Small Talk: The Welcome Mat

[Netfoot]

8:13 at QEH Outpatients. This place is full. At least two dozen people waiting inside and a whole lot more bunched up just outside the door. Hopefully, all these people are not here to see the same doctor that I am. 

Already got a ticket for the pharmacy. They are serving #103; my ticket is #181. So, it remains to be seen whether I will see the doctor before #181 gets called. My guess: not likely.

I forgot to take my breakfast meds before I left home. Because I normally take them at 8:00 and I left home before that. And it's stupid, because I carefully checked that I was carrying my lunchtime meds with me... and forgot to take the breakfast meds. How stupid is that?

8:46, still in Outpatients. Just went down to the pharmacy and had a peek: Now serving #115. So about a dozen numbers in about a half an hour. At that rate another three hours before they reach me at #181...

8:54, and the doctor has just called me. Things moving quick today! Assuming I don't sit here for the next hour before the doctor puts in an appearance.....

8:57 - "Have you had the biopsy?" No. "Why not?" You're asking me? "They should have called you!" They didn't. "We sent them three names, including yours! The other two got their biopsies, why not you?" You're asking the wrong man. "Please sit outside in the waiting room while we check to see what happened." OK. "Uh, this is likely to take some time..." No shit, Sherlock... 'What about the CT?" What CT? "The CT we scheduled for you to have?" First I've heard about it... "Please wait outside!"

9:39 and it is still "Taking some time..."

10:08 and now serving #178. I'd better stick around here if I want my meds! But that means they may call me in Outpatients and I won't be there to hear..... Now serving #179...

10:13 and I am at the pharmacy window!

10:19 and back in Outpatients. Got my meds, but I don't know if they were looking for me here, in the 11 minutes I've been away. I'll wait a short while and go make an enquiry. 

10:34 and they will definitely do the biopsy soon! Come again in three months.... 

10:39 and I'm oudda here!

10:55 at Edgar Cochrane. Now serving #903, I am #915. Fingers crossed for a smooth journey.

11:22 and now serving #913. I hope this doesn't take much longer. Still got to go visit briefly with Dr. Kristi. Now serving #914...

11:26 and I've seen the pharmacist.  I'm now waiting to collect my meds. 

11:35 and I'm on my way!

11:53 and I'm waiting at Dr. Kristi's clinic. She is with a patient and the waiting room was clear until a minute ago, when two ladies walked in. But hopefully she will see me for a minute before her next patient?

12:02 and I just saw Dr. K. She looked good in a red suit. I told her I wanted a chat but that this was not a good time. So at her recommendation I made an appointment to see her next Monday. I was wrong - she is working next week, but only half days...

12:09 back home with the van in the gate and I even took a pee! Mo made a bid for freedom, trying to shoot between my legs but I thwarted his escape attempt.

Now I got to figure out what he and I will be eating for lunch! But first, I think I need to drink some water. And take my breakfast meds...

Edited December 16 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Remember the chips & "gravy" we had for dinner last night? Mo and I enjoyed it so much we had it again for dinner! And it was great again! I tried keeping my "gravy" in a separate bowl until I was just about to eat my chips - spearing a chip and dipping it into the gravy.... and then fishing it out with my fingers because 9 times out of 10 it fell off the fork. So good eats but you have to decide how you will plate the dish to suit your self. 

For lunch we had boiled potatoes and carrots (well, one very big carrot) with an onion & bully sauce. That was pretty good as well. I think the potatoes were a little on the soft side, but this allowed me to smash each piece of potato with the back of the fork and then shovel it down with a dribble of sauce. Half way through I switched from the fork to a spoon and the shovelling really reached epic proportions after that. When potato is soft enough to be converted to mash with a simple press of your mouth-shovel, it is at a delicate point. When it converts itself to mash when you just look at it, you've taken it a bit too far.

So if you read the preceeding, you will probably agree that today was a mixed bag. First, the QEH pharmacy took only 2:06 which is shorter than usual. But this was also compensated for by the fact that I was at Outpatients for most of that. Outpatients took a total of 2:26 but I would have been at QEH anyway, waiting on the pharmacy. The real kicker was being asked why I had not had a biopsy that nobody told me to go and get. (When he checked with the biopsy team, they were still mumbling about needle shortages). And then also being asked why I hadn't got the CT that nobody told me I should. Anyway, my next appointment is in March and by then I will have had the biopsy (only, these guys are lying bastards and I don't believe there is any truth to that) and we can arrange the CT to suit, depending on the results of the biopsy. Besides, I feel so lousy these days I doubt I'm going to make it to March anyway!

Next, Edgar Cochrane took a total of only 40 minutes, which allowed me to get to Dr. Kristi before noon. Always a pleasure to see her, even if she is giving me a bollocking for being caught drinking a Coke or something. Told her I'd love a chance to chat but that today was obviously not the best time. She suggested asking an appointment at a time when she was unlikely to be busy but Clauder kept rejecting slots until we ended up back at 10 in the morning on a Monday - one of her busiest times. ☹️

Want to bring her up to date on meds changes WRT the MG and also what happened today WRT the kidney, plus general chat.

Mo is lying along my left leg. He is a fuzzy little hot water bottle. I had a girlfriend once (UK) who actually used a hot water bottle. They work beautifully at keeping your feet warm and so long as you are scrupulously careful about the bung, you won't scald your feet. But the problem is, they cool down. You will wake up in the wee hours of the morning to find that your toes are resting on a block of ice! Mo is a fabulous compromise. He maintains a constant temperature. You will never get scalded. You will never get frozen. Instead, you will get fuzzy cuddles of the most amazingly, snuggly type! But he does get up and wander off if he feels like it. 

Us & Them by Pink Floyd but not the usual version from DSOTM. This is from the Delicate Sound of Thunder live album recorded in the late 80s. There are minor differences and so not "canon" but this version is still worth a listen.

Don't think I watched any movies today. But then I was away for half the day so it's no surprise.

My friend brought me 14 new plates to drill, meanwhile he took away the 14 I'd already done. I was expecting him to bring more. I was expecting 100-150 in total and so far I've only seen 28. Once set up the drilling goes fast so I'd much sooner he brought 100 than 6-7 batches of 14 because then I'd only have to set up once instead of 6-7 times. Fortunately the setup is quick. The slowest part of the operation is deburring but I've built a jig that might help there. Will try it tomorrow.

I only got the central holed drilled this evening before darkness began to set in. With the cataracty eyeballs light gets more critical each day. 

He also said he was accumulating the materials for the towel racks. He likes to buy the materials himself and I'm good with that. If he gives me money to buy the materials I have to drive around and burn gas to locate what I need. Whereas he is driving around all day anyway and only has to stop here and there to see if they have what he needs. Besides, I'm always worried that the quality of my output will be up to desired standards. If he buys the material, I know there will be no complaints about the quality of said materials. Any way it looks like I might get the materials and the dimensions later this week. 

I think we're back to rice tomorrow. We've had potatoes three meals in a row now, and also pasta. The potatoes I bought only yesterday are starting to run low already. I think we may have more small pasta in the fridge so Mo and I can share a pasta meal perhaps. But pretty soon we're back to rice.

We have corned beef, we have some pumpkin, we have onions, carrots, one more cucumber... We also have more dried peas/beans but I dunno if we have any more lentils or black beans.

I have lower success rates with other types. Split-peas are a disaster. I can boil them for three days and they are still hard and crunchy. Nasty! Black beans and lentil peas rehydrate quickly and easily and I happen to like them both. I like other types too: pigeon peas, channa, etc. But since I can't rehydrate them for some reason, I have to buy them in tins and they are much more expensive. Actually I've never tried to rehydrate channa because 500 grams of dry channa cost $5.50 whereas the same 500 grams of lentils or black beans only cost $2.39 depending where you shop. One of these days I will splurge on a pack of channa and see how they hydrate. I should try black-eyes as well. I like black-eyes in rice. 

And I'm thinking the pinto beans I tried a while back were good. I think they are more suitable to being cooked separate from rice, though. They can be spooned over the top if desired but they eat well by themselves. I want to try cooking some with a chunk of smoked ham-hock in the pot. Mo can then get the ham-hock but I think it would supercharge the beans! <sigh> The bank balance is now $7.95 and the pocket is 85¢ so it will be a while before the sex these experiments see the light of day. (Autocorrect is wild, some nights!) 

My current fear is that the gas cylinder runs out again. They last about 2 months and I am wondering how long it's been since the last refill. You're suppose to keep two so when one runs out in the middle of preparing Christmas dinner you quickly switch to the other and refill the empty at your leisure. Unfortunately, my spare is also empty. If I had sense I'd go full it now, but I don't have the $45 it would take...

Anyway, I will try to lock up. My hot water bottle is still lying along my left leg but when I try to move he will probably go shooting out the door! (Why he has to keep doing this, I don't know.) Eventually we will get the door locked up and I will go read. Don't know how long it will take, but I'm going to start the process now!

[andidante]

10 hours ago, Netfoot said:

So if you read the preceeding, you will probably agree that today was a mixed bag. First, the QEH pharmacy took only 2:06 which is shorter than usual. But this was also compensated for by the fact that I was at Outpatients for most of that. Outpatients took a total of 2:26 but I would have been at QEH anyway, waiting on the pharmacy. The real kicker was being asked why I had not had a biopsy that nobody told me to go and get. (When he checked with the biopsy team, they were still mumbling about needle shortages). And then also being asked why I hadn't got the CT that nobody told me I should. Anyway, my next appointment is in March and by then I will have had the biopsy (only, these guys are lying bastards and I don't believe there is any truth to that) and we can arrange the CT to suit, depending on the results of the biopsy. Besides, I feel so lousy these days I doubt I'm going to make it to March anyway!

Next, Edgar Cochrane took a total of only 40 minutes, which allowed me to get to Dr. Kristi before noon. Always a pleasure to see her, even if she is giving me a bollocking for being caught drinking a Coke or something. Told her I'd love a chance to chat but that today was obviously not the best time. She suggested asking an appointment at a time when she was unlikely to be busy but Clauder kept rejecting slots until we ended up back at 10 in the morning on a Monday - one of her busiest times. ☹️

Want to bring her up to date on meds changes WRT the MG and also what happened today WRT the kidney, plus general chat.

 

 

I really hope that you get your biopsy in March! Although it's really too bad that you have to wait another three months. I wish Dr. Kristi could do the biopsy for you but I guess you have to go to QEH? They just seem so unorganized or something. Hang in there Netfoot!

[Netfoot]

1 hour ago, andidante said:

I wish Dr. Kristi could do the biopsy for you but I guess you have to go to QEH?

It's our "Universal Health Care". You have to get the treatment from a government agency. That means QEH or a polyclinic. If you go to a polyclinic for something they don't want to handle, they will refer you to QEH anyway. 

I don't know that Dr. Kristi would be willing to do the biopsy, even if she could. She is a Generalist/GP so while she could set a broken bone, she wouldn't. She would stabilize the break and send you to an expert; an orthopedist.

In any case, I believe the biopsy is done with a CT running so they can see where the needle is going. And Dr. K. doesn't have a CT machine in her clinic.

I could probably go to a specialist but I would end up paying a consultancy fee and what ever other charges were applied to the procedures. I can't afford any of this.

By the way, my experiences at QEH with Neurology and Urology, etc, are exactly why I have such a low opinion of those who think Universal Health Care should replace private medicine. I'm glad it exists for people (like me) who can't afford private medicine, but if it was the only option.....

[Netfoot]

By the way, the new plates are done:

the 

[Netfoot]

Lying in bed with a sweet breeze in the window, a sweet puppy curled up next to me and a mug of sweet tea drawing on the bedside table. I've earned Mo not to s.plevit sample it because if he died did he will scald his little tongue. And because he isn't all that obedient I'm keeping a close eye on him and the tea.thsnkfuy, tea. Thankfully, he doesn't appear too interested. 

Digging through the fridge earlier I came across a package of green split peas. I have never had any luck with split peas. I've soaked then for 48 hours with little effect. But I thought I'd try again. So I boiled them for 39 30 minutes and they were still hard and crunchy. If I was a young chef trying to make a name for myself by championing  unpalatable food I might say al dente. I carried on boiling for another 10 minutes and they were soft and mushy! Drat!

I put two scoops in the rice. Along with bully beef, pumpkin and carrot. The rice turned out tasty. I guess it's helpful that I like rice. I dished out two scoops for Mo and another two for me. I put Mo's to cool and ate mine. I was halfway fine done when I have him his. When I put my bowl on the floor, he left his half full rice bowl to come lick my empty rice bowl! 

He has retired to the tiles. 

The thing is,if the split peas are already soft and mushy and then you cook them for a further 20 minutes in the rice, they virtually disappear. The rice ends up with green flecks all through it and the distinct split pea flavour as well. I may take a couple of scoops of them and try boiling plain old split pea soup for my dinner. Mo can have rice.

While rooting through the fridge I discovered one more pack of black beans but also a pack of black-eyed peas! But food is running low and money is not available. Hopefully the plates get collected today and the materials & measurements for the towel racks arrive at the same time. I still have the $423.75 to work off and on the job after that will potentially put some grub in the larder. I have 5 teabags left, half a bag of sugar, and I'm on the last tin of condensed milk. The last bag of rice was opened today, potatoes are low, and I have one pack of macaroni, one of spaghetti and one of bowties (or spirals, can't remember). Got 5-6 carrots, thankfully mostly large ones. Maybe 7-8 spuds. One cucumber. Three tins of bully. Fair number of onions. A tin of something describing itself as ham but probably closer to SPAM. Saving that for our Christmas feast. Not sure how to cook it. They recommend baking it in the oven but to light up the oven for something smaller than my fist? 

Anyway, I came in here to get a snooze but will read my book instead. One may lead to the other.

Maybe some music? Love Is The Drug by Roxy Music. Bryan Ferry in all his narcissistic, sartorial glory. No ludicrous, peacock-feathered stupidity like Elton. Just the very best of style by the very best of bespoke tailors.... 

Edited Wednesday at 01:39 AM by Netfoot

[andidante]

5 hours ago, Netfoot said:

It's our "Universal Health Care". You have to get the treatment from a government agency. That means QEH or a polyclinic. If you go to a polyclinic for something they don't want to handle, they will refer you to QEH anyway. 

I don't know that Dr. Kristi would be willing to do the biopsy, even if she could. She is a Generalist/GP so while she could set a broken bone, she wouldn't. She would stabilize the break and send you to an expert; an orthopedist.

In any case, I believe the biopsy is done with a CT running so they can see where the needle is going. And Dr. K. doesn't have a CT machine in her clinic.

I could probably go to a specialist but I would end up paying a consultancy fee and what ever other charges were applied to the procedures. I can't afford any of this.

By the way, my experiences at QEH with Neurology and Urology, etc, are exactly why I have such a low opinion of those who think Universal Health Care should replace private medicine. I'm glad it exists for people (like me) who can't afford private medicine, but if it was the only option.....

Thank you for explaining that to me. I would not want to depend on the government to provide my health care! I am grateful for the health care I receive through my employer. It helped me tremendously with my cancer last year.. 

[Netfoot]

1 hour ago, andidante said:

I would not want to depend on the government to provide my health care!

I am not saying that there should not be a system of Universal Health Care. It is a value to those who have no alternate option. But there are people who think that private medical care should be disallowed. That doctors should be forced to work only for the government, to provide healthcare via the government scheme, with no alternative. This is a bad thing.

[Netfoot]

Watched a movie called Megopolis (or something). An architect and the city mayor engage in a battle to decide whose vision will dictate the future of the city. One of those movies where everyone is wearing the latest big-bux, designer apparel and every pronouncement is elaborately obtuse. 

Had green split pea soup for dinner. All I did was put a generous scoop of the soft peas in the pot with a cup of water and boil. Added a little salt, granulated garlic and not much else. The peas were originally boiled in water with a stock cube added so they were already slightly flavoured. 

The soup turned out just fine. Quite tasty, even. One thing I'd change: the soup settled into two layers so I had to keep stirring as I ate it. Maybe I should had run it through the blender so it would all be of a consistent texture? Or maybe I should have added some corn starch to thicken it? (It was quite thick enough as fast a I am concerned.) I think the blender would have made it better. 

What else might have made it better? Some bread or crackers to make fishes. 

[Interruption!  (As the Hansard describes any incident that causes a hiatus in parliamentary proceedings. Including on at least one occasion, a bomb being thrown.)]

Mo was curled up at the foot of the bed when suddenly he rocketed off the bed and began fighting with something that squeaked and squealed loudly as the fight proceeded down the passage, out the door and into the garden. By time I could grab a pair of trousers and rush out, Mo was in the process of burying what ever it was and he did not look like he would appreciate any interference. I very gently patted him on the back, told him he was a good boy and left him to it. I suspect it was a rodent.

Anyway, bread fishes. Since I ate the soup out of a mug, I don't think your actual bread fishes would have been appropriate, but maybe soldiers that you could dunk?  If I try that again I might make some fry-bread. Not that there is a lot of flour remaining, but enough for some fry-bread.

I did not offer Mo soup for dinner. I gave him a full portion of rice which he ate with relish. Then he came begging for more so I gave him a second, slightly smaller portion which he promptly ate. And asked for more. So a third portion was doled out and fully consumed. He had a full lunch but obviously was very hungry. Or the rice was exceptionally good... Actually, it is rather good, considering. No fancy ingredients, not even some pak choy.

(Vanquishing hero returns! And starts lapping my iced water. 😕 Prolly won't drink any more of that myself...)

Now, as to rice. I like to cook what some call a "fancy" rice, meaning it is not plain, white rice. I always put something in it. Peas, veggies, etc. But should the rice contain the meat? Obviously if you are cooking a pelau or a kedgeree specifically, it has to contain the beef, chicken or fish. But if you cook a veggie rice, you can separately cook bully, tuna, sausages, etc, and customize each meal, even though the rice is the same. 

Listening to You've Got It Bad, Girl by Stevie Wonder. I think this is from Talking Book, considered one of his best albums.

Mo had gone out again. I think he had gone to check on his buried treasure. 

Anyway, it's nearly midnight. The steel plates were not collected today, nor were the materials & dimensions for the towel racks delivered. I will post this and turn to my book. 

Edited Wednesday at 03:49 AM by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

You can only take so much shit in life. If Mo goes, I'm going with him.

[andidante]

44 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

You can only take so much shit in life. If Mo goes, I'm going with him.

What brought this on? Did you have a bad day?

[Netfoot]

Yesterday morning, I noticed that Mo was having difficulty standing up. From lying down, his front end would rise to a standing position without apparent difficulty, but his hind quarters would struggle to stand.

My immediate thought was to take him to the vet. My second thought was that there was only $7.95 in the bank. Well actually, there was rent for the month of January in the bank, plus an additional $200 which I will.neec will need to put with January's pension to pay rent in February (because rent goes up $200 from 1st of February).

So I put him in the van and whisked him down to the vet. An exam lead to the suspicion that he had injured his hind leg(s) somehow. He was prescribed an oral antibiotic, twice a day for ten days. $184.48 for the consultation and the meds. 

I am no longer able to pay rent in February.  And I am not 100% convinced that Mo's problem is as straightforward as all that. True, after only two doses of meds, he seems to be having a much easier time - no apparent struggling to stand up. But I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

And whereas I thought I had rent covered up until the end of February, that I'd no longer the case. I need to learn earn $200 (essentially) to get back to where I was yesterday morning when I woke up. I also need to pay some bills and buy some groceries. And prepare to buy a new gas cylinder. Still not sure how much longer I can expect the one I have there to last.

But no sign of any woodwork jobs. The materials and dimensions for the towel racks still have not surfaced. Tomorrow is Friday and next week is Christmas week with two bank holidays and a third day on which nobody ever works. The week after has only one bank holiday but it also has another day on which nobody ever works. And the week after that is already well on its way to February.

I have no idea how difficult and time consuming the towel racks will be when I finally get the wherewithall to proceed with them. But what I know is that I won't be paid for them. Because I was paid in advance, weeks ago. There will be no funds forthcoming until the next job, whenever and whatever that may be.

Anyway, Mo is on the tiles next to me here and he seems comfortable and unconcerned. I'm hoping his difficulty standing, what ever it might be, has passed or is passing and will not be an issue for him in the future. 

He had chips with a pork sausage for his lunch and enjoyed it thoroughly. I had the same and I enjoyed it just as much. The only difference between he and I is that his pork sausage was sliced into a number of pieces and concealed under his chips. I also put less ketchup on his chips than on mine, because he is not a complete ketchup junkie. Neither am I. I am a mayo junkie and since there is no mayo, I have gave myself extra ketchup.

I think I will cook pasta tonight.

New book to hand. If you consider 1964 "new". It is Farnham's Freehold by Robert A. Heinlein. This is a classic novel by a classic sci-fi author. Hugh and his family take shelter in his subterranean bunker when the atom-bombs fall. The shelter (and the family) survive the attack but a very powerful, near-direct hit knocks them a into a parallel dimension where they must struggle to survive and find their way back to their home reality.

Started binging Survivor S47 (nobody spoil me!). OMG, the recent crop of contestants are absolute dunces. Each season it gets worse. They are all as thick as two short planks! And they all think they are so clever. As for Probst, every time he starts pontificating I find myself mumbling "Shut up, Jeff!", involuntarily. 

Mo has crawled deeper into his Fortress of Solitude & Dust-Bunnies. I don't know if it is cooler under there (there is a moderately cool breeze in the window and the fan is blowing) but it will definitely be darker/dimmer. Which would suit anyone who was out to catch 40 winks.

That does not include me! I am going to start reading some RAH!

Edited Friday at 01:41 AM by Netfoot

[luv2lurk]

Glad to read Mo is feeling better.

Personally, I found the first few episodes of Survivor S47 a struggle to watch (I had to force myself to tune in). But it does get better, so stick with it! I agree Jeff needs to tone it down (and that part doesn't get any better).

[Netfoot]

17 hours ago, luv2lurk said:

But it does get better, so stick with it!

Will do. 

Dinner was pasta twists with bully beef & onion sauce with additional cucumber diced finely and a little tomato sauce because we don't have much. Mo and I both ate our dinners without hesitation. It tasted pretty good. Of course it would have taste better with a little mayo on top...

Started Farnham's Freehold but only read nine pages. I have read this several times before but it's been a while. I have a memory of the general direction of the novel but I don't remember any of the details so I expect to enjoy reacquainting myself with the story. If those first nine pages are any measure of the rest, all is well. 

I came in to the bedroom and found Mo on the floor, enjoying the coolth of the tiles. But there is sign that he was in the bed shortly before I showed up. He is behaving quite normally, but I am very concerned about him still. Perhaps I'm not seeing him struggle to do things because he is purposely not doing the things he knows he will have trouble with? Yesterday at the vet he was very busy, actively giving love and cuddles to anyone who would let him, but that is what I will call "white-coat adrenaline" (as opposed to the well known medical condition "white-coat hypertension").

Listening to Black Milk off the Mezzanine album by Massive Attack. Good album from a good band. And this is a good track from among several good tracks on this album such as Risingson, Teardrop, Angel, Dissolved Girl and Inertia Creeps. It is not my favourite, but it is still pretty good! Hard to pick a favourite but I tend towardsTeardrop.

Think I will go for a shower and then read my book. You know how they say if toy you smell toast when there is no toast you are probably having a stroke? What if you smell cake?

Just took this photo of the baby sleeping on the floor

and he immediately jumped into bed and started bathing me. So, no need for me to have a shower tonight, then.... 

Edited Friday at 12:49 PM by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Mo had chips and bully beef gravy for lunch. I had green split-pea soup and bread. Mo tried to socially engineer some of my lunch but sorry, pup!

Still binging Survivor. Examples of phrases which lead me to believe that in 47 seasons, this game has gone from strong players to needy weaklings who would not survive for three days on a real desert island:

"Since day three, I've been longing for charcuterie!" That's right. Charcuterie. Not, "...a rat that I can roast!" Charcuterie. 

"We bargained for 18 eggs but they took our flint so we can't cook them!" Yes. I'm sure Yau-man would starve too, if someone didn't give him a flint.

[Netfoot]

Mo appears to be functioning normally, which is a great relief. Mind you, I have not seen him try to do anything particularly energetic, like leap up to head height to kiss someone over the gate! He has had two days of medication so far, and he is supposed to get ten days worth. That will take us up to next Saturday (the 28th). I only hope the bottle contains the required 48ml of physik to get to that point.

He had bully beef rice with green split peas for lunch. I had spaghetti with onion gravy. As sauces go it was pretty basic, but it's hard to spoil spaghetti. I ate something different from the pupster because I am bogarting the spaghetti for myself. We now have one pack of macaroni and half a pack of spaghetti remaining, along with most of a bag of rice and about 5 lbs. of spuds. Also some packets of peas which I will.trh to rehydrate as soon as the last of the green split peas are gone. Seeing as I have been having some success turning them into a tasty soup I just may finish them off tomorrow. Them I can do the black beans, yeh the black-eyed peas or explore one of the other packages in the fridge. At least one is field peas and I would have to go and check on the others. Possibly red kidney beans, possibly more split peas.

Still binging (bingeing?) Survivor. I have noticed that Jeff is constantly begging for applicants. Or is that my imagination? They always invited people to apply but maybe once per season? And during or around the final episode? I wonder if they are having a hard time getting suitable applicants? Or any applicants? Because they certainly seems to be scraping the bottom of the barrel. The level of logic and deductive reasoning displayed by players in recent years is embarrassingly low. 

Mo is curled up beside my shoulder. This morning he demanded we play a particularly strenuous game of Tummy Trampoline, when all I wanted to do was catch another few winks before dragging my aged bod out of bed. Then he say beside me on the bed and using one paw, complete with talons, he would reach out every 15 seconds or so and frag those talons form my arm, shoulder, back or butt. I would roll over to face him and try to find out what he wanted but he would just sit there and look at me. I tried patting, stroking and tummy tickling but he was not interested and every time I turned away and tried to drift off again, it wouldn't be long before I was being painfully clawed again.

I could have chased him out the house and closed the door but eventually, it was easier to just get up myself. I never did find out what he wanted because as soon as I got up he was then happy to leave me alone. Unless getting me up was his only goal....

I have sent another message cajoling my friend to let us get going on the towel racks. He has not responded. I don't think it makes sense to nag him any more. I have made it plain, several times too, that I want to fulfill my obligation arising out of the prepayment I received months ago. Which was supposed to be for work to be done the following week. If I had it, I would give him back the money, but instead I am now very worried about paying rent on 1st of February. That was covered until I decided to take Mo to the vet...

Listening to Home by Sarah Cracknell. She has recorded several singles with a variety of groups, but she recorded most of the songs on Saint Etienne's debut album Foxbase Alpha, and had been their vocalist, on all of their albums ever since (about a dozen). She had also recorded 2-3 solo albums and this track is from one of those. I think it was her debut, Lipslide.

Mo has moved to lie along my left leg, on his back, wid' all he bidness expose! This is his favourite position for attracting tummy rubs but he erred in placing himself too far "south" for me to reach his tummy.  He appears to be comatose anyway. But! You can bet that if I attempt to go and have a shower I won't be able to get out of the bed without him going full "blower & nitro" as he races outside. Just to delay my getting back to bed.

Anyway, my book awaits. The bombs have fallen, and they and their entire shelter have been shifted to another universe (although they don't realize it yet because they are still inside their shelter). I will read for a while, try for a shower, and wait on the puppy if necessary before locking up. He is dreaming right now. I can tell because his feet are twitching. I hope he is chasing a rabbit rather than being chased by a lion! If I shift to a somewhat uncomfortable position I can actually rub his tummy awkwardly with my knee.....

[Netfoot]

My friend came around and offered me a quick job. He had a mirror hanging in a wall but wood worm got into the frame. He gave the mirror to another woodworker to fix. This would involve carefully removing the frame, making a new one and installing the mirror into the new frame. 

The woodworker filled the damaged parts of the old frame with wood filler, sanded it down and painted it. Voila!

Here is the frame (part of) as it was brought to me and as I found it, while taking it apart.:

This has proven to be a terribly nerve-wracking job so far and I've only just got the frame off! As I'm removing the staples that hd the back in place, I'm hearing crackles and crunches at every turn. In thinking "Shit! There goes the glass..." And as I get into it, I'm finding tons of wood worm "dust" everywhere. And even a couple of the actual worms themselves. 

 

Anyway, this is worth $80 if I can get it done without busting the mirror (where in hell do I put it to keep it safe from the Monster?) that will bring my financial state to -$63.40 so a bit more needed if rent for February is to be covered.

More to follow!

Edited Yest. at 03:53 PM by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Back in May, I made a post about some "feet" I made.  Link back if you want to see a photo. 

Yesterday, my friend told me a story. he was finishing a cupboard for a client and tolf told one of his workers to "Go and ass add the handles to all the cupboard doors." The worker went into the workshop and attached one of these "feet" to each door as a handle!

I was shocked. They have huge counterbores in them! You can't use them as cupboard door handles! But the client loved them, and the design staff has tried them and concluded that they are highly functional and more comfortable to use than any of the real handles they have! So it looks like more "feet/handles" ,ay may be required. Not sure when, but I was told yesterday that I should have 2-3 simple jobs by next week. Possibly feet/handles are one, hopefully towel racks are another and who knows what else? Just hoping that there will be enough income to cover the $63.40 shortfall in February's rent. And some extra for a gas cylinder and some groceries would be good too!

Gotta go figure out what Mo and I will be eating for Lunch...

Edited 18 hours ago by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Going to see Dr. Kristi tomorrow so I've just finished a good scrub-up in the shower. Even shampooed all the hair on my body. Head, beard, chest and...  elsewhere. I bathe every day at least once (medical issues allowing) but this is Christmas time! Even picked out a nice Christmas themed tee-shirt. 

Tomorrow morning will be five days Mo has been getting his physik. I have to say I have not seen him struggling to do anything, but I don't know that he had tried to do anything particular demanding. Jim came to the gate this morning with his son (who I would not have recognized - he has changed a lot in the last few years) and Mo was doing his standing jump up to kissing height to greet the visitors over the top of the gate. I can only hope that what I saw last week was either something minor and very temporary or something I imagined.

The little man was snoozing on the floor when I came in and undressed for my shower. When I returned he joined me on the bed for a short while but he has returned to the floor.

For lunch we had a very nice rice with tuna, corn and carrots. Mo and I both killed it! I notice food tastes particularly good these days. Not sure if something is making everything taste good or whether it's just a reaction to the lack of metal-mouth. One thing I have been trying out recently is a light sprinkle of MSG in my food. Been doing it for about 10 days. I know the metal taste went away before I started using it but I can't say when I started noticing that food just tastes better these days. 

I know MSG is not considered good for you. Neither is cancer, MG or old age. I will see what Dr. Kristi says but I think her position will be to do what makes you happy in your way down the slope to the finish line! 

Watched two movies today. One was The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Bullock is a tyrannical book editor who everyone hates and Reynolds her long-suffering assistant and slave. When she discovers she is about to be deported back to Canada for not bothering to follow through on her immigration, she comes up with a plan. She and Reynolds will marry until the deportation issue is resolved and then divorce. Complications arise.

I like both these actors and although I despise Betty White (who also had a part in the movie as Reynolds "Gammy"), it isn't a bad movie. However, most of the humour doesn't age well, so if you've seen it before (as I have) the jokes fall a little flat the second time around.

The other movie is an old classic called Tango & Cash starring Sylvester Stallone & Kurt Russell. Two cops who don't like each other but have individually ticked off the local crime lord to such an extent that he frames them for murder. To clear their names and punish the baddie, they must work together to escape from jail and go after their tormentor. Not too bad. You won't think the script was written by Shakespeare but it was entertaining enough.

Oh, I forgot to tell you what we had for dinner! And I'm sure you can hardly contain your excitement.  😐  Pasta twists with a sauce made from corned beef and onion with some tomato sauce. This was a hit with Mo and I, only a day or two ago but less so tonight. He did eat most of it but he took his time and left a little behind. I thought it was fine. It was not exactly the same as last time because the sauce was made up with alternate spices to deliberately make it different, and I added no cucumber to the mix this time.

Listening to Cousin Kevin, performed by Paul Nicholas who was a guest artist on the album Tommy by The Who. When Oliver Reed & Ann-Margaret are trying to cure Tommy (the deaf, dumb & blind kid) they hand him over to all sorts of weirdos trying to break him out of the mental block that is causing his afflictions. Cousin Kevin is a young sadist who abuses Tommy in several nasty and painful ways, but to no avail. Nicholas, who made his name in musical theatre had previously played the part of Jesus in a West End production of JC Superstar. 

Glued up the wood for the new frame for the mirror. We didn't have wood thick enough so I had to cut eight pieces and glue them in pairs to get the required thickness. In fact, they are now too thick so they will have to be cut back down a little. Unfortunately, the boards provided were a little off in length as well. The original mirror is 21⅝" by 26⅝" but one of the boards is only 21⅜" in length. This means that the mirror must be at least ¼" narrower than the original. To accommodate this, the two long sides will have to be ⅛" narrower. And since the short sides must match the long, they too, will have to be cut ⅛" narrower than the original frame. I don't think it actually matters that I can't perfectly re-create the original frame. But the fact that the boards leave no excess, or scraps at all means there is no room for error. If I cut any of the pieces even so much as a hair too short, they won't wrap around the glass of the mirror without leaving an unsightly gap. Also, I'm almost out of wood glue. There is prolly enough to do the job but no excess. I will have to buy more because without it, I would have to refuse some jobs. And it is expensive. 

I am lying here now thinking that I might have a piece of wood that might be wide enough to cut replacement pieces from if I screw up, but I'm not sure and I'm not putting my pants on to go outside and dig around in that woodpile now to check.

In fact, what I feel like doing now is drinking a mug of tea but I've already had four mugs for the day and there is very little milk left. There are quite a few tea bags and at least 2 pounds of sugar but very little milk. And I will want a mug in the morning to fortify myself for my visit with Dr. K. So I think that $63.40 deficit in the budget is going to get worse tomorrow, seeing as how Dr. K's clinic shares a parking lot with PriceLo. They recently lowered the price of condensed milk to $2.99 so I can purchase it from them instead of having to drive down to Popular to get that price. And at $2.99 I could get four tins and push the deficit to only $75.36 which, let's face it, if I can't earn $75 odd dollars by 1st February, I probably can't earn $63!

Four tins should get me through the coming week and into next week. I hope. Because I am giving it to Mo with his medicine to persuade him to take it without argument. 

Anyway, going to lock the house. If I can tippy-toe out of here I will come right back and read some more of my book. If Mo does his warp-factor two dash for the door... Uh-oh! Mo just got up from the floor and is now curled up on the foot of the bed. So no sneaking out will be possible and return to bed/book will occur only after a period of waiting/YT video watching.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you could communicate with your four-footed love ones like Dr. Doolittle could? If I could tell Mo that his rushing out when ever it's time to lock up was a pain I the rear, do you think he would care? Or would he ho rushing out anyway?

Ok, I'd better get it done. Chances are he will be on his feet the moment I sit up in bed and down the passage before my feet hit the floor. 

[andidante]

11 hours ago, Netfoot said:

Watched two movies today. One was The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Bullock is a tyrannical book editor who everyone hates and Reynolds her long-suffering assistant and slave. When she discovers she is about to be deported back to Canada for not bothering to follow through on her immigration, she comes up with a plan. She and Reynolds will marry until the deportation issue is resolved and then divorce. Complications arise.

I like both these actors and although I despise Betty White (who also had a part in the movie as Reynolds "Gammy"), it isn't a bad movie. However, most of the humour doesn't age well, so if you've seen it before (as I have) the jokes fall a little flat the second time around.

The other movie is an old classic called Tango & Cash starring Sylvester Stallone & Kurt Russell. Two cops who don't like each other but have individually ticked off the local crime lord to such an extent that he frames them for murder. To clear their names and punish the baddie, they must work together to escape from jail and go after their tormentor. Not too bad. You won't think the script was written by Shakespeare but it was entertaining enough.

 

If I may ask, why don't you like Betty White? I didn't like her character Rose in Golden Girls AT ALL. I was a Dorothy and Blanche fan myself. I love Sly Stallone and Kurt Russell. Tango and Cash is a fun movie.

[Netfoot]

17 minutes ago, andidante said:

If I may ask, why don't you like Betty White? I didn't like her character Rose in Golden Girls AT ALL. I was a Dorothy and Blanche fan myself. I love Sly Stallone and Kurt Russell. Tango and Cash is a fun movie.

I hated her in the American version of Golden Girl, too! But generally, she just rubs me the wring way. I don't kmow why, specifically. And (sorry!) I hated Blanche as well!

I like both Russell and Stallone and I'm not sure why I've never seen Tango and Cash before. I think I mah have been confusing it with Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (Clint Eastwood & Jeff Bridges), another good movie that I have seen several times.

Just back from seeing Dr. Kristi, It's surprising how much we had to talk about. I'd hoped I'd persuade her to take a selfie with me, but just as we were finishing up she has to rush out to deal with another patient, so alas!

[andidante]

44 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

I hated her in the American version of Golden Girl, too! But generally, she just rubs me the wring way. I don't kmow why, specifically. And (sorry!) I hated Blanche as well!

I like both Russell and Stallone and I'm not sure why I've never seen Tango and Cash before. I think I mah have been confusing it with Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (Clint Eastwood & Jeff Bridges), another good movie that I have seen several times.

Just back from seeing Dr. Kristi, It's surprising how much we had to talk about. I'd hoped I'd persuade her to take a selfie with me, but just as we were finishing up she has to rush out to deal with another patient, so alas!

No need to apologize, Blanche wasn't everyone's cup of tea! I will have to check out Thunderbolt and Lightfoot. I have not heard of that movie before. 

It is too bad you didn't get your selfie, but hopefully next time. Did she have any advice about your biopsy not being done yet?

[Netfoot]

1 hour ago, andidante said:

Did she have any advice about your biopsy not being done yet?

No. They promised to get back to mwe with a date\time for a biopsy soon enough for the results to be back by my next meeting (17th March). She said that given this, there was nothing I could do but wait for the appointment.

I am also waiting for an appointment date\time for my next visit to Dr. Jacinto. Dr. K. said that if it isn't forthcoming soon (it's already been a month), go in and ask in person. She said to schedule my next QEH pharmacy day on a Neurology clinic day so I will be right there anyway, so go and ask.

Got chips on the stove for Mo and I for lunch. Mo will prolly have his with some Vienna sausages cut up into little piueces pieces. I will just have Ketchup.

Edited 15 minutes ago by Netfoot