Pepper Pots

So because my battery powered pepper shaker has broken I bought another, very expensive but it should be delivered in the next couple of days.  But because that is broken I had to get out an old manual grinder which had to be replaced because I couldn't work it. But tonight I tried the manual one, which I havent used for a year or 18 months, and it just works. So obviously some aspect of my hands and arms is better, but I have already spent way too much on a new battery version

Late Gym

And we waited until after five tonight and went to the gym then. It was busy but not too much. So when I got on the bike I went at 40 for 9 minutes then at 75 for one minute. Well 75 for the first 30 seconds then about 65 for the last. So we decided that for my second lot of faster I should just do 30 seconds but do it twice. So thats what I did and I went faster for both sessions

Sad

And today we headed into town and tried 2 shops in the end we found a Christmas Jumper In Store 21

Care Homes

Just now on the news they were talking about how someone had closed a care home because it was.......unsatisfactory.

This makes me think about the care homes I have lived in. Yes, in so many ways I was unhappy but the standards of care were at least satisfactory

'Wimming

And me and GGtGG are going to the swimming pool shortly. I got my stuff out but he is checking lists etc as we speak

And it was mad, GGtGG's list of exercises washed off his hand but we remembered about 80% of the new exercises

Walking To Advent

And again s'morning I had to walk to my Advent Calendar to get my chocolate

Jim

So we went off to gym at 12 o'clock today, it seems to be a quiet time. So yes, we took my wheelchair but left it in the car, first of all I did 4 exercises then got on a bike. As we had had a conference t'other day I cycled for ages at 40km per hour then for one minute I didn't go flat out but at 60kmph. And yes I was out of breath when the speed dropped again but I wasn't too knackered to continue, I could carry on and do it again twice more

New Cream

So after my bath today I will have the first dose of my new cream put on my spotty bits instead of the older stuff I was using. So now I will use Clearasil bath scrubbing stuff still and this new cream, nowt else

And I was nervous afterwards, I had been warned "Don't touch it" so I went to bed in the nude as usual for ¾ of an hour, but today I put on a t shirt before lying down

Width As Percentage

So I had a photo on my website which looked fine in the browser on my PC. But on my iPad thingy it went all wrong with one picture above the other instead of side by side. So s'evening an idea came up, I asked Startpage if I could express picture size as a percentage instead of absolutely and then it looks fine both on my PC and my little iPad device too

Shopping

After all this (I had no time for a nap today) me and SP headed for Tesco's and picked up a load of Sweet Potato Oven Chips

Docs

And we went to the Drs to see my regular doc about the spots on my chest. She said "Dunno, try this for 6 months at least and don't put on other stuff" so we got that 'script and put my other wipes in the cupboard. I will continue to use the Clearasis wash stuff but no other.

But she was positive about my blood test results so at least summat is working

Swim

So me and SmallPaul went swimming today. SP knew where my own float was and so we took that. In the pool I was able to do about half a width on my front with the float. First time we did it my right leg just stayed still, couldn't kick but the second time it just kicked like a normal persons leg. But because it hasn't kicked for so long I got a strange pain to one side of my spine, just above my pelvis, at the back

Morning Walk

So I did my now routine morning walk again today

Choke

And I ate a snack bar earlier then Alex needed to come and pat my back as it was stuck in my throat

Muscle Memory

And I am still being impressed about how much my right foot remembers how to stay straight and flat when I walk.

I think the FES has taught it well.....

More Walkies

So I came out of my bedroom in my wheelchair s'morning as I had to carry my bedding to the wash, I put it in the machine, went out to the hall, parked my 'chair and walked away to have breakfast

In the past I have been unwilling to walk after being in my chair but I am improving all aspects.....

Walkies

And I just stood up in the kitchen, held my walking stick off the ground and walked out of the kitchen, across the hall and across the living room to my PC chair, without touching the ground with my 'stick.

Perhaps a dozen and a half steps but without holding on to anything and without any assistance (eg FES), just proper walking.

House

Just before lunchtime we nipped out to have a first look at another house in Abergwili(1), which I was feeling more positive about than Gareth. It is beautiful, no neighbours etc but the road if it gets icy might be a bit slippery and Gareth was concerned about flooding in the winter, dunno, we will have to look into these but I think we should have a better look

(1) Abergwili pronounced as A Big Willy so why am I wanting to live there....?

You Can

I was in the utility room fetching my lunch and in the process I dropped 4 pieces of lettuce on the floor. I didn't shout for help, I didn't hold on and.... I just looked, moved my feet, bent down, bent right down and picked them up with my bare hand. I wasn't holding on with my other hand, I just picked them up

You CAN walk

So there I was sitting at my PC when it occurred to me, eat your Advent Calendar so I was about to go zooming across in my 'chair when I remembered, "No Neil, you need to practice walking" so I stood up, walked the 4 or 5 paces to get it, popped it in my mouth and walked back and sat down again

Access

And while I was eating my breakfast s'morning on the BBC telly they were being appalled at how poor disabled access can be around the country. Which initially I thought "Only me and about 7 other cripples" but apparently it affects 20% of the population, who can't shop there, eat there etc etc

Better

And we decided not to put a dressing on my right shin today as they do seem much smaller etc. We will check in't morning

Gym

Then I walked into gym with Sam today. I am a bit gobsmacked, I think day by day how I am doing but in gym I think "How was I ..... months ago?" and it is too much for my brain to take in

Ing

And s'morning we went to Aardvark again, walked in, walked up and down the stairs, walked into the back room, walked back out etc etc

Sigh

So I am off to the doctors in a bit for my diabetes blood test and then I am nipping to gym for a workout

So I walked into the Doctors, drove to hospital for my blood test (I know!), drove to Morrison's to pick up my 'script then drove to gym. As it was late I got on a bike. After 7.5 minutes me and Timmy fell out and I stopped and came home

Dunno whose fault it was but it's done

Right. So I called Timmy in, we had a discussion and I think we have mended our bits, we know what to do next time

iPhone

And I tried (again) sending myself a txt message from TinyTimmy's phone, an iPhone which doesn't have a keyboard and it proved possible, certainly not impossible so when my phone is up for renewal in March/April.... see what's available then and try it out

Again

So we (Me and TinyTimmy) discussed what was happening today and decided to do bugger all s'morning then have an early lunch and bath etc then go off and have my blood test then go to gym and have a late session again

Late Gym

So because we had been delayed s'morning and then The Git had taken off my iodine plaster so Denyse could have a look we didn't go to gym until much later, after my nap. It was well busy, too busy to get stuck in but we managed 2 upper body exercises before I got on the bike. So at 6 minutes I did a really fast minute and then I waited until the last minute to do another because I couldn't carry on yesterday after it.

I couldn't today either but my time was up anyway so I just finished

'Net Was Broken

And the internet connection broke s'morning, it was no longer connecting thru the wire but wirelessly. It did still work but slower. So "someone" has to get on their hands and knees and switch off and on again the router box which is half way down the back behind my desk and the router in the hall too. It all came back to life a couple of minutes later

The slow picture on my screen and the quick one

Hooray...

So (The Beautiful) Denyse is here giving Gareth and Alex their yearly assessments then I have to..... swear swear.... go to the swimming pool with Gareth The Git where we can do loads of new exercises that I learnt t'other day

And she was here for so long that we missed the quiet swimming pool window so I will go to the gym and do some exercises later

Meatless Snooker

I was watching a snooker match on telly earlier and in between games the commentator commented on how both players were vegan. No meat, no dairy....

• I felt bad about eating a yoghurt while this was on.....

Gym

And we went to gym after going to that Tesco's place to buy some more ink for the staff PC. It was quite good, did just arm exercises then got stuck into cycling, so after 6 and 12 minutes I sped up for 1 minute which was I think effective but after the 2nd fast session I was too knackered to carry on and finish my session. So far I must just do one faster session per class

Patches

And tonight Timmy was a bit concerned about 2 spots on my right leg so he put on iodine dressings before my iPad thingies so hopefully it will be all cleared up in a couple of days

Aargh

The bag is packed, the iPad is charged..... we are off to meet Sara in a bit....

(That sounded much to positive, I am not looking forward to it after the first meeting...)

And it was total fun today. On the way in Timmy bought some arm bands which actually should have been called "Feet bands" after much mucking about

Intimidated

So tomorrow Sara the physio is meeting me and SmallPaul by the swimming pool and she is gonna teach me some new tricks while Timmy stands by the pool with the iPad videoing the whole experience so I can have no memory issues....

The Doctor

Gosh we watched a Dr Who tonight and it was as excellent as an excellent thing...

Saturday Nights Dinner

And because we had summat else last night tonight we had my usual Saturday night dinner of roasted veg etc and by gord it was as beautiful as ever, or more so

Improvement

And as I walked round to the recycling point today we noticed that even tho I didn't have any FES device fitted that my right foot has learned by itself to keep itself straight. I still need the FES sometimes but just wow being able to walk without it and 2 flat feet.....

AND I made some progress on walking later too....

Keen

And SmallPaul came into work 5 minutes early today as he is so keen....

Curry For Tea

And as Ed is here and I bought some extra ingredients yesterday (and last week) I was able to say "Do you want Linda McCartney and roast veg for dinner or curry?". So guess which I am preparing tonight

And it was actually rather nice. It said "Extra hot Vindaloo" on it and I could actually taste summat. It didn't taste extra hot but it was nice anyway...

Baldy

And Hair Cutter Ed is working today (I haven't seen him for ages) and my hair is cut once more

Pepper Grinder

So earlier that SmallPaul chap got stuck into trying to fix the pepper grinder on my table. First of all he replaced the batteries with non rechargeable (even tho they were freshly charged in there) this made it work a lot better then he discovered a screw under the top that had come loose and it is as fixed as a fixed thing now

Then Ed tried it again with rechargeable batteries and it works now SHRUG

Farm Foods

And we nipped out to Farm Foods for more oven chips, baking tatties etc. we were able to buy nearly half the shopping with the free card they sent me last week.

AND out of interest I was just about to purchase some packs of 2 baking tatties at £1.50 a packet but SmallPaul pointed out that the bigger packets of the same product were £2 for 4 as in £1 for 2 not £1.50, so I bought them instead

Gym Gym Jeroo

Then we headed to gym, which he hasn't been to for a couple of weeks. He really noticed how much better I am. As did Sam when, at Paul's request I got down on my hands and knees, leaning on a chair, and from there got all the way down and rolled over on my back {link fixed now}. (This she has never seen before [perhaps I was not able to do it])

From there the most difficult part of the operation was getting back up but again I managed that by myself

'Varking

So me and SmallP went off to Aardvark s'morning. We had to park up the street a bit so it is just as well that we had brought my 'chair, but we left it outside the shop. We walked in, walked up and down the stairs and all around the shop, to spend loads on myself

Getting Rid Of Him

So s'morning TinyTimmy is up and has moved his car early as SmallPaul is coming to take over at 9 then TT is going to return my device to t'hospital

He txted me later, they have been in contact and said "Still bad, keep an eye on him" so.....

Not Iechyd Da-ing

So today I was merely given a piece of equipment to wear tonight and instructions how to fit it but I still decided not to go to Iechyd Da as I didn't really nap s'afternoon as I was out getting my device

Inconvenient Time

And we have an appointment at the hospital in Llanelli at 3pm today, that's mid bath and nap time, dunno how to handle it.....

And Timmy came in, discussed the hospital later and decided that I shouldn't go to gym first. So when I stopped crying.....

Right, we went to the Cardio-respiratory(1) department. And they gave me a device to fit tonight when I am going to bed that notes how I am breathing and my pulse

(1) Not that I wanted to say "My heart was beating faster and I was breathing faster when I saw you" but I didn't have a chance

Walkies

So we went out tonight to have a couple of pints in the pub up the street, 'cos we wanted to see if they were open Christmas eve too, so we drove up and walked from the car into the pub

Walking

And we have booked a Christmas Eve Dinner with my kids....

Farter

So that's twice in two days now that I have thought “Extra pooh now“ gone to the loo, sat down then did the most enormous farts then not needed a pooh after all

Fixed

And after looking at the Interweb after I went to bed last night I must say that my new device is so much quicker that my mini-laptop which was there before

Drowning

And yes, we have drowning on my timetable s'morning...

And we went, I didn't drown, I was able to stand on just my right foot for 30 seconds (just once but I did it), I was able to do some hopping on my right foot that I havent managed for a number of years etc. But when we got out there was somebody in the big disabled changing room and the drain in the smaller one was broken so it was full of mucky water from next door.

But we managed, had an effective exercise session

But today, swimming on my back it feels much better/easier kicking with my right foot/leg

Strange (But busy [and productive]) Morning

Well, so s'morning TerribleTimmy took on board his role as a techno-geek. First of all we took down the broken telly and put it in my bedroom, where the iPad was. Then we nipped into the office and got my old PC and combined the two together

Then we drove to that SHHHH... Tesco's place and bought a new telly for my living room (cost only a hundred quid, I think it's not too dear, and it plays DVD's too) and some speakers so I can actually put music on my bedroom PC

Then we nipped to gym and did some exercises, then came home for lunch.

But we had to put the new telly in place and the

speakers in t'other room before I could stop and eat

Once More

Yes, it's white with frost again

Reading

And I have got right into reading my Kindle again, summat I haven't dun for a couple of weeks and while I am really enjoying the story every 3 or 4 minutes I need to think "Enuf" and turn it off for 5 minutes or so.

I can't just read it.....

'Wimming

Then when we came back from there we went off swimming. Afterwards I was thinking that..... SHH..... it wasn't as unpleasant as usual. We had a different routine with the towels this time and it meant I could get more properly dried etc. and we got the big changing room which makes "it" much easier

More Reason's To Shop At.....

And we had to do a sneaky extra trip to Morrison's s'morning to fetch a (few) new light bulb, the lamp by my bed blew last night and we couldn't find a replacement. I think there was one that was nearly the same size so someone must have bought it by mistake, the prongs were about 1mm longer than the one that fitted

Frosty

And it was well frosty s'morning (although the heating did work) I took this picture after I had got up, eaten breakfast etc, it still looked frosty half an hour (or more) later

Samwise

And it was nice to see him, he talked about the past and the future and how he expects me to call him Doctor after he gets his PHD next year etc

Another Busy Sunday

Tra la la, so "we" will nip to Morrison's (noisy link) later and buy bread rolls etc, then Alex can make my bed then..... then....

And that Sam chap is coming over at lunchtime which will be good

Interesting Fact:

In France 'Builder's Bum' is referred to as 'Plumber's Crack'

The weather

So today the weather has been sunshine, heavy rain half an hour later and it is now sunny again. And as it is November I have had to take off my jacket, just wearing a t shirt now

Now it's almost cloudless blue sky, 4 hours after the rain storm....

How Sick Am I

Sorry for being a bit depressing but......

So I had my accident 11½ years ago and in the last couple of years I have got so much better that now I am living here (out of an institution) with 24 hour a day carers, never to be left alone. 

So how sick must I have been 11½ years ago when I have no memory of events

It's OK, I am feeling a bit more cheerful s'evening, I am not thinking about that quite so much

Head down - eating

And I was happily munching away at my breakfast when it occured to me that I had to learn certain rules for holding my head in a certain position for swallowing etc, but I don't even need to think about them now, it has just become a habit

Rainy

And we were supposed to go out tonight to The Parrot in Carmarthen for it's reopening night but the weather doesn't seem very good so p'raps not tonight

Pizza With No Chips

So I am making pizza for tea tonight but as we had curry and chips a few nights ago I will have to have it with sweet potato oven chips instead

And no garlic tonight, I forgot, but it was still delicious

Gyming

And later we went to my weekly gym class. The weather had kept many participants off but I went. It was as good as ever, I can really see how much better I am getting when I am there

Shopping

So we did the usual buying organic goods s'morning, it went well, they had some shorter date stuff but upon looking behind this it was all buyable with long enuf dates. I took my 'chair to the shop with me but left it in the car as we parked 15 yds away.

When we came back I said "Bring it in" but didn't use it, just put all the various kinds of shopping away on my own two feet

Unexpected

And he phoned me from his Mum's (he's down helping her move) but I am meeting that Toby chap later today

VBG

And we saw him s'morning, he looks better than he has for ages etc, but he wasn't sure yet if he will be able to come here for Christmas, he won't know 'til next week when "work" tell 'em

But as I walked into the restaurant at lunchtime and sat on a proper chair,
my wheelchair stayed in the boot, I didn't have to go to gym.
But I have a proper class on a Friday, tomorrow

They are not supposed to....

What Fun

And, oh what fun, today me and GrottyGareth went swimming at the pool. As usual swimming was fine, really did well at the balancing exercises etc. And swam 4 lengths. Afterwards we did get a bigger changing room and as ever ran out of towels

Aargh

Then after my nap I said "The light isn't working again, so it must be the battery in the remote control" so we nipped into Wilko to get a replacement. The light still didn't work so I changed the bulb. It still didn't work so I shouted "Help". Alex came in and eventually found that he had knocked the plug slightly out of it's socket s'morning when fitting the new lead for my iPad. So testing it again with the old bulb and battery so we now have bought a spare battery too

Right

So s'morning the postman brought the new USB connector to attach my iPad to the Interweb. Lickily it was Alex working today who knows about stuff like this  etc, so I gave it to him. First of all we nipped to Charlies Store looking for a pressure washer and some hammer in clips for the wire. So I stood up in the car park and walked all the way to the back of the store looking but we were only able to buy hammer in clips. So then we drove to the middle of Carmarthen, parked in Wilko's car park and again I walked into Argos. On foot in there I bought a pressure washer, and walked back to the car. Then we came back and had lunch.

Alex said "No need to go to the gym today as I  have walked so far" which is good, better rehabilitating me by being in town than in gym

Then after lunch Alex started hammering in cable grips etc and he is half way through connecting it. I said "Start this side, hammer 'til you are under the bed then go to the other end and start there, then and spare can just be piled up under the bed"

WTF?

So I woke up for a pee about half past six s'morning. I reached over, pressed the switch for my lamp, it didn't come on. Tried a few more times, no it must have blown, ask Timmy when we get up properly. Found my way in the dark as far as my proper light switch, went for a pee. And because this one just worked I knew we hadn't had a power cut etc

So when I got up properly at 8am I decided to just try it one last time before calling TinyTimmy.

It just worked this time,

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