Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

Wonder of wonders. The day dawned bright and sunny though cold. Plan A was enacted. We had agreed yesterday to visit Borough Market today and so we did. 
 

Our first attempt had been a while back and was thwarted by that most regretable of events there a couple of days before we had planned to go. 
 

Theree was friction today over what to wear and the use of face coverings but a truce was reached on both counts. 
 

We went so as to arrive as the market opened at 10 to avoid the worst crowds; that plan worked. Dr. SWMBO had had enough by the time it got busy around lunchtime. We were back Upon the Hill of Strawberries by 1.30pm. 
 

The haul included an olive sourdough loaf, blue brie cheese and rosemary crackers, truffle oil, various herbs and spices and a nice little wooden pepper-scoop for the home-ground stuff. 
 

While in the area we also popped into Southwark Cathedral’s coffee shop (quieter and more relaxed than in the market) and took a look at the Golden Hinde and the Shard. 
 

Dr. SWMBO was almost ok most of the time with train travel and other people milling around but not with 90% of everyone not being masked up everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by Gwiwer

[polybear]

8 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Here’s a picture of previously mentioned T shirt.

I have thought of a better use, if there is another toilet paper shortage I have the ideal solution.

It was bought at a tourist market in St Petersburg and according to the lady that sold translates 

to ‘a most honourable man’ ! 

Bear received this earlier......

 

Vladimir Putin, wanting to get on the good side of voters, goes to visit a school in Moscow to have a chat with the kids.
He talks to them about how Russia is a powerful nation and how he wants the best for the people.
At the end of the talk, there is some time for questions.
Little Sasha puts her hand up and says "I have two questions:
Why did the Russians take Crimea? And why are we sending troops to Ukraine?"
Putin says "Good questions..." But just as he is about to answer, the bell goes, and the kids go for lunch.
When they come back, they sit back down and there is room for some more questions so another girl, Misha, puts her hand up and says,
"I have four questions. My Questions are:
Why did the Russians invade Crimea? Why are we sending troops to Ukraine?
Why did the bell go 20 minutes early for lunch? And where is Sasha?"

 

Unfortunately such things are often true....

 

8 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

Sympathetic thoughts this morning for all of those under attack from tyrants, health issues and black dogs.

On a lighter note. A bright morning today in the frozen north. Due to all other adults being unavailable due to sports fixtures today I have been awarded a playday 

Youngest grandson had a birthday last week and daughter got him a ticket for the Bricktastic Lego exhibition in Manchester. Has to be accompanied by an adult so I got the second ticket. Due to the amount to see a trip out for lunch will be required. Naturally being eco-aware he wants to go by train so win-win situation.

 

The lunchtime BBC News showed Ukranian families sheltering in underground basements etc. - they showed two young children playing with Lego; one of them had made a rather impressive-looking automatic rifle.....

Even when this is over I fear the effects will last for a long time afterwards.

 

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

On the matter of the Lemon Drizzle Cake: I will be baking one this afternoon, ready for Mrs iD’s return from the holiday hovel tomorrow afternoon. Having done my research and found a suitable recipe, I now realise how very easy-peasy it is to make and bake a LDC. Apart from the fact that by making your own LDC you can control what goes into it (unlike a certain ursine of our acquaintance who seem to get off on the E-numbers, stabilisers and emulsifiers of the factory produced LDC), it really requires very little in the way of equipment (you can actually do it all by hand, with a whisk, if you are so inclined), requires very little in the way of counter space during prep and - unlike cooking many other things in the oven - will not make a mess of your freshly scrubbed and polished oven.

 

A final twist to the LDC which I might try out is to create a lightly alcoholic lemon syrup with which you bathe just warm LDC before pouring the lemon drizzle (basically lemon juice and icing sugar) over the cake. This lightly alcoholic Lemon syrup will, according to the recipe, keep the cake nice and moist.

I may post photos.

 

Bear would just like to point out to fellow ER'ers - and to iD in particular - that today just happens to be.....

International 

Polar Bear Day.... 

- where oodles of LDC's are sent to Polies for their enjoyment........

 

 

p.s. It really, really IS International Polar Bear Day......

https://polarbearsinternational.org/act-now/awareness-events/international-polar-bear-day/

Edited February 27, 2022 by polybear

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I saw one of the local cats in the garden this afternoon, inside the pee-line. I haven't seen many cats around lately, perhaps they were avoiding the foxes. Pee line has been boosted and extended.

[polybear]

One for the plane spotters - apparently it's the only example:

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19950717.anotov-an-225-mriya-reports-worlds-largest-plane-destroyed-hostomel-airport/

 

And this could cause them a few problems....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60543994

[The Lurker]

15 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I saw one of the local cats in the garden this afternoon, inside the pee-line. I haven't seen many cats around lately, perhaps they were avoiding the foxes. Pee line has been boosted and extended.

We find that the local foxes frequent our garden far less when the number of local cats increase - which it did a few years back when there was a change in neighbours. It certainly seems to have stopped them denning in our garden or nearby ones. We only had a den once under the decking , which really stank. We used just boiled hot water to drive them out and clean the area. There were two exits so we didn’t harm the foxes themselves but Mrs Lurker was very unnerved when a mother fox appeared halfway down the garden when a 2 year old Younger Lurker was at the bottom. This was not long after a baby in nearby New Eltham was mauled by a fox.

[Pacific231G]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I saw one of the local cats in the garden this afternoon, inside the pee-line. I haven't seen many cats around lately, perhaps they were avoiding the foxes. Pee line has been boosted and extended.

What on earth is a pee line? I assume it's not a marker with a polite notice asking cats not to cross it.

I did once see a confrontation between a fox and a cat in my back garden. It went on for about fifteen minutes with both animals advancing and retreating but keeping about two metres apart. In the end the fox slunk off. I used to get a fox in my garden fairly often accompanied by deposits of fox poo. There are about three cats who patrol it at different times now so I've not had any problems with the urban foxes for some time. 

 

Today was lovely and sunny so I went for a longer walk than my usual daily 4k or so exploring part of the Grand Union Canal (including the Black Dog, a rather nice canalside pub in Greenford Green) and then catching the tube back. There were still a couple of fallen trees  across the towpath  one of which could be stepped over but the other had completely blocked the actual towpath itself requiring a diversion through  the bushes. It made a nice break from worrying about Vlad the total B**tard.

Edited February 27, 2022 by Pacific231G

[iL Dottore]

Sadly, my first attempt at a Lemon Drizzle Cake only got a 2.5 on the CCGR scale (CCGR = Captain Cynical Gourmet Review) - although it was edible/tasty enough.; I knew a 10 out of 10 would be impossible on the very first attempt, but I was hoping to get somewhere near a 5 or a 6. I think that my oven may be a little bit hotter than what the thermostat tells me.

I think that I will consider the recipe I used as a dud one: it cooked a little bit and evenly (hence the slightly patchwork appearance of the crust) and the glossy drizzle icing was soaked up by the cake and has almost completely disappeared (you can see some remnants of the drizzle on the right hand side of the cake). Obviously, further research into decent recipes is clearly needed.

But what to do with this appalling travesty of a cake? Probably there’s only two things you can do with it: break it up and use it to make a trifle or throw it in the bin.

 

I am so annoyed with myself (and the recipe) I just might bin it!
 

”annoyed in Switzerland”

[Natalie]

The ambulance response I referred to in an earlier post was for Kelly as she managed to slip off her bottom stair and twist her ankle. As she was unable to weight bear and it was displaced to the left she was left sitting on the floor. I have no transport to get to help her and it would take 90 minutes to walk there.

 

She has managed to # her ankle which needed manipulation in A&E to point the foot in the correct direction. Fortunately no circulation issues were encountered.

 

The orthopods were not happy with the ankle position deeming it unstable so decided surgical repair was indicated. An attempt at this was made yesterday but because of excessive swelling was only manipulated again and put back in a BK POP. A further attempt at a definitive repair is to be scheduled which will likely involve the use of metalwork either internally or externally. 

 

Currently Kelly is on a ward awaiting this. Have been in regular contact and she is currently comfortable, the hard drugs doing their job. Her last text to me a couple of minutes ago when she gave me permission to post was that the ice cream was rather nice but is likely to be NBM tomorrow after the ward round. She doubts the surgery will be done before Tuesday unless the swelling has reduced sufficiently.

 

Any updates I shall pass on but she does have her phone with her.

Edited February 28, 2022 by Natalie

[polybear]

1 minute ago, iL Dottore said:

But what to do with this appalling travesty of a cake? Probably there’s only two things you can do with it: break it up and use it to make a trifle or throw it in the bin.

 

I am so annoyed with myself (and the recipe) I just might bin it!
 

”annoyed in Switzerland”

 

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo........

[Kelly]

31 minutes ago, Natalie said:

The ambulance response I referred to in an earlier post was for Kelly as she managed to slip off her bottom stair and twist her ankle. As she was unable to weight bear and it was displaced to the left she was left sitting on the floor. I have no transport to get to help her and it would take 90 minutes to walk there.

 

She has managed to # her ankle which needed manipulation in A&E to point the foot in the correct direction. Fortunately no circulation issues were encountered.

 

The orthotics were not happy with the ankle position deeming in unstable so decided surgical repair was indicated. An attempt at this was made yesterday but because of excessive swelling was only manipulated again and put back in a BK POP. A further attempt at a definitive repair is to be scheduled which will likely involve the use of metalwork either internally or externally. 

 

Currently Kelly is on a ward awaiting this. Have been in regular contact and she is currently comfortable, the hard drugs doing their job. Her last text to me a couple of minutes ago when she gave me permission to post was that the ice cream was rather nice but is likely to be NBM tomorrow after the ward round. She doubts the surgery will be done before Tuesday unless the swelling has reduced sufficiently.

 

Any updates I shall pass on but she does have her phone with her.

 

Not only dislocated ankle. But I broke the ankle and the bottom of the fibula. And they suspect I have strained ligaments and tendons. Though they don't think I have torn any of them, which is something. 

 

Looking at 8 weeks on crutches and upto 8 months for a full recovery. Longer if external scaffolding is deemed required, depends on how the ankle bone looks when they cut into it in surgery. 

 

Yesterday's surgery was manipulation only, though they amended the consent so they could put the plate in if they thought it doable. They didn't. I was also supposed to have the aneasetic via the spine due to risk concerns owing to my weight. They ended up doing GA when they kept failing with the spine, which hurt a lot whilst they poked. 

 

Currently on the ward with one foot in the air and the other in a cushion boot to prevent sores. 

 

In good spirits generally, but missing poppy, Richard, Nat and chocolate! And decent sized cuppa! 

[grandadbob]

Really sorry to hear of your mishap Kelly and I sincerely hope they can manage the pain and get you on the road to recovery as soon as possible but that seems like quite a long journey.  Sending Mega Positive Vibes.

[Tony_S]

36 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo........

It would get eaten here. It might take all week as we generally restrict our cake and pudding intake nowadays. It looks like a lemon drizzle cake and if it wasn’t perfect would be fine with custard or ice cream, which is what happens to cake failures here. Try Evelyn Rose’s Luscious Lemon Cake recipe which is one of the original published ones. From the Complete International Jewish Cookbook. You don’t have to be Jewish to eat the cakes! Aditi bought it just for the cake recipes. 

[grandadbob]

I agree with Bear and Tony and would have no problems whatsoever eating the cake in question....and it wouldn't last long here.

[grandadbob]

Talking of cake we're home from Joe's birthday bash and not only was there a cake for him but also the remains of Abbie's cake from Friday.  A decision had to be made about which one to sample but I couldn't make up my mind so I had a bit of each.   I'm sure that would meet with a Bear's approval! 

Edited February 27, 2022 by grandadbob

[Barry O]

@Natalie thanks for letting us know about @Kelly. I hope it all goes well @Kelly. Perhaps someone can bring you a flask of tea.. never enough in hospital apparently. 

 

Baz

[Tony_S]

9 minutes ago, Kelly said:

They ended up doing GA when they kept failing with the spine, which hurt a lot whilst they poked. 

Aditi was hoping for an epidural before a caesarean but the anaesthetist said she was too short at first. Then he said he would look at her spine and decided it was ok but she had to sit on the edge of the bed and I had to hold her to stop her falling off. He said not to allow her to move to avoid being paralysed! It all went well fortunately.

I do hope all bone fixing goes well and you eventually get a good cup of tea too.

Tony

[New Haven Neil]

@Kelly  I feel your pain, having had a Lisfranc fracture.  Take care and keep up on the pain meds.  It can be a long haul, but do as you're told, not more or less, when it comes to physio!

 

Take care.

[New Haven Neil]

Archery was somewhat of a disappointment, Mrs H a bit off her game, 4th out of only 9 today shooting.  The good bit though, was the older guy (my pal's dad) who is normally last, won and beat the cheat!  So the day was deemed to be OK after all.

[simontaylor484]

6 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Archery was somewhat of a disappointment, Mrs H a bit off her game, 4th out of only 9 today shooting.  The good bit though, was the older guy (my pal's dad) who is normally last, won and beat the cheat!  So the day was deemed to be OK after all.

My Gran always used to say "Cheats never beat:

[Tony_S]

27 minutes ago, Barry O said:

Perhaps someone can bring you a flask of tea.. never enough in hospital apparently. 

After my second stent procedure I wasn’t allowed to do anything but lie flat on my back for hours afterwards and not raise my head. I think this was them being very careful after the big arterial leak after the first procedure. Anyway it got to the point where I was allowed a drink and even though it was in a “sippy cup” held by a nurse it was a lovely cup of tea. It was strange staring at the ceiling for so long while somewhat affected by the pain relief and relaxant medication, I was quite convinced the ceiling was a wall! 

[Coombe Barton]

... this evening I was quite surprised, but shouldn't have been, to see it still reasonable light at 6pm. ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/02/27/age-distribution-of-the-vaccination-takeup/

[simontaylor484]

@Kelly my Wife did something similar in Tenerife a few years ago i have some idea how painful it is

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Kelly said:

 

Not only dislocated ankle. But I broke the ankle and the bottom of the fibula. And they suspect I have strained ligaments and tendons. Though they don't think I have torn any of them, which is something. 

 

Looking at 8 weeks on crutches and upto 8 months for a full recovery. Longer if external scaffolding is deemed required, depends on how the ankle bone looks when they cut into it in surgery. 

 

Yesterday's surgery was manipulation only, though they amended the consent so they could put the plate in if they thought it doable. They didn't. I was also supposed to have the aneasetic via the spine due to risk concerns owing to my weight. They ended up doing GA when they kept failing with the spine, which hurt a lot whilst they poked. 

 

Currently on the ward with one foot in the air and the other in a cushion boot to prevent sores. 

 

In good spirits generally, but missing poppy, Richard, Nat and chocolate! And decent sized cuppa! 

 

VSBT's switched on; a virtual LDC is also inbound - a yummy, gooey factory-produced one full of E-numbers, stabilisers and emulsifiers  rather than a health-kick one that Chef regards as defective is about to bin.....

Bear 1, CC Nil......

[Kelly]

Thanks for the positive well wishes. Much appreciated. 

 

As for flasks of tea, unfortunately there's a strict no visitors rule in place. Richard has been able to leave a bag with security,  but it took a while to eventually get to me. 

 

As for pain management,  unfortunately since the transfer from the amu to the surgery ward the pharmacy has not sent up my full medication and still have my card so I haven't been able to be given more than gabapentine and paracetamol since getting oramorph after the surgery yesterday. 

 

Fortunately I have not been in as much pain for the most part today so the strong painkillers have not felt as needed. Probably the gabapentine working too.

[Kelly]

52 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

@Kelly  I feel your pain, having had a Lisfranc fracture.  Take care and keep up on the pain meds.  It can be a long haul, but do as you're told, not more or less, when it comes to physio!

 

Take care.

 

Hopefully won't see the physiotherapist until after the plates are in as the surgeon deemed my ankle too unstable currently.