Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

I dose a lot in a chair Stanley. The position in bed is the worse.I am now back on 3 to 4 pillows. I shall go to the pharmacist today to see of I can get something for the catarrh

[Stanley]

Ah.... I hadn't thought of that Sue.

[PanBiker]

Been up to Hey Farm to get the wherewithal for Sally's back yard tomatoes. Compost to mix with ours from our bin and a grow bag for in the propagator. One or two pot plants for the yard as well as one for our Carla's garden who has changed her mind about getting it from her recent visit.

[Sue]

Been up to Hey Farm to get the wherewithal for Sally's back yard tomatoes. Compost to mix with ours from our bin and a grow bag for in the propagator. One or two pot plants for the yard as well as one for our Carla's garden who has changed her mind about getting it from her recent visit.

I shall miss my tomatoes. I am not doing them this year as we will be in France mid July till September. It will probably be too late to plant them there when we go at the end of may

[Stanley]

I used to enjoy looking after the tomatoes in the greenhouse when I lived with Mary. I used to gather sheep muck and put it in a bag in the water butt. Lovely toms......
Today I'll be making muck with my castings..... (I love cast iron!) As for a walk and a sit, I shall take a view depending on the weather, it could be wet on and off today.

[Wendyf]

Reacclimatising to life back home after a long weekend of warm Devon sunshine and family life. My brother tested positive yesterday morning so I'm keeping my fingers crossed but I doubt if I'll escape the virus this time.

[Stanley]

If you follow my experience Wendy it's just a very bad cold and I found it liberating in a way because I could stop worrying about catching it and the consequences. It didn't kill me or put me anywhere near hospital.



Dead simple morning. Rough turning castings, the finish can be refined later. I did bore the flywheel for the shaft......
Progress and so far it's good iron.

[Sue]

Morning

Yesterday was a rubbish day. I felt worse than ever. Lack of sleep from coughing all night and a head as thick as a plank and once again hardly any voice. I had decided to go to the local pharmacist and Bob suggested I went to the big Boots in Rochdale. He had to go to the bank about executor things, probate having been granted, so we drove down in the afternoon. ( noway could I have walked, it was far enough from car to Boots and back buying a couple of birthday cards on the way. 5 for £1 from Card warehouse and nice ones too. ) However it was nearly 3.00 before we could go out as our visitor stayed all morning then we were having the boiler serviced ( not burglar alarm as I said yesterday) .

Well 111 works. I am impressed. I told the pharmacist at Boots that I had tried every branded medicine for every symptom and the old fashioned remedies too but no improvement or relief. In view of my asthma they would not give me anything but said I should phone NHS 111. It took a while to get through with more options and buttons to press than a multiple choice exam sheet. This was followed by a similar long questionnaire by a very pleasant and helpful, caring young man . After this assessment it was decided I needed to see someone within two hours . He said to hold the line whilst he sorted out who I could see. Anyway 111 sorted and arranged an appointment at our own GPs, something I could probably have not managed to get myself at that time, now 4.00 pm and as they are like gold and impossible to get it.Anyway I had a video link with a Dr Alam at about 5.30. He gave me a good 15 minutes and two prescriptions to fetch immediately from the desk. Bob went , and even though it was rush hour through the centre of Rochdale he beat the prescription to the desk. Of course by this time the local chemist was shut but he managed to get it on Spotland road on the way back up the hill. I started treatment immediately and during the night I started to breathe, and have had much less coughing. Onwards and upwards i did not sleep soundly but I did at least sleep.

Wendy, as Stanley says, covid is not what it was, so I am sure you will be ok but anyway. I don’t plan on doing much today. My sewing lesson tomorrow is on hold , depending wether I have the energy to finish my task today. Taira is coming round for the beetroot plants at lunchtime and other than taking my medication thats it.I have two letters to write for three of the birthday cards, but no rush and a sit down job

Good luck to my sister who is doing her level 4 wine exams today and tomorrow. Sommelier level I believe

Have a good day all.

[Wendyf]

My only concern is for Col, and that's because he took the opportunity of my absence to take a load of floorboards up on the landing to bring new cabling in from the barn. The place is a mess and I don't want him getting unwell before it's all tidied up!! He's well chuffed that he has coped with all the effort involved, so is forgiven.

[Big Kev]

I thought about Colin too Wendy, you may have to move to the barn

Sue, I used the 111 online service https://111.nhs.uk/
filled out the questionnaire and a doctor phoned me within two hours. Very impressed with the service.

[Sue]

Sue, I used the 111 online service https://111.nhs.uk/
filled out the questionnaire and a doctor phoned me within two hours. Very impressed with the service.

Yes very impressive. I did the phone call rather than online. They said there was a long queue. It was little more than 4 minutes, I am used to 35-40 for our Drs

[Wendyf]

We found it very useful when Col needed help. There was a morning when he couldn't get through to our Earby surgery at all and eventually had to call 111. After all his details had been taken the doctor who called back was at Earby surgery doing a stint for 111.

[PanBiker]

Reading through on catch up. I was concerned about Col as well Wendy, always a concern if you live with someone who is vulnerable. I hope you are on the mend as well Sue, sounds like there seems to be a bit of a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Stanley]

I'm sat here with my fingers crossed for all of you!
I shall go for a walk in the sun and sit on the bench..... I've put a jumper on! (Something we may have to do more often when the next heating season comes round.!)
Later.... I had my walk and a sit and if you are out of the wind as I was that sun has some heat in it. Very pleasant.

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed with my castings. Bookie watch looks to be on but it could be chilly!

[Sue]

Morning

I had a quiet day yesterday but did feel up to finishing my sewing, did some jigsaw, wrote my letters and that was about it. Oh yes I planted my courgette plants in the garden. I have had a cough free night and relatively congestion free though now I have moved to get my antibiotics I do feel a little bunged up. I will have my steroid nasal spray and tablets at breakfast. On the whole a considerable improvement. The red patches have gone on my throat and I have a voice of sorts. I feel quite bright.

Don’t worry I shall still take it easy today. We have a man coming this morning to look at some glass replacement in the conservatory where several panes are showing their age and steaming up. I think I will go to Maxine's this afternoon as I think the outing will do me good but I may not stay the full two hours. I have cancelled this evenings pilates. So thats it, thats my day . My sister has the practical part of her exam. Now we who like a glass of wine may be able to distinguish between a merlot and a cabernet sauvignon but I think what is required of her in this exam is a bit more advanced. She is rather nervous. The theory paper went better than expected .

Have a good day all of you.

[Big Kev]

Good to hear you're improving Sue

[Stanley]

Yes, nice to see you are moving the right way. If you follow the same track as the rest of us it will be a long job getting rid of the after effects but you have the advantage that you are going to be recovering with better weather! Dr Green is a very good treatment for anything that ails us.



I've had a nice, if mucky, session in the shed. I have taken the front lid forward and used it to mark the plug in the bore for centre. Then I milled the faces on the bed and the faces of the lugs for the holding down bolts. All progress and no cock-ups!

[Sue]

Coughing well since I got up.

Having had this I certainly do not fear getting covid. Apparently this bad chesty cold is very common at the moment. Although there was less of a cold and just more of throat and chest infection. I think it is probably what my sister had 5 weeks ago. She was off work for two weeks which is not like her at all. If you think I am a busy person you should see her. Anyway hers was definitely not covid either .

I think we are all more susceptible because we have not been keeping up with our general community immunity, another reason fo getting back to normal . Keeping in contact with people keeps up exposure to normal every day bugs which in turn boosts are immunity to these on every exposure

[Stanley]

That's a very good point Sue.... I still think my 'Covid' was more a bad winter cold than anything else. Makes you wonder if we can tell the difference between the two now.

I shall be doing two hours shed therapy as usual. I tell everyone that it's what keeps me going and I really do believe that. Gentle physical and mental exercise and the use of manual skills while standing up for two hours is pretty good therapy I reckon.
I shall take a view on walk and bookie watch later. I suspect I shall have to wrap up warm!

[Sue]

Morning

That was the first decent nights sleep in over two weeks. I was on normal pillows, and didn’t cough . However having woken I have a sore throat...again and know that I will probably have a coughing fit when I start moving around. There is definite improvement.I did go to sewing with Maxine. It was good to get out but I felt exhausted when I got back home.

I shall go to art this morning but will do little else during the rest of the day. Our hairdresser friend Kath is coming this afternoon to cut Bobs hair, have a chat and a cuppa and collect her large geranium plants that have been over wintering in our conservatory. That will be the last of the big plants gone. All that remain are the cacti which will go out in the garden when we go to France for the summer, three bell pepper plants which I have managed to keep growing for three years now , and one large chili plant that has continued growing from last year. Our cleaner will be pleased as surfaces and the floor can now be seen .

The chap came yesterday to measure up our replacement windows and repairs. He was saying he is inundated with work but it could be weeks. We told him not to rush so long as the work was done by the end of the summer. I think he was relieved we would be away July to September so is aiming to complete by then. Its a young chap, own business. He has done a few windows before and our front door. We are very impressed with him, clean work good price and a nice honest guy.

Must have my cuppa and shower , I have to be out just after 9.00.. have a good day all. I think I will be tired after this morning

[Sue]

......That's a very good point Sue.... I still think my 'Covid' was more a bad winter cold than anything else. Makes you wonder if we can tell the difference between the two now...

Soon I think the excuse for not doing homework will be ‘ I had covid at the weekend’ . There is no doubt it can still be very serious for so e but then so can a lot of other things around. Lets just hope and further mutations are not too serious. Your statement here Stanley is what I have been thinking for months, as you know, especially after the version Bob had at Christmas. Its endemic now and life will start to return back to normal till next winter when it will be in the list of serious respiratory winter illnesses

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. I think that what we are saying is that this is the 'new normal'.



A nice two hours in the shed and more progress.

[Sue]

I think my life, apart from this dreadful bug and having compulsory masks on the ferry ( and on planes which is changing next week in Europe) is pretty much back to where it was. The risk of nasty bugs in the winter has always been the normal . Most of the differences in my life now are Brexit related and not covid. As I have said before I am more worried about the threat of outright war
I was pretty whacked after art this morning, had lunch and went to lie down ( which I can now do) for an hour or two. I am now coughing furiously and have a thick head. Each day at a time, but at least I got out.

[Big Kev]

Getting out is good