OneGuyFromBarlick

Morning

Yes Stanley or it certainly is in the Rochdale area. The practice lists about 6 dentists but most are only part time, doing just two days a week. Andrew, my dentist, is the only full time dentist in the practice. It is also one of the few practices that is fully NHS so it has a waiting list for patients. The big problem is that most treatments were not allowed due to covid so now there is a huge backlog for fairly routine fillings etc. Any way Bob was successful in asking for an appointment for me and i now have one in January, the week after we come back from the Lakes. I don’t understand why they could give him a booking for me then , but told me there was nothing till March.

Its another dark morning, but at least it is not raining. We are off to Cleckheaton this morning to meet the house clearance chap. I am going armed with disinfectant to clean the fridge as you remember I discovered it was black inside just as we left on Saturday. As it is the newest and most resale-able item I decided to wipe it out with strong disinfectant. I have been unable to get in touch with the District nurse to return the incontinence items so, following a chat with Maxine yesterday, I have decided to give her the box full for her Dad. She told me her friend gave all the bedding, pillows, duvets etc to the Salvation Army so that is a possibility if this chap won’t take them.

I think it will be about 1.00pm when we get back home so it will be a late lunch followed by a bit of sewing

Have a good day all.

Again, I'll bet Sue is posting as I write....



Not your usual engine part (Although I did make a steam pipe as well.) but I needed a hook to make it easier for me to pull my elastic sided dealer's boots on. This will solve the job.
Now for breakfast and second sleep....
I knew you'd be posting. Perhaps Bob got a different receptionist and charmed her off her perch! I hope you have a successful day. You need to get the house off your backs. I know the feeling....

Its not just Rochdale with dentist problems

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... x-22411737

All my shopping is done so it's a full session in the shed this morning. The weather looks acceptable also soa spell of bookie watch....

Morning

Its clear and cold this morning. I have art followed by a Downing Street type Education Department party Ie bring food and drink, circulate and chat. We have to be out by 12.30pm so should be home for 1.00. We have some soup left over if we still feel peckish. No lunch out today as tomorrow we are all meeting up at The Shepherds Rest for a Christmas meal

Yesterday morning went well. The house clearance man met us at the house at 11.00. He was a very honest looking and pleasant person . He explained that anything he can’t sell he tries to either give away to the needy or recycle. He was impressed with our cleaning through as it makes his job easier. Included in the deal is that he vacuums right through afterwards and ensures everything is left clean. He hopes to do the job next Friday or the following Monday.

We took the box of dressings and the medication back to the pharmacy where it came from, where I clearly explained where it had come from and why I was leaving it. I was greeted with the comment that they could not take it as they didn’t know what it all was . I suggested they check on their computer where they would find my brothers name. Eventually I just said I was putting the box down and leaving it. That brought a response, someone came from the back and asked if there were controlled drugs . Again I explained I did not know what the drugs were and asked then not to make it harder than it already was( I even managed a tear which was more one of anger really...) . I said I was leaving them and going, suggested they check their computer and walked out !

Next was the battle of the dentist. Bob got a text saying my next appointment was 29 th December, which did not match either appointment that I had. It took 3 attempts of phoning for 20 minutes at a time before I got an answer . Then I was told I must have written my appointment down incorrectly, till they found on the computer that I was right. Next they said it must be Bobs next appointment, but he doesn’t-have one until his check up in May. The final suggestion was the computer had sent the message to the wrong person....hmm, clever computer that does not need someone to input the data in the first place. I managed to keep my cool as they sorted it out. I now just have the January appointment with my own dentist

The rest of the afternoon I finished the hem of my dress, and started tidying the spare room, littered with Christmas stuff, as my sister is coming on Tuesday evening to have a meal and stay over. We are all looking forward to that.

I have no plans for this afternoon. If it is nice we may go for a walk. Have a good day.

Oh dear Sue.... Your experience with the chemist and the dentist appals me. So sorry to hear you had to go through that. On the other hand I'm glad you had a good experience with your house clearer. Thank god
For my part I have had a quiet two hours in the shed.



I finished my steam and exhaust pipes and went a long way to finishing the steam valve, more work on that tomorrow.

I know there are staff shortages at the moment, I know people are worn out in the health and public services but I am sorry they are paid to do a job and I honestly think that when dealing with the public, especially bereaved public that a little empathy would not go amiss. The excuse of staff shortages due to Covid is wearing a bit thin, when most places seem to be managing. As for the dental receptionist trying to pass the blame on to us for their admin error, well....!!

There were 5 people working in the back of that pharmacist and no one on the desk. No one could be bothered to come to the desk and have an actual conversation and discussion with me until I said I was just leaving them . From a distance they were quoting regulations to me. I too have to abide by regulations, I had to clear and clean a council flat ready for the next tenant and I must not dispose of drugs in the bin but take them to a pharmacist. I did my bit, they didn’t want to do theirs

Rant over!

That's not a rant Sue, it's a justified statement of facts. It's a bit like when the excuse "The computer's gone down" became the stock excuse, now it's 'because of Covid. I can remember when it was "Don't you know there's a war on?". You did right be telling them you were just leaving them....
I shall be in the shed again finishing off my steam valve and perhaps making the Mk 2 version of my boot hook, it needs a longer shank I think. We are promised a wet day so I'll leave a decision about bookie watch until later.....

Morning

Its a dark morning this morning, and its been a long night. Another night spent reading most of the time. Its Bacup market first thing so its a quick cuppa, breakfast and out. Lunchtime will be a Christmas lunch with Wendy, Keith, Barbara, Bill and ourselves in Todmorden . No doubt it will be late afternoon when we get back. Hopefully I will have enough time to draw the picture fors Bs zoom art tomorrow, this evening is zoom wine appreciation with the u3a. The topic is beaujolais.

Have a good day all

Morning Sue, so sorry to hear you didn't have a good night. As I have said before I am lucky and I know it. Are you any good at cat naps? Anyway, I hope you have a better day.
I have just come in from the shed, I'll post a pic shortly.....



I've made a longer boot hook and fitted the steam valve with a driver bar and finished valve rod. Quiet careful work with no surprises....

Stanley, its that darn flat. I was dreaming of it. Cat naps, yes especially if I am in any form of moving transport. Not when I am driving of course .

Sue wrote: ↑11 Dec 2021, 11:33 Cat naps, yes especially if I am in any form of moving transport. Not when I am driving of course .

Same here

Get Bob to take you for a drive. Remember taking kids out in the pram to get them to sleep?
I have just sat down after searing a pound and a half of steak and kidney and three small onions, de-glazing the pan and building what will be a lovely stew. It's in the Dutch oven and popped in the small oven to cook slowly....

I hope you slept better Sue.
My head is full of the things I must check before I cut the steam passage in the bottom f the valve. They are more complicated than they look! I shall be in there at 6AM for a couple of hours.
The day looks as though it could be dry and mild so bookie watch will be provisionally on the cards before Formula One.

Morning

Its a dark damp one. I slept soundly last night and am actually struggling to wake up. Today is an earlier than usual cooked breakfast as Bob is off to the park early to set up the ´Santa Special’ which the model engineers are running today, i know its due to be a warmer day but rain is forecast and I hope its not too heavy. I shall have my zoom art with Briony, change and wash the bedding and set up the spare bed ready for my sister staying on Tuesday evening. I have a couple of presents to wrap before I move them all out of the spare room to the study to make way for Jane and her lovely dog. Otherwise I have a bit or ironing and will start redrafting the pattern for my jacket as discussed with Maxine on Wednesday.

Have a good day all

Just remembered, I have a carol service to watch on youtube at 10.30. Erin is singing with the school choir at their local church. Claire has sent me the link

" I slept soundly last night and am actually struggling to wake up."
That's good news Sue! As for the weather, it hasn't stopped raining here since early on.
I have had two hours in the shed and will be back with a pic in a few minutes.....



We get closer to an engine. Nice slow quiet work.....

It stopped raining and I had my walk and bookie watch. Now for the GP!

I shall be in the shed for a couple of hours moving slowly towards an engine. I'm enjoying this Stuart No. 9, it's a comfortable size to work with.
Bookie watch should be on later this morning as the rain isn't forecast to come in until this afternoon and it isn't a cold day.

Morning

Bob had a successful Santa Special day at the park yesterday. He showed me queues of young families waiting for the train rides. Santa ran out of sweets for the children! They took over £500 which is over 500 rides, amazing for a damp day. Today the forecast is much the same. As I write the dawn is colouring the sky orange and pink but rain is forecast.

I have pilates and yoga this morning, this evening is art club at the community centre followed by a zoom chat with my university friends, Jean and Sue. I am in two minds to stop going to the art until after Christmas whilst we wait and see how omicron develops. I see no reason to expose myself unnecessarily. Having watched the figures closely for weeks and read the science articles I await evidence of the severity of this new variant. There is no doubt numbers are increasing but will it cause a serious increase in hospital admissions and death. No one seems to know.

On that note I shall drink my tea and start my day. Have a good day all

Morning Sue... It sounds as though Bob and his mates were busy! As for the weather, it's quite pleasant here in Barlick, calm, mild and drying. The rain isn't expected until early afternoon. I hope you get the same. I agree with you about the uncertainty that still shrouds the Moronic variant, it seems to me that if working from home is being advocated there should be curbs on other gatherings. Covid doesn't care whether it's working in a factory or a night club!



I have had a quiet and productive morning in the shed. The clevis is finished and fitted and I am working on the support for the valve rod, a complicated little casting! Steady progress and no mistakes.

Raining here Stanley!

Just an occasional half hearted spatter up to now Sue but if the rain is working its way up from Rochdale, it's a very light wind and so slow..... I got my bookie watch in....

Damp here and thick mist most of the day

Normal shed duties and it looks as though bookie Watch will be on after second sleep.
Jarndyce v. Jarndyce hangs over us as the lawyers slowly go through their essential details....