Flying solo

missrlr

Hum, no too sure what to say about RTL .... I just hope it works out for him.

Enjoy your gardening, I did some this weekend too, amazing how even half an hour can help.

I some,times find hanging an arm over the edge of e bed helps with matters nerve trapped, I have a cracked vertebrae in my neck at periodically amuses issues and the stretch can work wonders when it gets painful! Don't you Find Your arm get cold? How do you manage that?

*Robin*

Hello Diary and Dear Friends, :hello:

Since posting last, youngest El Divo arrived at the Nest.
Unfortunately he brought the bug which seems prevalent across the UK atm; started with sore throat, fever, uncontrollable sneezing and sinusitis headache 24 hours after being wrapped in my first hug from DS4.

Have blasted it with echinacea, nasal drops, and Number Two headache meds, which appear to be helping although I didn't achieve anything much yesterday except possibly lose an ounce or two by shivering..

Roger also turned up. Thanked me for looking after him - very graciously - and took the last few things he'd left here. He's rented a house close to his work so also wanted to collect the rest of his belongings from PC's big cottage. DS4 went off with him, to settle himself into the little cottage.

Roger brought me his blood results. Interestingly; the four tests I noted down before with ref to a particular endocrine problem, have all come back outside normal limits.
His GP has picked up on one abnormality and begun treatment for that in isolation, but I'm hoping R's other Doc will see the bigger picture and revise his diagnosis (either DS1 or I will accompany him to the next appointment - quite opposite to the UK, Spanish doctors very much prefer patients to be accompanied by someone close to them; "patient confidentiality" just doesn't happen - but perhaps both doctors and families get a clearer picture, faster?).
Hopefully then, R is on the road to getting answers which lead to better long-term health. He accepts that this will involve life-long medication, so overall I'm content with his decision to leave the Nest - he does need to get back to work or his job would be at risk.
<Just hope it doesn't all go wrong for him again!>

Other news; on the way to the testing station the van sprang a spectacular oil leak, for which the technician rightfully failed it. I've also been told to remove the camping gear for the re-test (to prove it's not permanently fixed - which would change the category it must be registered under).

Unfortunately the bug was brewing; I was feeling so rough by the time the test was done that I had to cancel CD's vet visit and head straight home. So we're no further forward there, but CD seems fine at the moment; cheerful and eating well (on her own terms - lots of chicken and no kibble :rotfl:).

grannyx2

feel better soon my dear, it really is doing the rounds this year isn't it.

Granny x

please-let-me-be-lucky

Get well soon and well done for recognising R's problems and pushing the doc in the right direction!

Fingers crossed the van passes the retest Xx

*Robin*

Hello Diary and Dear Friends, :hello:

Thank you for your well-wishes, Granny and Lucky; think they've worked [together with my other self-medications] as I now feel much brighter - hope you are both feeling better too.

After a few days of unsettled weather the sun has returned; warm but not too hot for a breakfast picnic outside. <Make mental note: Find some new garden furniture - the current mismatched collection has mostly disintegrated into kindling, lol.>

It was hugely satisfying to look down at the results of yesterday's labours; the caravan is now sitting in the middle of a neatly trimmed [but rather dry] lawn.

Even though it's not a very large area I struggled to finish in one session, but it's a job that is hard to stop half-way through.. Just looks so great to see it all neat and tidy after being covered in spiky dead weeds and seeding grasses, some over a metre tall! I have left the flowers that are still colourful - for the bees who deserve encouragement. Doubtless doing so increased costs to me in energy, time and effort; all willingly spent.

At one edge of the lawn is a pile of rocks, waiting to metamorphose into a useful wall. Yesterday it was invisible beneath it's carpet of weeds; today not.
However I think the strimmer must have dislodged a resident, because a large, handsome grass snake was lying in the sunshine on the patio this morning (such wildlife generally stays away from the house).. He slithered shyly away in the direction of the wood-shed as soon as he spotted my approach, which is fine; probably the best place for him at the moment. <Second mental note: Be careful if more firewood is needed.>

All that physical labour yesterday, on top of fighting off DS4's bug, had me in the land of nod before dark and also dinner.
:think: Will call it a fast day - though have no idea how the weight-loss campaign is going because my scales have resisted m' feeble attempt to fix 'em, and I declined to purchase a new set in the supermarket because 20€ seemed expensive - have already blown my attempt not to go into the red this month.

Hmm; been thinking a lot about that Lesson:
On the one hand, have already heard from one of the recipients of my [foolish?] generosity; delighted, very grateful it allowed them to sort out a pressing problem.. Lots of nice warm fuzzy feelings generated, so that's good. Don't know about the others yet, hoping for positive feedback sometime.
But on the other hand; do need to remember to cover my own costs first, and keep a fund for unexpected expenses.
Also must work on the ability to accept compliments graciously - which has always been a problem; huge character flaw.
So apologies to everyone for my bad reaction last week.

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

ah right, well you'll have to excuse my ignorance in these areas as i've no dealings with anyone who's had them. She has a number of problems with her though and i'm certain many are caused from stress & bad diet. So no harm in her trying a better diet for something else

You're absolutely right, DFW; diet can have a huge effect on other symptoms across a wide range of diseases. But the individual must want to change their food choices, be prepared to do some research, and do their own cooking - still, gazpacho is a jolly good start. There's something about cooked tomatoes combined with raw garlic, olive oil and lemon juice [plus a few other ingredients] that is quite simply energising - does wonders for the digestive tract and I also find it effective at combating minor inflammatory symptoms. [NB. Please do not mistake my conversational comments for medical advice - always ask your GP and then do your own research if you wish ].

satchmo1 wrote:

I suspect RTL is well enough to know that his departure is unwise, but unwell enough that he doesn't recognise how unwise it is? Sorry if that isn't reassuring, Robin.

Will have to wait and see how RTL gets on. Divos One and Three are keeping in regular contact; the latter lives quite close to R's new rented house.

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote:

well done for recognising R's problems and pushing the doc in the right direction!

Thank you - but it was self-defence really; life is much easier if I don't have to look after a very sick Roger!
There are still a few stages he has to go through with the doctors - Phych Doc will have to ask GP to refer R to an endocrinologist, who will want more tests.. But R does seem to have come to terms with the fact that he's got to go right through the process this time, and that for the rest of his days he will need medication in order to keep well.
Satchmo, Missrlr and Lucky - I am optimistic.

missrlr wrote:

I some,times find hanging an arm over the edge of e bed helps with matters nerve trapped, I have a cracked vertebrae in my neck at periodically amuses issues and the stretch can work wonders when it gets painful! Don't you Find Your arm get cold? How do you manage that?

Oww Missrlr - damage to the top vertebrae is nasty; my sympathies.. That was the first thing the private doc checked last year, but the problem turned out to be a badly aligned neural-pathway at the elbow and wrist in my case. And half a century of wear and tear, of course.
I wanted to actively stretch the arm out straight and keep it under tension, rather than risk folding it under the covers while asleep (had I just hung it over the edge of the bed - which is too low to the floor anyway). It happened to be that very cold night when I lit the stove - resulting in complete overkill - the house was baking hot so no danger of chilling any extremities.

please-let-me-be-lucky wrote:

Fingers crossed the van passes the retest

Oooff - haven't yet booked it into the garage; thanks for the reminder!


Daft Dogs are waiting patiently for their paella to cool down. It is obvious that they're really enjoying the overpowering [STRIKE]aroma[/STRIKE] stench of sardine which is pervading the whole house, but I'm not - it's time to find something to do out of range! :rotfl:

debtfreewannabe321

Am glad you're feeling better :T I've just gotten rid of the sicky bug but am coming down with a cold now! You couldn't send some of that lovely warm yellow sun over here could you?! I'm missing it

*Robin*

Hello Diary and Fellow Travellers on the DF path, :hello:

Was a tad premature in announcing that DS4's imported bug had been trounced; am back on the meds.

debtfreewannabe321 wrote: »

Am glad you're feeling better :T I've just gotten rid of the sicky bug but am coming down with a cold now! You couldn't send some of that lovely warm yellow sun over here could you?! I'm missing it

Very glad to hear you've got rid of the sicky bug! It's one malady I really have trouble coping with, so you have my honest admiration for being able to deal with all the comforting, mopping and washing involved..
(The smell of vomit always makes me retch too _pale_).

Wish I knew how to share the sunshine with you as it would be done in a flash.. We've plenty and to spare today; in fact am finding it simply too bright outside atm, so have given in to thumping head and retreated inside my cool, dark Nest (shutters closed to repel the light)..
Poor Daft Dogs think I'm a rather boring companion today.

Don't usually comment on the news here, but must say my heart goes out to Drummer Lee and his young family. This atrocity has led to some very un-Buddhist thoughts about the perpetrators and their families, who were obviously aware of their relative's appalling attitude. :mad:

Evil happens when good [STRIKE]men[/STRIKE] people do nothing.
(Misquoted from Edmund Burke, 1729-97).

HeadAboveWater

Ah no! Sorry to hear that Robin

Well, it's Friday and I can only say one thing...

Look after yourself!

please-let-me-be-lucky

I agree Robin, RIP Drummer Lee. My thoughts and condolences are with the family. You can dress it up to be about colour, religion or race but extremist murder is still murder and completely unjustifiable.

*Robin*

Hello Diary and Lovely Friends-in-the-Box, :hello:

HAW thank you very much for the cheering image. Just the job.

DFW - did the big yellow ball show up? Did m'best to nudge it northwards which may or may not have had an effect [:rotfl:] - anyway it's not here today; we have haze and cloud which is due to become thunderstorms later. :cool:

In preparation for this event, I can hear no fewer than three strimmers buzzing away and will shortly be adding to the racket m'self - the idea is to chop as much herbage as possible before the Good Lord wets it all down, which greatly reduces the risk of wildfires spreading out of control in the summer.
..Think everyone would agree that's a good idea.

Lucky - absolutely!


Other news is that the birthday present I was undecided about has been chosen; it will be a treat rather than cash or a gift - and I'm going along for the ride!
..Tell you about it later.

Last night did some long-distance Land-lording - goodness the internet makes it simple! - which will put a dent in the house a/c but hopefully keep Tenants happy. Just a small alteration/improvement they have asked for, and a couple of regular maintenance tasks.
Thanks to Missrlr for help and support; it now looks like I can justify delaying my return home-home a bit longer (or at least stop feeling guilty for being so tardy).