Stickless

And tonight I walked from the kitchen to the loo with no walking stick. I will have to get some advice about whether this is sensible but the very fact that I can....

And My Advisor said "Yep, indoors that's fine, but outside you need your stick, for a variety of reasons"

Getting Better At It

And I noticed today that some chap was working on summat outside the shop and I went over and got involved in a conversation with him in passing. He responded, obviously he understood my point.

This is so much better than last year......

Unexpected

So then s'morning Timmy said "What wanna do?" then we headed off to The Range (noisy link) shop where we bought more bread- and chopping-knifes and utensils as the set I had were cheap and blunt/getting dirty etc

And I did do that "lifting my walking stick offground" exercise for some of the distance within the shop

Oops

So s'morning I made the food for the week, then at lunchtime I opened the fridge and what was looking me in the eye? 250g of Curly Kale. Aargh, panic, eat lunch then chop it up and try to stir it into the already prepared and thickened dinner. Double Aargh, add more water to let it all cook together then if it is too runny I will thicken it up again

Well it looked a bit odd when I first tried to stir it in but over time it looks better

Well as far as my wonky taste buds are concerned it was a bit delicious. I will know for sure on Monday when I give MagicMark some to eat

Out To Feel Clever (?)

So me and Timmy are going out to a community quiz night in the village hall tonight. To either feel smug about how clever we are or feel daft.

Aaaaaaaa. Feel nearly as clever. There were 3 teams playing. One came in 6 points behind the winner, and we were one point behind. One point!!!

Shock Horror

So s'morning when MM and Timmy were having their handover chat I went to the kitchen and started cooking the pan of dinner that needs to cook slowly until tonight. But there was no-one looking after me, I could have cut myself or died or anything. They *must* keep an eye on my cooking. So whose "fault" was this? Mine for cooking when I had decided it was time or theirs for now having their handover meeting in the kitchen to keep an eye on me?

This is why Neil is a bit disgruntled with them "having to" keep an eye on me. WTF's the point. I cut myself once, ages ago, and because of that this new plan is in place

Oddness

So the FES feels a bit wrong when it is electricing my leg. So I nearly said to MM "Help" but then it occurred to me, my right leg is behaving as it did before my accident. So it's a get used to it feeling odd/painful as it is working so well

Seeing Clive

And we are popping out tonight to have dinner at Caffi Iechyd Da and see the band that's playing.

There will be Clive in his wheelchair and a few other members

Very good, very entertaining. They played loads old light "rock" songs, I am a fan

Gymming

So we popped to gym for my once a week class and what can I say. I used my walking stick to get there and for some between the exercises motion but for nothing else, I did all the exercises on my feet, no stick.

Including the balance on just your right foot exercises

Strange Memory

So MM said summat "slowly" and I responded like this.

Very strange memory I have, I can't remember who sang songs but other nonsense is well remembered

Warning.....

Oops (fixed now on the 15th)

Smug Better

And it occurs to me today how much my quality of life has improved since my cream on my legs has been reduced to just the afternoon, not in the morning too

.....Pig's Bum......

So we had the new large single na'an bread made into pizza for tea and it was nice

Pig's.....

Gymwards

Then after I had put my shopping away we popped to the gym. Today I did 3km of rowing slightly faster than last week. Seems to be a routine, slightly faster.

Then we came home and had a late lunch

Shopping

So we are off to 1st of all pop to Caffi Iechyd Da to pick up the organic order then to MoreReasonsToShopAt to do the rest

Which we did. It was OK. This week I bought na'an bread that was even bigger than last week's but there was just one in the pack so tonight I will cut it in half and make 2 pizzas

Fingers crossed

Interweb Was Bust

Then today I was looking at summat on my phone, suddenly it said "Nah" and stopped working. The router in the hall had gone different colour so I assume there was no interweb on anything. I went and pressed RESET and 5 minutes later it was working again. Since then there has been no problem

.... And About

Then s'evening we popped down to Farmfoods and just stocked up on garlic bread and ice cream. Well I have been eating both regularly for some time and I have still lost 5 stone so it can't be that bad for me

BUT it was so windy I got out of the car, took two steps towards shop, and then the wind blew, I had to take two steps sideways. But it didn't make me fall over like it would have done a month ago

I Feel Naked

So I have just got changed into my clean clothes and swimming trunk to save me having to take 2 sets of clothes to the pool, but as I am not wearing stockings until I come back from the pool I feel a little bit naked

Standing Up

And it has become habit now to move myself forward before standing up then just using my legs, no hand assistance.

Lordy, progress........

He Remembered

So it is MagicMark working today, he doesn't usually work on Wednesdays. But he knew we were s'posed to be going to Aqua Aerobics and brought his trunx with him

Bother

Well we did it. Again there is an element of wow as well as my usual joy at going. The wow was because today I was able to stand on my right foot and move my left leg round. Just standing on my right leg, in the past that was a no no

Booked Chrimbly

Then s'afternoon as it was too late for gym we popped into town and walked miles to the Ivy Bush Hotel where we booked a Christmas Dinner for 2 of us. We can book more if my Dad is gonna be here for Christmas

And he took his "petty cash" card with him and instead of paying the deposit he paid half of the bill, so I can just pay t'other half as my part of the bill, simpler, we don't need to transfer some cash etc

Not That I Hadn't Been Paying Attention.....

Then I looked at my diary for today to see what was on my timetable and actually it sez "Team Meeting" so I'd better get used to there being loads of members of staff here and not much else happening

No Neil, don't flirt with that Denyse, there's no point.......

Well they all showed up, I sat at the kitchen table with them and Denyse said "Bu*ger off Neil" or words to that effect, so I am sat in the living room by myself trying not to earwig......

Better

Lord, I am getting better. Just walking about my house without my walking stick.

I am too nervous to try it outside but I am doing it indoors

Cleaning The Oven

So s'afternoon I got stuck into cleaning the burnt on flops of stuff from the floor of the oven. I opened the oven door, looked at it, thought some then just bent over and got stuck in myself. I nearly cleaned it all, I just had to call MM and ask him to help with about half an inch worth of grubby stuff at the very back. I could reach most of it.

Which on one level makes me think "WOW", just like how much better are you now?

Swansea

So we are in the car driving to a Headway meeting in Swansea s'afternoon

Well first of all in my not swimming session I was beaten three nil in a Connect Four session, then we had a mind boggling session of Rummikub which I just had one piece left when someone else won

And we didn't win a prize in the raffle which we had bought tickets for either

Day Of Rest

So I don't think there is anything in the diary for today...

When I'm Calling You....

Then today we tried that Going To The Local Pub Without Drinking Too Much which was alright, a nice night out, and there were loadsa folk in the restaurant bit of the pub tonight. And not so many fewer in the pub part of the pub too

But as they weren't regulars there they didn't jump up off the seats at the bar for me. But I just stood next to them for a couple of hours. I can now

Christms Walkies

So me and GGtGG headed into town s'morning and went looking for Xmas pressies for my kids. We walked all around town, uphill and back down then half way uphill again to call in at loads of shops. (And some charity shops just to have a look too) In the end we bought 5/6 of the pressies for them, we were walking around town for more than 2 hours. It MUST be theraputic too, that long a walk.

And oddly enough I didn't need a wee until after we were back and I had emptied the bags etc. It was a lot longer than I used to be able to hold  it in

Strange Na'an Bread Pizza

So it was a bit odd making the two garlic butter na'an bread into pizza. They were much better sized, only slightly too large for the rather little plates I use as I am permanently on a diet but weren't bad. I thought they were a bit greasy with garlic butter but Mark said he thought they made the nicest pizza he has had off me

Isn't She Lovely.....

So first thing s'morning there is some boffin from "the company" coming in to have a chat with Timmy about 'me', then early lunch then off to Sam's Stroke Class @ gym.

That is all that's on my diary, no doubt we will think of some therapeutic exercise later

So first things first the chap came and talked to Timmy, apparently we are an example and he tells other cases to "run it like us" etc. And he left 5 mins. before I was due to have my early lunch before gym

Lordy am I getting better. So today I did 95% of the class with my walking stick held horizontally, not touching the ground, in one hand

Sigh

Then today after nap I said to Timmy "The gym will be hectic now, lets go for a walk" but he said "No it won't be" and took me off to gym and it wasn't too busy. So I did a 3km row in 2¼ minutes less that last week. No stopping, no changing down a gear, I just went for it

Then we headed into town, at my request. We parked up at the top of Blue St just where it turns into Lammas St and headed off for a walk, but not an uphill one today. So we walked down past M&S (calling at Boots on the way so Timmy could get something to stop his lip hurting) then round to Mansell St and back to the car that way.

More Reasons To Shop At.....

So today at Morrison's we didn't buy the smaller than used to be na'an bread, or the too large ones that we bought last week, this week Timmy found some already garliced with some butter to make it go round kind of medium sized ones. Only difference is they come packed single so we had to buy 2 and put them in the fridge rather than the usual breadbin as they contain some butter. Dunno, I will know how they taste tomorrow

Thursday Business Then.....

So s'morning we have the usual Thursday Morning Business, Iechyd Da to pick up veg, then Morrison's to pick up the rest of the food and then.......

then.....

then.....

then we are due to meet that Ruth in a cafe in Carmarthen for a lunch

And we did meet up for lunch and it was very pleasant. Ruth has just been promoted big style so she is effectively doing the same job for oddles more pay

Can't Read It All

Lordy, I have copied an article from Da Gruniad about suffering from a Brain Injury and it upsets me.

So far I have managed about the first third, will try again later

Properly Hot Dinner

And then tonight I got to use my new oven, making properly hot food and I think it is better than the old one

Woe Is Me

And the delivery folk have emailed me s'morning and it looks like the delivery will get in the way of Aqua Aerobics, none this week.

Hmmmm, an improvement?

Double hmmmm, they might be early enuf.....

Yes, that was all done by about 11.15 today. Loadsa time to have my early lunch, get changed and head to Aqua Aerobics....

Oh what fun we had. But I did it all....

Mañyana

Then tomorrow the expensive new cooker is being delivered and fitted. Hopefully it will improve lots of things....... Dunno when, they are going to txt me early tomorrow.....

Off Out

So we are popping out in a bit to The Ferryside Men's Shed. Dunno if I am gonna pay to join, they were doing loadsa making/mending stuff which I am not very capable of, we shall see

But Sturit is not going this week, we exchanged emails s'morning as he has some visitors

Well that was a bit strange, I was sanding some new table legs made from Giant Redwood which is a massive tree, like 20-40 feet across but these pieces were much smaller. I sanded them down, perhaps next week I will do them again with a finer paper

AND he did say to me "Wanna seat?" but I said "No" as the longer I stand the better etc

Odd Pooh

So s'morning I went to the loo after breakfast as usual and squeezed and squeezed but could only do half my pooh, I could still feel that the other half was waiting. I went back to the loo an hour later, squeeze, squeeze but nowt came out. A second hour later I tried again, squeezed gently and an enormous pooh came out of my bottom. Hardly any squeezing, it was just ready to come out.

So timing is the key.....

Miles&Miles

So he insisted that I pedal today so here we are, I have dun about 1.5km so far, 8.5 to go

Half and half now and I haven't stopped for a rest yet

Well I did it. Apparently I was impressive by being on a bigger weight than last week and going quicker, but dunno, glad it's over

WTF?

And I had loading randomly the webpage from the gas engineer who came here today. Looking at a second page there is a picture at the top of the page which stays still while the rest of the page is moved around. Very very crazy, it stays still while the page moves around it.

I looked into it somewhat, I think it is a JavaScript function, that is enough for me to stop looking. Anybody got a clue as to how it's done?

Proper Walkies

So I walked down the stairs at gym with my walking stick held sideways in a not touching the ground position, then carried on across the 20 yards or so to the next door with my stick held up

No Swimming

So the boiler service chaps phoned me s'morning while I was on the loo having my morning dump, but GGtGG answered, asked them about the taps in the kitchen then said "See you later"

Basically they are not plumbers, they can't fix the tap and they are coming about 1PM s'afternoon, so I can't go swimming which is usually at that time

So instead we went to gym earlier and I did various machines, strengthening my right arm specifically

Tripoding

And I did use my newish mini tripod last night to a)take the accompanying picture and b)take the video that I posted of my new rocking flower

It'll Stop

And today we are watching the rain as we need to pop to town and buy some cleaning product.

Apparently it will stop raining soon, wait and see.....

Well we popped into town when it was stopping raining, somewhat drizzly and occasionally dry. We parked up on Lammas St (2nd time round) and walked to Wilko up Friars Park calling in at various charity shops on the way. There he bought various cleaning products and I got another spatula, all of 30p I spent today

Pissed-ing

So tonight we popped off to my local and had a delicious pint (or three), from West Yorkshire (noisy) apparently

Toddling

And we popped into town s'morning, parked on Lammas St and walked up past the old Town Hall to King Street. Walked along there into the theater where we bought tickets to see Phil Jupitus and the Cinderella panto at Christmas

Better and better and better......

Marginally smug, how far can I walk with no stick these days

Uber-pizza

OK, so this week instead of buying a Morrison's na'an bread, as it has got smaller and smaller week after week, I bought some other brand of na'an bread, still from Morrison's but not theirs. It was much bigger than the usual ones so we couldn't fit 2 together on the big oven tray but I managed to fit 3 trays in the 2 shelves of the oven. And it was fecking rather nice, nicer than usual. But difficult to cook, lift it all out afterwards and wash it all up. But I managed

Hip Hip Hoo-Fscking-Ray

So it's the only day of the week where I go to a class at gym, so it's the Stroke Class with a very desirable teaching person

And today, for the first time ever, I was doing the step up and back down exercise without holding on with my hand. The first time I have been so balanced

Get Lost

So s'morning we don't have to pick up Organic Veg at Caffi Iechyd Da as they are closed for a week but today it will be at The Warren which I have been to before even if I can't remember exactly where it is

But having just Google Mapped to show u the links here I can now recall

Well we popped in and got the veg. Then we popped to Morrison's to get the rest. Then we popped to the Post Office Sorting Center and picked up the parcel that I was out yesterday when they delivered it and I had to sign for it. Then we went to the gym where I did 3km rowing faster than last week. MUCH faster, like 3 minutes or summat

Then we came home and I had some lunch

Cheap Shopping

Then we popped out later and stocked up in Farmfood's, really cheap food, my freezer was looking a bit empty

Après Stress

So after such a stressful morning and hoping to hell that I bought the right oven for my kitchen I had an early lunch as I am going to Aqua fscking Aerobics s'afternoon.

Oh what fun, can't I say "I am too stressed to go"

Well that was fun. A decent workout was had and I actually managed to do the holding on to the wall with both hands and kicking thingy by holding on with one hand and propping myself with my right hand for the first time ever

What A Morning

Well, I seem to have bought a new cooker/oven type thing. Lawks and lordy.

They will deliver it next Wednesday and fit it (for an extra £90 but they need to). They were offering to take it away for more cash but I said "Naah" as GGtGG was volunteering to take it away

Out

And then we are going back to The Men's Club at Ferryside. It was OK last week, lets see what I can do this week

Change Of Plan.

So I was cooking tonight I opened the oven and it all got a bit tricky. So I don't think I am in the mood for being sociable

Oh What Fun We Had

So here I am going mad on the scary bike machine, another eight and a half kilometers to go.....

And I sedded after 7km that was enough, I wanted to call it a day and scary chap went "No, they don't pay me to let you skive" so 1km to go ATM

Trip Out

So we went out to re-familiarize myself with the route to Mynydd Cerrig (Where I used to live) which we found, but the road there was closed so we had to take a long way round there and back. So I did recognize Mynydd Cerrig but didn't recognize the way there or the way home. Which was kind of why we took the trip

Yesterday

And while we were out last night a strange woman came up and talked to me. She remembered me from being in the hospital years ago, her sister was in the same ward. She did say how good it was to see me walking about, back when I was in hospital most folk didn't even think I would survive.

How have I proved them all wrong

Headway-ing

So we are off to Headway at lunchtime today...... not swimming in the pool

And it was a bit odd today. We didn't do any "Playing games" just sat and chatted to one of the founders of the club for a couple of hours

I Want One Like This

Oh please, I do

From The Guardian tonight

Getting Dark

And it seems to have been getting dark a lot earlier than it was yesterday for weeks IYSWIM

Walkies

So we went out s'morning to get more coffee for staff etc. We parked up opposite Aardvark and walked from there up past Debenham's to the top of the shopping center, back down and back out then back past the car to Wilkos to fetch some cleaning products etc (redun map picture, again!!)

New Job For RoyGBiv

Ohhhh, I was a bit impressed with how he did s'morning so he may have a new job, cleaning the windows

Visitor

And that Toby chap is coming from England to see me and his mum today

He rode down on his motorcycle.....

Just lordy. First of all Toby was late because he had "dropped" his bike. Aargh, crashed? Fell off? Aargh, they are so scary and dangerous..... No, he had been standing next to his bike, parking it at Julia's and had literally dropped it. Apparently he has never fallen off so .......

Anyway we popped to the pub in the evening and Toby bought me some pints, he has a job now, he is a grownup

AND my staff were talking to each other s'morning and commented on how the
conversation with Toby just went. There was no awkwardness, no 'what shall I
say', it just went. Which is well different than "last year"

No Longer Scary

And by now I am better enough after my fall (over a month ago) that I am no longer scared of going to Sam's Stroke Class @ gym which I will be at 2pm today

AND I noticed yesterday (it was the first time I have consciously noticed) that my coccyx is no longer hurting. Phew etc

[sigh]

Lordy yes I am as functioning as I was before my accident, in some ways better but that's just progress. But again when we were standing still and doing various exercises I just ditched my walking stick to the floor and tried all the exercises unsupported

Confused

And I got a bit confused trying to sort out my bookmarks etc as t'other day I stopped using Google Chrome as my web browser and got onto a not spying on me one, but I had to cry "Timmy" and he came and told me what to do to sort it out

Walkies

More Evidence of how much better I am after I recovered from my fall

Usual Thursday.....

So we have the usual Thursday Morning on, to Caffi Iechyd Da to pick up my organic veg, then to MoreReasonsToShopAt.... then me pop to gym and do sum exercises.

Then we have lunch and catch my breath.....

And I have got to say "Missing you next week already" to Caffi.....

Well Timmy had to run down to get the veg while I was sat in the car in the middle of King St as there were no parking spaces and no one coming down the street behind us. So he did say "Missing you next week" from me. Then we popped to Morrisons and did the rest of my weeks shopping. SO after putting veg away etc we popped to gym where I did my 3km cycle quicker than last week etc

Then we came back and ate a marginally late lunch 

What Fun.....

And we are off to the Aqua Aerobics session today.......

(sigh)

And as we didn't queue up to see the attendant on the way in, just did the waving card at the machine, the machine didn't say "No aqua aerobics today", we didn't find out until after we were changed and heading for the pool. So we had a swim anyway but it wasn't the same

Off Out Tonight

Then after dinner tonight we are heading to Ferryside to try and find the Men's Shed which is some kind of doing stuff together club. Dunno what to expect, wait and see.....

Well. that was good. Everyone was quite talented but friendly, chattable which was nice. So I spent an hour going "I can't...." but then I got stuck into cleaning off a 1940's machine which is now a lot more useable

AND I spent two and a half hours standing on my own two feet!!!

Ride A Bike

So I am in gym riding a bike ATM. See if I can do all the Km it sez on my diary

Well that was hard work. But I did it. Thought "Lordy, I am so knackered I will stop at 5Km". Reached 5 and just pushed on, until I made it to 10Km

A Misty Morning

Hooray....

And I am off to the swimming pool today, there's nowt on to distract me. And I am going with my PT Professional Swimming Instructor, Mark.

Just sing HOORAY, I am looking forward it so much (he said sarcastically)....

And "Oh what fun we had....." redone link now

Pubwards

So we went to the pub tonight and I didn't have any spirits

Fark

Someone* didn't study Latin at school but they still knew this

Dunno what to say......

* Roger Collier

Listen

So you should listen to some poems from the PunkPoet


youtube

COP

Aargh, I have just received an email from that Stu-rit saying he usually goes to Men's Shed on Tuesday evening, which would suit me more than today so I suspect a change of plan has occurred

Tomorrow Morning

So.... perhaps..... but what to do when I am there?

Isn't She Lovely......

So we headed for one of Sams Stroke classes and just "ooooh" I am getting better in so many ways now. For a start I seem to have fully recovered from my drunk fall a month ago. For a second during the class when we were doing various 'stand on one foot' type of exercises I left my walky stick lying on the floor next to me and I was able to do all the exercises (loads, about 15 minutes worth) by standing and lifting both legs in turn etc.

Kindling

And I have just finished the second Terry Pratchett novel in the series and what can I say. Yes, it was a good, interesting read but being able to read books again fills me with joy. For so many years I couldn't.....

Raining Again

But I can't take a good photo that will catch the visible raindrops

Friday Morning

Oh dear. So we are off to Sam's Stroke class @ gym today.

Sigh

Thursday Lunchtime

Then we headed over to the gym and I did a faster 3km cycle than last week

Thursday Morning

So s'morning we have to pop to Iechyd Da to fetch the organic veg delivery and then to MoreReasonsToShopAt.... to do the rest of the weeks shopping

Lovely Day...

So an hour before we are out to shops etc this weather is doing the "showers and sun" thing to the extent that it is really showering ATM.....

And the bin men came and left my food waste bin outside the front door, I popped out to put it away and it had stopped raining. It has started again now.......

And sunny a couple of hours later

This Weekend?

So I might try this this weekend. As Stuart sez he goes, just turn up and see what you make of it......

Clarkin' Bell

Fark.

from Da Gruniad

Sitting On It

And today I popped out to my front garden and sat on the bench reading my Kindle for a bit. It was the first time since I landed on my coccyx 4 weeks ago that I have sat there without a cushion protecting my a*s, and it was fine, it didn't hurt my bum as much as making me stand back up immediately like it did the last time I tried

Ooh

Then after lunch we headed to Aqua Aerobics and I have got to say a bit of "Wow". Because I used to have to hold on to do the balancing on your right foot exercises but today I was just standing in the middle and I was able to do all the balance exercises

Out

So s'morning we had to pop out to the Pond St clinic where she just checked that my feet were OK and trimmed the nails while she was at it. Because I knew she was doing this I had no FES fitted, I just walked like a proper person.

Then, afterwards, we had to pop to the Drs to pick up my 'script, still just walking unaided. I was a bit impressed with how well I managed, I had to walk slower and with more attention but I managed

Mixture Of Weather

So 10 minutes ago it was raining heavily but now it is sunny under a 50% blue sky

Out

So today first of all we need to pop into town

Headway-ing

So here I am sitting in a Headway meeting in Swansea playing number games. Which I won the first one of and came well last in the last game

Better @ Walking

So last night I hadn't had a drink so I felt brave enough to walk from my bed to the loo (and back) without my walking stick.

Laugh

Snigger

Jump Break?

Does it wurk like this?

We Can But Hope....

Can we?

I AM Getting Better

And 4 weeks since my falling over drunk disaster I can finally walk on both feet with no stick again.

Finally!!!

Reaching my fridge from the table, a brief walk, but without my 'stick

Whoops

Oh dear...

What's For Dinner

So Roy commented that I was cooking while he arrived s'morning, but it was worth it. I switched the pan back off at lunchtime and back on when I put the spuds to bake to accompany it tonight and it was lovely. I think that A) My sense of taste might be getting slightly better and B) My cooking skills are definitely improving, so the veggie nonsense that I cooked was f-ing lovely. Tomorrow we will have that with pasta for tea as Roy is here tomorrow too

And he liked it too, complimented me on it as he finished

😼