A Comfort of Cats

 

I don't know what the collective name for a group of cats is, but I had Ghengis and Pippi snuggled up with me on the sofa just now, and have called it a Comfort of Cats.  Ghengis was under my chin, and Pippi under my jumper, with just her head sticking out.  The others are in various states of snooze about the house.  I am resting whilst I can, having had that date with the vacuum cleaner this morning and then had to go to Llandod for more stuff we've run out of.  My brain is still not quite in the right place for keeping tabs on things, making decisions etc.  I just want to be left alone to snooze.

Anyway, have to go out in 3/4 hr to pick up Danny, Emma and "I" who are staying overnight.  They will be here next weekend too.  Tam will come over in the week for K's birthday.  

I just want this exhaustion to wear off but think I probably have another week of it at least.  Right, back to watch the last race of the afternoon.  Enjoy your weekend, and hope you have not been blown away where you are.  That was some storm across the south coast, Channel Islands and Northern France. We just had a bit of rain here.

Ghengis goes missing . . .

 I didn't get much sleep last night.  There was a flurry of phone calls late afternoon/early evening, and I wasn't on the ball when it came to which of the old boys were in or out.  The forecast was not encouraging, and NOT a good night for cats to be out.  Then when I came to go to bed, I did a head count and found that Ghengis was nowhere to be seen.  I checked the entire house several times, but no sign of him.  I turned the outside light on and called him.  Nothing.  I put a jacket and outdoor shoes on and went to check under the car, in the middle stable (gardening shed now) as the door was left ajar and then in the end cart stable, which had been open all afternoon whilst I charged the mobility scooter.  No luck.

I went to bed and tried to sleep, but of course sleep eluded me.  My brain persuaded me it heard miowing around 1.30 a.m. so I put on my dressing gown and slippers and came downstairs.  No Ghengis.  I put outdoor shoes on, a thick jacket and my trusty torch and I went out to check the yard again.  I thought I would have one more look in the cart shed stable, just to make sure and when I shone the torch right to the back of the stable, a pair of gleaming eyes were revealed.  One little old stripey Bagpuss cat, snug and warm on some old curtains covering a chair.  Was I glad to see him!! I brought him in and he told me in no uncertain terms that he had Been Abandoned and Locked In, and needed feeding to recover from his ordeal.  Then of course everyone had to be fed!

I was still awake at 3 a.m., as other worries on my mind, and I am so shattered this morning I still can't face last night's washing up.  Ah well, it won't go away.  I'm getting quite fed up with being tested though - just want Keith and I to rest and mend.

Battle with a giant bean bag

Malvern view

 It had to be done, I couldn't manoeuvre the wheelchair through the library properly because that blardy beanbag (imagine something the size of a dead buffalo and the same colour, in leatherette) was always "relaxing" and getting into the doorway.  I trust we have now gotten past the stage where Keith might have needed to sleep on it because he couldn't get upstairs.  I decided this morning was the morning to put it back in Tam's room.  Of course, all the filling went to one end and it was MOST unco-operative on the stairs, especially getting it round the half landing, due to its bulk, but I managed it.

My vacuum cleaner has been a stranger to me these past two and a half weeks but the carpets downstairs desperately need its attention.  A job for later.

The lovely OT lady came yesterday to discuss the hospital bed for Keith.  Of course, it is going where we already have a drop-leaf table, office chair and large box of Tam's stuff beneath it.  Further along that same back wall is a small chest of drawers belonging to Tam (with contents).  That is going to have to go - either on Marketplace or out in the shed, to make room for the big box of T's stuff. (She's said put it in her bedroom . . . a challenge right now as it's full of moving house stuff!) Contents into my big tin trunk.  So I have a lot of sorting out and moving to do over the next week.  Don't know where the table will go, let alone the big office chair.   Our old home was so huge and like a tardis - we could always move furniture around and put it in the junk room, or down in mum's flat.  Our only overspill here is the attic, accessed by a very steep staircase which doesn't lend itself to the easy movement of furniture! 

From a walk round Pant-y-llyn lake, the day before Covid struck

Storm Cieran is heading our way.  Keep safe everyone who is also in its path, especially those along the South Coast.  This one sounds a meany.  

Thank You Ruta . . . and finally photos from Malvern Flea

. . . You cracked it, and I have written down the details of how to turn photo numbers into photos. Phew.  I can now share the Malvern ones with you, and will try and find the energy to photograph my little haul later.

    I can report that Keith is MUCH brighter today and woke me by getting to the bathroom whilst I was still zzzzzzzzzzzing.  He had energy for a shower too and is now reading his paper.

    On the other hand, I thought I had turned a corner yesterday as my brain fog has finally cleared - thank heavens, as I really shouldn't have driven to Newtown with my head the way it was on Saturday, but needs must and I had the window open all the way.  I read lots of my book (On the Edge of Darkness by Barbara Erskine, a re-read and gosh I enjoyed it) and was able to actually cook a meal from scratch - just a cheat's chicken pie, using ready made puff pastry, chicken breast strips browned off and a tin of chicken soup.  I even enjoyed eating it and we have the other half for tonight.  Which is just as well, as I am wrecked again today - legs and arms like chewed string and no energy whatsoever.  I've finished my book and will continue with the Geraldine Brooke's book "Horse" which my friend Gay has kindly loaned me.  

Anyway, here's Malvern.  It seems such a long time ago now!

Bargain Hunt were doing their Christmas filming (just a little bit early!)

I had to walk myself away from this old pack saddle.  I was tempted though . . .

Stuffed Capercaillie anyone? I have to say, he's past his best and probably died of old age!

An unusual copper mould.   I wish I could have indulged myself - never seen this pattern before.

See the African throwing knife with holes in?  I knew it was a rare one and bought it for Keith (at a good price). He was over the moon with it.  I can't normally buy Militaria for him as I don't know much and so many fakes out there.  This though, is not Militaria but he likes tribal weapons.  I had a gut feeling about and I was right.  Should be worth over twice what I paid for it.

Various items here . . .

You could even buy a gipsy vardo (brand new I think).

I have a small collection of costrels (they were used to take beer or cider to the fields in harvest time, and kept cool tucked in the depths of a thick hedgerow. I was tempted by this one, but had spent a lot of money by this point, so walked away.

Contents of someone's stick stand . . .

An old hexie quilt.

You may remember I have a soft spot for Widdicombe Fair collectables.  This caught my eye, and at the price (a bargain it turns out) I thought I would enjoy it for a bit.  It dates from 1921 and when I researched it, sells at around £125!!! You will surmise correctly if you are thinking I paid VERY much less than this for it :)

Right, the sofa is calling me.  Thank youfor all your support.

Fit for Nothing

 

"Let's catch scruffy chicken" . . .

Morning all.  Waiting for Gabby to arrive.  I'm afraid she is going to be presented with a long list of little chores that I have absolutely NO energy to tackle.  By the time I've got Keith out of bed, to the bathroom, dressed and breakfasted, I have to lie down on the sofa pronto.  I have the tv on in the background in the hope it will lull me to sleep, but this morning's weird Sherlock Holmes meets Steam Punk with dastardly brother Moriarty flying a Phoenix type bird (and presumably operating the dinosaur in the East End of London too) was weird enough to keep  me awake.

    Keith's breathing is easier now he's on some antiobiotics that WORK (I got the GP to dispense Doxycyline which are specific to chest infections. 

    I was fortunate to be able to buy (only £35) a more lightweight wheelchair on Ebay, but then had to somehow gird my loins to drive to Newtown and back to collect it.  For the first time in my life I asked someone outside of the family for help, as I was desperate and could barely drag myself from room to room, but it wasn't convenient for her.  Well, I will never ask for her help again.  I managed, but it was totally exhausting and to concentrate on driving for an hour each way wiped me out entirely.  At least we have one upstairs, and one downstairs now - Keith can barely move at all after late afternoon so a wheelchair is essential.

    Danny went home yesterday, having been here nearly 10 days bless him.  Emma and little "I" were missing him and he them.  So now we have to shift for ourselves, but I did get him to drag the big bean bag downstairs in case for Keith to sleep on if I couldn't get him up the stairs to bed last night (somehow we managed).  I could cope if I wasn't so exhausted.  I am still forcing myself to eat - whatever I can get down so it was a bowlful of left-over curry this morning and an apple.  I have absolutely no appetite whatsoever.  Keith was eating quite well until teatime yesterday when all he could face was a piece of toast.

    Anyway, I have found the folder with the latest photos in with Danny's help, but need to get Gabby to change the display so I can actually see what the photos are, rather than them just having a number.  

    My thanks to all of you for your support.  3 weeks in, I am feeling worse than when I HAD Covid. Not much fun.  Let's hope we both improve soon.

Sink or swim

 

A cow sitting down - this tickles me!

Danny goes home tomorrow, so after that we will have to shift for ourselves.  I have bid on a lightweight wheelchair for us to use upstairs.  It's in Newtown, about 33 miles away.  Hopefully I will be up to driving up there to collect it.  I am brewing a chest infection though and feel exhausted and just want to nap on the sofa.   I have booked a phone call with the GP for this morning - they won't give me an appt. until I have had two negative tests, but I'm not wasting the ones we have here.  

I had my phone call with a lovely Dr in Cardiology this morning too, following my ECG that I had in the Surgery a few months back.  It automatically flags up anything the machine thinks needs further checking.  In my case it is apparently perfectly normal and my low pulse (between 40 and 50) shows it is normal and I am quite fit.  So that was all very reassuring and another P.H.E.W. moment from that.

Keith has just choked a bit on some cheese on toast, so I need to stay on alert with him.  I am on alert all night long too, leaping out of bed if I hear him breathing badly. He made me remove the wedge pillow which had him propped up better.  

Once the GP has phoned, I can have a lie-down on the sofa again.  Tea tonight is Pukka steak pies as cooking is not something I am warming to right now.  We have wasted so much food in the last 10 days - I am still having to force food down but my weight is still that nearly half a stone lower that I hit after 4 days of not eating.  I would like to lose a further stone.  I heated up the last 1/3 of a little individual pie dish of Cottage Pie that Danny made on Monday.  I didn't enjoy it, but I have to eat something.

Chocolate bars and anything sweet are history now, so is alcohol. No nibbling between meals, although I have had a few poppy seed biscuits in the evening - my body needs a little salt I expect.

Have a lovely weekend everyone. I am hoping Danny will be able to check my computer today and sort my photo storage out.

A minor miracle

 I woke this morning to hear Keith making his way to the bathroom - on foot. The anti-virals had kicked in and kicked Covid into the long grass.  P.H.E.W.  You cannot begin to imagine my relief (his too!) as there was a date with a hospital bed being arranged, as no way could I deal with him unable to walk and so poorly, once Danny went home.  Now we can both sit quietly and begin to heal and Danny can have an easy day especially as tea tonight is the 2nd half of last night's mini cottage pies for D&I, and cottage pie puff pastries for Keith, plus two in the freezer.  

Today we can relax and start to heal.

Update: I dozed on the sofa half the morning - it felt miraculous to just lie there, and not be worrying myself witless all day long or have to try and arrange things as I have been doing for hours each day.  I managed to get down the town to post off very important documents, go to the butchers for bacon and some garlic and butter chicken kebabs for Danny and I to have for tomorrow night's meal.  Keith will have fish, his favourite.  I confess I am absolutely exhausted, having hung on to so much tension for so long.  Even in my sleep I was sleeping-aware and leaping out of bed the moment I heard Keith's breathing change.  

This afternoon we watched Escape to the Country, which was an interesting one as they had four totally different properties on offer and then caught up with Celebrity Race Across the World, which was very good.  Now Keith is on the antiques programmes and I've come out to do the Popty-Ping (Microwave) tea of last night's tasty offerings.

Thank you all for keeping in touch and I will hopefully be able to catch up on answering comments in the morning.