I Cut Them All

And I tried it again sitting on my bed and I managed. I cut every one of  my toenails today. It is the first time I have managed in about 17 years!!

Clearing It Up

And today RoyGBiv is clearing up all the bits of plant that are growing up through my stones out front. He is peeling them off with a device so it will be OK for another few months.....

New Years Eve

So it is the eve of a........ another day tomorrow 😐

And we went up to the pub up the road last night and it was as busy as I have ever seen it. Still wasn't that busy but a fair amount of folk

But s'morning I have got a hangover so it must have been worthwhile

It's Thrown Me

I was on my way home after cycling today when I thought "Oh, Sam's class Friday afternoon" but then on reflection no, she had told us ages ago that she wouldn't be there today. BUT good lord, that has thrown me, it doesn't feel like a Friday at all, but yes, it is a restful few days to come.....

Morning has broken.....

Well, what a morning. Firstly we popped to the Drs to pay a parking fee and go in and get my script for cream for my feet and more asthma medicine.

Before we came home we went to gym and I cycled 10km doing 2 mins slower and then some time (between 1 and 2 minutes) half as fast again. By the time I was finished I was panting and sweating

And yes, I have no gym class s'afternoon like I usually do on Friday, it's Christmas etc

Haircuting

And I had another trim today

Gluing It

Then the posty came with a small parcel of mega oven glue and wipes to clean it off first etc. So "we" (actually RoyGBiv with me watching) got stuck in, took out the glass, took off the oven door and is presently mid glue

So to let the glue dry we had to go out for dinner, to the pub up the road. She complained how they had nearly no food left but I just had egg, beans and chips but I was impressed with how good it was. Well prepared. I complimented them on the sticker that we could see from our table which said it won food awards for the last 2 years so obviously even summat as plain as egg beans and chips tasted that bit more special as it was cooked with such care or summat

First Thing

Then first thing today we popped to More Reasons To Shop At and bought the usual plus a salad pack as we are not having an organic delivery this week and I bought double most ungooffable veg last week

Back To Normal

So everything is "open again" today so we have to go to fscking Aqua Aerobics class at 2pm

Aargh, no GGtGG has just come in and said "No Aqua Aerobics today, just normal swimming at 1 instead" so we will go a bit earlier      😟

And I did it, 8 lengths and various exercises. What fscking fun. But I struggled to make both legs move in the same way.....

Walkies Again

So we headed back into own s'afternoon, tried and failed to park on Lammas St, went round the block and tried again, still no so we popped up town and parked on King St, near the far end. From there we walked along to the dead court house, down by it and turned right and right again at the bottom and walked back uphill by Caffi Iechyd Da where we couldn't have a brew and bun as they are shut until next week.

But I do note how much easier it is walking up hill and downhill these days, It makes such a difference to my trip out

Phew

And we cleared up and put it all away today, got the living room back

Scathing

And Timmy was being most scathing about my Xmas pressie for the staff and didn't want to offer it to his replacement who came in s'morning

Walking About

And as we popped into town and just went for a walkabout up past the old court I noticed how much easier to a)walk uphill and b)walk back downhill than it was even a few weeks ago

HBD

So Happy Boxing Day to one and all

Hungry?

And we had so much lunch s'afternoon that I am still not hungry

And no, I didn't eat another pic all day.

Sad Start To The Day

And it doesn't matter that it is Christmas, my MOS still has to rub cream on my lower legs twice a day. And on my chest once a day, later

Don't be lazy

And no Neil, if you want a choccy you better walk the 6 ft to get it, don't push your chair over. Yes, it is mobile but it's not a wheelchair

It's Not Right

So I have just spoken to Sam and Freya on the phone, I hung up then I thought "Christmas Day, I need a glass of rum", but there is none in the house

Out Later

Then later we are popping to The Ivy Bush Royal hotel where we have booked (and paid for) a table for me and Mark

Oooh, it was delicious. I think there were 5 courses. All kinds of knives and forks to be used in the right order but it was dekicious. When we left I only had to pay for today's drinks

But I am still full now......

Opened My Pressies

And burned the CDs onto my PC so I can listen to them easily. My staff, when there were 2 of them, opened my gift to them, mini chocolate boobies, something they can share between 5 of them

Greetings

Hippo Chrimbly.....

Out

And we went out for a cuppa s'morning. Parked up on Lammas St and walked down Mansel St to The Calon Cafe where we had a very nice brew. Afterwards we walked back, the long way round through town

But discrimination!!! They only hire beautiful women!!!!!

We Are Not Worthy

Dunno how he managed, RoyGBiv and Google have together succeeded and my expensive electric toothbrush beeps every 30 seconds again

Out

And when we went out, we were promised a cool night in t'pub but that didn't happen. Beer was drunk but......

Shut The Windows

Now as my living room windows have been k-banned open a few mm for "ever", today it is so windy that I had to shut them tight

Lordy, now about 5 hours later I have been able to open them again

No Class

So as there was no gym class today I thought "Lets not go then" but RoyGBiv insisted I go anyway so I got on one of those cycling machines and did 10km with resistance set at 15. It was knackering but I recovered quite quickly

Struggle, struggle on. I took this pic of the screen on my cycling machine when I was just over half way through today's exercise

What A Morning

Phew, finally finished. So first of all Timmy and I headed to Caffi Iechyd Da to pick up the veg, it hadn't been delivered yet. So we sat there drinking a cuppa tea 'til it arrived. Finished our tea, said tara and headed off to Morrisons. Good lord, talk about full of people with trolleys piled up with stuff. But they had no blueberries which are an important part of my diet, so we bought everything else and headed to Tesco to pick up 2 tubes of blueberries.

Then we came home and put it away. Now its lunchtime. When I will do the washing up as we are going back to Caffe Iechyd Da for a special Xmas Folk Night tonight

And we were so busy we had no time for gym. I didn't stop crying for ages

Walkies

And today I was just walking all about the kitchen w/out my stick, as I am so much getting better

Gymtastic

Then after the opticians we went straight to the gym. First of all we had a cuppa tea to let me recover from the stress of optical testing. So again we did the upstairs device but this time I was able to walk up 16 flights of steps

Ho ho ho

Solstice Greetings

Eyes Tested

So s'morning I have an appointment with the optician to see about my eyes. I suspect that last time I was there they said "Your right eye is fscked" but since then it has been moving back towards a lined up position. It still isn't there completely, hence needing my eye patch, but I think it is half as far out of line as it was last time I saw the optician

Ooooh, he tested me for nearly an hour, loadsa tests. He said in the end that my right eye is still as far over as it was but it was radically better. Apparently I was able to read 3 lines further down on that reading chart thingy

Kindle-ing

And I have started reading another Terry Pratchett novel tonight and I am enjoying it again, this reading malarkey

No Neil

So I thought to myself "Quiet night, lets go to the pub" but on reflection I was in the pub/eating place last night and had too much red wine. So it must have got into my hormones or summat. I haven't been to the pub (apart from last nights Xmas dinner) for about 3 weeks

One Of My Early Jobs

Was here

Sara Stuff

Then we are going to the gym today to do another Sara session on the bike, faster/slower etc

And we went and I did it. Gosh it was hard work as I set the resistance to 15 today but I did it. And I got my puff back faster than RoyGBiv did even tho I was more exhausted after more exercise

One A Day

One a day, you fatty, they said

Well

Then l8r we went out with Julia, Adam, the offspring and our bigger kids. A) It made my head hurt how much out babies have grown up, and B)Julia's little girl told me that she approved of the jumper and the hat I was wearing tonight

And briefly tonight we saw Naomi, who used to run Brer Rabbit in town, whose son is now with Julia

And I didn't take a single photo all night

Christmas Crackers

"From the crackers at Saturday's Navigation M.C.C. dinner.

Q. What sort of bike does Father Christmas ride?
A. A Holly Davidson.

Q. What happens to a turkey at Christmas?
A. It gets gobbled."

Roger

Visitors

And Sam, Toby, Freya and Emma came round, drank coffee, were well pleased with their pressies, gave me lovely pressies for Xmas and went off so I could nap

Puff. Chaotic. So in half an hour we will head off to where we are gonna eat tonight. I have already done the washing up for the house

Walking Round The House

And after lunch today I decided to see how much more capable I am these days and set off around my house to the back, alone. There just wasn't an issue, it was easy all the way and back. But there was no bench to sit on out the back.

Possibly a purchase after Xmas....

Swimless

And as it is now school holidays and we are busy with visitors s'afternoon we just went to gym instead of swimming pool s'morning. We did various upper arm stretchy exercises and another 5 mins on the Upstairs Machine. I did notice that on one of the lifting machines that last week I was only capable of doing it 24 times today I managed all 30 that it sez to do

Excited

Sam phoned me at teatime, he said him, Toby, Freya and Emma are gonna come visit me and do the exchange of presents tomorrow afternoon b4 I have my bath/nap, then they will meet me at the restaurant for dinner tomorrow, with Julia and the rest of the team

Random Shop

Then we popped into town to have some exercise and I thought "What do I need?", and at a push we parked opposite Aardvark and walked the whole length of Merlin's Walk to Wilko where I had to buy more tissues (yes, I said it was at a push) then we walked back along Merlin's to the car. On the way back we went into The Card Centre where I spent a whole pound on some "gift tags", little cards on string

As Clear As Mud

Bit foggy s'morning

Hoo-flippin'-ray

And I have had an issue with my gmail account today, both sending from my phone and my PC it hasn't wurked but I think just unpeeling all the "pretend it is from this email" stuff etc it now seems to work again. I even sent an email to the list saying "Does this still work?" but it did. And I am no longer getting about 17 "nah, couldn't" messages which I was getting even when it worked

Walkies

So we popped into town s'afternoon, went up Lammas St looking for a parking space but it was well busy so we headed off to King St, parked up half way along, walked to the end, crossed over and walked back to the other end past where the traffic goes, right to the end, then walked back to the car. So it was 2 total lengths of the street. And we stopped in 2 charity shops on the way but couldn't find anything nice to buy. We also stopped at an "Art by the artist" shop but couldn't afford any of the desirable items

Getting Better All The Time...

... in small ways but important ways. They are just a sign that I am improving.

So last night when I was getting ready to do the washing up I realised..... 

That I was walking about the kitchen with no walking stick, GGtGG commented

on how good my technique is getting, but that had to be second in my mind

as first was carrying 2 chopping boards to the washing up pile with them both

held levelly in just my right hand

An Opinion

From Clive

Xmas Pressie

So today I was in bed s'afternoon when I heard a knock on the door. GGtGG answered it and I heard him talking to the neighbours son, who had brought over an Xmas card and a small pressie for me

I Can Stand Up

So s'morning when we were popping into gym I thought "Oh, I'd better try a pee before we get stuck in". Looked around and there was no disabled loo close by so I tried in the proper gents. I stood there holding it, and stood there a bit longer.... no couldn't pee. So I headed into the proper loo, took a deep breath cos it was scarily low, sat down. Pee'ed then just stood up by using just my legs/feet, I wasn't holding onto anything.

As it was so low I tried to take a photo of my knee above the loo so you can kind of tell what a "fit for 5 year old's" loo it was. But no hands, I just stood up like a normal person

What A Morning #4

Then when we were still out GGtGG turned into gym so we went there, asked first if the afternoon class was on but as they said "No" we popped upstairs and went on a couple of arm movement machines (on one of which my right arm is now moving up as far as the other by itself which is a bit incredible considering how fscked it was even last month) and did more Sara speed up/slow down exercises on the other machine then got on the "Power Mill Climber" upstairs machine

What A Morning #2&3

Then we popped down town and had to go to an expensive parking slot as all the free places around town were full. So we parked up in the old Tesco's Back Car Park on Lammas Street and from there first walked to Savers on Merlin's Walk where I picked more "rinse tour teeth and gums" stuff.

Then we walked back down towards the car and popped into Wilko where again I had to walk right to the back to find bleach and more antibac wipes on Petty Cash

What A Morning #1

So then we popped out to town. First of all we drove down King St, found a parking space and went into the Lyric Theatre. There we booked 2 nights at the Comedy Club there, for January and March and we booked a night at the Pantomime, Robinson Crueso, in again "shout at them" seats

Chess Based Witticism

A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel over Christmas and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why?" they asked, as they moved off. "Because," he said, "I can't stand chess nuts boasting in an open foyer."

Nicked from Facebook

I Think There's Nowt Happening

And I suspect that there won't be a replacement teacher for Sam's Pulse Gym class tomorrow. I spoke to "them" today and they didn't think a substitute would be involved. But I will just go there at Pulse time tomorrow and either take the class with some other instructor or get stuck into just exercising

Falaffeling

Then tonight I cooked a couple of small baked potatos for myself and a packet of Falaffels, which I haven't cooked for about 20 years. But it was fine, easy and nice (loads in the frying pan, I think next time I will try to use a gripper rather than a stiring tool.

But as it was a Don't Feed Timmy day there are half a frying pan of fallafels for tomorrow now I have drained them

Gym

Then later on we popped to the gym. I said to Timmy "What shall we do?" and he said "Right, Sara The Physio suggested......". Fark, on a bike pedal flap out as fast as you can for 20 seconds, then slow down to a more normal pace for 20 seconds, then back up, then back down etc etc. So I managed 10 minutes today and was panting very heavily which made Timmy happy by the end

Then I got on the rowing machine but it wasn't a scary

Organic Food Crisis

So s'morning I said to Timmy "Head off and pick up the veg then go shopping" then I suddenly got an email from the provider saying "Aargh, the van has left and your veg is still sitting here". So me and Timmy sat down, had a conference and decided to head off to Whitland to collect it. I phoned  to check they would still be there and a chap said "She has just left in the car for Carmarthen, should be dropped off in 20 minutes". So we popped in, fetched it, popped to Morrison's and picked up the rest of the food. So I had to send them an email and say just how grateful it I was. Even tho popping 30 miles in a car with just my veg isn't exactly organic is it? But it will taste nice for me

Smell

So s'morning I was in the loo having a pooh. I squeezed and then thought "????" as I could smell summat, at all. Now I don't know if it was a really smelly pooh or if my sense of smell is getting better.

Hope for the best

Golly

So we went to AquaAerobics today and the usual teacher wasn't there but a substitute did all kinds of good work

My Heart

 So Denyse was here s'morning to check up on GGtGG and see how he was getting on with me etc

Hectic-ness

Then after lunch we headed down past Swansea to see Sara the physio. Now first of all we had brought back the brace thing that I wear at night, talked about it and decided I was to keep it for now, with my staff instructed to tighten one of the straps after I put it on every night. Then I did loadsa stepping backwards and forwards and some work stepping with my right foor raised slightly on a cushion to see how well it is connecting.

Then at the end I walked the whole length of her lab and back without my walking stick and without holding onto anything with my hands, just walking like a proper person

Use Another Programme

So yesterday I was having trouble making the timer on my phone make noise to wake me up after nap when my phone is set to silent to avoid the phone ringing and "waking me up". I asked MM again what he had done last week, he said "Erm....." so we gave up. S'morning I looked online and downloaded to my phone an "Online timer (mobile version)" which lets ne switch my phone off a d still goes "Beep beep beep" after 40 minutes

Different Metabolism

So s'morning MM woke up, went for a pooh and then came out for brekky. Apparently it is traditional with him. Wheras my metabolism is different, I woke up, as traditional got up, went for breakfast and then went to the loo for my daily pooh

Social Care

Well the news says how social care is out of budget but luckily my care is paid for privately so I can still afford my staff

Well

So I don't seem to have done too much today but.....

So tomorrow I have to go see the (beautiful) Physio instead of going gymwards

Headwaying

So today we are heading off to a Headway Brain Injury Survivors type meeting. Which is unbearable fun but it is more fun than going to swimming pool which is the alternative

And yes it was. As every it felt a bit odd kind of "WTF are we all doing here?" but I won a game of Kerplunk and a prize for Xmas in the raffle

Seems Like Weeks Ago

Was it really just s'morning when me and my bruv and GGtGG went out for a walk along King St?

In my head it feels like ages ago.....

Memory

Aha, so after the difficulties last week I decided to try again, no looking for buttons etc, it just worked and putting it alive on webspace just worked too

Said tara

So we all headed into town s'morning, walked from one end of King St to the other and went into a Café and David insisted on buying us a coffee and a bun.

Then we walked back along the length of King St then took him to the railway station where he said we weren't allowed to come in and wave so we said tara and he got on a train back to Bristol where he will catch a flight back to Belfast Aldergrove Airport

Google Maps

Then today I did a quick Google Maps to check out where we are going with the kids and family next weekend and here it is (Excited already)

Fixer

And a couple of days ago when MM was working I said to him "But the alarm has gone quiet on my phone?", he looked at it and said "Do this" which I did but then realised why I had switched it to quiet as it was buzzing every time I pressed a button. He looked and then said "Do this, goto the last item on the list which says 'Extra functions' then switch that off" and now the alarm is properly volumed and I can press buttons without "Click"

Phew

Aargh

So my big brother is flying over for one night tonight, staying in the spare room etc. We have booked a table and are going out for dinner tonight

Napped, creamed by Timmy, dressed, waiting to go now....... (Sad???)

Wow, we went out and had a lovely dinner etc

Timmyless Food

And as Timmy wasn't working tonight(19) I was able to cook my usual weekend treat of na'an bread pizza and chips. It was very nice sitting indoors listening to the rain falling outdoors as we are it tonight

(19) Unlike yesterday, the day before and tomorrow

Gymming

And I went to Sam's class @ gym s'afternoon.

Now I was really nervous before I went but I am more than capable of doing it so dunno why really.

MM said afterwards that *4* folk had independently spoken to him about how I was visibly getting better every week

Mistless

So there is no mist today (unlike yesterday), but....

Right Hand

And I ate my muesli s'morning with my right hand.

It hurt and it was awkward but my right hand worked

Oops

So I thought to myself s'morning "Why do these webpages have summat describing the width of the photo, surely it just works whatever size of photo is used?" so I did a few pages without ".jpg width=80%" they looked fine on my PC. Until I looked at them on my phone or tablet, it was trying to show the photo realsize, so it would show a corner of the photo instead of the whole pic

So I have added width=80% to those pages, it looks proper again

Post Office

And while we were out today the postman stuck a card through the door saying that he couldn't deliver summat and we can go into town and pick it up tomorrow. I suspect that I know what it is but waiting and seeing

What A Morning

So first of all we went into the Chemist next door to the doctors to fetch my sockings (They phoned me s'morning and said they had arrived) then we popped to gym and I had to demonstrate to Timmy the walking upstairs machine, then I did the chest press machine and a rowing machine (after a rest as the stairs machine is hard work both mentally and physically) then left

From there we popped to Iechyd Da as they were closed s'morning as a MOS was poorly so we fetched my organic veg box

Then we went to More Reasons To Shop At.... and got the rest of the weeks shopping then we came home

So that's a whole days worth of diary entries done in a morning. And I didn't need to stop at the loo until after we were back. That is a piece of my metabolism which is much better these days

Where's My Veg

And Iechyd Da have posted online that they will be closed until lunchtime. So I hope that my veg is hidden away somewhere

Presumably there is someone there fixing whatever is broken so hopefully......

Oh Dear

My brother emailed me a link about his visit.

Oh dear

AquaAerobids

Then after lunch we headed to an AquaAerobics session where again I am astonished at how much fitter I am.

Then

Then we drove straight to the Drs and picked up my new script for sockings, popped into the chemist, and had too leave my phone number as they will phone me when they get them in

But I didn't have to look and tell them my phone number, I just remembered it

Next

Then I went to the dentist for a clean by nurse and a check up by a proper dentist. The cleanup was as dull as...... but my mouth feels slightly cleaner now so......

The dentist came to check me up and didn't have to do any fillings or owt which is to my credit. She did get a mirror to show me some kind of growth on my tongue which I have been instructed to try and remove with my toothbrush after cleaning

S'Morning

So Timmy showed up today dripping with the cold. A)I am scared he will be infectious so should have phoned someone else to take his shift..... and B)We headed to the pool today for AquaAerobics so.........

&Benny's

And we popped out to eat at Frankie and Benny's which I have had a "money off" voucher in my bumbag for ages so we went out to actually spend it tonight.

So we have another tenner off voucher in my bag now, we keep falling for it

Walking

And I have noticed a lot recently that when walking with or without my FES going on even if I am not concentrating on moving my right foot properly that my toes don't hit the ground every time I move my foot. So it seems that the improvement is becoming more "in place", automatic

Getting Better

And today we popped to gym and did another 10km cycle. I wasn't as puffed out afterwards as I was last week. Generally my physical fitness is getting better so quickly

Buying On Petty Cash

Then today we need to pop to that Tesco place (according to MM) and buy a diary for the staffroom for next year etc

Marginal Panic

And I had to ask MM tonight "Right, if my brother is gonna stay here we need to make the bed" to which he replied "I think it is made already", we went and checked and yep, it was.

No bed making is involved

Cutting

And I made 2 veggie burgers for dinner, c/w rolls to eat them out of. I was just able to cut the rolls in half using my right hand. It makes me think "Wow" just how much better at this kind of thing am I now 😃

Second Things Second

Then we popped to the swimming pool and did my usual load of exercises. MM did say that I was a lot less out of breath than the last time he was doing this with me so obviously my general fitness is loads better

First Things First

So first of all I popped into the doctors to fetch my script for Duac ointment and while we were there I said I saw a dermatologist yesterday and she recommended changing my sockings every three months so can I have a 3 new pairs? She said "Yep, be ready Wednesday" so I will have to pay another 50p parking fee on Wednesday

Sudden Plan

So my big bro txted me and said "See you on the 17th?". I had to say "NO" as that is the weekend when my kids are all coming over from England so he txted me again "OK, c u this weekend". Aargh, sudden plans unsettle me etc etc but it will be nice to see him

Cooking

And before my nap I got knives and cutting trays and washing bowls out etc, and fetched 5 small carrots from the garden, so I can go into the kitchen and do the biggest cook of the week, roasted veg.

Mmmm, yum yum

And "NO feck off"

And this morning for the first time since I saw that Dr type yesterday after Roy put the cream on my legs I didn't have to take my t-shirt off to let him put cream on my armpits. Hoo-flippin'-ray, a victory for that getting better

OK, I will have to let him do it s'afternoon (and check to make sure my 'pits still look healthy) but just once a day now, not twice. Hopefully a long term approach 

Make Folk Cross

Vegetarian cafe refuses to accept £5 note made with animal byproduct


The Guardian

The Docs

So s'afternoon we had to pop over to see a dermatologist at t'hospital re my skin. Basically the appt was made ages ago when my skin was in a lot worse state and now it is all looking good etc. She read the note from Denyse, asked me some queries, looked at my shins and back and basically said "Keep up the good work..."

..And Chips

Then we had the delicious Neil-made Pizza and Chips for dinner.

Yum yum yum

Pulse

So again I was in the busier, more hectic, more advanced class. And it went OK. Some of the class commented on how they remember seeing me in a wheelchair.......

And one chap asked if he could take a picture of my t shirt...

Oops

And we need to pop to Morrison's before today's early lunch(1) to buy a salad pack as that was the only thing they didn't provide on the organic order. Usually we pop to Morrison's after we pick up the veg box but as we were playing Boccia yesterday we went shopping a day early

(1) As we are going to Pulse Fitness Session s'afternoon

First Of All

First of all we popped down to the hotel where we are having Xmas dinner to pay them the rest of the cash we owe them

Fark, I was loads fatter then

And tonight I was looking through some links to older pages and I saw one and I immediately thought "You fat barstewart", I am much thinner now, like much.

Boccia

Then s'afternoon we popped down to a very posh, newish, amusement place in Swansea. As well as what we were doing there were chase your kids thru kind of things, a swimming pool, lots of tennis/badminton courts and some boccia aisles. As I had never been before I didn't know what to expect. Basically a target ball is thrown out by one of the players then each team has 8 coloured balls to throw as close as poss. So each team can consist of 1, 2, 3 or 4 members, ours were 4 so we each had 2 balls to throw. Strangely enough the whole team has to sit down to bowl, which as we had a few wheelchair bound players made it work for them.

So I decided to use my right arm for bowling. The first ball I threw landed about 2 inches away from the target and was winning until the opponents last bowl hit it away. We did lose big style but...... So when we were leaving someone said "Tea and cake?" but I had to say no, if I stayed I would have a cake and I am on a diet

And incidentally me & Timmy had lunch there before the others arrived and it was a bit nice, just had a cheese and pickle sandwich but it was thick and lovely. The other players ate @ home before coming but we had to travel so far......

Mouseover

And I wanted to copy a feature off a photographers website where pics automatically get bigger when you wave your mouse over them and I couldn't do it, then Stupot sent me a link to instructions and I managed. There is still a bit more work to be done but as I am going bowling in a minute that will have to wait for later

Aqua Aerobics

So it's an early lunch today so I have time to digest my lunch before swimming s'afternoon

Well it went as well as can be expected. I do seem to be more able to stand on my right foot and lift the left foot off the floor to do various exercises than I was previously

Shaving

So I had a shave s'morning. Then half an hour later I stroked my face and realised that I had shaved each side, the bottom, around my mouth but I had forgotten to do my upper lip

No Neil, you are not to grow a moustache.

Shaved it off now

Deliverer

And a chap in a van came to the door s'morning with an enormous box of gloves for the staff to wear while creaming me etc

Shhhh

So an article about criminal investigator made me think "Oh, I can do that but a bit more uncriminaly" hence taking these, to figure it out etc

Last Of All

Then when I was half way thru my nap the phone rang. I answered and it was Glangwili  Hospital saying they have a special clinic on Saturday for my skin and I have been on their list needing it for ages so I will go along. So Saturday afternoon we have to go see some kind of a Dermatology Expert

Phew

Then today we took my forms and passport etc to Carmarthen County Council and they hummed and ha'd then eventually said "Yes, you are entitled" and said that that will post me a new parking certificate in the next couple of weeks.

And they gave me an envelope to post the old one back to them when it runs out

No Gymming

Then after lunchtime we headed off to Swansea to Sara the Physio. First of all we were exercising with my right foot on a cushion and stepping back and forward with my left leg. Amd just wow, my right leg is so much better every fscking day ATM. It is just wow.

At the end of the appt she gave me a splint thing for my right arm, it is just to be worn when I go to bed but it is to stretch the wrist and fingers, to make my hand move properly. She also said about did I want another jab in my right wrist. I said "Yes, yes, yes" as the last jab made such a difference and hopefully if she thinks I am ready this one might make such a difference too

Then

Then later we drove to Swansea for a Headway meeting. It wasn't bad and we arranged to meet up with them on Thursday at the variously able bowling thing

And as we were coming back Timmy commented on how much better I am getting at just randomly having conversations with passers by

CCC

So we headed into town and went to CCC office to give them the forms for my reapply for a new blue badge. They said tick, tick, tick.... ah this letter is out of date. So we explained how all my letters get sent to Anthony in Bristol and Timmy emailed an Anthony assistant and asked for a copy. My blue badge doesn't run out til the end of the tear so we are OK, just waiting now

Monday Morning Again

So it is Monday again. Today we have to head over to Headway Swansea instead of going swimming. I think "Oh no" about going to HW, but "Hoo-flipping-ray" about not going swimming so I shouldn't complain too much

Walkies

So tonight I stood up in the kitchen, picked up my walking stick and tucked it beneath my arm, not touching the ground, and walked all the way to the bathroom. Put my 'stick next to the door and walked the rest of the way to the loo. Pee'd and walked back with my 'stick under my arm

Hah

And luckily the poor sod liked it last night as we have to eat it again tonight

Memory Strangeness

And I just remembered to change my bed s'morning. Just remembered, like any normal person. I used to have to leave myself notes etc, but now I just recall

Tea For Seven or so

And I cooked another pan of veg and lentil with tomato and pasta and it was fscking delicious. GGtGG agreed. There was the sauce and garlic and loadsa herbs etc that I added s'morning, it cooked all day

And while I was cooking this I found, in front of the pasta, a packet containing about half the amount of pasta I needed. As it was boil for 4 minutes as opposed to the new pasta which was boil for 8 minutes I thought "Oh just throw it away" so I did. THEN it occurred to me that Timmy is here early next week, when I will be eating pasta and he doesn't eat my food so half the amount I will need then

Lentils

And I was making food early today and used the last of the red split lentils so we popped into Aardvark to pick up some organic version. When we were in there we saw the owner/boss and said hi. She immediately said how thin I was looking

Pubwards

And later on we headed up to the local pub. It was a bit busier as they had Welsh rugger on't telly but as soon as the match finished we were neark=ly alone in the drinking area. There were some folk in the dining area but........

Unbearably Proud

So s'afternoon my and RoyGBiv headed into The Range to just buy some superglue which I am sure was in all the supermarkets but we fancied somewhere different. So we got there, asked a MOS whereabouts to look, she said "Upstairs...... or there is a lift around the back" as she caught site of me looking at the escalator. Roy headed off towards the lift then came back most quickly as I was looking at the escalator. I looked some more then just thought "Do it" and went and climbed on. That was fine but by the time I got to half way I was panicking about the other end but when it came it was no problem. Step and immediately let go which felt all wrong but as I no longer need to hold anything it is actually right

When we found what we were looking for we came back down and this time I had handed my camera to Roy to catch the important event

UberGymming

Then today it was my day in Sam's advanced gym class and it went well enough. Several folk said "I remember u when you were first coming to classes" and "You were in a wheelchair" etc

Technology These Days

So I received an email advert today and the picture has steam coming out of the cuppa. So it's a video, not a photo.

Lordy computers have got a bit cleverer while I was iller

First Of All

So first thing s'morning first of all we popped down to cafe Iechyd Da and fetched my batch of organics which was delivered there (And I had to say to the boss "Can you employ some uglier staff, I just can't cope with this lot") then we shot off to Morrisons and bought the small amount of shopping that's the rest

So we are back home now but we will be back in Iechyd Da s'evening for the monthly folk night

Yes, a good time was had.... it was well busy, loadsa musicians and loadsa customers. Again we sat down the 2 steps from the loo but I can manage that now, no issue.

And next months folk night will be a week earlier to avoid the christmas nonsense

Jim Nasty

So s'morning me and Timmy and a bottle of water went and did loads of gymnastics. We did various arm exercises then got on a rowing machine and rowed for over a mile

Out Shopping

And we popped out tonight to Farmfoods to pick up more sweet potato oven chips, more baguette pizzas and more generally frozen food.

We got loads so I was able to score frozen food and stuff off tomorrows More Reasons To Shot At list

Daylight

And night before last I was a bit worried that all the charging things in my garden had failed to charge. Last night they were all fine.

????

Oh yes, of course, they got almost no sunlight yesterday, the rain was so heavy

My New Sig

Is quoted from her

'Wimming

Oh dear, so we are going to the Aqua Aerobics (advanced) class in mid digesting after lunch time today so lunch will have to be an hour earlier

And it went as well as can be expected. With the traditional teacher back this week, she was off last week. Afterwards I was telling her how much better I am getting at standing on my right foot and doing various movements with the left, I used to fall over etc and she did say that from observing she can tell how much better my general balance is

UnFacebooking

So I clicked a link using my phone, it opened a Facebook page but tried to open it using the version I had to replace with a different one, a different email address so it got confused and said "Naah". So I paniced and tried to change my password etc but it still wouldn't work. Luckily Timmy was working for the first time in 3 weeks and was able to tell me what was going wrong. So when it said "This email address, what's your password" I had to change the email address ∴ my old password still worked

Not Physioing

So Sara emailed me last night and said "Sorry" about today's appointment, so we arranged another app for next Tuesday and instead we popped to the gym and did a 10km cycle. Yes it was hard work but it is done now

D'uh, he fixed it

And Timmy came back, looked at my screen being half a mm off centered and pressed the buttons below the screen that you can't see the labels for without a torch. (Pic of where that pic is taken) Menu, Image Setup, V Position(*), it's done now. So ATM he is off doing staff wages for last month that has to be done by today but I will see him later

(*) With the + and - symbols to move your choice to the left or right

He's Back

And tomorrow after weeks off Timmy, my second in command team leader type, is actually going to come and grace us with his presence

It *IS* Easy

Aaah, I worked out how to record summat on my phone and transfer it and play it, it's actually easy. It may be a bit noisy when you click it but it was just my practice really

Jingle Balls

Jingle Balls

What A Nooneraft

And we are sat indoors watching the rain run down the windows

What A Morning

So s'morning we had to pop into the Drs for an appointment. They said "Someone had written to them" but on asking Anthony had said "Check that Neil is still alive" so we were there for about 2 minutes but they will still send my funds or summat

So then, as we hadn't gone swimming because of the appt GGtGG said "So we better pop to the gym" which we did. 4 machines then 5 minutes on the upstairs machine

All Round Town

Then s'afternoon we popped into town and went walking. We walked round town, then up by Iechyd Da and back down by the old Town Hall. It is strange again about how it's easier to walk uphill but it was easier than last week walking downhill. Still much harder than uphill but easier

How Does It Work?

Again.

So I got my headphones out of my bumbag and tried to switch them on with my phone device. Tried again and again and the sound was still coming out of the speakers. Luckily MM said "Switch on Bluetooth"

And I must remember to switch it back off when The Hobbit has finished

Out Today

And the weather seems better today, so I hope that after lunch we will head into town for a walk-about

Clean Razor

So it was marked in my diary that I need to clean out my electric razor device s'morning. So I was thinking "I can't do it over the bin, bits will fall off and in there, I wonder if there is an old newspaper anywhere?" which there wasn't but then it occurred to me, take a tissue out of the box, lay it flat and open the razor over it, then fold it up with all the bits in and throw it away, no mess, nowt needs wiping etc.

And hopefully writing about it here will make it stick in my memory 

Off Out

So me and MM said s'morning that we would go out for a walk s'afternoon but while we were eating lunch the weather changed a bit, so at a guess we will be stuck in

So, in the evening we headed to t'pub and there were actually some other customers there last night. OK, not loads but some..... I walked in and stood next to a bar stool, but as I was so enjoying being able to stand up without any struggle I just carried on standing, for this pint, the next, the third etc, just standing at the bar. Then afterwards I just turned round and walked up and down the steps so I could go straight to the car park without needing to walk out on the road, like I used to have to

Hobbiting

Lordy, so s'morning I am listening to summat that I have only read with my eyes many moons ago

I am enjoying it *very*much*, The Hobbit 

I Recall

And I used to stick notes to the back of the door from my room etc but I just remembered s'morning, do the washing. I no longer leave notes for myself, my functional memory is so much better these days

Samless

So today we had been warned that Sam was ill so she couldn't take the class (Missing her already) but she said contact the gym before heading over as they might find a stand in but they might not. So we headed over at 2 o'clock anyway and as they said the class wasn't happening we just went to gym and did a load of machine balance work

The highlight of which was a go on the new "walking upstairs" machine - it just felt so strange actually being capable of using it.

I started off on speed 1 for a couple of minutes, switch up to 2 then finished off being quite comfortable going up at speed 3

Jab

Well that was quick and easy, after 2 mins wait we were called in, she did it, made an appt for 6 months on, then we left. About 10 mins total in there

BUT I thought to myself that I will try sitting on one of their lower chairs today, ie most of their chairs. When we got there all the taller chairs were full so I had to sit on a lower one, but when she called my name I was able to stand up

Sunny

Well today is a sunny day now, s'pose the clear sky was why it was so cold last night.

Sunny but still chilly

Ice Ice Baby

And when MM went out to remove his car s'morning he had to scrape the ice off the windscreen etc, it was icy last night

Balance Is Improving

So in the rain storms in the last few days 3 or 4 times when moving my walky stick has left me, slid away, usually when I am changing direction or summat. Not once have I hit the floor or needed to be caught by my MOS or even needed to grab the wall with my hand. My balance and reactions to disaster is just so much better these days

Pizza&Chips on a Thursday?

So it's all a bit strange. So went shopping for the week s'morning and bought Na'an Bread etc, picked up the veg too so we had onion&mushrooms, same as usual. But usually on a Thursday the person working with me will be Timmy, who objects to my food, and doesn't eat it. But today me and Mark is working so we were able to eat Pizza and once a week chips tonight.

Yummy scrummy in my tummy

You Have To Do Stuff Tomorrow

I don't know why but it feels like the week is over now. No Neil, you have important stuff to do tomorrow, an injection at the Docs in the morning and a gym class in the nooneraft

Paranoia

And as we had to put the little bin things out to be emptied today I was a bit paranoid about them blowing away once they were emptied so I went out as soon as the binmen had been and removed it.

5 minutes later I am looking out the front window and I can see many neighbours' bins blowing down the street

Quieter

And we have a quieter day today. Need to pick up my organic delivery, then go get the rest of my shopping and then the only thing to do is gym, I think today it is "do 4 machines" kind of day so not too stressful

Then after we brought the food home & I put it away we nipped to the gym for a session. Today as MM hasn't been doing that duty since before their "redoing" we just went on the machines that he suggested. Hopefully the new "scan your bracelet" device will have worked and my records will be on some PC somewhere

Tories

From www.independent.co.uk/

Practice

And more practice working with sound to get it into my head how to do it so next time I am stuck I will just remember how.

And how to send the sound from my phone in an email to my PC so I can use it on my website etc (Hint hint). Nothing needs plugging into anything else, they send it thru the air, magically

WTF's going on?

So WTF is this about, a letter from my Doctor?

Were Off

So in 45 minutes time it is time to go to Aqua Aerobics. With GGtGG who she thinks is useless, but that's not my problem

Aargh, so today there wasn't the usual teacher, the replacement was aware of my limitations etc but the exercises she made us do were extra knackering

Aaaah

So last night when heading bedwards I closed the kitchen door. It just closed quietly and easily, I no longer had to do 4 or 5 bangs to make it close. That's better. (Click on pic to hear noise)

Weep Bitter Tears.

Yes, it's as dull as ditchwater doing all this physio, it is hard and painful on so many levels, but it seems to be working. On so many levels I am improving. The obvious ones (to me) are my balance and general fitness but on so many levels I am getting so much better than "they" thought I would be able to

And before my bath s'afternoon I, as usual, got on my bed and did the 30 lifting my feet up&backwards which as usual filled me with joy. But my balance and strength are improving so don't complain too hard 

Strange Day Too

So s'morning me and RoyGBiv headed back to the chemist that's attached to the doctors surgery to get the other bottle of stuff that I was supposed to pick up yesterday but they didn't have enough. I also had to check that they had ordered the goo to be injected into my leg next week

So I had to pay to park for 2 minutes but there you go.

Then we popped back to gym and got some help getting the new clippy on bits to work the machines work. So hopefully next time I am there it will just work. Apparently anyway, we did all the setting up. Anyway, despite starting off on the machine without logging in and then stopping it and getting help to log in etc so we didn't have a definite time I think that it was still faster then last week etc etc

Strange Day

So today firstly we need to have an early lunch then head off to the Drs to fetch my 'script then head to Headway where they are having a strange "Meet folk with brain injury" kind of day where amongst the folk with brain injury will be me

That was a very strange day. It was somewhat busier than usual but not by a lot. I entered raffle and various competitions to show I wasn't tight fisted but I didn't win a fscking thing. I played Connect Four with a chap who makes me realise that I wasn't the illest person ever. But I lost to him twice and MM also lost 2 matches to him. Yes, he is a bit fscked but he is very good at Connect Four

Walkies, again

So we popped into town today and parked on Lammas St. From there we walked down to St Catherines Walk and went shopping there.  We went into Debenhams and seemed to get stuck in the Ladieswear section so we had to leave abruptly. From there we popped into Tiger a sells-everything junk shop but we didn't even spend in there

I did find it hard on the way there just on old fashioned pavements, there is more dug up bits and general unevenness 

Recall

And s'morning I just remembered that I am due to change my bed. Just woke up, and recalled before I had even sat up in bed

Some of my memory is improving, I used to have to leave notes to myself stuck to the back of the door

First Of All

Well, first, on the way to town we called into gym and got my freebie, that they emailed me about, new methods of telling the machines who you are etc.

More Big Walkies

And today after lunch we headed into town and first of all walked the length of Merlins Walk which was well busy, at the end we got the lift down and walked thru the bus station back towards town, then walked past the old Town Hall, uphill on Guildhall Square, across and back downhill by Iechyd Da then back to where we were parked on Lammas St

What Day?

But it doesn't feel like a Friday today having not been to the gym, more to the point having not been to Sam's Class in the gym

Walkies

So in a bit we are going into town and have a walk about, dunno where, we shall see what is attractive when we are there.

I have done exercises this week so just a stamina workout......

And we did a big walk around town. About an hour and a half we were walking (and looking in various charity shops) for. So we parked half way along King St, walked all the way up to the library to make it a long walk, then turned back and walked the whole length of King St, carried on over the pedestrian bit at the end, then downhill past the old Town Hall, then along a bit and back uphill past Iechyd Da to the car

Busy

And the beautiful Sam is away today and so is her assistant so there will be no gym class today. I think I should skive but no doubt my MOS will go "Come on, lets use machines".....

Sweet Lucy Was A Dancer

And none of us would chance her. The lyrics were in my head today.

(NOISY)

Gymerooney

And we popped to gym s'morning and did upper body exercise machines. And 5 minutes to finish on a recumbent bike which I had switched much too high but I thought "Only 2 minutes left" and just finished instead of turning it down

And as for the signing myself onto machines with the app on my phone?? Yes, quite, someone noted how well I was doing with pen&ink

Get It

And we popped into Iechyd Da to pick up the veg s'morning. And on the way there we popped into Oxfam to give them a belt which is now much too large for me, a fat persons belt

Walkies, Stickless

And it occurred to me tonight how far away from my walking stick I am walking, as long as it is in the same room as me I feel confident enuf

Aerobics

And we are off to AquaAerobics in a couple of hours, oh what fun we have

Well t'is dun. It is definitely getting easier some aspects of it, I don't think it is because my fitness is improving (Although obv. yes, that too), but that I am much better at moving/freer etc than even a few weeks ago

Found The Oven Glove

Right, the oven glove, the only one I possess that doesn't have another attached to it which gets in the way as I only use 1 hand, went missing t'other day. Me and a MOS looked everywhere, 2 nights later I said "Still can't find it" and we both looked again. No, nowt. Then last night I asked a different MOS, he looked for about 25 seconds and found it.

In the cupboard beneath the sink.

Why it had been put there I (and the chap that put it there) have no idea.

So I had already bought another, will be delivered today or tomorrow, apparently

And he put the old one away properly tonight, in the right place.....

Late Night Shopping

Then tonight we popped into Farmfoods quite late on to pick up some more frozen food etc. As we came in the front door afterwards the phone rang. So as my hands were too busy I walked towards the freezer in the kitchen with the bag of shopping in my left hand and the phone in my right hand. Walking stick leaning against the wall.

And RoyGBiv said after the conversation how well my legs were moving during that walk, I just looked like a proper person walking, with no walking stick

Not At Gym

And we were not at gym today as instead we had to head over to Sara the physio at Pyle (or Pil depending on the language)  and did another load of walking forwards, sideways and backwards on the treadmill

I think it is not fun but we will just have to repeat it again and again in the near future

Forgotten

And I had forgotten that VAT had gone up recently as I have not been involved in discussing the prices of goods/services at all, just buying. I recall it at 15%

Feed Me

Then today I need to have an early lunch because at lunchtime we (me and RoyGBiv) will be travelling to Pil to see that Sara the physio instructor who, last time, had me walking backwards and sideways on the treadmill

And yes, after discussion, last week when the A48 was closed we went a more longwinded route and stopped for lunch on the way but as the quicker way is back open we will have an early lunch then go off about lunchtime

For Dinner

And for dinner tonight we had summat with Sweet Potato Oven Chips because as I was away at the weekend I didn't get a delivery of veg, so no boiled potato for half a week so far

Question From Freya

And Freya said yesterday that her first memory on me was when she was about 4, we were in town, she had no coat on and was chilly. So I gave her my much too big for her jumper to wear. She did wear it and said "Aren't you cold?". I said little-uns are more important, us big chaps are warm enough.

I said "Gosh, half remembering, was that on Merlin's Walk?" she said "YES". WTF, my memories are in there, just access is the problem, when reminded..... I have no conscious memories of Merlin's Walk before my accident but it is obviously in my memory somewhere

Long Way Home

And we were in the car for 4 hours yesterday and I didn't need to stop for a pee until I got home. And I had lots of juice etc when away so my fluids were still up, just my bladder is getting so much better, more effective

Where's My Weekend Gone

And I haven't had my usual sitting round getting bored^h^h^hsorry, relaxing weekend as we were away being active from Sat. am to Sunday night. And I am back to going swimming today.

HOO-FSCKING-RAY etc

OK, I dunno if I am just getting fitter or better at swimming or whatever but I don't seem to want to cry as much during it. I wouldn't say I enjoy it but it is less unpleasant than it was before. AND I managed 2 breadths hopping on my right foot, just that touching the floor. Again for the first time in how many years?

Constipation

And I had a sh*t s'morning as usual. Most mornings (Well, nearly every one) I have a sh*t straight after breakfast. But today's pooh was only about 11 hours after the last. I had to try 5 times, yes 5, yesterday before my bowels would empty

Much relieved last night when it finally came.....

What I Had To Put Up With

And part of the reason I was awake so early s'morning was Roy snores (noisy), very. I couldn't record it very well as I could only reach my phone but he snores

Left

And we had another excellent morning and lunch with my new in laws. And they supply food that is much too delicious for me.

Anyway later we left, without Freya as she took a train back to Manchester but with Toby and Megan who we dropped off at a services half way along the M42 where they will be picked up by Megan's parents to do gord nose what before Toby is catching a train home later

And I am back again to typing on my PC, not my little tablet or on my phone so I will be a bit more longwinded now. For the last couple it has all been said and true just concise and too the point

Home Again

Home again jiggity jig. Well we motored for hours today and got home eventually. I had a late bath and a 20 min nap before getting back up and cooking dinner and finishing the putting away of stuff work.

I think all in all we had a good time. I was accompanied by Roy who has never met any of my family etc but he had a lovely time too. I am rather impressed with Emma's parents, I think next time I see them it will be to stay there

Sleepy

So it is about half past 6 in the morning, I am wide awake now. RoyGBiv is in the other single bed snoring. Really loudly

Fireworks

And tonight we had a fireworks party for Guy Fawkes. But tonight all the fireworks were set off by Toby. Not that I don't trust him but as a father watching my firstborn..... just much too scary

Lordy

So we have just been out to see my 3 kids and some imminent relatives for the night. Just wow, so Sam and his missus were there, Toby and his missus and Freya who is now a grown up at uni-fscking-verity were there. We had a lovely night and have left now

On The Way

And we are on the M4 ATM then gonna  turn left onto the Msummat-else in a bit...

Off Out

And me and RoyGBiv are off in a bit to Sams house in that England. Taking Freya with us and hopefully meeting Toby there too!!!!!! All my kids are grown up, left home and independant!!!!!!!!

[scared noise]

So I was just looking through today's bargains on Amazon and the first item on the list I thought "WTF?" used the interweb to see what it was and........ just UGH

New Class

So today in gym instead of going to the balance class @ 1pm I have been signed up for the 2pm class instead. It is the last on their list, most difficult for the most "getting better". So as I was started in class #1, went thru that, class #2 and class #3 now it's class #4. Lets hope I am up for it

Phew, done. Yes it was much harder work than the 1 o'clock class but I could manage. And a few times I found myself doing stuff that I haven't managed for 14 or 15 years, like standing on just my right leg. AND at one point she was giving us weights to walk with, she just gave me 1 so I could hold my walking stick with the other hand, second attempt I put my walking stick down, picked up 2 weights and walked while not concentrating on walking as I had to think about the weights 10 yards there and 10 yards back!!!!!!

Walking

And I find myself just walking about the kitchen between food jobs without my 'stick.

Just walking like a proper person

Technology

And me and GGtGG headed gymwards, on the way I thought "Ah, I have that new app on my phone" which I had forgotten about, and forgotten how to use it. After some minutes of sitting at a gym machine nearly crying because it wouldn't connect I figured out, "Turn your phone round, the camera not the screen should face the machine" and sort of got it sorted. We used some new machines today which I did actually that did me some good

Bother

And at 1pm the chap drove our car back ready for a lift into town. So there was perfect time to take him back then go to the swimming pool. Bother but in the pool again it just amazes me how much better I am than last week!!!

Glow Plugs

And GGtGG phoned the garage to see if the car was ready and they said "No, not yet". Apparently the issue was a broken Glow Plug and they had to get one sent from Llanelli and hopefully it will be there within a few hours

Waiting to see if they fix it in time for me to go to AquaAerobics.....

Bollock Knees

And so tonight instead of cooking my usual roast veg I got out a tin of tomatoes I bought t'other day and started chopping veg, then got the lentils, herbs, garlic etc and produced nearly a Vegetable Bollock Knees for dinner and I must say, it was actually rather pleasant. GGtGG did say he thought it was lovely too

Wow

So then after lunchtime we popped to see Sara Davis the Physio in Pil. We did loads of walking on the machine, loads forwards, less but still some both directions sideways and backwards. She commented on how I was balancing much better etc. In the end she got me to walk down the room with no walking stick. First of all I was sticking my arm out to balance me but after suggestion I was just walking up the room normally

Car

So GGtGG phoned the garage s'morning to ask for a lift home tonight and they said "It has just been serviced", possibly they will be able to make the display stop without any more hassle. So wait and see s'afternoon, possibly we won't need a lift home at all

No, so we showed up, told them what she said on the phone and within 2 minutes of being indoors he came back and said "No, it is fscked, come back tomorrow" so GGtGG is gonna phone them before he leaves tomorrow in case it is fixed when there are 2 MOS present so we can get a lift there from one of the MOS who will then go hiome

Erm.... and....

After I put a link on my webpage I was further researching it and found this.

Leave The Car In

And even tho it was last serviced 6 months ago the car has started displaying a "Get Serviced" note on the screen so we have booked it in for first thing Wednesday. So we will take it in just before closing time tomorrow and hopefully it will be fixed while there is still another car here so we can get a lift in Wednesday morning

Failing that it is "Taxi" and "Gizza receipt" then take it from Petty Cash

'WImming

 And *hooray* we are heading to the pool today for a swim.

Well clucking bell, in my week off swimming last week I have got loads better at it. It felt today as if both my legs were moving in the same way, the way I wanted them to. Just lordy, I have been struggling to move my legs together for some years but I could just do it today

Now I said to MM that if I had 1 week off swimming and I got that much better perhaps I should try a couple of months off to see how much better I am then. He didn't agree

I wasn't swimming last week as it was half term, full of kids

On My Own Two Feet

And it is making a difference no longer having a chair in the cooking position. Nowadays I just stand and cook or else go and have a rest between proceeds.

Walkies

So I said to Timmy "Lets go for a walk", he replied "Where?" so we set out, went down the path to the left of the house and at the end we turned right, instead of coming up the main road home and it turns out to be a beautiful, very quiet road past 3 or 4 farm houses, up hill. Very up hill it was but a nice trip

Visitor

Then the phone rang s'morning. I answered it and it was Brian, Julia's dad, saying they were down visiting ATM, could he pop over and see me!! Which he did. He was pleased with how much better he can see I am since last time I saw him

Radical Walkies

Then this afternoon I had a conversation with Timmy and said I wanted to try a walk without my FES. He said "You aren't supposed to but....." and described how my muscles seem to be working well today etc so we went into town, parked up and walked across the road to the café. Not far but I knew we shouldn't walk too far in case my foot started turning over. It didn't, we crossed to the café, walked in and up to the counter, along to the paying machine and back to the seats. Then back out later and across to the car without any turning over of my foot

No Costume

So we are going to see Rocky Horror Picture Show tonight. Earlier I got out my basque and stockings etc but on reflection as I need to keep my boots and sockings on I don't think I will dress up for it tonight.

Hope that's not too much of a disappointment....

Well. So as I can't climb stairs we were up in the lift to the balcony. Everyone else was sat downstairs, where I couldn't join them because of paranoia re stairs and being unable to see the screen if I sit too close where all the other folks were sat, perhaps all in the first 4 or 5 rows of seats which is no good for me. But I enjoyed it, opening GGtGG's mind a bit too

Gymtastic

It was a bit strange being back at a gym class in the proper training room today but I did it, I did the whole class. I spoke to TheBeautifulSam at the end and said "So, moving up to another class next week?" and she said "Yep", she thinks I am so much better so we said we would give it a trial next week.

So I had to say "Missing you already" to a number of folk who will stay in the 1pm class

Shoe Shopping

And we had to go and buy some more Velcro shutting sandals as the Velcro on my old pair had worn off, stopped sticking. This time we chose some that look more like actual shoes rather than sandals but hopefully they will be comfortable about the indoors.

Someone Else

And I suspect that at Iechyd Da tonight I may have to walk up to the bar and say "I need someone else to come to the bar for me. I think I might just explode being faced with such a range of very beautiful women, trying to serve me"

And I went and had a good time but I left my camera charging plugged in here and all (but one) of the photos I took were out of focus. Partly because I am only practicing with my phone and partly because it is difficult with one hand that doesn't work properly, like mine

Thursday

And today we have a busier than usual Thursday. As usual we need to nip to Iechyd Da to pick up my weekly organic delivery, then to Morrisons for the rest of the weeks shopping (and owt they couldn't get organically) then off to the traditional gym.

Puff pant.

Then s'evening it is back to Iechyd Da (noisy link) for their once a month sing'all'ye "folk" events

Well busy morning went OK. We popped to Iechyd Da and to Morrisons (noisy link) no prob, came back here, put shopping away and went to gym with Timmy. There he looked at the apps I had installed on my phone about doing exercise, said "Like this" so I can now log myself on every machine that I am using. So today we had a go on some new sit back and cycle machine and a traditional but new variant of a rowing machine. Puff, pant, puff, pant now

Gymming

Then today for the first time since it has been done up (It was finished at the weekend, Monday I was off at a Headway meeting, yesterday there was a team meeting here) but just wow, it looks better and the machines look better more user friendly etc.

But we got stuck in, a 10km cycle which knackered me as I was so speeding on the last KM

Tory PM

So I used to say "Thatcher, Thatcher, milk snatcher". Nowadays it's "May, May, run away". Got any wittier suggestions??

(Esp as I struggle to run ATM)

As Jeremy Norris said "May day, May day"....

No Swimming

And she told us last week that tomorrows Aqua Aerobics session is cancelled as it is half term, they are expecting the pool to be full of kids so I will just have go and do proper exercise. Like I missed today

Radio

And I had my new headphones out all morning but they wouldn't work, I couldn't get connected to a radio station. Then I thought "Ahhh, perhaps..." and switched off the wifi connection, left it for 10 seconds and switched it back on. Now I am listening silently (noisy link) as it were, no speakers playing

And after some advice from Timmy I no longer use the web pages to listen to, I use a more reliable (apparently) app.

Houseful

And everyone and Denyse and someone who is assessing Timmy for a course he is on is here s'morning. I am ignoring them, they are in the kitchen with the closed door ATM

Well they are done now (it's nearly lunchtime) most have gone, Timmy and his course rep still talking

The Whole Team

So there is a team meeting here tomorrow, when (hopefully) all my members of staff and Denyse, my care manager will be here for a session of Slagging That Neil Off or whatever. Afterwards Denyse will have a conversation with me so I am trying to think of subjects that are useful. (Usefuller than "Will you marry me?" as she hasn't answered that positively no matter how often I try asking her)

Headway

So today, instead of going to the swimming pool, we headed down to Headway Swansea for one of their twice a month meetings. Today me and GGtGG were both losing many games of Connect Four against a chap that lived in the care home where GGtGG used to work. I suspect that this chap practices the game and very little else as he seems in a lot worse state than I am in ATM. I lost 5:1 and GGtGG lost 6:1

I think that this place is not a bad place to connect with others but this chap seemed fairly unconctactable IYSWIM, he didn't really have verbal interaction skills 

Foot Fairy

So LusciousLinda came to cut my toenails s'morning, she only needed to cut 9, one of them hadn't grown!!!

And I politely said "Won't make an appt, will ring you when need you" to try and get in the habit of using a cheaper person in Carmarthen as I am so much more mobile and can go upstairs etc nowadays.

She is good but very expensive, she comes to my house etc

Walkies

And we went out, parked on King St, walked down the hill, back up thru the decorative bit, back to King Street. I wanted to buy MM a coffee and an ice cream (so I could have one too) but we couldn't, it was shut on Sunday.

It was really strange, the FES wasn't working at all for the whole walk but my right ankle is so much better now that it didn't matter

When we got home I said "Look at it" and he instantly saw what was wrong

Crisis Lamp

And we had a crisis when going to bed last night, my lamp had broken in half. I borrowed 1 from the staffroom and was actually rather impressed that I could reach it and turn it on and off. I bought a special "turn off bulb by remote control" device but could actually reach the lamp now. My mobility is obviously better now

<Sigh> Me and GGtGG had both tried to fix the lamp, not on, but MagicMark took less than 5 minutes and it works again now, no need to purchase anything </S>

Headphones

And my new set of cordless headphones arrived today. No idea, can't get them connected to my mobile phone. Neither can GGtGG but hopefully MightyMark who is in tomorrow will have a bit more of a clue

Seems to be working now, did instructions in different order, but the hackers have stopped BBC Radio (including 4!!!!) working online.....

Monday morning I am listening to it, it works!!!

Walkies

So we went to town, parked up Lammas St walked to Wilko's by Friars Park car park, bought some loo roll for my staff and walked back out by Merlin's Walk and up Lammas St to make it more therapeutic, longer walk

Where?

Now today when I was waiting in the Drs waiting room I kind of assumed that I would have an injection into my bum, like I have had in the past. Now I took off my bumbag and gave it to WW, I was about to take the belt off my trousers to prepare them for the injection when I was called and she said "Roll your sleeves up"

No Neil

No Neil, it is not the swimming MOS who said "You should move up a group", it is Sam the Gym Loveliness.

So hopefully after they have finished rehabilitating the gym place.......

Well apparently they have nearly finished and I will be dead impressed next week when we can go back into the gym room. So today's class was the last held in a squash court.  But I did notice the difference in the way I am holding/moving my leg. Hopefully that pattern will become habitual

To The Docs

And before we do owt else today I have to go to the docs for my anti-flu injection.

Hip hip hoo-fscking-ray

And I went and had 2 jabs, one for flu and one for pneumonia or summat. T'is dont, didn't hurt etc. Now early lunch and try to find Sams class

There has been nowt all day but as the night gets nearly to bedtime one of my arms is starting to ache around the injection site

Not Auto

Mmmmm, so I was experimenting to see how well my camera copes with Auto in extreme light conditions but I suspect that what I actually want/need is to learn how to override settings under extreme conditions.

Can anyone give me a few clues to start with?

Busy Morning

So "we" (me and Timmy) headed into town, popped into Iechyd Da and picked up loadsa veg etc, then popped to Morrisons and got owt else. By the time we put that away it was lunchtime. After lunch we popped into town to buy some tickets for the Rocky Horror Picture Show which is happening in a nearby town in a fortnight.

When we came out of the theatre office we popped into Oxfam Charity Shop and found a Pink Pirate statue which appeals to me on so many levels. As there was no gym today I thought we'd better walk about a bit for exercise

Down Merlins Walk

Then later we headed down Merlin's Walk not to Wilko as they seem to have stopped stocking it but to Savers where we picked up loads of that Clearasil Rapid Action scrub that I use on my chest/back

I also emailed Wilko and said "WTF?" to see if they tell me it is hidden there or summat

New Bits

And the new "bits" which I has to attach to my electric razor arrived s'morning. I had no idea you needed new bits but after the cutting piece broke and was threatening me with wounding I looked on the interweb and found it.

It seems to work, so hopefully.....

Aqua Aerobics or Aqua Fitness it's called

So we are off to't pool in a bit. It is the first time RoyGBiv has come with me so it is a bit scary, will he know everything but hopefully he has been well instructed and we will be off. He has to cream my back when I am under the shower etc.....