My new net home

Just a little heads - up as to where I am now:

www.lojango.com

Please stop by and have a look, you might even see something you like.

4 years

It's 4 years since I started this blog and really I don't have time for it anymore. It's been sort of cathartic writing a lot of the stuff but the creative side of my life has now been taken over by my new occupation, millinery. Not new as in a new skill, I've been doing it off and on for almost 15 years but only now have I taken it on full time. Relieved of running our building company since WH's accident, there really isn't much company left anyhow since his enforced retirement, I have time and energy to do what I want to do.

So hats it is then. I'll have a web site soon (when I get time for THAT) but as for this blog I'm afraid it's curtains. Thanks for reading and have a nice life, mine is definitely good right now.

Time flies

I thought that was only when you are enjoying yourself. Not true!

I'm STILL recovering from the nasty bug which I have now had since the beginning of November. My GP was forthright, OK I agree with the other chap you saw you have had Swine Flu. Well stone the crows, he hadn't told me that so I was gobsmacked to say the least. It did sort of explain why I am still suffering.

Anyway enough of me, it's been really hectic around here. This week we finally got got Mother in Law into a nursing home after several false starts and a run in with her newly appointed social worker who scuppered the whole thing more than once. Devon has a shortage of social workers so they are obviously now appointing chairs instead. WH got more sense from the chair than that guy spoke. It took 3 hours to fill out a form and if we didn't understand it the erstwhile social worker certainly didn't. If it hadn't been for the staff nurse from the PCT we would still be there now, a whole week later.

WH had his fractures reviewed and it was bad news, more time off work and he has little use in his right hand. More physio was called for, so feeling more hopeful he went to his next appointment. The physiotherapist told him to carry on doing the exercises he already was doing, no examination and nothing whilst he was there to check was he was doing, nothing, Nada. He could have had the consult over the phone and saved everyone some time and the NHS some money because God Knows they've wasted enough telling him absolutely nothing.

Meanwhile we've been planning a new strategy for this summer. We have to have some income from something, he hasn't worked since August and I haven't worked outside the home for 18 years now so we're going to do something together, each doing the bits we are able to. So far it's all under wraps but suffice to say we have bought a caravan, a temporary home for our new career and have been beavering away to prepare, OK not as hard as most people would beaver away but a little bit between rests, naps and doctors appointments.

More later.

Crocodile tears

I've had pneumonia for the last 3 weeks. On my second lot of antibiotics, the rot seems to have stopped and I am actually improving now which makes for a nice change. Once again however I am at the mercy of medication which I take 4 times a day and which must be followed by food an hour later. I tried to do it without the food and oh boy did I feel bad. So food it is, every six hours. Unable to taste anything since well before Christmas I've only been eating the barest minimum of a fairly boring diet of ham sandwiches, jelly and fruit, ice cream and the odd oven chip when WH has been catering for himself.

I've not been up to cooking, the last time I did cook was Boxing Day. So on Saturday WH really did fancy something different and something that he didn't have to provide himself so suggested an Indian meal. I remembered that we had had a new takeaway open in a neighbouring village last autumn, their menu had looked anything but the usual run of the mill and what is more they offered free delivery up to a mile radius. WH left the ordering to me, not a brilliant move as I have very little voice right now and they did have somewhat of a problem understanding me, but he was hospital visiting yet again, so I made the best of it and hoped.

Twenty minutes late the door bell rang and a charming chap whom I vaguely recognised apologised for the delay, reduced the bill and gave me a free bottle of wine, a perfectly respectable Pinot Grigio. By now we were both hungry, my meds had been taken almost 2 hours before and the need for food was getting urgent.

Wow, what food. Loads of it, nicely presented and with extras, always a good sign. It made up for the late delivery but as it was icy and snowy I certainly wasn't about to complain. I opened with seek kebab, it was manna from heaven, came with a really different dressing and a tub of green salad. WH had opted for Onion bhaji, a predictably mild choice (as expected really) but pronounced them gorgeous. For his main he had Tandoori chicken, a huge chicken half with a massive side salad and sauce and a stuffed kheema nan which was light, fluffy and full of spicy lamb. I didn't want a whole main course so had opted for another starter, one I had never heard of before, Chicken Crocodile Tears which according to the menu is apparently a Bangladeshi speciality, cubed, marinated and grilled chicken with roasted veggies in a pineapple sauce. To say it blew me away was the understatement of the century. It was divine. Maybe my taste buds had burst back into life at that precise moment, I don't know but whatever, it was the best Indian meal I've ever eaten. The 'free' popadoms with chutney were great too, the wine will have to wait until I'm off the meds.

One thing is for sure, my new year's resolution is to order Crocodile Tears from that place again (and again and again)!