19.06.2024 Another rant. 🙄

 ~o~

  Wednesday 19th 54F/12 [7am] Bright overcast with a heavy dew. Some sunshine promised and arriving. 16C maximum today.

 Finally up at 6.15 after waking at 5am. My right arm is still aching and bruised. I am trying to avoid lifting the kettle with that arm. 70F/21C indoors but I keep feeling cold. Despite wearing fleece trousers, t-shirt and jumper. I had to don my down sweater while sitting at the computer last night. 

 The old 3m square garden pond. Which I dug by hand in the SW corner. Had been in very deep shade for two decades. The prostrate yews love the increased light levels from my felling the vast  horse chestnut.

 I am moving about indoors much more normally and comfortably. No breathlessness so far this morning. Even though I ventured upstairs for another jumper. I might take a gentle stroll along the drive. Just to have a break from emergent cabin fever.

 9.15 I have been for a walk around the garden before heading along the drive.  No real problems. Perhaps feeling a little tired. My right forearm arm ached continuously. I took a few pictures of flowers. Nature is advancing on all sides but I can't retaliate. Not even to pull out a blade of grass. Despite this I am actually quite pleased with my progress. From becoming breathless due to standing up. To [slowly] walking several hundred meters. After only a couple of days.

 11.30 Sunshine. I just had a phone call inviting me to a rehabilitation course at a rather distant hospital 45km away. I declined as I am not yet fit enough to drive to today's arrangement. Particularly at such short notice. It provides fitness assessment, training and dietary advice. Obviously all subjects of interest to me at this time. Though somewhat premature until I have fully recovered from surgery. I will receive a further invitation online.

 News: It seems 120 charging stations for electric bikes are to be erected around Denmark. 12 million Kroner to be subsidized by the EU/TAXPAYER. Abut a million quid in real money! 🙄 

 Off the top of my head I might have suggested multiple, weatherproof chargers. To be compulsorily fitted as standard outside all supermarkets at their bike racks. But what do I know? I am only a keen electric cyclist/tourist. How will they provide for non standard plugs/voltages on many bikes? Will they have fire extinguishers and or sprinklers for all the illegal Chinese imports? Like the stylish "Spontaneous Combustion Pro," etc?

 Perfectly in keeping with this nonsense it seems they put somebody with a PHD in advanced virtual communications, media technology and gender inclusion studies in charge of making links to news stories on DR. 🙄

https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/seneste/fra-frederikshavn-til-toender-til-koege-ladestandere-til-elcykler-paa-vej

A rough translation: https://www.dr.dk/news/latest/from-frederikshavn-to-tønder-to-køge-charging stands-for-electricbicycles-on-the-way.

 Another Rant/ Just Stop Oil Protestors have been vandalizing Stonehenge with harmless, cornflower based, powder paint. Raising the hackles of assorted interested parties. It seems the stones are covered in prehistoric markings but the archeologists haven't been arsed to record them. Let alone publish their findings. 

 The great stones were taken down and re-erected during earlier archeological digs. So they have been manhandled and generally messed about with for centuries. More of a facsimile than an original historical monument. I have a plywood Stradivirus [sic] violin just like that.

 No doubt a few local vicars have had a tasty bit of stonework installed in their churches. Then the local builders and landowners needed free stone for their sprawling monuments to greed and slavery. Nearby Avebury can attest to this criminal habit. The ancient stones were subjected to fire and then dousing. To break them up into useful chunks. \Rant

 A lady from the village dropped by for a chat for three hours. We hardly drew breath as we discussed anything and everything in English. I kept losing my voice.

 Dinner was salad with tuna and boiled eggs.

 

 ~o~

18.06.2024 Home again, home again.

 ~o~

  Tuesday 18th 55F/13C. Bright overcast. Some sunshine is promised. With a high of 18C.

 Up at 5.15 after lying awake and an excess of topping up the fire bucket during the night. My right forearm is a bit tender and still discoloured. Though without the "wow" factor as the purple/black slowly fades. I am still constipated. Probably by the lack/loss of food mid-week. Though it may have been the morphine or other pain killers. 

 Do not for a moment assume that I am complaining. Far from it. A few, minor setbacks are but a small price to pay. For the exemplary treatment and wonderful care I have received. The physical burden on my aging body. From three hours on the operating table and assorted powerful drugs. Were inevitably going to be a factor in my recovery.

 My English friend has kindly offered to take me to the city hospital. Then drive the Morris back here. With my role merely riding shotgun. I really should not be driving yet. To give my battered body time to heal. 

 My visitor, home sitter, organizer and carer will be returning home on the train and will travel with us. To be dropped off at the station by my friend's wife. Before returning here to take him home in their own car. I know. It's complicated. My friend's wife has to be at work in the city at lunch time. It takes time to travel the multiple distances involved in traffic. I am most grateful for all their efforts. To help me overcome my depleted energy levels and continuing fragility. 

 The Morris was accumulating considerable parking fees at the hospital. Once my "free" initial 24 hours was used up last Monday. The parking company has yet to respond to my email requesting clarification. I did not dare risk leaving the Morris at the top of the parking tower. Unattended but out of public oversight. Albeit at no cost in parking fees. A poor option for long stay patients IMO. It was impossible to reach the hospital by bus. At the very early hour of my first appointment of over a week ago. At that point I could not possibly foresee the mounting costs. As I went from initial examination to emergency surgery!

 8.40 We are both ready to leave if needed. I had a shower but it was very painful. My right arm complained under the slightest load. My extensive bruising returned to full "Technicolor" once wet. A lop-sided pair of boxer shorts in near black. I have moved the old car out of the way. To allow room for the Morris. Though I would not have wanted to drive very far. 

 12.00 My friend has just left in his own car. After driving the Morris home with myself as passenger. My guest has just confirmed her train is leaving for home too.

 Dinner was mackerel on toast with halved tomatoes. Followed by more blueberries.

  ~o~

17.06.2024 Please form an orderly queue?

 ~o~

   Monday 17th 57F/14C [7.00] The sun is rising over the absent neighbour's trees and hedges. Mostly sunny periods today and 17C. They are dropping like flies elsewhere due to heat stroke. While here the temperatures are struggling to get off their knees.

 Cotoneaster "salicifolia" with the superb, dark elder just behind it. Both in flower.

 Up at 5.50. I have some pain in my right forearm, shoulder and groin. My forearm was slightly more swollen last night. Probably due to trying to do too much during the day. The purple bruising is only slowly fading. The daft old devil keeps getting up from his chair as he always has. Needs an update and reboot. He'll be alright.

 I have ordered my new medicines on the phone and they will be delivered by the local pharmacy. This will avoid my having to fire up the old car. Saving me a further day of effort but increasing boredom. I have increasing cabin fever. Reaching the post box was a new record for distance. It left me breathless. It is only 20m from the door.  

 After the cheerful, friendly and helpful pharmacy driver had left. I had another visitor for a couple of hours. She brought fresh, raw honey and a good sense of humour. She has a wide knowledge of the area and lots of contacts. No doubt I shall be seeing her again.

Dinner was fish fingers freed of their breadcrumb coating. Plus a salad including cold, boiled potatoes, cold, boiled broccoli stems, lettuce, carrots and tomatoes. Pudding was more blueberries. All washed down with a non-alcoholic pilsner. 

 

  ~o~