Eternal Refuge

I picked Claire up mid morning and we went to our local Stately Home .... to see their Christmas decorations.  However as an extra bonus we couldn't have picked better weather if we had specifically ordered it.  So we had a lovely few hours.

So I will have some photos to share soon .... but until then -






19. How long do your shoes/boots last (and do you wear some pairs until they fall apart)? How many pairs of shoes/boots do you own?
I do wear out shoes pretty quickly, although if I buy good leather shoes from a well-known company they survive OK.
I really only have a few pairs of shoes - I am not a stylish type of person - mostly wear black shoes/boots in winter, and a couple of different pairs of sandals in the summer ... and a pair of slippers, of course!





Well that's me ... I want to get the photos sorted.

But I also want to take a moment to thank Barnstable Hospital ... 36 years ago saved my eyesight with surgery.

Just as I got in from Church on Sunday a friend text me to say that the lady doing the afternoon/evening shift at the Reception had phoned in sick.  Mel wondered if I could do it ... and I agreed, so Mel said she would let the team know.

Shift went well ... no roblems.

This morning when I was in clinic I saw the "boss" and we were talking about the weekend ... so I pointed out that I had worked both days in the end.  She looked shocked ... and asked which Sunday shift I had done, and I told her.  She said "OH"  and explained she had just confirmed the other (cancelled) shift as worked.  Apparently the lady had not cancelled it on the system (as we can), but just let my friend know (who let the 2nd in charge know ... who is actually off sick today).  So .... I do wonder how she thought she could get away with that.  Iroronically if Mel had asked anyone else they would have booked it as overtime on a different system, so she would have got away with the pay!!

Well, it's now up on my "calender" so at least the boss has got that bit sorted.

The opticians appointment went OK ... good, and bad, news.  I haven't lost too much more sight in my right eye, however have developed cataracts in both eyes.  So that's a problem for the future.

Ihave 3 days of photos, as I have Sunday & Monday to catch up on ... as well as today -

Sunday I finished the last few pieces of my puzzel before I went to work -


Monday I spotted these flowers.  The plant was a gift from friends of Jiffy's that they gave me when he crossed Rainbow Bridge (over 3 years ago now), so nice to see it looking cheerful again (it's on my lounge window-sill)




Today I walked down to my "corner shop" o get some milk when I got in from work -

... the stroll done in the winter sun



I won't be around tomorrow as I am working in clinic tomorrow morning, and then on the Reception desk in the afternoon.  So I shall do 2 of kazzy_cees questions.

Right, let's get this posted -




16. It's Fig Newton (or Fig Roll) Day! Are you a fan?
Never had one - although that's odd, as Dad used to like them.

17. We're halfway through January - what's the weather like where you live?
Cold, dry & sunny ... odd, I hadn't seen the question when I took the photo today.



Right, see you Thursday x

Now I just have to get used to the new prescription!  Actually, that's one of the advantages of having damaged vision, I am used to my sight beiing "off" that the new prescription usually changes easily.  So, let's hope this is the same.  However with 4 changes ... long distance/short distance/ astygmatism/prism in my right eye ... and as ever new frames.  So far, so good.

Clinic went well this morning, although 5 of the 6 were late.  I swear they are digging up 3/4 of Exeter at the present ... either roadworks, or building works.  So it makes it interesting to travel across the city.  Still, the positive thing is that at least it is not school holidays with more people travelling around on random routes.

Right I must get on ... I have some ironing to do, so I want to get that done before I get settled for tea.  As ever, before I go -




24 – Peanut Butter Day: Do you like peanut butter? What is your favourite way to eat peanut butter?
Oh, that makes me think ... I shall have to have some on my toast soon. I love it, but don't often eat it. I also like peanut butter biscuits.



Right, I will try and catch up with you later ... but am getting near the end of my present jigsaw so may get involved with that instead!

While Porky's Hare Hunt was the first Warner Bros. cartoon to feature a Bugs Bunny-like rabbit, A Wild Hare, directed by Tex Avery and released on July 27, 1940, is widely considered to be the first official Bugs Bunny cartoon (Thanks Wikepedia)

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And so I had a reason to actually sit at the pc!

I am still just doing 4 mornings a week at work, although last week I ended up having to sleep each afternoon - so far, so good today! Last Friday I did a 3 mile walk, and felt good - so that was something I could take forward into this week.

Jiffy is not doing brilliantly now, which is hard to watch. He had a tummy bug last week so ended up seeing his friend Marni ... his vet has known him all his life, and she admitted it was hard to see him like this, as well. She said he is "OK", but very frail. So I just watch him sleep, and take him for a tiny walk, and make sure his dinner is sorted out! He is not in pain, and very peaceful, so I am so, so, so thankful about that.

I had an optician's apt on Friday (the reason for the walk), and the good news is the blindness in the right eye hasn't got any worse this year (I was paniced last year as it had dropped from 10% sight loss, to 50%). However the bad news was that I need new glasses - and as I have sunglasses as well, that was an expensive appointment!!

I enjoyed "Peace Talks" (the Harry Dresden book), although looking at some of the Facebook comments on their pages, there were a few people who weren't happy. Still, we now have till September to wait for the final part of the story.

Our Church is still meeting "on-line", and being quite a large group, as well as our pastor due for paternity leave, it looks as if things won't change anytime soon.

Well the trouble with lockdown, etc, is there is no real news. So will sign off here, hoping you are all keeping well & safe ... will try and catch upa bit later.

Sadly I ended up in A&E yesterday ... and Jiffy didn't want to be left out so I had to take him to his vets today.

Yesterday morning I had quarter of an hour of severe flashing lights in my good eye. So knowing about my retinal op in '88, and the problems of strokes I decided I needed to get things checked out. So lucky I live near the hospital, and it means I didn't have too bad an afternoon. However I did confuse the nurse practioner I saw. She asked about headaches, well I have had one off & on for weeks with this flu bug! She wanted to test my eye sight against the good eye (which is my bad eye with only 50% vision), she wanted to check the retinas (with my "good" eye badly damaged already) and her final test was to check the optic nerve ... colourblindness tests (great, unless you are badly colourblind!!). Anyway, she was happy, but took the precaution of speaking to the consultant ... and overall the diagnosis was that of an Ocular Migraine.

So Jiffy didn't want to be left out. He spent last night rubbing his ear, and today scratching his side. So he is on steroids, antibiotics and ear drops.

So glad to see we were able to make use of medically trained ladies.


And -
3 What city or other location were you born in?

I was born in Essex - for those who know what I mean, I shall say "Yes, I am an Essex girl". For those who don't know, Essex girls have a "certain" reputation. It mostly comes because from Roman days there has been a barracks at Colchester (the county town) and is used for recruits ... so on their weekends off, they head to town ... and ... !!!!!!

On a side note, my grandmother was also an Essex girl. She actually "picked up" a soldier in Trafalgar Square. Yes, my grandfather was a member of the Coldstream Guards.

A couple of days ago I had my annual eye-test.  I go to Boots, which means I see a different optician every time.  I saw a very nice lady this time, but as she sat down I knew she had bad news.  However, as it turned out, it wasn't as bad as she had thought!

One of the tests I had done was the individual eye field of vision, and that is what she wanted to start with ... She needed to tell me I had tested as 50% vision in my right eye.  However it was my turn to reassure her!  I had surgery in that eye back in 1989, and for a few hours I had been totally blind ... then I told her to look at the photo of the rtina.  She was then suprised I could see anything at all! 

So, as I pointed out, I have 3/4 vision, but am not really aware of the fact as my left eye compensates most of the time.  On even more good news, no need to change the glasses prescription (so no big bill), and the loss of vision is only marginal compared to last year.

So all in al a positive trip.


And continuing to be positve - lets keep up ....

14 If being permanently stapled to a cello would somehow bring about world peace would you be prepared to be permanently stapled to a cello? It would hurt a little bit and you would never quite be able to escape the pain but there would be world peace and you could learn to play the cello.

i am a clarinetist.  I am a saxophonist.  I don't like stringed instruments ... however at least it's a cello and not a violin.  So, for world peace, ummmmmmm, maybe!!

Happy 120th Birthday Granddad!


Thank you NHS for 28 years of sight in my right eye. (I had surgery on that day for a torn and detached retina.)

*******

In more up to date news I am still off work. Despite getting better last week, yesterday (at Church) I began to feel my chest tightening up, and this morning I woke coughing, and have only just stopped. My GP is puzzled, so that's totally me! My lungs sound clear, and I can take a deep breath with no problems. However she was concerned at my heart rate again. So, I have had a chest x-ray, and she has put me on antibiotics and steroids for 5 days, to see if there is something somewhere she has missed. As I had to go to the hospital, I went up to the department to apologise, and to find out how the Christmas Party had gone. Apparently it had gone "very" well!

Tim and Claire popped in yesterday afternoon to do a pressie exchange, so they are under the tree. Yes, I managed to get decs up ... not looking very even, but certainly festive!

Speaking of festive - this was on the radio this morning, so thought I would share ...

Was in Bude yesterday - last rehearsal before Saturday ... and glad to say it went better than last weeks!!

Before that I had an opticians appointment -



New glasses needed!

I will try and catch up, and/or do an update later today! I've been a bad LJer recently.

Yesterday when I was in Bude I picked up my new contact lenses for the coming year - day 1 of wearing them today.

Day 01 - Introduction
Day 02 – Your first love, in great detail
Day 03 – Your parents, in great detail
Day 04 – What you ate today, in great detail
Day 05 – Your definition of love, in great detail
Day 06 – Your day, in great detail
Day 07 – Your best friend, in great detail
Day 08 – A moment, in great detail
Day 09 – Your beliefs, in great detail
Day 10 – What you wore today, in great detail
Day 11 – Your siblings, in great detail
Day 12 – What’s in your bag, in great detail
Day 13 – This week, in great detail
Day 14 – What you wore today, in great detail
Day 15 – Your dreams, in great detail
Day 16 – Your first kiss, in great detail - N/A
Day 17 – Your favorite memory, in great detail
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday, in great detail
Day 19 – Something you regret, in great detail
Day 20 – This month, in great detail

Day 21 – Another moment, in great detail

As I said last time this was the prompt, life is made up of magical moments separated by long, or short spaces in time.

I suppose one moment that sticks in my mind is about an eye problem I had ... one of quite a few!  So, I'll put behind the cut, as I've discovered some people hate thinking about eyes at all!


( Cut to spare the squeamish .... )


( Still to come )