It shouldn't crunch like that . . .

 My shoulder that is.  I have filled in an online form for a Physio appt, but when I asked about this at Llandod Hospital this week (Physio is next to Minor Injuries), I was told my request was on the hub and I would have to wait to be triaged, probably a couple of weeks . . . Meanwhile the shoulder pain is worsening and moving too, and muscles very tense going into neck.  I am beginning to think you reach 73 and fall apart!  Anyway, slathering on Ibuprofen cream, which helps, and think I will have to go privately to a chiro.

I got up early and drove to Aber yesterday, as Rosie had been so fractious the previous two days, it looked like Jon would need moral support.  When I got there, I found that Rosie had eaten two breakfasts (after refusing almost all food bar strawberries for 2 days) and wasn't as grumpy as she had been.  We watched Puffin Rock (which she loves, and so do I as they have the wildlife properly replicated and there is a lot of info about the wildlife depicted. Hummingbird Hawkmoths and the like :)  Jon took Rosie up for a sleep and it was clear that she was going to have a long sleep (3 hrs in the end), and she always wakes in a positive mood, so as I had parcels being delivered, I left Jon to it and drove slowly back through the mountains.  It's looking quite autumnal there already, and so lovely.

The young man who is doing my outside painting for me was here again yesterday, doing the last window and the door to nowhere, so I texted him to look out for deliveries.  The first was the (horribly expensive) dehumidifier (which is also an air purifier, so I can list my ElectriQ air purifier).  I got it set up and running and with the humidity in here at 80, it was on for 3 hours before getting it down to 55, which was the cut-off point I'd set.  This morning it started at 70, but after less than an hour has just hit 54, so I've turned it off.  

My Very Expensive book arrived, so I have looked at that yesterday evening and it will now Go Away until Christmas.   There is a distinct difference between the ECMs in the North and those in the south and west of Wales.  The North Wales ones tend to be simple, with a basic cross in many cases, some slightly more elaborate with interlace etc, but The Pillar of Eliseg is the most important one.  It was recorded by Antiquarian Edward Lluyd in 1696 (thank heavens as it was toppled in the Civil War and damaged) and was a list of the successive generations of the ruling house of Powys in the 8th and 9th C.  It's an hour and 48 mins to drive there and it's on my hit list. . .

My other book purchase, The Rough Guide to New Zealand also arrived.

Apart from the kitchen window woodwork (my job), the painting is all finished outside, bar a couple of bits of touching up where the wood needed some fillers in it.  So, the next dry day I shall get out and paint the kitchen window.  It's looking lovely, especially as the white walls are absolutely gleaming - looks like they've been pressure washed as all the slight discolouration on the render was cleaned off by the really heavy rain with that last storm.  S cleaned the guttering for me too at the front - it's got a hedgehog gutter brush in it - but even so the pine needles had piled up on top of it, so he cleared those away and I'm set for winter now.

No chip shop meal needed as I was back early so I stripped the breast off the chicken we'd roast on Wednesday, and I made a lovely chicken pie with it. I cheated and bought some ready-rolled puff pastry. That will last another couple of meals.  

It's Malvern tomorrow, so will make some bread rolls and take a couple for breakfast/lunch, to have with cheese.  I need to make pickled onions (bought two bags of shallots and will use the Organic - with mother - Cider Vinegar for those.)  I need to make more jam as Rosie had some toast with my Bramble Jelly on yesterday and LOVED it.  I'll use up the berries I have in the freezer, which will give me a bit more room in there. Update: 6 jars jam made.  Plus two big Apple Gingerbread cakes, one for the freezer.  That's used up some stewed apple I had in the fridge.  

I may just take the finger dressing off this morning and see what the state of play is and whether I can get away with a smaller dressing now as it's not at all painful. Update: I did, but had to soak the dried blood dressing nearest the wound as it had bled again.  Now I have a smaller dressing on it, well wrapped with Microporous tape.

Have a good weekend all.