Happy

Happy New Year (Noisy)

Dinner

And tonight I was invited down to no 7 for a dinner, there was loads of roasted veggie stuff, hummus, salad, it was delicious, and I took a hip flask full of Whiskey Mac with me, even nicer

Aardvark

I asked a MOS s'morning if anyone was going to town. He said "Yes AJ is going to Aardvark". Which made me very happy on two fronts, 1) It's just around the corner from Sheffield House which is where I was gonna try and send a MOS if they were going into Carmarthen at all, and 2) I said to her that I used to work there ages ago so please say "If anyone remembers him that Neil says hello"

And she did, so I was able to stick up various calendars and pics of Freya and the kids. Then I figured out how to make 4 or 5 pictures into an animated gif which looks impressive on a web page

Gosh

Gosh I have been "out" since just after lunch, to No. 7. I only went 'cos I had heard about a cake (which was nice) then I had a glass of Baileys which was very good

Mile

So just now I went outside and was walking up and down without my 'stick on this path. I had up and downed a few times when a MOS walked past, I asked him "How many KM in a mile?", he got out his diary, while I carried on walking, when I got back he said "1.60summat" so I carried on walking until at last I had walked without holding anything 1.625 kilometers. So I walked a mile without my walking stick

Visitors

Then later this morning more visitors came to see me, Brian and Rita, Julia's parents. It was a bit strange but well OK, they were talking about how I was when I first had the accident and when I first came out of hospital and how I am now etc which was a bit upsetting but reassuring too.

And for a Xmas present from them first of all I opened a half bottle of whiskey, thought "Oh.... erm... thanks" opened my second present and it was a bottle of Ginger Wine. So combine the 2 together and it will make a Whiskey Mac. VBG

I commented how I used to think Julia was very beautiful but looking at Rita I can see where she got it from!!

Up

And at 'em again, 8.30ish AM

See me

Then later today all my kids came and had dinner, all of them. It was the most I have had sat this dining table, ever

Post Mortem

It occurred to me while at my sisters summat came on't telly saying "post mortem" and I thought "What a sh*t job, looking at bodies" etc

Gossip

While I was staying at Carly's I felt that her loo was much too low, if you are sitting down to pooh it proved really difficult to stand back up, I had to pull on the sink and the door handle but I managed in the end.

But on the way up I went to the loo before leaving then didn't need to go again until we were 3 countries away, so obviously summat is getting better

Slept

Well I slept last night so at a guess I am a bit better today. This afternoon my 3 kids are coming together and I will try to cook us all food etc.

Weary

Gosh I am worn out/knackered. Today we travelled back in another aeroplane this time to Cardiff, then an hour and a half rest of the way back. So far I have eaten my dinner and put pics together in web pages, I hope they are lovely but I am now too tired to do owt else 'til tomorrow

More Xmas

Then as no-one here gave me any presents but I got some anyway so that Santa must exist.

We hung about talking and drinking red wine and did not much else. BTW I was the master of ceremonies

Happy Christmas

Good lord, at my sisters house and I have been sitting on the PC for long enough to actually do stuff like this so....

We had a really long drive t'other day to Bristol to t'airport they scooped me up in ambilift in my wheelchair then I had to walk 10 paces without my 'stick to sit down. We had a briefish flight to Glasgow where we were met by my brother=in-law and taken to his house.

We had loads more adventures, me, my little brother, my Mum and Dad, and my b-I-l's Mum. I will have to tell u more later but for now there is a que for the 'puter

Heathenmas

Well, Happy Heathenmas to one and all

Not Strong Enuf

Last night I was sitting outside for a bit, it was chilly so I tried to stick my hands up the opposite sleeve. Left hand no problem, right hand couldn't do it. It was a combination of not being able to move it round and, majorly, not being strong enuf to maske the elasticated cuff move out of the way.

Seagulls

Jonathan Livingston, I got it for Chrimbly. I last read it about 20 years ago and I had forgotten, but WOW how cool, and I am a bit jealous

Visitors

Then after lunch my Dad and little brother came over to see me, we didn't do much except taking a few photos and then went out for a lovely meal. They are gonna have to take me away in't morning tomorrow, so see you when I get back

'Puter Woes

Then today suddenly my computer stopped being able to look at interweb sites, it just didn't work. I thought "Oh woe" but suddenly a load of email arrived so I knew it was still connected. I restarted Firefox, it still wouldn't work, so I restarted the whole PC. Now it works perfectly again, email and www access. (shrug)

I was so excited that I woke up

Very early s'morning, lay there for a bit then got up too very early

Because my Dad and Brother are coming over today to take me to Scotland tomorrow, to my sisters house, for Chrimbly. Then when I come back it should be much warmer again, just proper cold December temperatures

Strange Memory

So I went outside today, I was looking around and in my head was a song, oh dear, my memory is getting better

Aargh

So yesterday someone phoned me and told me that the Ambulance wasn't coming s'morning to take me to Priory. After I had set my alarm clock and I forgot to unset it. So I got up early s'morning, went out with my thermometer and it said nearly minus eight degrees, yes, it was very cold

Double Take

This afternoon someone knocked on the door, I thought "Too early to be Freya", went and answered it and it was my big 19 year old son who has been in Manchester for months. Later Freya came too, I saw them both!!

Priory Off

Someone phoned me just as my dinner was ready and told me that there will be no ambulance coming for me tomorrow, so I'll see them at Priory Day Hospital in the new year

Walkies

So today I walked outside, with no walking stick some 165 feet, or just over 50m which I measured

AND today I managed 100m, 328 ft stickless

Sand Witch

So since ages ago I have had a sandwich for lunch followed by a plate of salad. But today I was sat at't table, put peanut butter and jam on my pieces of bread, put some salad on it then made it into a sandwich. Mmmmm, I haven't eaten like that for a number of years

Posty

And the posty made it today, apparently this street is one of the worst so..... I got my compass and my 2nd pair of long johns so phew

Blue Badge

Well today the postman managed to make it to here and he delivered my Blue Badge for parking, so now I can park on double yellow lines if I need to etc

Phew

I am just relieved that today I got up, had breakfast, sat in front of my PC and it just seems to be all working, no crises, today

Bright &.....

Dunno woke up at about 6.40 s'morning and was up and at 'em by 7

Gosh

Abnd some of the staff are staying here because the roads are so shit, better to have someone in't morning

No webspace

And it sez my web space has been suspended but there is no-one answering phonecalls until 9AM tomorrow

Hah, phew it works now

(Hooray)

Oops

And because I had put a plate with some water on it on t'table in my back yard for the birds to drink from it had snowed a cm last night so it was frozen to the table, I had to get a MOS to help me free it so I could wash it and put it away again

Snow

So everything is stuck, some staff are off etc because of the snow. But we are lucky. Many people in other places in the country have had more than a foot of snow, but we have only had 2 inches. I dunno what would happen if that much fell here.....

Sorry, I have had 2 or 3 cm of snow, they have had half a meter or more

& At 'Em

So I woke up s'morning, all clad in my splint for my arm etc. I thought "What time is it?", looked at my watch, I read 11.35AM, thought "Oh no!", got up and went and had my brekky. Then I looked at my watch again, this time it said 8.50AM. So dunno if I can't read it properly first thing or what

Marginally Aprehensive

And I am a bit scared, I am supposed to go off in an Ambyvan to Priory Day Hospital soon.....

And after the Ambyvan was an hour late coming here I phoned Priory and said I was too scared to leave here so could they phone the ambulance supplier and tell them not to worry today....

And she said "Don't worry, no ambulances today" so....

Sigh

So I went to bed about 12.30 last night and got up s'morning an hour before my alarm clock goes off at about 6.30. Hah, sleep is for the weak!! Or summat.....

Aargh, there is more of that slippery underfoot cold stuff now too....

Tai Chi

And I was supposed to be going to a Tai Chi class this evening to have a look and see if I think I might be able to do "stuff" there in order to speed up this getting better thing but it is way too supposed to be snowing in an hour or 2 so we decided "Nah, lets go after Christmas"

And the weather forecast said it was gonna snow outrageously now, but it's not saying that any more

New Toys

So this morning I received my new free bus pass. So I will have to go with a \MOS the first few times until I am used to it, but hopefully it will be good

I also got s'morning a letter from the DVLA telling me to make an appointment with a doctor miles away to test my driving skills.

So neither of these were the groovy letter I was hoping for but a load of "important stuff" too

T-Shirt

And I purchased a new T-shirt 'cos the message attracted me

Physio

And we did my Physio and impressed him with how well I am doing etc

& at 'em

Well I got up early to wait for my ambultransport. I could have had a lie in, it's still not here

Yes, I was sitting outside, I had just taken my phone out and was looking for Ambulance Transport when she came, said sorry etc. She had had a) an emergency to deal with and b) an out of date SatNav which didn't know where I lived

Visitor

After worrying most of't morning my visitor came to see me this afternoon, it kind of was better than I had been worrying etc...... It does my head in having visitors when I am this flipped, but......

Pain(t)

And someone reminded me t'other day that one of my paintings was done with her feet by a sufferer who couldn't use her hands

WOW walkies

And a walking track that I have managed twice in the past I did 3 today, with no walking stick

And we found a measuring tape this evening, it is 10 meters each way so a total of 60m (or 65 yds)

Tired

Gosh yes, I was so tired yesterday that I didn't go to bed until about 2.10AM and still woke up at 9.15 s'morning

Lord

Lord what a hectic day so far. I got up s'morning, was half way through my brekky when my phone rang, it was the professor who was due in at 10.30 today, he said "Sorry, I am a bit early as I hadn't explored, so can I come and see you now?" After I had finished my muesli I opened the front door, and there he was. We didn't talk about much 'til my father got here at 10 o'clock. Then he was saying how surprising it is to him to meet me, the medical notes said I was f*cked but then he met me and appreciated how much my perseverance can do.

Then me and Dad went and had lunch in Carmarthen, then we went to look for Lidl, my Dad went in and asked for a bottle of Whiskey Mac they said "Not here", I phoned J again and she told me Aldi which neither of us had ever seen so went on to Morrisons and spent loads on food etc. Then when I was back, my Dad had gone to town for a smoke alarm I looked on line, my Dad came back and I have sent him off to Stephens Way to try to buy some now

Then I went out and had dinner in Dad's hotel which was lovely, but I am exhausted

Irish Humour

With a thick Irish accent please....

Q) Oh I'm desperate, what do you do about sex?

A) We keep our spuds in them

Ade

Gosh, what a mad/bizarre coincidence. Earlier I was out in my Dad's hotel, I asked him summat about my camera he didn't know but asked a chap who was working taking pics of the wedding. We got chatting and he said "Gosh yes, I was nearly dead 10 years ago when I had a major heart attack, well done for getting better, keep it up etc". He used to be a fireman but had to retire as he was in bed for 4 years. But now he is well enough to work as a photographer

Visit

And as my Dad said "What shall we do s'afternoon?" I took him around where I lived years ago, I thought we should.... after but it was too dark, at 4.30 s'afternoon

Then we went out and had a delicious meal in town somewhere, where the staff now say "Hello again" to us, how sad must we seem

FTP

And thanks to Stuarts help/advice I managed to get my FTP program to work once again, so I could put stuff "up" on my website once more

Intimidated

So I got up at about 8.15 today. My Dad is coming over to see me later as he is gonna be sitting in a the meeting tomorrow with my assessor. Gosh, I am feeling a bit intimidated but I am sure it will be fine

Erm...

Yes...

?

Fun AND exercise

DFK

So here I am relaxing in my room late. WHAT A.....

So I went to Day Hospital today and the instructor was being half way really dead pleased at my progress and half way being "Well in that case keep up this progress be doing this until it hurts" and it works.

Then Toby my precious firstborn child came to see me for the first time in months. We talked, he has fu*ked up again in his new place and all circumstances have really gone mad around him so he is now against his will staying with Julia and her new chap BUT WE REALLY TALKED ABOUT HOW HE FUCKED UP AND WAS NOW REALLY TRYING ALL THE TIME TO MAKE IT WORK he is nearly a grownup now. &c etc

Then a MOS came in and cared.

Then I had some dinner.

Then....

Then...

Then my Dad phoned and said see you on Sunday as I have just received notification of your assessors coming on Monday to see you

Then...

....Then...

Grated Cheese

And I opened and tried my new packet of grated cheese today, gosh it made making a pizza easier!!!

Toby

Then later my firstborn son came to see me. What can I say, I haven't seen him for a couple of months and he came today. After we had admired each other etc we got talking, I had to tell him be rebellious most of the time if that's what you want/need but when it gets scary just say "Sorry, won't be that stupid again". Even if you are lying you need to tell 'em that. After we both talked I feel a smidge more secure, he fuc*ed up when I had my accident, continued to do so for ages but perhaps, perhaps, he now knows etc

L8R

Then later after I phoned him and said "When r u coming?", he sais in an hour

Well

Well later I was taken off to Priory and did all my stuff. When I was there I showed him my hand being straight and he was quite pleased, as it is because I am doing so much in my own time apparently

Scared

Good lord, I got up I am waiting for the Ambulancve to take me to hospital and FTPing wouldn't work any more. I had to "system restore" to make it all work again. And it is still first thing in't flippin' morning

Blinkin' Flip - Geetaring

Well, I have just had another play on my guitar, I am still shit at it but it is sounding so much better then before, like loads better than I was at it a couple of weeks ago.

Lentils

So I cooked a curry, an onion, most of a packet of mushrooms, in oil to fry, then water and a packet of stir fry veg and curry powder. I didn't look right. Last time I was in the kitchen it ocured to me, lentils, now it looks much nicer

Scared

S'morning I got up etc about 7.30. Now it felt really strange still wearing a splint on my right hand. It had felt really odd going to bed last night and equally odd, or odder, waking up s'morning to find my hand still all wrapped up in summat.

Now s'morning I had my brekky etc and now I am waiting for the taxi to t'dentist, as one of my temporary fillings fell out so I have a great big hole in front of the other half of a front(ish) premolar

Well it is done now, no pain etc, she did another temporary filling and made arrangements for an extraction when I am back for a "proper" appointment in January

Heat

And I have just been outside, and while it was still chilly it was much warmer than earlier. A MOS passed and agreed with me

Lord

Well I got up dead early s'morning, waited for ages, eventually my lift to Priory Day Hospital arrived, went there and had about an hour Physio on my right arm. Then another MOS saw me and made a "when you are in bed" splint for my hand to keep it better. Then I waited for the Ambulance. Then I waited. Then they phoned. Then I waited some more. Then they phoned again. Etc. Eventually I got picked up and brought home, it was dark!!! There was a serious road accident apparently, caused the confusion

Aargh

Gosh, me and Freya had words sort of.... I just initially asked her if we could stop listening to "love songs" as it did my head in, as I used to love her mother and it went pear shaped. She said "But it was 7.5 years ago" which to her might be more than half her life but to me as I was unconscious or barely concious for ages it still seems modern to me, but she has a new dad and brother who she loves.....

Healthy, Wealthy, Wise

So I went to bed about 11.30 last night and woke up, and got up, at about 6.30 s'morning

Out

And we are going to "Headway" again tonight

And loads a point in going to there there was,mmm. I had a coffee and "some" mince pies, listened to them reading out the minutes from last time and that was it, lets go home

And I was talking to a MOS who took us last night, I said that by normal standards I am very ill but by the standards of 'here' I am very well. He agreed and called me a "Lucky bastrad" and said there was no reason or logic in it

Shopping

Well, a taxi came and took me to the supermarket s'morning, I bought my weeks shopping and all went well. Then a different taxi took me home and dropped off my stuff and me. I opened the front door and took my stuff in. Then I realised, I had 4 carrier bags at the shop there are only 3 now. So I phoned the taxi company back and they said "Hang on, we will check....... Oh yes here it is, we will bring it to you ASAP". So here I am, still waiting....

And he brought it back, was most appologetic about it being between the chairs, he said "What's frozen, I will take it off you and nip to the shop and replace it" which was fine except I then then had to say "Nothing - it was in the other bag". But at least I got it all in the end and he grovelled a bit

Up

So I woke up and got up an hour a quarter before my alarm clock went off this morning

S'evening

And I am still up this evening

Up and At 'Em

Well, this morning I got up......

Jar Crisis

So I had a new jar of gherkins to open to start them with my lunch. I tried to open them but no, it was stuck. So I went and got my opening jars tool from the kitchen, but no, the jar lid was too big. So I buzzed, a man and a woman came. They both tried, neither of them could open it either. They said all other staff were all women so no one stronger was there. So phew, it wasn't just me, but I couldn't open my new jar of pickles. I said "OK, c ya" and went in to eat my lunch. There was a knock on the door it was another female MOS. She said "My granny taught me this" and banged it upside down on the floor, and then opened my jar of pickles.

Every day you learn summat

Changing

So I got up s'morning took the covers off my bed, put them in't washing machine, had breakfast and tried to fit the new duvet cover, 1 corner I had got up, tried to do the other and couldn't untangle it. Tried for about 8 minutes, no can do. So I buzzed, got a MOS to help and it took him ages too, but in the end it is fitted. All I need to do now is finish my coffee and fit the sheet.

Blinkin' Flip

Gosh, I am knackered now, busy day

Denyse

Then we did loadsa talking about important stuff etc. Easiest if I just show u what she left. "Why I am looking for a voluntary placement?

Why? To give me routine. To give me practice "job"bing. To prove that I can keep a routine commitment. Practicing talking to folk and being appropriate. Stop being bored. Use my skills and interests. Another opportunity to practice walking and using hand. More confidence.

Grasslands Trust. )
Wildlife Trust Of S Wales ) Denyse is gonne phone them/factfinding arrange a visit
Wildlife And Wetlands Trust )

Aim to go once a week with a support worker which we need to find.

I will be able to take holidays

Cash will be provided"

Chopping Board

Then I just had time to unwrap my new chopping board then Denyse, my case manager came to see me

Arm

Gosh it seems like days ago, but then I went to't Day Hospital and worked on my hand/arm. He sounded really positive about how much progress I am making etc. And yes, it hurt, no pain no gain

Aargh

So at about 6AM s'morning I had woken half up when suddenly the door was knocked. I thought "Nah", lay there for about 5 minutes then gave up and got up. I opened the door, no sign of anyone. So I 'buzzed' for help, said "Who knocked my door so early?" and he said "No one, I was out having a fag and I know there was no one. But the roof makes a knocking sound, might have been that?" pointing at the roof outside. Dunno but I was up very early today

Using My Right Hand

Just now I had a wash in the bathroom. When I was washing my left armpit I was casually cleaning it when it occurred to me, "Blinkin' flip, you are using your right hand to do that, you haven't been able to for a number of years". I was just casually using it again, obviously summat knows!!!

It's not over yet. For Andy(1)

Scary story from Ireland, just goes to show that some bitter folk still exist

(1) Re "Clucking bell"

Where is it?

But it's melting outside...

Forms

So then I was able to taxi to the PO to hand in my forms, the application for a bus pass. After I queued for ages in the PO I suddenly realised that I needed to take some photographs to go on the form which I then did. All was well, now waiting to hear from CCC about my bus pass, then I'd better take a MOS with me to try it first.

Forgetful

So I was in bed lying awake this morning, thinking not much as I had just woken up, when suddenly my alarm clock went off. I switched it off and thought "WTF?". Slowly got up still wondering why it had gone off, I was eating my breakfast slowly minding my own business when I suddenly occurred to me "Hurry up Neil, taxi is coming to take you to the post office". Oh yes, that's right, whoops, forgotten

No Breath

I have just been outside at about 11PM and I had no visible breath, it is obviously much warmer than it has been for a while

A Phone Call

And this afternoon I had a phone call from Brian, my ex-father-in-law and he asked me what I am doing about Xmas as him and Rita are coming down to stay with Julia in her new house and he wants to see me too.

Up Early

So I got up at the scrake of day to go to Day Hospital. I waited for the Ambulance to take me. Them waited some more. Then I phoned and said "Am I on your list?". She said "Hold tight, you are next"

I was going to park my wheelchair and walk again but as soon as I went in the door a man called me so I just stayed sitting down.

When I was there we were working at my right hand, good lord, it is so much better, I can now bend it backwards, like I couldn't do last week. Like loads better

But I am slightly nervous about going on Friday because we are making progress but it hurts, flipping loads. No pain, no gain so I'd better keep it up