Shiralee at Willington #5

Monday 11th October

I’m still sitting here at the computer and I’ve just remembered something I should have included in the previous blog.

I mentioned last time about my water retention. Well, what I am about to tell you should bring a smile to your lips.

Becoming somewhat fed up with having swollen calves, I decide to take a look on eBay for any books that may be available on the subject, and I came across the Waterfall Diet by Linda Lazarides and, since it was very cheap, I sent for it and received it a couple of days ago.

I took one look at what is required of me in order to eliminate the excess fluid I’m carrying and almost threw the wretched thing in the bin. Now, I’m just an ordinary man who likes his food, and I really wouldn’t mind losing some weight. But I don’t think I’ll be following this writer’s recommendations.

For the first two months I would have to eliminate all of the following from my diet:

Bacon, Batter, Beer, Bread, Burgers, Butter, Cakes, Cheese, Colas, Coffee, Cream, Ice Cream, Margarine, Red Meat, Milk, Milk Chocolate, Pasta, Rice, Spirits, Sugar, Sweets, Tea, Wine and Yoghourt.

Aside from Margarine, to which I would not offer house room, along with spirits, which I can only tolerate in small amounts, the rest are always a part of my normal food intake. Some are ingested more frequently than others, but they all contribute to my physical well being.
In addition of course, I consume the normal amount of fresh fruit and vegetables. Indeed, I eat at least three portions of fruit every day and vegetables have long been a main part of our diet. But I simply cannot imagine living on fruit and veg for two months. I’d be a shadow of my former self, probably bringing my weight down to less than 11 stone, at which point I would look like a ghost, assuming I survived the experience.

No, I’ll just have to carry on with the pill and plenty of water until such time as the tide goes out. Cheers!!

On top of all my other physical problems I now have man-flu or, as you women would have it, a cold. This is despite my best efforts at avoiding runny-nosed kids and those with obvious symptoms of a cold or flu. Vitamin C, in the shape of all the fruit and veg I eat, should go some way to avoiding this plague of modern man, but, no, October and April are the two months I am likely to attract this particular bug.

Still, looking on the bright side, this will be another of the millions of cold viruses I will now be immune to. Next year I’ll probably eliminate another couple, and so it goes on.

Our friend and neighbours Brian and Marian are off to Swindon today. We haven’t seen much of them of late, what with Marian’s lost tooth, which she’s spent some time at the dentist’s sorting out. And what with her also having a part-time job as cook at a nursing home, we seem to have been ships that pass in the night.

In fact I was beginning to wonder if we had upset them in some way and asked Brian about it yesterday. The result was his assurance that all was well and, just to prove it he invited himself and Marian in for a coffee. So, that’s all right then.

Thursday 14th October

I don’t know about you lot, but we’ve had some really great weather here in the Midlands. For the most part it’s been dry first thing in the mornings, albeit rather cloudy, but it has then brightened up in the late morning or afternoon.

This has helped me a great deal with my walking because, when it is wet on the pontoons, and since I’m still a wee bit unsteady on my feet, I have to rely on the crutches to steady. While it’s dry however, I am able to leave them behind. Indeed, I took my first walk around the perimeter of the marina just a few days ago. It was a bit of a struggle and I had to rest a few times, but I made it and without the crutches. Who’s a clever boy then and it’s only been 10 weeks since my op? The water retention is still a problem, but I’m hoping that will go in time.

We’re having a bit of a clear out and getting rid of some books, cd’s and dvd’s, some of which will go on Amazon, some on eBay and those that are not worth putting on either, will go to charity shops. If the ones we plan on selling actually sell, we’ll probably make about £80, which is certainly better than a slap in the face with a wet kipper!!

Apart from my rather lengthy stroll around the marina, we’ve done lots of nothing this week and that is likely to be the case today. I had to pay a visit to the doctor on Monday, as did Sheila, but that was to ask if there was any way I she could think of that would help me stay in bed at night, rather than sleeping in the armchair. She gave me some different painkillers, in the hope that they would ease the pain in my right knee, which is all that’s keeping me out of bed.

Sad to say they have made very little difference. However, I am now rubbing in some Voltarol Cream and this stuff does actually help, by reducing the ache to a level where I can get more comfortable in bed. Last night I only spent about two hours in the armchair, so things are looking up.

Some good news! In the last blog I told you about emailing Morrison’s about the high sound level coming from their P/A system in their Burton store. Within just a few days of that email and against our better judgement, we returned to that store, simply because we needed some dog food of a type that the other stores don’t sell. You can imagine our surprise at finding the sound at a level that is now enjoyable, rather than a pain in the ears. Naturally I emailed Morrison’s and thanked them although it could be that somebody else complained in-store, rather than them taking any notice of my email. Still, a good result all the same.

Tomorrow is Friday and, since the cupboard is bare and we’re in danger of starving, we’ll be going back to Morrison’s again for our weekly shop. Not only that, I’ll be going without the crutches and will wheel the trolley around for my dear wife, as is my wont.

Friday 15th October

Yesterday turned into something of a bum day – no pun intended. Once again, through no fault of our own, our loo became blocked and wouldn’t flush. This is something I have managed to cure but, try as I might, after about an hour of struggle, I had to admit defeat and called o Sam Matts to help.

He promised to be along in a couple of hours, during which time I spent another hour on it and finally succeeded in my heroic efforts. But, even though I had unblocked the wretched thing, we now had bubbles coming up after each flush.

Obviously something was still not quite right and besides, I don’t want to be lying in bed just after a call of nature, waiting for the bubbles to stop so that I can get back to sleep. So, along came Sam and, after pulling the whole toilet unit apart and descaling the macerator – this is the mincer type part of the unit that rips everything to shreds – he put it all back together and we paid him for his time and off he went.

Soon after he had gone and thinking everything was A-OK, upon my next visit to the loo, lo and behold, the darn thing flushed itself, not just once, but twice. It then failed to work at all, so another call to Sam but, despite our best efforts under his instruction, we couldn’t cure the problem.

Eventually Sam turned up again; by which time it was well past 6 pm; and, one again, turned the unit upside down and eventually discovered a ribbon lead was not doing its job of relaying instructions that told the toilet to flush.

All was not lost though because, even though he didn’t carry such a thing with him, by a bit of judicious rearrangement of wiring, our hero had us up and running again. We still need to order the ribbon lead from the manufacturers, and Sam will have to come back and fit said item, but at least we have a workable toilet again.

So far, in two visits, this darn loo has cost us over £100 and we have still to order the lead and pay Sam for fitting it. Who said boating was cheap?

Other things that need taking care of before we go cruising in April, include a change of domestic batteries, but this time we’ll go back to four instead of six. Sam assures us, and so does Linden from the local workshop, that four is plenty, even though we do live on board.
There are two ways of looking at this. Six domestic batteries would be an advantage in terms of power output. The problem with carrying six is the charging of them. In order to keep them adequately charged we would need a far more powerful alternator, but that would mean a physically much larger one than we already have, and we simply don’t have enough room for one. Besides which, the only thing we have on board that is likely to drain the batteries to any serious degree, is the washing machine, and Sheila only uses that when we are cruising or running the engine. While we’re in the marina it’s not a problem, because we’re taking power from the mains.

The other thing draining the batteries is the TV, but we only spend about four hours in the evenings watching it, unlike some people we know who seem to have it switched on all day. So, back to four batteries, and they will be the sealed ones, so that I don’t have to check if they are OK every couple of weeks.

The other thing to do, that will cost us a few quid, is the engine service. Now, I’m no different than the average petrol-head, I can at least carry out an oil and filter change. But we really do need a full blown service, which means calling on the experts. Another £150 plus parts.

Other than those two items we don’t have much to worry about, not until the next disaster befalls us that it.

Today we’re off to Morrison’s for a big shop, after which, with a bit of luck and a tail wind, we’ll be able to relax for the weekend.

Saturday 16th October and the weather has changed to cold, well, colder anyway. Watching the BBC 1 News at 6 o/clock last night, the forecaster even suggested we may have some frost this morning, although, I have to admit I haven’t looked out of the window yet to find out. Now, having just carried out that operation, I notice that the timber of the pontoon is nice and dry, with no sign of frost, but the sky is clear enough for there to be some around somewhere. Perhaps you’ve got it??

Anyway, although I am now managing to stay in bed a wee bit longer at night, a rather nasty cough saw me spluttering for the best part of an hour last night, which I had to continue out of bed and in the armchair. The good news is that I returned to bed at about 2 am and managed to stay there until 05.30. Things are looking up and, pretty soon now, I expect to be able to spend all night in bed. Whooppee!!!

Today I’m off to the surgery for my flu jab, which is a little late because I have already suffered the male version of this particular disease, and I’m still not in perfect condition for a man of my years. All in all though, even with the replaced knees, I don’t think I’m doing too badly. I’d feel better about my condition if I were, say, 75 or 80, but one mustn’t grumble must one?

On Monday I shall, for the first time since we came to this part of the world way back in September of 2009, accompany my wife into Derby and sample the joys of the two markets there. Sheila has told me so much about the place – although we did pay the town a visit whilst cruising in 2007, which is when I purchased my first walking stick – that I’m quite looking forward to the trip.

Sunday 17th October and we are both feeling rather unwell. (Obviously a little late with the flu jab.) Sheila has a sore throat and cough, whilst yours truly has had a relapse where the man-flu is concerned.

I firmly believe that many of these ailments can be laid very firmly at the doors of the local surgery. With modern medical science you would think, wouldn’t you, that they could find some way of preventing these nasty bugs from flourishing in such places, thus avoiding many thousands of lost work days and, more importantly, allowing we pensioners more freedom to pursue our hobbies and pastimes.

Instead, having visited the aforementioned establishment many times over the past few weeks, we now find ourselves in no fit condition to enjoy our Sunday drink. This is a very sad state of affairs, one which, had we been registered on the Electoral Role, I could have been persuaded to take up with my local M.P.

If this situation continues, or, even worse, prove to be completely debilitating, I fear that our trip to Derby tomorrow could be curtailed. However, with continued, but judicious use of that good old medical standby, the Beecham’s Powders, I will probably be Ok.

Wifey, on the other hand, is gamely pressing on with the honey and lemon drink, made up the proper way and from the raw ingredients. I have to confess to being somewhat amazed at her resilience. She slept through my coughing and snorting last night, and seems none the worse for wear this morning. Still, she’s a woman!!

Yesterday, for the first time in many months, we enjoyed a roast dinner. Yes, I know, it was Saturday, but we haven’t bothered much with roast dinners for a few years now, not even on Sundays. Indeed, we are just as likely to have a plateful of sausages and toast for our Sunday repast, as a full blown meal. After all, being less active than our younger brethren, and being retired to boot, we really do not need such heavy meals. The roast lamb yesterday was a rare treat though!

Talking of food, my tummy is rumbling and it’s only 0700. Sheila won’t be up for another 15 minutes or so and, after washing and dressing, she’ll take Rusty out, then I can think about breakfast. Women and dogs are so inconsiderate!

Just look at that, less than a week and we have another nine pages of blog. S’mazing!! If I manage to get online later perhaps I’ll post it. Then again, perhaps I won’t.

Tuesday 19th October

I am, at last, over the worst of this latest cold. Sadly the same cannot be said for my dearly beloved, who has the most god-awful cough. We were planning to take a trip into Derby yesterday but, like I said, I doubted we would make it, and we didn’t.

We didn’t make it to Derby today either, instead we drove over to Tesco at Mickleover for a few bits, and topped up with petrol at the local Total garage, then straight back home for a well deserved cuppa.

Tomorrow it will be a short trip into Willington, just to do the Lottery and, if Sheila is well enough on Thursday, we’ll finally get to go to Derby. Just why she should be so inconsiderate as to catch a cold, just when I am now able to do a bit of serious walking, is beyond me, but that’s women for you.

The rest of today will be a simple chill-out affair, apart from walking the dog that is, a simple chore that I shall carry out myself, unless Wifey feels that she needs a bit more fresh air, in which case she’s welcome to the job.
Now, with 10 pages in the blog, I suppose I should post it but, before I do, let’s see if I can find a decent recipe with which to round it off.

How about some cakes for a change? Here’s a recipe from Cornwall that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

Saffron Cakes

Ingredients:
1 lb. 2oz. flour
4 oz. butter
4 oz. lard
½ oz. yeast
2 oz. mixed peel
3 oz. sugar
1 pinch of saffron
A little milk and salt
1 pinch of nutmeg

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together and add the yeast.
Leave the dough to rise.
Cut into cake sized pieces and place on a baking tray.
Bake in a moderate oven for about 1 hour, or until golden brown.

Until next time, enjoy.

Dave, Sheila and Rusty.