Fredumpkins

And as I txted Freya earlier to say "Christmas?" she replied "Wanna see me tonight" so me and TinyTimmy took her out for dinner. And it was nice

Early To Bed

So last couple of weeks I have been having my nap later and later but today Denyse and Sian Evans, my social worker, are coming at 2.30pm and I agreed to "sleep" before they come

And they came, they talked about how my care needs are changing, and how to get the authorities to pay for more than they do already.

But they were here for hours

Connector

Then we had to go back to Wilko again and get a piece for the hose, then we could pressure wash all the outside

Shop-i-doodly-eh

Then s'morning me and TeenyWeenyPaul went to Morrisons and to Wilko and picked up the weeks shopping(1) and some other bits to clean the loo etc and some tape to, hopefully, make my TV more watchable

(1) We were able to get a fresh Na'an bread with 9 days date on it instead of the utterly chemical long life ones we have been getting usually

Right

And I poured the top-up milk on my cereal s'morning using my right hand

Rugger

And everything has gone a bit behind schedule today cos I watched Wales win the rugby match against Fiji s'afternoon

So by the time I had cooked dinner we were too late to go to the local theatre show which had been planned

And then in the evening I made an image map on that picture, summat I am not familiar with but now wave your mouse.....

Dispose

So at a guess I'd better start disposing of coffee grounds properly instead of just running them down the sink...

Ed said no need so.... I will look in Morrison's to see if they sell a narrower wooden spoon and go from there

Gym

And we nipped to my once weekly gym class today. And doing one of the exercises again I bent my right knee in such a fashion that I couldn't manage last week

And again today I walked up the stairs to class. Lift down but walked up

And today I managed that "get down on't floor" exercise by myself (again for the first time in...) without Sam saying " Move this..."

Aardvarking

Then we nipped out to Aardvark and did the most of my weeks shopping. Organic or locally produced...

Teeth

And once more I did that "brush every tooth carefully" thingy which I can bear, unlike the full brush which I didn't do

The Doctor

And I have just watched the last Dr Who episodes that were stored, and just....... I HAD to watch the second after the first cut off and..... and..... just
WOW

Strange Exercises At Gym

So we didn't go to gym earlier as TerribleTimmy was busy trying to do the staff rota for the next year, but we did go late in the afternoon. When we were walking in I said "Timmy, why don't I walk upstairs instead of exercising?" He didn't agree but said "5 minutes less on the bike if you walk up and down" So being lazy I said yes and went for a walk

Windy

And it was a bit windy today (noisy link)

TinyT

"Someone" has been busy in't office all morning so we will go to gym later.....

Teeth

And I did the "brush every tooth but not for two minutes" quick brush again s'morning so my dentist should be pleased.

And have less work to do next time I see her......

Quorn Burgers

And we had Quorn Burgers for tea (which I had to cook in a miniscule amount of oil in a frying pan) and they were actually quite tasty but my main point is again I cut the baps (large) with my right hand

Oh What Fun We Had

And we are going f***ing swimming today, in a bit....

Oh what fun... (noisy link)

And what fun we had, various exercises, hopping on just my right foot for the first time in years, getting my right heel down when standing....

"In The Forest"

And I have just watched another few weeks old Dr Who, excellent it was. Lets hear it for that BBC iPlayer thingy.....

Dinner

And for dinner tonight we had veggie burgers etc. The burgers were in buns that I was able to cut with my right hand, well I tried it and it worked very well. I am rather pleased

House

So in a bit we are (me and Alex) are going to go and have first look at a house I have just received an email about. Dunno, it is a touch pricey but may not need many adaptions

Mmmmm, dunno, we have emailed TinyTimmy and asked him to make appointment for viewing

Then after that we went to gym and did 4 exercises before cycling for 20 minutes. It was as much fun as ever

Gym

So after much argument we nipped to the gym, I left my wheelchair @ home and just went out. It is good but feels a bit strange. We had a good session, again in the pulling sideways machine etc

Phew

So there was thunder and lightening when I went to bed last night but the electricity didn't switch itself off

See To My Teeth

And I have got an appointment with the dentist today, just after lunchtime... So I think I may try it on my own two feet again, ISTR that we managed that last time I was there so...

And I thought "No swimming, I can't same day as dentist" etc, GGtGG argued loads but I had so many excuses, so "he" decided to nip to gym for an exercise session s'morning instead......

Grumble Grumble

So after lunch I went and brushed and flossed and I hope she will be pleased with my teeth generally. Afterwards I had 20 minutes on my PC then it's time to go see 'em

And she did tell me again how important it is to brush your teeth in morning, but she did tell me that you don't need to do the whole "brush for 2 minutes" ritual so I might get involved with just cleaning them a bit in t'morning

Walks

At dinnertime tonight Alex picked up and looked at the leaflet that "we" had brought back t'other day. I had to say pass it to me 'cos I hadn't looked yet, but I think it is good and worthwhile. It is publicising walks of about 0.75 miles to 1.5 miles about Carmarthen - "Six Urban Walks" it is called.

And it gives publication to "Walk and Talk - Carmarthen" too which is a bit worthwhile too

More Reasons To Shop At...

So s'afternoon I went and spent loads more in Morrisons (noisy link) than I usually do, not only salad and booze etc this week but Washing Up Liquid and Greaseproof Paper too.....

Apple To Eat

And today I had an apple to eat after lunch and I used my right hand to cut it up

Pumpkin For Dinner

And tonight we ate up the pumpkin which has been ripening on my window sill for ages. It tasted a bit odd, when you set it on your tongue it tastes sweet but almost immediately that goes and leaves a weak flavour. It was at it's nicest roasted at least so it was an experiment

Getting the seeds out was easy but separating it from the skin proved much too difficult for me, Alex had to get stuck in with a knife... but when he was ⅔ of the way through he told me that a peeler wouldn't work but I tried one with that posh peeler that Denyse bought for me and that worked. He said he is gonna have to buy one for himself for next years...

Pe**ng

And today I watched a whole rugger match (80 mins plus half time) without needing a pee. A while ago I would have needed the loo every 15 minutes

Watching Rugger

And we are watching the rugby union match on BBC 1 s'afternoon

Aargh, Wales scored 2.5 minutes into match then they scored bang on half time, 21 all at half time

Double aargh, Wales in the lead, 12 minutes to go

Sh*t, Australia now 7 mins to go

Double shit

New Loo

So I was thinking about when/if I buy this house I will get a plumber to replace the toilet with one a few inches taller and get rid of the frame but paranoia overcame me, I looked on the Interweb and found a possible solution when I replace my loo

And on and on

Gosh, half an hour ago the sun was shining, 25 minutes later it was raining heavily now I can see blue sky partly..... On and on....

Spicy

And we had naan bread pizza and chips for tea, but as I now add garlic to pizzas I make.....

Gym Class

So I had my weekly gym class today, it went well. Sam at one point was saying how she saw me walking into gym yesterday and she could tell that this slight bending of my right knee was happening then too.

Were Off

And me and GGtGG have to go to Aardvark in a bit and do the shopping, this week it includes a walk up the stairs and back down session to get some bog roll etc etc

Yes, we did it and it went well, they had no bog roll but we did buy summat else upstairs so it wasn't a wasted trip up stairs

Still Wet

And it is still raining, forecast for another 24 hours or more

And it is now, at about 2pm, sunny, hardly a cloud in the sky. I wonder how long this will last...

And by half past 2 there was still almost no cloud but there must have been some above us as it was raining

Wet

Much rain tonight, heavy, and it is forecast to last 'til Sunday

Out'n'about

Then later we headed into Wilko to pick up 4 or 5 Listerine mouthwashes, I had a look for summat else but couldn't find it

Bath

And in my bath today the hot water stayed hot 'til the end, like it's supposed to, unlike what happened t'other day. No explanation, nothing needed resetting just a cold(ish) bath

Gymming

So today I/we went to gym, it was a bit busier but we found summat to do. At Sam's suggestion I tried the 'one arm, then the other' exercise machine which went well, different weights on both arms

PDFing

So I was having a think s'morning, this is a universal able to read format, whatever your PC is, eg Apple or Mac etc. So I explored and found immediately a PDF reader on my PC but not a PDF writer. Explored some more and eg Word, can save in .doc format but also can save in .pdf format. So if I am ever sending a document to loads of recipients (as likely as that sounds) I now know how to format it for everybody

Managed

And I figured out (again?) how to do "Hashtag" links to the middle of my page. But middle of someone elses page?

Lifes A Bitch

Life's a bitch...

then you marry one

then you die

I experienced all three......

Struggling On

So sat here having breakfast, thinking "Oh good, struggle on s'morning" but otherwise what?

'Yes, life is hard but you are learning how to make it easier...'

Sara-ing

And that Sara the physio came to see me, watched me walk up and down the kitchen without a walking stick and took me out for a long walk, without my wheelchair, just me walking

AND no FES, no boots (just my sandals), relearning-r-us, big style

Autumn/Winter

So the weather is so wintry today that currently, looking out of my kitchen window, I can't see any clouds. It is 100% blue sky, from one horizon to another

Walkies

So today I was walking about the kitchen without my 'stick and with no holding on. It is really slow but I can do it

Wed

So it's Wednesday Morning now.... (noisy link)

Gymming

And we got it right today, me and GGtGG went to gym at about 12 midday today and it was nearly empty, no one in the way etc. And I am just getting so much stronger, 4 machines then 20 mins on the bike and I comfortably passed 4km, 4.38 I think it said today, no rests until I had passed the 4km mark

Swimming

And we went and had as much fun as usual in't pool but it is just generally getting easier as I get better in so many ways.

And today I went into the poolroom in my wheelchair, steered it to the place 'they' usually push it to after I have got out by the pool, stood up and walked the dozen paces to the pool with no walking stick. And no socking, no footwear and no FES

It was scary, I wouldn't try it again until I am more better but I did it!!!

Rainless

And the sun is shining now. It is a bit colder than recently but 30% blue sky up there!!

Thick and scary clouds now (a few hours later), no rain yet but.....

First few drops as I turned away from my PC 5 minutes later.....

Thunderbolt and lightning

Is happening around here tonight.....

Walkies

And SmallPaul commented on how much better I am at just walking, no "I can't walk that far" etc now, I just got out of the car and did it. We walked into the hall of Morrisons where the recycle batteries tool is, I had got confused I didn't think the bulb recycling was round the back but it was, Paul expressed surprise that I just set off to walk that quarter of a mile and back

Learning Again

My right foot/right leg is relearning so much about how to walk, even I am so impressed

Reassuring

Well as it is now much colder my central heating passed the thermostat point and switched itself on last night. Which I do find comforting, it still works etc

Sun In My Eyes

And sitting here in my kitchen s'morning the sun is getting in my eyes terribly. It's the first of November, there aren't s'posed to be blue skies for a few months

Crisis

And GGtGG told me s'morning that HairCutterEd had txted him late last night and cried off working today but GGtGG said he will do it and swap next Sunday with HCE instead

And he did do my hair, I think it looks OK

Hallowe'en Collectors

And we had some 'trick or treat collectors' here today, we saw them coming so I answered the door with my hallowe'en mask on

Spicy Pizza

And tonight I am going to make pizza like I have every Friday for months but last week I crushed a clove of garlic to add but today the last of that bulb is 3 cloves all of which I shall use, and see it it is even nicer that last weeks

Abbreviation

So should my abbreviation for today's MOS be GGTGG or GGtGG?

Gym

And even after walking up the stairs in Aardvark we had loadsa time b4 gym. But wow etc, even from last week I can see the improvement. Last week I started moving my right knee half an inch forward when my right foot stepped forwards, already it is becoming second nature, if I think about it it doesn't work. Sam also commented on how much clearer my speech is now rather than when I starred the class(9)

And she said I was proof of 'Not Giving Up' what a difference it could make

(9) She said when I started she had to lean forward to listen to me. I said "I thought it was because she was being affectionate"

Aardvarking

So me and GeorgeousGarethTheGrumpyGit went into Aardvark to do the weeks shopping. When we arrived GGTGG said 'Coffee?' but first of all I walked up and down stairs to get some toothpaste. I walked up and down stairs with a left and right style all the way up and all the way back down. So we bought 75% of the weeks shopping in a local style

OMG

Wow. That was the fullest Iechyd Da I have ever seen, loads of folk, we had to sit by the door but we did get a good view

And I did meet the new owner, dunno what she will expect next month but....

Late Gym

And because we were busy today we had a late (5.30pm) going to the gym session. Which was fine but the exercise machines were full of after workers but we did get on a cycling machine and did an extra 5 mins rather than fighting for other machines

Excited

Oh, I am a bit excited. We are gonna have dinner in Iechyd Da, the folk club night in Carmarthen, the place that only had a buyer last week so this won't be the last time I can go.

Well hopefully they will keep doing folk nights anyway...

Fixing It

So s'morning my and Timmy went to B&Q to buy another socket for the kitchen, then Timmy impressed me by taking a screwdriver to the old one and swapping them over. So while he had his electrical head on I showed him the wonky light switch in the kitchen.

Frozen Shopping

Then s'evening we nipped out to Farmfoods to do some more frozen food shopping. Ready to bake spuds(9), Linda McCartney and some ice lollies

(9) Which I would have been so scathing about b4 my accident, "Just buy some spuds and wash then then bake them" I would have said. But this is easier, but not much for someone fully able

'Wimming

And we went swimming at 1 o'clock today, when the free (or busy) morning session has just finished and it was much quieter than s'morning. We did the usual walks, exercises and 4 lengths backstroke. But, as much fun as I am usually having, how much better I am getting at certain aspects of it. Today, for the first time, I was standing on my right foot (or wonky right foot as I think of it) and not holding on to the edge with my hands while I lifted and stretched out my left leg.

And in the changing room afterwards I was able to put the right brake on my shower chair with my right hand, and take it off too. Both on and off with my right hand. I couldn't do that last week....

Pi**ing

And I went to bed about midnight last night, stayed in bed for longer than usual, I didn't need a pee 'til 6.15 s'morning, but when I got up then I was pi**ing for ages and ages, it was a big pee and it kept coming

My bladder is getting stronger/better

Burp

And again I was watching that old BBC programs channel and I came across the first series, so I watched the very first episode, of Bottom, which was very very funny, well worth it

Waiting In

So we had to wait in s'morning for the postman, he was delivering sign for parcel and it was bleedin' 2 PM before he got here, so we didn't have time to go swimming. So we did go to gym and work very hard

But it is all wrapped up now

Locked Up

So I was just reading a paper and it said "prison". I thought "Stuck in somewhere unless a guard accompanies you out".

How is that different from my situation?

OK, I choose where to go out to but still....

2 Stops

So me and Timmy headed out to go to gym and pick up some salad from Morrison's for lunch. We went off without my wheelchair, heading to gym first. On the way I panicked and said "No, to shop first" but on reflection in either option I would have needed to walk into gym and into Morrison's but perhaps there was more potential of a seat to sit on and rest in gym.

Not that I needed one but....

Toe Nail

And after my bath today I was just wearing sandals when I came out of my bedroom, I thought "Well, SmallPaul looked at my sore toe and said there was a piece of nail stuck in kind of half below my toenail, but couldn't do anything about it", today I just stretched, managed too touch the piece and it came out. All 3 or 4 mm of piece that had been stuck there since the Foot Fairy was last here, weeks ago

None Swim

And someone came in today and said "No swimming on Monday, as it's half term they are getting ready to.....", I thought "Hurrah" but then he announced "Tuesday instead..." but I think in the past we couldn't swim during school holidays so wait and see

On My Own Two Feet

And I have just walked from my seat at kitchen table to my seat my 'puter with my walking stick held off the ground in my right hand

Unexpected Shopping

So as we needed to head over to Morrison's to get more anti-spot cream we did almost all of my weeks shopping from there, the only thing left was salad which I can get on Monday now and ∴ it will stay a little fresher next week

But while we were there it was the busiest I have ever seen Morrison's

Spicy Pizza

And we, as usual on a Friday, had na'an bread Pizza for tea tonight. I made it to the same recipe as usual but extra I crushed 1 clove of garlic. Which I couldn't taste by itself but I could taste how it was improving the pizza IYSWIM.

So from now on I will have to crush summat on a Friday

And tonight I used the special one handed garlic press which I had forgotten about, I thought "Umm..." looked in the drawer and found it

Friday Feeling

Oh, it's Friday, first of all do my weeks shopping at Aardvark, come back, put it away, go to gym for a class (not just a training session), then cook pizza and chips for tea

So the first part went well enough, done all my Aardvarking, put it away in really good time today, so now I am sitting waiting.....

And the gym bit was done as well. It went well too. I can't describe it but I am just getting bettercat it. EG there was one exercise moving your feet forward and backwards one at a time, in the past I was just able to mve my left foot while my right leg stayed completely straight but today, for the first time in years I was able to bend my right knee slightly, same as I do on the other side

Fredumpkins

Then we went into school to fetch Freya at half past 4. I txted her and said "In car park outside....", she replied "Oh I am at home ATM".....

We got her eventually.... she hadn't had a lesson today

'Wimming

And we went swimming today, Paul was really imressed with how much better I am getting at almost all aspects.

But I did the worst word play of all time as we were getting showered afterwards

And more to the point, I used, for the first time, my small towel and the medium towel that my parents bought last weekend insread of the big towel, and it was fine, easier, I got dried from top to bottom (phnaar, phnaar) easily

'Net~less

And the interweb wasn't working tonight, we pressed reset on the router and it came back to life

Gymming

And s'afternoon we went to gym but it was too busy to "do" the exercise machines, I did my 20m cycle tho, again with no rest, I am getting fitter

Shopping

Then s'morning we went around Carmarthen, looking for more Xmas pressies but I am stuck, no idea what

Hoo-flipping-ray

And Alex has brought his swimming trunx with him so guess where we are going later

And when we got to the pool it looked empty and there were workman working but on enquiry we found out that they were just working on the nearby half of the pool (the side we usually use) but it was fine to use the other side. So (grumble grumble) we just went swimming as usual

And Alex brought along the stuff that I had said "I will have to put that cream on later" and he put it on at swimming pool

No Swimming

So Timmy announced that we are not going swimming today, just gym, I thought "Hooray" until he said "Wednesday and Thursday instead this week" so grumble grumble

So we went to gym but it was too busy with kids, so I cycled 4.00km in 20 minutes and went home. Then we have rearranged as the physio isn't coming tomorrow, we will swim tomorrow and Thursday and gym other days

But cycling today, I got on, switched it to pause after about 40 secs to take off my fleece then pedalled for the rest of the time, no more rests, I am getting fitter

Bedroom Laptop

My bedroom laptop wouldn't connect to the Interweb last night, I asked Alex s'morning and he said "Wait for TechnoTimmy" so I did, He said "Delete all this bumf, it still wouldn't work, so he got me a password off the hall router and it just works.

I used to work teaching PC's but this modern network stuff, way beyond me, so ta Timmy

Dinner Tonight

And eating out and in with my folks has thrown my weekly menu so we are having my usual Friday dinner (pizza) tonight but with sweet potato chips instead of the usual chip chips as I had chips t'other night and I am supposed to be cutting down

And my usual Saturday tea, which we are having later too, is roast veg and bits but it's Timmy working tomorrow so we will keep that to Tuesday

Weekly Shop

Then after my parents left we had time to go to More Reasons To Shop At... where I bought the few bits I hadn't been able to buy organically with my Aardvark shop on Friday

Emergency Shop

And we went out with my parents to Dunelm and bought some stuff for the kitchen, a case for the scissors and a stand for kitchen roll

Watch It

And last night I decided to try this amazon.co.uk/watchprime thingy that they sent me a letter about last week, there are hundreds of TV programs/films on in so at a guess I watched Dads Army episode 1 the original and it wasn't bad

Dinner

Tonight we are watching my mother cook curry and stuff for all 4 of us

Toast for lunch

As tomorrow I will buy my weeks salad today I had run out so I had toast and jam for lunch, yum yum.

Parenting

So today we have another day with my parents, and tonight my mother is gonna cook some veggie food here for all of us

So we went into town after they had a brew here, we explored Wilko's and bought some dental care stuff then we went to Sports Direct and my mummy bought me a new pair of velcro moses sandal's, slippers

They have gone off now to have some lunch etc then they are gonna come back after my nap and mother is gonna cook dinner for us all

Posh

And we did all that, it was quite nice and Freya took most of my parents attention. And Ian said goodbye after meal, he is going to Bath in'morning.

We went to the Tafarn Tanerdy and had a delicious dinner, and I didn't have chips tonight, healthy option

Back

Then we came back here without my parents, they are gonna buy some lunch and rest, while I have lunch, a bath, a nap then we will get together again, go and get Freya and have dinner

Out

And we are going out tonight to dinner with Freya and the team. First of all we are all going shopping in Aardvark, all going to gym etc......

First of all we went to Aardvark and did an enormous shop, we all came back home and are having a brew after I put the shopping away

Then we all went to gym, where my parents, who haven't seen me for a couple of months, and Ian, who hasn't seen me for more than a year, where full of praise for how much better I am than last time they saw me

Touch Screen

And it occurs to me tonight, touch screen, like I am doing now to type this on my iPad, much too modern for me to have ever done it before my accident

Sat

And this evening it was discussed and decided, we are going out to dinner tomorrow and then on Saturday night my mum is gonna cook for all of us here!!!

On Their Way

And I have just spoken to my parents, they are on their way to the airport in Belfast, flight in a couple of hours....

And they have landed in Cardiff.....

And them and Ian drove over and had a brew here. I persuaded them that I really couldn't be bothered cooking but as I promised not to have any ice cream for pudding that I needed to go to their hotel for dinner. So me and TinyTimmy (or TechnoTimmy) went out and had a very nice meal in good company

Gonna Cost Him

And after a discussion with Timmy I now know that Alex is gonna be liable for the excess on my car, so the insurance company will pay all but £75 which he is contractually obliged to let them take it out of his wages. I feel a bit bad about this but it will teach him, look everywhere, don't rely on beepy beeper devices to warn you