45156

We Will Rock You - Queen

Couldn't agree more Flavio - we still have a few of these in Shropshire. When I was taken ill, I was admitted to the large (and inefficient) 500+ bed centralised hospital, and most if not all ERs are well aware of the outcome. The food was terrible and the standards of nursing were, to say the least, variable, as wad the quality of the doctoring. I fully understand that for me, that was the best place to be as I needed some quality care after my brain infection. However, had I been able to go to a local hospital with competent care, and less pressure to get rid of me to release the bed, my condition might not have deteriorated - and if it did, I would still have been sent to the major hospital for more intense treatment - by fast ambulance with blues, only 40 minutes away. When I was discharged into rehab, the small hospital was excellent - caring staff, and better food - the only real issue was that it only had 24 beds - but they did not seem to have the same obsession with getting the beds available. The doctors were actually three of the local GPs on a rota basis. It seemed to work well. So what is the future for this - it is under threat of closure. Afternoon All Not a lot to report, had a pretty bad night's sleep with about 1.5 hours lying there with lots of thoughts churnng. Dinner calls. Regards to All Stewart

Morning All, Just waiting for our friends who decided to pop in for morning coffee. Seems we have a rodent infestation in our back garden, and the council no longer provides this service - we need to use a private contractor. Anybody who thinks that there is no musical talent among the young - try this for size - no auto tune, no gimmics, just lovely harmonies and musicianship. Regards to All Stewart

Afternoon All, Well, this morning's greeting was a rude awakening: "You're doing the dinner today - oh and while you're going to be in the kitchen, the fridge needs cleaning out" It's all been done - pulled brisket, new potatoes, amd a veg pot - with ice cream and fruit to follow. One thing I am finding since I came out of hospital is that I like gravy with almost everything - a legacy of having to eat pulverised food for two weeks - and also for the same reason, I have developed a taste for yogurt - it was that or ready brek for breakfast during the soft diet period. Friends are coming round for coffee tomorrow unexpectedly - good that I've had a delivery of Taylor's coffees recently. Other than that I'm still progressing. Regards to All Stewart

Afternoon All Back from afternoon tea - Dave, the memory was possibly better than my actuality today - the hotel is badly in need of a facelift - the room was quite dull, and for £25 the tea was good but really only worth about £17. There was no choice of tea - just English breakfast from a tea bag - not even leaf tea. Sandwiches were nice but oh so tiny - scone was not bad, but jam was just a little jar of Tiptree raspberry and the sweet treats were - sweet - good job I took some extra insulin with me. There is another tea shop in Ludlow which we will try the next time - which will be for 30747's birthday which was in February, but which we missed as I was just out of hospital. Forgot to say, 30747 managed to drop her mobile down a loo the other day - it worked OK for a day or so, but has died for all time this morning so we have had to order a new one - she only has a cheap PAYG so not a lot lost there and I should be able to do a sim change when the new one comes. I will now settle down with a couple of single malts.

I'll let you know - btw, my post got mangled so the reason for the celebration got missed out - it's there now

Morning All, Today marks the celebration of the start of my 73nd circuit of the sun - one which I nearly didn't get due to my illness - still I made it and I now hope for many more. Celebration takes the form af a few single malts from my somewhat depleted collection this afternoon, but 30747 suggested an afternoon tea at the Feathers - one of the oldest and poshest hotels in the town - at just under £25 a head it should be good. Meantime, I am home alone as 30747 has had to go into town to shop for a few esentials - she didn't want to spoil our tea by carting a load of shopping in as well. Yesterday, we went to Church Stretton by bus x2, had a mooch round the charity shops, and got lunch of a pasty each from Mr Bun the baker, who makes lovely bread, cakes, pies and the like. I just thank the Lord that I don't live there, as I'd never be out of his shop. Must go - items on eBay finishing soon, and need to get the invoices away, and items wrapped and addressed. Regards to All Stewart

Morning All Will this work out as the first post of page 13000, I wonder. Today's fun and games involve staying in this am qhile 30747 goes into Ludow for a quick mooch round the shops, followed by getting the bus about lunch time to go to Specsavers to have a hearing test, as I am getting a bit deaf - no doubt they will try to sell me a very expensive hearing aid - no chance as we both need new glasses this year - and if our last change is anything to go by, we are looking at almost £1000 between us - I have high grade varifocals, and 30747 has a complex prescription which has to be made up in as thin a material as possible. Regards to All Stewart

Mornng All Yesterday was my most adventurous day so far since my illness. Bus at 09.43 to Ludlow, off at the market place, visited loo, walked back through the High St to the stop for the bus to Shrewsbury which we took out to the Ludlow Farm Shop - where we managed to spend £25 plus on marmalade, chutney, tartare sauce, coffee, and a half price Victoria Sponge CAKE - moist, and well filled with buttercream and their home made jam - delicious, but quite expensive at over seven quid full price. Then walked back to the bus stop - bus into Ludlow, and into Aldi (bus stops outside) for a few bits that we forgot, then bus back from Aldi to the park and ride. It was great to actually meet people and have a chat - though after I got back, I had an hour's kip. Today, 30747 went into town to post a parcel and drop off my prescription request, Managed the latter, but the Post Office was shut. However, she picked up a replacement fireside rug from a charity shop, and brought it back on the bus!! The drivers are getting used to her antics with pieces of furniture (smalllish), rugs, and the like all being fair game for fetching home on public transport. Regards to All Stewart

Afternoon All, Yay - I've been to the supermarket - by bus yesterday morning (bus stops outside the shop in bith directions). Aldi staff were pleased to see me - it's been almost five months since I was able to get there - and the main shock was the prices. Still not heard anything more from the hospital for any follow up appointment, so I've booked to see my GP practice's senior partner next month. Also, it transpires (so people are saying) that my hearing has deteriorated quite a bit - I felt that it was while in hospital. I have been on the NHS waiting list for some time now but no appointment has transpired, and they say I am still "quite a way" down the waiting list. So i've booked to go to Specsavers next week - stand by for a pretty massive bill for hearing aids. Another large price increase has just come through to dent our pension increases - phone/broadband/TV package is up by 8.9%. Other than that. I seem to be progressing well. Regards to All Stewart

Consider Yourself At Home - from Oliver by Lionel Bart

Morning All, I'm still here, still lurking, but not managing to read or post as much as I ought - largely due to lack of mojo. High spots this week have included a walk to the Park and Ride, then a trip on the bus into town, stay on and come back to the Park and Ride by the other route - it's an odd circular route, as it also incorporates what were two of the three local bus routes and does a different circuit on alternate half hours - quite ingenious in a way, as it means only two buses are needed now instead of three. Then on Thursday, we took the bus into town, got off at the bottom of the high street - we went to the bank and I did some business which should have been done in December, we walked up the High Street, to the bus terminus, and got the bus back. I see from our bank statement that our State pensions have increased - only a partial increase this time, but a full one next time, and my BT pension is also due to increase by 5%. So between our State pensions going up by 8.5% and my BT pension by 5%, we should be seeing a slight improvement in our budget. But.... House insurance UP 33% Car Insurance UP 27% Council Tax UP 7% (and will go up a further 10% if Ludford parish is incorported into Ludlow town) Dog insurance UP 12% Tax UP due to erosion of personal allowance And so on... But one ray of sunshine - Gas & Electric DOWN - amount TBC depending on consumption. Still, it could be worse, I think we'll just about show a gain in our net income. I see that my friend Mike in Lancaster area is having an open day for his garden and 7.25" railway - See Littledale Light Railway topic in Garden Railway Topics for details. It is 99.9% certain that I will miss it this year due to this illness, and also the fact that it is on in July. Regards to All Stewart

Thanks Chris - but as with last year, we can't attend - I have been very ill, and am still recovering. Also, living in Ludlow does make it a lot more difficult than just down the road. However, we both hope the day will go well and that it raises a lot of oney for that much deserving organization. Regards to you and your dad Stewart

Afternoon All, Still on the road to recovery, albeit slowly. Still not driving, which means 30747 is turning out twice a week to get the bits and pieces of shopping - if I don't pick up a little soon, we will have to consider paying Tesco or Morrisons to deliver, and that would mean an increase in our weekly bill of probably 15% over Aldi - a not inconsiderable increase. Not a lot more to report, so I'm off now. Regards to All Stewart

Afternoon All, I'm still on the road to recovery, but every day is a small improvement in one or other direction - if only I could cut down on the nocturnal loo visits I would even be getting a good nght's sleep - I have an appointment to see the GP in April to discuss this further - meantime,, the bottles which the hospital left me are doing sterling service and saving me having to actually visit the smallest room. I am also getting out a bit more now walking on a stick - uo to about 600 yards now - entrance to the eco park and back. High spots in the life of 45156/30747 are a bit thin on the ground - but only she could impulse buy a living room suite of chair, sofa, and pouffe. It arrived at short notice yesterday, from a charity furniture warehouse in Leominster, who would not accept our old one as a donation due to lack of fire safety labels - it is an antique and predates such regulations by quite a few years - but rules are rules. Luckily, I had already contacted the bulky waste team at the council once this new furniture was mooted, and in exchange for £43 they are coming to collect it on Tuesday. Meantime it is sitting under cover in the front garden. Also had to bite the bullet on the car battery, as the alarm started to sound due to flat battery, and I had to disarm it by leaving the car unocked - it is parked on the street, so I wasn't happy to leave it unsecured. I rang my garage who came out sane day, bringing the correct battery with them, and changed it in the road. They didn't charge for the call out or fitting either - worked out at £120 which is below average for round here, so I'm not unhappy. It's good to have a good garage just down the road who are not too expensive. I'll try to get back a bit more often, but no promises. ps Happy clocks forward day and boat race day - but what I wonder is why it is the same two teams that reach the final every year? Regards to All Stewart