leukaemia-limbo-dance

It was John’s birthday today. Normally, I’d be ON it, but this year I was behind-times and his parcel wasn’t due to arrive until today. However instead, he had a VERY nice birthday surprise this morning. Andrew came home!!

It was marvellous because he arrived in the dead of night and John didn’t hear a thing. Andrew even managed a shower before he took John his second cup of coffee of the morning. John was thrilled. I was thrilled. It is absolutely wonderful to have Andrew home for a couple of days. He’s always such good and comforting company that we enjoy every minute.

Second surprise of the day was Paul and Freddie arriving on the doorstep at lunchtime. We had agreed that we would go out for lunch and, in my head, I had thought we’d meet up at the restaurant. But what a delight to have Paul and Freddie over for an hour or two before we had to set off. It was delightful.

We had a good lunch, which was paid for by Paul as a birthday treat, and John enjoyed a pint or two of beer. Set him up for the day. I wasn’t in drinking mode, however, due to the antibiotics I am still taking. Tomorrow morning will be the last dose, so we’ll see how we go.

Regrettably, I failed to take a photo of the Birthday Boy, but Paul took a photo of Freddie and me (including wonky grin), so this will have to do…..

We went back to Paul’s for dessert and a cuppa, the service at the restaurant having been a bit slow, so we thought we’d eat at our leisure in the comfort of Paul’s home. That was very cosy and comfortable. Each of us just relaxing into the pleasant company.

Michael sent birthday wishes to John from Ireland where he is enjoying a weekend away at a wedding. And, today, the mad man that he his, he went for a swim in the sea!!! Along with several other mad men and women………Brrrr…..

Greetings also came in for John from Australia, Devon, Hampshire, Greater London, Derby, Bedfordshire, Stratford and many local friends too. Marvellous. How lovely to be remembered.

Home again and John settled in to watch the Grand Prix; Andrew settled in to watch a Marvel-type movie, but promptly fell asleep, leaving the field open for me to watch ‘Strictly’ and that soft-shoe-shuffle programme ‘The Larkins’. No intellectual value whatsoever, but suited my current addled brain.

A very enjoyable day and John had a particularly good time, everyone having pulled out the stops for him.

36,517 people tested positive for COVID today; 63 people died; 968 people were admitted to hospital.

Take care everyone. Wishing you all the best week possible ahead. God bless.

A lovely day to look forward to – Saturday. Always a mental treat because it’s the weekend. I had lovely plans today too, and they didn’t disappoint.

This morning, I was booked into an online writing course – one that I have been following for a little while: ‘Writing for Wellbeing’ and it’s always helpful. However, this morning, I struggled a bit to think of what to write. We had plenty of prompts and plenty of discussions but I couldn’t quite get going. Not that it matters, because the writing is for me. No-one else. Just me, so it doesn’t matter what I write. And the good thing is that the course always gives me food for thought.

One of the prompts was a poem called ‘Begin’ by Brendan Kennelly. Fabulous little poem – especially the last few lines, which I think describe our place in the world at the moment:

Though we live in a world that dreams of ending
that always seems about to give in
something that will not acknowledge conclusion
insists we forever begin.

John was up at a reasonable hour and went downstairs – first to watch the Grand Prix Qualifying, then to watch the Rugby – Scotland vs South Africa; Ireland vs New Zealand and England vs Australia. It was wall-to-wall sport all day and he thoroughly enjoyed himself.

I took a walk this afternoon with Chester, just round the ‘new’ housing estate and dropped a book into my friend, Chris’s, on the way. It was a really lovely walk with the weather being very mild and no breeze. Chester enjoyed himself too, snifferty-sniffing his way round the route.

Pete and Dawn came round this evening to celebrate John’s birthday, which is tomorrow, and we had a great time. They are always wonderful company and there is always interesting conversation. Some of it controversial which makes us think. Ahhh…. it’s good to have good friends.

They had brought gifts round for the birthday boy. “Are you going to open your gifts now, John?” I asked. Yes, he thought he would. But we were so busy chatting it took him all evening to open the parcels – one every hour, on the hour, almost. All gratefully received.

Yes, Saturday, Saturday! Nice to have a Saturday.

In other news, there’s still a lot of COVID about. Several people we know are now infected. They are now one of the statistics.

Today’s numbers: 38,351 people tested positive for the virus; 157 people died; 968 people were admitted to hospital.

Take care everyone. God bless.

A while ago, I thought I might make Friday, ‘My Day’, but it’s not really happened. However, today wasn’t too bad, and I felt that everything I did was my choice. Can’t say fairer than that, can you?

First of all, I was up with lark, leaving John a-snoozing while I took Michael, Danielle and family to the airport for an early morning start, just before seven o’clock. I waved them goodbye and came home, not to rest, but to do a bit of a clear-up. The kitchen had done a little shimmy, leaving dirty crockery, things to be put away, and crumby worksurfaces beckoning. Having not felt like doing anything the last few weeks, I was keen to tackle it and felt quite good when it was all spick and span.

By the time I’d finished that little job, John was awake and ready for his morning cup of coffee. I was ready to go up the road for a massage. “Will you up and about, John, just in case they ring the doorbell to deliver my passport?” I asked. Yep, no worries – he was on it. So off I went for an hour of absolute bliss. Never have I needed massage more. Really enjoyed the ‘me’ time.

John was up and about when I got home, but the passport hadn’t been delivered yet. TNT had tried to deliver it yesterday but we were otherwise engaged when they called so thought they’d deliver it today. However, I went on the tracking device to find that it’s scheduled for tomorrow now so, actually, John could stand down.

This afternoon, I was busy with a sewing job (moving a button on John’s trousers….) and ironing. Now that’s a job that I was never destined to do and have a love/hate relationship with. Today, however, it was a love relationship, in that it enable me to smooth away my troubled thoughts.

John, meanwhile, was out in the garage tinkering with Andrew’s bike. “I’ve got this plastic widget to put on it,” he said, “Not sure what it does, but I’d better put it on, just in case.” Nearly there – just got one of the wheels to sort out now…..

At tea-time, we went out. John was all dressed up to the nines in a suit and tie to go to a Mason’s meeting with Paul, and I was detailed to babysit Freddie because, not only was Paul going to be out, but so were Harriet and Lily, who were on their way to visit Catherine in Manchester – a weekend treat for Lily’s 16th birthday.

We both had a good time in our own ways. John enjoyed seeing his old friends again – it’s such a long time since he’s been along to a meeting; and I thoroughly enjoyed Freddie’s company, as usual. He was absolutely charming and delightful company.

Now that we are home we are both tired, so it’s Night, Night from us both.

COVID? 40,375 people tested positive today plus 145 deaths in the community; 64 in hospitals in the last 48 hours; 993 people were admitted to hospital today.

It’s still not over – and the leader of my prayer/Bible Study group, Eileen, has now succumbed to the infection too. I wonder if my PP3 mask will have warded off infection…..? Prayers for everyone who has the virus – that they may deal with the illness with strength and grace.

Take care everyone, the virus is stealthy…..let’s not overwhelm the NHS any more than they are. God bless.

This from Charlie Mackesy – the art of saying just what I am thinking.

Another day of medical stuff – this time for me and not John – makes a change, doesn’t it? First thing this morning I was charging over to Solihull Hospital for a screening appointment. And, as it turned out, it worked out very well. I was in and out as quick as you like which resulted in no parking charges – howzat?

When I got home, I winkled John out of bed to drive me over to the dentist, having managed to get an appointment at just gone 11. That also went well. I didn’t have to wait long and the dentist just dropped a dressing into the wound and sent me on my way. Again, I was in and out in no time at all. Fingers crossed the dressing will do the trick and the pain recedes over the next day or two. I could certainly do with feeling less sorry for myself.

John, having dropped me at the dentist, made his way over to Corby to do some business on the houses they have over there. He said that went well, too, with all transactions done and dusted in optimum time and he was on his way home by 2.30.

Meanwhile, I had made my way home by taxi and then decided to have a little lie down in bed…..for three hours. The whole afternoon. Ah, well, must have needed it.

We had thought we’d nip over to Sutton at tea-time to collect Chester the Dog as we are looking after him for the weekend. However, it was getting dark and John prefers not to drive in the dark; and I was still feeling a little woozy after my sleep. So all in all, we will take delivery of the dog tomorrow morning instead.

And there we have it – another day gone by, with limited success. At least John’s part of the day was positive in a business sense and mine in a medical sense.

42,408 people tested positive for the virus today. 195 people died in the community; 74 in hospitals in the last 48 hours; and 868 people were admitted to hospital.

Take care everyone. God bless.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.”

Lest we forget.

We were up with the lark this morning and off to Heartlands for John’s immunoglobulin treatment. It’s a good treatment, in that it helps with immunity, but it’s a bind having to trundle over to the hospital every three or four weeks. And, as John said, “I don’t want to be doing this, but that’s the world we live in now.”

Indeed we do. A world of hospital appointments. Three times we will have been to a hospital this week, for one thing and another. And now I am adding to the medical list by visiting the dentist yet again tomorrow. The ‘ol toothache/jaw-ache is getting on my wick and I’m off the see whether there is any more that I can do in the care of the wound left behind from the extraction.

Meanwhile, I dropped John off at the hospital and then moseyed off to the hairdressers. That was nice. It was only a half-hour session for a cut ‘n blow dry, but a very welcome rest with someone looking after me.

After the hairdressers, I shot home to turn up the wedding trousers for the Sutton Sleath grandchildren and I was just in the middle of the job when Michael called in. He’d been to look at nurseries in Kenilworth, so I offloaded the trousers to him, plus a spot of their washing that I’d got here.

Michael was on a day off and had suggested we might get together this afternoon for a coffee and a chat. However, he thought he might visit Grandma – what did I think? Oh, yes, I thought. Visit Grandma? She’ll be thrilled. So it was all arranged. By the looks of the photos he sent, she had a good time.

A quick trip over to Birmingham to collect John at lunchtime and then we were back home ready to watch the cricket. Disappointingly, England lost, which I wasn’t expecting because they had been playing so very well. Ah, well, maybe next year….

In between times, I thought I’d submit my dispute to the bank about the double-payment to Amazon. Drew a blank – the internet wasn’t working. All OK on John’s computer downstairs, but nothing doing on mine. Thank the Lord for John. He got onto Sky to check what was needed and within a very short space of time he’d got it sorted. My saviour!

All in all, it’s been a busy day, topped off with a wonderful quiz this evening. Everyone was on top form and, as usual, I loved their company. It’s always good to catch up and have a giggle.

39,329 people tested positive for the virus today. Two hundred and fourteen people died with it. 823 people were admitted to hospital with it.

74 people died with COVID in hospitals in the last 48 hours and the NHS website advises that:

‘There was a nationwide CPNS system outage throughout Sunday 31 October, with no access for providers to upload records and no regional or national validation. Therefore, the daily announced deaths file was unable to be produced for Monday 1^st November. The CPNS system issues have been resolved and daily reporting has been restored as normal from Tues 2 Nov onward. As a result, the data over the next few days may be higher while the records are entered into the system.‘ That makes the figures interesting.

Take care everyone. God bless.

A pause for thought today. which I rather like. A little poem from Ian McMillan….

Today is the prize
In Time’s Pass the Parcel

And there’s always another layer
To unwrap.

I
Hope.

It was another amazing sky this morning at twenty-past seven. A vibrant, red glow. Once again, I tried to take a photo but it doesn’t do it justice – but you might get the gist.

I had already sent my apologies to yoga – still not feeling great – and so I settled back in bed for a bit of a doze. John very kindly brought me a cup of tea just after nine which I promptly ignored and went back to sleep.

Next thing, John is by the bedside. “I’ve got to be going now,” he said. Why? What time is it? Where am I? “It’s quarter past twelve.” Heck! I thought it was about ten o’clock. I’d slept on all morning. This is madness.

Anyway, I scampered out of bed and we made our way across to the QE hospital for John to have the final blood test in the COVID vaccination trial. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that this time they’ll find some antibodies. Might have to wait a bit though, since it’s a trial and data needs to be gathered. Fingers crossed.

On our way back from the hospital we called in at Michael and Danielle’s to drop a couple of things in and to collect the children’s trousers that need turning up in readiness for a wedding at the weekend.

Once home, we just faffed about, putting a bit of washing on and trying to sort out the tumble dryer which, since the new hose was fitted, seems to operate on a go-slow. John’s on the case.

Not an exciting day. But then, I don’t suppose they can all be exciting, can they?

33,117 people tested positive for the virus today. 262 people died with it. 834 people were admitted to hospital with it and the nurses and doctors are already feeling tired. Those nurses we met today confirmed it. What else to say, that hasn’t already been said?

Hoping tomorrow will be a better day. Take care everyone. God bless.

Susie Dent’s Word of the Day is ‘catchfart’ (17th century): a follower of the political wind; one whose actions are guided entirely by the whims and desires of their boss. I have no idea what she’s talking about, have you? Tee-hee.

Yep! They are zipping by, aren’t they folks? It was September a minute ago and I was thinking about shopping early for Christmas. And now it’s November and I haven’t done a thing!!

And this morning, I was awake very, very early…. the jaw-ache woke me up at 3.45 and, although I dozed a bit until about 4.30, it was at that point that sleep eluded me altogether. So I watched the sun come up – and very nice it was too. You can’t help but cherish moments like these, can you?

I got up early and pottered about a bit – cleaning the chip pan, as you do – before I took John a cuppa in bed. As soon as the phone lines were open, however, I was onto the dentist to say, ‘please may I have more antibiotics?’. Yes, the receptionist would tell the dentist and he should phone me back before 11.00. If not, give him another ring. OK.

I phoned again at 11.00. Yes, ‘you are on the list for a phone call’ and he will ring today…… but by 2.00 I still hadn’t heard anything so I phoned again. Not that I was feeling needy or desperate or anything….. “Right,” said the receptionist, “wait there a minute….” And a few minutes later I was speaking to the dentist. Yes, have more antibiotics; come and get the prescription. Phew!

John agreed to take me down into Coventry again, so we shot out this afternoon and grabbed the prescription, accompanied all the while by a little bleeping noise that hiccupped at us every time we went over 22 miles per hour. What the….? It transpired that John had fiddled with some buttons and set an alarm to tell us when we went over that particular speed limit. Wow! Here was a feature on a car that we have had for donkey’s years, that we didn’t know we’d got!!

This morning both of us were busy in different ways. I was doing a lot of admin up in the computer room, and John was outside, fitting some mesh under the fascia boards to prevent the pesky old squirrels getting in. He’s done a good job so far but he’s dissatisfied because it’s a slow job. Slow and steady wins the race I’ve heard.

My job was reporting a double entry payment going to Amazon Prime to the bank. I’d had a go at telling Amazon that they were charging me twice, but they said that their records were all in order. Subsequently, I started it all off on the bank chat line, expecting to be advised and then continue by email or something. ‘Don’t log off’ said the advisor. Righty-ho. However, literally, three hours later we finally logged off. And they are still going to send me an email with instructions on what to do next. That was a bit of a long haul.

By tea-time, we were both bushed. I managed to cook something to eat but we chose to just sit and binge-watch ‘Show Trial’ afterwards and now we’re having an early night.

We were cheered up by a lovely video-chat to the Sutton Sleaths, just before tea. They had made a dinosaur cake and William was keen to show it off. Good it looked too. We also had our hearts melted by the two boys walking up to the postbox to post a letter. Now that’s cute!!

32,322 people tested positive for the virus today; 57 people died in the community; 18 in hospitals in the previous 48 hours; and 1,054 people were admitted to hospital.

Take care everyone. God bless.

When I woke up this morning I thought I was on for a good day and raring to go. However, by the time I’d had my shower, eaten my breakfast, done a minor amount of faffing about and watched yesterday’s ‘Strictly’, I promptly fell back to sleep on the sofa and woke up a couple of hours later feeling very bleuh…..

Not so much toothache as jaw-ache and a swelling on that side of my face. Wonderful. Forward one step, back another. Never mind, an early night should do the trick. Fingers crossed anyway – we’ve got a busy week ahead.

John, meanwhile has pottered about all day one way and another. He’s tinkered with the car again and caught up with some rugby and the Grand Prix. All riveting stuff which has entertained him no end. That’s a good job because I have been no company at all.

We started off the day thinking we might go out for a walk as it was a nice day – but that never happened. I was too wedded to the sofa. Maybe tomorrow? We’ll see.

So, that’s about it folks. Sorry about that. Nothing amusing or witty today. We’re counting our days by the blister pack at the moment…..

Those with COVID today: 30,305; those dead of it: 62; and those admitted to hospital with it: 1,055

Take care everyone. Normal service to be resumed tomorrow, I hope. God bless.

Bonfire Night – again! We love our double celebrations these days, don’t we? I remember as a teenager waiting feverishly all day for the end of school to come so we could get home for the one day a year that we had a bonfire and a few fireworks.

Lessons at school would usually end with the teacher saying,”….and your homework tonight is….” whereupon there’d be a great howl and audible groan at the thought of homework on such a night, “…..to enjoy the fireworks and your bonfires! Have fun!” Much cheering and grateful relief followed. I played the same trick on the kids I taught, too – tee-hee!!

Being located where we are, we have such a privileged view of the fireworks though. They are thrilling to watch because they are mostly professional or large ones these days, flying high into the sky. Beautiful. We’ve been treated to the display by the Lions this evening from our back garden. Nice.

I’d have loved to have captured the patterns in the sky – it’s ‘a lot’ blurry, but this is as much as I got:

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we have floated about all day, doing a bit of this and a bit of that. I have been mostly distracted with me papers and searching for the lost voucher. St Anthony? Are you on it, please?

However, a good news story in that regard: I emailed the company that is offering the trip, and played the sympathy card that John had had a difficult year with his illnesses and so on, and could we extend the voucher until April next year, please? Yes, we can, came the reply!! Well that’s a relief. Still got to find the blessed voucher though…..

For me, it’s been a day of tying up loose ends, a little bit. I bought a couple of lovely ‘tell-the-time’ clocks for the grandchildren for Christmas. I told Sons Nos #1 & #2 that I’d done so and was that alright? Erm…. yes and no. William already has one……So I when I popped into Solihull today, I returned it. Tick.

For some weeks now, I have been unable to find my credit card. I thought I’d had it with a loyalty card but, when I came across that, there the credit card wasn’t. So another little job that’s been on my mind: order a new one. Pretty sure it’s in the house somewhere and, no doubt now that I’ve ordered a new one, the darned thing will turn up!! But anyway, another Tick.

And there’s so much to watch on TV!! Both the rugby and the cricket were on today. Which to watch?? We recorded one (John fell asleep) and watched the other. Both absolutely thrilling matches and well worth the Sky money. Loved it!

John, despite a little snooze in front of the TV this afternoon, has been busy, busy. He’s been tinkering with the car; then he mended Andrew’s bike; followed by a rummaging down in the man-shed for a part for Andrew’s bike – apparently, you don’t have cotter pins in your crankshafts these days, and something else was needed….. and after all that, he did a bit more brushing of the sand into the cracks on the front drive. Finally, just before we thought we might have a bite to eat at teatime, he suddenly remembered he needed something from ScrewFix – so off he popped there as well. Gosh, it’s been full on! No wonder he feels a little tired tonight!

This evening, we strolled round to Pete and Dawn’s for some good company and a chat. Where does the time go? No sooner have you arrived than you look at your watch and realise it’s time to leave. There’s so much conversation to pack in! Enjoyed it and lovely to see them looking well, despite all their stresses and strains!!!

The COVID figures show another decrease in infections with 30,693 people having tested positive for the virus today; 155 people died in the community; and 1,005 people were admitted to hospital.

Take care folks. Hope you’ve had wonderful bonfire celebrations and the weekend is good to you. God bless.

Today’s ‘Blast from the Past – another ‘a lot’ blurry photo – from the fashions, anyone guess the year?

Yesterday’s answer: I was about 17 and John, 19; David (John’s brother) in the middle of the photo would be in his early 20s. Can’t do the Maths at this time of night to calculate how old John’s parents were….

Still feeling a bit under the weather, I couldn’t get going this morning, but John did, and he brought me a cup of tea in bed, for which I was very grateful. We both lazed in bed for a bit after that, and then I told John that I might have a bath before launching myself over to Coleshill to see Mum this afternoon.

In the end, I never did get my bath. I am easily distracted.

When I was at work, my friend, Simon, and I used to have ‘piles’ meetings. That is, we would sit with one of the secretaries and go through our ‘piles’ of papers, allocating the documents to various destinations. I could do with one of those meetings right now. Oh, Secretary Sue, where are you now? I have different piles of papers in the computer room still in the ‘to be dealt with’ tray.

I know there is a theory – at least, that was how one of the chaps at work operated – that you should only touch a document once and then deal with it. However, I must have handled these papers hundreds of times…… at any rate, I manage to get them all muddled up at a vast rate of knots and am unable to find anything very much when I need it.

Hence the distraction. Before I ran my bath, I just thought I’d see if I could find a voucher that John had bought us for a night away, and which I had kept very carefully on my desk for ages, only to move it recently, thinking ‘I know where I’ll have put that’. But I don’t, darn it. And can I find it? Harrumph. I must have put it somewhere safe. Oh, dear, I must do better.

What I did come across though, was a VISA statement that had a puzzle on it. A double entry payment. I got onto Amazon for whom the transaction applied. “Oh, yes, that transaction is for Amazon in France. You’ll have to ask them.’ Whaaat? I don’t think so. ‘Could it be fraud?’ I wondered. ‘Oh, Ok, we’ll put you onto the fraud team….’ Email might arrive tomorrow to start the ball rolling. We’ll see.

In the meantime, John was downstairs watching the TV, I think, oblivious to the fact that I wasn’t bathing in ewe’s milk and anointing myself in oils. When we finally caught up with each other, he was surprised I was still in my dressing gown. ‘It’s too late to have a bath now,’ I said, ‘I’ll have one later.’ But I never did. You know when you’re cosy in your skin and really don’t want to be shivered out of it? Well, I was like that all day. Maybe it’ll be a bath tomorrow.

Anyway, I nipped over to see mum this afternoon, half in trepidation really, as it’s almost four weeks since I went over and I wondered whether she’d have been pining. I had planned to visit a couple weeks after I last saw her but I was ailing with my tooth so I postponed the visit. Then, when I phoned up last week to get a visit date booked they had no availability until today.

Anyway, I needn’t have worried. Honestly, I swear, she gets better almost every time I see her. She looks the picture of health, as fit as a fiddle, and continues to be happy as a sandboy. No, she can’t remember who’s who and what’s what, but she doesn’t care and is just happy strolling through the day with whatever it sends.

Mind you, she has got a new song. Today it was ‘Que Sera, Sera’ at frequent intervals and sung with meaning. Made me smile every time. I suggested she sit on the bed while I visited, as this is what she normally likes to do. Yes, she wanted to do that but, instead of hopping onto the bed today, she hopped into it. In so doing, she found she had a nice, ready-made imaginary piano keyboard in front of her, so she had the perfect accompaniment to her new song. Wonderful – made us laugh.

We had a rather pleasant and unexpected Bonfire Night this evening. Paul had invited us over to watch their fireworks, but neither of us quite felt up to it, so instead we watched the neighbours’ fabulous display from within the confines of our own home and had a Friday night take-away. Couldn’t be better, could it?

Regrettably, I can’t furnish you all with the data on COVID today. The server that offers us the latest figures seems to be down, so perhaps they’ll be available tomorrow. I do know that figures are not as bad as they were and there are murmurings that the infection rate might be plateau-ing. I’d like to believe it. Watch this space.

However, I was interested in this graph that was published yesterday. Not so much the figures, although as they relate to deaths in children I find it distressing, but the incidence. Anyone notice any pattern here? Who says schools aren’t transmission hubs for the virus?

Take care everyone. God bless.

Here’s a blast from the past. Anyone recognise anyone? Bonus points if you guess the ages….