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 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...

Back Home

So, here I am back from my short holibags. I had a great time with younger son and daughter-in-law, catching up with all the news and seeing how all the work has been progressing in their house and garden.

On Saturday we went to a very large shopping mall; they had booked an electric wheelchair for me, so I was able to keep up with them and enjoy the shopping. We had lunch there too and I even had a glass of wine (an absolute no-no when I am driving a car, but there seem to be no such restrictions for “driving” a wheelchair.)

Daughter in law made toad in the hole which I haven't had in years - delicious. ps if she reads this, I would love the recipe.....

Son made a delicious chicken dish:

Lemon Chicken

Take zest and rind of 1 orange and 1 lemon, then juice them both.
Spread juice over chicken then press zests and some thyme over it too.
Push the remainder of the orange and lemon into the cavity of the chicken.
Slow roast the chicken until cooked (time depends on weight of chicken).

This gives a lovely moist meat, delicately flavoured with the orange, lemon and thyme.

We went to the cinema to see Ratatouille – it was great fun, and we also made another trip round Waitrose; at least this time we got the whole way round without son’s mobile summoning him back to the hospital :-)

The chicken did very well with salad for two further meals.

Son also made kedgeree in the usual way, but instead of mixing the hard boiled eggs into it, he sliced them and laid them fanned out to the side of the kedgeree, so that it looked more attractive.

I should mention that daughter-in-law is vegetarian, so that two different meals were being cooked each time.

I almost forgot the sticky toffee pudding (not home made) which was nonetheless delicious.

You might very well think that I only go there for the food, but I could not possibly comment.

So, a magic visit.