Saturday 3 December 2022

A somewhat disappointing morning out

 We had planned a day out today - to visit a little Antiques/Vintage Fair at Crickhowell, and then to go on to Llwyn Celyn to see it decorated for Christmas.  Well, the 2nd part (which I was looking forward to the most) had to be cancelled because the work wasn't done on the car.  Which left the Vintage Fair.  Well, my gut feeling said it wasn't going to be our sort of stuff, and on the whole, it wasn't.   Some nice things offered by dealers, and some craft stalls as it was before Christmas, but only one stall interested us and Keith bought two Moroccan style lamps there.  The other stalls I just wheeled him past as he's not interested in jewellery, or knitted goods!  I noticed a lovely Labradorite pendant but sadly it had been broken in half, as the honest dealer pointed out.  Such a shame as it was lovely.


I have to say, access was a bit awkward though - we followed the wheelchair access signs, but couldn't open the white side doors into the building, and had to go around the front, where Keith walked up four stairs and I managed to get the wheelchair up them.



This must have looked stunning in the summer - still some colour there now, in December.  I had a quick look round the charity shop and bought a bowl for £3, then went to look for a Pie for tea in the butcher's but the small ones were £5 each and so I just bought some Russet apples.  I had hoped Keith might fancy  a pub lunch but he didn't seem the least bit interested, so I didn't pursue it.  He's not a great one for food in general, and eating out isn't high on his list of things to do.

This was the church I wanted to go in - I checked my watch.  I'd left Keith in the car for more than 20 minutes and it wasn't very warm.  I will have to visit it on another day.  A shame as it has the memorial to Lady Sybil Pauncefoot, who had her hand cut off and sent it as ransom for her husband's release, after he had  been captured in the Crusades.  They lived in Crickhowell Castle.



I had hoped to get us a nice lunch to take out but couldn't find anywhere that wasn't sit-down in the town (perhaps I didn't look hard enough).  I didn't have time to go into the shop which stocks good local ciders and beers either. Another time.

So, all in all, the day didn't pan out as planned.  As I am virtually as housebound as Keith now, as I don't like to leave him for long, I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself now.  Ah well, can't be helped. When the weather is better, I shall hopefully get to see a few churches again. 





13 comments:

  1. The court cupboard does take out of all its menu (all home made). Up above the market hall in Crickhowell. Edl

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    1. I was at the bottom of the steps for that too Edl, as there were some stalls selling crafts. I will know another time. Thank you for that.

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  2. It all looks very charming and interesting. I'd have loved a visit to the fair and a pub lunch! You seem a very kind and generous caretaker; I think I d have suggested a cup of coffee and a wait while I looked at the stuff *I* like too.

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    1. It's a lovely town Lizzy. We did check out houses there but it's "desirable" - like Hay is, and Ledbury - and we could only afford a modern bungalow on an estate, which is "not us". I always put Keith's needs first. He didn't want me to push him round the town as he knows my neck plays up if I have struggled (arthritis) but then of course I couldn't linger long and I was in a queue in the butchers to pay for the apples, so that took up the church viewing time.

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  3. Hugs. Love the pix of the kittens being supervised.

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    1. Yes, he's such a good boy (especially as he was a total feral thug when he first came to us all those years ago).

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  4. Ghengis certainly keeps an eye on the kittens, doesn't he? I sure hope you get your car back soon. I'm sorry for you disappointing day.

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    1. Oh yes, he plays with them too. If they get a bit sassy he will "bite" them(well , gum them really as he's no teefs now!) or give them a tap with his paw, but they have taken years off him! When he's had enough he goes on a chair in the Library, where they haven't found him yet.

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  5. Such a shame about the Labradorite stone. It is prone to fracture, but the iridescence is often mesmerising.

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    1. Indeed. I have a lovely lump of Labradorite on a shelf in the bedroom.

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  6. Ahh Ghengis, he looks so sleek and well, despite (or perhaps because of?!) no teefs. Crickhowell looks an interesting town, is it similar to Talgarth where we stopped for a potter last year and I bought a carded batt from the Mill to spin which is the colour of the Welsh hills. Petworth was heaving on Saturday as it was Christmas market day but I was only there for working in the bookshop and at the end of my shift came straight home as I have my own Christmas production line going on here. Sorry to hear about you feeling housebound. I’m enjoying the cosiness and comfort of home during these short days and while the weather is so grim and as long as I get out for a short walk everyday I am content. Have you made your wreath yet. I am collecting bits on my walks and will start assembling soon. (Re: the medication and you mentioning that the consultant thought K was under-medicated, S is on 500mg levadopa (Sinemet) taken three times a day - 250/125/125mg - and 800mg a day is completely safe and without any risk for long term use as I read recently in a BMJ article.) Look after yourself BB - perhaps knit yourself a pair of leg warmers or re-purpose the sleeves of a jumper to protect your legs! Sarah x

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  7. He amazed me by coming back home following his surgery, and eating (kibble as well) as if he'd had nothing done! I think many of his teefs were already gone, and a couple just sitting there held in place by the tartare around them - they fell out. Perhaps he wasn't too sore. He can certainly eat anything and always asks for more!

    Crickhowel is a little larger than Talgarth, and has a better range of shops - it is more "on trend" too. I enjoy being indoors with a good book or something interesting (or amusing) on tv.

    I thought about my wreath this morning, so need to go and get some willow and/or honeysuckle (if I can find the latter down the track). Plenty of holly and ivy to go into the making of it in our long hedge alongside the garden.

    As for under-medication - Keith isn't on as much Sinemet as S. He is on 3x 125 mg a day, plus a slow-release one overnight. How much that works we're not sure, but he's not leaping about! This is an increase on what was originally prescribed by the private consultant. He also has Rasagiline in the morning. We have been doing Tai Chi regularly the last few days so his energy levels must be better for sleep, and the resistance band exercises too. Meant to be done twice a day but he can manage once a day plus walking, so will be moving up. His arms are still pretty strong and he's moved up a band straight away with those arm exercises.

    Legs currently protected by an old thick lap quilt!

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  8. Ok, that’s interesting. S started on 3 x 125g in March 2022 and his dosage was increased to 4 x 125g when he saw the consultant neurologist for the second time in August 2022. I’ll try and dig out the BMJ article and email to you. I found it online few months ago when I was concerned about how high the Sinemet could go. S is doing very well on the drugs, but before diagnosis he lost a lot of weight down from 12 to 10 stone, all muscle loss, but he eats like a horse and I reckon he uses up a lot of calories keeping warm! What does the Parkinson’s nurse think? Surely she must realise K needs a higher dose. I’ve not come across this slow-release drug you mention. As far as I am aware there is only the one drug that is prescribed and works for PD and that is the Sinemet. S x

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