29 May 2012
We heard, the late yesterday afternoon, from Two Counties carers, that they had been successful in tendering for our night care, so looks as though it will be Ross Nursing during the day and Two Counties for the nights. I am perfectly happy with this arrangement, and indeed immensely grateful that the service still exists in the light of the massive cutbacks social services have been asked to bear in the face of today’s austerity measures embarked upon to reduce the nation’s indebtedness.
My ‘bodiless’carer last night was, once more, Sylvia. As she now knows the ropes. I hope that’ my lovely’ will soon take benefit from the fact that she knows she does not have to get up at all during the night. It will take her a few days to relax and feel confident in these strangers doing what she has done over the past couple of years. Once she gets through that she should really start feeling the benefits.
Our good friends Annie and Geoff. Waites’ arrived roughly as scheduled, around 11.00 a.m. we had coffee and a good chat, bringing each other up to date inasmuch as this is possible in an hour, as in no time at all it was midday when the Ross Nursing carer came in ‘to tidy me up’ and do what ever was necessary!
We had so much wanted to have lunch in the garden and although it was reasonably warm. It was overcast and threatens under so in the end, we did what we have done many times in the past, and lunch in my study. Then our guests went off to have 40 winks before embarking on some walk or other, arriving back with us at around 5.00 a.m. for a drink prior to my evening carers coming in at 6.00. We suggested that our visitors tried The Axe and Compasses, in Arkkestone, a little village, a mile from Clavering, for a light supper, having previously eaten the night before at The Cricketers.
I was ready to go to bed at 8.30 when my carer came in was I think just the sheer presence of other people is tiring in itself.
For those readers, like me, who love their cricket, the third day of the Test Series between England and West Indies saw the Windies at 61 for the loss of six wickets, leading England by three runs. Although the West Indies put up a reasonable fight towards the end, with only four wickets in hand they had virtually no chance and were all out shortly after lunch, giving you a England it’s first win in this series.
To conclude today’s entry I could not resist reproducing this little homily, reputed to have come from Abraham Lincoln. Click here and read it carefully, I think you will agree that it covers a number of similar situations in which we are faced today.
28 May 2012
Another ‘good night’ sheltered from harm by the bodiless voice of ‘Sylvia, our , night sitter from Two Counties (How many of you remember singing Who is Sylvia, what is she…. Or perhaps that other favourite, but with a little more verve, T’was on a Monday morning …… extolling the virtues of Monday being the traditional washday and ending with that invigorating Dashing away with the smoothly iron, she stole my heart away…? I believe every primary school in the country son the same mediaeval songs as part of the Music curriculum.)
Why bodiless? Quite simply that the 8.30 carers would have taken me through to the bedroom where ‘my lovely’ will have completed the ritual of bedding me down for the night, before the night carers arrive. Part of that process is fitting the respirator which will be cushioned from the skin on my face with a eye shade, as I mentioned earlier. This means that once the respirator is on I can no longer see anyone, and thus may never know what any of my night carers look like. On the first of these night sittings. I rang the alarm and then seconds later a rather unfamiliar hand grasped mine. I have subsequently asked her kindly to make some sort of salutation before making physical contact as being completely blinded by the eye shade something (or someone) grasping your hand can be rather spooky.
As I say the night sitting carer seems to have settled in, although of course we will not get the same person every night and occasionally Ross Nursing will step into the breach for the odd day (or rather night). As a follow-up to the for traumatic incidents when I have been unable to breathe, after some general exchange of views between the members of my team. it was agreed that I should be admitted as an in patient at Papworth Hospital as soon as possible. This meant that I could be admitted tomorrow after my good friends Geoff and Annie have left. I did my darndest to put the Papworth people off in having me as a patient, pointing out how difficult I can be, couple with my need have the wireless play all night. Also how I need constant attention in turning me when I have pain. All of this they took in their stride and agreed to provide me with the side ward into which they would put a second bed so that ‘my lovely’ could come with me. I can’t tell you what a difference that makes The nights are by far the worst aspect of being in hospital but with ‘my lovely’ by my side. I will feel 100% more secure. I just hope that one night will be sufficient for them to carry out what tests they want. In the past I have found that once they get you in they are rather loathe to get rid of you,
Annie and Geoff. Arrived, as scheduled, just after five, so after the preliminary hugs and and kisses we were able to crack a bottle of champagne and get that down before Sally, one of my Ross Nursing carers, came to prepare me for bed. I think our Australian guests were quite pleased at the prospect of dinner a dieux and an early night.
We arrange for them to come back at 11.00 tomorrow for coffee preseeding the midday carer, after which we would adjourn to The Cricketers for lunch. If it is sunny then we will eat alfresco and it’s not in doors preferably round our big round table.
Annie, and her daughter Belinda, appear on the first page of our Visitors Book in 1965, so, as they say, we go back a long way. On my last trip to Australia-I think around 2 ½. years ago-I stayed in Barwen Heads with this couple and was royally entertained.
Sadly, through my present lack of energy, I must seem to be a rather poor host, but, using my old analogy about starting the day with a jug full of energy and each action requiring a spoon or two of that energy, until the jug is empty and by the evening one is rather like a zombie, or the walking dead, I hope they understand. Anyway, taking a risk that I would have enough energy left in my Jug, I invited them for a drink in the early evening which we were lucky enough to be able to take outside in the garden..
Either way it was great to see them which, in itself, invoked many happy memories. You know how a smell sometime can take you right back to a special day or time in one’s life. For me, for example, it might be that special smell I associate with Hong Kong; hundreds of years of spices which have impregnated the very walls of the bazaars in which there were sold. So it was for a split second , in the meeting again Geoff and Annie, that brought back many happy memories of my time in Australia.
Of course, as young men, we got up to our show of mischief. Although the following picture is not one of our escapades it might well be the sort of thing we would have done ourselves. Click here to see for yourself.
27 May 2002
As we are unwittingly in the middle of a change in my health and health care, I feel obliged to report that last night must be classified as a’ good night’, only calling on the services of the night sitter three or four times. This then was the report given to by, what to me, was a detached voice. When I am put down in the evening and then respirator fitted Alice, first dons on an airline eye shade – I could never resist bringing mine home – of which I have a goodly number. For this reason I never actually ever see the nights merely speak to this detached voice through my respirator.
I have been very constrained about including details of the second Test Match between England and South Africa but today should determine the outcome. From 261 for 2, which includes an unbroken century by our Captain, Strauss, England rather lost the plot in their second innings but still managed to knock a a creditable 42
After our bowlers had played havoc with the West Indian openers and the day finished with West Indies 61 for 6, leading only by three runs with four wickets remaining. The game should be well over before lunch, giving us a solid start in this Test Series.
I conclude with a little story about a naive young organist. Click here to see why ‘it was better than a flu jab’
26 May 2012
No matter my good intentions of keeping away from my health issues, I am forced by events to mention the scare I had last evening. I had retired at my usual time and for the second night running had the added comfort of a carer sitting up all night in the same room. Not only is this extension of our Continuing Care, something the children and I considered was absolutely necessary in order to safeguard possibly ‘ my lovely”s health which would inevitably suffer by being woken up several times a night, but also instead of me suffering in pain, waiting for the scheduled time of’ ‘ my lovelys’ check-up, as soon as the pain in any of my joints woke me up. I could attract the attention of my caring sitter, who would be at my bedside to turn me to relieve the pain..
Sometime, in the early hours, the carer was turning me and suddenly I suffered the enormous rush of adrenaline, which I mentioned before, usually caused by an interruption in my airflow.
Being totally ignorant have this attack could seemingly come from nowhere the three of us discussed the the options. One, I could you try them all and go back to sleep in the hope that there was no recurrence. Secondly, we could dial 999 and the taken to the nearest A&E Hospital which I suspect would be harder, or 30 we did telephone Papworth hospital in the hope that they would as it me. In the end we decided to go for the first option. Anything else could have been very disruptive. We would have arrived at the hospital between three and four in the morning, knowing that there would be no consultant available until Monday morning. Even then, unless I was taken to Papworth I suspect they would want to transfer me because of this specialist nature of the consultants at that hospital. Even in hospital. What would be the advantage. I could lie in bed for a couple of weeks without a recurrence of this was a rush of adrenaline’. Fortunately we seem to have chosen the right option as I slumbered nervously through the rest of the night, without further mishap.
My good friends Annie and Geoff. Waite from Australia. Annie was previously married to Christopher Seddon , older brother to Quetin, was our best man and he subsequently became godfather to Miles Tomlinson. They are due to be with us on Tuesday, and will spend the night with leaving the following day. I know the consultant at Papworth may have to put few strings to ensure an emergency admission but for the sake of one day I’m pretty sure you will understand that I do not wish to miss two old friends who first came here in 1965.
We also seem to have lost the battle to have Ross Nursing taking over the nightspot. Although they are alternating with another company entitled Two Counties at present, I believe the new company will take over the night spots from the day after next.
Dear Chloe spent the morning with me printing the outstanding 60 or so pages of the blog, needed to bring up to date hardcopy. This would did sort of them and hole punched them ready to go into their respective files. This is fiddly job for someone with no real use of their hands, so I have come to rely on my dear daughter to help me, which she does with great efficiency.
I shall almost be sorry when the whistle is blown to say that I am no longer in grave danger and therefore the children will feel that they need to come down, while the other, every week.
Anyway Chloe left after lunch when we toyed with the idea of me sitting in the garden for an hour or so in what is undoubtedly glorious weather. In the end’ my lovely’ decided that it was a little too warm has undoubtedly it is more difficult brief in hot weather banning cold, so decided against taking me out of doors. Maybe tomorrow as the weather forecasts of predict similar whether to continue for a few days.
With the good Doctor Michael’s base in Sweden, I have made a great number of friends and and added to dedicate this little video clip to them. Click here.
25 May 2012
Another virtually pain-free night. As I write this I realise that the past few weeks, most of my daily entries seem to start with my state of health. This is boring for me, let alone the readers and I am intent on not falling into the same trap as Marcel Proust, the 19th-century French novelist, essayist and crtic , who took 139 pages of his most famous novel, A la recherce du temp perdu – In Search of Lost Time or earlier translated as Remembrance of Things Past-, to describe how he felt when he woke up in the morning. (This novel carries the same cachet as Tolstoy’s War and Peace, or Gustav Flaubert’s Madam Bovary, very few people can say, with hand on heart, that they stayed the course and read them through to the very last page. I am one of the rare number who can honestly say that he did. Having said that I made the enormous mistake of taking A la recherche …… for light reading following a spinal fusion caused through having a polo ball driven into the back of my neck in a match in Aden against the British Army.I know I am no Proust, but nevertheless I shall not fall into the same trap. So perhaps the reader can take it as a default situation and that unless I mention what sort of night I had it can be assumed it was reasonably pain-free.
My Darling Chloe came down this afternoon to spend the night and leave around lunchtime tomorrow. Between the two of them, Miles and Chloe, seem to have suddenly realised I might pop off any moment and do not want me to go gentle into that still night..
Inevitably, medical reference intrudes itself into almost every daily entry at this stage of the Lucy to see us today (on her day off!) to adjust the airflow on the two Nippy’s. A lovely girl . Lucy was the first of a succession of medically associated people who visited us today. Hard on her heels came one of the district nurses.’ Merely dropping in to see how you are’ sort of call. Then, Doctor Lort herself arrived, unannounced, having just returned from her holiday. Adding to the list of people generated as a result of my recent upset and my rapid deterioration. However, I have assured the district nurse, Kelly, there really was no necessity to call in every day and I was getting stronger by the day,
I assured her, and indeed the other people who came that should I be in need of anything that they could provide, I should certainly be the first to give them a ring. The same applied to Harriet , who rang Alice, who completed the cessation of people kindly enough take an interest in my welfare. Hopefully these good people will all see the significant improvement in my health, and the flow of well-wishers will diminish to a trickle
The good Doctor Michael telephoned from Germany, where he has been staying with our mutual friends, the Schneider’s. Why was I not surprised that Doctor Michael was greatly favour of Doctor Michael Davises proposal for me to become a short-term inpatient at Papworth. I hate the idea as one always seems to stay much longer than the initial prognosis. We will see what happens over the next few days.
As my life is completely dominated by decisions of the fairer sex, perhaps I can get my own back on the small way by showing this extreme male chauvinist video clip. Click here.
24 May 2012
In the end it turned out that my night sitter was that good, reliable carer, Sam, from our own team at Ross Nursing. Nevertheless I think we are in for a battle royal today between Harriet and the social services to try to get this matter resolved to my satisfaction as well as the providers. In the meantime the one beneficiary of all this to-ing and fro-ing, is me. I have had four nights now virtually pain-free. When I do wake up after a few moments and realise that I do not have to wait even the regular intervals, that ‘my lovely’ came down, to check if I was comfortable or not, now, at the first sign of a pain in one joint or another, which I know, if not attended to, all I have to do is to press my alarm and whoever is the night carer will come and turn me over.
I had a long conversation yesterday afternoon with Doctor Michael Davies, one of the two consultants at Papworth hospital, over my breathing. We discussed adjusting the volume of air that flows through the respirator, and some way of lessening it prior to removing the facemask you. These fine adjustments to the Nippy need to be carried out by an expert and quite rightly ‘my lovely’, quite apart from being mechanically challenged, refuses to do anything, the result which could mean life or death.
It seems, from my conversation with Michael Davies – in whom I have great confidence and respect – that we have various options 1) we can try to adjust the Nippy machine over the telephone with one of Papworth experts present. 2) I could be add admitted to Papworth and the fine tuning carried out physically by one or other of the consultants and his colleagues. I am not at all keen on the idea of going into hospital, however nice are the staff, as I cannot see them being prepared, or indeed able, to respond to my every call. Michael Davies, however assured me that they are used to dealing with the needs of individual (difficult!) patients.
I suppose a whole thing will come to a head today, I hope with the social service taking some cognizance of my objection to Two Counties. Firstly, we have never been formally introduced to this firm. We know nothing about them and their track record.
Are we expected to await a knock on the door around 10.00 p.m. where a stranger presents himself as coming from Two Counties to provide a night sitting service. How are we to know that he is who he says he is?, Perhaps he had overheard a conversation in a public house and gleaned sufficient information to make this call and then in the dead of night when the household slept, he cleaned out our valuables. The boy and are and if you are unable to me for bed hungry you will need I agree that all this seems highly improbable, but put yourself in the same position and ask yourself would you be that foolish?
However, in this case we heard, late in the evening, then it would be Sam again, so I retired quite comfortable in my mind that I had someone attending to me throughout the night. Who knew what she was doing.
With my world being topsy-turvy this might be the appropriate moment to pass on to my readers, a riddle sent to me. I have puzzled over it but it has got me foxed. Click here and see for yourself. Perhaps one of my readers will be kind enough to explain it to me.
23 May 2012
Another good day after an almost painless sleep. Smiler left shortly after breakfast promising to come, probably next week. I have as they see me recovering from that at face, both Chloe and Smiler will realise that I am not at death’s door and however much I love seeing them both. They needn’t feel obliged to come down every week. If I have anything to do about it. I shall be for some time yet!
The mountain of pills, that I’m forced to take daily, certainly seem to be doing their job so far as my body is concerned and heaven knows what is happening to my mind! Over the last few days when I felt unwell, somehow I have managed to muddle up the dates. It was in fact today then I dear friends, the Hanscombe’s drove down to see us, not yesterday. However, the short account of their visit. I gave in my blog yesterday is just as apposite, so I shall not change it. In 50 years time. I doubt whether anyone will give a jot!
I really am improving daily and even getting back some interest in food and as a result, managing to eat a little more. I’ve said all along that he introduction and cessation of the morphine patches set may well back and, given time, there is no reason why I should not at least get back to the degree of strength that I had prior to that episode.
Having said that I did not exert myself at all today and spent much of the time, in my study chair, listening to beautiful music. The days slipped by with me lazing away but I felt no guilt hers. I really was recuperating after a nasty setback. One thing I have been very impressed by, is the way our district nurses now drop in, almost on a daily basis, to check out and make sure all is well. I suspect I have been profoundly ‘dangerous species’ list!.
Early afternoon Ross nursing rang to tell us that they would not be providing an overnight sister as they had failed to win the contract which had to another outfit -Two Counties. You can imagine how we felt having previously been elated when we had heard that we had received approval. Who were these people? I have never heard of them and we were expected to allow them complete access to our home during an entire night. Of course, we had no reason to suspect that they were other than a genuine and reputable carers Association but, I do believe the client should at least be consulted when a change was being made and given the opportunity to approve the substitution. Of course, we don’t mind that we are fortunate to have this service but I don’t think it unreasonable that we know who and what they are. Ross nursing have now been looking after us daily for over a year so we would need have no reservations about then sending along one of our regular carers. This in itself should be advantageous as we would almost certainly no the carer whom they sent to us.
We never received any communication from Two Counties, not even a telephone call. Then we did receive a telephone call, shortly before I was due to go to bed, but from Ross Nursing informing us that there had been some sort of mix-up and that no one would be coming to sleep in tonight. Unfortunately, Harriet was away on one of her mercy missions and there was no one we could contact to find out what had gone wrong. This will now have to wait until tomorrow.
22 May 2012
Another good night’s sleep with no prolonged pain. As soon as my’ lovely’ can get used to the new arrangement overnight and relax more, we will start enjoying the full benefits. I must say I’m very grateful to the combined efforts of Harriet, head of Ross Nursing; Doctor West, now my GP; and Sarah, my district nurse, all of who seem to have made a supreme effort to get this night time Continuing Care which will literally changed our lives.
Today was effectively the first real summer’s day we have had with temperatures in the low 20s. I even managed to get out in the garden in my wheelchair for a couple of hours or two in the sunshine, but still feeling as weak as a kitten. This proved to be just about all I can take. I retreated indoors and shortly after my dear old friend Geoffrey Hanscombe arrived with dear Jessica (I’m pretty sure they had been married for over 65 years). They are two of the nicest people you would ever wish to meet. And of course, regular readers will realise what a dominant role Geoffrey has played in my life. Miles and Alice kept the conversation going as too long and visit with too much talking, completely exhausts me. Having said that I enjoyed very much seeing them both again-people who have always been there for me, as part of my background and it was very sweet of them to hire a car just to come down for coffee.
I do is hope I will see them again. If I was a of bookmaker I would think that the odds are just about even, as Geoffrey is 95
After they had gone I spent an hour or so on the Nippy, (respirator) which I suppose restored some energy but in no time. Paula, from Ross nursing, arrived to prepare me for bed. There seems so little time between my carer leaving in the evening, eating my meal and, shortly after, being bedded down. But then I suppose I am fortunate as I do not have to spend all day in bed when life could be a little boring although I do have a wonderful collection of books to read already downloaded on my laptop as well is half a dozen films also and a wonderful library of music or at my fingertips; a private world of entertainment for someone disabled.
I could not resist this little bit of Political Incorrectness. Click here and see if you agree with the sentiments expressed.
21 May 2012
A red letter day – ‘My Lovely’s’ birthday. We had no particular plans for celebration, as much to do with all the medical business going on as anything else, as Alice, like most women of ‘a certain age! – does not like drawing attention to her advancing years!
Dear Chloe took over the role occupied by the good Doctor Michael – who left yesterday afternoon – and valiantly slept on the couch at the other end of the drawing-room (my bedroom!) with the objective of giving her mum a bit of a break. Basically, things went very well until 1.30, five hours after I had gone to bed, when I required my first turn. Chloe sprang off the couch in response to the alarm and tackled the problem of turning me over and settling back into a comfortable position. This was the first time that Chloe had been charged with carrying out this delicate procedure and considering she had not been trained to operate my hoist, or acquainted with my eccentricities, whilst being hoisted, I thought she did a pretty good job in managing to make me comfortable. So I’m sorry to say that I woke her up another two or three times over the next few hours, but we got there in the end, with only one visit from’ my lovely’ who took over at 5.00 a.m., allowing Chloe a couple of hours of well-deserved sleep in a bed (or at least rest) before we all got up to start yet another day. The only thing about which I was personally concerned was the possibility of problems similar to those we had experienced when the respirator was removed the day before. However, I am glad to say that all was normal.
Whilst Sally, the carer was here dressing me, that good Doctor West arrived for a very brief update. I was pleased to be able to report an almost totally pain free night.
Over this past week or so. I have obviously been too self occupied to comment on what is happening on the international front (other than, of course, the International Test Match!!). However, briefly the main preoccupation is still very much about the economy. Due to the uncertainty of the Greek position and the tough stance being taken by the newly elected Greek Prime Minister, the financial markets have got very jittery about the possibility of Greece withdrawing (or being thrown out!) from the Eurozone currency market.
The international stock exchanges have been tumbling, concerned with this possibility, as it demonstrates so strongly the fact that we are a global economy. For example, Australia would be badly affected by a huge disruption in the European market because China buys most of Australia’s iron ore, which comprises a significant element of its GDP, and if China’s economy shrinks (as indeed it seems to be doing already) to a certain level, creating less demand from the European members of the Eurozone, as seems to be the case, then the whole thing goes round in a circle and we, like every other country involved in the domestic market, would be affected.
The Greeks seem adamant that they are not going to leave the Eurozone, but will they have any choice? If they go, will they be followed by Spain, Italy and Portugal and , if so, what effect will that have on the rest of us? This is unknown territory which I suspect will have to be resolved sooner than the Midsummer break suggested by Greece.
I am sure that my readers will forgive me not spending too much time on the international position as most of them are, in any case, probably better informed than I am.
As an exception I have tried to keep up-to-date for you with the first International Test Match of this season between England and West Indies (after all, we must get our priorities right!). Today, went into the fourth day with England effectively 93/4, requiring 191 runs to win, which presented no problem and the game was over, just after lunch.
Chlo stayed until the carers came at midday and then home, no doubt, to sort out the chaos which exists when a man is left in charge of a small family for too longer period! (To be fair to Karl, on seeing a draft of this entry, Chloe stuck up for him and said that he was in fact, quite the opposite to my description of the hopeless father. The house was usually pristine and in no way disorderly.) I must say Chloe has been very helpful to me, in my slightly more weak and feeble state. I didn’t think I had the energy to do the blog and , in particular the corrections, which seemed to take it out of me more than the actual writing. Chloe corrected it for me and I very grateful to her.
I forgot to mention that Sarah, one of our district nurses, dropped in to catch up on my state of health and, in particular, to finalise her report to Continuing Care to relieve’ my lovely’ at night. Then, late afternoon, Harriet herself looked in with the’ good news’ that we were almost there in terms of nightly Continuing Care. Tonight and tomorrow night have been approved, and, in the meantime she hopes for final approval to come through shortly. We so grateful as, over a period of time, the cost of night city can turn out to be very expensive. I did not begrudge Harriet, a nice glass of wine. I was drinking at the time, not only in celebration for’ my lovely is’ birthday but it also England’s comfortable win, against the West Indies, in the first of this year’s Test Series.
In view of the global world economy and the fact that Germany seems to be heavily involved in propping up the Eurozone, I thought it might be appropriate to click here and share with readers a little German humour.
20 May 2012
The good Doctor Michael slept in the bedroom, keeping an ear out for the alarm. In fact, we classed it as a relatively good night as we slept until 3.30, after which giving me a good drink of water, as my mouth was as parched dry as a camel’s after a lengthy trek through the desert, we both then slumbered until 6.30 with me intermittently calling on Michael to turn me and shift my position.
When it came to breakfast we very gingerly removed the full face mask, in short stages, and then finally removed it altogether with the apparent effect that my body took over the breathing mechanism and things looked as if they were going to be fine. But in a few moments, however, a flood of adrenaline or whatever it was came over me and I panicked, calling for air. Michael slapped on the full respirator and saved the day. After I settled down for five or 10 min we removed the straps on the mask to allow me to drink through a straw. This worked well and after a while the entire mask was removed and I tentatively took up to breathing on my own and then was able to his down eat a normal breakfast and managed to spend the rest of the morning without incident.
The next excitement was Chloe and her little family arriving, ostensibly for lunch, but it had been understood between’ my lovely’ and Chloe that they would in fact, eat next door at the Cricketers to minimise Alice’s work. It was lovely to see them all so bonny and bouncing about before they went to lunch. We had our own lunch before the family returned and in fact they left quite quickly as it was Karl’s intention to take them to the Dulwich Fair. As it was mid-afternoon by now I think he was pushing his lack to arrive in time to see very much, but it was a nice idea.
There seemed to be a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, with me in a central immovable position. The next event, however, was Mick leaving for the airport-how time flies! Then a flurry of others appeared, firstly Sarah, our nice district nurse on the follow up trail for Continuing Care. Almost as soon as she had finished my night carers came in to prepare me for bed. Although I had spent most of the afternoon dozing in a comfortable armchair with a glass of champagne heavily disguised in a child’s drinking mug! I still felt very tired. In fact the three of us – Chloe still being in our midst – spent a lazy evening watching some inane television before I was carted off to bed around 8.30. A not uneventful day but one which I could say on the whole was an improving one.
Which is more than I can say for my jokes! However, click here to read one I received from my good friends the O-Ps. I am always happy to receive contributions from any of my readers which I’m glad to say I am able to approve or trash if I consider them inappropriate and some I have received recently, although quite fun for men to have a chuckle about could certainly not be included !!