Lockdown Diary - Thursday 17th June 2021

I'm on leave today - in fact I did originally have the entire week off (did I mention that already?), until the course I am on for work intervened and I wasn't able to move all my holiday that overlapped with the course timetable.

I am planning to have a relaxing day catching up on the rest of yesterday's Bloomsday celebrations, some reading, listening to the remainder of the latest 'Freak Zone' and whatever else takes my fancy (within the limitations of what is available!)

OK. Seems like today is going to be derailed a bit.  First problem: my wife's air-mattress appears to be punctured in part, so time to call out NRS Healthcare.  It's going to be fun coordinating that with the carer visit: it has to happen then as she'll need to be out of the bed when it's checked/repaired and today (and Tuesday) are the normal times she hoisted out into a special chair for 10-15 minutes.

Continence supplies need ordering. Pharmacy called, drugs for my wife to be collected. It's going to be one of those days.

By some miracle (the Gods must be smiling on me - maybe to make up for the hassle that follows) the NRS guy arrives whilst the carers are here and while my wife is in her chair.  After some fannying about (he has to listen for the hissing of escaping air, really no good in a colony of snakes, which he can't actually hear) and with the aid of his super-powerful pump (?) eventually the offending cell in the mattress is found, removed and replaced. A follow-up check shows everything is working as it should again. Hiss no more, Sid.

Son #3 is going to go and get vaccinated, so I've kindly offered to drop him at the vaccination centre. Our local council is offering a first vaccination for 18s and over as part of their response to a surge in the delta variant locally.  

Well, it turns out that every fucker (and his wife) has chosen to go today, or rather around lunchtime today.  In the end - and I really cannot be arsed to go into all the rigmarole surrounding this - son #3 spends best part of 3 hours there.  If only he'd got his arse in gear and gone early.  How many 18 year olds (who aren't working) would get there before 9:30 a.m.?  Oh, well - a lesson learned the hard way.

Everyfuckingthing I've done today has been interrupted by people coming to the door, people phoning, etbloodycetera.  Never mind all the other shit associated with my wife's illness, the fact that there's a constant stream of people turning up from 7 am until 6pm really does just wear me down.  I guess I could just let the carers let themselves in, but I feel that would be even worse.  It's bad enough that the carers and half the NHS can just let themselves in, and I do appreciate everything they do for us, but it just feels like this house is not our own anymore. Nevermore. Not only that, but even if I did let everyone just come and go as they pleased, since my wife can't speak, I have to be involved with every visit, just in case. Not only that but I like to welcome them in, because we both appreciate everything they do and I am a naturally friendly and gregarious (who?) person. So these interruptions just have to happen. Like having a tiny Woodpecker in your head, banging away, every day, without end.  It is no wonder that I feel such great relief when I get time away from here, for good behaviour (chance would be a fine thing!), away from the incessant demands on my brain cell.

With more interruptions that 'Just A Minute', I finally managed to watch the rest of Bloomsday readings and songs, though I haven't managed to read a bloody word of any of the books I intended to read.  May not manage to do so.  I have listened to more of 'Freak Zone', though not yet listened to it all.

 

[Whoever invented filters for phone cameras should be taken outside and shot]

The evening began with the Idler drinks, with tonight's main speaker being Ruth Kinna talking on the subject of anarchism, a much misunderstood subject.

As usual a very lively and engaging discussion, made even more interesting by son #1 being invited to ask Ruth his question.  For a moment I though how strange, someone with the same surname as me - then it clicked!  Dinner arrived very early, which meant I was unable to participate in the after talk chat.

Almost managed to attend the local Labour Party AGM (an interesting contrast to anarchism), but was unable to do so as the virtual meeting was full?  No idea what happened, but there you go.

After that, bed and sleep.

Yola / 'Stand For Myself' / 'Stand For Myself'

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