Celebrating?

And we are off out in a bit to the pub up the road for a new years celebration. Wonder how many locals will be there?

And it wasn't too bad actually. OK, most of the night we talked to 1-3 folk but it filled up at the end

AND as recommended, I just drank the normal strength bitter, 4%, rather than the treat one which was 6%. So I could drink 4 pints and still walk back to the car without any disasters etc, whereas with the stronger ones 3 pints is my limit

Windy As Feck

And last night when I was lying in bed there was an enormous gust of wind, really strong, the power went off for a couple of seconds then came back on.

All the digital clocks said it was 00:00 for a couple more seconds before they settled down and said 04:43 or whatever it was. My PC in the bedroom that had been switched off "came back to life" and had to be manually switched off when I got up s'morning

Itches

And I noticed today... I had an itchy bit on my back. But I didn't scratch it, I just rubbed the itchy bit with the finger tips of my hand. Very strange, not scratching, no bleedin' bits, no blood but just rubbing makes the itch stop/go away

Thera-fscking-putic

So me and GGtGG popped into town today, popped into a charity shop to donate my watch that I bought for £1.45 on Ebay and can't read, and just walked for miles(1), theraputic-fscking-ally.

But in the charity shop they had next Christmases wish

(1) Along King St, past the old Town Hall, down the big hill past it, turn right at bottom, along for a bit then back uphill past Caffi Iechyd Da, back along King St to the car

Quiet Day

So gym is closed today so bugger all on. We might pop out for a walk later but I need to have an earlyish bath so I have got time to finish all my creams etc before Brian&Rita and Sam&Emma arrive just after 4

Lordy. Very strange to see them, but pleasant. Later they phoned Julia and spoke to her then said "Oh, we will have to make out own food when we get back" so I offered them some of the stuff that I had made today, so they said "Yep". It was very odd cooking for a total of 6 people but I managed, and a number of people commented on how calm I was the whole way thru

But I forgot to take a picture!!!

Sigh

So we said "Let's go shopping" but only got about half way there when I said "Save fuel, lets go to gym on the way" so we popped to gym, did various machines and now I am about 85% of the way though a 10km cycle

Well after finishing that we made it to More Reasons To Shop At.... and did a bigger pile of shopping than usual. I did some shopping of products that we found cheaper elsewhere but thinking about the extra time driving, parking etc I might not have saved much in the elsewhere shops

Excited

Then after a quiet nooneraft I am waiting for Sam&Emma, Toby and Freya to arrive then we are all heading out for dinner.

After a brief exchange of pressies with Sam&Emma who I haven't seen yet this Crimbly

Well they were find. All 4 of them had dinner and pudding with me. What can I say except "I am not worthy..." which ever direction it was aimed in

Found It

So ages ago I bought another small torch device to keep in my pocket. It was bigger than the one I did use in the end but I was looking for it rather than buying more batteries. Couldn't find it. Neither could 3 or 4 MOS. None of us could find it.

But out "looking for it" technique must have been a bit wonky

Last night I looked in the same place as I had looked in many times, where many other chaps had looked too. Found it

Walkies

So we headed into town for a walk about as my gym timetable says "Swim" s'afternoon and I am too poorly with the cold to do that but it fscking started to rain just as we got there, continued to rain on us as we walked along King St.....

Bank Holiday

And I got my dole s'morning that I was supposed to get 2 days ago but it has been a bank holiday since then.....

Phew, relieved...

Boxing Day

Then we had a kind of Boxing Day usual celebration. No one was being happy within a hundred miles so...... no where to go out and have fun to.....

Out&About

So me&Timmy headed into town and walked down to Next where I had to upsize summat. We swapped it for 2 items as they were on sale prices whereas it was originally bought at full wack.

Then we headed out and stopped at a cafe where Timmy bought me a Xmas pressie of Hot Chocolate & A Bun.

Then we headed back to Next and swapped the 3 quid token they had given us for a little lamp, as I don't think it will ever be spent otherwise

Lunch For Dinner

Then tonight I had my usual lunch for dinner, salad&bread roll etc, as we already had dinner for lunch

Smug, smug, smug

Sorry, this occurred to me t'other day.

Woe Is Me

But I did have to attract the attention of a woman who was serving. "So whassup?" she said. "Discrimination" I replied.

"What, why?". "There's all you members of staff, I haven't seen an ugly one today!"

And one of the staff there must have been absent last Xmas as, earwigging again, I heard her say to a colleague "He was in a wheelchair last time I saw him"

Xmas Dinner

And we are popping out in a bit to The Eating Establishment that IIRC we popped to last year too

And it was a bit lovely. I didn't have too much extra, but first of all some sprouts (as it is Christmas) and a bit of food to accompany my nut roast but it was all nice

Last Night

And it occurs to me....... last night when MM was taking the photo of me&my offspring at first I was struggling to put my right arm around Toby's shoulder, it just felt like too much bend was required. Last year I would have required him to sit down or whatever but now, as my arm is so much better than it was then, it just wriggled into position

COP

So after 648 changes of plan we are popping into town later to pick up that Freya from Naomi's house then Julia is gonna drop Toby over later when his train gets here.

I have asked Freya to meet me outside as it is a bit embarrassing calling at Julia's new chap's Mum's house

No, change of plan #256. Julia brought both the kids here and dropped then off. Then we spent ages chatting and had a lovely dinner which no-one left a mouthful of which was nice.  Later we popped out to the local pub but it was shut so we headed into King St in town, went into the Weatherspoons pub which was as not busy as a shit pub but was actually quite pleasant

Christmas Night Out

So as it was the Saturday before Xmas we popped out to the pub. Oh it was busy. When we got there 1 couple eating dinner and 1 chap sitting around the corner from where we sit at bar.

Later we swapped the eating couple for another pair of drinkers but......

L8R

Well having said "WTF...? I am nipping out s'afternoon. GGtGG had suggested a walk around town but I reckon some cheap frozen food from Farmfoods would fit my bill

Aargh. Twice to Farmfoods. Once did all my shopping, came home, was putting it away when I said to GGtGG 'Whats Pepperoni?' so we had to go back to the shop and change one of the packets of mini pizza that we just picked up with the veggie one on top. Sorted, they didn't even ask me for a reciept

WTF Was I Doing

So I got stuck into cooking the weeks pan of food s'morning, so it will have time to cook later, then I....... dunno but it was midday before I opened the door that leads to the room with my PC in't corner

A whole morning without any......

Strange Exercise/Play

So as RoyGBiv said "You are still a bit poorly today" so we set out for a long walk instead of going gymwards. Started off on Blue St just where it turns into town, parked there, headed down past M&S along The Mount then uphill along Jackson's Lane to King St. There we popped into a charity shop where the MOS was most complimentary about my eye patch especially when I told him the "Why" story. Then we walked back down punishment hill to the car. It took ages, I didn't look at my watch and it was much too late when we got back. I leapt into bath/bed for a bit then got up thinking "Gord, Roy is gonna be well hungry by the time I have baked spuds" but then it occurred to me, it is chips Friday which we had with two halfs of a big french style naan bread pizza. Which was delicious but not too big. A small bowl of oven chips and that as I am on a diet

HTML Crisis

Well I eventually figured out that I had posted summat in the past with a PC version of a webpage and a second version, to be looked at by mobile phone users which is displayed automatically if you are looking on a phone. It took some hours of tearing my hair out as I had forgotten that it could be done but, in the end, the page is finished, multi version automatically etc. I don't need to put up a second link to a mobile phone version which is how I started this process some hours ago.

Just PHEW

No Web

So I woke up s'morning, got breakfast and was sitting down with it. I reached for my iPad, switched Radio 4 on and it sed "No inteweb connection". I looked over my shoulder and the router had indeed a red light on the front. I thought "Bother" but thought I would just finish Muesli and Coffee before buggering off to press restart.

But about 1.5 minutes it fixed itself as if by magic

Folky

So we did head to the Christmas Party at the Folk Club tonight and it wasn't bad. I was drinking some Punch which wasn't too unpleasant.

I have taken some photos which I will add here tomorrow. Here you go, added now

What A Morning

So first of all we popped to Iechyd Da to pick up a much larger than usual order as they are not supplying there next week. Timmy was delighted at the extra carrying, especially as I can't walk back to the car very fast.

Anyway dun that then to Morrisons for milk etc

THEN we tried the gym as I have had a few days off. It was OK, I did the rowing tool, I think I took about a minute longer than last time but not too bad

Then we had a late lunch and did early washing up as we are popping back to Iechyd Da for their Xmas do tonight

Oh yes, while we were in More Reasons To Shop At.... s'morning I got a few bottles of wine as the kids who are *grown*up*now* are coming over at the weekend. It is sitting in the kitchen crying out to me but no, it's not for now

Echinacea

Lordy. Yes, I still am a small bit snotty but 97% less than yesterday.

That herbal medicine is money well spent

Get's Me A Bit Emotional.....

Just good lord, how kind hearted is this. From the look of it they are not even Christian so shouldn't care that it is Christmas Day.....

From Facebook

WTF

The day after I posted summat about online advances I read in the paper today about how Drs might be able to let you grow older etc

Nooneraft Off

And I spent a quiet afternoon sniffing and coughing. Hooray.

But I do feel slightly better now after 1 day of Echinacea so hopefully it is doing me some good

Medicine

So we popped into town s'morning to pick up some Echinacea medicine to make my cold feel better. As I had already said I was too poorly for Gym we headed off around town for a therapeutic walk.

Now it did occur to me on the way to the 'Healthy Items' shop that I could probably bought it cheaper online but it was the delivery delay that put me off. I only decided to fetch medicine s'morning and the 48 hour delivery timeslot makes me feel a bit too poorly for Xmas 

Nor Tonight

And I am feeling too poorly to head to Men's Shed tonight too....

The borrowed sander will have to wait a bit longer....

Well I feel a bit better than I did s'morning but not very. I still feel like sh*t

Not Today

So we are not going to megacycle today as I feel a bit poorly. Might go out later but for now it's just sit here

Got A Farking Cold

And my nose is running and my cough is a bit scary. I don't feel very well

Happy Farkin' Christmas

Then we popped into town as there was a pressure of the shop closing by the time I have had my bath

Then we popped to B&Q to try and get some sanding bits to attach to the sander that GGtGG lent me for tomorrows session at The Men's Shed but they had none there. We even asked a chap.

But I did ask him where to go, an alternative, he said Charlies where they did actually have the bits we needed. GGtGG paid for them, they only cost IIRC £4.50 for 20 pads which I might only need 1 or two of

First Of All

So then we popped to gym to one of Sam's classes. Except it wasn't taken by her. It was strange, still struggling with some stuff but better than I have ever been at some other stuff.

Afterwards I spoke to the instructor, told him to pass it onto Sam, I was well happy with the quality of his teaching but he wasn't even a tenth as beautiful as she is

Uber Dubious

So feeling more dubious s'morning GGtGG said "You can go to Sam's class today, as you are gonna miss her on Friday" so while we were heading into town we called in gym and checked time.

Then we popped to the Drs to get my 'script.

THEN GGtGG needed to do some "Buying cleaning products for the house" so we went to about 3 places to do that.

THEN we came home for an early lunch as I am going to Sam's class at 2

And while we were at home I got GGtGG to re-position the FES pads and suddenly I can stop my right knee from beating back into hyper-extended position

Dubious

So after getting out swimming trunks etc for tomorrow, piling them up in the hall along with towels etc I feel a nit snotty to actually go to the pool. I will see how I feel tomorrow, if my nose has stopped running etc etc

Busy Today

Gosh, today is full. Of....? OK, sarcasm

Scared Of Cycling

And my right knee which has been wonky since the cycling trip on Tuesday is again some better

Off Out

And we are popping out s'evening to Pontardawe Arts Centre to see the "Adult Panto 2017 - Aladdin" (new correct link) so gord nose what to expect

And oh what fun we had (Midpage link)

Chop, Chop, Chop, Chop, Chopping

So doing the veg for my food today. A) I have bought some sharper knifes, and B) My right hand is just getting better at "moving in the way I want it to" and I am pleased about how I can chop

QOTD

"Is Paraffin Wax As Non-Toxic As It Was Declared To Be In 1850?

In a word: No. In two words: Hell no"

From GeekyGirl

Chopping

But first we have to go to the toenail chopper to have my toenails done. And paid for.

Well.... didn't she do well. Again watching her made my brain hurt but she did it

Missing Her Already

And IIRC Sam is not gonna be about to take the gym class today. The phrase glamorous assistant springs to mind....

Well it went OK. For most of the class I am thinking "I am still getting better" except on the bike device I had a problem bending my right knee enough to do it. Yesterday and today I had some cream rubbed on the back of my knee which is improving it some but not enough for the class today

Pressies

And first thing I got out the sellotape and wrapping paper etc and wrapped last pressies. Again I am just getting so much better at stuff involving my right hand. Today I did the cutting of paper with my right hand and writing cards also with my right hand

Cream

Then last thing Timmy put some Ibuprofen Gel on my right knee as it was hurting oodles

And it does seem a bit better s'morning, still hurting but not as much

Beer

So we popped out to the pub and was actually surprised how many folk were drinking and not eating!!!

Loadsa

Then when I was half way thru lunch the postman came knocking on the door. He had 2 xtra pressies I have bought for someone, my piece of perspex for the table top, a Xmas card from Sturit and a book from the Guardian, a years worth.!!! I carried them thru, dropped half, picked them up and was able to resume eating and opening them at the same time

Marginally Hectic

Then we have to do the collecting organic veg, then the "normal" shopping in More Reasons To Shop At... (noisy link) then gymwards before lunch

Well I did the rowing exercise at gym, my breath was breathy and I was sweaty so it must be doing summat.

Hectic

So we have already been to the PO delivery section to fetch my parcel that the postman left a card for yesterday, came back, opened that, then Denyse arrived, to do GGtGG's appraisal, Timmy is here to discuss that with them, then Denyse is gonna come and talk to me, then I am gonna have an early lunch then go to an AquaAerobics session in the pool.

Then I am gonna pant for a bit.....

Well the pressie turned out to be from my Dad, a Xmas card for me c/w 3 minor cards/gifts for each of my 3 kids

And AquaAerobics was as much fun as it is usually but I did it

Oh, and Denyse was....... Denyse-like

Men's Shedwards

So tonight I am taking my new project to and starting, sanding etc. Next week I will take the sheet of perspex and try to cut it to size. At some point I will make loadsa photos to patch together on the top.

But first I have to sand it well and oil it etc

Well we did loadsa sanding. It looks well different but the photos had a crisis so you won't see more progress until next week. Someone was saying that Perspex is too mark-able but told me where to pop in Johnstown to get glass cut to size not too dear. But I will try my perspex first, see if I can cut it etc. The powered sander there seemed really wonky but we did loads by hand. Gareth said he has got a sander which we can borrow for a few weeks so he will drop that off next Monday and me and RoyGBiv can take it there next week

It does look well better already, but there is loads more to do, with the powered sander and some new sandpaper

Cycling

Then GGtGG said "Wanna go for a speed cycle or shall we head west to that place you went last week?" so actually we headed over to BikeAbility and had a good fun, if a bit chilly, hour going round and about

Warmness

So compared with the rest of the country, according to the weather forecaster last night, we were in a relatively tropical heatwave, a mere minus a few degrees

But by tonight it is running at 8 or 9 degrees, what a difference a day makes!!

Didn't Get Wupped

So at a game of snooker last night I still lost but not as badly as I used to do

On The Motorway

So I was bimbling along the motorway today, the emergency telephone caught my eye. I was thinking they must be used 96% less than they were 20 years ago as most folk have a mobile phone nowadays but they are still an important emergency feature

Not Swimming

So we are popping to Headway Swansea at lunchtime today for the last meeting of the year. C/W raffle, mince-pies etc

I won a prize last year, will I be so lucky this year?

Well it wasn't as bad as I expected. I did some bonding etc even tho we were playing the awful "improve your mind" games. At least I won the second go.... After games we had Mint Spys and a cuppa. It was the first Mince Pie I have had in nearly a year and I did enjoy it. Then during the raffle, which did cost me some quids, I did win a prize again.

Warm Day

Lovely and warm s'afternoon

But it's a bit chilly s'evening

Better Balance

So a bird tried to fly at my Xmas tree t'other day and left big marks on the outside of the window. I simply popped outside with a damp rag and cleaned it off the window.

Simple, now I can balance to walk on the stones outside the living room window, the ones I didn't used to be able to walk on

Yes, I have already posted about being able to walk around to the back on the house now, but it is still an improvement

Buying Online

So I thought "No, we can't find any" but put into eBay '2 foot square perspex' and after a few more clicks ended up buying a piece which will need cutting down somewhat and drilling but is free delivery. All the pieces I found yesterday were about £8-£10 but cost about £40 postage. This item costs £8 summat and is free postage!!!!

And hopefully eBay covers you so it should arrive!!

Weather

It was sleeting when I woke up s'morning but it has got stuck into proper snow now. It is not lying, yet

Well by 11.30 it is raining, so hope for the best etc.....

Out

So we popped up to't pub tonight and it is busier than I have ever seen it, Xmas party meal-ing

Out After Lunch

So me and Timmy popped out to B&Q to try and buy some perspex for the top of my next project but they only had expensive enormous pieces. We popped to another shop but they had none. So I will ask around at Men's Shed and see if anyone has any off cuts

Third Things Third

Well we went to Sam's Stroke Class and what fun we had. But I am still getting better and better week after week

Second Things Second

Then after that we popped off in the car to someones house in Carmarthen where I had bought a small table from. We had to pay the woman cash etc but it is done. So next week I will do it up, polishing etc then I will print out some photos to put on the top and cover it with perspex or summat.

I am a bit pleased with it, she said "There are some scratches on the top" to which I replied "Ah, but I have a plan"

Unsettling Thought

So s'morning as we are popping off in a bit while Timmy and MagicMark were conversing I put my trainers on and did them up etc.

But it occurred to me, how fscked did I used to be when I couldn't even tie shoelaces....?

Morning Has Broken......

So as usual on a Thursday we had a busy morning. First of all to Iechyd Da to pick up my organic veg, then to Morrison's to do the rest of the shopping, came home and put it away then shot straight to gym. Today we did an exercise I haven't dun for a while. For nine and a half minutes be cycling, then for 30 seconds go as fast as a very fast cyclist, then back to normal speed until you have repeated the ritual 4 times. And yes, I am so much better at it than I was last time, my faster speed was very fast and I didn't need to stop half way through for a puff, I just did it all at one go

Class

So as we were coming out of Dentist s'morning I said to GGtGG that my nose is running, I don't feel like swimming today so he drove into gym to have an exercise session then turned the car round and said "2 o'clock class then" so we came back and had lunch etc

Well so we went to (Gorgeous) Gaynor's class and it was..... Yes, as hectic but different than one of Sam's classes. We had an extra 16 yo who was sitting in on the class to see whether this would be an exciting career for him. And I was talking to Gaynor afterwards and she was recollecting about how f*cked I was when she first met me when I was first in gym in my 'chair

That Warm In The Middle of The Night

S'posed to be winter.....

Work On My Teeth

Then we are off for my 6 monthly check up at the dentist s'morning

Lordy, she cleaned and cleaned it all around but didn't need to get the dentist to have a look which was to my benefit. Next appt is April now.....

THEN after leaving the dentist we popped to King Street and had a look at charity shops and left my bag of goods for them in one

Too Late

So as we were out s'afternoon when we came back, I bathed, napped, cooked food, ate it and did the washing up, by then it was too late to head out to the Men's Shed for tonight. Possibly I will have found some tat to remake by the time I go back next week too

Different Webpage For Mobile Users

So because I had to use some code on one of my pages that mobile phones aren't very happy with I puzzled and in the end dug out a "different, depending on how you look at it" bit of code and if you are looking at it on a PC then this comes up but if you are looking at it on a mobile phone the subtly different page comes up instead

To market, to market, to buy a fat pig....

So I have said to RoyGBiv "What shall we do today?" and he said "This cycling place in Swansea, shall we go and check it out, try various bicycles etc"

Well I was rather impressed. We spoke to the in charge chap and he got me on a trike and round and round I went

Frozen Food

Yes, we headed out to Farmfoods to fill up on basically froze food, yeah OK, garlic bread and ice cream.

Drowning

Sigh

So we have an early lunch today then go to the Waterworks AquaAerobics session s'afternoon.

But first we need to pop to the chemist next door to the Drs to pick up my Sockings that I left the script for there on Friday.

And then come back and take off my FES device ready to go swimming etc

D'ugh, we don't have an early lunch today. Just make sure it is on the first of my normal lunch times, the Waterworks session isn't until after 2.45 today so.......

And it was a bit odd at the Chemist s'morning, picking up my
sockings. When we got there the delivery lorry had just been
so they had to find it and sort it out etc before I could have it

OK, that was as hard a work session than it was before but as I feel that I could do some exercises for the first time it is doing me some good so it is worth it. Only ¾ of an hour but she works us

F. All

And there is feck all to do today except for watching cricket which I have been doing for a number of hours now.....

And they are losing like feck......

Not

And I said to RoyGBiv "Lets nip out to pub", he replied "Out Thursday, out Friday and......" so perhaps pubbing it tonight wouldn't be too good an idea

Attempting....

So after lunch we popped into the vast 2nd hand furniture establishment down near gym but they had no recyclable/re-doable stuff in stock, it was all too good quality for me. Dunno, perhaps just charity shops or as the chap in the shop suggested the tip

Which might be time consuming, waiting for folk who are gonna throw stuff away until Neil sez.......

But after there we headed into town to Poundland and got some batteries, hopefully one of which will fit my pocket sized torch

Ultra Cooking

So s'morning I have done the weeks cooking, not finished yet, pan is boiling away, needs lentils adding and cooking some more, but that is most of the weeks eating. OK, I have the same dinner for a week but as my taste buds are wonky I don't mind too much

Urk, Pizza

So instead of buying the na'an bread to make into pizza they only had 1 left on the shelf and it had been opened so no to that. Instead we bought some cheese and tomato flavored flatbread (although ours was cheddar not mozzarella) which needed more tom puree and cheese and various ingredients to make it into pizza. It did taste good but was a hassle to prepare and cook so I don't think it is on my list again

To See A Star

Then tonight we are popping to The Lyric Theater in Carmarthen to see Andy Parsons live.

I am quite looking forward to it

Sorry, I enjoyed it. I was thinking along the same lines as him. Tee hee hee

Early Lunch

So we had an early lunch today as just after normal lunchtime we are popping to my weekly class at gym

It feels like oh what fun we had but it is helping me to be so much better than and medical staff thought was possible a while ago

Docs

So we popped to the Drs to pick up my 'script for sockings, popped into the chemist and they said "Ah, come back on Monday....."

More

So more uber walkies.

Sorry for putting it on, I am just so pleased with myself.....