Phew

So Alex came to work yesterday carrying a new car battery, plugged it into his car which has been here for 3 or 4 days, and this morning it started and he was able to take in home again.

Relief

Uber-Struggle

So s'morning I changed my bed and just carried the box out of my bedroom on my own two feet. I know that it is 2 or 3 weeks I have been doing this but it still amazes me, just how much more capable am I?

Struggle

Gosh, my brain hurts. I am still walking, it is SO late but I still am.... My brain hurts, it just wasn't the usual for some years....

Important But Hard To Explain

So after my bath I stood there drying myself, I was drying my back, start at the top going backwards and forwards then I reached the point where I needed to move my arms over the towel and rub the bottom of my back and my bottom. As it has been doing for many years my left arm just did it, but my right arm which hasn't been able to do the same move without much help from my left just did it today. For the first time in how many years? So yes, it might seem small and irrelevant to you but it is proof, in so many strange ways, both big and small, that I am getting better

Pat & His Black And White Cat

And the postman came s'morning and dropped off a security camera and recorder for the car that in a moment of paranoia I bought. It's still in the box but we have been to gym and are back having lunch so hopefully...

And Timmy is as we speak booking "our" trip to Belfast

So he has my credit card and is making the payments for a June trip for GGtGG, me and Alex

Classworthy

And I am going to my only gym class of the week at lunchtime, potentially followed by 10 mins on a pushbike

And I managed it all. The class went as well as classes do, it seemed rather busy today so Sam didn't have as much Neil time but it was ok. After I did 10 mins on a bike. After 5 mins I had done X distance but in the second 5 I did 1.5X

Really 2 Feet

So just now I stood up in the kitchen and walked to the bathroom for a pee without my walking stick

Dunno, no doubt someone will tell me that is is too difficult and dangerous, so don't do for these reasons but...

Aardvarking

Then after 5 we headed into Aardvark and bought a weeks fruit and veg and milk etc

Half Hearted

So I went to gym and just did 4km on the bike. It took me about 23 mins and then I said "Let's go", Timmy replied "You did 10km last time we were here together" but I just thought "Enough"

Icy

And it was well icy today, taking Alex home. After 12.30 there was still loadsa ice on the field but as I didn't have my camera with me I had to take a photo with my phone. Which isn't as clear but you can just about see how much ice there is on the field. By the afternoon

More Farmfoodsing

Then because I needed some more garlic bread and summat that isn't sweet potato oven chips (for Alex) we popped back to Farmfoods. Where a MOS was being very positive, she hasn't seen me walk before etc.

And we bumped into a passer by who I met somewhere and she hadn't seen me walk before either.....

What A Day

What a day, at least it is over now. Right, first thing Alex, who was s'posed to go home at 10.13 today, had a car crisis. It wouldn't start. So we looked in the garage, in the boot of the car, in the end we popped to the neighbours and asked to borrow some jump leads. We plugged them in, left the car for half an hour while my car was running, then Gareth got in my car and reved it while Alex tried to start his. Nowt.

So we had to take Alex home, nearly all the way to Cardigan, he lives miles away, in Drefach Velindre.

So because that took so much time we couldn't go swimming so we headed to town for a walk

We parked up at the corner of Blue St (the bus station) and Lammas St and set off walking, with no wheelchair accompaniment. We walked thru town to the new shopping centre that used to be the Cattle Market Car Park. Walked all the way up thru that, gave a busker a quid and walked back down to the old Aardvark shop, it's now a café and a very nice one. After a brew in there we walked all the way back to the car. Big walks!! And big walks as we weren't in gym today so I did loadsa outside work

Gizzit

And each and every night about this time I think "Gizzmy wheelchair" but every night I think "No, good practice" so...

Nearly Winning

And after a morning of genius there is only one that I haven't won this month

Sick Of It

And good lord but I am sick of this fscking rehabilitation, I just wanna be better. Dunno if my process will ever end but I suppose the consequences of 'failing' doesn't.....

More Walking

Then s'afternoon we popped out to get some more coffee and sugar for the staff and a few bits of cleaning stuff.

We fetched it from Home Bargains in Carmarthen and again I was on my own two feet with no wheelchair in sight

-ing

So we went to gym s'morning and did 4 machines followed by a 10 min cycle. On the machines I felt nearly at breaking point but I just carried on without complaining. The very fact that I felt able to just carry on is a sign that I am getting fitter/healthier

Strange Dream

So I had a strange dream last night. I dreamt that in town we had met Naomi from (ex) Brer Rabbit and we drove up to her new house and had a cuppa

Really strange when my alarm went off s'morning I was thinking about this and couldn't tell whether it had been a dream or if it was real. To get to her new house you drive past where Brer Rabbit was then a couple of minutes later you turn right.

Gord nose.....

Struggle On

And I have been a bit pi**ed off with having to carry stuff about today but I just did it. On my own two feet...

What Fun....

And we are off to the swimming pool in a bit....

(not real photo, somewhere else)

So we went and mostly I am just astonished at how well my right foot is kicking water away.  So because swimming is so much easier/faster I did all 8 lengths, easily

And I was nervous about being able to walk afterwards, but I tried it on the way out of the 'pool to the car and that gave me some confidence so we got home and I just walked

BUT  even tho it has been fixed for a week it was the first time I have sat in my "normal" wheelchair since it was fixed and just wow, it's wide enuf etc

Sunday Shop

And as Sunday is my usual Supermarket Day and I had already got my weeks shopping in Morrison's t'other day we headed off to Farmfoods. As we had to go past the driveway on the way we stopped at Morrison's first and I walked in, looked around and chose some snacks.

Then we drove down to Farmfoods and this time, as I had checked out distance etc t'other day I walked in and around, got 1 of the things we were after and a substitute for the other

Walking, both shops. Walking

Struggle, struggle, struggle

And I still does my head in, actually changing my bed then carrying the washing to the machine. I used to not walk at all one day of the weekend, the day when I had to carry this heavy box out, used to be wheelchair happy for 1 day. Used to be, used to be. My wheelchair doesn't come in the house at all nowadays...

Making Dinner

And once again I cooked on my own two feet. It is still a pain, but it does get a little bit easier every day

Currying

So I am cooking a curry tonight. It will be made from veg and a jar of sauce. Marginally nervous but I hope it will be nice

And it was nice. I was worried it was too runny, I had added too much water, but it tasted very good, I don't think it was too much actually.

So....

Yes......

The Weekend?

Is it really Saturday tomorrow? Where has the week gone?

Sneaky Shop

So as I finished the salad @ lunchtime I decided that if we needed salad I may as well get the other 3 or 4 things on my list for Sunday/Monday shopping so we did.

Again Alex said "No" to me asking him to push my chair behind us but yes, he was right, I can just walk the distance, all the way around the shop, not just the salad section by the door

And I suspect that someone criticised me for taking my chair into Farmfoods on Tuesday but I think that it is not much different to the dimensions of this shop so we will have to see when we are back

Proper Class

And I am off in a bit to my only weekly visit to a proper class at gym

So we arrived, walked up the stairs, walked all round for the class and did my 10 min cycle at the end. Then I used the lift to back down

Wheelchair stayed in the boot of the car

Expense

So me and Timmy headed to Aardvark and got the usual weeks shopping as well as an "add veg (or meat) curry" which I am gonna try instead of the casserole this week

And I had to give her my "Look how much I have spent in Aardvark" card as it was full with £20 to be paid back to me. She said that this was only the 3rd to be handed in so I obviously am an important customer

It's Fixed, Not That I Use It Much

So "the chappy" came and fixed my wheelchair s'morning. Not that I use it much but it's fixed anyway

Team Meeting

And (sigh) everyone was here for a "team meeting" this AM, I left them to it....

Becoming Habitual

So it is becoming a habit, to walk a short distance about my house without my walking stick. Every day and in every way noisy link I am getting SLIGHTLY better

Listen Timmy

Can it be true?

Fixers

And Timmy txted me and said "The wheelchair fixers are coming at some point tomorrow". That's quite good because I will be about all day tomorrow anyway as there is a team meeting happening

PoolFsckers

And "we" are heading to the swimming pool at lunchtime....

And we went and did it, it actually wasn't too unpleasant so...

No Garage Garden

And "he" announced yesterday that they had discussed to "garden in the garage" idea but as there is no drainage that was a no no. He sent me an email with a couple of alternatives but said "Don't buy these, wait 'til Wilko gets their spring items in, they will be much cheaper" and said that the plan is to put it at the RHS of the garage, on the piece that never gets driven on.

I think the 2nd link is the most appealing, wait and see. They will have to put a couple of breeze-blocks around near to the entrance and then it will be posh

Adblocker

When 'he' had to "reset" my email client all the Ads came back. So I went online, found AdBlocker and installed it. The ads were still there. So I panicked and gave up, figuring CleverITTimmy will be in here on Thursday. So tonight I just tried downloading it again and I noticed it said "This has been disabled by..... click to enable", clicked and tried restarting the email client. No fscking adverts, the big objectionable type, gone again now

Further Nuts Are We

Gosh, and I watched it for a number of hours again today....

Feed Me

And we had the last of my chic pea casserole for dinner, it was the last of it so tomorrow night we will have to have some frozen food

It feels so old fashioned, I have been cooking so much food for about a month

Jeroo

So we went to gym s'morning and did 4 exercises followed by a 10 min cycle. Gosh I am so much fitter than I was a few months ago, it it really noticeable

Stressful Interweb

So as my email was being filled up with spam and my interweb connection was ignoring what I told it to connect to we had to go into "settings", advanced, "reset". Which did work but eg my Blog password etc have been gone. I need Timmy to come back and tell me how to get rid of AdSense adverts which have come back since resetting

Well dun, Sir

It's a week now, this walking......

6 Days

And tomorrow, if tonight goes according to plan, I can announce that my wheelchair hasn't been in my house for a week. I have been walking and sleeping etc. So I had my accident about 650 weeks ago and it is only the last week that I have been wheelchair free.

0.0015% of the time or summat

So tomorrow I will feel the need to announce it to Ixion... It's like I really wanted it late last night but I thought "No, carry on...."

Minor Crisis

So we headed out to Farmfoods and picked up some bits but on the way there Gareth said "Oh look, warning light about tyre pressure" so we called into Morrisons to blow up the tyre, it was only 2 psi down, but the light is still lit. So at a guess me and Alex will have to take it in to the seller/garage tomorrow and see if they can fix it

A Number Of Things

Well me and GGtGG headed for the pool s'morning.

1) They said when we entered they the stairs still weren't working but because this didn't take me by surprise and make me panic I just stepped down and up on the steps

2) When we were in there GGtGG said "As you haven't been swimming for a while take it easy" and started off with a back stroke. But this time I was able to kick with both my feet, not just the left one, like it was going for the past many years, and it was so much faster than last time. I kept that speed up when I was swimming on my front too

3) Afterwards I was just able to walk from the car to the house, leaving my wheelchair in the boot, I suspect it is the first time I have walked after a swim

Less Apprehensive

And I am less nervous about cooking tonight, partly I think tonights dinner isn't as time dependant, just stick it in a pan and leave it for ages etc

And it was extra strange cooking for myself and doing the washing up again, but this is the second time I have not cooked for Timmy since I started this walking everywhere thing and I fscking managed. I really wanted to sit in my wheelchair but I just carried on

My Memory Is.....

So last week I started a bottle of Sloe Gin that I was given as a pressie. I really am enjoying it so I bought another bottle yesterday. Timmy pointed out to me today that I used to drink it and stopped because The Doc said it was way sugary and possible helping cause my Imminent Diabetes. All of which had escaped my mind

Wilko

So s'morning we (me and Timmy) had to head to Wilko to buy some more napkins for the kitchen table as I thought we had a packet somewhere, we finished the Christmas ones and couldn't find the spare box.

We got out of the car, I didn't ask Timmy to push my 'chair as I am making so much progress, so I just walked into, around and out of the shop

Assisted by FES which we had out on before we left

Exploded Mind

Where has the wheelchair gone, from the side of my bed?

Lordy

So the 3 coded letters on my bank account spelled this today

Apprehensive

Again. I was worried about chopping, cooking, setting the table etc while on my feet but again it seems to have worked

At Last, I figured it out

So I struggled trying to add a link to the middle of a blog page, but in the end I figured it out. There is no reason for just showing the second paragraph of this but this is what I was struggling to do.

And what eventually I figured out how to

I think this came about t'other night when I wanted to link to summat but the first paragraph was about something completely different, irrelevant

FIXED NOW AGAIN

More Reasons To Shop At.....

So s'morning we nipped to Morrisons (noisy) as I needed more salad today and thought "I might as well do my Sunday/Monday shop a day (or 2) early" so I got it all

We drove there, we got out of the car, I walked into the shop, Alex pushed my wheelchair behind, but he needn't, I walked around the shop, walked to the till and walked back to the car

Ho Ho Ho

A Witticism for New Year

Bother

Hoo-flipping-ray. Another day another dollar...

Scared

And I am scared as tomorrow morning I have gotta change the bed.  I have never carried the bag of bedding out on my own two feet, I useda take a day off my walking and carry it on my wheelchair.  Never, so am a bit intimidated

Well I managed s'morning, it was relatively easy, I might have been skiving somewhat in the past

Stress Cooking Pizza

And despite my moving stuff out before use etc I still found it needed loads of nipping about the kitchen to make pizza and chips but I fscking managed. On my own two feet

And it was a bit delicious 

Keep Your Dignity

Right, I had realised that not sitting in my wheelchair to leave the bathroom was making my big towel fall down, removing my dignity. So I had a look today in the cupboard and found 1 (Should have a partner, didn't see it today!) even bigger towel. So  I got out of the bath today, dried myself, got the biggest towel wrapped around my waist, was able to double over 6-8 inches and it stayed up while I walked out of the bathroom, carrying the piece of lifting device to be plugged in, my pants and my walking stick.

No passers by could look in the window and see my bottom

Gym Class

So me and MM are off in a bit to my only gym class that I go to each week. I am a bit excited about telling her how long it is since I sat in a wheelchair. And it felt a bit strange to listen to Timmy saying "You must fix his wheelchair" when I haven't sat in it for some days.

I s'pose that's future-proofing it etc but...

Well I went to class and worked really hard to try and get around this "You are being lazy since Christmas" accusation that has been made. I told Sam that it has been a number of days since I sat in a wheelchair and she made praising noises

But I am vaguely worried about Morrisons tomorrow, walking?  

Accesibility

So watching Breakfast Telly s'morning there was a piece about accesibility, gigs being more wheelchair friendly etc but I was nearly crying when watching and had to turn it off

Exploding Head

Now my head has blown up. That's because it is 2 or 3 days since I have sat in my wheelchair

Minor Panic

And I had another minor panic when I realised that 'cos of this "no wheelchair" rule I was gonna have to walk out of my bedroom after napping, carrying the washing basket and carry it all the way to the kitchen and put it on. I had always sat down to carry stuff before

But today I managed. Carrying in my right hand, walky stick in left hand, it just worked

Gymming

So as Timmy was with me today and he had his "being in charge" head on I went on a bike and did the full 10km in just over 50 minutes.

And he did say that yesterday's crisis was just me forgetting that I have done it before at the pool, and when he said "It's broken" I panicked

Fear

So tonight I am in bed with no wheelchair at the side. Fark, how much better am I, have I got?????

Aargh

So I was gonna come into the kitchen, I pushed my chair away from the desk, went to start pushing it in here..... No, you got a stand up and walk, that is not a moveable wheelchair

Grumpy-ness

So today I am doing that "Walk everywhere" thing again. (Which is excellent etc, I know)

BUT

Because I am walking everywhere I no longer get to think "Ahhhh, that's easier" when I get into my wheelchair for the first time, usually in the afternoon after my nap

Panic

And finishing my lunch I panicked, thought GGtGG better nip out to the car and bring my wheelchair back in. I can't have a bath without it. But after conversation I just went to the bath without it. It was hassle coming out on foot, carrying my 'pants, the tuner for the lifting me out device, my 'stick, towels etc but I managed. Only having one and a third hands that work can be such a hassle

Wheelchairless

And while I was making lunch I said to GGtGG "Take my wheelchair out of the kitchen (where it's in the way) and put it in the boot of the car". I know he will be able to fetch it back later if necessary but as I didn't use it at all last night.....

Gymless

So we headed into town first. Looked in 3 shops and eventually picked up sum new sandals as my old ones were coming undun etc.

Then we headed into swimming pool, got changed, went by the pool GGtGG went to ask the chap for the stairs device that I get down and up he replied "No, it's broken". After much humming and hawing I got half way in down the ladder but changed direction then and got back out. I didn't feel confident enough to go down the last 2 steps as I needed to be able to reverse the project. So we came back here, had lunch then I will have a proper bath and nap

'Wimming

And we need to go swimming s'morning. Hoo-fscking-ray

More Walkies

And Alex fixed it for me s'morning, carried the other chair in and put it in place so now I, hopefully, no longer need my 'chair by my bed

Muscles Contracting

I don't know any more detail but there was proof. I was standing at the loo having a piss, I farted and it stopped my piss coming out for about a quarter of a second. Don't know why but it must be some form of contraction

Walkies

So today, as suggested yesterday, I used my wheelchair into the bathroom, used it to carry my washing to the machine afterwards, then parked it and walked. I have been wanting to/feeling guilty for not walking more for some time now

And I walked while I cooked tonight. It was a struggle but I manged

Still walking everywhere. 8.23pm. 10.15pm now... Effectively all day

And I was walking all day, I went off left my wheelchair in the kitchen, shut the door then realised that I don't have a seat by my other PC so had to go back and get it. I'll fix this tomorrow 

Ahhhh

That's how I take a video. I was looking at my camera a bit puzzled today, thinking "It can take video's, but how?" but Alex knew, "Press the red button next to the taking photo's button"

Cycling

So I headed to gym today and got straight on the bike. I said "Don't measure my distance as if I do it takes about an hour 20 to finish and I am not prepared to do that ever again. I am just cycling for half an hour then we are going home"

Dentistry

So today I was able to brush my teeth and use mouthwash which I was advised not to last night but everything seems to have worked. The hole has closed over and seems to be well mended

Oops, shop

Then s'afternoon I looked at the veg I am cooking with and decided there wasn't enough. So we nipped to Morrison's and bought some broccoli and half a red cabbage to add. Wow but red cabbages have loads of content, I had to get a bigger saucepan out to transfer it to

Right, as it started to cook down it was looking like I had put too much water in after all. So I enquired off Timmy "What will thicken this?", he said "You haven't got any cornflour" (looking in t'cupboard) then suddenly he said "Lentils". D'uh, why hadn't I thought of that

AARGH, and I forgot to pick up a na'an bread for Friday......

Lunch

So then later I thought I would just make a cuppa coffee for lunch as my mouth felt weird. Then I thought "Eat yoghurt, that's soft" but actually had some yoghurt and 2 bananas for lunch, before drinking my coffee

Dentist

And Timmy phoned the dentist at about a quarter to nine and said "Neil..." and they said "Come in at 11.30" so...

Fark. So we went along, she prodded, said "That tooth is dead, not connected, want me to take it out otherwise you will get loads of infections?" so I thought for a minute then said yes. So she gave me loadsa jabs then waited for a minute then got stuck in. First of all she got some "pliers" then went to attach them, thought "No need" and just attacked my tooth with a screwdriver type device. She got in, attached it then instantly handed me the tooth, no struggling and pulling, it wasn't attached. Then put a rolled up bit of cloth on and said "Goodbye"

But again I did this trip without wheelchair. Timmy drove there, got out of car, walked down the stairs outside then to the door, reversed route on way out. Up/down the stairs, not around the longer stairless route for wheelchairs and those of us who can't use the stairs

Right, I have had my bath and my nap now and the anti-hurting stuff has worn off and it does hurt now. But only some, not enough for a "Parrot to eat anything" etc

Everybody Needs Good....

Then (noisy link) there was a knock on the door tonight, I went to see who it was and it was Simon and Vicky my new next door neighbours, who have just moved over from England and seem interesting

Sigh

So.... a quiet Sunday, we nipped to More Reasons To Shop At... (noisy link) yesterday as I ran out of salad..... and the only thing on my diary was "Ask Timmy to phone about AF" and he said "No, you had such a stressful journey last year, it took 13 hours to get there, just head for SOS this year"

Aargh

Then after Ruth had been round telling me to make a life etc I had a bath and was just sitting on the edge of the bed about to get in it for my nap when the doorbell rand. Ed answered it then came back in and told me it had been the new next door neighbours coming round to make friends.

Aargh, missed them

Surprise

Then someone came and knocked on the door s'morning. It was Ruth and her son who was born about the time I had my accident and is a bit massive now. Basically she invited me to her house for tea once a month or so in order that I can start having a life once more

Early Shop

So as I had run out of salad and needed sum today I thought I may as well so my weekly shop a day early. So 1 basket, 1 bag of stuff but we couldn't get any na'an bread so I will head back on Tuesday or Wednesday and fetch them

Calendar

Someone posted a link to his wife's calendar for this year

Busy Day

So I am having a busy day today, on antibiotics so not being "naughty" but Sam did txt me earlier to say "we" would come over later.....

Which they did, they are on their way back to Sheffield and called in to see me one last time....... they were only here for an hour but it was nice

HNY

Well Happy New Year to one and all. It must be about..... 2003ish. WTF's happened to all the intervening years, I don't remember them. It's now 2016

Java Snow

And as I managed to update one of my web pages with snow Java today but I can't find a way of making it just be over the picture, any clues pls let me know

Just in time

Then we headed over to Aardvark half an hour early and just caught them, they were closing early too but I did manage to get everything

Anti

And I started taking my antibiotics s'morning. I had initially thought "Wait 'til after tonight" but as I would then have to wait 24 hrs so couldn't start 'til Saturday I just went for it

From The Sky

And when we were heading out to gym today suddenly the sky opened with a massive hail shower that left a couple of inched of hail. Scary and slippery

Less Busy

So me and MM headed off to gym s'morning. I did 4 exercises plus a full 20 mins cycling afterwards so it is slightly easier than a few days ago.

Busy

Then s'afternoon I phoned the dentist to ask about an appointment. It sed "Were closed but phone this if it is an emergency" which I did and they said "Pop into town, see you in three quarters" so we had an emergency appointment at Water Street Dental Practice. She looked, found the pain, said "No fillings have come out but the gum is swollen" sold me some mega mouthwash and put me on antibiotics, so no getting drunk tomorrow.

Then I had a late bath, got up again and suddenly looked in my diary and it said "Go to docs and pic up 'script", we phoned and they were still open for another 25 minutes so we shot down and found the chemist next door also closes a bit later

Gym gym jeroo

So we headed to gym s'morning and I managed 4 weights before a 20 minute cycle session, that was all I could do yesterday, just the cycle

And on the way there we popped into the Spar, just walked in, and picked up a small book of stamps as I had used them all up on birfdé cards

Luscious Linda (or Gorgeous Greta)

And the totty is coming here (if she can get thru the rain) in 15 minutes to cut my toenails

(Or is her name SexySuzanne?)

Excited

And my 3 offspring and one spouse are coming over for me to buy them a Chrimbly Dinner tonight.....

And they were all there tonight. I didn't need a pee from before to afterwards, a number of hours, but generally it was just so special

Struggle @ Gym

And good lord, after 4 or 5 days off I really struggled at gym s'morning. We called it a day after 20 mins cycling....

Best

And these are the best pics of 2015 apparently, from Da Gruniad

Busy

So me and Timmy headed into town and pottered today. While we were there we popped into the cinema and booked 2 seats in Star Wars 76 or whatever it's called for tonight, using my Chrissy pressie of a free film view certificate

When we were on the way home we called into the pub up the street and booked us into there tomorrow, when 3 kids and 1 kids wife are coming to see me

And I owe Denyse and the team a big thank you, the film was a bit excellent, I took me back a few years etc