I seem to have been so busy these last few days and do apologise for not blogging. In saying that though I think you all deserve a bit of a rest after the long blogs whilst in Heath Towers.

Okay then what have I been up to????

Well as I said in the last blog I am now in the Scooter Gang and have used any opportunity to get out and about in it. Well they say practice makes perfect don’t they? I dragged Judith out to a French Market in Bridgend on Saturday morning. I had already booked a Hire Scooter from the Shopmobility car park earlier in the week, before I had bought the Scooter and seeing as theirs was a bit more designed for outdoor use than mine we decided to use theirs instead. It was a nice one too although you would need some sort of van to be able to carry it around in. The market was very disappointing. There was only about 7 or 8 stalls selling the usual crepes and cheeses etc etc although there was this baker who sold the most delicious sort of pizzas. They were 2 thick slices of Sweet Brioche bread, filled with like an omelette with pieces of ham and potatoes mixed in topped with loads of melted cheese. Truly scrumptious indeed!! I always find it amusing when every French Market I go to seems to have more sellers with a heavy Bristol Accent instead of French. The continental market is coming soon which is usually a whole lot better. I spent the rest of the day on ironing duty with my new Steam Press. I must have ironed every single item of clothing in the house, well it felt like that anyhow. It did work in my favour though as I slept like a baby Saturday night. Out for lunch Sunday. Thought we would try somewhere new again and decided on the Star Inn in Wick Nr Cowbridge. Wick is only a small village with 2 pubs and a shop. We drove past the other pub on the way to the Star Inn and they seemed to be doing a roaring trade with the car park overflowing. When we arrived at the pub the car park was virtually empty which is unusual for this place because every time we have drove past before it always seems to be busy. Well in we go and we were gob smacked the place was completely empty, well apart from the odd spider or two, oh and the barman and the chef I hope… Having said that, the food was quite nice. Well cooked, although I suspected from the way that the gravy served up separately which was absolutely gorgeous differed immensely from the gravy that was around the Lamb on the plate. At least the roasties looked like they had actually been roasted and not deep fried like last week. Well in all that was about it on Sunday apart from a little more ironing and a general Veg out in front of the telly. Up bright and early Monday to go to my second home Heath Towers to see Merlin. My first chance to try out the Scooter on the nice shiny floors. I wish this thing had a handbrake because I could do some great handbrake turns there. I’m going to have to see if I can buy a set of slicks for it too as they would be better for floors like that. Heck, I might even get up 4.5 mph then!!!! Merlin wasn’t around so I was going to see the Silent Monk instead. It was nice to catch up with them all again in the day unit as I haven’t been there for probably 2 months now. They all made a fuss over me as only they now how too, but thinking about in now they were all a bit more interested in test driving my new motor, mmmmmm!!!!! I had the works done as usual. Blood taken, dressing changed, prescription done and drugs collected along with a bag full of things like dressing cleaning packs and sterile water etc etc and all before I went in to see the Monk. It sounds better than it was though as I was up there for around 2 and half hours before I saw him so had plenty of time to sort the rest of the stuff out. After my 20 seconds consultation with the Monk where he basically said how are you, what do you want? etc etc and making my next appointment for 2 weeks time I was off for some more stunt driving back to the car.

At home the physio is going well and I have even managed to get outside for walk on a couple of days when it has been dry. It’s nice to get some fresh air in my lungs for a change. I am still doing the same chair exercises each time they come but they are also trying to get me a bit more mobile. Yesterday I managed probably about 3 x 15 metres or so with a sit down and rest in between and today I managed around 25 metres the first go then about 15 metres the second before being pushed back to the house by the lovely Mrs Wood (Re Enablement Nurse). It won’t be long before I will be making it to the car at this rate Yipeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then it will be having enough puff to get the chair out of the boot on my own which I think may well take some time yet. But as I seem to recall hearing somewhere a few times Onwards & Upwards!!

My time is taken up at the moment trying to get some quotes for a Stair lift. These things are so expensive and as we have this turn in the bottom it is going to cost somewhere around £4k to £5k. The other option would be to have just a straight one going up the main flight and then I would just have to walk up about 3 steps to get to it, which is not impossible although not ideal. Mrs Wood did suggest something today mind that I get a straight one for the main flight and another small straight one for the first 3 steps that way I just have to get off one and pretty much turn around and sit on the next one. I am having to try and find funding from wherever I can to help towards paying for this as we can’s afford it on our own. A few feelers have been put out such as The Local Rotary Club and the Lions Club. I will be contacting George Thomas, a local cancer Charity too for some help. Then there is Mac Millan and I heard that even the Salvation Army do help out occasionally. It is quite an odd feeling doing this, asking for money from people and I can understand why some people are not comfortable doing so but sadly for me if I want to ever get upstairs again I need this Stair lift and I cant afford it so I have no choice but to ask for help. The other problem I am facing is that our local council The Vale Of Glamorgan are to put it bluntly “IN THE POOP!!!” To the tune of around £5 Million I think it is, so there is no use even filling in the grant forms which are around 500 pages long as they will just not do anything about it. So I suppose if any of you know a nice rich person who just happens to have a spare 5 grand give em my number and tell them I will be eternally grateful.

Opppps this has turned into one of them never ending blogs again!!!!! I am sorry honest!!!!

Right back to my grovelling,

See Ya!!