Nine Feet Underground

For the first time in ages, an almost normal Monday. I will be going to yoga for 10:00, but sadly E is still in hospital. Guess I'll find out more later. My day started with a chat with a friend before getting ready to go to yoga, after confirming it was on and there were no new restrictions.  It was good to go to yoga for the first time in quite a few weeks: hopefully I will be able to attend for the final Mondays leading up to Christmas. I was welcomed back and everyone was pleased to see me, which was nice. Drove home via the filling station and pharmacy (to collect some meds for E) and called the hospital for an update. It's now looking like E won't be home before Wednesday and they need me to bring more bottles of feed, so I've decided I'll take in enough until Friday when I go to the hospital for an outpatient's appointment tomorrow. The afternoon somehow disappeared, despite me not achieving very much at all, but I guess it was moderately relaxing. In the

Fresh from the introduction of two-day posts, I'm now in a position where a three day post is necessary.  Consequently this will be very much a case of 'edited highlights', though probably for more than one reason. [Friday] Friday was a normal(-ish) day of work punctuated by calls to the hospital and related interested parties. E won't be coming out of hospital before Monday at the earliest, which is probably a good thing, I guess. I'm picking up a friend from the station tonight after two flights back to the UK and will visit E in hospital before going to meet at the station. Bloody cold evening! Visited E and she slept the whole time I was there: still on oxygen and antibiotics. I spoke to the nurse and she said they'd been try to use suction to clear the stuff from her throat, but E was resisting.  After my visit I headed for the station, to pick up a friend and go to a nearby hotel. Unpacked at hotel and heading down to the bar for food, before retiring.   [

Another day punctured by what's going on a few miles away in the hospital. My brain is split between work and making sure everything is in hand with regards to E at hospital. Obviously a day of work primarily, so the usual rules apply. News from the hospital is that E will be staying overnight and is most likely to be in over the weekend, though I won't know for certain until tomorrow. Not the news I was hoping for, but then again I guess she's in the best place possible, given the infection. Mid-afternoon I got a call from the hospital asking me to bring in some of E's feed, which the hospital doesn't normally have, and so I decide I'll probably have to miss the Idler drinks call tonight and go to hospital after work. I put together five bottles of the feed, just in case, and prepare to drive there after work. My final work call finishes around 6 p.m., after which I get ready to visit the ward where E is staying.  Off now... ...back from hospital, having droppe

E is still in hospital and my mid-morning call to the hospital indicates she'll be there at least overnight as she's still on oxygen and intravenous antibiotics. Work is the predominant topic of the day but it's punctured by three calls from the hospital: first the pharmacy, then a doctor treating E and then a nurse on AMU, where she still resides (guess there's a shortage of beds on the wards). Whilst speaking to the nurse I arrange a visit to see E after work, though there is a chance she may have moved to a ward, beds permitting. Not much to say about the day apart from the unexpected pleasure of a long chat with a friend who is travelling this week.   Off to the hospital now, driving there for a change, as generally the car park is less busy after 6 p.m. Back now after my allotted 30 minutes (stayed a bit longer). E remains on AMU and I notice there are two other women in her bay who've been there as long as her, so clearly there's a shortage of beds on the

Back to work Tuesday, but a little odd because E is in hospital, so my day doesn't start with a visit from the carers.  Even more unusual, I actually slept through until ten past six, which is a rarity indeed.  I'm guessing I slept through in part because I wasn't on orange alert listening out for something going wrong for E. I guess if that happens again tonight, it may well be true. Whilst predominantly a working day, I've had to get some work done on my car (amazingly though I was booked in to have three tyres changed, amongst other things, they convinced me only one needed changing, saving me a lot of money!) and also keep in touch with the hospital. News from the hospital is that E is doing OK, responding to the antibiotics, but will stay in overnight tonight. Sounds like there's a chance she'll be home before the weekend, which would be good, and far better for her. In the early evening I have a chat with a friend who is over 3000 miles away and calling fr

For the second time in the history of the Universe (or at least this infinitesimal and insignificant part of it) I am writing another post that covers two days.  There are several reasons for this, including the fact that there's not much I can say about Sunday and also because Monday has been so full-on and completely different to my plans for the day that it's knocked things off kilter. Sunday was mostly spent on the south coast, which turned a fair bit colder than it had been on Saturday.  A very enjoyable day with a Robert Dyas experience thrown in for good measure.  I arrived home in the early evening to find that E was settled and tired but with a cough that was sounding less good.  On Monday morning I got up full of plans for the day, including my return to live yoga after several week's absence.  Little did I know. During the first carer call, Kay and I were concerned that E's cough had got noticeably worse.  I immediately messaged the Community Matron (CM) aski

In catch-up mode, as opposed to ketchup mode which is far messier. A 'normal' Saturday to begin with, though I have a special focus on getting chores done early as I'm off to the south coast mid-morning. Almost time to leave, however the carers will need to keep an eye on E as her cough seems to be getting worse.  Her pulse and O2 levels are OK, so it may just be nothing to worry about, but the carers will keep an eye on her and contact me and the appropriate people if required. Almost time to go... [Written after the event] Spent the afternoon in Southampton, having lunch, buying new trainers and more - a very enjoyable afternoon followed by my first ever trip to Costco! Not only my first trip, but now I am a member! Another day draws to a close... Black Mountain / 'Mothers Of The Sun ' / 'IV'   [[]]

Friday already!  My weeks are going so fast at the moment, in some ways.  I've come to the conclusion that my perception of time depends on the context: in terms of getting work completed, time seems to fly by, similarly with the approach of Christmas, whereas in terms of the weekend and seeing friends again it seems to pass slowly, until the weekend arrives when time flies by again. Not much to report today other than a surprise call from a District Nurse informing me she's planning to come out and give me my Covid booster jab on Monday, and, naturally, I gladly accept the offer. Work over, I make dinner and son #2 and I watch the most recent 'New World Order', always guaranteed to make us laugh while at the same time stare open-jawed in disbelief at what Frankie Boyle says.  Excellent! The day ends in the usual way, without any orders from Zebedee... The The / 'Uncertain Smile ' / 'Soul Mining'   [[]]

Up early for the cleaner, followed a little later by the first carer of the day. Mornings have been fairly cold this week so the carer, who I'll call Kay (this is not her name!), mentioned she was wearing an additional layer under her uniform.  She went on to say she'd normally wear a scarf which is easy to remove, a necessity as the morning progresses and warms up and also because many client homes are extremely warm. She did then suggest she may have to remove the additional layer later, so, being very kind, I suggested she could change here and, what's more, I'd be happy to hold her uniform whilst she did so . She left the house laughing. More on this after her return at lunchtime. In the meantime... Kay returns and is still wearing the additional layer, which she informs me she'll be retaining, though I'm sure my kind offer was appreciated. Both carers tell me about a large penis that was on 'This Morning', a source of much hilarity and unrepeatable

More of the same today, so I'll probably not have much to say. Conversations with the carers and friends have been the high points of the day, though they have been scattered amongst the majority of the time spent on work. The lunchtime carers started a chat about the pros and cons of cosmetic surgery, the use of cosmetics and the male response to women who are either modified or heavily made up. It was suggested that males are always attracted to enhancements of a pneumatic nature, but both I and son #2 (who also became involved in the chat) rejected this suggestion. I welcome these conversations as they are a vital source of social interaction in these days of working from home and enrich life.    Once upon a time, back in the mists of time (no gorillas!), I had this wonderful idea that I would find time every working day to take 30 minutes out for the purpose of thinking: no agenda, no expectation, just time set aside to see what comes to mind and invigorate all aspects of life,

It's one of them there working days again and, as a consequence, I will most likely have little to say.  All the usual things tick over: household chores and admin; supplies I need to order for my wife; attempting to get my mind to think about Christmas - who will be here, what presents to buy for whom, what food we'll need? (depends on who'll be here, which I don't yet know!) The majority of my time is spent on work and in Teams and Google Meet meetings. My 'to do' list gets ever longer. A few exchanges with friends across the day bring light and different topics to mind: many tracks, not only the main line. Time for a conversation with my mother-in-law who is slowly recovering at home after her stay in hospital. She still doesn't sound as active or lively as before, and I'm not sure if it's the medication she's on or the effects of the fall that led to her hospital stay.  It seems odd to be telling her what to do, since she's never been one

Not a working day, but equally not a lot to say. Too busy doing things to stop and think/write about it. Most noteworthy ('All The News That's Fit To Print') is my return home mid-afternoon, returning to the usual tidying and organising. Son #2's cold is getting worse again, so he's a little under the weather, but is taking stuff to control it. These damn colds that are going around at the moment are hard to get rid off - mine has also not quite gone. When the carers come for the evening call, they surprise me with an invitation I can't refuse: they are holding a New Year's Eve party, with secret presents, dancing, karaoke (they expect me to sing! Be careful what you wish for! (I hope the RSPCA aren't called out by a concerned neighbour)), food (noodles are apparently traditional for NYE - the longer they are the longer you'll live (the mind boggles!)) and, naturally, loads of alcohol. They both seem excited about the prospect, so naturally I accept.

In contrast to yesterday, not a normal Sunday.  Firstly I slept quite well, which is a rarity, sleeping through the arrival of the carer, and waking up just before the alarm.  That does hide the fact that I did wake in the middle of the night, for a couple of disturbances in the time-space equilibrium, maybe for a few hours, who knows? The other unusual-ish feature of today is that I'm heading off to the south coast mid-morning, so once I leave, the post will end until Monday's, probably. A load of things to get organised before I leave, not least packing for a sleepover, but also chores like washing and so on. A little later than planned I'm ready to leave, and so I say goodbye to E, and to the boys + gf, then head off.  See you tomorrow, probably. Nadine Shah / 'Fool ' / 'Fast Food'   [[]]

A fairly normal Saturday, though we do have additional guests in the form of son #1 and his gf. That being said, you'd never know it since I'm the only one up, naturally. Most of the day will be taken up in the pursuit of completing the usual set of tedious chores with the added incentive of a trip to the south on Sunday. Late in the afternoon (so technically almost early evening), not long before the final carer visit of the day, we finally all managed to be together to give E the rest of her birthday presents.  Having so many presents at once is a little overwhelming for her, I think, though she obviously was delighted to have her sons with her, even though son #3 was present via video link.  Another birthday over, with reasonable success - next stop the hurdle of Christmas. In the evening we all started watching a movie together, though son #2 left after he'd eaten and seen the start of the film as he planned an evening online with his gf.  So it was left to son #1, his

E's birthday today and so, in time-honoured tradition, I have the day off as annual leave. Once upon a time this would have meant a day shopping somewhere interesting and a meal out in the evening, but those days are a distant memory. Celebrations are comparatively subdued these days - no food or drink since neither are safe any more - but will involve the temporary return from uni of sons 1 and 3 (I am not a number! I'm a free man!) to celebrate fully. One never knows which will be the last. The carers bring E a plant for her birthday, which is very kind. There is only one problem - it is up to me to care for it and not kill it, and they'll be visiting regularly and will see how I'm doing. The pressure!!! I consider a handful of the carers part of our family and their kindness and generosity has gone above and beyond. I have a long conversation with son #1 about his health and whether or not he should really come home, but in the end, based on a couple of negative late

Thursday is the new Friday, at least it is this week as I am on leave tomorrow.  Consequently there are a lot of work things I need to complete or set in train, most importantly my balanced score card for the end of year review/calibration process.   Suffice it to say I got the scorecard done and, as far as I know, all the other things I needed to complete. A successful day at work. Son #1 has had some kind of lurgy all week, so there's a lot of chat today about whether he should come home for his mum's birthday or not tomorrow Thursday means the Idler drinks again and tonight's guest is management expert Charles Handy.  Despite being 89, Charles is still a great speaker and thinker, as his answers to questions from the 'audience' demonstrate. Afterwards the usual suspects, give or take, hang around for a chat, and as always it's lively and fun. Son #2 kindly made dinner while I was enjoying myself, and I eat it while watching more Frankie Boyle. A day with scat

Not a lot to say that's especially exciting.  A day peppered with conversations, both textual and verbal, with friends, but outside of work, not much else to talk about. I have discovered that my passport has expired, which means I need to re-apply for a new, tragically blue, one, just in case the possibility of travel beyond the borders becomes possible again. The first step is a photograph, which is always easier said than done. I've also booked my car in to have three of the four tyres replaced, which will cost an eye-watering sum just ahead of Christmas. Another quiet evening with Frankie Boyle's tour of Scotland, dinner (alone) and a retreat to bed, ready to do it all again tomorrow. Neon Indian / 'Halogen (I Could Be a Shadow) ' / 'Era Extraña'   [[]]

Usual Tuesday shenanigans, enlivened only by a trip to the pharmacy to collect meds for me and my wife. 'Enlivened' indeed! Not much else to say about the day, as all the usual working day things apply. A few fun conversations through the day before and after making dinner with son #2 (to be fair, he did most of it!) before eating it while watching Frankie Boyle travelling around Scotland. Conversation, catching up with the newspaper backlog, followed by attempted sleep. Fatima Mansions / 'Wilderness On Time ' / 'Against Nature'   [[]]

This will be a post about Monday, but in reality it's a continuation of Sunday, at least until early afternoon. On Sunday night I went out for a meal with a friend, before re-routing some wine to the sea, via a fairly circuitous path, though a more direct route would, of course, be accompanied by considerably less pleasure. After an unusually relaxed morning, I headed back for home feeling recharged.  It occurs to me that when I am home, I am never able to fully relax as I am always in a state of orange alert.  This probably has untold impacts, not least of all on my sleep (Sleep? What is that?) After putting it off for several weeks, one of my first tasks on arriving home was to file the paperwork and letters that have arrived since I last did filing. I always have the good intention of filing things as they arrive, but somehow the reality and demands of everyday life get in the way and, several weeks later, I seem to find myself with a pile of paper to sort into the shred or file

Actually, yesterday wasn't a normal Saturday in any way, since half the day was spent meditating with Talking Therapies: guess I was so chilled I forgot it had happened. I awoke this morning with a mild hangover: not bad considering what I'd drunk and easily sorted with paracetamol and loads of water.  Got up bang on 8 a.m. as I'm heading south later when the coast is clear: sea fog. Busy morning getting organised and returning to full human-being status, though one of the carers, who was really going for it last night, is very hungover and asked me how come I looked so well.  There's no answer to that! At the appointed hour - about 1:15 p.m., with the fog due to lift in less than an hour - I loaded up my car and headed for a sleepover by the sea. So far, so good. Vanishing Twin / 'Big Moonlight (Ookii Gekkou)' / 'Ookii Gekkou'   [[]]

Normal start to Saturday, which then took a different, unexpected turn... Son #2 is off to Birmingham to visit son #1 at uni and so I've been getting all geared up for an evening in (almost) alone - lazy dinner, music and a film, accompanied by lashings of ginger beer (a slight untruth, I dislike ginger beer!) until things changed when the carers visited.  One of the carers asked me what I was doing tonight (she knew son #2 was off out) and so I trotted out the story above: it turns out they're having a Korean barbecue with a few friends along with drinks and music and I'm invited. I gladly accepted their kind invitation as I know I'll be in for a great evening. Apart from getting on with chores, of which there are plenty, I also snatch a few moments to catch up with friends and get presents organised for my wife's birthday next Friday.  The mid-afternoon carer visit finalises plans for the evening - I need to get to the house before six as the road may be closed fo

After a quiet day primarily dedicated to work, it's hard to know where to begin or to know what to write. I think I've done to death all the variations on 'it's a working day, so not much to say', so I don't want to trot that tired cliché out again. Unusually for a Friday, I haven't even left the house, so there's no vein of interactions to mine there.   I have had a few conversations with a friend and begun making some plans for November and December, which has been fun.  In the evening I listened to some music on random play before starting to make dinner for son #2 and I. Son #2 is planning an evening with his gf, so I'll probably eat my dinner  and watch something before attempting to catch up on the multi-day sleep backlog I'm owed (ain't gonna happen!!) In the event I watch the first episode of Frankie Boyle's tour of Scotland which we've had recorded for some while before retiring for talk and my latest way of stopping myself s

Full of... it, as always! Another day of lots of activity but largely confined to the sphere of work, so not really much for here. All the usual things happened, as they do: the highlights of my day being a catch up with one of my bosses on my current assignment and her review feedback, which was good to read, and not forgetting, most important of all, conversations across the oceans. The evening was spent in the company of Idler friends at the book launch of 'The Idler's Manual' followed by an hour of chat with friends.  That never fails to enrich my soul. Son #2 cooked dinner, which was really appreciated, and we watched an episode of Frankie Boyle's 'New World Order', which never fails to entertain and amuse. Round we go again Mac DeMarco / 'Chamber of Reflection' / 'Salad Days'   [[]]

Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, a man spent an entire day working away, without play and so had nothing much to say.  I am that man. I do have a cold, but just to be on the safe side I did another lateral flow test, which came back negative. It feels like a cold (remember those?) and I feel as fit as a fiddle otherwise, so I guess it ain't 'My Sharona'. I wonder why fiddles are considered to be fit? They are not living creatures, they are not sentient, surely a fiddle is the very epitome of unfit or at least neither fit nor unfit, a simple zero on the fitness scale. So, actually, I am considerably fitter than a fiddle, in case anyone is worried. Mid-morning a nurse arrived to give my wife both the flu jab and her Covid booster (Pfizer, intriguingly). Not only that but she had come prepared to to puncture me twice as well - in stark contrast to the policy for the previous two years.  Given I had my flu jab yesterday I couldn't have that and also given my sec

Back to work, of course, so the usual stuff applies. Mid-work video call my GP calls to discuss the progress of my acclimatisation to Sertraline (Sertraline, Sertraline wherefore art thou, Sertraline?) which has gradually changed from sick as a parrot to closer to over the moon, on which basis she agrees to order more and put it on repeat / rewind, all being well.  She also asked about my flu vaccination status suggesting it would be good for my stress levels if I was vaccinated and therefore less of a risk to my wife. Though I believe I have an appointment, when she searches on the system she can't find me, and therefore asks if I can come to the surgery at 12:30 today and she'll jab me there and then. Naturally I take up the offer. Tomorrow E gets double-jabbed: flu and Covid booster (Bleep and...) Mid-morning there's another surprise: the Community Matron arrives to check on E, and is fully up to date with the catheter shenanigans, and luckily E's readings are all fi

A radical departure (well, not that radical I guess!) as this is the first blog I've written covering multiple days. It may well not be the last time I do this! Friday was the first day of leave at the start of a long weekend away, and began with some shopping and washing before heading off for the weekend at around 11 a.m. A little before 1 p.m. I arrive at a friend's house on the south coast and a weekend away from the pressures of life (fingers crossed) begins... Between Friday and Monday we go for a Turkish meal, walk lots, get a Chinese meal delivered, drink Champagne, make a roast dinner, watch and laugh a lot at Derry Girls, listen to music, and go sight seeing around the Solent ending up in Hamble, former home of the Air Traffic Control training school, not to mention its other aviation connections. In the course of the weekend I discover a card game I'd never heard of called 'Cards Against Humanity' which the box describes as 'A Party Game For Horrible