Thursday, February 19, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Still in hospital. Still fighting infection. Me not coping well at all. I have the wrong type of brain to cope with something like this - too many things to hold in my head at once. Stressed +++++ Feeling like I'm falling apart. Worried and frightened for Ian. Words of encouragement much appreciated.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Ok, here's the update. I did indeed close the shop early on Friday, probably about 3pm, and went home to look after Ian. He is never ill, and even when he feels a bit ropey he just gets on with it, so when I got home and he still wasn't able to bear weight on the leg and he was having difficulty getting comfortable I knew he was in pain indeed.
I cooked dinner and we watched a bit of TV which took his mind off the pain a bit and went to bed. But we didn't sleep ... oh no! He was awake and I could hear his strained breathing as he tried to fight the pain, so I found I was up and down several times during the night trying to help him get comfy, putting pillows under his leg, rolling him slightly onto his left side, etc. At about 5am I gave him some painkillers, and then we were up at 7. I had to get back to the shop this morning to finish the work I had left. While I was there Ian phoned the out of hours doctor as the pain was still every bit as bad as it was when I took him to A&E on Thursday. He texted me to say he had been instriucted to go to the out of hours clinic at the hospital at 11am. So, we got there, and a very nice doctor examined him and took more blood and said she still thought he might have septic arthritis, so she admitted him there and then. I've been at the hospital today with him, during which time his temperature shot up, but came home at his insistence at 3pm. Just before I left, however, an orthopaedic consultant came round to see him. It seems they are still thinking he has a septic hip and want to do an ultrasound scan, followed by a fine needle aspirate. They may also want to open up the joint to flush it out and start him on IV antibiotics. Needless to say he ain't coming home soon.
So, I've left him at the hospital shivering, in severe pain, and with a mouth as dry as an arab's sandal as he is nil-by-mouth and with no pain medication until they decide if he's having surgery tonight or not. I felt awful leaving him, but my poor dog hasn't had a proper walk since this all started and he's starting to climb the walls (that's border collies for you, they are bred to work hard and so have vast amounts of energy).
And after two nights of no sleep you'd think I'd be looking forward to having a peaceful night tonight, but I'm not. I really don't want to spend the night on my own. Thank goodness I have a warm dog.
Friday, February 06, 2009
I had to take my husband to A&E last night. We didn't get home till about 3:30am. Needless to say, I am tired and typing this in something of a daze when I should, in fact, be working.
Yesterday, he started complaining that his leg was aching as if he'd just run a marathon. He couldn't think of anything he may have done to cause the pain, so he brushed it off and carried on working.
We work together, and I usually leave for the Post Office and then home around 4pm while he stays on to work till 6 or 7pm. However, shortly after 5pm he sent me a text saying he was coming home and could I find him a walking stick as he was struggling to get around. When he got home he said he felt a bit ropey and need lots of assistance to get in the house and settled on the settee.
At 6:30pm I left for theatre group. While I was there he texted me again to say his temperature was going up and by about 9pm it had reached 100F and the pain was worsening and asked if I could stop off at the Co-Op for more painkillers for him.
I got home probably after 10pm. He looked awful. He was lying on the settee with the quilt over him, his face was pale and drawn and his temperature had gone up to almost 103F. The pain in his leg seemed to be excruciating for him. He said it went from his hip down to his calf, in one leg only.
I phoned NHS Direct. After providing them with as much information as possible, they decided he needed to go to hospital and put me through to the ambulance service who told me there was a 4 hour wait for cases that were not immediately life-threatening and asked if I could take him to A&E.
I took him in the company van as there is no way he could have got into our car, which is low-slung and slightly sporty (Toyota Celica). Even getting him in the van was a task and a half. I then had to slowly navigate all the speed bums to get out of our housing estate, and every bump caused him considerable pain.
Anyway, we got there, and I went and found a wheelchair for him while he waited in the van. Once in the hospital and registered I went to move the van to the visitors car park before I got a ticket!
Anyway, we didn't have to wait too long (thank goodness) and at around midnight were shown to a room/cubicle where we then had another difficult task of changing him into a gown. I won't go into every single boring little detail, but will just say over the next three hours he was subjected to examinations, blood tests, x-rays, more examinations, to eventually be told that they had no idea what was wrong with him. By this time his temperature was subsiding anyway and the pain had lessened a bit, his face looked a normal colour and he seemed generally more upbeat. It seems that they were concerned that he either had an infection in his hip (he had both of them replaced about 6 or 7 years ago) or he had septic arthritis, neither of with were indicated by the x-rays and blood tests. So he was sent home.
And that's it. I have had to come to work on my own and explain to all the customers that no they can't speak to him as he at home ill, and he is lying on the settee with his laptop, a pair of walking sticks, the TV remote, the phone, his mobile, painkillers and a large glass of water by his side. I've brought the dog to work so he's not bothered by him and so I can walk him during the day. I wish I could be at home to look after him. I hate him lying there in pain and not able to do anything for himself.
I think I may close the shop early today. Because today I'm the boss and I can.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Damn you heathen! Your book learnin' has done warped your mind. You shall not be invited next time I sacrifice a goat.
Do You Have Biblical Morals?
Take More Quizzes
Monday, February 02, 2009
Well, it would appear that the Winter snow has finally arrived. In February. And Spring is not far away. Ho hum. As usual the country is coming to a complete standstill. Warnings are being issued on the radio not to go to work unless you absolutely have to. The entire London bus network has been cancelled. Because we have ALMOST a whole foot of snow. Honestly, it's pathetic. When I was a kid, if the roads were impossible to drive on we got wrapped up and walked to wherever we were going if it wasn't miles and miles away. I walked a few miles with my dog yesterday so walking to work is nothing. And what's more, I did it FOR PLEASURE! What the hell must be wrong with me? You know what? Walking is good for you psychologically. It helps to stave off depression, it has a calming effect and it helps to lighten the mental burdens of everyday life. Getting stuck in traffic for hours in snow doesn't.
I think I'll walk to work today.
Friday, January 30, 2009
I have just learned that John Martyn, the fab bluesy folkey singer-songwriter died yesterday morning at the age of 60!
[sniff]
http://www.johnmartyn.com
I am saddened. I am too struck for words, so I will simply post the lyric of my favourite song of his, May You Never from his Solid Air album.
And may you never lay your head down
Without a hand to hold
May you never make your bed out in the cold.
You're just like a great strong brother of mine
You know that I love you true
And you never talk dirty behind my back
And I know that there's those that do.
Oh please won't you, please won't you
Bear it in mind
Love is a lesson to learn in our time
Now please won't you, please won't you
Bear it in mind for me.
And may you never lay your head down
Without a hand to hold
May you never make your bed out in the cold.
Well you're just like a good close sister to me
You know that I love you true
And you hold no blade to stab me in the back
And I know that there's some that do.
Oh please won't you, please won't you
Bear it in mind
Love is a lesson to learn in our time
And please won't you, please won't you
Bear it in mind for me.
May you never lay your head down
Without a hand to hold
May you never make your bed out in the cold.
You're just like a great strong brother of mine
And you know that I love you true
And you never talk dirty behind my back
And I know that there's those that do.
Oh please won't you, please won't you
Bear it in mind
Love is a lesson to learn in our time
And please won't you, please won't you
Bear it in mind for me.
May you never lose your temper
If you get in a bar room fight
May you never lose your woman overnight
May you never lay your head down
Without a hand to hold
May you never make your bed out in the cold.
May you never lose your temper
If you get in a bar room fight
May you never lose your woman over night
May you never lose your woman over night
May you never lose your woman over night.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Another production finished. It seems to have been a great success, with every performance a sell out! This is the best we've ever had in ticket sales, and I can honestly say we've had the best audience response as well. Each year we seem to get better and it's all because have a really good group of people who not only get along well, but who among them have a large and varied choice of skills to call upon and who are 100% cooperative.
Hubby took hundreds (literally) of photos and so here are a few of them. I'm the evil old hag, in case you're wondering. Not that I've been typecast or anything! ;-/
The whole project has been hugely rewarding and if I had any reservations before, I now have no doubt in mind that I intend to continue contributing to the group for a long time to come.
We'll be having the show Post Mortem this Thursday so we'll see what everyone else thinks.
Now I can hardly wait for the mid-year show! Although, having been cast in the last three productions, I feel it only fair that I decline from auditioning for the next show and learn some more backstage skills.
Bring it on!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
They're not fantastic as I had ro rely on other people to take the pictures (for obvious reasons) but next weekend I will make sure I get some decent ones.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Well, it's almost a week since the very first performance of Snow White and the Magic Mirror, or Schneeweiss und die Zauber Spiegel, as my dad has decided to call it. I've got my costume washed and all nice and fresh smelling, ready for another three performances of being hot, sweaty and worried for two hours. Must remember to pack the lovely crispy red apple we used last week in my costume/props bag before leaving the house tomorrow. It's kept very nicely in the fridge, and is so perfectly red and flawless we decided to use it again this weekend. Forgot to go and get some more eyelash glue today. Must do that tomorrow as my dad won't remember to or have a clue. I seem to have lost it between the last performance and coming home. I need it to stick on my dad's false eyelashes - he's the pantomime dame - but we won't go there. Seeing him in lipstick wearing false boobs and chatting up some random bloke in the audience has got me traumatised. I'll need therapy for weeks after this! LOL Only joking, but it does take a bit of getting used to!
Tonight would normally have been a Theatre Group night, but as we're on stage tomorrow night we're having a night off. :-) This probably means I will have to pull my finger out and do some paperwork instead, which has nothing to do with the panto but is important, nevertheless. I also need to go through my lines at least once tonight as I forgot them on Saturday and it was only a bit of quick thinking that got me back on track.
I plan on taking some photos of the absolutely fabulous cast and crew over the weekend, so watch this space.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
I haven't really blogged about this, so it may come as a bit of a surprise to some. I am currently in a pantomime at Washington Arts Centre, called Snow White and the Magic Mirror.
However, this is not an advertisement. Although, if you do want to come along and see it, the tickets cost £3 and there are six more performances to go, Friday 16th at 7:30pm, Saturday 17th at 1pm and 7:30pm, and the following weekend, 23rd and 24th at the same times!
Right, now that the uncomfortable bit is out of the way ...
I get very, VERY nervous before the first show. I'm sure you've all felt it at some point ... you know when your mouth goes dry and your heart is racing and you feel like you can't breath? I felt so bad that seconds before I was due to make my first appearance, as I was standing behind the curtain waiting for my cue, I actually started considering leaving the Theatre Group after the last show. I felt nauseous and my legs were wobbly.
So, my cue came and on I went. I play the evil old hag (typecasting perhaps?) so the moment the wicked queen casts a spell and turns herself into the hag, there is an explosion, a puff of smoke and she runs off as I run on quickly, cackling loudly. I then rush off the front of stage and up the auditorium steps, scaring the bairns, shrieking and cackling as I go. Well, I made one of them cry, didn't I? As if I wasn't feeling bad enough already! I thought, "I just can't do this."
Anyway, to cut a long story short, I survived the first show, although I felt mentally drained and wanted to cry. My foot was throbbing (I'd broken my toe a couple of days before Christmas and running around on stage in beaten up old DMs was a bad idea) and I really needed a drink. So I went home and had seven whiskys. Not good. I feel guilty now. I just want to make it perfectly clear here and now that I do not have a drink problem. But turning up at the theatre the next day for the matinee performance with a slightly woolly head and a dry mouth was A Bad Thing.
But, you know what? I can't wait till next Friday! All that anguish and nervousness, all that physical and mental discomfort was worth every second. I can honestly say I am proud to be part of a wonderful group of caring, supportive and talented people. I feel we put on a great show and when people come up to you afterwards to tell you so, then I think we must be doing something right.
Roll on Friday!
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
I'm taking a few minutes out from work (well, a lunch break) because I really really need a rest for my brain. You know when you try to explain something clearly to someone and they only half listen to what you say, then they speak to you as if it's your fault for not making yourself clear, or they completely misinterpret what you're saying? Well, imagine all of that over email, and the other person isn't very literate. Then you might understand why I'm feeling wound up, and it isn't even me that's having the conversation in the first place! Ian is doing that and being very patient about it. If I was answering emails I'd have told every fecker to get lost by now. I am not a people person. I have no patience.
Of course, none of this would have happened if said person hadn't bought two separate items from Ebay, paid for them both, THEN asked for us to combine the postage for him!
Gah!
And these noodles I'm having for lunch are so hot I can't feel my lips any more!
Sunday, January 04, 2009
It's late. I'm tired. I have work tomorrow. New Year celebrations in Whitby were wonderful, as usual. I am expecting to be suffering the Whitby Blues from now on.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
From the BBC:
Actress Majel Barrett Roddenberry, the widow of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, has died aged 76.
She died of leukaemia on Thursday at her home in Los Angeles, her family said in a statement.
The actress, who featured in nearly every Star Trek TV show and film, nurtured the legacy of the sci-fi series after her husband died in 1991.
She recently finished her role as the voice of the USS Enterprise computer in the new Star Trek film, due out in May.
Barrett Roddenberry was involved in the Star Trek universe for more than four decades.
She played the dark-haired Number One in the TV show's original pilot, The Cage, but was recast as the blonde, mini-skirted Nurse Christine Chapel for the series, which launched in 1966.
During this time, she was romantically involved with creator Gene Roddenberry, and the couple married in Japan after the show was cancelled in 1969.
'Vital role'
She went on to play smaller roles in all five Star Trek TV spin-offs and many of the Star Trek movie incarnations. She is perhaps best known, however, as the voice of the ship's computer.
Barrett Roddenberry helped keep the franchise alive by inspiring fans and attending a major Star Trek convention each year.
"My mother truly acknowledged and appreciated the fact that Star Trek fans played a vital role in keeping the Roddenberry dream alive for the past 42 years," her son Eugene Roddenberry Jr said in a statement on the official Roddenberry Web site.
"It was her love for the fans, and their love in return, that kept her going for so long after my father passed away."
The website added that in lieu of flowers, the family have asked for donations be made to two animal rescue charities.
The actress is survived by her only son, Eugene.
A public memorial is expected to be scheduled for sometime after Christmas.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
see more pwn and owned pictures
Monday, December 15, 2008
Well, much to my dismay, my lovely Christmassy template appears to be broken (thanks to Pinksy for bringing this to my attention). The comment box didn't work. Despite everything I do to try to fix it, I obviously don't understand xml well enough to debug the problem, so I have gone for the minimialist look until I can be arsed to figure it out.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Friday, December 05, 2008
DJ, please begin with some Trance, to set the mood.
0 comments Posted by Unknown at Friday, December 05, 2008
Thursday, December 04, 2008
You simply have to go over and have a look! Chortle!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
I came home early today so that I could do as much of tomorrow's chores
as I could today. because I will be going to the German Bazaar in town
tomorrow. Almost as if he knew my plans, this is what my dog did to
help.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
I have been thinking about this for some time and have suddenly felt the need to share it with the world as I'd be interested in the opinions of others.
People are hunters. That I can accept. We all need to feed ourselves, clothe ourselves, etc. But what I can't get my head around is why it's ok for people to hunt for fun. In the USA hunting season comes along and people go out with bloody great guns and blast stuff to hell for nothing more than bloodthirsty glee. Granted, some don't, they eat what they catch, but some folks simply do it for fun. In the UK we go grouse and pheasant shooting. We still go fox hunting, despite the ban on fox hunting which came into effect in 2005. Why is that ok? If a child takes delight in killing small animals his parents would take him to the doctor. They'd get him to see a child psychologist. Psychopathic killers, from what I have read, typically have a history of torturing small animals as a child. So, as an adult, how much further, mentally, would one have to go before they began killing people for fun?
Before I finish, I'd just like to say, I'm not vegetarian. I like meat. As to whether I could kill my own food ... probably. But I'm pretty sure I wouldn't enjoy it.
With thanks to MadPriest at OCICBW... for getting me started thinking on this.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Well, I have about 10 minutes to quickly write a few words. I'd just like to start by saying that I am currently using "Write or Die" which is in my opinion a thoroughly scary concept entirely. It makes you continue writing even if you think you have no inspiration by unwriting your words of you stop. This makes you carry on regardless of whether you feel you have anything useful to say. I should give it go if I was you. I stopped writing for a couple of seconds and it turned my screen red and started playing Rick Ghastly to me, which is a horrific punishment for someone like me.
Anyway, I really must get going as I have to be at work in about 20 minutes or so. Give "Write or Die" a go, seriously. You may just find that it will improve your productivity. I may use it in future to keep my blog populated with general blurb.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
[Sigh] I want to listen to it now and crank the volume up but Mr Lisa will think I'm being unreasonable and obsessive. Which I probably am.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Here's a word of advice from someone who has just had first hand experience ... do not ever, EVER, get ammonia in your eye.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Another LOLCat ... so good I want to share
0 comments Posted by Unknown at Tuesday, October 14, 2008
more animals
Monday, September 08, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Started feeling unwell yesterday afternoon. By the evening I had a temperature of over 103F. No high temp today but I have a sore throat and headache and all the other usual flu symtpoms, so just in case you've been wondering where I was (which you weren't, of course), now you know.
I'll get back to blogging when I feel better.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
It's a week today since I was in hospital having my impacted wisdom tooth removed. Well, true to form I got an infection didn't I? I was in a lot of pain over the weekend, so on Monday morning I went to my dentist and he flushed the socket, packed it and started me on a week's course of antibiotics. I've felt generally unwell since I had the tooth out, but today I appear to have turned a corner. A couple of days of medication and I'm already starting to feel a bit better. Except for one of the sutures which is bugging me. It's obviously causing irritation because the tissue around it is inflamed and painful, but that's nothing compared to what I've put up with since last Wednesday. But, you know, it grinds you down. I've had some pretty horrible painful surgical procedures inflicted on me over the years, and to be honest I'd rather go through all of that again than have my bloody jaw bone drilled into to get tooth out in several pieces. Abdominal surgery? Pah! Piece of cake!
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Hospital yesterday. Wisdom tooth. Cut gum. Drilled bone of jaw. Tooth had to be removed in about 4 bits. Face swollen. Hurts to talk. Need painkillers. And chocolate pudding. Kthxbai.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
I've just been to Somerfields up the road from where I work to get me lunch. While I was there pondering whether to buy a vegetable samosa from the chilled cabinet, I spotted these:
Notice Roast Flavour Chicken and the picture of what look like twiglets. I was intrigued and decided to give them a try. When I opened the packet, these were inside:
Not what I would call food. Mummified toes, perhaps, but certainly not food. Food looks like food. Meat. Fresh fruit and vegetables. Not toes. Urgh!
I tasted one. Then wished I hadn't. I doesn't taste at all like chicken. In fact it doesn't taste quite like anything I've ever eaten before.
I'm sorry, Mattesson's, but this just doesn't do it for me.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
It was a pleasant evening last night, so we decided to get the Cobb oven out - besides, we had just had a delivery of Cobblestones and were dying to try them out. I won't go into exactly what we had to eat, except to say that I am rather chuffed in that some of the produce was home grown. I've never grown my own veggies before, so it was a real sense of achievement for me. And delicious, too.
Next year I will definitely be extending my vegetable patch so that we can grow more variety.
I had a few days to recover now from the play, and looking back I am glad it's over, though I enjoyed it immensely. I do think we took on quite a task without realising it several months ago when we voted for Pygmalion as our mid-year play and I'll be the first to say it is not an easy play to learn, even if we are only amateurs. There doesn't seem to be any logical flow to each character's dialogue which makes it very easy to get lost half way through. This happened a few times, but everyone else was brilliant and kept the flow going like they were pros. Tomorrow I believe we will be having the post mortem, so it will be interesting to see what that brings.
Next show: The Christmas pantomime! Yay!
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Before you ask, yes I took some photos and shall be taking more this evening. I only have about half an hour to compose this, so I shall try to be quick, as I have to zoom off to the Arts Centre shortly.
Thursday's performance was ok-ish. It would have been tons better if there hadn't been a bus trip of 20-odd biddies from the local old folks home. Not that I have anything against old biddies, bless them, but they apparently had been told by their carers that they were coming to see My Fair Lady and could have a good old singalong to the songs. I shouldn't have been surprised when they old dears started talking amongst themselves in rather loud voices. It was rather offputting, and my poor dad (playing Alfred Dolittle) got lost halfway through a particularly long bit of dialogue, tried to recover himself a couple of times, then froze up and said 'shit' on stage!
Last night was marginally better. At least we had a much better audience who laughed in all the right places. But I forgot my lines last night! LOL Thankfully, they were only a few words I forgot and Matt and John rallied to help me out and keep the flow going. I must must must do better tonight!
After this evening's performance we shall be toodling along to the wrap party, so no photos for you until tomorrow, I'm afraid. And I shall be watching Doctor Who (which I will have recorded from tonight's airing) before I do anything with photos, so you will just have to wait. :-) I have my priorities after all.
Right, I have to go and make sure all my stuff is in the boot of the car before I leave.
Toodle pip, dwarlings! Mwah! Mwah!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Well, it's 10 minutes past midnight and I have just finished the coat for my Mrs Higgins costume. While working, Mr Lisa has helped me go through my lines a few times. I think I just about have Act V off pat now, I just need to revise where I am to be on stage and at which points. Tomorrow we have the final read-through, then we are On stage on Thursday. Oh heck!
I know I promised to post photos but I think it would be better if I post pictures of us all properly dressed up in the green room before the show, so check back!
Wanna come and see it? It's on at the Washington Arts Centre Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week!
More information here.
