[Bob Williams]

Sacré Bleu, C’est fou!

Thanks for that Ed, needed a giggle. Being amused by French mistakes should be a national pastime, takes our minds away from our own!

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

A  bit too much light pollution here in town, plus the apartment complex has lights everywhere. A downer after living with no street lights: I used to go out into the back garden last thing at night and pick out the constellations. But I would not go back, we are too comfortable here now. When the situation calms down (if I survive) I will drive to the old place and into some real Wild Woods, untouched ancient trees, solidly packed for centuries.

I wonder if someone/something Up There has missed my nightly visits? :scratch: :bye:

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

All of the above, Ed!

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Graham, thanks for that. Made my choices, heard a few I haven’t in years. EG “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers, a great song, great singer and a really good video. :good:

Dave that is a puzzle alright. You raise some valid points and it does make you think, WTF is going on? I have also been in ICU more than once and I am trying to equate what I endured with the BS coming from government. Does not compute.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Dave Rice wrote:

My favoured #2 summer #4 winter is becoming fashionable 😎

:whistle: :yahoo:

My old mam used to say she would get me a violin if my hair grew too long (a la Paderewski or some such floppy haired violinist) That was my brief Teddy boy episode, lots of Brylcreem and a DA, dangling elephant’s trunk at the front. Then the Army gave me a different style….

We are quite lucky with our local Morrisons, which takes meats from very local farms, good veg and spuds too. Boston Bakers are superb with some butter and grated mature Cheddar.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Ordered stuff, cheers, hope it helps.

Hope you manage to beat the eviction barstewards Lee.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Dave that is a sobering link, thanks for that. Brings it all into perspective and as you say, should be the virus ad instead of that monotonous monologue from the CMO. A very worthy, professional and knowledgeable guy, but not getting the message across I fear. Shock is what some need in this country today. I know personally of no one that has the virus and I hope it stays that way, but the odds are that someone I know will suffer. I just hope it’s not a member of my family, which is to be expected from all of us I guess. Until yesterday, outside of our balcony and the whole block, we could see quite a few idiots just strolling around. Today, very few, all keeping their distance. Across from us is another block of flats, not gated as ours is. There are two vans which are each owned by two one-person businesses and they have moved perhaps 2 or 3 times over the last few days. Today they have been static and those are the people I feel sorry for: how will they earn a living for themselves and their families? Both have young children and that is no doubt a story common all over the country and the world.

Since the Morrisons visit, we have hunkered down and stayed put. Our gson has promised to fetch whatever we need. Son is coming tomorrow to lift down some heavy boxes for us to empty and fill the lounge shelves. Plenty to be getting on with and now my Man Cave is a little clearer, it means that SWMBO and I can take a short time apart for an hour or so.

JayCeeDee, that’s a sad story. Years ago I had a mate whose wife passed away leaving him to bring up two small children. The daughter stayed with dad until she married and still visits him regularly, but the son became an addict and a burglar. It broke his heart I think.

EDIT: should have said that I have no intention of being too close to our son when he arrives. He knows what is needed and we will stay out of his way until it’s done.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Our local Morrisons had some nice small topside joints. We went ther because queuing one at a time and being shepherded around at Social Distance, appears safer than the local butchers, which is letting people in willy-nilly. Missus cooked in the slow cooker and it was delicious, enough for tomorrow and maybe sandwiches after that.

I just wish I could get a haircut. Probably have to get out the Babyliss beard trimmer, set to No.2 and scalp meself. NO darling wife you ain’t doing it! 😉 :wacko:

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Probaby be ordering some gear next week Lee, cheers.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Well thanks all of you, I have made it back on here. My typos were of course – reinstate “Bile Duct” for bike duct and “pee” for per. I was not really compos mentis when typing that on my tablet. Since gatting (to the new) home it has been a struggle, having moved in during the present crisis and having to reassemble/reposition furniture (to SWMBO’s satisfaction) at first with help from family. It is taking ages to unpack boxes, some of which are heavy, but my Gert and I can now see some wood amongst the trees. I don’t have my desktop set up yet but I have managed to clear a space in thejungle that must be the second bedroom, which will be my Man Cave.

Plusnet took days to get t’internet sorted. Eventually my IT worker gson sussed out that the problem was outside and told the OR engineer what to do and where to go. Turns out ther was a connection left on the cabinet which should not have been there. Well, that’s their story anyway…. I have everything ready for tomorrow and will launch PC Room Mk.2 on this domicile. Hopefully.

Health is still ropey but getting there and my meds intake has reduced today by one. (x3 a day) Gson has been a great help, but grassed us to his mum this morning when we went to Morrisons for necessities. Family orders that we let them shop for us. We are beginning to love our new pad: having an electronically – gated enclosure means that we can exercise around the huge car park without going out. Lots of younger people around us, which is a great change from seeing oldpharts dropping from their perches every year. We all wait until residents in ones and twos have had their stroll, before taking a turn. Still plenty of traffic about and I am giving thumbs up to truckers passing our balcony.

Many thanks to the NHS for my recovery and the fantastic, selfless work they do. :good:

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Graham when I stopped laughing I realised what a character you add. Have a good one you stroppy old but!

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Hi guys I am waiting to go home ATM. It was a bike duct blockage, found and cured but serious infection took time to clear. Now my per looks like weak lemonade instead of Business and I feel much better. More goodnews Plusnet engineer is calling at home today to fix broadband. Catch up maybe much later, a lot to do at home.

Thank you so for your support and good wishes.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Today has been a total rush. Packing stuff this morning after my usual 2 hour bathroom medical issues. Shopping at (my best) speed in Morrisons and Louth shops, quick lunch, up to the estate agent to sign up and take keys. This was done by taking paperwork passed through their letterbox, sitting in car to read and sign (in many places) then return documents through letterbox, receive keys, off to new pad.

Enter new pad, temperature close to the Outer Circle of Hell inside, all rads at maximum, boiler set to High and 24 Hours. Rectified that, inspected, refused to sign “Cleanliness & Condition” as there is a failing bulb, rust and peeling paint on the heated towel rail and no instructions regarding the heating system. There is a panel by the door which has alphanumeric characters with Egyptian-style Hieroglyphics, no clue what it all means or how to set/reset it. Home, dash off an email to agent with photos of towel rail and strongly worded request that this be rectified. Plus we had paid for work to be done to the shower riser bar and that is not done. Somebody is in a lorra bother.

Then receive an email from Shell Energy to say thanks for changing my tariff. WHAAATTT? I didn’t have one to change, that’s the last tenant! First thing tomorrow, contact EDF and carry out switch. Lots of mail for previous tenant, all with a redirect reference number on the worktop. Wrote that number on each letter, that goes into the postbox. Cheeky bugga!

Still packing to finish and awaiting a CT scan, 3 separate medical appointments. I don’t have time to self-isolate, Boris!

Louth town was very, very quiet today. Yes it’s an old Georgian market town, but sleepy it is usually not. Always busy even on non-market days. Sitting in the Cornmarket and seeing just 2 other cars, was just weird. Driving through town and not having to wait at any one of a myriad of junctions, was even more weird. So where were all the scumbags who had taken all the eggs, bog roll, pasta, tinned soup and biscuits? Yes: my favourite McVities digestives, all gone! Are they now going to live on biccies, because the food they stockpiled last week is either rotten or eaten? I had to get Morrisons own digestives, that is barbaric, civilisation is at an end!

And I exit, sobbing quietly into my tea as I dunk another crappy digestive…. 😥

Stay well guys.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

I have enough bog roll for a while now. Son and daughter each bought us a 9-pack and more on the way. Apparently our fireball daughter took a 9 pack from a trolley heaped with them as she passed the trolley. Shopper did not even notice, yakking away to another moron with a heaped trolley. Perhaps lucky that the shopper didn’t notice, our dd has a wicked tongue and a choice vocabulary. We feel blessed with our family, all on a rota to bring us what we need whenever. They drop it at the door of course, although today our son and grandson came to take down my shed. Completely removed it, tied it down on son’s trailer and it’s off to extend one of his sheds, in which he will put some second hand freezers he has cleaned, tested and set up. Then he will order meat and other food in quantity. He is  a leccy, so will wire up the whole thing himself. If Lincolnshire has a brown-out, you know what’s behind it!

We will have to go out tomorrow to sign up for the new apartment, so will do a shop somewhere in Louth as well, dependent upon stock.

Does anyone else think that Boris is handling this really well? I have the feeling that he is coming into his own as a PM, taking the right steps at the right time. Some idiot on FB was blaming him for cuts and foodbanks, saying that Corbyn would have done it better. No, sunshine, he would not. The cuts were introduced by Cameron’s government and the prime mover was Ian Drunken Smith. FB is full of crap like that.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Missus and I are missing our trips to the beach. Then I thought, why not go and park up in one of several spots that we know and check it out. If there’s no one about (and these are spots only certain locals know, secluded and hidden from the road) the we have a short walk, with some sea air. If there are others about, we will have taken books and Kindles, radio, a USB stick full of music: we can stay in the car and read.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Dave Rice wrote:

Good luck Bob. I hope this cheers you up a bit. In Germany they’re panic buying sausages and cheese, its the Wurst Kase scenario 😉

Thanks Dave, I needed that. 😀 Mentioning Kase reminds me of taking a mate to Germany many years ago for a Munich and Fuessen holiday. Breakfast being ‘continental’, he mistook the packets of Bavarian smoked cheese for butter and spread it very liberally on his toast, all before I got back to my seat with a plateful of eggs and cold cuts. His face was a picture: it was the first time he had ever been abroad and his life had been a lot more sheltered than my own. At least that was a mistake he never made again. Because we had been mates from schooldays, I just explained without even a smile.

Same mate on the coach, going down the Autobahn, stated that “Ausfahrt” must be a very big city, as there were so many signs for it. Again, I didn’t even smile, just explained.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Here’s my old schoolmate Derek’s recipe, it’s also saved on my FB page:

Don’t panic if you can’t find bread in the shops, just make your own in the slow cooker 😄

Literally The Best Bread Recipe Ever (Adapted)

1/2 cup warm water
2 cups of warm milk
2 Tbsp melted UNSALTED butter
1-3 tablespoons of sugar (add more if you like sweeter bread)
3 tablespoons of active dry yeast (conservative side)
6 cups of whole wheat flour (or 3 cups whole wheat & 3 cups all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder

Grab a big bowl, and stir the 1/2 cup of warm water, 1 (or more) tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of yeast. Wait for 5 minutes (no longer – mine went all over the place the first time!) – it should be frothy on the top. While your waiting warm 2 cups of milk and 2 Tbsp of butter in microwave.

Next, add milk and butter to yeast mixture. Using a standing mixer slowly add the 6 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Mix and knead the dough. (I used dough hook once I had incorporated most of the flour for about 5 minutes then kneaded by hand for another 5-7 minutes.)

Line your slow cooker with cooking (baking) paper and place in your round ball of dough. I will rise in the slow cooker as it heats through. Cook on High power for 2- 2.5 hours. Start checking at every 7-10 minutes until top is sponge-y but springs back and no moisture on the top. The bottom should be a nice brown colour as well as sides. I put mine (just the loaf) in the oven on broil/grill for less than 5 minutes to get a nice crusty top too!

NOTE: You can use a tea towel on top if you want to avoid condensation dripping in down on the loaf. I haven’t tried this myself – let me know how you go!

*Use UNSALTED butter or adjust extra salt added!

*Add MORE sugar if you want a sweet bread like in the shops.

*If you can’t or are not skilled/practiced at kneading try the 50:50 ratio with whole wheat flour and all purpose flour, otherwise you will end up with a very dense loaf.

*Make sure it is completely cooked through – my loaf took 2 1/2 hours!!

Slice and enjoy as whole grain toast or sandwich bread!

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

I love that track, I still have the actual single ’45 somewhere.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

It might seem ungracious and totally ungrateful at this time to say that I am absolutely angry at one section of the NHS, but I am. Very, very angry. My life may be at stake because of what I am about to say.

Last December I had yet another CT scan, in line with those appointed as a result of my former cancers and chemotherapy. The appointment to be given the results and be informed of next steps, was cancelled. Twice. I called Grimsby hospital and was told by some Admin woman that I would be given another appointment, ASAP. I asked about the results: could she tell me anything about them? I was told they were “normal”, whatever that meant, I took it as I was not to be worried about the results. I received another appointment and the news that my oncology consultant had left the hospital for Castle Hill, Hull. That one was cancelled. Today I actually attended an appointment, with a doctor I had never seen before. I received the shattering news that there was now a problem with my liver, I have jaundice and I was to be given an Urgent whole body CT scan.

I have for months being attempting to ask why my urine was dark and why my skin occasionally goes yellow, only to be given various ‘explanations’ – it’s my enlarged prostate, the thread veins are tiny and bleed occasionally. It’s an occasional bladder infection, again the result of blood in my bladder. “Take these antibiotics, drink lots of water.” – When I already get through 9 litres of Highland Spring water every week.

I feel completely let down by the system and by a hospital that I had always trusted, which has cared for me so well in times past. I am also angry, as I have said. I have no intention of taking out this anger on anyone within the NHS, I need them too much and it is after all not their fault. If I can get through this latest crisis and get moved into our new home, I will count myself lucky indeed.

So you might excuse me when I say that I am not placing the Coronavirus at the top of my Worry List for now. If I can get to a point where I can survive all this, there will come a time when I can make an official complaint against the system. If I am not around to make it, I know my missus will take up that complaint.

 

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Bread can be made in a slow cooker if you don’t have a bread maker. I’ll ask my old mate for the recipe.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Author]

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