Small Talk: The Welcome Mat

[Netfoot]

Ok, Heidi has agreed to drive me to Cattlewash again tomorrow. I feel terrible that she has to do this at all, not once but now twice. But I don't have an actual choice in the matter.

Today was a pretty rough one. The container now faces the morning sun rather than the afternoon sun so that is an improvement even if there are no trees to give shade. And the presence of the fan make it survivable inside. Dunno if I mentioned but I pretty much fainted three times yesterday and the only thing that stopped me measuring my length was the fact that I hit a wall before I hit the ground. Today the fan saved me from that degree of heat but people were coming in and saying "Jeez! How do you stand this heat? You have to come outside." But the tools are inside. And the supplementary container is absolutely sweltering in comparison. Thank heavens I don't have to go in there too often. Everyone I offered the chance of going in and picking their favourite shovel/broom/drill all point-blank refused to enter under any circumstances.

Arranged a lift home with the boss. (He spent the entire drive telling me he has a policy of not giving people lifts. IOW, Don't expect me to do this again.) He said he was leaving at a quarter to five and if I was ready he would give me a lift.

For the first time since I've been there, instead of tools starting to flow back in at 4:00, they started to flow out! I asked what was happening, and was told there was a team that would be working late to facilitate a concrete pour for the beach stairs. I went to tell the boss I could not ride with him because no way would they be done in time for my end-of-day to be completed by 4:45 but he said "I can hang on a little while."

I went to the foreman and explained that I was not free with transportation, and that I wanted to do as much as I can and then take off. "Do you want me to lock the gates or leave them open? What about the breakers. Will you need electricity? I can leave them on if you will shoot them off before you leave. And what about the basement, which the men are now using as a changing room? Shall I leave it unlocked and you snap the lock when the men are all finished?"

He said to me in essence, "Don't lock the gate, I will do that. You can shut off the breakers and lock the basement immediately." I pointed out that the men's clothes were on there but he insisted I lock it immediately. "If their clothes are in there it is their problem!" I told him I would not deliberately lock the guys clothes in, but I would do my check of the house which should take about 10 minutes. "Meanwhile, tell the men to remove their clothes from the basement because I will be locking up in about 10 minutes. I made my rounds and after 10+ minutes I went back and said "Is it OK to lock the basement now?" He said "I told you to lock it 10 minutes ago!" So I headed off in the direction of the basement and when I got there I saw someone carrying their clothes out. "You can lock up now. I have my stuff." So I locked. 

Over to see the boss and ask if he can still give me a lift. It is now a quarter to six, exactly an hour later than he'd offered to wait. He was looking at his watch and tapping his foot. I apologized for keeping him an hour later than he intended and we went to the car. 

Suddenly, one of the workers appeared. "My clothes are still in the basement!" The boss scowled, and I didn't have the option to wait as long as I wanted to. I said "I'm sorry, but you were given a chance to retrieve your clothes. I don't know why you didn't but I have to leave now." And off we set in the boss's car.

We are about 5 minutes away when the foreman calls the boss and says they 5-6 people have clothes in the basement. He very reluctantly turns the car around and we head back. There is only one guy who has clothes in the basement, the same guy who told us that as we were leaving. I go down and unlock, he retrieves his clothes, I relock, and leave again with the boss. The entire time, I am subjected to the most expletive ridden rant, at the top of the guys voice, including veiled threats and all. And this from a guy who has been an absolute gentleman every time I see or speak to him. All this time no sign of the foreman, who had departed the site as soon as he was finished calling us to come back.

Now, if I had my own transport I would never have left anybody and gone home. As a matter of course, I wait until everyone is finished work, dressed for the street and is standing in the road waiting for a ride from a friend or the bus before I even start my end-of-day rounds. I had no choice but to leave early today.

What I think happened was that the foreman, for reasons I can't begin to imagine, never told anyone to get their belongings out of the basement. And that this poor guy just happened to be the only one who still had his gear down there. I will query the guy tomorrow to find out if he was told to get his gear out or not. Assuming he is calm enough to hold a conversation with.

The Great Gig In The Sky from DSOTM. Clare Torry's improvised, wordless vocals have got to be the most famous and beloved of their type I'm music history. Coincidentally I had a girlfriend once, called Clare Troy. A lovely, beautiful creature who left me crying. I've often wondered what became of her.

Well, time for me to close down the machinery and get a few hours shut-eye. Got to get to work bright-eyed tomorrow - there is a guy who has promised to teach me a lesson.

Edited September 6, 2023 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

This is what we call a "Hard Dollar." Or two of them, actually.

It may not be easy to see in this photo but one is larger than the other. The one on the left was minted in 2004 and apart from the date (and size) is identical to the other, minted in 1985.

You don't see these first-series, bigger coins much any more. And close examination shows how beat up it is. Not surprising for a coin that's been in circulation for almost 40 years!

Here is another photo which more clearly demonstrates the difference in size:

[Netfoot]

O96+No good news from the mechanic. This morning I was told they didn't work on the van yesterday, but would try to get to it today. Later in the afternoon they weren't picking up. 

Very tired after a day of running up and down, struggling to stay online so I could use the cloud services I need. I am right on the edge of the wifi and the steel box does not help.

Nice new promise - a hut that attaches to the container so I can have shade, etc. I listened with enthusiasm, despite the full knowledge that like the awning, the shelf and the tool wall, the hut will never be built.

Exhausted. Gotta sleep.

 

;

[Netfoot]

Lying in bed, wet from the shower with the fan blowing on me. What breeze there is in the window is cool, but there isn't much of it. It's very calm tonight. 

It was exceedingly hot today and the weather report says tomorrow will be just as hot. 

Horse Tears by Goldfrapp. My first encounter was relatively recent. I heard a small snippet of this unidentified music and was so intrigued I scoured the net for clues as to who I had heard based on fragments of lyrics and so forth. After a short while I found out who made the music and started looking into their albums. I know virtually nothing about Alison Goldfrapp and even less about the other member of the duo, but I like the music. I think it could best be described as ambient electro-pop. A designation guaranteed to drive you, screaming, into the hills to hide. Which is a shame.

Terrible day at work. Heat and confusion. I need access to a network to be able to communicate with the management team and to be able to print necessary hard copies of some documents. I am very marginal on connectivity. Shielded in a metal box it drops to zero. If I step out into the sun I can connect again.

Before the move, I got wifi from the container right above me. Close proximity overcame the shielding effect of the container skin. But the network printer was always a PITA because the two guys upstairs never turned it on, put paper in it, or generally kept it in a print-worthy condition. 

Now that network has gone away. But nobody has bothered to tell the printer. So while the printer tries in vain to connect to a network that no longer exists, my computer tries in vain to find that very printer and print on it. And none of the team who have control of the network harder seem to think this is a problem that needs saving.

But at 3:15 tomorrow afternoon when there is no weekly Time Sheet {tompin upmanf md lth30} for the men to read and confirm their hours, management will be asking me why I didn't print one!

Nearly took the bus home this evening. Have avoided this solution in the past and here is why:

I would leave work and ride the bus up and across the top of the island to Speightstown bus terminal. Then catch the ABC Highway bus all the way down the0on the highway until it stops at the mall right across the road from my house. And I don't have to pay anything because ye olde folks can use their National ID Card as a universal bus pass.

Anyway, better turn in now. Mo... has just left. But I will fetch him back.

G'night, John-Boy!

[Netfoot]

NOT in bed. Have not showered yet. Garden Patrol still to come, using my desktop machine rather than my phone. Hoping to avoid little groups of random letters that occur when I fall asleep and drop the phone. (And some of which I've left in, for your amusement.)

Another terribly hot day at work. I had to spend the afternoon up at the house to get the time sheets finally printed, and literally every minute I had to run down the hill to get a hammer for someone. Then a chisel to go with the hammer. Then he would return the hammer. Then he would return the chisel. Because he just enjoyed making me run up and down the hill over and over again, in the blistering heat. 

When there is no breeze blowing at Cattlewash.....

But the good news is that the van is repaired!! I just went and brought my baby home. It cost $200 because the cable was not broken after all, but had become detached. You'd think that reattaching a cable would only cost a tenner, but a large part of the facia had to be removed from the dash to allow access, then put back again. This takes time. Lots of time.

One good thing is that my tank is almost full so it won't be costing me $126.70 to refill on Sunday!

But my adventure this evening began after work. I was finished early because on Fridays & Saturdays they close at 3:15 so I caught the Speightstown bus at around 4:30 and proceed to travel up through Belleplane, right up into the north and back down to Speightstown. The bus was very clattery  & rattly but the view out the window was rather scenic. At least those parts of it I was awake for. As we approached Speightstown the surroundings became more urban and not so pretty. Halfway to the terminal I realized that Lattie the girl who told me which busses to catch and how to proceed (one of our painters) was sitting in the back of the bus. She laughed at me and I smiled back.

Within minutes of hitting the terminal I was on the ABC Highway bus. Nothing veru scenic, but the bus itself looked much newer. And while it was actually more clattery  & rattly than the first one, it was air conditioned! Well, I never! It dropped me right outside the mall which is right across the street from my house.

Total travel time just about 1½ hours. Cost: Nothing - my ID Card worked wonders. (They never even looked at it.)

The entire way to Speightstown, no matter how crowded the bus got, everyone avoided sitting next to me. And on the ABC Highway bus the same, except when it became so full the only remaining seats were next to me. Now, I might be inclined to believe that my fellow travelers rarely see a white guy on these busses - particularly the first. But I don't think that had anything to do with it. I think it was more the fact that I reeked of sweat and looked like I was about to pass out at any moment.

Anyway, it took me longer to arrange a trip to the mechanic to pick up the car that had been left there for me to collect. So I didn't get it back in the yard until after nine. So I am now drinking a cup of tea and calling it dinner. Then I will organize my two liters of ice for tomorrow, plus an apple and a bag of nuts (I hope I have another) for lunch, then I am going to take puppy for a brief Garden Patrol (actually he decides how long we patrol for) and then I will take a shower, then I will hit the sack. Moments later, I will be asleep.

[Netfoot]

Now I'm in bed, wet from the shower with the fan blowing. Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf playing. Puppy alternating between cuddling and verbally protecting our gate from shadows and wind-blown leaves.

Still. Still, but cool. Or at least cooler than the blistering sun we've had for the last few days. Hurricane Lee possibly responsible for the twisted weather we are experiencing. 

Sleep!

[Netfoot]

I looked up a few moments ago and was surprised to see a tiny little cloud. The first I've seen all day. I grabbed for my phone/camera but by the time I could get it out, the cloud had vanished. 

It is another blisteringly hot day. As said, not a cloud in the sky, so no chance of cooling sprinkles. There is a very light breeze that blows occasionally and you would sacrifice your first-born for it to be permanent but it comes and goes. 

We had about half our normal complement show up so there is less for me to do. Good! I'm suffering bad enough as it is. I had some Panadol and one of the guys dropped a weight on his foot so I gave it to him. Of course, he should have been wearing safety boots, but if I tell the foreman he wasn't, he could lose his job. So maybe the Panadol will help. If not, he can rest up tomorrow and hopefully be OK for Monday. Meanwhile my own feet are killing me because I am wearing safety boots. And now I have no Panadol for me! We have a first aid kit with all sorts of stuff in it. Why no pain killers?

My back is hurting,too.

Because I didn't get the van back until nearly nine, I did not get to do my weekly shopping on the way home. Well, I won't be doing it this evening either. I am going home and turn on the kettle. After a shower I will drink a cuppa tea and maybe have a second shower before falling into bed. Might take a long nap until 7:30 or even 8:00 before trying to cook something and have a solid meal.

I will try the supermarket at 8:00 tomorrow. I've been told this is the best time for "Old People". (The cheek!)

It's now a quarter past two and work ends officially at a quarter past three. Pretty sure the guys will begin easing out around three or even a smidge before. Good. I will do my end-of-day as soon as they are clear and I will begin my trip home. 

I hope hurricane Lee sods off and stops messing with our local weather. This sort of thing never used to happen when all the storms were girls!

Groan! I'm out of ice/water.

Oooo! Look!

Clouds!

Edited September 9, 2023 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Spent the weekend (i.e. Sunday) doing very little but relaxing and resting.

Got home Saturday evening and set some pasta to boiling and prepared a simple tuna fish topping, when cooking that, I remembered that I'd left a small pot of frozen soup to defrost in the microwave small cupboard. And when I went to retrieve it, I remembered the small zaboca that was in there as well!

One of the guys brought a bag of zaboca and ere selling them 3 for $10. I (Zaboca, btw is the Trini name for avocado pear. And we don't usually mess around with those nasty, black, warty things Americans think are edible. We are talking about an avocado with a deep green colour and about 8" to 12" tall.)

Anyway, I bought one, and a small one at that, because I like it well enough but can't eat it in bulk like some people I could name. So, with my pasta boiling, I quickly heated the soup in a small pan. And as that heated I sliced and peeled the zaboca and put it in the bottom of the soup bowl.

Chicken soup with zaboca made a great first course, followed by pasta with tuna and onions, and some paprika and cilantro plus a little grated cheese. About a third of the pasta was left over.

First thing this morning, I took Mozie to the supermarket to buy the groceries we couldn't get on payday. When I got home I mixed up a 2 liter bottle of strong lime squash - Extra lime but extra sugar to compensate. In this I dissolved a packet of the electrolyte replacement muck and drank it with ice. Took about 3 to get it down. I been sweating heavily the last three days ang suffering from cramps. 

Finished last night's pasta today around 11 but stirred in and fried a couple of eggs and sprinkled a touch of garlic powder on as well. Dinner was potatoes and carrots boiled, and then {bbvook>)} tossed in onions and diced sausages. 

[6:43 PM Monday: Posted nearly a day late because I fell asleep without posting last night, and the net was mysteriously absent at work all day. Now at the pharmacy trying to get some meds. More later.]

[Netfoot]

Took me over 1½ hours at the pharmacy to get most of my meds. Left home at 6:10 this morning and got home at 8:45 this evening. So glad to get them boots off!

Due to Inability to access data in the cloud, left work with about 2 hours of work still undone. Not doing it tonight.

"You'll never guess why the internet is down!" chuckled the Site Manager. "Because the company didn't pay the bill?" One thing I'll say about the main internet provider: if you are disconnected for non-payment, the instant you pay, literally within a split second, your internet is back on. So when they discovered at 9:30 this morning why the internet was off, I wonder why it was still off when I left work at 5:35 this evening!

Say You, Say Me by Lionel Richie & The Commodores. 

Gas is up. I refilled yesterday like I do each Sunday evening and it is now $4.22 per liter whereas it was only $4.08 last Sunday. In American terms, it's gone from U$7.71 per gallon to U$7.98 per gallon.

Got an appointment to see Dr. Kristi tomorrow, early. I hope her busted foot is improving. I wish I could linger and tell her all about my aching back, my painful feet, and all the rest. Plus take an opportunity to winge about life generally. And just chat. But I will have to restrict myself to the itchy back and the need for a medication I can take in the daytime and not be drowsy at work. Because I have to hustle from her to work so as not to lose any more pay than I have to.

Apparently the heatwave has now been declared as "dangerous" and the head of BAMP (B'dos Association of Medical Practitioners) is calling for the government to meet with the social partners and work out what steps can me taken to safeguard workers. Especially, I hope, workers in unventilated steel boxes placed in direct sunlight from dawn to dusk. 

Crap. It's after 11 PM and I've got to get some sleep. Let me try to get Mo to come to bed.....

Edited September 12, 2023 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Ok, in bed with Mo who is chewing a bottle... No, he just departed. Wet, cool & fairly alert after a long, hot day and a Garden Patrol which Mo participated very little - too busy chewing the bottle. The garden is actually littered with bottles he's stolen from the trash to chew up. Mostly Ensure. 

She's A Beauty by The Tubes, a favourite band of mine - one we've discussed before!

This morning when I finally got to work, the tools were a horrible mess, the time sheet was non-existent and the internet was still off. It came back later so I was able to start catching up on yesterday and dealing with today. Right up until Site Boss decided I was not welcome to use his printer. 

We used to have two wifi networks down here. One "belonging" to the foreman and one to the site boss. Each network had an identical router with fiber feed and offering wifi connections. Each network had an identical wifi printer connected to it. I used to use the foreman's network and as a result, the printer attached to that network.

When the containers were shifted and the foreman was moved into the building with the site boss, the foreman's network was shut down and the disconnected router packed away in a box. But the printer was plugged in and switched on. I was switched to the site boss's network and started using his printer. He now objects to this and wants me to use the other printer.

But there is a problem! The foreman's printer is a wifi printer and it is configured to use the foreman's network... which no longer exists. So it spends all day polling for a router that it can never connect to. Which means that nobody can connect to it since it won't connect to the only remaining network and steadfastly keeps looking for the other one.

So I'm unable to print on any printer but that of the site boss. He has instructed me not to do so. At the same time he keeps coming up with things for me to do which require that I print documents! A check-list, an inventory sheet... something!

He has instructed the fireman to reconfigure the second printer so it will connect to the remaining network so I won't have to print on "his" printer. The foreman says he must be an arsehole if he thinks he has time to waste on that when there is a perfectly good printer right there that I can use. Meanwhile... I don't know WTF to do next.

Saw Dr. Kristi this morning and she looks pretty good, all things considered. Limping, and if you look closely you can see a bandage on the ankle, but pretty good. She says it hurts, though. 

She checked me over and concluded it is a case of eczema, exacerbated by the heat and perspiration. I explained I was taking Histal at night which helped a bit, but didn't want to take it in the day due to the drowsiness. So I'm on Prednisone every morning for the next 5 days, and ½ a Histal with my breakfast meds, the other half at lunchtime and a whole one at dinner. Hopefully that will bring it under control.

She also says my heart and lungs sound fine, I am looking very healthy and appear in good order. She also says I look like I've lost weight. I'd lost 100 lbs. when last I saw her but was expecting to have gained weight. Because I was carrying all my work kit in my pockets and was already laced into my boots, we did not ask the scale to settle the argument. It would have been a production and I still needed to get to work. 

After leaving her (and she was a pleasure to chat with, as always) I grabbed the drugs at the next-door pharmacy and headed off to Cattlewash. Arrived just about on 10:30 so I lost around 3 hours pay. 

Anyway, I have mixed up another liter of rehydration muck and drank a glass before bed - I was getting cramps in hands and legs last night.

Now, it's time to invite Mo to come to bed because I need to.blow this candle out and assume sleep-mode initiation position.

But first, here is Mr. Gardener:

An inventive chap with an old cardboard box and a roll of duct tape. Here he is on the job, up on the top of the building:

He should patent that! Don't you think?

[Notabug]

10 hours ago, Netfoot said:

Ok, in bed with Mo who is chewing a bottle... No, he just departed. Wet, cool & fairly alert after a long, hot day and a Garden Patrol which Mo participated very little - too busy chewing the bottle. The garden is actually littered with bottles he's stolen from the trash to chew up. Mostly Ensure. 

She's A Beauty by The Tubes, a favourite band of mine - one we've discussed before!

This morning when I finally got to work, the tools were a horrible mess, the time sheet was non-existent and the internet was still off. It came back later so I was able to start catching up on yesterday and dealing with today. Right up until Site Boss decided I was not welcome to use his printer. 

We used to have two wifi networks down here. One "belonging" to the foreman and one to the site boss. Each network had an identical router with fiber feed and offering wifi connections. Each network had an identical wifi printer connected to it. I used to use the foreman's network and as a result, the printer attached to that network.

When the containers were shifted and the foreman was moved into the building with the site boss, the foreman's network was shut down and the disconnected router packed away in a box. But the printer was plugged in and switched on. I was switched to the site boss's network and started using his printer. He now objects to this and wants me to use the other printer.

But there is a problem! The foreman's printer is a wifi printer and it is configured to use the foreman's network... which no longer exists. So it spends all day polling for a router that it can never connect to. Which means that nobody can connect to it since it won't connect to the only remaining network and steadfastly keeps looking for the other one.

So I'm unable to print on any printer but that of the site boss. He has instructed me not to do so. At the same time he keeps coming up with things for me to do which require that I print documents! A check-list, an inventory sheet... something!

He has instructed the fireman to reconfigure the second printer so it will connect to the remaining network so I won't have to print on "his" printer. The foreman says he must be an arsehole if he thinks he has time to waste on that when there is a perfectly good printer right there that I can use. Meanwhile... I don't know WTF to do next.

Saw Dr. Kristi this morning and she looks pretty good, all things considered. Limping, and if you look closely you can see a bandage on the ankle, but pretty good. She says it hurts, though. 

She checked me over and concluded it is a case of eczema, exacerbated by the heat and perspiration. I explained I was taking Histal at night which helped a bit, but didn't want to take it in the day due to the drowsiness. So I'm on Prednisone every morning for the next 5 days, and ½ a Histal with my breakfast meds, the other half at lunchtime and a whole one at dinner. Hopefully that will bring it under control.

She also says my heart and lungs sound fine, I am looking very healthy and appear in good order. She also says I look like I've lost weight. I'd lost 100 lbs. when last I saw her but was expecting to have gained weight. Because I was carrying all my work kit in my pockets and was already laced into my boots, we did not ask the scale to settle the argument. It would have been a production and I still needed to get to work. 

After leaving her (and she was a pleasure to chat with, as always) I grabbed the drugs at the next-door pharmacy and headed off to Cattlewash. Arrived just about on 10:30 so I lost around 3 hours pay. 

Anyway, I have mixed up another liter of rehydration muck and drank a glass before bed - I was getting cramps in hands and legs last night.

Now, it's time to invite Mo to come to bed because I need to.blow this candle out and assume sleep-mode initiation position.

But first, here is Mr. Gardener:

An inventive chap with an old cardboard box and a roll of duct tape. Here he is on the job, up on the top of the building:

He should patent that! Don't you think?

That is ingenious!  And kind of a work of art.  He could definitely make some money constructing and selling them.

[Browncoat]

Maybe he could make you one!

[Netfoot]

 In bed, all buttoned up for the day. Another hot one. 

That was 2:40 PM, outside the container, with a light breeze off the ocean and in the full shade.

So yes, part of the afternoon I was ga-ga a little, but I got through it.

Somebody To Love off of Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane. A very influential band in its day. Singer Grace Slick was a bit of a "mad lad" but the band was definitely one of the big ones in the infant psychedelic rock era.

I was hungry do I cooked. Rice with onion, pigeon peas, onion and bully beef. I have chicken, lamb and beef in the freezer but I didn't want to wait to defrost. And besides, I like bully beef! 

It came out great and I dressed it with red butter and mayo and enjoyed every bite! Right up to the last few spoonsful which I left for a very handsome boy of my acquaintance.

No sign of the end of the heat wave. So I'd better get my head down. Now. Off to sleep, perchance without cramp running up my leg from tors toes to groin. That's what I got last night. Anyway, I drank more salts tonight so with any luck...

Edited September 14, 2023 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Set up in the shadow of a mile tree this morning, with a picket fence at my back. Heard an unusual sort of grunting behind me. Was it some sort of yard fowl? I peeped over the fence and saw this guy:

I thought "Wow! He is really enjoying that aloe leaf!" But then I realized he was not making the noise. It was coming from these two who were fighting!

Edited September 14, 2023 by Netfoot

[Mr. Sparkle]

Lol! I think we all know who's going to win that fight! 

[Spunkygal]

🤣 “fighting!” 

[Browncoat]

LOL - "fighting!"

[Spunkygal]

1 hour ago, Browncoat said:

LOL - "fighting!"

I guess that’s what they call it these days! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Netfoot]

Tonight, for the first time since he came home as a five pound back-ridge with a few ounces of puppy attached, we have not done our Garden Patrol. I set out as normal, but as soon as I hit the grass I saw something in the beam of the torch. And the moment he realized I'd seen it, Mo ran off at high speed.

When I got home, I opened the van to unload a few things and Mo jumped in. So as I've done many times, I left the door open for him to exit in his own time.

In the back of the van I had a hank of 550 Paracord in International Orange. This is the colour recommended for high-visibility use, like life vests, life boats, emergency parachutes, etc, that need to be easily seen when a search is taking place. It's also a colour that might be used in the guy-lines of a tent to reduce the risk of tripping. I'm not sure how much was in the Hank but I'd estimate 75 feet. Ordered from the USA the landed cost is about 50¢ a foot. Obviously not something I can easily replace. 

The little Monster had dragged the cord all over the garden and tangled it into a terrible mess. I gathered it up into an orange rats nest, threw it into the back of the van, walked back into the house and locked the door.

When I open up in the morning he will have forgotten the entire incident and will come bounding in with his tail wagging so hard his entire rear end will be moving from side to side. And I will welcome him with cuddles and tickly-tummy and nozie-bumps and all the good stuff, but right now, I think I'd sell him for a buck.

Star Spangled Banner by Hendrix. The recording from Woodstock. The one frequently describes with an addendum to the title that reads "Slight Return". Which is shorthand for "Huge, Wailing Feedback On The Mic Which Is Expertly Folded Into The Performance Such That If You Could Remove It Somehow You Would Be Ruining The Track By Doing So".

Woodstock was the first movie I was ever allowed to go and see without being escorted to and watched over by an adult at the cinema. I came out feeling like I'd stuck my head out of a 200 MPH race car for a couple of hours, to find the entire family waiting in the car to see whether or not I'd survived my unsupervised movie-going experience.  And also, as a secondary goal, to bring me home. They kept throwing questions at me all at once and I just couldn't get them to shut up and let me digest the experience and recover from the shock/blast.

So which musicians played? Everyone from Joan Baez to Jimi Hendrix. Everyone?!?? The ones that didn't will spend the rest of their lives regretting it. Really? It was that good? You all seem highly interested. There is a late showing. If we turn the car around now, you could all watch it for yourselves. I won't mind watching it again.....

Hot as the hinges of hell again today. Got a touch of sunburn yesterday and another touch today. As large swaths of my skin is grafted, sunburn is not a good thing for me. The original wifi network I was on came back up today and it is a stronger signal. Site Boss wants me to switch back to it. But now the printer I'm supposed to use has been switched to his network so me switching back to the old one means I am once more without a printer. And weekly time sheets in hard copy needed by 3:00 PM tomorrow...

Well, time to turn the lights out. And go off to sleep. With no fuzzy puppy snuggling up with me. Oh well. There is always 5:30 tomorrow when I open up the house.....

[Netfoot]

I showed a couple of our local "Hard" dollars a few weeks ago. Two different sizes. The term "Hard" came from when the old red one dollar banknotes were also in circulation. The paper ones were soft and the metal coins were hard. The red ones are no longer in circulation.

Well, in my pay packet this week...

The painted dolphin coin came out a while ago but as a limited run. They were rare back then and you hardly ever see them these days. So, another rarity. Not I'm-Gonna-Sell-And-Make-A-Fortune rare. Just a Gee-Whizz-Lookit-That! Type of rare. 

Another steamer, today. Sat under the mile tree again with needles raining down from time to time and making me think it's bird poop. Mile trees swaaayyy in the breeze... but today they were still and motionless, and the distant roar of the ocean that emanates from them was silenced. It's still tonight as well. Shower water and a large box fan are helping.

Site Boss has decided that the project is coming down to a crunch and we need to "push", so either we start working later hours (6:00 PM instead of 4:30 PM) or work Sundays. While not fond of either option, I'd rather make six trips to Cattlewash and make up the hours with a longer work day than have to spend more gas money to completely eliminated my 1-day weekend entirely.

Thin Line Between Love And Hate by The Pretenders. Chrissie Hynde. <sigh>

Mo is here, lying on his back with his business in the air, chewing on an Ensure bottle alternating with the toes of my left foot.

Anyway, I may have to work late tomorrow so I want to get some sleep. Today was killer and I didn't even get to deposit my pay in the bank or go buy the weeks groceries. So I guess I'll be shopping Sunday morning again...

So time to crash out now. 

[Netfoot]

Bounty!

Another soursop and three (smaller) sugar apples. Their internal structure and texture are very similar but the sugar apples have no touch of sour. I just love sugar apples. My mum had a tree that was always mysteriously bare. Mystery solved when I caught my sister leaving one day with a huge bag packed with the fruit. I complained. She gave me one.

[Netfoot]

Ticket To Ride by The Beatles. No denying the talents of the Fab Four. This track was from earlyish in their career when some of their tracks were a little simplistic. The "ticket to ride" in this casge referring to the medical cards given to Hamburg prostitutes declaring that they were STD-free. It was their ticket to ride....

Woke this morning before the 5:00 alarm with raging acidosis. Took a Nexium and went back to bed for a few minutes. Eventually the 5:30 alarm to used me and off I set to work, stopping at the bank to deposit my pay via the ATM. 

It was hot and I expected few guys to turn up since Saturdays are usually slow, but we had almost a full complement. 

The entire day I kept hearing that they were to be paid $50 incentive for coming to work. No, that they'd get $50 at the end of the week if they came every day of the week - $10 per day. No, you have to come and work until 6:00 to get your $10 per day. No...

Well, I still don't know what you have to do to get your incentive. I wasn't offered any incentive. 

Hot again today. And I'm getting enough sun sitting under my mile tree that I N starting to worry. The large areas of my skin that are grafted don't like getting sun burned.

Coming home knackered as usual. And just to make my day complete, the cops pulled me over. Seems my license plate had letters on it that were "too brown" due to age and I "may or may not receive a summons in the mail."

Put a little too much salt in my black beans & rice  with corned beef so I'm watching my water intake to avoid The Troys. Got to rise early enough tomorrow that I can avail myself of the opportunity to shop during pensioners hour between 7:00 and I 9:00 in the AM. 

Eyes closing down so will grab some shut-eye and see how rested I can get tomorrow, before late work starts day-after tomorrow. 

[Netfoot]

I carry an RJ-I pocket knife made by Kershaw. I paid U$25.43 for it, plus shipping to me here which I could look up, but won't. I bought my RJ-I on 19th July 2013 and have carried it ever since. 

A few weeks ago I lent it to a workman to cut open a coconut. That's what knives do. They cut. They aren't pry bars, screwdrivers, paint can openers or anything else. They should be used for cutting and that's about it. When I saw what that workman did to my knife in one minute I was extremely relieved to get it back again in one piece. That night I rummaged around in a box labeled "Crappy Knives" and pulled out a brand new knife in its original packaging. It wasn't a bad knife; I'd carried one exactly like it for five years prior, and then sold it for U$10 (I originally paid U$5 for it). I took that knife to work, hung it on a nail, and told the guys that it was for anyone to use if they wanted to cut a coconut. Within 48 hours it had disappeared. I'm pretty certain who "huffed" it, nut have no proof and don't care anyhow.

Anyway, today I finally got around to servicing my Kershaw and seeing if it could be brought back to a good state of repair.

I began by removing the pocket clip and then the two G10 scales. G10 is a form of micarta, which is made by sandwiching many layers of fabric (or paper) which have been soaked through with epoxy resin. The layers are clamped hard together and when the resin cures, you have a sturdy, waterproof material that is ideal for knife handles among other things. I have knives which used canvas, linen, and other materials as the layering agent. If the layers are made up of fiberglass cloth (as opposed to blue denim, for instance) that particular type of micarta is called G10. I don't know why.

Here is the right hand scale of the knife removed by undoing four Torx T6 bolts. The inside of the scale is filthy. 

And here is the left side scale, the inside of which is also filthy, particularly that funny shaped pocket that is milled into it.

These were washed with soap & water and scrubbed with a nylon brush. After drying, a toothpick was used to remove any gunk that was still clinging to the inside of that pocket. 

[Netfoot]

Once the scales were off I was able to remove the left hand liner, visible in this photo. 

Actually both liners are visible here but the left hand liner (uppermost) came off at this point And the other was removed later. You can see how much crud there was in there. And here is the other side of those same liners:

More crud. 

These were cleaned with soapy water and a brass brush until the crud was gone. Remember, this is a 10 year old knife that has been used almost daily, so it won't shine like new and it doesn't need to! But the crud has to go.

[Netfoot]

After removing the washers (one actually a spacer and three phosphor-bronze ones for the pivot - this is not a fancy enough knife to have a bearing race) the blade came next. It was clean along most of it's length because I was able to clean that part without disassembly. But near the picot pin? Disgusting!

Just look at the gunk on that! And if you see the other side you can see that the detent ball on the lockbar has been scribing an arc through the crap to do it's job:

This part got the dishsoap and brass brush treatment like the liners. So, just about the only thing that needs doing now is the fasteners and gubbins.

[Netfoot]

First the back-spacer, a piece of injection-molded plastic. (After all, this is a sub-$30 knife, not a $450 Sebenza!) It is sturdy, perfectly fine for the job at hand, and easily cleaned with dish soap and my nylon brush.

Next, the washers. Cruddy, but I chose not to wash them. I cleaned them by soaking them in oil and wiping with a paper towel. Thankfully they were undamaged by the coconut-busting abuse. I would not have wanted to buy a set of different thickness phosphor-bronze and use trial & error to determine which were the right combination to replace any damaged originals. 

And then the remaining hardware, including the four small bolts & special nuts that hold the frame together, the backstop for the blade that prevents it from opening too far, and the pivot bolt & nut itself. Oh, and most of all the "assist" spring - the curly thing. If these break they can be very tricky to make a new one. Kershaw had been known to send out replacements free of charge on request, but I don't know they would have spares for a knife out of production several years now.

All cleaned with oily rag and then again with a clean paper towel. So only reassembly needed, now!

[Netfoot]

I'm very late to bed tonight, and will have to keep this short.

Waitress by Live. Their album Throwing Copper is a corker! 

Had pasta with onion, minced beef and cucumber for lunch and again for dinner. Enjoyed it a lot. Drank some electrolyte replacement horse piss, mixing it with something to make it taste a bit better. Was using lime juice to make strong lime squash but had to give up on that when I started to wake in the night with raging reflux. So trying ginger beer syrup instead.

While my knife was apart I put the blade in my sharpening jig (a small one by Lansky) and gave the blade a bit of attention.

I normally use the four diamond stones only if there is serious damage to the edge. Then move on to the five Arkansas stones (Extra Course, Course, Medium, Fine & Extra Fine), then use the sapphire stone and the leather strop before finishing off with green polishing compound on an MDF wheel. Today I only did 100 strokes per side with the Fine & Extra Fine stones then went to the polishing compound.

I don't believe the knife needs to be shaving-sharp - although it frequently is - but it came out not too bad.

The knife can be sharpened without disassembly so maybe I can really sharpen her up a bit next weekend if needed 

Now it can be reassembled! But what I really need now, is sleep.

[Netfoot]

Started work at 6:50 AM and stoped at 6:34 PM. Bone tired. It will be four days a week and will earn me $90. Also, there is a $50 bonus for showing up on Saturdays - which I always do anyway. So $140 a week extra, if I can stick it.

When The Children Cry by White Lion. Not a band I know much about, but the occasional track resonates. 

All three sugar apples have ripened together! Took one to work this morning and ate it while doing paperwork under my mile tree. Had another after dinner (cheese & cucumber on sliced white) will take the third to work tomorrow.

Lying in bed enjoying the fan in damp skin. There is much I would normally do to get ready for tomorrow that I just don't have the energy to do. Like transfer my EDC to a clean pair of pants or fill my lunch box. (Apple, banana, pack of Shirley biscuits, pack of salted peanuts.) I just hope I get up with enough energy to get it done tomorrow. 

Reassembled my knife. Right side scale and liner were stacked together, aligned with the four nuts from underneath. A strip of sticky tape stopped the nuts from falling out. The lock bar curves up slightly as it would when preventing the blade from accidentally closing on your fingers.

Then the back-spacer was fitted to the liner and the blade pivot bolt inserted through its hole.

Two phosphor bronze washers are fitted over the pivot bolt and a drop of light oil added for good measure. And, of course, the blade backstop pin, looking like a little barrel in the top left. 

Blade next!

[Netfoot]

At this point, the blade is added in the open position. You can see that it fits over the pivot bolt and is shaped to match the end of the lock bar and the blade stop pin. (The pin at top left is for rapid deployment of the knife.)

A phosphor bronze washer or two plus a drop of oil and this thing is ready for it's next part... the remaining liner.

Seen here, the remaining liner makes the assembly start to look like a knife!

So let's get this thing zipped up by adding the assist spring and the final scale. 

Positioned so it will fit in the pocket milled into the scale, the assist spring is held in place by the second scale itself.

[Netfoot]

https://goo.gl/photos/i7LD6o9WsQUKRFC16

Rest in peace, you wonderful rogue!

[Netfoot]

Incredibly tired. Terrible hot day that left me dazed & confused. Wrung another promise of awning, work table, etc, but I've heard it all before.

Fallen asleep three four five six times since I started this post. Good news: rain is falling here and may cause tomorrow to be a little cooler. Going to sleep right away. Really bushed.

 

 

 

 

[Netfoot]

It rained last night and this morning everything was wet and the sky was overcast. I thought it might rain during the morning, but instead the clouds cleared a little and the sun came out. So it was hot but the clouds did offer some respite.

I didn't want to set up under the mile tree in case the rain came so here is my perch for the day:

Honestly,this is probably the most comfortable I've been for days, maybe weeks. And if rain came I would only have to close down the hatch. Most of the paperwork was stored in the van and the rest could have been picked up with one hand and put inside in an instant.

Of course, the comfortable day is probably more because of the cooler day than anything else.

The little shed thingy with a counter and a roof to protect from sun & rain never materialized, obviously. Instead I was told I could get a tent. Later I was told that the tent had been damaged, but that I would get a tarpaulin with which I could build a tent or awning or what ever I wanted. A workbench would be provided, some 2x4s would be made available to frame out a roof and the tarp... The workbench never showed. Neither did the two-by's. Nor the tarp. 

Of course, I have a tarp. I think it's 12x16 foot. It lives in a large zip-loc bag under the driver's seat of my van. Bren there for years. I have no intention of making a present of it to a multi-million dollar company who refuses to buy their own. 

The rain is falling now. Gently, not a downpour. Mozie is was lying curled up against my back but is now at the bedside table with his proboscis out the window. And I can hear some distant thunder now, so maybe more rain tonight and a cooler day tomorrow.

But right now, I'm listening to You Stole The Sun From My Heart by the Manic Street Preachers and I've set the sleep timer to 90 minutes so I will close the door, douse the lights, and saw some wood.

PS: the item made from old cardboard & blue tape? It's a homemade glare hood for the laptop. It works pretty good at deflecting bird poop, too!

[Netfoot]

Not too bad today. Rained last night, day started wet; had two "incidents" in the road on the way to work. My ABS system is out of order and I guess my tires aren't as they once were.

Site cleaning going on, I saw truckloads of used 2x4s, plywood and a huge roll of shade-cloth going out to be dumped. Material that could have built me a very fine shed to work in. But when I saw an 8 foot workbench going out, I told the driver to leave that with me. So I have an 8x2 foot bench which is too tall. But it could be the start of something.

Your Love Is King by Sade. That woman has a lovely voice. She has produced half a dozen studio albums but if you don't want to pursue that avenue you might try her best-of album which is packed with jems. And I say that as someone who generally does not buy "best ofs". But there are some that are truly good and this is one.

Electricity went off island wide just before noon, and we had little news as to what was going on.we heard that they were restoring area by area. On my way home I passed thru many areas where only battery powered security lights seemed to be on and I was resigned to spending the evening in the dark, but as I neared home I saw my garage light on so thank heaven for small mercies. 

The saga of my pocket knife is nearly over. 

With the individual layers - scale, liner, blade & backstrap, another liner and the final scale - all sandwiched together, we can use one of our Torx drivers to put the end cap on the pivot pin/screw. 

The screw is not tightened fully so we will have to adjust it after assembly is complete. 

Four small Torx screws hold the entire knife together and they are treated with "blue lipstick" to prevent them from rattling loose.

And finally, the deep-carry pocket clip is added with a couple screws and a smaller Torx driver. Naturally, a tiny dab of "blue lipstick" is applied to both.

By tightening the pivot a tiny bit at a time, I got her working exactly how I wanted her to.

But as it turns out, I attached the clip to the wrong end of the knife! When I went to stick the knife in my pocket I realized and had to move the clip from where it was to the other end of the knife which, fortunately has threaded holes on both ends to accommodate tip-down as well as tip-up carry.

Well, I've been asked to work Sunday which will make this coming week a very tiring one.

So I'm tired and off to 

[andidante]

18 hours ago, Netfoot said:

Asked to work Sunday which will make this coming week a very tiring 

Is it at least a half day or something? Do you get overtime pay or time and a half at least?

[Netfoot]

3 hours ago, andidante said:

Is it at least a half day or something? Do you get overtime pay or time and a half at least?

I told them yesterday to get a firm commitment from the sub-contractor who needs their hand held as to when they wish to start and finish. With that info, I would be able to decide if I was able to accommodate them. No word at all yesterday so I reminded them again today and when 4:15 went past without a word, I sent a message to say that I assume that Sunday work was not happening. The response to this was that the contractor would tell me tomorrow when I had to be there. 

However, there is good news of a sort! My 2'x8' bench has attracted some attention and I now have a roof and some 2x4s to support it. Rough as a bear's arse. I think I could have done s better job myself with my right arm in a sling. But it took me over 8 weeks to get even this, so I am looking at it as a positive. The new structure will do nothing to protect me from the morning sun, nor rain at any time of day. But it is something I can build on to. I can add shelves underneath, and roll-up / drop-down rain shrouds where needed which can be also used to shade against the sun. So maybe this is the start of something new. And good. I will send a photo tomorrow. 

Today also had some breeze blowing. Not continuous and not terribly strong but better than the baking, deathly stillness of the last two weeks. We even had a sprinkle of rain for almost a full minute. So maybe the worse is over.

Listening to Ants Marching from the Under The table And Dreaming album by Dave Matthews Band. Matthews is unquestionably talented and I like most of his stuff. The general consensus is that either Crash or Before These Crowded Streets are his top albums but this album holds a special place in my heart for some unknown reason. And let's face it, 6x platinum is not too shabby for a debut album, now is it?

I think I will pop through Brighton in the morning. This will not lengthen my journey to work, but I will have to leave home early so as to get 20 minutes to spend at the market saying hello to people I know. I have 32 bucks in my pocket so maybe I will find some pak choy to buy. Have not seen it anywhere for weeks. 

Stopped at a supermarket on my way home today to buy Mo's favourite chow and maybe some pak choy as well. Found neither so I brought home a moderately sized breadfruit instead. I hope it ripens quickly so I can cook/eat it!

If anybody knows how to put a stop to cramps I would really know how to proceed. I had terrible cramps again last night running down my thigh from my groin to my ankles and out to my toes on ok at once. Tonight I've had my hands buckle up until I could not hold a mouse or a pen. And I can feel the leg muscles making plans for later. Dr. K. suggests sprinkling salt on my tongue but that does not seem to work for me, or it works slowly enough I can't attribute the relief to the salt. And the right shin is. Starting to cramp now, so I will call it a day and try to get some shut-eye.

[Netfoot]

Isn't it beautiful?!!

No use at all until about midday but afternoon is hugely improved, esp.with a breeze blowing - which it is. Now, I have to make additions until the mornings are livable as well.

Avoided cramps last night except in my hands when eating dinner; made knife & fork work tricky. Unfortunately my thigh muscles are sore still from the cramps I had night before. 

9:00 AM to 2:30 PM tomorrow. Which I bet gets extended until at least 3:00...

[luv2lurk]

16 hours ago, Netfoot said:

If anybody knows how to put a stop to cramps I would really know how to proceed. 

Funnily enough there was a segment on the radio this past week on how to stop cramps. The top suggestion was to take a shot of pickle juice (ie the liquid that is in a jar of pickles). Another suggestion was to rub your forehead, just above the top of your nose.

[Notabug]

I am an obstetrician and pregnant ladies get cramps at night all the time.  Calcium, potassium and or magnesium supplements seem to help some of them.  I usually tell them to drink half a glass of orange juice or eat a banana before bed to get potassium.  There is also a commercial orange juice product here in the US that is fortified with calcium and drinking a little of that gives a dose of both minerals.  Calcium is also found in dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt.   Magnesium is usually found as a supplement, but can also be gotten from dark chocolate, bananas, or nuts.

So, a bedtime snack of half a banana and a handful of nuts might help.  Or, you could buy a mineral supplement that contains some or all of them and take that.

Edited September 23, 2023 by Notabug

[Netfoot]

Thanks, guys, for your advice about cramps.

I eat a banana almost every day, sometimes two or even three, depending on the state of the hand. I also eat a small packet of peanuts every day. I also mix up two liters of electrolytic "rehydration salts" twice a week or so, so 4-5 liters weekly. What else?

I eat plenty of cheese and drink lots of milk. Dark chocolate sounds like a fun way to combat the cramps, but it's one of the things I've been told not to eat. Mind you, I've been told not to drink Coco-cola but I still do, occasionally.

What I am trying to find is a way to make a cramp stop. Sometimes I wake up with a cramp running from groin to ankle, out along the foot, and right into my toes, on both legs simultaneously. It's agonizing and all I can do is cry out. (Sort of a cross between a growl and a roar.) I keep a walking staff by the bed and if I can get upright I stagger around until the cramp goes, before getting back into bed. At which point it instantly returns again, rinse, repeat several times before I can go back to bed. What I need (as well as tips on how to stop them occurring) is a method of stopping them when they happen. And if a shot of pickle juice will do that, hell,I'll even eat the pickle! There is the logistical issue of how to make pickle juice available for use at a moment's notice in the bedroom in the dark of night. Should I just keep a jar of pickles by the bed and take a swig from the jar? Or keep a straw by the jar? Bears some thinking about!

Baby Get Lost by Elysian Fields. Not particularly knowledgeable about this band but I like their music! I should look them up. I hear the female vocalist is cute. In fact, BRB...

Jennifer Charles is her name and yes, I suppose she is pretty attractive in a sultry brunette sort of way. Personally, I prefer blondes - although for some reason most of my girlfriends have, by far, been brunettes...

We had a good hard fall of rain a short while ago, and it is relatively cool. Today there was a light but consistent breeze at Cattlewash, but it was unquestionably hottern hell. Had my container cleared out and repacked. It looks pretty good, but there is more clearing out and cleaning up to do and I hope to get a small piece of that done tomorrow. Also want to mark some tools to give me a better idea of if who has what. Also got some paperwork to do. So while I am only on site tomorrow to give a sub-contractor access to the site, I will actually be earning the pay I will get. But it will be tough, going two weeks straight without a breather. Well. At least I get to sleep in a little bit tomorrow morning.

Still, Mo and I should probably get some shut-eye. 

[b4pjoe]

Muscle Spasms (muscle cramps)?

Management and Treatment

How are muscle spasms (muscle cramps) treated?

When a spasm strikes, you might be exercising, simply sitting or even sleeping in the middle of the night. If only there was a magical injection that could instantly relieve your pain! There are, however, five steps you can take to try to get rid of the spasm:

Stretch the affected area.

Massage the affected area with your hands or a massage roller.

Stand up and walk around.

Apply heat or ice. Put an ice pack together or apply a heating pad, or take a nice warm bath.

Take painkillers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

What vitamins may help with muscle spasms (muscle cramps)?

Some experts believe that a daily vitamin B12 complex can help.

[luv2lurk]

I am not a doctor. But my understanding of the pickle juice to relieve cramps is the combination of salt and vinegar in the brine. The key is to make sure it hits the back of the mouth just before you swallow. Your doctor said salt on the tip of the tongue which could be the difference on why that didn't work for you.

[Netfoot]

Thanks to @b4pjoe and @luv2lurk for info & suggestions. Had another attack last night - only one leg and not as strong... but right on the same spot that was site from the previous attack. I got up and hobbled out in the dark in search of a jar of Vlasic pickles. When I finally found it I couldn't get the lid off the jar, and by the time I had tried a few times, the cramp had faded by itself.

Up at 4:30 with Mo playing Tummy Trampoline and contemplating my day. Might have to go grocery shopping at seven before heading to Cattlewash for nine!

[Netfoot]

What it's like  putting my trousers on:

[luv2lurk]

ok so about the pickle juice, I would suggest a shot in waiting beside your bed, except the devil puppy (aka Mo) would probably drink it. Did you try the head rubbing?

And bc curious minds want to know, did you make it to Brighton yesterday?

 

[Netfoot]

3 hours ago, luv2lurk said:

...except the devil puppy (aka Mo) would probably drink it.

He certainly would. If I sit on the bed with a glass of iced water in hand, he sticks his nosie in and had a long drink before I can have any. A shot of anything would surely pique his interest. And since he is now channelling Buddy in his love for chewing up bottles, I could not even leave the shot in a sealed bottle. I will have to think of something.

3 hours ago, luv2lurk said:

Did you try the head rubbing?

No, I clean forgot. 

3 hours ago, luv2lurk said:

And bc curious minds want to know, did you make it to Brighton yesterday?

Yes, I did. I bought a coffee and was looking for something to eat for breakfast so I bought an apricot roll. Sort of like a cinnamon roll but with apricot preserve instead of cinnamon.

I miss Toni and her pastries! Well, I miss her even without pastries.

Went to the supermarket and was standing outside (in the crowd) when it opened at seven. At 7:25 I was in the queue for a cashier. At 8:10, less than half of the way to the cashier, I went and told the manager that there is no point opening early if you don't employ enough cashiers and that I had no intention of spending 90 minutes in a line to pay for 25 minutes worth of shopping. Oh, and that they could take my trolly and pack the contents back on the shelves. It was 8:20 before I got home and bundled Mo into the house/yard and set off for Cattlewash. Was on station with everything unlocked by 8:51 where I waited until the guy who insisted I be there for 9:00 finally arrived at 9:47.

So now I expect they will want to leave at 3:00 instead of 2:00 so I will have to rush home and get laundry in the works. And of course, there are no groceries in the house and even if there were I'm not there to cook them. So lunch today will be a Gala apple, 32 grams of peanuts and less than 1½ ounces of Shirley biscuits. 

I won't get a minutes rest today and tomorrow it all begins again.

(bitch, moan...)

[Netfoot]

Had to go to another store on the way home to buy some staples for the week. It was the one with the latest opening times and the highest prices. Anyhow, got it done and spent the remainder of the afternoon/evening with Mo.

I had purchased a breadfruit that would be perfect on Saturday evening so I could cook and eat it Saturday night and for lunch and dinner tonight. Of course, that plan fell through so I was only able to have it for dinner tonight.

Segmented, peeled and boiled, I had my breadfruit with chicken chunks fried with onion and black beans. All seasoned with garlic and red pepper flakes. It was yummy. While still seated in front of the computer, I got a mild (relatively) cramp in my left thigh, which forced me to stand up. The pain reduced so i sat down - and the pain returned. Repeated this 4-5 times when I suddenly though "You're sitting next to a jar of pickles!" So, first I tried the forehead massage which seemed to work, but maybe the cramp was passing off naturally? Also tried several shots pickle juice.

And so, off to bed. Just got to lock up and douse the lights. Will do that now.

[Netfoot]

No cramps last night in bed. Maybe the 2-3 shots of pickle juice from a while earlier kept them at bay? If I thought so I would consider two shots every night. Except the reflux would kick in instead.

My advice for any young person foolish enough to take advice from a dumb-assed olde farte: Don't get old.

[Netfoot]

Sunday working may have been a mistake. Having missed out on my "weekend" as an opportunity to relax and recharge, I really did feel tired all day today. Yes, it was reduced hours on Sunday but the time left really was not enough to recuperate from a hard week.

Mo is here playing a game which involves wriggling around on his back with his feet in the air, and nipping my toes. We're in bed together (he is now looking out the window) with me still damp from the shower.

It was cool outside. I think that after the blowtorch that is the daytime sun, mildly cool breezes seem to be colder than they actually are. 

Desert Rose by Sting. Liked Sting from way back from the inception of The Police.

Anyway, I will test my BS tomorrow before setting off on my way to work. Lunch will be a little different today : Eclipse biscuits and a piece of red herring, plus a small apple, a small bag of peanuts and pack of TeaTime biscuits with chocolate filling! Ran out of bananas, unfortunately.

Ok so off to sleep I go!

 P}0 I've dropped this thing at least 25 times, so I'm gone, now.

[Netfoot]

Outside, in the shade. With no breeze blowing.

[Netfoot]

It only gets better!