Miles

Then we headed gym-wards and cycled for 10km. In less tine than last week

Next

Then we popped to the walking stick shop and showed him all the broken bits on the handle and he said "Well....erm... marker pen to cover them up..." which I did try later and am pleased with. It just hadn't occurred to me but I am happy with it

FTF

Well first things first, today I phoned the toenail chopper to try and make an appointment for this week. The nearest she had was when I will be in Belfast for Daddy's birthday and the next will be ages in the future. Och well, she told me to make an appt a fortnight ago, but first of all we had to go to Belfast as Mum was ill then we had to go back for her funeral so it hasn't been on my mind

Garlic Ketchup

No, it seems that the walking stick shop was shut by the time we got it together to go, so that is further forward on the list for tomorrow but we did nip to Farmfoods to mainly fetch some more garlic ketchup but we filled up a bit more too

Back To Normal

So s'morning first thing we popped to Morrison's to fetch the rest of the weeks shopping. THEN we nipped to gym and did loads of lifting up exercises and 10 minutes on the rowing machine.

It felt so normal once again

I need to nip to the walking stick shop later and say 'Every time it falls over it chips really obviously and doesn't look like summat I am proud of any more' and see what they say

Gardening

And being back I was able to water the trug and the greenhouse last night and they are both growing well

Normality, Back To

So I need to make everything back to normal today.... seems very likely/easy

.... And Gone

So my mother has been cremated and we were all, loads of us, very sad

Back To Walea

So here we are sitting in the airport having had loadsa visitors s'morning some of whom took Freya off to Aldergrove airport whereas we are at City Airport. Dad and Gareth came out here to say goodbye then we had to come past checkin. A strange few days of stress is finished now

Goodbye

So we said goodbye to my Mother today as my Father waded out to sea and then poured her ashes into the water, followed by many small bunches of flowers one from each of her kids, one from me delivered by Freya and one from my sister, delivered by one of her kids

Crematorium

Well, so my Mum was cremated today. It was saddening and tearful but I met loadsa relatives I haven't seen for years etc

Nightime - That's Today Over

Phew. So most of today has been full of sad folk but I have dine mu thing. We popped up to David&Nora's and got my suit our of their cupboard etc. Tomorrow we are going early to fetch Freya from the International Airport then bring her to the hotel then get dressed up and head to the funeral

We Are Here Now

With loads of sad relatives etc

Waiting

So we are sat in the Airport drinking coffee and waiting

And we have flown over now, waiting for the queue to get out of the way

Phew

So s'morning I said to Timmy that my shoe device wasn't working (like me and yesterdays MOS had looked at) he said "Ah, the contact sensor, we have a spare" and it all works much better now. Cheers Timmy

Flying Again

So we are back off to Belfast dead early s'mornin'

Where Mum's Going Today

I wish I was there

Forgetful

So me & GGtGG headed out s'morning. We carried on past the gym and I said "Where are we going?", he replied "To the docs for your injection".

Oh yes, I knew yesterday but had forgotten s'morning

So we are heading to gym after an early lunch has time to be digested some....

And here I am cycling 10km. I have about 1.5 to go...

Edgy

I am feeling a bit edgy and grumpy today.

I have just shouted at GGtGG because he tried to talk me out of refusing to go to Aqua Aerobics. He tried to insist that I did go and it all went downhill rather quickly....

Early Start Mañana

So I have had to set another alarm as we need to be up an hour earlier than usual tomorrow to catch the plane to Belfast for the funeral

Growing

And I have just been out to water the trug for the first time in ages (well 2 days) and it is looking good, loads of big shoots growing. But I couldn't stop and take photos as it is fscking raining.

Which means that I didn't need to water the small new plant in the front garden but trug and greenhouse are waterproof.....

Off Out

And we are going out tonight to a comedy night at The Lyric Theatre in Carmarthen that we bought tickets to a few weeks ago. S'morning I thought we would be way too busy and I wasn't looking forward to it at all. (It was a 50:50 call whether I would go or not). After Sara said "Don't travel 50 m to see me today" I feel the pressure has dropped somewhat and I feel a bit better about going.

I still feel a bit grieving but will try being cheerful

Well that was strange. So we had a total of 5 customers who had paid to see it, 3 of whom were sitting behind me and GGtGG. So I was the holiest of the holy but.......

Sigh

Well after jabbing we popped to gym where I got stuck into pulling/pushing activities. Today I was doing the push upwards exercise machine, the one that a while ago I was only able to do 7 or 8 pushes, today I managed 27 and I was getting my right arm all the way up

Jabbing

And we are on the way to the hospital for my blood test now

Less Busy

Then I got an email s'morning saying "Sara the physio is off today" which makes today slightly less busy

Hospital

So tomorrow morning we need to go have a blood test at the hospital so they can check my testosterone levels and see what kind of injection they will give me on Wednesday

Hooray.....

Summertime

Ah, lovely weather today

Early Busy

So s'morning first of all we went to the walking stick shop and picked up a new walking stick. Which I shan't decorate with loads of rainbow stickers (like my current one) which I have already bought but I will leave it until after Mum's funeral. Then we popped to Morrison's and picked up food for the rest of the week

Goodbye

I have just spoken to my father on the phone and my Mum died at about half past four s'morning.

Dunno what to say, just feel confused etc

And Timmy dropped in tonight and we booked flights to Belfast for Thursday

And Freya has done that Mrs Independant thing and is flying from Manchester to the International Airport to meet up with us there. AND Denyse has known Mum for years and she is gonna meet up with us there too 

Back Normalwurdz

So it is all "back to normal" s'morning 

Tara NI

We are just about to take off from the airport

Back To Wales

Right, so we said goodbye last night so we are off back to Wales today

Dunno

So we are heading over to the hospital to say goodbye to my mum for probably the last time

Well we said goodbye. Emotionally I feel a bit confused now

Cleaning

So when we came back for my wash & nap today they were still making up the bedrooms so we gathered my clean clothes together and headed down towards the swimming pool and went into the changing rooms and got stuck into a shower&changing area. By then they had finished the bedroom so napping was possible

Shopping

So I am going out shopping in a bit with David to buy myself a jacket to wear Mummy's funeral when it comes

Béal Fhirste

So me and David (without any of my staff) went to hospital to see Mum and then we had a drive about the bits of Belfast we used to live in. We came up to the house where Nora said 'Lunch?' so I am gonna have lunch with them and my Dad without my staff

Well

Well did it. Oh lordy but she is poorly but she sat holding hands with me and Gareth while David stroked her feet. Which made her feel better

Aargh

So we are in Belfast. Much chaos etc but we did it. We have just said "Hi" to my Dad and bruv, had lunch, came to the hotel, checked in etc, had a shower and am now in bed for my nap. Afterwards we will go to the hospital and see Mum

Gymming

So s'morning we popped to the gym to do loadsa exercises. Today I tried one of the lean back and pedal machines but after 5 minutes I had to stop and get on a proper cycle

First Things First

Then s'morning we popped into Caffi Iechyd Da to pick up the smaller than usual organic delivery as today is the only day of the week that they come down this way and we also popped into Morrison's to but some staff shopping so I got myself another wash towels and bedding washing powder but I will leave the rest 'til Monday.

AND I remembered to buy our Na'an bread so we had pizza and chips for dinner 😊

Lawks

So I was sat outside reading and GGtGG had a conversation with the next door neighbours. They are travelling to Dorset this weekend because her father is dying.

What a coincidence....

Dinner

And for dinner tonight I thought I would try one of the packets of "Don't simply heat this up" food and it was rather nice, although I forgot to take a picture of the finished article

Pool

So we had an early lunch after I got changed early and put my trunks on under my trousers so I can get changed quickly at the pool. Then we get in the pool and do various exercises which I am not in the mood for

Well I did it. It was OK. The usual teacher was off today so we had novelty exercises which made it a bit more interesting

To The Docs

So we had to head in to the Drs at the end of the King Street car park to pick up my 'script for Asthma medicine and cleaning scrub stuff. It was fine, we parked outside, GGtGG popped across and paid 50p to park, we walked in to the docs, back out via the chemist on the side and back to the car and home for an early lunch

Clever Clogs

And GGtGG impressed me with his turn of wit today. I thought that I don't wanna pirate eye patch for, for example, for my Mum's funeral. I looked in all the drawers in the living room, the kitchen and my bedroom as I am sure I did own some, somewhere. Then I asked GGtGG so he looked in all those places. Twice. To no avail, so I thought "OK, trip to Tesco's then".

Then a bit later he said "Turn it over, put the pirate patch against your face" which I tried and thought "Gord, and I have a load a pirate patches, will take a new one when we need to...." and stopped trying to head out

(A pic with the outside patch to compare) 

Headwaying

Then s'afternoon we popped down to Headway in Swansea which I so wasn't in the mood for. It was only the thought that he would turn aside and head to gym if I said "Don't wanna go today" that got me there at all but soon after we left again and came back home.

My family news was eating my head, that's enough for one day

Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t

And Timmy told me this morning that my Mum is very poorly and we(1) are gonna have to go over this weekend and see her in hospital 'cos thats where she is ATM

Just hoo-flipping-ray. We can't get a refund on the booking we booked for June but as we need to go now someone has put funds into petty cash so we have some cash to spend

(1) Me and Timmy and GGtGG will go

Right we have already booked flights, someone else needs to book the car (as they are driving) and I will pay them

Nearly Finished

And there is only a small segment of fence that needs painting now. MM has worked well

Weather

Good tonight

Single Plant

And I went out to water the growing veg tonight and the carrots and lettuce are still coming on but there is one parsley plant growing tonight

Dinner

So I was looking thru my pocket today and I found a 'Eat at pizza express for half price' token which is best before today. So we are popping there tonight

Golly, it didn't take long. We just had a pizza and a glass of wine and we were coming home in just over an hour. But it was lovely 

It Matters

Half Done

And the fence looked half done s'morning, before MM got stuck in again. But looks good what we have done

More Painting

Then as we bought more paint MM is going to get stuck in to painting the fence again. I am keeping out of his way today......

B&Q

So we nipped to B&Q last night to pick up some more paint for the fence and I carried one of the 5kg paint pots back to the car, walking and carrying summat in my right hand as my left was walking sticking. All the way and I didn't drop it or owt

The Doctor

Just watched it again.

Ooooooooh......

Happy Gardener

Happy Chappy today

Wrinkly

And I got an email off Sam telling me that on 27th May next year he is getting married.

Lordy, a bit emotional......

Changed

And on Saturday I got changed into sum old clothes (Well, as old as I have now) and got stuck into painting the back fence.

In the area where I had to lay some floor tiles as I used to have some trouble walking there.....

Off Out Now

And we are off to see this artist tonight

And we got here, walked in, someone said 'There are loadsa stairs, lift here' but I just went for it, walked up one floor realised we had to go up another and just did it

Gosh, well the support act were well impressive

And she was even more impressive

Samwards

And we headed into gym for Sam's class which was as hard as usual but I did it

SALT

So the speech and language therapist is coming in today to have a meeting with me and my staff (team handed, they are all coming in s'morning).

What we are talking about I have no idea.....

And yes, she came but just to see them, without me, talking about various kinds of Brain Injury.... 

Watering

So now I have a new chore. Every evening late on, near sunset, I go outside and water my trug and in the greenhouse.

And just how much more mobile am I these days?

Stickless

And tonight at bedtime I stood up and held my walking stick horizontally off the ground and walked out of the kitchen washed my teeth etc then walked to bed without using my walking stick.

And yes I was being careful to tread with both feet etc. I just walked like a proper grownup

Defrag

So I had to defrag the PC in my bedroom to make Google Chrome (the browser) work. It wouldn't work last night and as I have music url's etc it was a bit tricky

Timmy Dinner

And usually Timmy is working on a Thursday, but not this week. As he won't eat any of my cooking we were able to have the usual "Friday night dinner" of na'an bread pizza and chips tonight

Predictive

And I had to ask MM that on my old phone it was predictive txting, eg making "i" into "I" and correcting misspellings when I typed but my new phone isn't and I have no idea how to switch it back on. He looked for 5 mins then said "Do this..... and this..... then this" and I am a bit happier typing messages now

[sigh]

So MM said to me today "Right, gym" and we set off. He said "So mega cycle today", I said "No, surely....." and he replied "Ah, you were with Sara on Tuesday so it's a YES" so I got stuck in. I did the first 7km in about half an hour but was so rough then I had to stop for ages, so the last 3km took about 15 minutes. But I did it.

I was thinking "Right, I am so rough after that 7km that I will stop when it says 8" but I didn't ask (nor on 9km) I just struggled on and did it

First Things First

So first off we headed to King St, had to park in one of the further away spaces but that is no longer an issue for me so we walked along and down to Caffi Iechyd Da to fetch the organic delivery, loaded it into the boot and headed off to Morrison's for the rest of my shopping. We took it home and waited while I put it away and paid the organic order via my PC then we headed off to.......

First Things First

Then me and GGtGG headed into town and went to Cantre Mobility to check out 'sticks. They didn't have any suitable ones in stock but he did order a couple of probably suitable ones which I can look at on Friday week, when they arrive. BUT he wasn't going "Ordered for you" so if I do like them I will buy them, if I don't I won't

THEN we popped into the Lyric Theatre and bought 2 tickets for comedy this month and next month and a ticket for the entertainer who is playing in Ammanford this Friday

No.....

And trying to do some research then this page of results came up. BUT no, not paying any attention.....

Drowning

And after an early lunch we are off to the drowning pool for an Aqua Aerobics session.

It fills me with such joy.......

But possibly before that we are heading to Cantre Mobility in Carmarthen to see if they can sell me another walky stick device as mine is looking a bit tired now.......

Well I have dun it. It went well. And I did notice that all but one of the 'standing on your right foot' exercises I managed, stand on your right foot and move your left leg thus ...

Afterwards

And after my physio walking trip I feel exhausted/as rough as a....... Hopefully I will feel better after a nights sleep. goodnight

<waves>

Physio-ing

So s'afternoon we have to pop to Pil to see Sara the Physio.

And I do need to ask her where to buy more groovy coloured walking sticks as mine is starting to wear and the NHS grey ones look a bit too sad for someone in my position

Well knackered. She (as well as looking wonderful) got me on the treadmill thingy. I walked for .91 of a km in half an hour (which is still well slow but almost twice as quick as last time she measured me. Then I did some walking sideways and walking backwards, some directions were much harder but I managed all directions without holding on too. Then we did a walking uphill exercise where I was walking at 11% up and I managed 15 minutes of that. For some of it I was walking faster and more uphill. So I think next time I will practice walking downhill too, but that is harder

And she did say re walking stick that she can't get one for me and this buying online is a nightmare but check out the mobility shop in Carmarthen so I will

And my phone recognised where we were passing then where we were

More Noise

Lordy they were well noisy today

Drizzling

And we are supposed to head into Carmarthen to see a gig in the park s'afternoon but it is kind of drizzling on and off so far.....

Well we went there and it held off the rain for the 3 hours until we came home, by the time I had my bath and got into bed it was very noisily raining

No Pool

And we didn't go swimming today as it is school holiday/day off so they will mostly be in't pool

WTF?

So what's going on these days?

A program on my PC tells me how far away the delivery is, it started off about 4 hours and now........ just lordy

Obsession

I am not obsessed. Even watching "sport" on my proper telly, not my Ipad device that I usually watch

(More in focus pic now)

Another Busy Saturday

Well another busy day. Doing all the usual weekend stuff.... erm.... nothing?

Dinner

And we had "the usual" na'an bread pizza and chips for dinner and it was as lovely as a lovely thing, as usual.

Before I did the washing up I went out to a) my trug to water it and b) the greenhouse to water the beetroot and chilli peppers which are there and c) the washing line to bring back in the stuff that I only put there a couple of hours ago to put it on the airer to dry indoors now

But it's just no longer an issue walking across the small stones to the greenhouse, it is just easy nowadays. A repeat

Off Strokewards

And in a bit we are off to my only gym class of the week.

The one I am in now is called a "Stroke" class for those of us recovering......

Well I did it. It was as exhausting as a very exhausting thing but I did it all. And at the end I took my walking stick held sideways off the ground in my right hand and walked out of the classroom, across the other room, down stairs, across the hall, out of the door and the 50 steps to the car without using my walking stick. I think I will start using it again now as I am so tired etc but just wow too

Not A Very Good Recording

But they were being noisy.....

(Renewed now.....)

New Talent

Then tonight at Caffi Iechyd Da I poured a bottle of beer with my right hand.

The first time I have poured owt with my right hand in nearly 15 years

Off To Play

And we are heading to Caffi Iechyd Da for their monthly folk club in a bit......

Busy Thursday

So first of all me & Timmy headed down King St and actually got into the parking space nearest to the lane leading to Iechyd Da where we got my veg and said "See you tonight" as we are heading to the monthly folk night there tonight.

Then we headed round Morrisons where as usual I bought most of the rest of my weeks food.

Then just about at lunchtime we headed gymwards where I did 5 minutes on the walking upstairs machine (11 flights apparently) and got on the rowing machine and did 1500m quicker than last time etc

Frosty

Well I think it was frosty, this was the temperature about 10 to 8 s'morning. Apparently it won't be frosty tonight so I have brought my pink heart plant out

My Bum Is Not Numb

So a day after taking the only cushion that was on a dining room seat off the seat I can say it's been fine, no problem, my bum isn't numb or crying or owt. So again some part of my life is getting better.

It had the only cushion because I had to get one a while back but again summat is better

Right

Right. So me and GarethTheGardener looked at the seeds etc this afternoon, discussed stuff and popped to B&Q to buy MORE compost. Then we opened the cover on the Trug Type Device, watered it loads then planted lettuce, carrots and parsley, watered it again etc then got some new pots together, filled them with a mix of soil and compost and read the packets and put them away until tomorrow morning when we will plant a tub full of beetroot and another tub full of chilli peppers, their home will be in the greenhouse next to the Trug. So loads of watering chores which I can just about manage so feel obliged to do it myself.

BUT it is really strange walking round to my Trug and the greenhouse. Last autumn I was really struggling with the small stones underfoot whereas today I can just walk on them, no problem. So my balance and footwork have both improved loads and loads in the intervening months

Drying Weather

So I got changed about 9AM s'morning as we are going swimming. I washed and hung it out. It was dry before lunchtime!!

Aerobics

And after having a fortnight off for the school holidays we are back in Aqua Aerobics after an early lunch today.

Ho hum, tra la la la.....

And wasn't it fun. Although this week I discovered that I can now stand on my right leg and lift my left to do exercises which I couldn't manage last week

Frosty Morning

So "they" said "Don't plant out your pink heart plants until the frost has gone" and there was frost s'morning so luckily it was in the greenhouse

Doctor Whatchamacallit

And I watched the second episode of Dr Who today and I enjoyed it *so* much

Faster Then Ever

<sigh> So we headed to gym s'morning and I got stuck into the exercise bike machine. The first km took ages but after that I got it together and did the whole 10km in I think the quickest time I have ever managed. </s>

So yes, I am sweaty, smelly and exhausted now but it is done

Thinner?

So s'morning I had to do up one of the extra "tighten up" buttons on the top of my trousers, the ones that I have never had to do up before, but now the trousers aren't falling down when I am standing/walking

Streaming

So when I went to bed last night instead of sticking on sum music I searched the Interweb for "streaming folk music" and the very first result that came up I clicked listen and fell asleep a while later b4 the auto shut down shut down the PC.

I am a bit of a fan, I will have to explore further.....

Monday

So Monday again...... so today first of all we need to pop to Savers on Merlin's Walk to fetch some litre sized mouthwash and loo cleaner then after an early lunch we are off to Headway in Swansea for a.... meeting

Well we did the first part fine, needed to park in a paying loads space as all the free spaces were full but we did it, in plenty of time etc. Now it's an early lunch then take ourselves off....

Then we travelled miles to the Headway Swansea meeting which actually wasn't so mind bogglingly bad. So we played a game with the japanese woman who I have played with before and she is obsessively good at it and there was a new chap who was iller than me and his carer playing

CRISIS

So when I was running my bath I opened the window, turned my back and "Splash". I turned round to see what caused it and the old loo cleaning stuff, that I had just set a new version next to, had blown off the window sill into the loo. No harm done, we needed to throw the box away but the contents are still in the container

New Flowers

So after I was in my neighbours back garden admiring her gardening she knocked at the door yesterday and handed me a new flower that she had bought for me as I was so praising it in her garden yesterday. The pink heart shaped flowers which I have gotta keep in the greenhouse until frost has gone then we will plant it out in the new big pot, which we bought yesterday afternoon, and put it by my bench by the front door

Kwikfitting?

So RoyGBiv said "Wanna do owt today?", I said "Erm...." so then he suggested that we were warned a while ago that one of the tyres on the car is almost treadless so needs changing soon. Like today?

Walkies

And it is making my head wanna cry just simply because I am so much better at walking nowadays after being in a wheelchair for so long.

But I can't do it outside as walk on flat pavement for 2 miles then suddenly there is an uneven up and down nearly broken bit which I need my stick for