Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

Well done Wendy, exactly what I have done on a smaller scale. I don't have to open the door again. With a bit of luck it'll turn to rain later and wash it all away. Fingers crossed.



This was half way through the two hours I spent in the shed this morning. By knocking off time the remaining EN8 slug was in the lathe and well into joining its mates.

That rain is supposed to reach us later today Sue but with a wind chill of -7C at times it could freeze.....

[Sue]

Phew done it. Its a Japanese knot bag. If you remember Eve went to Japan in 2019. I thought this would make a nice teenagery bag.

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What is a Japanese knot bag?

A Knot bag was originally known in Japanese society, because of the tradition in Japan that uses cloth as a cover for food or valuables that will be handed over to others. Japanese knot bag is a simple bag that can be worn over the shoulder or hanging from the wrist

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I have put hidden big pockets inside and the E is also a pocket.

[Stanley]

That looks so practical but simple, no buckles or buttons to drop off.
You know where I will be today, making more muck!



See what I mean? Treads everywhere.....

[Sue]

Morning

Yes practical and simple Stanley and should have been simple to make. I made one for me a couple of years ago which I use for going backwards and forwards to the pilates studio. It has my drink in it and I can put my purse , car keys etc in it during the session. Mine took 2 hours to make and that included making the pattern. It has 4 identical pieces, front , back , and front and back lining . They have to fit together precisely. Eves didn’t as the straps wouldn’t line up with the lining because of the twist in the lining fabric. Eventually I remade the lining in denim from just below the start of the straps. An eventful make ! First I broke the machine and had to have it repaired, then I sewed the straps into the back of the fabric, whilst embroidering the E then, the lining wouldn’t fit. A two hour bag became a week long project.

There wasn’t a lot of the day left by the time I had finished. So I spent the rest of the day watching a DVD about the new art media , Brusho, I am trying. Today I shall have a day off sewing before making Erins birthday dress. Instead I shall tackle my art project, Winter Trees, with this Brusho, having abandoned last weeks attempt in oils. I don’t think last week was my best week doing art and crafty tasks . I don’t know what todays weather forecast is, but this morning is grey, damp and 7 degrees. It rained on and off most of the day yesterday.

So today, art, and perhaps another chapter and assessment on the Celts. Have a good day everyone . Roll on Spring to be able get out in the garden.

[Stanley]

We're into February now Sue, there is hope!



This tells the story of today's two hours in the shed. I have three carronades through the first stage and I have cleaned up ready for making more muck tomorrow.

[Sue]

Very smooth, I like them .

[Marilyn]

Head down, bum up today wiping metre after metre of skirting boards and low windows ( our windows reach the floor). Has to be done when the back is in good order. Plus dusting furniture legs etc, that is the bottom floor done. May do the upstairs tomorrow. Boring but necessary work. Not the best way to spend a day, but someone has to do it.
Had to pause at lunchtime as hubby had funny little chest pains, but he has been checked out at the medical centre and is awaiting blood results. Likely just a muscle pain from digging out the bulbs in the garden.
He is fine tonight, enjoyed his tea, and a glass of wine. Pains have gone.

[Marilyn]

The medical centre visit was NOT free. £35. That included an ECG and doctor consult. He was seen within 5 mins.
Blood tests were free. All done with Covid rules in place ( I had to wait in the corridor where chairs were spaced at 2 metres)
Happy to pay, for almost instant peace of mind.
I know we have a different medical system to you. We are accustomed to paying for medical care. Had it been a heart attack, an ambulance would have been there in a blink of an eye. Ambulance is free, as we have private medical insurance. Had he been transported to hospital, our insurance would pay for his care.
Anyway...at this point...seems he just strained a chest muscle. Can’t be too careful with a man who has had a triple bypass followed by a further heart attack.
I was back to cleaning skirting boards in no time

[PanBiker]

Glad it all turned out OK Maz.

[Sue]

When we are in France we pay as does everyone else. You can’t leave the surgery till you have paid. We claimed back from NHS on return,( don’t know what it will be now but something equivalent I am sure) the french claim back on their national health payments and their personal top up insurance depending on any long term issues they have. I gather nearly everything for children is free. Their prescriptions are cheaper than ours . However they can’t get their act together about a vaccination program and vaccination centres apparently aren’t very disabled friendly, often up steps, inadequate parking facilities .

[Stanley]

Give Dave my best Maz.
Sue, thanks.... I like them as well, they will look better when they have shapely bums......

[Marilyn]

I was unaware what was going on at the Medical Centre desk as hubby was paying and checking out because I had to stay away due to Covid rules, but apparently he had to “tap and go” twice. Once was to pay the £35 and the second time was to instantly claim £25 back....so the whole thing only left us £10 out of pocket.

Still awaiting blood results, but he is as right as rain now.

10.00am. All clear. Blood tests perfectly normal.

[Stanley]

Today is relatively busy. I shall be in the armoury with the cannon, than to the Co-op early doors for weekly shop. usual afternoon but at 17:30 I have to be at the top of the street ready to be whisked off to Colne by my caring crew for a jab at 5.46PM. Than early bed I think..... I am a happy bunny.

[Marilyn]

A convenient time for Fish and Chips to be collected on the way home, Stanley!

[Sue]

Morning

Its a beautiful dawn, orange, pink and blue sky. This will be short I have to be up and out this morning to go to the physio. I shall have to allow extra time as the route I would take to Rochdale is closed for gas repairs which means everyone will be using Whitworth road. It could take me a good 15 minutes longer if not more. (The sky is now lilac! ) I don’t think there is any noticeable difference with the sharp pain in my foot.

Yesterday we managed a walk but it started raining as we set off and continued to do so on and off for the four and a half miles. We were a little damp when we got back. We did a different circuit combining an old route with a new one and apart from the rain it was a pleasant walk. We saw very few people and they were mainly dog walkers. On returning and logging our miles on our virtual walk we have now done 54 miles in the month and are just 2.6 mikes outside Canterbury our first ‘sight seeing stop ‘ . We are about 14 % of our way to Paris. Only another 7 months to go

I spent most of the rest of the day with my art project and will do again today. I have practiced different skills and techniques and think I know where to go from here. Its a very different style for me and has not come easy. I usually go for quite precise art but this, by virtue of the media is very loose.

So that will be my day, have a good one everyone . Hope the vaccine run goes smoothly as I am sure it will Stanley

[Stanley]

Not necessarily Maz, I shall do my tea at the usual time unless I get instructions from Susan to do anything different.



I dis some time in the shed measuring up, marking and getting set up for tomorrow. Then I want to the Co-op and did my weekly shop. That's sorted and put away now. I'm having my breakfast and looking forward to second sleep. After that it's get ready for my trip outside the manorial boundaries into Covid Country at Colne....
I had it in my mind you were posting at the same time Sue. I hope you get some relief for your foot. As for the jab, from what Susan tells me it is well organised and that's the message I am getting from Ken. I'll report tomorrow.

[Marilyn]

I bet it will be Fish and Chips on the way back! Tell me I am wrong in the morning!
( you don’t have to be “instructed”. You could “shout” )

[Sue]

The physio is trying a new approach. We have abandoned the nerve stretching exercises and he is trying back manipulation in case there is a trapped nerve although there is no evidence as such, except limited range of movement on one side of my back. I did explain that I had had that for years but its worth a try for a couple of sessions. Otherwise he has run out of options. I shall continue with exercise classes as I have been ie not doing the movement that causes the pain. As I am the two very energetic yoga classes a week down at the moment and have been since mid December and there has been no change in the condition we can conclude that yoga is not the issue and thus unlikely to be pilates which is more about strengthening core muscles.

[PanBiker]

When I was incorrectly diagnosed with spinal stenosis by the local physio's they made the mistake of only treating the symptoms, being already convinced that was the cause for my tripping. They failed to look at the whole of my stature which would have told them I had a dropped shoulder which contributed by a knock on effect to my walking gait. They treated me with pilates based exercises which did have some effect probably due to enhancing core strength which seemed to confirm the diagnosis. Wind the clock on 18 months and my motor cortex brain tumour sorted that misnomer out.

It was the neuro physio team at LGI that looked at the "whole" as they had a blank canvas with complete loss of muscle control down one side. The dropped shoulder wasn't helping so one of the first jobs was to manipulate that to prove the point. Half an hour of intensive therapy on my shoulder and it lifted my right foot by over an inch. My dropped scapula is the result of an injury 40 years ago. Needs surgery to correct fully which I will pass on as I can function without that kind of intervention.

[Stanley]

Susan gives instructions and I obey, it's easiest that way. She has already got back to me because I said it was my treat.
I hope the new approach works Sue and yes Ian, I recognise that one. I always said that hard work makes you go a funny shape.

[Sue]

When I was incorrectly diagnosed with spinal stenosis by the local physio's they made the mistake of only treating the symptoms, being already convinced that was the cause for my tripping. They failed to look at the whole of my stature which would have told them I had a dropped shoulder which contributed by a knock on effect to my walking gait. They treated me with pilates based exercises which did have some effect probably due to enhancing core strength which seemed to confirm the diagnosis. Wind the clock on 18 months and my motor cortex brain tumour sorted that misnomer out.

It was the neuro physio team at LGI that looked at the "whole" as they had a blank canvas with complete loss of muscle control down one side. The dropped shoulder wasn't helping so one of the first jobs was to manipulate that to prove the point. Half an hour of intensive therapy on my shoulder and it lifted my right foot by over an inch. My dropped scapula is the result of an injury 40 years ago. Needs surgery to correct fully which I will pass on as I can function without that kind of intervention.

Jake had done a complete assessment on my overall mobility and stature. He did that on the very first meeting and re assessed this morning. Hence todays half an hour intensive on the left hand-side of my lower back as the lack of flexibility on that side was the only thing we could identify as being a weakness. The problem with my feet only manifests itself with turning the foot to an angle when raised . And the problem with the back of my left foot only manifests itself in the downward facing dog position in yoga . This is something I used to be able to do but now I can no longer put my heel to the floor. I can touch the floor, hands flat on floor with legs straight. I then walk my hands out forwards and in a matter of inches the pain appears. Apparently this is classically a problem with the nerves. Having exercised the nerves since mid December in one way or another the last ditch chance is to see if there is a problem in the back. This should have generated pain in the foot whilst manipulating my back, but it didn’t .


My next option is to visit my GP for some sort of referral but I have no desire to visit my GP at the moment , although I should imagine he would not need to see me as I can explain what has already been tried.

[Tripps]

And the problem with the back of my left foot only manifests itself in the downward facing dog position in yoga

Doctor Dave would say - "cut out the downward facing dog position in the yoga". Simples.

There'll be no charge.

[PanBiker]

My next option is to visit my GP for some sort of referral but I have no desire to visit my GP at the moment , although I should imagine he would not need to see me as I can explain what has already been tried.

I have just installed the "My GP" app on my phone. It links into other NHS services for patient access like NHS Blood Donors and Organ Donation. You choose your local surgery and it allows you to make appointments including video consultations etc, sort prescriptions, looks quite useful especially at the moment.

[Sue]

And the problem with the back of my left foot only manifests itself in the downward facing dog position in yoga

Doctor Dave would say - "cut out the downward facing dog position in the yoga". Simples.

There'll be no charge.

Did way back in November.keep up Dave I no longer do the exercises that aggravate the condition. Unfortunately the problem is still there, as tested by a mock up of the various moves on a fortnight.y basis at the physio

[Tripps]

Sorry - I'll try to do better. I had a sudden attack of flippancy. Couldn't resist it.