More Treat

Then we had to nip into Morrison's and buy Freya more birthday gubbins.....

Then nip back and get a refund for the 81 carrier bags which I had clicked "Pay" for..... There wasn't an issue, they just said "Du'uh" and paid

Mend

So Alex got stuck into the leaking shower in the staffroom, the one that all my other members of staff had been saying "Pay for a plumber". He had a look earlier, we just nipped out to B&Q (1), got some washers and he is putting it back together as we speak. Cost £1.13, much cheaper than a plumber

(1) When we were in town we nipped into the new italian restaurant that Freya recommended and booked a table for her 18th birthday tea tomorrow

No, didn't work, still leaked. So I bought a £55.99 fixing it part so hopefully he can fix it on Saturday when he's back

S'morning

So we had to go to the Drs s'morning to pick up a script for chest cream and while we were there I spoke to receptionist and made my appointment for my testosterone injection in a month.

Hang on, tell the story

OK, when we were leaving t'house s'morning Alex said "'Chair?" but I replied "NO" so went to the Drs in the car, walked in, got my script and spoke to the receptionist, walked back out, across the car park, walked down the slope to the chemist, handed in my piece of paper and walked across to he chairs and sat down. In a few minutes a chap came across and gave me my 'script, I stood up, walked back out, up the slope out of the shop and across the car park to the car

After we got in the car Alex said "Gtm time" so I walked in did loads of exercise machines then got on the bike. I only did 15 minutes out of the 20 because then I left gym and walked back down the stairs to the ground floor. There I turned round and walked back up to the between floors landing, turned round again  and back to ground floor. Walked back out abd to the car.

Phew

No Salad Cream

It occured to me, whileI was eating my lunch. So as usual I had granary bap and a small portion of cheese which I ate together, effectively I was having a cheese sandwhich which didn't get made u til it was in my mouth

But it occured to me, a cheese sandwich with no salad cream!!!

Headway

And we went to the Headway 5th Birthday Party and it was as ........ as usual. We did sign up to go to a gig in September at their expense

3rd

Then we went exploring a carpet shop then we bought another tape measure as we couldn't find the old one so we could price up the job. Timmy will be in Thursday or next week so we will go buying then and he can fit my new kitchen carpet.

But no landlord paying, I am a homeowner so I'd gotta pay

2nd

Then secondly we went to gym. Not swimming, Timmy had remembered his towel but not his trunx. So I went and had another extra long cycle

Shopping

So first thing s'morning we (me and Timmy) nipped to Morrisons then uber-nipped into Farm Foods and filled my cupboards once more

On Two Feet

And cooking dinner tonight I noticed how much easier it is getting on to my own two feet. And walking a short distance, without holding on etc

MUCH EASIER.....

Where's The Jack

I was playing solitaire (again) tonight but where had the jack gone, all the rest were out?

But I won it easily anyway.....

Dinner...

(... dinner...... dinner, dinner, Bat Man)

So as Ed was here last night making me cook summat different my usual Saturday Night Dinner of roasted veg was left to cook tonight. But as Timmy was on my diary for tonight and he refuses to eat my food I thought that will be Tuesday Dinner when Timmy is no more. But as he is not working tonight that means Ed is here for another cooked from scratch meal

So I don't have to worry about organic veg staying fresh etc

Oh Double Dear

And Timmy who couldn't work today just txted me to say that his missus is still ill but his in laws are gonna have the kids tomorrow so he will be in wurk

Oh Dear

And Timmy who was supposed to be working tomorrow and Monday txted me and said "Ask Ed to contact me" because he wasn't coming to work tomorrow (and wanted Ed to stay on) as his missus is ill. Dunno what's happening Monday, wait and see

Steamy Dinner

And I cooked a pasta, tomatoes and veg dinner and it was lovely, if a bit steamy.

It was surprisingly easy to cook, still much harder than frozen packets but not too much hassle. I am torn tho, organic veg day is Friday, how long will it last if I buy more than Saturdays dinner (And 2 mushrooms for the pizza on Friday which is what I do now)?

Ouch, that must have hurt

And in the picture that I took today you can just see the scar on my throat from where IIRC they had to insert a tube to let me breath when I was unconcious in hospital

Oot To't Pub

So we headed up to the local pub, it was OK talking to one of my neighbours but it is really a restaurant with a small bar room at one end, the economy and folks habits have changed

Pizza 4 tea

And we are having Friday dinner of na'an bread pizza for dinner, it is cooking now and I am excited already

Walkies

As I had missed the last 10 minutes of class and refused to cycle afterwards because I was feeling very strange after seeing the MS sufferer I walked down the stairs instead of using the lift as usual

....ing

And me and Gareth headed off to Aardvark s'morning.

First of all GGtGG fitted some new pads to the FES as someone is coming into gym s'afternoon to have a look etc.

But then we went, bought my usual amount of stuff (but they had no muesli this week) and an extra meal worth of veg as Ed is coming in tomorrow and we are gonna cook a meal from scratch

Well the visitor (an MS sufferer) came in and took me away from the last 10 minutes of class as she was talking to me & GGtGG. She is well unhappy with the FES but doesn't know how to set it etc, she has an appointment at the hospital next Tuesday and I said "Tell 'em you need support" but dunno. It did her some good talking to me she did a couple of steps...... dunno. She did say she is gonna come to class next week so we will see it any progress has been made

S'morning

When I woke up s'morning I had a strange song in my head, going over and over. My iPad told me during my breakfast what it was, by whom?

Espresso

Then me and Timmy went out for a brew, we are in Caffè Nero and it is nice

Gymeroo

It was a strange day at gym, Timmy said unusual exercises so we^h^hI went on a bike for a long distance session and instead of stopping after 20 mins as usual we cycled 7km and it took me 33 mins

Good Tunes

So we headed down to The Parrot tonight as they were s'posed to be having an open night and it was actually rather enjoyableif half deserted

For Old

And wee were coming out of gym today and sitting there having a brew was a nurse who remembered me from Bath, that long ago. It was nice to catch up etc but she did admit to being the first person to cut my hair into a mohican.

Which was nice, it sorted a fault in my memory

UnSwim

So we headed off to t'pool for 1pm but even then it was much too busy but as I was still wearing my sockings we just headed upstairs and did many exercises

But I was able to wear my new headphones and listen to a very funny comedy to distract myself from the dullness involved in cycling, which was nice

No FESing

And I am still astonished about how right my right foot is even without the FES yet today. It has done me so much good for a short device sitting on my belt. My right foot just behaves now!!

Failure

And while I was having breakfast I tried 3 times, 2 of which ended up the same and I failed

That's better, 11'ses

Fark, no, I will cry

So I was looking thru what's on telly tonight and I thought suddenly, "No, I will cry, not watching that" because last time I watched summat like this I was crying

Nipped Out

Then we nipped out as I couldn't find my earphones and I wanted to listen (and distract myself) at gym t'other day. So we nipped out, got some for £2.30 and they work. In Wilko they were from £1.05 to £10 so I think I chose well.

When we came home I thought "Ah, how to tidy them up and put them in my bumbag?" but luckily the interweb told me (noisy link)

Gymming

So me and Alex went to gym and did a slightly different play. First of all I did 10 minutes on a rowing maching then 12 of my 20 allocated on a pedal machine. I was too knackered after rowing to finish my whole system

Garlic Bread

And we nipped out after dinner to Farmfoods to fetch more garlic breads as I do seem able to taste them nowadays and we were also trying to get more pizza style baguettes but they didn't have any in stock

'Wimming

So at lunchtime, after Gorgeous Greta has come to sort my toenails out, we are going swimming in the pool

And I couldn't do my usual get ready stuff of piling the equipment up on the hall floor as Greta is coming and she might think less of me

And she did come, she was as beautiful as ever and as efficient cutting my nails as ever

Sigh. We did it. It was busy but with not as many nutters jumping in etc, so we managed. 2 lengths, some stretchy exercises, 2 more lengths then we got out

Change Of Plan

So I had my pooh s'morning before I had my breakfast, not after as usual

Pee

So I went to bed, got up about 6 hours later needing a pee, then had to get up for another about ¾ of an hour later

Out Walkies

So at dinner time we drove into Carmarthen, parked opposite Aardvark and went for a walk along Merlin's Walk. Alex was pushing my wheelchair but we didn't use it at all. So we walked up Merlin's Walk, turned right at the end and walked along there to the next turn then walked back to the car

Sunday bloody.....

So it's Sunday today. Despite the fact that me and GGtGG commented on how yesterday felt like Sunday...... dunno why

But I stripped the bed s'morning, washed it, Alex has put it back together.....

Fredumpkining

Right, after she forgot to go to Iechyd Da on Thursday Freya is coming here for dinner. Dunno what we are eating (or in or out) I will have to ask her when she gets here.

Well, after we pick her up

Oh that was nice. So we came back here and discussed choices in the end we said "Oh back to Frankie and Bennies" where I had a crushed pizza of summat I hadn't tried before and it was pretty lovely

So Freya has gone home after about 5 hours and we haven't had a single cross word said either way

And for that 5 hours I didn't go to the loo, this is still getting better

Nip Morrisons

So we nipped to Morrisons to get more blueberries and I thought "May as well do most of weeks shopping, more small salad later in the week" but when we got home I notice that my small pack of half weeks veg is a double pack, another one zipped to the back so it might last a week anyway

Feed Him

And Timmy is working today, he doesn't usually eat my food but he will make an exception and eat my na'an pizza that I cook every Friday today

Which we both enjoyed but I had a peach for pudding, which I bought in Aardvark s'morning, good lord, it was delicious but hard to eat without dripping etc

Odd Day

So unusually today's timetable says "Aardvark" then, oddly, "Phone call from Denyse" then "Gym class"

Well we did the first thing, it went OK, he said "That will be £58.32", I said "Pardon?" he double checked, said "Can I weigh this again", right £32.45 in the end. But I walked out of the car, walked around Aardvark, walked back to the car, walked around my kitchen to put it all away.......

But Denyse hasn't phoned yet, she must be busy but I need to go to my gym class in ¼ of an hour

Well she didn't phone, we went to gym and again I astonished myself with how much easier eg the kneeling down and standing up exercise has become. 

Denyse phoned Timmy later

Dinner For Three

So tonight it is me, Timmy and Freya all eating at Caffi Iechyd Da

Except I txted Freya and said "Where are u?" and she replied "Sh*t, I forgot, no buses now....." so we just had dinner for 2, but it was nice

Camera

So s'afternoon I was playing with my camera and I started using some of the touchscreen buttons at the bottom RHS of the screen, I discovered that if you use those you can zoom even closer than I usually would

Gym b4 lunch

So s'morning we (me & Timmy) headed to gym and we and did loads of exercises etc

Old Places

Then we went out to somewhere tonight. Gareth said "Where?" I said "I am trying not to say Cwrt Henri then Mynydd Cerrig but......." he said "Lets go" so marginally sentimental

I used to have a life, I still have one but it is so different

New Card

Then after lunch we had to nip out to More Reasons...... to try my new Lloyds card, which I ordered last Thursday. First of all it worked in the cash machine then it worked buying 1 item. So after we came back I cut up my old card and threw it away

Oh What Fun We Had.....

Hooray, my timetable says "Swimming" today.........

Well it wasn't too bad. So we took precautions in case the pool was too full so we could just go to gym but it wasn't too bad. I did my exercises and lengths

Pressie

And we nipped out to buy wrapping paper and a card for Freya. So now her extra pressie is wrapped etc and her main pressie should arrive here this week

Burning Bright

Then after lunch today we popped back to Tiger store. This time I had a plan, to buy Freya a bonus birthday present. Which proved relatively straightforward as it is a strange shop with lots of tat.

When we were there I also bought a sheep called Humbug (Baaa Humbug!) because when I was looking at him in the shop a passer by said "This is Wales, you gotta buy a sheep" so I did

Gymification

So s'morning eventually we headed to gym for an exercise session. I did my exercises then got on the bike. I only did 10 of my 20 minutes and climbed off. MOS protested but then I walked out of the room and walked down the stairs to leave.

Caffe

So s'afternoon we nipped out into Caffe Nero and had an excellent coffee. (So I won't have one with dinner tonight) This double chocolate cheesecake must be a myth

First

But before all the excitement we had to nip to More Reasons To Shop At..... and do my weekly shop.

Which was still smaller than my Aardvark shop on Friday

Perhaps

So today we are having a perhaps day on swimming. I will go along with my trunx in a bag but still wearing my sockings so it it is too busy we shall go upstairs and do a gym session instead

No, it looked really empty, by the time we had changed etc it was busier but not full of teenagers jumping in etc, it was much more civilised han last week

Debenhams

So s'afternoon me and Alex headed off to explore some shops, first of all we nipped into Debenhams, looked all around and didn't see a single thing that appealed to me. Except for women's clothing but as I am a man we didn't buy any.

Then we popped into Tiger, 2 doors up, and gaped in wonderment at some of the stylish tat they have on sale

Testosterone Working

And Alex was creaming my feet/legs s'morning and said "Wow, you have got hairs on your feet now too"

Hello Stranger

And an almost stranger was working today, my full time nurse Ed was working today

And he gave some worthwhile advice. While my right knee has been clicking when I walk, nowt I could do to make it stop, he did say bend it further forward in your step, which is working, if I bend it an uncomfortable amount forward it doesn't click. So now all I have gotta do is learn that so it will still work when I don't bend my knee quite so far....

Pizza&...

So we had the usual Friday Night Dinner of na'an bread pizza and chips which was as delicious as usual. This week we are on a fresh packet of frozen oven chips and they seem a bit...... different, possibly better than the previous packet

First Things First

So about 11 we went to Aardvark and spent the majority of my weekly shopping budget as usual. No blueberries this week, I tried blackberries instead for on my muesli

We were back home by 12 so I didn't get back in my wheelchair, walked around the kitchen and put it all away as there was time.

So in 10 minutes we gotta head to gym to my one weekly class. And that is making my brain ache somewhat, just getting down to a kneeling position there then getting back up by myself!!!

And Sam wasn't there but I did tell her substitute that Neil missed her etc. but AGAIN GOOD LORD how much better am I than last week. Today I was able to lift my right foot forwards over the hurdles, for ages I have done t'hurdles but had to move my foot around the hurdles but at last I can just do it now

Against My Will

So today I said to GGtGG "Lets go out for a long walk today instead of gymming" he replied "We can do both" so we have been to gym for a session on the exercise machines (incidentally I am a lot better at this that last week) then I walked down the stairs from gym next we are going to town for a long walk after lunch

And we nipped to town, parked outside Aardvark then nipped up town, I walked nearly the whole way up (to here), then GGtGG pushed me along King Street at the top to Lloyd's bank where I ordered another card, then I walked back the whole way along King St and down the hill at the end until I got back in my wheelchair about 2/3 of the way back down the hill

Memory

So as I was coming to bed tonight I thought "Oh, cereal...." but on reflection I can tell you that I did get my muesli ready etc, my memory isn't as bad as it once was, I can remember doing tasks etc

(Sigh)

So we went swimming slightly later today as "they" had told us it was quieter then. No it fscking wasn't, loadsa kids jumping in, loadsa kids in the way etc, it was a right pain

But I spoke to one stranger, I apologised for getting in her way and she did say that she has seen me getting better and better at stuff in the pool over the last year or so, which was nice to hear

Fixed It

And I was able to take advice from Alex and fix my own coffee pot, clean out the bits on the lid

He said turn that around, I thought WTF but with both hands it was easy. With both hands

More Reasons To Shop At....

And we had to nip to Morrisons tonight, I had been sent a fiver voucher which I forgot to spens on two Monday's and it runs out of date on Friday so we had to get some emergency frozen food

Brain Injury

So I was watching telly, saw a ref to a program called My New Brain I thought watch that and it turns out it's a program about suffering a Brain Injury. It's a bit close for comfort but I am trying

Aargh, I watched the first 25 minutes, nearly crying/shouting etc and the rest (35 mins) is available on the iPlayer for the next week

Out For Lunch

Then s'morning Freya and Brian, Julia's Dad, came and took us out for lunch. It was a really nice lunch, at Freya's suggestion we headed to Iechyd Da which was actually really pleasant and we had a big lunch at Brian's expense.

It was a nice trip out and a catch up

Strangely we parked down well below the cafe on a dotted double yellow and I just got out of the car with no 'chair and walked there and back, up and downhill. I am still getting better 

Quick Trip Out

And we had to do a quick trip out s'morning to go to the Drs for my asthma 'script then walk across to the chemist to get it.

Today was the first time I have ever managed the steep downhill (and back up) to the chemist without holding onto any support columns on the way past. My balance is still improving

Nor Tomorrow

I thought to myself that Alex will still be working tomorrow so he can take me to the pool at 1pm.

But then I recalled "No, we r having lunch with Freya and her grandparents tomorrow" so we will be busy at 1pm

Swimming. Or Not

So we went to pool today but it was much too busy with loadsa kids in as it is the summer holidays. So we went to gym even tho I was not wearing my sock info or my FES. But just good lord, how much better is my right foot at keeping flat, I didn't even have to concentrate on it, it just happened automatically. Muscle memory is making me happy

We spoke to someone on the way out and she said the free kids swimming time ends as 1pm

And I was sitting on various machines today some of which are much lower that my chair and I still managed that standing up with no hands thing.

Out

So tonight we were bored so we nipped out to Saint Clears to The Little Chef and had a brew and bun

Quiet Sunday

Tra la la...

Out For A Drive Tonight

So tonight me and Alex were bored so we headed out in the car, drove all the way to Llandeilo (via my old house in Cwrt Henri) headed back to Carmarthen and took the traditional route back, the one that was replaced by a bypass a few years back

That Friday Feeling

So it's off to Aardvark in a bit to do most of my weeks shopping, then to gym for a proper class then........ lunch & rest

Well I did it, a larger than usual shop at Aardvark. It went well. Back home for long enuf to have a cuppa and sit by my PC for half an hour

Well I did go to Sam's class. As usual she was nagging me to get on but on some levels just WOW, on the kneeling down exercise I can now just do it etc. I am so much better at nearly all the exercises

Test Results

And Timmy made the phone call that Alex was too busy neglecting me to make on Tuesday (She said "Phone me on Tuesday or Thursday"), and my blood sugar levels are within the amounts that they are s'posed to be, so I am relatively well

Strange Diary

So we are going swimming today instead of yesterday.....

And what fun it was. Again I was *so* impressed with the muscle memory caused by the FES, but I did loads of exercises then 4 lengths on my back and 2 lengths breast stroke

And a little girl in the queue behind us said "Oh, you are him"

Brain Injury

I was eating breakfast s'morning, watching the news, suddenly they said how Brain Injuries have increased recently and how the inital NHS coverage is good but rehab is letting the side down

Gymming

And because the whole timetable is strange this week we went to gym instead of swimming. Again just good lord, I am so much better, fitter, stronger than I was even last week. Surely I will reach the end of this "Getting better" thingy, I hope not for a long time tho....

All Windows Again

Then the delivery chap came with the new window handle for the spare bedroom. So GGtGG got stuck in, "Ah, where's the screws?", erm...... turns out a different MoS had taken them off and put them in the toolbox in the kitchen, not to worry, it is all done

Muscle Memory

So I am walking in the house s'morning and it really impressed me, it is too early for the FES to be fitted and already my right foot is behaving itself - keeping flat

Lets hear it for muscle memory

New Mobile Search Engine

So I was thinking that the search engine on my mobile didn't present answers in a large enough to be legible format. As Timmy had suggested yesterday I started using Google once again but...... I really didn't want to. So after a bit of searching on the web I found out that Startpage (which I use on my PC) did actually have a mob version, which works just as well but makes it all legible

VBG, I don't want/need them selling the results of my searches to advertisers etc

Nested

So the birds that are nested over the front door whose eggs hatched last week are now all flying round outside, showing the kids the world. How much bigger and more able are they, a week ago they were newborn and today they can fly!!!

Busy-ish Morning

So s'morning we need to nip to Drs to pick up 2 'scripts then go across to the chemist to get my script then to the pool to go swimming

No, well we got most of the 'script but there is more cream to be collected tomorrow. Then, as we were in town, we nipped to Wilko and got more "wash my chest" cream which apparently I will just always need now

But just wow for how much better I am in the pool even than last week. So no FES fitted in the pool (obviously) but wow to how much the muscle memory is making my right foot stay flat etc. And also wow for how much better my right wrist is at just staying in proper position

Winner, winner,

Tofu Dinner....

Cycling

And we went to gym today(1) and did a marathon cycle for 35 minutes. And just wow but my right foot is just staying flat, in a proper position

(1) Yes, not the swimming pool like normal Mondays, apperently we have swapped tomorrow too.....

"The Twelfth"

So today is a day of political ups and downs in NI, The Twelfth Of July parades which you can't hold on a God Botherers Day so traditionally in the past the prods were making the micks feel like loosers etc

Tofu Dinner

While I find it in bad taste I have today finally won all the competitions, I have been 2 or 3 behind but today I caught up

Unusual Shopping

Then we had to go to Morrison's and get veg &c to cook with Freya tonight. I also had to buy my week's salad, I had finished it today and had it on my diary for tomorrow but I may as well get it now

And it was well worth it, Freya (with a little help from me and none from Ed) cooked the dinner, and it was actually a bit lovely, worthwhile in the end, but what a struggle but we did it

But Freya has finished now, done that school thingy, my youngest born has finished school. How old must I be....

Up

And I am still able to stand up from my chair without using my hands to help.

It feels like such a big thing but it is actually simple, most folk can do it

Taste/Smell

And I sent an email to this charity today, asking them if there is any help available in or around Carmarthen

Cricket

So yesterday morning I watched the cricket on Sky on the interweb, looked good for England, I thought they might win today. I stopped watching yesterday afternoon, had my bath and nap &c but I was looking forward to catching the end s'morning

But England kicked their arse and won yesterday afternoon

Wasn't Bad

And tonight's Ed dinner wasn't too bad, wasn't my favourite but wasn't bad. Too much squash but wasn't too bad

Watching Cricket

And the Ashes cricket isn't on BBC telly much to my disgust, "someone" said t'other day "Ah, but you have a link saved to watch it without paying" and lo and behold, I checked today and perfectly legal freebie I am watching

Impressive

So Ed got stuck into fixing the bathroom window, the one that GGtGG looked at and said "No, not fixable" but he fixed it. I still need to pay somebody to fix the spare bedroom window as he had to nick the opening handle of that to fix the bathroom one but its fixed now

Dinner Tomorrow

And we are having an Ed dinner tomorrow.....

Pizza

And we had the usual na'an bread pizza for Friday tea and it was as nice as it usually is

In The Bathroom

So in the bathroom after my bath I can reach down and dry both legs without any holding on with my other hand to balance me, my balance &c is simply so much better than it used to be

Nipped Out

Then after lunch we nipped out to Morrisons, because..... because the na'an bread I had bought for tonight's pizza had broken, and as I bought a jar of lentil soup that me and Ed can have on Sunday with the broken na'an bread and no sweet potatoes I thought we may as well buy more today. So I got most of the little shopping that was on the list apart from next weeks na'an bread and next weeks salad so I will nip to shop on Monday and just buy those 2 things

Friday Business

Yes, again......

Well, we did a triple shop.

First of all we went to Aardvark and did my weeks shopping, then we nipped to Wilko's and got some compost so the sunflower can move to a bigger pot, then we nipped into Morrisons and had to buy the one ingredient I need to cook with Ed tomorrow that they didn't have in Aardvark. So we have done it all and still have time to sit in front of my PC for half an hour b4 we nip to my gym class that happens every Friday

MegaWalk

So we went to town for a walk s'afternoon, he pushed my wheelchair in case I needed it but I didn't, up one street, across and down the next then back to the car

Recording

And I did a recording t'other day of recording stuff on my phone, I am practicing so I can use it any time I am talking to an official, there will be no query, I have proof

Quiet-ish

And I am having a quiet day today as there is a team meeting going on here, Denyse and the team are all arriving independently to slag me off &c (1)

Well I sat in for the first couple of hours, it was reasonably OK, but Denyse asked me to leave so they can slag me off or whatever then

(1) Sorry, "independently to discuss my needs &c" is what I meant but it didn't make for such an entertaining read

Walkies

And I asked Timmy to push my wheelchair in, up the steps etc, last night, in case I needed it. When we got in it was folded in the corner, I sat on a stool at the bar, later we went round the bigger room for the quiz, I sat in a proper seat. Sometimes I walked back from the bar with my beer held in my right hand (after I had drunk an inch off the top) other times I carried my beer in my left hand and held my walking stick in my right. This was a bit mind boggling but I did it