellent.

I got rid of all the dusty paper mess from emptying the shredder so many times yesterday and the crumbs from under the dining room table and from the kitchen.This place feels like home again.

I have also done my exercises. In spite of going to exercise classes so recently, I can feel the muscles having been worked.

I think I have earned my Sunday lunchtime sherry and a mixture of doing a jigsaw and having a good read of Henning Mankell's The Pyramid.

I am not sure if I would have wanted to see the television portrayal of Wallender as, after reading all the books, I have my own mind's eye picture.


Posted by Elaine at 04:09
Labels: cleaning up, exercises

The Next Stage Starts

Now that the laptop is up and running (thank you TBSITW), I have moved on to the next stage in my pursuit of an electric buggy and have started gutting files, with some documents for the paper bin, some needing to be kept and the rest (as I move on and reach them) needing shredding as they have my identity on them.

This is not going to be a very quick task.

I now have a small pile for filing and a small pile needing action. First the action. The first thing I found was my driving licence, both parts , which I had to say I had lost after telling the DVLA I needed to surrender them. At least I found a postage paid envelope, so they are ready to go in the mail.

I have shredded two carrier box loads of paper and am now going to sort the stuff lying on my bed into piles for filing, piles for action and piles for shredding.
As a pleasant interlude, two neighbours from upstairs came for a pre-lunch glass of wine or sherry and a nibble.

Time for lunch...

The Continuing Story of Peyton Place...

(for those old enough to remember). Went to connect the printer and discovered it needs a USB port.....

TBSITW

Today TBSITW once again lived up to her name. She came over and sorted out all the jumble of PC cables and labelled them to make reconnecting them after they go to dearest daughter easier. Before she allowed me to delete files she checked that my tiny pink thumb drive actually held all the files from my PC - the contrast is quite amazing. She uploaded them for me using the touch pad mouse which I find rather difficult and showed me how to access them.

Then she checked that the PC was reassembled and left me to delete my personal files. This is now done.

After that, my delivery from Tesco came. Now, bear in mind that I had planned to make the Brussels sprouts and chestnut puree tomorrow. I saw that there were several choices and selected a bag of baby sprouts as they looked nice and I thought they would be easier to shred than the bigger ones as well as less bitter.

What did I find when the delivery arrived? They were not available and some numpty did not think of substituting with one of the other lots of sprouts! This is where I feel so helpless. To make matters worse, TBSITW phoned from Tesco to ask if there was anything I needed and I said no as I had a delivery coming... Ah well, hope there are some sprouts with the organic veg delivery on Tuesday, but I somehow doubt it.

Back to the drawing board.

Random Acts of Heroic Love

I bought this book by Danny Scheinman following a recommendation by Jobbing Doctor on his book club site.

Don't be deceived by the title: this is not 'chick lit'. It is a beautifully written novel of the intertwined stories of two men sustained by the memory of love. It carries echoes of Sebastian Faulks, Tolstoy even, but Scheinman has his own voice. It is hard to believe that this is a first novel as it appears the work of a mature writer.

I cannot recommend this book too highly.

By George, She's Got It!

The jury's still out, but I think I have cracked it. In the first instance I think part of the problem was being offered an option of a wifi connection which delivered very limited access. I committed that cardinal sin of not documenting what I did each time to establish a pattern for success or failure. The secret involved going to properties on the Tesco broadband icon and changing one which looked as though it might work.

Now all I need for the laptop is a 4-way USB adaptor so that I can load all my backed-up files from my PC - and for my dear TBSITW to grovel under the desk to sort out the mess of cables for me.

So here I am. Second day at the Day Hospital and today the main event was the assessment from the physiotherapist.

I am so impressed with this place and the standard of service. An excellent and thorough medical assessment and the best ever nursing assessment on Tuesday. The physiotherapy assessment was excellent too and established my areas of weakness, most of which I was aware of and some of which were relatively new to me. I was a bit taken aback to be asked to try a 3-wheeled walking frame.....

In the afternoon I had a further sitting and standing blood pressure and I asked the staff nurse how the stay would continue. Apparently after about 6 weeks they have a case conference to decide whether I would benefit from more input, and if so what.

I have also been given several helpful booklets to read, and it was discussed whether I would wear special pants containing hip protectors. I was told to be sure I would wear them before they would order them for me as they are expensive. This is a seriously difficult decision. I know how valuable they are for preventing neck of femur fractures, but this is a serious blow to my body image.

An apt tale at this stage is that, ironically, I nearly had another fall when I got home as I half tripped over the leg of my typing chair.

Off-line woes

Hello bloggers, it's TBSITW again.

Elaine has a new laptop and, in the process of setting it up, appears to have lost any internet connection. I can't go to help her in situ until Friday, so don't expect to hear again on her blog till after that at least.

All I can do to help is crawl around checking connections. The software side of connecting to the internet is a grey area to me (even though I was a computer programmer in the olden days!). So meantime a plea goes to "Elder Son", if he has a moment, to let Elaine know if he has any helpful hints on the subject.

The Day Hospital

Well, as informed by letter on Saturday, I was collected just after 9.30 by ambulance to take me to the day hospital which is part of the District General Hospital.

I confess to mixed feelings, part of me thinks that this is another step down the slippery road to decrepitude and another part is very pleased that some attention is being paid to my falls. The ambulance (or hospital bus really) collects about 8 of us from one area of the town and others collect more from more widespread parts.

The ward looks like a ward but there are several different areas
serving different purposes. We all got settled in on our chairs in groups and tea or coffee and a biscuit was offered round. The staff/patient ratio would be the envy of any hospital ward with three sister/charge nurses, 4 or so staff nurses, I lost count of the number of nursing auxiliaries, never mind physio, occupational and speech therapists.

There was a good atmosphere and the staff were solicitous. The new arrivals all had a good assessment by the staff nurses and the doctor including observations and blood tests as required. This time I had a junior doctor doctor take blood and he made an excellent job of it.

We all had a menu to choose lunch and the quality of food was pretty good. The split pea and ham soup wasn't as good as that of TBSITW, but I would not be ashamed to offer it as my own, the egg mayonnaise and salad was fine, though I shall give the potato croquettes a miss from now on.

The ambulances arrived back at 3.45 and off we came home.

Thank goodness for better weather, if only for one day.

BTW - With the laptop now pretty well set up, I have one major outstanding problem: I have 2 different email addresses, but can't remember to log in to either.......

Later

Well, just in case she turned up, I was ready to leave. But I didn't really believe she would come and I kept expecting a phone call.

So, I sat in the residents lounge and watched the door for her car.

Then back to the flat to check my phone.

At the last minute her car appeared, being driven cautiously. So, off we went and played bridge watching through the big windows as the snow became very heavy then eased up then very heavy again. To make matters worse, we did not get good hands and so I really wondered if it were worth the effort for her.

I got a lift home from another pair to let her get on her way more quickly.

I'm Dreaming of a White February

Here I am sitting at my old (soon to be replaced, I hope) desk. The laptop sits on the keyboard pull-out part that, you just might remember, I damaged in one of my swan dives. TBSITW fixed it, but it is still somewhat wobbly. Anyway, the whole thing, including the open screen, is sitting there, and the screeen covers only the edge of my PC screen. I keep looking up and seeing the PC screen and wondering what I have done wrong that it looks black......

As well as seeing the black screen I now look over it and see, in complete contrast, white flakes falling from the sky and lying over the cars and the car park. I can see one bay where a car has been taken out for a drive and car tracks to indicate movement of vehicles in and out. However, this presents a really cold, dismal picture.

I have a strong feeling that bridge will be a no-go this afternoon, not just for my partner who lives in a small town higher than here and who would therefore have to brace worse weather, but that it would dramatically reduce the numbers as people decide to stay at home, making it much less fun.

Still, there's always my friends and the Scrabble board.

This morning has been spent happily sorting out my favourites list and reading all the blog updates I may have missed. I shall be glad when my MS Office arrives at which time I can transfer my backup pen drive files to it.

I do need to do something about getting rid of a dial up broadband as there are only two USB ports, and I like to use one for the mouse. Mind you, with a bit of effort I might just come to terms in time with the laptop's equivalent.

Well, might, but no promises.

On the Go

So, here I am with my new laptop and logged on to the Internet, albeit with a dial up connection - for the meantime...

These computers get bossier by the minute, I have a trial of so many log ins to MS office, but have bought it from the same place as I bought this (ebuyers) at about a third of the price. It is coming on Wednesday, but only because I shall be out on Tuesday.

There is a tremendous jumble of hardware, peripherals and cables lying around. I shall tidy as much as I can, because that is just what I don't want when in danger of tripping,

The Good Samaritan

This morning I got a telephone call from TBSITW offering me a lift to Church. Now it should be born in mind that she goes to Church only fro Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals, so this was a seriously good offer, made because she knows how much it means to me.

She duly arrived and drove to the car park, then offered me an arm while we walked to the Church door - this is a much longer walk than you would think and so she realises what I mean when I talk about the distance to walk.

She collected me after the service and we went to Comet to get a mouse to make the transition to laptop a bit easier.

I have now updated my important files onto my pen drive and am about to uninstall Tesco broadband from this PC and install it on my laptop.

This could be jumping into dangerous waters with the sharks gathering below, so please do no not be alarmed if I am off the Internet for a while.