It felt almost like a return to normality tonight, as we took the short drive to The Palmichael joining David and Valerie to celebrate a recent birthday. The last time we were there was for Janet’s retirement ‘do’ back in March 2018 and a lot has happened to restaurants since then — especially since Coronavirus restrictions …
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Category:Health
RIP Biscuit
Today, we bid a sad farewell to Biscuit. Over the past six months her health had really started to deteriorate and based on our previous experience of owning Persians, by the time they get to 14, they’re suffering. Biscuit was fourteen-and-a-quarter! 😪😪 With her sister passing back in August 2017, she had become ‘top-cat’ (literally) …
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Black Friday 2017
For most of the population, Black Friday is that time of year to grab a bargain somewhere. For me, this year’s event was where something grabbed me! It was the culmination of a really bad week, health-wise – and I’m hardly ever ill! Somehow, I’d picked up a bug that came out during our Brighton …
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Heaven Stent
Today, Denis went in for his scheduled NHS stop-over that included a two stents and the rather tongue-twisty rotablation procedure. All being well, he’ll be discharged on Christmas Eve, and so we’ll go to his for Christmas Day, having prepared him a full Christmas Lunch wrapped in foil! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in …
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Roger’s 50th – Tosca
Just occasionally we do ‘posh’ – and tonight was one of those occasions. With DJs and posh frocks on the outside and Sudafed and Strepsils (for Ann and me ) on the inside, we set off for the Royal Opera House to celebrate Roger’s 50th. After our quick change of clothes, we headed for Stevenage …
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Plague!
Those that know me, know that I don’t ‘do’ illness – it’s such a waste of time! Well, I’ve picked up a bug sometime in the past week that has now absolutely crippled me! I’ve got a cough that sounds like I’m on 50 Navy Cut a day; aches and pains all over – arms, …
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Nails, Nibbles and Nice Friends
We’re now both getting over our respective colds, so it was good to be able to get out for some fresh air and catch-up with friends. First stop was into town and the newly renovated and pedestrianised Market Street. Boy, it’s changed round here since I last looked – in …
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Man-Flu?
No! Absolutely not!!! But whatever it is, I’ve got it! Normally, I can shake off a cold quicker than you can say ‘paracetemol’, but this one is proving really difficult to shift. It started last week with just a tickly throat and there were no associated aches and pains with only a short period where …
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Mum’s Progress
We are now experts in form filling and completion! Completed ‘Application for Higher Level of Attendance Allowance’ form (29 pages) – check Completed ‘Application to Register a Lasting Power of Attorney – Property and Financial’ form (14 pages) – check Completed ‘Application to Register a Lasting Power of Attorney – Health and Welfare’ form (14 …
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Mum’s Progress – Two Steps Forward…
Writing about Mum’s condition is good therapy for me – bear with me! I’m not normally indecisive – especially with really important stuff, but Mum’s condition has got me scratching my head. Physically she is in about as best condition as anyone would expect for an 85 year old. With her three stents and her …
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The Bionic Woman
Heard from the hospital today – they’ve fitted Mum with a heart-pacemaker to accompany the three stents she had fitted a couple of months ago. Hopefully, she’ll be discharged in a day-or-so, then I think I’ll enter her for the London Marathon next year!! Phew! That was all a bit ‘touch-and-go’ for a moment there! …
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Keep Taking the Tablets (Please!)
What was going to be a pretty straightforward Saturday: ‘Meet-up-with-Mum, Neil and Debbie-for lunch-and show-off-the-wedding-pics’ rapidly turned into a completely different day! WEDNESDAY: It all started when Mum rang and announced that she’d tripped over her shopping bag and hurt her back. FRIDAY: Mum rang to tell me that “because Doctors at her surgery don’t …
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Cats in/Back out
Biscuit and Bon Bon – November 2007 (Photo credit: Steve Palmer (UK)) Ann (with Lee) dropped the cats at Patsy’s for their six-weekly wash-n-brush up. The plan was that I’d pick them up a few hours later, as normal – but that didn’t happen. When I woke up this …
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Mum’s sorted!
After an extended stay at King College Hospital – plus a few ‘false-starts’, (where we thought a solution was on the cards, only to find that ‘others’ were able to jump the queue), Mum seems to have been sorted. Looks like they’ve done some work on Mum’s arteries and she should be discharged in the …
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Black Tuesday?
It’s funny how some days just turn out to be ‘a real challenge’ (that’s the polite version)😲 Lee had a funny turn in the night requiring us to call a doctor and an ambulance, so we were all up at 5am playing doctors and nurses. After a short stay at Kettering’s A and E, I …
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Busy, Busy…and it’s only 10am!
I rose early (no, really!) to get on with restoring Julie T’s PC to its former glory. It all went very well, and four hours later everything is now running as it should. I just need to locate her Outlook ‘pst’ email file and the job is done. It’s now better, faster and stronger than …
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R.I.P. John Barry
I learned today that John Barry, the famous composer of all the memorable James Bond themes, died on Sunday. We saw him performing in Birmingham many years ago and the whole event was just fantastic! He’ll be sadly missed as the man who made beautiful and memorable music! Click on the link below and listen …
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No more Mr Grumpy!
After being Mr Grumpy most of last week when my back began playing-up on Tuesday, I’m pleased to say it feels like it’s on the mend. Not totally – it’s still a delicate balancing act trying to put my socks on in the morning and press-ups are also off the to-do list for a while …
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Back to the…
Ibuprofen and diclofenac! Looks like my back is playing up again. No warning – one minute fine and mobile…next minute, a dull thumping ache across my lower back. It hasn’t been this bad since 2008… and that went on for ages!!! Grumpy b****** now! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing …
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RIP – Mae Gambles
Ann’s step-mother, Mae lost her battle against cancer today – Thursday, December 16th, 2010. She had been moved to the Hospice just a week prior, and we’d all been to see her last Saturday. Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! …
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Visiting Mae at the Hospice
This has been one of the less-cheerful Saturdays of the year as we headed towards Lincoln to visit Mae at the Hospice. When we were advised a few days ago, to visit her ‘sooner rather than later’, we knew it was serious. So, as the Gambles clan – Denis, Roger, Ann and Bev…and me, gathered …
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Visiting Mae
We drove up to the Pilgrim Hospital in Boston today for our first visit to see Mae, Ann’s Step-mum. We met Denis (Ann’s dad) and Bev (Ann’s step-sister) there and as we were all a bit early for visiting hours, we headed for lunch in the hospital restaurant. Mae was admitted a few weeks ago …
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Sunday: Johnny and Mel/Lee for Lunch/David and Val popped round
Everyone was up a little earlier than planned mainly due to me getting Lee’s ‘mayday’ call just before 7am and then heading for her place. By the time I got back, Ann was already preparing the ‘breakfast feast’ – a Full English! We sat down around 9.30 and tucked-in. By the time we finished the …
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Lee’s back home
Ann dropped Lee back to hers tonight. She seems to have recovered fully from her ‘wobbly’ spell. But I will be taking her to see a Consultant on Thursday evening. Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of …
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Cough and splutter!
Now that was weird. We’d had an early night, but at just after 11pm last night, I woke up, coughing, spluttering and unable to get my breath. A few coughing fits later, I was fine, and I went back to sleep. Strange! Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first …
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Mum’s health…
We’re starting to get concerned (again) about Mum’s health. The ‘patches’ that the Doctor gave her a while ago, to ease the pain with her other hip now don’t seem to be helping much at all. Combine that with her falling into the TV and then into the fireplace on Friday has meant she’s in …
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Bertie’s out of hospital
Lee rang today. They’ll be releasing Bertie tomorrow and transferring him to a Care-Home very near to where they live in Cromer. Steve PalmerI got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together …
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The eyes have it…
Mae has been due to have the cataracts in both eyes sorted out kicking off in January 2010. She was quite surprised therefore to get a call to bring the whole thing forward to… TODAY! I spoke to her tonight and although parts of the process were quite painful for her, she was in good …
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Final Shopping Expedition of 2009..?
Ouch! I’ve woken up with a really stiff neck this morning – not sure how I’ve got that. We’re off shopping to Leicester to get any last minute bits-and-pieces. There isn’t much left to do and I’ve also got 50 quids worth of M and S vouchers from Lee and Bertie to squander – lovely!!! …
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Bat out of Hell… err…Feldkirchen
8.30 local time. For those of you who were disappointed to learn that Michael Schumacher is not returning to the race-scene, I have good news! I can confirm that after extensive facial plastic surgery and an enforced two-stone weight gain, he is now driving a taxi from Feldkirchen to Munich Airport. Overtaking on hairpin bends, …
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