NO MORE PLEASE

 'When sorrows come, they come not single spies but in battalions'

Hamlet.

This certainly seems to be the case in this family at the moment.

Penny, Daughter had to have her tonsils out just over a week ago and was just beginning to recover when she took Bo out for a walk and slipped on a muddy bank and broke her ankle and leg bone.

She is now in hospital in a plaster cast

awaiting an op 

As I have mentioned before, she works for BUPA and is lucky that she has private health insurance.

With the NHS she would have to wait at least 3 weeks before they could operate as they have lots of trauma back cases to deal with.

Privately she is getting the op done tomorrow!

The breaks are really bad and require pins and plates and the surgeon has told her that her ankle and leg with never be the same again.

She will have to have another op in 3 months time to remove some of the pins etc.

Can that be right that if you have money you get priority treatment?

I guess life is like that but it makes a little bit cross to think of others in the same boat having to wait in  pain (and she is in a lot of pain) for 3 weeks or more.

So 2 operations in the space of just over a week isn't good but has to be done.

This makes the new clutch required for our car a small worry but still another thing we could do without.

Add that to the daily struggle with Tom's lungs and my joints and you can see that we are not happy bunnies at the moment.

I know it will all pass, it always does but it makes you wonder what will be thrown at us next.

HE DID IT AGAIN

 I don't know if he has a small throat or if he's just careless when he eats but Tom pulled his stunt of choking at our evening meal tonight.

He's  done it a few times during our marriage, once on some Tom thumb drop sweets and again while eating fish and chips where the vinegar went down the wrong hole.

If you have ever witnessed anyone choking you will know what it's like to watch.

With Tom's lungs being pretty useless anyway doing the Heimlich Maneuver isn't really an option as I would probably kill him so I banged on his back and felt like a headless chicken not knowing quite what to do.

Luckily he finally managed to take a breath but I was in pieces I can tell you.

We are both sitting here now with a large Gin and Tonic trying to relax.

Life throws some situations at us doesn't it and always when we least expect them.

PRINCESS AND THE SLUGS

Because we leave food out for the foxes each night there is the drawback that it attracts the slugs.

I don't mind too much as I only plant things that they and snails do not like and they are never anywhere to be seen during the day. 

The cats don't go out much during the day but every evening they usually go out just into the garden to sniff the air and often have a drink out of the full watering can (not sure why, it must taste better than the water in the indoor bowls. lol)

They are usually all in by the time we go out into the kitchen to feed them around 11 o'clock.

The other night I was still at the front of the house and Tom was in the kitchen.  He called me urgently to come out as Princess had just come in the worse for wear.

I have mentioned before about the Ginger and white cat who has recently moved into the neighbourhood.

We can only think that she had had a tussle with this cat and rolled on her side on the paving.

Unfortunately it had lots of slugs on it and they had stuck to the her side along with slug slime.

She was in such a mess.

We had to stand her on the kitchen table and wash and wash with warm water to try to get the slime off of her fur as it was starting to go hard.

This was accompanied by lots of squeaks and meows but it had to be done.

When we had finally got most of it off she was dried with a towel and the worst bit had to be cut out.

So she now has a bit of a bare patch, lol

It took a couple more days gently cutting bits out from around her neck that were hard but she's all clear now.

So now there's a dilemma as to how to feed the foxes without feeding the slugs.

I think I shall put it on the top of the wall and hope the Ginger cat stays away.

Never a dull moment with these cats but wouldn't be without them.

GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT.

 I said I wouldn't make another fox but then it struck me that maybe I could adjust the pattern to make a tiny cat.

And so I tried it and made a tiny head.

Now I just have to make the body and adjust the tail.

Wish me luck, lol

I'm not entirely happy with the eyes but they will have to do.

He looks like he's looking through tiny slits, just like they do.

THE TWO OF THEM.

Finished and united with his big brother.

Mr tiny fox just needs the brooch bit on the back if he is to be used as a brooch, but I think he will just sit on the shelf.

 

FOXY READY FOR SEWING UP

 Foxy is finished and ready for sewing up.  I won't be making another one of these in the near future, my eyes were out on organ stops even with the magnifier, lol

Still, he's turned out really cute and I'm pleased.

In the past things haven't always turned out and have ended up in the bin.

Will show when he's finished.

Yesterday we went out to get a cup of coffee just to a break up the day.

Waitrose cafe has not reopened since the thingy so we went to Sainsbury.  Oh no, that was closed as well , apparently the numbers went up?

So we saved a bit of cash and went home.

I'm getting to the point where I don't even want to go out.

The whole atmosphere everywhere is doom and gloom.

People peering over their masks, so many rules and regulations to follow, it's easier to stay in and do our jigsaws. 

So after foxy is sewn up that's what I'm doing today.

x

FIGHT DETERRENT.

 With five cats in the house it's inevitable that there is sometimes the odd spatt or two.

I can't say that any one of them are worse than the others, they all take their turn at it.

When the hissing or growling starts we shout the aggressors name very firmly but it seems that with old age they are all a little deaf other than when you call them for their food. 

So I have decided to make a load of crochet balls and place them strategically around the rooms as ammunition for stopping things before they get out of hand.  

1 soft crochet ball on the boko should put an end to it and peace will be restored.

p.s.   We have an appointment at the pharmacy for mid oct, thank you for all of your suggestions.

UNBELIEVABLE

  Tom had a text from the doctor in the week to say that he had a 1.20p.m. appointment on saturday for his flu jab.

It said to come alone, bring water and rainproof clothing as he may have to queue outside.

This clinic was for 80 year olds and over

Sorry about the quality of the picture but you can get an idea of what we were greeted with.

A huge queue of people that stretched as far as we could see of  'OVER 80 YEAR OLD PEOPLE' standing in a cold wind waiting to be ushered in for the jab.

I asked the receptionist if Tom could come straight in as he was on oxygen and could not stand there in the queue and was told that unless he was in a wheelchair he had to queue.    I could take his place if I wanted to but I also am unable to stand for very long because of my arthritis, and so we drove back home.

I shall make enquiries to see if there is an alternative way that he can get his jab.

LOST FOR WORDS.

MONEY TALKS

 Thousands of people are at this moment unable to get a face to face appointment, see a consultant, get treatment or have an operation because of the Coronavirus.

HOW IS IT THEN

That my daughter who works for BUPA and therefore gets free health cover has been able to see a consultant within 3 weeks and have her tonsils out 1 week later???

DOES THE CORONAVIRUS NOT AFFECT PRIVATE HEALTH CARE?

I'm pleased that she is able to get her problem sorted out but hopping mad at the same time.

ALIENATING PEOPLE

 Yesterday we decided to go shopping in the evening, this avoids queuing and there are less people.

I despair at what is happening to people over this virus.

I see from my window people taking detours out into the road to avoid walking close to others and last night in the supermarket an old lady queuing at the till in front of us was told off by the person in front and asked to move back.

This lady was in fact well within the distance but the person still wanted her further away.

She turned to us in a quite distressed state saying that she was the correct distance away and I know that this will have affected this old lady for the rest of the evening and possibly again when she shops.

The complainer then carried it on and complained to the cashier who I'm pleased to say remained neutral.

What on earth is happening to us all?

There will no doubt always be complainers but this lady struck me as the kind who would pick up the phone and snitch. Another wonderful suggestion from the government.

How hateful.

p.s.   I notice the shelves were very short  again as people are 'stocking' up.