Slackbladder

And I discovered last night loads of free versions of Blackadder to watch and this silly song made my heart beat faster

Not Swimming

And as Timmy said "I'm not well" we didn't go swimming but I did half of a mega cycle before I complained that it was too hard and stopped

Shopping

So we headed over to the big shopping centre at Llanelli tonight but couldn't find what we were looking for

Gymming

So s'morning we went (through the rain) to gym and did loads of machines followed by a 10 minute cycle

Collecting

Then s'afternoon we had a phone call from Wilko saying "Your order has arrived, collect it" which we did. A bit strange but ordering online and collecting from the shop in a couple of days

Hooray

We are off swimming in a bit....

Little Old Lady

And she came, did various swallowing listens etc and some speech & language and generally said that I was so much better than last year etc. She doesn't know whether we are finished now or whether she needs to update once a year or summat. Denyse will tell her

Christmas Pic

And another pic from the Carmarthen Journal, at the Christmas Lights do t'other night

Talking

As Sara Bailey (The Little Old Lady) is coming tomorrow and she is a "speech and language" therapist Timmy commented today about how much my speech has improved over the last year. Frankly I have forgotten why a S&L is involved as I am used to being able to speak etc again. So hopefully she will be impressed etc with what's going on

Apparently when Timmy started work he would not be able to understand everything that I said, whereas now it is as clear as.....

Solidarność

Together

Because

And because Sara Bailey (the little old lady) is coming to see me tomorrow morning I will have to do my weekly shop a day early (ish) today. Some weeks we do go on a Sunday but........

And we did it, got everything etc

And I walked about the house s'morning, walked to the car, wheelchaired about the shop, walked from the car to the house and continued walking after we got back home

Bet On Football

So if you bet summat obscure like all tonight's matches one team will score 2 goals you might be rich

Read It

So on my Kindle I have just finished book 2 of Alien Hunter, which was...... But I read it all by myself

Cooking

So to make dinner tonight I had to cut up a carrot, a parsnip, a courgette, a small turnip type thing, few 'shrooms and a small piece of broccoli . With my right hand. Gord, it still isn't as good as cutting as it used to be but it is 17 times better than it was a few months ago

Christmas Lights

Then over dinner time we headed into town to watch the Switching On Of The Christmas Lights. We got invited into the main area as they were asking some cripples to come out of the crush and we spent an hour listening to all kinds of music etc before there was a firework display up the hill

WTF are they playing at, it's mid November....

Collectors

So some collectors called at the door s'morning for Children In Need and I took the pennies pot out and poured some in. They thought I was being really generous tipping a pot of cash for them but I didn't. So.....

Don't Panic

And Timmy is telling me "Don't panic, we have already done it together" as Mark is coming in s'morning for his first shift on his own and it is a relatively busy morning, Aardvark then gym class

So we went shopping first, I thought we had done well and got everything but... Anyway we came back and unpacked it etc then went to gym

Now at gym class I has to try and be so grateful to Sam for teaching me how to get back up etc. I did some other exercises etc but this was the most important thing by a long way that I needed to do

Then after lunch we had to go back to Aardvark for the organic juice which we had forgotten s'morning

My Gob Is A Bit Smacked

And as I haven't seen Sam since last week today I feel the need to bow down, kiss her feet etc and say "Thank you for teaching me to get back up" after I had to get back up a few days ago, and I managed, it is relatively easy for me, now....

13th

It's Friday the 13th today...

Yr Hen Dderwen

Then early evening me and Timmy went out and had a coffee in the pub on King Street that is trying to present itself as an eat, drink, and have fun place

MegaCycle

And so we headed to gym before lunchtime and there I did a mega cycle, 10km in somewhere about 50 mins. And I remembered to take a bottle of water with me to stop for a drink every 10 mins or so

Security

So there was a knock at the door last night, I answered it and it was the chap from the cake bakers house sort of across the way. He said "A neighbour up the street was broken into t'other night, so be careful, make sure you lock the doors and shut windows...."

Chipless

And I made a dinner tonight which was rather nice, but there were no chips, not proper ones or sweet potato ones.

None

Peeing

So 10 minutes before we nipped out to shops s'morning I went to the loo.  As we went out I thought "I feel like I need a pee b4 we go..." but then "No just been" so I went out after feeling that I needed a pee and went round 2 shops and didn't go to the loo when coming back. So telling when I really need the loo and not wetting myself 'cos I made the wrong decision... So difficult this being a grown up

Shopping B4 Swimming

So today it sez "Swimming" at 1PM on my diary so I think we will nip out to Farmfoods to get sum more frozen stuff before that

Which we did, generally "spud" type accompaniments and ice cream for pudding. And another load of veg, from another shop, to make a dinner tomorrow, like Julia said "Better cook veg than eat frozen food"

Then we did head to t'pool where once again I struggled to throw my ball, did a few lengths and exercises. Again I couldn't remember how to move my arms all the time, it would go wrong mid length etc

AND as we headed into Morrisons s'morning a chap closed the door and said "2 minute silence" so we stood there thinking all kinds of thoughts until at 2 minutes past 11 he opened the door again and we felt we could speak again

Green

And we are off out in a bit to a meeting of The Green Party in Johnstown (about 1/2 mile away)

And it was...... a bit quiet but we talked about what we think should be done etc etc

Then

Then we headed to gym to do my exercises. Alex said "Bring your chair just in case after your fall" but he pushed it, I walked

Oops

So I was in the kitchen, went to sit down in my chair missed and tumbled over backwards. Dunno why I overbalanced but.... Alex picked my chair back up and I was able to stand up using that

A Busy Day

Well so for the rest of the day I was...

Drowning

And we (me and Timmy) are nipping to the swimming pool in a bit....

And actually today it wasn't so bad, I almost enjoyed it...

Busy Morning

So at 9.00AM s'morning I was sat on the loo when there was a knock at the door. GGtGG answered it and it turned out to be the chap that Timmy was expecting at 2PM s'afternoon to tell him about quotes. Gareth phoned Timmy and then asked the chap to include this and that in the quote that he will post to this address in a few days

More Reasons...

And as it Timmy working tomorrow and he disapproves and GGtGG claimed to know where the short sell-by Na'an bread are to be found we decided that today would be a Morrison's trip

Keeps The Doctor At Bay...

And s'morning I had an apple about 11AM. All by itself but it gave me so much pleasure to eat. I suspect it was more pleasure than b4 my accident, it is so clever/impressive now...

I Used To....

Well, I used to work for a couple, he would be on the farm about 16 hrs a day, she would do the same a few days a week but then other days she was on the phone saying "Organic orders?" etc

Hedonistic

And it is a word that I had forgotten but researching into heathenism, paganism etc it came up.

Oh yes, I am striving towards it......

Chopping

So again I chopped all the veg to make a roasted veg dinner with my right hand. I have been able to do this for a few weeks now but it is still such a big event after not being able to for about 12 years

Exerciser

And I got another hand exerciser machine thru the post today and I feel that I can actually use this one, the first one I got just wouldn't be crushed by my right hand

Apple

And after lunch I ate one of the apples that I bought on Friday, the small enough for my teeth to work on them ones. And I didn't have a knife on the plate this time, I knew they were small enough so I just got stuck in, and it was a bit lovely, delicious and fulfilling on so many levels

Jab

Then at bath and nap time we had to go to the Dr's for my yearly anti flu jab which didn't hurt too much

Exhausted

And I am exhausted now but the gym class went well. Still able to get down to the floor, crawl backwards, sit down, go backwards and stand up!!

Aardvarking Across The Universe.....

And so we went to Aardvark s'morning and did my usual big shop

Memory

So last night as I was going to bed I thought "Check if your muesli is prepared" but on reflection I could remember preparing it and putting it in the fridge. And I could be sure of when etc. In some aspects occasionally my memory is working like a proper person's memory....

A Private Bath

And because Timmy had no more cream to rub on my back and chest after I got dried today I went to the bathroom alone, and stayed alone, I will be alone until after I have finished my nap

For the first time in a year...

Mega Bike

As we went to gym today Timmy said "I notice that you didn't do a mega cycle last week", I reply "I did what they told me" so he said "I better tell them..." so we did a 10km cycle, 3 weeks ago it took nearly an hour, 2 weeks ago 53 minutes, none last week and today 44 minutes

OK, well actually last week I did half the distance in a third of the time then said "Enough, knackered now"

Oldie

And we went to my local pub tonight. It was fine, I was sat at the bar chatting up the barmaid when she said "You were in with her a few months back. How do you know Freya Amsbury?" It turns out she was at secondary school in the same class

Dr Phoned

And the Dr phoned me s'afternoon and said 'You ordered a repeat 'script with your anti acne cream on it, how's it looking, can I not write that out for you as you have been using it for ages?" So I had to say "Yes, try me without it"

Out

And at half four we nipped out and bought more ingredients, I haven't cooked frozen food in about a week!!!

Fark

And we went swimming over lunchtime. It went OK, exercise, stretch etc then we got out.

It stopped being good then.

In the big disabled changing room was a chap. So we went round to the first smaller room, someone in there too so we went round to the far one. We got in, unpacked then I got under the shower. Except it doesn't fscking work. So back outside to wait for one of the other rooms to be free.

And of course it was the smaller one which was first

Unscrew The Oven

So I got an email from the folk that I had emailed about buying a new knob for the oven saying that I can't see the model no, but GGtGG was working, looked at it and said "Right, take out these screws we will be able to move the oven forward"

I said "WTF" but he managed it, found the serial no. on the top then put the oven back, away again and screwed it back in

She Has Been

And she came, was as skilled as ever on my toenails and has gone now.

Missing you already.....

Glorious Greta (or Luscious Linda)

So the 'cutting my toenails' woman is coming to take some cash away tomorrow. I am a bit gobsmacked, last time she was here she cut my big toenail so far back that the scar is still visible now, 8 weeks later. And it didn't hurt that much.

Gord I am in awe of her cutting skills..... (And marginally in awe of her beauty too but that is secondary) 

Dinner

And we had the rest of the bean stew that I made t'other week for dinner. Defrosted it, saucepan, sweet potato oven chips and garlic bread.

Yum fscking yum, it was delicious as even Alex told me after dinner

Relax

So today we went to gym to do the '4 machines then 10 mins on the bike' session, and again it was easier in so many ways than last week. Bendability, strength, it is so much better

See Ya

So Mark is off s'morning after his first 'on your own' shift and he hasn't done too badly. He had to be told "No, do it like this...." about a couple of items but he eg did the washing up carefully etc and he listened to my criticisms so hopefully he won't be too bad. And he knew about the jobs I have waiting for him but was too busy yesterday to get stuck in....

Stir Fried

And we had Stir Fry for dinner, stir fry veg, a tub of fruity juice and some egg noodles to fit in. It was very nice. I think I used to cook it, got into trying to make my own chopped up veg which didn't have the fruity juice on it so wasn't as nice so I got bored. However I have proved that I like this, I can make it, so at a guess every Monday or Tuesday.....

Dun Shopping, Now.....

So Mark came in today, it's his first shift by himself. So I took him to Morrison's s'morning which went well enuf, I got all my small shopping list etc.

In a few minutes we are off to the swimming pool......

Well it went OK. Did my exercises then another 2 lengths breaststroke (with my flippers). It went OK in the pool but when we came out we had to wait 15 mins for a disabled changing room and even then we had to go in the small, not enough room to function, room

Clear, blue sky

And this afternoon we were under a clear blue sky. Well sunny and well warm. Wintertime, where is it, it's November now.....

I Started The Month OK

Bollock-Knees

And I thought I recalled Ed's eating habits so I said to him s'morning "Want fried veg or Lentil Bollock-Knees for tea?". So yes, I did recall and he said "Anything but fried veg".....

Failed On Two

So I have failed twice this month, recently!!

Wibble. Suck Seeded in the end, sorry for talking nonsense

Scared

Festival Of Dead today.......

Tories

Hooray....

Exercises

Just wow again, how much better am I at my Tofustring exercises this week...

Second Things

So I went to my only class @ gym at lunchtime today. Again small improvements, I didn't used to be able to step onto the trampoline thing with my right foot, it was too high, now I can. Also doing the hold on and get down to the floor. I couldn't do it at all a few weeks ago, now I get down, crawl backwards, turn over and get into a sitting position on the floor then reverse the actions and pick myself up from the floor.

First Things First

So s'morning we nipped to Aardvark (*) and did my weeks shopping, milk, yoghurt, veg etc. While we were in there another woman came in shopping, it was Ann(e) who with Graham owned and ran it when I worked there

(*) We had to park out the back again, luckily they don't mind important customers parking there although you are not supposed to

It's all done now, quiet few minutes then off to my once a week gym class in a bit

Iechyd Daing

So, not much time after the last trip there we are going out to Iechyd Da again, just for a come all ye folk night this time

We got there early, we were the only customers for half an hour but it did pick up later

Gymtastic

As we went mega cycling yesterday today I just went on lifty machines. On the bendy leg one I was able to have it set to bend my leg further than last week.

Small improvements but they are coming every week

Dinner

And I explored in my cupboards then went shopping and bought veg so we are having a Pasta Lentil Bollock-Knees for dinner tonight

Ooooooh. Wasn't that delicious. I made noise eating it and Gareth also told me it was well worth the hassle. I had to remind myself how to cook it by looking at a very small webpage. And I did all the chopping with my right hand!!

Perhaps

So I am not sure. I said to Gareth s'morning "No swimming, half term....." he replied "Perhaps...." so I am getting all my FES on etc to go to gym and taking my trunx with me, we will see which is quietest and if we do go swimming I will have to take my FES off and wrap it up etc

So no, by the time we got there the pool was full of kids so we went upstairs to the gym instead. I got on a bike again but this time aimed for a quicker cycle. By the time I gave up I had gone half of the distance I covered t'other day but I only took a third of the time I took that day. Half the distance in a third of the time

Stirring Fry

And we are having a stir fry for tea tonight, which I used to cook once a week or so but haven't for ages. But as I can't remember what to do.......

And it was quite nice....... 

Gymming

And me and Alex headed to gym and did 4 exercises and 10 mins on the bike. Just good lord again, it is all easier than last time I tried, again

Out For Tea

And as I protested about cooking for 3 of us* we are heading out to The Tafarn Tanerdy tonight, for a petty cash dinner and I will pay for mine

Yes and very nice it was. The landlord said "We usually see you at the weekend. Monday??", I s'pose I am distinctive looking...

* This is the last night we will have 3 of us fir now, Mark is "fully qualified" to drive me about etc now

Flippers

And s'morning before we headed off to the pool the postman knocked the door and handed me some swimming aids

And good lord, what a difference they make. It is still difficult but I seem much more .......

Busy Morning

So first of all we have to nip to Morrison's and amongst other stuff try and pick up a stir fry pack with additions, I used to make these regularly but I haven't for a while....

Then after someone has taken off my sockings we need to head to the swimming pool

And we went shopping and did that, now we are back indoors for half an hour before swimming. Hooray

But when shopping I had on my list a stir fry ingredients and a sauce for it. I had no noodles on my list as I own some old ones here but I am looking forward to tomorrow....

Right Hand

And I have just peeled all the veg I am roasting for dinner with the peeler held in my right hand. 6 items, I didn't start with my right then give up half way thru, I just did it all

And then I chopped it all with my right hand too.....

Out In Carmarthen

So it had stopped raining about 11.30 s'morning so I said to Alex "Head to town" so we did, was a bit gobsmacked at how many shops were open/people were shopping, the god botherers must feel that they have lost

Time Will Tell

And waking up s'morning I had to set the time on my watch and the battery clocks in the front room and the bathroom but all others have changed themselves. My PC, my mobile phone, my iPad...

Eating An Apple

I haven't bought any apples for ages because my teeth couldn't do with biting them, once it was cut up it was fine but I couldn't do this biting thing....

So this week I bought 2 small apples, dunno why, they just cried out to me. So at lunchtime I got lunch, an apple and I brought a knife so I could cut it up. But because they are smallish apples and my teeth & mouth are better than they were last year I could just eat the whole apple without using the knife, I just bit it

My mouth and jaws are well 'better'

Half A Gadget

So one of my new purchases arrived s'morning. It is a "hold your Kindle upright, so you can read it comfortably" device, and just WOW.

It is like the "Prop your iPad" thingy I had been using but half the size, it fits and can be moved about comfortably. The iPad and device are in the background of the photo

Gym-credible

Then me and GGtGG went to gym and got stuck in to a class. But halfway thru I was doing a "get down and crawl" exercise when Sam approached me and said "Right, finish crawling and turn over to a sitting position". I said "No, I won't be able to stand back up" she said "Try it" and I did it, to sitting on the floor. Then I turned back over, crawled about 10 moves forward, grabbed the chair and was able to stand back up. WTF, really gobsmacked so I had to it again to prove to me that I can

That is just a wow, how much am I improving. So if I fall over anywhere I will probably be able to get myself upright, unasisted

Busy Day

Well there is the usual busy Friday day today....

So we managed the Aardvark shop first thing. As well as "normal" shopping I also headed upstairs (switch off your FES, walk up, switch it back on) and bought bog roll and toothpaste too. But I found everything that was on my list

Club Iechyd

Then we, all 3 of us, went off to a groovy "Gig" night, as opposed to the usual open door do at Caffi Iechyd Da. And it was rather nice, eat from their 100 veggie menu, drink some organic bitter beer and have a listen

Did The Washing Up

Then after lunch I did the washing up because we are going out to a bonus Iechyd Da night tonight as well as next Thursday

Team Handed

Right so we are going swimming today, me and Timmy and MightyMark and we are meeting another therapist, Sara(1), in't pool

But I mustn't get my stuff out of the cupboards first, MM has gotta learn what to take and where it lives

(1) SexySara?

Good lord, we did it. 1) Sara was well impressed with how much better I am than
a few months ago when she last saw me and 2) We managed to do a bit of
forward swimming with no aids, only a few meters but it is still an improvement

Mega Cycle

And today instead of swimming I have gotta go to gym and do another 10km cycle, which took me the best part of an hour last time I did it but it is supposed to be "slightly quicker" today

And "how sad can I be" but Google Maps tells me that is about the distance of my long cycle as a youth, from my house on Lisburn Rd to Steph's house in a nearby town, Lisburn

Well, against my will, I did that 10km, and I did it about 10 minutes quicker today

Wrong Day

So I am going swimming today instead of on Monday....... to confusing to....... dunno, can't think of an excuse but.....

Fried Dinner

And me and Timmy cooked a just fried veg and cheese omelette and some sweet potato oven chips for tea. It was very nice if a little complicated to cook

It Works

So today for the first time I was able to leave the bathroom after my bath and shut the door behind me, no 57 point turn to shut it then 57 point turn to get back out, it just works!!!

Limerics

A good post from ATP

Not Swimming

And today I am just going to gym not swimming as Mark has to learn about this and he is working today. So I am going tomorrow instead

So me and Mark went to gym while Timmy sat downstairs and waited for us

Shopping

So I went to Morrison's s'morning, did the rest of my shopping

And Nowt On My Diary to do....

So my usual Sunday chores.

1) Change the bed.

• No did that yesterday as the rest of the washing was empty yesterday

2) Perhaps go shopping.

• No, because Mark has to come with us and learn my routine tomorrow

And we are going to gym Monday and swimming Tuesday because Mark has gotta learn my routine using which machines etc and he is working Monday next week

Phew

And today Neil's Unwillingness was taken into account and we didn't head off to Laugharne to see the gig tonight....

Lighter

And today I am under 16 stone for the first time in a long time. Am I so much lighter because Ed the ex-barber, ex-care assistant and now nurse was working for me today? (And cutting my hair!)

Out

And when I walked into the pub up the street tonight one person commented on how he had never seen me walk before, last time he was in't pub I was stuck in my 'chair

Dinner Time

And we had that delicious Friday treat tonight too.....

-ing

And I went to gym and did loads of exercises. Yes, my limbs are still fscked but they are so much better than they were a few months ago........

One of the things I achieved was the getting down to your knees, crawling backwards and forwards then picking myself up. Even Sam said "I don't need to watch now, you can just do it...."

Manyana

So tomorrow we are off to Laugharne to see the special band playing

Aardvarking

So we went to Aardvark s'morning and spent way too much cash on food....

Sigh it's Friday

So s'morning to Aardvark then to gym for my class