Nine Feet Underground

The longer things stay the same, the more it seems that's the way they'll stay. No longer? Ever since returning from hospital some three years ago, and her brush with death whilst there, E's illness has followed a familiar and consistent pattern. Brief intense periods of illness (infections, seizures, that sort of thing) followed by longer periods of slow, continuous decline. Latterly she's been experiencing other symptoms, most especially bouts of pain of unknown origin.  When she's been in pain, it's often been associated with mild seizures which pass in a minute or two, with help. E is in an end-of-life care period during which comfort is the priority, which can throw up unexpected challenges. Her pain medication has been increased, but she still experiences pain at times. It's a bit of a challenge. On the one hand, we don't want her to be in pain, on the other it's hard to know how long the pain will last and we don't want to rush in and give...

We've had a busy week in Liverpool, starting with a gig in Manchester and then in Liverpool.  Let's start in Manchester.  We went to the new Co-Op Live Arena to see Crowded House.  They are at one extreme of the spectrum of music I usually enjoy, but I was going there with an open mind.  Q is a fan, and the next night we are going to a gig by someone I like, who Q has never heard of.  Back to Co-Op Live. I've got to say I wasn't impressed with the place. It's billed as having 32 restaurants, using local produce. How many does it have? None. Not a single one.  The place is still not finished. As it has no restaurants, it also has no loos unless you go inside. Which you can't do until they open up for the gig.  Manchester City to the rescue.  There are some portakabin-style loos a five to ten-minute walk from the venue. Not exactly what you imagine a fancy new-built venue to be like.  Food.  Manchester City to the rescue again.  There...

I've been doing chair yoga via an online app for 30 days. I plan to restart full-on yoga, without a chair, as soon as I feel I've regained flexibility from my previous years of yoga.  As with so many apps of the ilk, the narrator is from the United States of America.  He is serious about his instructions, but some of the oft-repeated phrases make me chuckle. I especially enjoy "...and don't forget to breathe".  So far,  so good. Another is "...hold this pose with strength and grace."  Neither of whom are present.  The last week has been busy. Q's father and stepmother are in Europe for a month or so and were in Liverpool for several days.  It was great to meet them and have a chance to get to know each other.   During the days whilst Q was at work, we visited lots of Beatles-related sites and also the Anglican cathedral, which has incredible architecture.  We visited the Beatles museum where I discovered that Paul McCartney and Pete Best...