Nothing doing.

Hubby still in hospital as there is no care package available. Just one of many! The dog and I are keeping each other company. If I didn’t have him I would be going round the bend.

I don’t feel imaginative enough to be creative at present so there’s no writing getting done, not even poems. I’m watching stupid rubbish on the box in the evenings and going to visit most days of the week.

I got so fed up watching the cleaners mop the ward floors I actually did our kitchen and bathroom today, something I only usually do when they are muddy.

Must try to find another radio station now Radio 2 has nothing on for the over 50’s.

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Health update

So many friends and relatives seem to have needed to go to hospital over Christmas. We were lucky. Hubby has been in for a fortnight and is due home next week with a care package. Our local hospital has been very good, although I have only seen nurses and physios. The doctors must have more urgent cases to deal with.

We missed Christmas completely as he went in Christmas Eve. I have minced turkey in the freezer and one third of a Christmas cake left!

He is coming out with a walking frame for indoor use and will not be allowed to drive. I haven’t told him yet. It seemed to have been a combination of things that knocked him out but I am trying to get as many aids as I can, including a riser sofa for us both as I have trouble getting out of our present one, too. Heart, lungs, ears and concentration all seem to have deteriorated at once. It’s no fun getting old.

Sickly verse

The lady who lives in the Close is confused, as she has had a dose

Of the dread tummy bug, which forbids her to hug

The people she wants to, the most.

As it’s Christmas she wrapped up some gifts, as presents are sure to give lifts

To the family, who are, some of them, due

To visit, with no sign of rifts.

Yet, in spite of the plans that are laid for the joy and the love all displayed

They cannot meet up. to talk or to sup.

Alas, that’s what the virus put paid

To, so we must wait for the day when we are together and say

Let’s greet 23 and be grateful that we

Are really not so far away.

A very different Christmas

We are fasting today as we caught a tummy bug this week, just when all the family get togethers were being arranged. It’s almost like Covid all over again. I had presents wrapped and meals organised and it all has to stop. Life is really testing us at present and all we can hope for is that it gets better in 2023.

The family have promised to come and see us in the New Year so we must look forward to that. I know a lot of people are worse off than us but being ill spoils everything. If one could do something to cure the problems it would make one feel more in control. Nothing that used to amuse and entertain seems to work any more.

I think I’ll have to write a poem about it. That usually does the trick. I expect by next post I’ll be more cheerful. We can only hope. If I don’t write before the 25th I wish you all a Happy Christmas.

Twitter

My eyes were focussed on the screen. searching for a Tweet

One of those kinda funny ones about what you drink and eat.

This time there was a challenge, a choice we had to make-

“What would you rather gorge upon, strong ale or sugary cake?”

The beer, I thought, could make me drunk; the cake could make me fat-

In either case too much was bad, so I didn’t answer that!

Booster jab

Today we had anpther jab for Covid. We spend more time at the doctor’s than anywhere else at present.

I get so breathless going shopping I decided to do a photo calendar for everyone in the family this year and choosing thirteen photos was quite a task.

I don’t expect they will all be happy with my selection but I took them off my phone and some people pop up more than others, namely our granddaughter. Her mother doesn’t like me to put photos of her on line so I won’t. There is so much talk about what happens on social media and with scams. It’s enough to make one want to tuck one’s head inside one’s shell and just let the world go by.

I can’t believe how it has taken over people’s lives until they just cannot live without the connection. My mobile phone is for calls and photos and a tiny bit of surfing when I ask Google about stuff – usually medical. I know too much knowledge is dangerous so I have written to the doctor to ask if we are on the correct pill regime.

When you read the instructions in the packets they say don’t take these with these and frighten you with possible side effects. So far we aren’t suffering but time will tell. On Twitter they asked ‘when did you feel old?’ and I replied at 80. I keep getting helped on and off buses. Well, there’s no going back so we just plod on.

Season’s greetings.

No news is good news?

Just ticking over and trying to solve one issue each day. Now I have a rollator I don’t get so out of breath when I go to the shops. I also walk slightly quicker. Trouble is, I don’t want to take the dog on those trips so he’s not getting out so much. He doesn’t really mind, just as he doesn’t seem to care what we feed him with. We couldn’t get the Senior pouches he usually has for breakfast so I got different tins and he woofed them. I think he likes Naturo best but we also give him fish and rice and chicken and rice and scrambled egg and he’s always licking the bowl afterwards.

We are both over Covid but I have some new symptoms. I managed to book an appointment with the doctor for Monday. I think I might be diabetic but won’t know until I get a blood test. Everything I eat or drink tastes funny so it could be something else.

Reading my latest short story to the Sea Scribes writing group this afternoon. Much less exhausting than the supermarket shop we did yesterday. I don’t like the idea of getting stuff delivered so we will keep going once a week for as long as possible.

I’ll try to find a different image for this post.

King Charles

I have just been watching the proclamation of the reign of King Charles. It is such a strange time. He doesn’t have a chance to mourn his mother before he has to take on the role of king.

It was very odd to hear the announcements, like those of a Lord Mayor. and feel that this has been going on for centuries but not in public. I fear that many young people will consider it old fashioned and unnecessary as there seems to be no respect for History these days. All that matters is “now, now, now!”

It was great to see women taking more of a part in proceedings but Liz Truss looks so plain and slim. I hope she manages to make more of an impact in the future. More than ever, we need leaders we can look up to, to give us a sense of continuity and trust.

I wish King Charles well. He has started faultlessly. This is going to be a difficult time for us all.

More economies.

Our local plumber has given us a new kitchen tap so that has stopped the drips. Meanwhile I have stopped the annual insurance we have had for years with a drainage company. When I rang them they offered a cheaper deal but I said we needed the money to pay energy bills.

I am trying to cut down on the ironing and oven usage as that makes the smart meter go right up into the red. It’s a pity the postmen are on strike because we are waiting for lots of important letters. They still won’t force us to do everything on line!

I must ask hubby to get a new hearing aid. He has the TV so loud I need cotton wool in my ears. It’s just one problem after another.

Security

Well, that’s stopped me buying anything else on line. Both my credit card and my debit card want extra security, code numbers from my phone etc. I don’t feel I want to bother. In fact I might stop using the credit card altogether.

What with that, and the bank stopping us using our very good bank account because they are not continuing with money manager I feel more and more as if we are being shut out of the modern world.

If they do away with cash I’ll feel like an alien. What’s going on with the world?