Out For Brew

So we went out for a brew about dinner time, just wanted out, so we were in the King St shops, in for a cuppa and I also had a very nice just fruit chewie thingy

Ex

Then at lunchtime my ex landlord phoned and said "Will u b in later, an electrician need to finish stuff off" so....

And he did, he reconnected the thermostat in the hall to the boiler so now you can adjust temp from there

Even tho we have bought the house off the landlord he still paid for someone to finish what he had promised

Gym

And we are off to another gym proper class s'morning as she is not there on Friday due to Easter so.......

And it went well. For some of the class I was walking very slowly without using my 'stick. And she commented on how I look thinner, some of my fat must be turning to equally heavy muscle or summat

Then afterwards we nipped to the Drs to pick up my script. I had forgotten about this when I left the house without my wheelchair but I was able to walk into Drs from the car park then back out and down to the chemist

That T Place

So we went to Tesco's tonight, I picked up a new "roasting veg in" tray as the old one is loosing it's non stick surface (as in I bought a dearer version), thought "May as well while we are here" about sweet potato oven chips and got another sprayer of oil

Rain

And I had thought earlier "Lets go for a walk later" but it seems to be a bit too wet to try

'Wimming

So me and Timmy took ourselves off swimming today. But it's half term so it was a bit busier than usual but not too much. I did 4 lengths with the float device and 4 breadths with no support.

12 years since I was able to do that in the past, I had to do breadths as I am too scared to swim in the deep end but I did it

So Hard

As I am practicing walking without my 'stick it is so much harder to right heel first followed by a tiny bend of the knee. It is so difficult to just walk. Most people can do it - just wow etc

Paying Double

And my ex landlord phoned me s'morning to say that he had been paid rent for next month whereas I had bought the house so can we give him some details about where to pay it back

A very honest men!!!

Boxes

And we went to the garage s'afternoon and put my enormous collection of cardboard boxes (in case I move) in a bin bag as I have now bought the house, no charity shop will use them so recycling we go

No moving

More Reasons To Shop At.....

And we are off to Morrison's in a bit to do the small percentage of my shopping that I can't do at OrganicAardvark

Another tenner well spent, of which three and a bit quid was the cream I put on in the bath every day

Technology Alex

So Alex has set the boiler to switch off at midnight but it was on when I got up s'morning. So ta

So he failed to tell me about my bedside clock but otherwise he is quite useful at this technology....

Reset The Time

So last night before I went to bed I reset my watch and the clock in the bathroom. I puzzled for a few minutes over my bedside clock, called Alex to help, we looked at it together and gave up, expected it to be wrong s'morning. When I woke up my bedside clock had changed by itself, I came in "here" and my PC had changed to the proper time too

Saturday Dinner

And we had the usual Saturday Dinner of roast veg and Linda McCartney and it was as delicious as ever.

I bought too many veg to cook this week but I now have a brown paper bag with one parsnip in it on my rack, so next week I won't buy a parsnip and buy a bit less veg

The day is nearly finished

So the chaotic week is nearly finished. Calm again.

If only we can figure out how to work the new boiler properly then we will be sorted, calm

And it's looking good now. Alex has set the timer so it's not on 24hours and it seems to be working. I was a bit worried when the 'heating' symbol on there was flashing but that just means it is working/on

What A Day #58 - c

So we bought stuff at Aardvark, brought it home to put away, I had time to put everything away except for the veg which I left sitting on the side in the kitchen and went to Gym

Which was as much fun as usual and she told me, when I asked, that as it is not happening next Friday it is happening on Tuesday early ish, so I won't have to cry "Missing you already" to Sam

More walking exercise

What A Day #58 - b

Immediately afterwards we nipped to Aardvark to do my shopping. First of all we walked upstairs for washing powder etc and then we went shopping. She had just finished mixing more organic muesli de-lux for me as I am a bit special.

Or summat

Again walking in there

What A Day #58

What a day after my lovely thoughts s'morning. First of all we headed over to the Drs for my jab in the arse. I walked from the car, leaving my 'chair there. We had to sit around for about 20 minutes then she called me in. It is hard to be impressed with a jab in the bum but I only felt a small piece when she actually stuck the needle in. Either she forgot to squeeze the syringe or she is a very talented injector, I didn't feel a thing

House Prices

So I was having breakfast watching BBC and they said "First time buyers can't afford homes" etc

So I was sitting at my dining table in the house that I bought yesterday, my first time buy

In My House

So I woke up s'morning, got up and had breakfast in my house!!!!

(Smug, bug, rug...)

Tomorrow

And tomorrow morning first thing I have to go to the Drs for my testosterone jab

What A Day # 27

So we met up with Denyse s'morning and had our conversation about various stuff. She looked on her iPad and said "Wow, here is an email that I got 15 minutes ago, you have got the house, all bought etc". So I was too pleased/excited to take in any more stuff but Timmy was there making notes so hopefully..... We had a lovely lunch in the pub in Cardiff and set off to come home. On the way back I thought "Lord, I haven't had a pee since before we left Llangain", yes it is still pale so obviously my bladder is so much more efficient.

So after we stopped and walked into the Cafe in Carmarthen so I could use the loo we went off to the O2 phone shop. Basically they had forgotten about that "Sooner" email they sent and will charge me to change but if I wait until the 7th of may I can get a new phone then. I can't get a Blackberry like mine but I had already decided to try a type on the screen type so all is well. Just waiting now....

Then we went to B&Q and tried to buy more locks for the house to replace the existers but failed, so we came back for my bath and nap. When we got here the ex landlord had been round and [osted all the keys thru the door. After nap we headed out to B&Q with a better idea and we bought 2 new locks, one for the front door and 1 for the back. Timmy had said "No time to change them today, it's dark" but I pointed that both the doors open inwards so switch a light on in the hall etc

And I bought this house today.....

Bath

And as I was swimming yesterday today I had my first bath since he fixed the hot water etc and it was fine

VBG

Off Denysewards

So s'morning me & Timmy are heading east and we are gonna meet Denyse in a pub in Cardiff. We have to finalise handing over the house etc and some other stuff

Swimming

And we went swimming again today. Today was a swim less but do various exercises session. But at the end he said "Swim a length" and reached for the float but instead I swam a width (and back) with no float, just me swimming by myself.

It is the first time in nearly 12 years that I have swum by myself, no aide

He's Back

And the plumber is plumbing again already s'morning

And it all seems to work now, he has bled it all etc and is just doing the finishing tests

And AWWWW, my central heating now works better than I have ever known since I moved here

No News

And I was gonna switch the news on tonight but then I thought "Nah" because for the last few times I caught it they were going "General election..." so....

Out

And because of the plumbing crisis we are going out for dinner tonight.

I can't remember but I think it was nice when we were last there

And yes, it was delicious

The Wrong Day

So we went to swimming today instead of yesterday and it went OK, did 8 lengths and a couple of walks across. Only thing is my wet towels and trunx are still sitting here in a box as the boiler fitter is still fitting

Still working but he said I can put my washing on at 17.25 so progress.....

Lavender Rest

I thought of getting some lavender oil to help me sleep but haven't managed to. So I bought myself a spray on your pillow kind of lavender product. If it works I shall buy myself some proper oil before it is finished, runs out

Plumber

And the plumber is here. So he took the old boiler off after half an hour and is n=mid sticking the new one in it's place

Strange Pooh

So I went to the loo s'morning, sat down and squeezed. And squeezed a bit more... etc final squeeze and gave up, thought "No pooh s'morning".

Went about my business. 4 minutes later I went for another pooh, squeezed and did it, big style.

4 friggin' minutes, dunno what the difference was

Right Shoulder

And my right shoulder is getting better. I can't remember what it was doing not to work but I noticed when taking my jacket off s'morning, it just shrugs off both shoulders now whereas before I kind of had to take 1 shoulder off and pull it off the other with my opposite hand

Out For Dinner

So because the middle of the kitchen was full of recently done grout etc (new pic now) we had to go out for dinner.

We went to The Harvester and it was..... OK

Fixer

And the plumber who I was expecting tomorrow came today, 10 minutes before a delivery of my new boiler. He spent today drilling holes for the new gas pipes etc and tomorrow he is gonna switch off the gas and fit the boiler. As it happens there was no time to go swimming today so I will go tomorrow which implies a shower there instead of a bath here. And the bath won't be hot tomorrow so....

Refit It

And today we had to go off and but some gubbins to enable Timmy to fix my kitchen floor. It had started a few weeks ago but got much worse yesterday, a couple of the tiles had just decided that UP was right for them rather than DOWN ON THE FLOOR

In Awe

And I am completely in awe of my dentist. Not only is she as beautiful as a badger but my jaws ached because she had to pull so hard to remove the tooth but the socket doesn't/didn't hurt at all

Hot

And I was marginally nervous getting into the bath today but the water kept coming out warm

Even tho I was paranoid and I kept getting burned as I stuck my foot under the hot tap to check

Useful Chap

So today I told Small that as I am staying here he'd better get stuck in and fix the wires in the bedroom, the ones that are nailed up about 1 inch up in the middle of my skirting board

Crisis

So I started running my bath today, nice warm water running. So I got into the running bath when suddenly the hot tap started running cold water. I switched it all off and tried again. Still cold. So I shouted help and explained the crisis. He went out, looked at the boiler, ran a tap came back and said "It works" So I said switch the boiler off, leave it for 10 seconds and switch it back on. He did and it started running hot again.

Dunno why that happened

Link To Later

And I was looking and trying last night couldn't make it work but s'morning I realised, just remove 1  "character" and it worked again

Teeth

And I did all the brushing teeth thingy again last night for the first time since my trip dentistwards, it worked OK, no blood etc

So she must have done a good job, my jaw hurts some as she had to press so hard but there was no pain around the gap

Too Much

And today has been much too busy, with stuff I need to absorb etc

Plumbers

And today the plumbers made their first visit. So today they were just cleaning out the system, before changing over to a new boiler. They did all that and the radiator in my bedroom has started working again, it must have been just clogged up with `dirt`

But it works!!! Hoo-flipping-ray....

Gymming

Then we went to gym and did a load of exercises. I didn't take my wheelchair this time. Someone commented about how much better I am, at a guess I forget and just carry on.

Then afterwards GGtGG insisted that I cycle for 10 minutes

Denysing

And Denyse phoned me s'morning. Said "Can u come to Cardiff for our meeting next week instead of my coming to yours?" and more to the point told me that the sale of my house is all going thru, next Wed or Thursday I will be a home owner

Ing

And we went Aardvarking s'morning, did it all on my own two feet. We left my 'chair outside as we had to park miles away and walk.

 'Cos it was free parking there

Eclipse

And we were able to look at the eclipse thru Timmys sunglasses today and it did look incredible if still a smidge bright

Eat

And I could eat s'morning without too much hassle

And I forgot at lunchtime and just started chewing with both sides of my mouth

Light

And I was up at 6.09 s'morning for a pee and I didn't need to switch the light on, it was bright enough that I could just see then

S'Morning

So today, I got to the dentist, walked from the car although Timmy did bring my 'chair in case I was wonky afterwards. I walked in, sat on a proper seat, walked to the dentists from there, walked back out afterwards. Back up the steps (about 10 or 12) that I had walked down to get in

And I was able to go 'left right, left right' up and down the stairs and I seemed to just be walking properly up and down, which is an improvement

Exercise 4 Today

As I couldn't go to gym after dentist I got a lift to Morrisons, walked in shop with no 'chair present, walked all around the shop, bought 2 items (put in my shopping basket which I was carrying), queued up, bought 'em, walked back out of shop to car, walked from car to home

AND I was able to use my small Morrison's Match & More card, the small ones are for shop, the big one for the petrol station. 

Fear

So I am on my way to have my whole premolar tooth out today

It was tomorrow yesterday....

Well. It's done. Couple or 3 injections and she had to really press on my jaw but it's done

And by half past two the jabs had suddenly worn off so I could go trying to eat. I was apprehensive but it went OK, eating with the other side of my gob. Now it has worn off it hurts some but hopefully not too badly

Us Veggies

So I was on my way to bed for my nap s'afternoon, I thought "Oh, I need another pooh", went to the loo, squeezed, nothing, squeezed some more and suddenly farted for about 25 seconds. That was it, pressure relieved, I didn't need a pooh at all

Using My Right Hand

I walked into the living room earlier and noticed that my pirate cushion had fallen over, face down. So I walked over, reached out with my right hand and turned it over

Gosh, it is so unusual just being able to use my right hand for simple tasks like this

Happy Monday

So I was trying to get my head round swimming today and I noticed a reminder for tomorrow.

Hoo-fscking-ray

And it actually wasn't too bad today. The pool seemed well empty so nobody got in the way. When we were changing on the way in someone had abandoned loads of tat on the floor in the changing room so we had to tell a chap and he got on his radio and by the time we came out it was all cleaned up.

So when we were leaving Jane and another MOS were sitting there and I actually had to say, it didn't come easily, but I had to say thank you

Seeds And Stuff

And we headed out at dinner time tonight and went to Wilko. There we picked up some compost and some seeds etc, my veg trug will spring to life tomorrow

Me Tarzan

So me and Alex bought some petrol then headed for gym and did another "on machines" workout

And as I was leaving I saw Jane so I was able to start our conversation with "Me Tarzan..."

Hoo-fscking-ray

And as Timmy remembered his stuff s'morning we are going swimming in a bit

And it did my head (or rather my knee) in that I was swimming lengths, trying to use both feet and while my right foot is physically capable of helping now, it simply is disobedient, it won't. Every session I nag some more, eventually the muscle memory will kick back in

More Reasons....

So "we"(1) headed off to Morrison's (noisy link) and did my weekly shopping s'morning. I had to buy very little, naan bread to make pizza on Friday, bread rolls for lunch, booze and that was about it

(1) Me and Alex

Dinner

And we had the usual "cook for Saturday" from scratch meal tonight, and it was lovely. We had some beetroot to roast this week and I think it was quite nice.

At least GGtGG said it was too and his taste buds work more properly than mine

Early

No, I miscalculated, we set off at 9 AM for the hospital. A chap whose name happened to be Sam did my legs, there is much evidence of old clots but the blood seems to be getting around them OK etc, I am as healthy as possible, so.....

Scan Me

And we are off about half nine in't morning to hospital in Llanelli for an ultrasound scan which I don't think is important but someone has to finish their research

Disgruntled

And as Alex said to me today "You can get drunk tomorrow as you can't today - ultrasound tomorrow morning" so I am more peed off than usual, staying sober for a night is no problem but being told I had to after finishing today's activities made me wanna cry. Then have a pint

Gym

And after that we headed to gym for my one class per week. As we went there I was trying to make various excuses about why I couldn't cycle afterwards and Alex said "OK then walk up the stairs instead" which I did. 10 minutes into class Sam told me that one of the other students had walked up after us and had commented to Sam about how I wouldn't have been carable of that 18 months ago, when he first met me

Aardvarking

So first thing s'morning (well second after the "handover")  me & Alex went to Aardvark and as usual bought loads of food.

I was brought down the street in my wheelchair, parked it outside and walked all the way round inside, like I can now. After we came back I carried on walking, walked from the car and put it all away from my on two feet

And waiting behind the counter was my bag of flapjacks left for me by the makers who had to deliver there yesterday. I praised them in an email so they dropped me off a few as a thank you

Fredumpkins

And as I hadn't seen Freya for a couple of weeks and I thought she was now in mid A-level I didn't try to contact her. So I was well pleased when she contacted me t'other day and said "Hello Daddy" so we headed out and had dinner @ Frankie and Bennys which was as lovely as a lovely thing tonight

And she announced that she is taking a year out before uni and heading to Canada!!!!

My Bath Was Crying

So today I climbed into (OK, I was lowered into) my bath for the first time since Monday, as I had been @ swimming pool and therefore showered last 2 days. I tried to cheer it up but it was hard

'Wimming

And I am so..... we went swimming s'morning and it was.... OK. So today I had to do my exercises AND "he" made me do 4 lengths too. All done and dusted, now relax once more

Change Of Routine

So as I was coming into t'living room s'morning I thought to myself "What t-shirt am I wearing. Is it decent enuf for swimming pool?" but then it occurred to me, "You no longer wear summat, your chest is no longer spotty!"

Oh yes....

A Morning Victory

And before I had even finished my coffee s'morning I won

Landlady

And when we returned from swimming today who was sitting in her car outside but the landlady. She said she had phoned the house but there was no answer so she had come herself to let in the plumber who she was now waiting for. Because part of the deal me buying the house involves a new boiler.

So it looks like the sale is going ahead

The plumber was just here to check the fitments etc on the boiler. He will be over next weekend to fit it, hopefully

Sigh

And because we had strange gymming instead of swimming yesterday then we are going to the pool today.

Hoo-fscking-ray

Sigh some more. So I went in without my t-shirt as my spotty chest has gone and today we had a "swimming but no exercise" day and did 10 lengths of backstroke wita floating aid today. So tomorrow we will have an "exercise but no (or 'less') swimming" day

But again I didn't sit in the shower chair in the changing room, I used it to lean on while walking but didn't sit in it

Docs

Then we went to the Drs to pick up another 'script for "rubbing on Neil's boobs" cream which is definitely making a difference

So as it was raining SPaul pushed me from the car park into the docs, I then stood up, walked over to the queue for scripts then walked back to me chair. He pushed me into the chemist, I stood up and walked etc

More Reasons

Then we went on a rescheduled trip to Morrisons where me and SmallPaul (Timmy had gone in his car after gym) got everything that was on my list

Strange Gymmy Morning

So we started today with me and Timmy taking SmallPaul to gym as I am using many more exercise machines than last time SP was there so he needed showing how to keep me safe etc, instead of swimming which I nearly cried for

Important Walkies

And we went out for a drive around then stopped for a brew tonight. I walked in and out, left my wheelchair in the car

Take It Down

And paranoia, one part of me thinks "Take it down" about my looking for houses piece but as we are in the process of buying this, we haven't signed anything yet I am too scared...

Good News, sort of

So s'morning Timmy said to me that we had better go gym instead of swimming tomorrow as he needs to get SmallPaul back up to speed with what I am doing etc. I thought "Hooray" but then he said "I have txted Alex and told him to bring his trunx on Tuesday" so it wasn't quite the news I thought it was at first

Camera Instructions

So today I was stuck, couldn't remember how to change the aperture on my camera. I looked at the text "they" had made, no answer, so I watched a .wmv video that "he" made of me and the instructor.

So then I was able to add a bit to the bottom of my text piece of paper, the instructions

Knee

And it does my head in. I have just recently learned that when I walk I need to put my right heel down first then move my right knee forwards about ¼ of an inch then carry on walking. This has made walking so much better, more upright, more balanced etc.

Now my left leg just knows to not put the knee too far back but somewhere along the process of being fscked my right knee has forgotten, I need to concentrate and make sure while walking whereas my left leg just knows. Oh fsck, fsck, fsck, why can't I remember how to walk?

Gymneroo

Then I went for my once a week session in a class @ gym and worked very hard but I can feel how much I am improving.

We went off leaving my wheelchair in the kitchen which is still a bit mind boggling but I can do it. And if we break down I will phone the RAC or a taxi to take me home so no worries

Aardvarking

And we were a smidge late setting off for Aardvark as Alex had his interview with Timmy s'morning, but we did it all, got veg etc and milk and eggs and still had finished about 50 mins before we need to head over to gym, for my weekly class

And while I was there Ann(e) who was the boss when I worked there was there. She gave me a hug and said how impressive it was to see me on my feet etc etc. She also commented on me still having a mohawk, she said one of her customers commented one day about how that chap that looked intimidating and scary was actually rather nice to deal with

BoTox(2)

And MTTP, I had a piss, got in the car, drove for ages (OK, "was driven for ages"), sat in hospital, drove back for ages and got home more than 3 hours after we left.

Then I went to the loo for the next time

BoTox

So we got up early, headed eastwards at 9.30 s'morning, arrived in Neath at hospital, went in, eventually found where we were supposed to be, got on couch, she examined my hand/arm and my leg, called in a more senior doc then said "No injection for you, you are too well now, it will set you back"

So my disappointment about having made a pointless trip is torn with my pleasure that I am getting better

Jab

And I have to get up early tomorrow and head east early to Neath Hospital where I am having a BoTox injection

Nipped Shopwards

Then me and GGtGG nipped out to Farm Foods and Tesco's tonight. Some frozen chips and potato waffles from Farm Foods and as many packets of sweet potato oven chips as I could carry from Tesco. That and food waste bin bags are the only things I buy in Tesco's

Speaking

So I was watching a video that we took at the camera shop t'other day today, I speak to the expert and I was astonished at how abnormal my voice sounds. I mentioned it to my MOS and he commented on how much better my voice is now than it was last year

Hoo-flipping-ray

It Should Be Broken

So I was starting to prepare to make lunch. I pushed over the trolley with a mug and my coffee pot on it. As it went over the edge of the carpet my coffee pot wobbled and then tipped itself over the edge, it had fallen down.

So...

It fell off, and landed in my nearly full bin. It had an easy landing, I picked it back up, rinsed it out and used it again

Much relieved... 

Walkies

And as I have taken my FES off as I am nipping to the swimming pool in a bit but just now I was walking thru my house and my right foot is so much better even without FES. It still is even better with it on but it has made me relearn how to be so much better anyway.

I have to concentrate in placing my foot flat but not as much as I did last time I checked

But the swimming went well, I can't describe it but I am just much better at moving in the water etc. AND I didn't sit in the shower cripple seat, I used it, wałked beside it across changing room, showered standing and pushed it backwards too

Cleaning

And GGtGG got stuck in cleaning all my windows. (noisy link) It is amazing what a difference it makes, how grubby they have got in the last few weeks since he did it last

(Swear)ery

Then we nipped to gym as the going home time seemed to be crossed etc and I worked hard again. Today Alex said "Right bike now..." and I said "No, rowing boat device instead" which was nice, the first time I have just used it on my own as it were

Photo Training

And we (me and Alex) are off in a bit to have a "using digital camera" lesson

(And I have got to pay for it too....)

And we went off, walked in there and he told me loadsa stuff which I may or may not remember but it was good, he told me loadsa useful stuff

And Alex has just finished splitting the video he took of

the lesson into 6 separate parts, useful info there

Oh What Fun We Had

So at lunchtime me and Timmy headed for the swimming pool. We had a conference first along the lines of "Swimming day or exercising day?" so as we had a swimming day I swam 10 lengths on my back. He was going "More" but I had to be stroppy and leave.

Afterwards when we were showering and drying Timmy realised that he had forgotten my deodorant, so he lent me some of his, it was a spray. So I did my right armpit using my left hand and then came onto doing my left armpit using my "It's broken" right hand, but it just worked which made me smile

More Rugger

And it is Ireland playing England in an I think very important match for the competition this year

Noisy

So I got up at 6am for a pee s'morning and you should have heard the number of birds and how loudly they were singing