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!
Sunday, 15 February 2009
Thursday, 12 February 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
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.
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.
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.
Monday, 9 February 2009
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.
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.
Sunday, 8 February 2009
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
Saturday, 7 February 2009
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...
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...
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