24.04.2024 Rumours of my demise..

~o~

 Wednesday 24th 39F/4C [at 8.15] becoming cloudier, with rain forecast.

 I woke up unexpectedly, to daylight, at 6.30am after a weird night. Wide awake at 1am. My only visit to the fire bucket. More out of boredom than necessity. I had deprived myself of fluids after 17.00 except for a small glass of milk. 

 Ironically, I had to have a glass of water. Because I was so parched from mouth breathing. I finally went back to sleep to yet more ludicrous dreams. One memorable highlight was visiting a high street clothes shop. Access and egress being provided only via a small hatch in the facade. On the first floor! And no, it wasn't North Face.

 I think it is safe to say I am finally on the mend. My nose is still running. My chest is full and wheezing but a better night's sleep has helped. My head no longer feels under pressure. Presumably from the formerly overflowing sinuses.

 The morning was spent dozing over YT videos again. I was having a very silly dream while seated and woke myself up to stop the nonsense!

 14.00 Just had a call from the hospital. My Monday appointment for a heart scan has been given to an acute case. So I should be fully recovered from my "man cold" in another three weeks. My foolishly squeaky voice should also have returned. To what passes as normal. [For me] I wonder whether they have been reading about my exploits in moving 3m^3 of stabilgrus [self-compacting gravel] with a shovel. While waiting for a third scan to confirm my mortality. Am I so famous as an online influencer? Surely not? 😂

 The forecast is for temperatures above 20C in a short while. At the same time Denmark has broken records for coldest and wettest going back 80 years to previous extremes. I lit the stove and it went out before the kindling took proper hold. It's an ill omen! I tell thee!  

 Dinner was a fry up of chicken, mushrooms, an egg and fresh tomatoes. Helped down with a buttered bread roll.

~o~

23.04.2024 Another day wasted.

 ~o~

  Tuesday 23rd 38F/3C [at 8am] Bright but cloudy. No sun yet. Rain later. Maximum of 7C forecast.

  Up at 7am after another awful night. Frequent trips to the fire bucket. Despite having nothing to drink after dinner. Coughing and sneezing fits. The phlegm is so thick and deep I can't fetch it up by coughing. Making my plumbing hurt. The glands in my neck hurt too when I swallow. At least there was no more nose bleeding.

 8.10. First glimpse of the sun. It is only 60F/15.6C in the room. So I'll have to light the stove.

 I didn't bother light the stove until later. A fleece jacket helps me to ignore the cold. Another day wasted on YouTube.

 I made poached eggs on toast for dinner. Using the strainer trick to separate the whites. It was a disaster. I shan't bother with that again. Four minutes and the yolks were hard. With hardly any whites left to play with.

 

  ~o~

 

22.04.2024 Snow?

 ~o~

  Monday 22nd 35F/1.7C. It could be brighter if it wasn't so cloudy. A cool, dry day is promised.

 Up at 6am after a dreadful night. Coughing, sneezing and spluttering. Getting up to use the fire bucket every half hour. Woke to discover warm blood flowing down my face. Used a wad of tissue as a nose stopper. Blood tracks are clearly visible on my dark green pillowcase and dark red under sheet.  Spoiler alert: It was the butler! Shame it's not Halloween.

8.45 The sky has darkened and it has started snowing heavily! 

9.00 It is only 60F/15.6C in the room. I had to light the stove.

 The snow petered out over 3/4 of an hour.  I have an appointment for a blood test this morning. To be taken one week prior to my heart scan. I sought advice on the telephone. To be told that my terminal "man cold" was not a problem. That said, I felt I should be taking a mask. If only to protect others from my lethal germs. 

 The only mask I could find has been lying in the open in the kitchen for over two years! So it will be full of bacteria and viruses from all my doubtful attempts at cooking. Best not to try. I'll take some real handkerchiefs to cover my face. I doubt they have been used in well over a decade. Perhaps two. No, they have vanished. I probably gave them away to a charity shop.

 Hopefully the blast radius. When I inevitably explode into a sneezing fit. Will be reduced to the immediate vicinity. Unlike the moron in the dentist's waiting room. Who didn't even cover his face with his hand. As he repeatedly sneezed and coughed extremely loudly!

 The nurse was kind and swapped my handful of paper handkerchiefs for a proper mask. There was no bloodbath from being stabbed in the arm. As I had feared from all the nose bleeds.

 12.15 Shopped on the way home. Now I can eat again. Lots of people staring at the Morris. The kids at the village school wanted me to toot and cheered when I did. The Morris has a funny little horn sound. I feel better for having some fresh air but my chest and nose are still a wet mess.

 17.00 It has been sunny all afternoon. I am trying to squeeze a couple more degrees indoors [66F/19C] from the greenhouse. It didn't work.

 Dinner was fish fingers and chips with tomatoes.

 

 

 ~o~