It seems odd not rushing to do some food preparation, but yesterday I made a pie in the morning & then ended up going to the chippy instead by the evening. We had been intending to take our time & do the food shop in the afternoon.Our plans went askew when we had a couple of phone calls.
The first was from PD. Having told us Wednesday he definitely was not going to the Pub on Thursday, he was ringing to see if we were coming to the Pub. He'd got himself in such state about his benefits medical he was running himself ragged. He just couldn't just sit down to relax without being in a panic. They're having a party at their house on Sunday for his father-in-law's birthday as well as having a lot of grandchildren to look after on Saturday & Sunday and another family party to attend on Saturday evening. All this was just adding to the pressure on him. Yesterday he'd already been to the gym, done the shopping, mown the lawns. He was exhausted but just couldn't sit down without thinking, and fretting, and panicking over the medical. He obviously was desperate for distraction, to take himself out of himself a bit & give him something else to think about for a while. We reluctantly agreed to go.
We'd been reluctant to go because this week was going to be a big shop. We'd already delayed it on Wednesday to go to the Pub for PD's sake. Now it seemed it would have to be delayed again. It was becoming urgent. It's amazing how sometimes all the basics seem to run out at the same time. This was one such week. My thoughts for meals was being severely restricted by the lack of onions, tomato ketchup, sweet chilli sauce, potatoes, flour, margarine, crackers... and then there was just a few bags of tea left in the house, antiperspirant bottles were having to be stood on end to get the last remaining drops out, cooking papers at the end of the roll, lack of freezer bags.... You name it we were running short. And that on top of a normal full weekly shop.
Not long after PD rang, we had another phone call. The Fox couldn't think who it was. "Al," the voice said. "Al who?" "The gardener." He's never rung before. "Are you coming to the Pub today?" He'd got us some red sprouting broccoli plants to grow on through the winter. He also wondered if we had any dill. He knows we have an extensive herb garden these days. "No, we have no dill, just fennel." He already had some of that in his own garden. We assured him we would be at the Pub later on for the plants. Just as well we'd decided we'd best go to the Pub. If necessary we would just buy the essentials. The rest could wait until next week.
So off to the Pub we went in the afternoon. Al was saddened to hear we had no dill. I asked him why he wanted it. I do have some old seeds he could plant but it seems rather late in the year for that it. No, he wanted to do a recipe which called for it. I explained to him most people either grow fennel or dill, not both, as they tend to cross pollinate with the result you end up with something which is neither one thing nor the other. I'd gone for fennel as it is a perennial whereas dill is an annual. However, the taste is similar. Dill tends to be a little more delicate & finer both in texture & in flavour but that's about it. You can use them interchangeably. He was dubious about this idea.
At this time the Pub chef came through, so Al asked him if he had any spare dill. Rob went to look and found some. Nervously Al tasted some. He had to admit I was right. It didn't taste so very different from the fennel which he grows himself. Next time he needs dill, he will save himself such a hunt & just use fennel.
So it was after 5pm before we set off to the supermarket. Despite the rather full car park & queue of cars still arriving, it was surprisingly quiet. We decided to get the lot done. But by the time we were back in the car, with all that food, we felt too shattered to go home, unpack & start cooking, even something prepared, or something that could just be popped in the microwave. We decided instead to stop at the chippy on the way back for a change, which we did.
Result - today we're restocked & we've got a minced beef pie waiting in the fridge for today's dinner. The potatoes are peeled ready. Nothing more to do today until this evening.
Today we'll be off to the Pub yet again. This time we're going to support Fran & Den. Den was due at the hospital yesterday to have cameras down him & other tests to sort out what his prostrate problem is. They are both obviously fearing the worst, cancer. If it is, they will need some shoulders to cry on; if it isn't, they will want someone to celebrate with. We'll soon find out which.
Friday, 30 July 2010
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Anxious times
I'm not sure who of us is in a worse state of anxiety, PD or me. We both face medicals for our benefits. His is tomorrow for his Incapacity Benefit; mine is next week for my Disability Living Allowance.
PD sees his problem lies in the fact that his main reason for being unable to work is his mental health, the sort of thing someone not trained in that field can so easily not notice, or at least not realise the devastating effect it can have on your working capability. Or even worse they think you should just buck up. We try to reassure him that he's passed in the past, & now he also has physical problems which can only help his case. But, like me, he reads the news & wonders how many people are going to be told that they can perfectly well work when they can't, just to save the government money. He's becoming a wreck. At least his CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse) is giving him a letter, confirming his inability to work, to hand over at the medical. He also has a letter giving him a hospital appointment soon for his physical problems.
Our efforts to support PD are a bit half-hearted due to my own anxiety over my medical. I fear my benefits are going to be reduced, again not because I don't think I'm not entitled to them. I dread the fight to get them reinstated but fear it will have to be undertaken. For all the Fox tries to tell me I shouldn't have any problem, especially as my health has only deteriorated, I'm not convinced. I'm not really convinced he believes it himself.
In fact that's the real iniquity of the situation. Both of us wish we could be well enough to work, to earn a living, not to have to depend upon the state to have enough to live on. But, unfortunately wishing & making it a reality are not the same thing.
In both cases the sheer pressure involved is not doing either of our health much good. There must surely be a better way of validating applications than this regular ordeal.
The situation wasn't helped yesterday when the Fox & I heard one of our investments had gone belly up. Admittedly we hadn't expected to make much on it but we had hoped it would at least do some good. It was an ISA invested in some farms in Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world. We'd hoped we could have the satisfaction of feeling we'd helped to provide a source of income & food to improve the lives of many people. Now we hear the company has gone bankrupt. We are told we will get all our capital back eventually, but it won't be until 2015 & there will be just that capital. That means that probably, due to inflation, by 2015 the buying power will be less. And what is more those families will continue to starve.
PD sees his problem lies in the fact that his main reason for being unable to work is his mental health, the sort of thing someone not trained in that field can so easily not notice, or at least not realise the devastating effect it can have on your working capability. Or even worse they think you should just buck up. We try to reassure him that he's passed in the past, & now he also has physical problems which can only help his case. But, like me, he reads the news & wonders how many people are going to be told that they can perfectly well work when they can't, just to save the government money. He's becoming a wreck. At least his CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse) is giving him a letter, confirming his inability to work, to hand over at the medical. He also has a letter giving him a hospital appointment soon for his physical problems.
Our efforts to support PD are a bit half-hearted due to my own anxiety over my medical. I fear my benefits are going to be reduced, again not because I don't think I'm not entitled to them. I dread the fight to get them reinstated but fear it will have to be undertaken. For all the Fox tries to tell me I shouldn't have any problem, especially as my health has only deteriorated, I'm not convinced. I'm not really convinced he believes it himself.
In fact that's the real iniquity of the situation. Both of us wish we could be well enough to work, to earn a living, not to have to depend upon the state to have enough to live on. But, unfortunately wishing & making it a reality are not the same thing.
In both cases the sheer pressure involved is not doing either of our health much good. There must surely be a better way of validating applications than this regular ordeal.
The situation wasn't helped yesterday when the Fox & I heard one of our investments had gone belly up. Admittedly we hadn't expected to make much on it but we had hoped it would at least do some good. It was an ISA invested in some farms in Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world. We'd hoped we could have the satisfaction of feeling we'd helped to provide a source of income & food to improve the lives of many people. Now we hear the company has gone bankrupt. We are told we will get all our capital back eventually, but it won't be until 2015 & there will be just that capital. That means that probably, due to inflation, by 2015 the buying power will be less. And what is more those families will continue to starve.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
A patch of orange
I nudged the washing machine on to the spin programme. While it did what it had to do, I looked down the garden. My eyes were caught by a patch of orange, high up, that I hadn't noticed before. I had to go & investigate.
It turned out to be the berries on our rowan tree. The colour seems particularly vibrant at the moment. The bright orange echoed the darker, browner orange of the day lilies below.
This tree has never looked very well. And yet each year it produces a froth of white flowers in the spring, then orange berries later in the year. I've tried feeding it a bit. I've tried clearing away some of the yellow loosestrife & the day lilies that surround it. No improvement. But it does just keeps persevering regardless.
In the front garden the flowers on the oregano are now fading. The bumble bees are still scrambling around them, but the honey bees have turned their attention to the newly opened yellow flowers of the fennel. I know numbers of honey bees are supposed to be on the decline. I'm coming to the conclusion they've just moved home - into our herb garden!
It turned out to be the berries on our rowan tree. The colour seems particularly vibrant at the moment. The bright orange echoed the darker, browner orange of the day lilies below.
This tree has never looked very well. And yet each year it produces a froth of white flowers in the spring, then orange berries later in the year. I've tried feeding it a bit. I've tried clearing away some of the yellow loosestrife & the day lilies that surround it. No improvement. But it does just keeps persevering regardless.
In the front garden the flowers on the oregano are now fading. The bumble bees are still scrambling around them, but the honey bees have turned their attention to the newly opened yellow flowers of the fennel. I know numbers of honey bees are supposed to be on the decline. I'm coming to the conclusion they've just moved home - into our herb garden!
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
A meal out
Yesterday we had our last-Monday-of-the-month meal. We went somewhere new this time, to the Mill Inn at Thurnham, just south of Lancaster. It's a pleasant location. Our table overlooked a lock on the canal. Several people wandered by, walking their dogs between showers. The fields were all a lush green. The cows came up to the fencing as we drove up the drive, as though just to welcome us in.
The meal itself was a little disappointing. The whitebait starter the Fox & I both had was beautiful. Then we had what was advertised as pork fillet cooked in cider. You can imagine our disappointment when a tough plain grilled pork chop arrived, with a little bit of very thick, quite appley gravy. We complained & they duly only charged for one meal by way of compensation. We discovered later that the management had only recently changed. We suspect they're having a few initial hiccoughs at the moment.
However, despite that, we had a good time. The ambiance was pleasant & relaxing. Access was good with a lift to take me in my wheelchair up to the raised ground floor of the bar & restaurant. Above all the conversation flowed well, with plenty of laughter.
I sometimes wonder why we continue with these meals at times. This time there were only 5 of us there. But this time I could see the point. Everyone seemed so cheered by the time we left.
Poor Fran & Den are having a lot of medical problems at the moment. It's getting them down. Fran had a fall in April, I think it was, & has been in bad pain in her leg ever since. Despite various tests, they don't seem to have come to any clear idea of the cause. Nothing was broken, just a severe sprain, they reckoned at the time. Since then she's had a rash on it. It keeps swelling up. They've checked for DVT, but there's no sign of that. She is a very social person who likes to be out, mixing with others every day. Instead she's had many days of staying at home all day because she's just so uncomfortable, & it's getting her down. As for Den, he's supposed to have been taking life a bit easier since his stroke, instead of which he's had to run round after Fran. And now he's got prostrate problems as well. But all these problems got left behind in the general merriment of the evening.
And if that isn't a good reason to go out for a meal with friends I don't know what is.
The meal itself was a little disappointing. The whitebait starter the Fox & I both had was beautiful. Then we had what was advertised as pork fillet cooked in cider. You can imagine our disappointment when a tough plain grilled pork chop arrived, with a little bit of very thick, quite appley gravy. We complained & they duly only charged for one meal by way of compensation. We discovered later that the management had only recently changed. We suspect they're having a few initial hiccoughs at the moment.
However, despite that, we had a good time. The ambiance was pleasant & relaxing. Access was good with a lift to take me in my wheelchair up to the raised ground floor of the bar & restaurant. Above all the conversation flowed well, with plenty of laughter.
I sometimes wonder why we continue with these meals at times. This time there were only 5 of us there. But this time I could see the point. Everyone seemed so cheered by the time we left.
Poor Fran & Den are having a lot of medical problems at the moment. It's getting them down. Fran had a fall in April, I think it was, & has been in bad pain in her leg ever since. Despite various tests, they don't seem to have come to any clear idea of the cause. Nothing was broken, just a severe sprain, they reckoned at the time. Since then she's had a rash on it. It keeps swelling up. They've checked for DVT, but there's no sign of that. She is a very social person who likes to be out, mixing with others every day. Instead she's had many days of staying at home all day because she's just so uncomfortable, & it's getting her down. As for Den, he's supposed to have been taking life a bit easier since his stroke, instead of which he's had to run round after Fran. And now he's got prostrate problems as well. But all these problems got left behind in the general merriment of the evening.
And if that isn't a good reason to go out for a meal with friends I don't know what is.
Monday, 26 July 2010
Roundabout
Jardin Albert I, NiceWe took this photo of the fabulous roundabout in the park opposite the prom in Nice. At present it is our desktop image. Each time I boot up I'm reminded of the holiday & all the pleasure we had then.
I think it is quite wonderful. As you can see it is old, dated 1900. It is still in use, though they only seem to allow young children on for a ride. Come teatime, the lights come on, the organ grinds.
I love the two tiers & the unusual seats. It looks like a ride for fun rather than scares as so many rides seem to be today. It's a sort of epitome of my ideal of a roundabout.
There is another one of similar vintage in the Allees de la Liberte at Cannes.
They both have that ornate extravagance, typical of the belle epoque era. Magnificent.
I think it is quite wonderful. As you can see it is old, dated 1900. It is still in use, though they only seem to allow young children on for a ride. Come teatime, the lights come on, the organ grinds.
I love the two tiers & the unusual seats. It looks like a ride for fun rather than scares as so many rides seem to be today. It's a sort of epitome of my ideal of a roundabout.
There is another one of similar vintage in the Allees de la Liberte at Cannes.
They both have that ornate extravagance, typical of the belle epoque era. Magnificent.
Saturday, 24 July 2010
To party or not
In theory today we're off to the church garden party this afternoon. I say in theory because I'm not convinced we'll actually get there. At least the sun is trying to shine, which is hopeful & a blessed change from normal at the moment. If the event had to be held inside we certainly wouldn't be going. The church hall, the alternative venue, is rather small. With lots of people milling around, as well as tables & chairs for people to sit at for their refreshments, there is very little room to get around in a wheelchair.
No the real reason I suspect we'll not be getting there is our exhaustion. The last I heard the Fox commented that he felt very tired & wanted, above all, to catch up on his sleep. I, myself, found I didn't wake up until after 9 am this morning, which is very unusual for me. If he oversleeps similarly, it will be getting rather late to go.
On top of which I'm intending to make a bacon roly poly for dinner. I'm hoping to cook some of the Fox's new potatoes to accompany it, & it will take a while to dig them up. They made it look so easy on "Gardeners' World" last night (on BBC2) but I know from my little experience earlier in the week that it isn't that easy in reality. Not for a novice anyhow.
On the other hand, I'm very curious to meet the new priest-in-charge who is performing her first parochial duty, by opening the garden party & presumably staying to meet some of her new parishioners. She doesn't officially start as priest until September if I remember correct. John, our last vicar, will be a hard act to follow.
No the real reason I suspect we'll not be getting there is our exhaustion. The last I heard the Fox commented that he felt very tired & wanted, above all, to catch up on his sleep. I, myself, found I didn't wake up until after 9 am this morning, which is very unusual for me. If he oversleeps similarly, it will be getting rather late to go.
On top of which I'm intending to make a bacon roly poly for dinner. I'm hoping to cook some of the Fox's new potatoes to accompany it, & it will take a while to dig them up. They made it look so easy on "Gardeners' World" last night (on BBC2) but I know from my little experience earlier in the week that it isn't that easy in reality. Not for a novice anyhow.
On the other hand, I'm very curious to meet the new priest-in-charge who is performing her first parochial duty, by opening the garden party & presumably staying to meet some of her new parishioners. She doesn't officially start as priest until September if I remember correct. John, our last vicar, will be a hard act to follow.
Friday, 23 July 2010
Unexpected visitors
As we are about to go off to the Farmers' Market the Fox calls out, "Look see. We've got a visitor". I hasten into the study. Sure enough, there, in the corner of the window, is small tortoisehell butterfly. We hastily open a window. We've no idea how our visitor got in, but the least we can do is give him a way out to the big outside world.
When we get back, the first thing we do is check on our visitor. No sign of him. He's either found a dark corner to hide in or else he's flown off.
Come dinnertime, while the Fox was busy cooking our excellent Chicken & Chorizo Paella, I thought I might as well take the vegetable peelings out to the compost heap while our temporary lake has receded. The Fox was alarmed to hear my voice through the open window. He feared I'd been having another fall.
"No," I assure him. "But you see that red leaf on the wet soil where the lake had been?" He looked out. "It's a frog. I was just saying hello & welcoming him to the garden." (I sometimes think we're a pair of nutters, between talking to our frogs, birds and bees, not to mention the potatoes & tomatoes.)
Mentioning my fall, I'm pleased to say I'm healing up well. Scabs still catch a bit, but the worst of the aches have just about disappeared now. I am, though still being surprised to discover other damages caused.
When I got changed out of my wet clothes on Monday, I'd noticed the glass but not the amount of wine I had down me. Under the wet blouse I'd been wearing, I'd been wearing a wine red coloured jumper. It felt a bit damp but I thought nothing more of it. It wasn't until I got changed for bed in the evening, that I discovered that the thin jumper I wore under the red jumper had a lovely red stain on it. Obviously some wine had seeped through. (I'm thanking all the layers I usually wear for cushioning my fall so protecting me from the worst consequences of the fall.)
By Tuesday, my attention turned to the effect the fall on the loose leaf file I'd had in my hand at the time. I'd realised the cover was scuffed. I'd managed to move it quick enough out of the stream of wine & glass so the paper inside avoided becoming wine stained. I'd thought that was it. On Tuesday I opened the file to discover the ring mechanism was damaged so one ring no longer closes properly.
Wednesday brought the damage to my sandals to the fore. These sandals were new this spring. But now the raised decorative leather stitching has changed colour. It is no longer black, but scuffed back to the natural leather colour.
So it was yesterday, I went to get another bottle of wine from the garage. This time I realised the key ring with the garage keys has been distorted. I wonder what I'll find today.
All these damages. I must have fallen with quite a wham. I'm just relieved I didn't do more damage to myself!
When we get back, the first thing we do is check on our visitor. No sign of him. He's either found a dark corner to hide in or else he's flown off.
Come dinnertime, while the Fox was busy cooking our excellent Chicken & Chorizo Paella, I thought I might as well take the vegetable peelings out to the compost heap while our temporary lake has receded. The Fox was alarmed to hear my voice through the open window. He feared I'd been having another fall.
"No," I assure him. "But you see that red leaf on the wet soil where the lake had been?" He looked out. "It's a frog. I was just saying hello & welcoming him to the garden." (I sometimes think we're a pair of nutters, between talking to our frogs, birds and bees, not to mention the potatoes & tomatoes.)
Mentioning my fall, I'm pleased to say I'm healing up well. Scabs still catch a bit, but the worst of the aches have just about disappeared now. I am, though still being surprised to discover other damages caused.
When I got changed out of my wet clothes on Monday, I'd noticed the glass but not the amount of wine I had down me. Under the wet blouse I'd been wearing, I'd been wearing a wine red coloured jumper. It felt a bit damp but I thought nothing more of it. It wasn't until I got changed for bed in the evening, that I discovered that the thin jumper I wore under the red jumper had a lovely red stain on it. Obviously some wine had seeped through. (I'm thanking all the layers I usually wear for cushioning my fall so protecting me from the worst consequences of the fall.)
By Tuesday, my attention turned to the effect the fall on the loose leaf file I'd had in my hand at the time. I'd realised the cover was scuffed. I'd managed to move it quick enough out of the stream of wine & glass so the paper inside avoided becoming wine stained. I'd thought that was it. On Tuesday I opened the file to discover the ring mechanism was damaged so one ring no longer closes properly.
Wednesday brought the damage to my sandals to the fore. These sandals were new this spring. But now the raised decorative leather stitching has changed colour. It is no longer black, but scuffed back to the natural leather colour.
So it was yesterday, I went to get another bottle of wine from the garage. This time I realised the key ring with the garage keys has been distorted. I wonder what I'll find today.
All these damages. I must have fallen with quite a wham. I'm just relieved I didn't do more damage to myself!
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