7 May 2012
Before I say anything else, the fact that originally there is no entry for yesterday, 6 May, was because of all the messing about we were dealing with the computer to get these new systems to work – laptop to TV; and the operation of the camera mouse – I managed to lose the draft entry for that day which I had prepared yesterday. In fact, I lost the whole of the May entries but, as I had posted the entries into the blog itself for first five days of May we were able to copy and paste them back into my diary. I spent a couple of hours going through every possible place these entries could have been preserved, so I accepted that 6 May was gone forever, after all, what does the odd day missed matter?
Anyway, this morning, after she had breakfasted, Chloe very kindly gave me a hand to finally sort out my cricket tickets and, in particular, those which have been sent to me to give the exclusive rights in the Wheelchair enclosure.
Then she left mid-afternoon yesterday we managed to sort out to whom these cricket tickets were allocated and from whom I required a stamped addressed envelope.
I then had the idea of pasting the first five entries for may from the published blog back into the diary.which just left this mysterious 6 May one missing. Chloe was of enormous help to me as I can no longer physically handle the tickets as a result of my weak arms and hands. As always it was lovely to see her here on our own when she is not being distracted by the three grandchildren and Karl, her husband. In order to give Alice a little break Chloe also kindly brought, with her, the supper for Sunday evening. Unfortunately, I felt a little sick, when it came to suppertime, and I just took one mouthful of each of the lasagne and the rhubarb crumble, both of which were delicious, but I just could not face them. I suspect it was because I had been busy all day and had not had a proper rest
One milestone was passed last evening as I was able to show Chloe a film of her choice on the television, through my laptop, this was our first attempt after Paul ‘the computer’ had cleverly set it up. The process worked like a charm with no cables to plug-in or pull out, the whole operation worked by pressing buttons on the TV remote control. I was delighted as this gives us another dimension, bearing in mind the early time I go to bed. Now I can simply do ‘catch up’ and, if she is interested, show it to’ my lovely’ who, presently, shows not the slightest interest in it, but I suspect I will win her over in due course.
Shortly before Chloe left, mid-afternoon, I was fiddling about with my computer when the mechanical arm rest flew apart. With Chloe’s help, holding the bits and pieces, I could see exactly what had happened, a grub screw had worked its way free until it no longer had any purchase. Without this mechanical arm supporting my left arm, with the splinted finger, I was helpless to do anything on my blog. Even accessing icons and double pressing the mouse was quite an effort and required me to hold my left arm up with my right arm so far as it was possible. Why do these things always happen on a long bank holiday weekend! Having worked out what was the problem, I then sent Chloe to hunt for a tiny Allen key, of which I know I have at least two sets. Could we find them, not on your life, although when I was mobile it wouldn’t have taken me more than two or 3 min. all very frustrating trying to remember exactly where I had last seen them. In the event we turned to our neighbour across the road, Luke, who, as always, was very willing to help and although he did not have the Allen key we needed, he managed to compromise using some other piece of equipment. In effect, he managed to tighten the affected grub screw sufficiently for me to use the mechanical arm until Gavin from Able 2, came, in answer to our cry for help, on Wednesday.
The other milestone we seem to have passed effortlessly was getting my stepfather, Richard (Marsh) to work his Skype, so we could both see and speak to each other. As I have said before, apart from the pleasure of speaking to my mother and Richard, this gives us an opportunity to see how they are managing, bearing my mother, at 95 is only two years older than Richard, who has a history of a dicky heart. We feel so isolated from them here and are always expectant for a phone call to say that something or other has happened to one or other of them. Pray God Richard out lives my mother, whose Alzheimer’s seems to be getting worse.
Click here for a little down-to-earth Welsh humour.