I have fifteen-year-old GrandDaughter1 staying with me this week so we're having fun.
Yesterday we took Louie for a lovely walk then watched Sex and the City. Most of it anyway. We had our hands over our eyes for several big chunks. Then we ordered Domino's for dinner. It's just like being on holiday.
Meanwhile Husband's op, which was pencilled in for tomorrow, has been postponed until Friday. The ward is still in lockdown and I'm unable to visit but I'm just thinking I may take up some clean socks as well as another book and a new puzzle book as he's just about finished everything. I assume I will be able to send things in to him even if I can't go in.
Later
I went. Husband came to the ward door but I had to leave a big space between us, and couldn't give him a kiss or hug but, at least, I saw him. He's okay. His swollen face isn't so and it's turned a nice yellow shade now.
I had walked almost all the way back to the hospital entrance when I stopped to take a photo of a misplaced apostrophe. That was when I realised I'd left my phone in the bag I'd given Husband, so it was all the way back to his ward to get it.
It's not often I'll be grateful for a misplaced apostrophe - or four as each sign was the same - but if I'd gone home without my phone it would have been a bother.
Sainsburys offers a delivery Saver Slot. That means you choose a four-hour slot and they let you know on the day when your order will be delivered. Today at eight forty I peered blearily at my emails to find the order was coming between 9.04 and 10.04.
By nine o'clock I was showered and dressed. By nine thirty I had changed my bed linen, put in washing, frozen some rissoles (more later), and reported non-collection of rubbish recycling to the council.
Five minutes later
And now the order has been delivered and put away and it's jigsaw time, or as I said to myself this morning, "Must take my good glasses downstairs to do my wigwam."
But first, inspired by Daughter's cheese and leek pasty, and Boud's patties, last night for dinner I made cheese and broccoli rissoles.
I wanted to use up some veg so, to be accurate, they were potato, sweet potato, onion, broccoli, and cheese rissoles. And very nice they were with some beans.
Husband's face still swollen and sore (he tells me) so they gave him an ice pack last night, and that helped a bit. Hoping the lockdown will be lifted tomorrow so I can go and see him.
And in rugby news, Wales lost but they played like a team you could be proud of, giving this rugby-loving nation some hope for the future.
The ward is in lockdown until Monday when the situation will be re-assessed. No visitors. Big sigh.
As if that wasn't bad enough, this afternoon Wales take on Ireland, a team at the top of their game. In the two weeks since the last game, the coach, Warren Gatland has resigned, and a new temporary coach has been appointed. He's made some team changes so we shall have to see how successful they are this afternoon.
But on the bright side, at least Husband isn't showing any signs of the virus, and I've done two loads of washing and they're all on the line blowing in the sunshine. And I've been for a lovely walk with Daughter and Louie.
And I didn't hit a woman with a stick although it went quite close to her as I didn't notice her because of the sun in my eyes. (I was throwing the stick for Louie by the way, not wielding it ferociously.)
I also managed to take twenty-two variations of this photo.
My plan to go for a walk before visiting Husband this morning was scuppered when I looked out of the window and saw the pouring rain. The second part of my plan was also scuppered soon after when Husband messaged to say there'd been another case of norovirus and the ward was in complete lockdown. No visitors.
So there I was in my dress and bright yellow tights - worn to either cheer the place up or make people laugh - and nowhere to go. And nothing to do. (I'm keeping away from people for a couple of days too, just in case.) A day in which I was all on my own and could do whatever I wanted to! Apart from visit Husband obviously. So what to do? What to do, what to do?
First of all, change into slopping-around-the-house clothes, then potter briefly before settling down with jigsaw. Then because Husband had one last night and I had loads of milk - I thought I'd cancelled today's but obviously not - I made a custard tart. I used the sort of right size tin but next time I'll go smaller. It's very thin. I will save some for Husband, in the hope I can see him before I eat it all, but will warn him to avoid the crust. Just a little bit crunchy.
Bit more jigsaw, okay, a lot more jigsaw by which time it was 4.30 and the rain had stopped so I went for a little stroll down to Blackpill and back along the beach, gathering shells and other bits as I went along.
Mermaid's purse, the egg case of a member of the shark family, probably dogfish.
Razor shells, cockles, mussels, oyster, seaweed, coal, other fish egg cases, barnacles, slipper limpet, whelks, periwinkle, and tellina. (I had to look up a couple.)
Husband's ward is now on lockdown as there's been a case of norovirus, an air-borne, very infectious, vomiting and diarrhoea bug. The superbug, MRSA, is also on the ward but apparently that's not so bad.
Sometimes I think, "Seriously? What next?"
Visitors enter at their own risk and preferably not. I think new visitors will have to wear gloves and protective clothing. The man who has it was in the bed next to Husband. He was discharged this morning and then found out he has norovirus. How they didn't work it out before I don't know; I think they thought it was his gluten allergy.
If we make it through 72 hours unscathed we're okay. That takes us to Saturday lunchtime. And I've just had a message from a young friend saying she's in Swansea - but only until Saturday. Phooey.
Last autumn half-term Daughter had booked to to take her family to EuroDisney. When it looked as though Husband would be in hospital she postponed it until spring half-term - which is next week. I've told her there's no question of her postponing again - even though she says she won't be able to enjoy it anyway. GrandDaughter1 is coming to stay with me while they're away as she has lots of revising to do, so that'll be fun. We'll watch girly films and eat yummy food.
And I must remember to do something about those theatre tickets I booked for November and then rebooked for early March. I don't have the enthusiasm to rearrange again.
Which all sounds quite gloomy but I'm not, even though I've had to postpone tomorrow's brunch with Daughter and Daughter-in-law.
However it had fused into his jaw so couldn't be pulled out but had to be drilled out! He was in the dentist's chair for an hour. I am going in today expecting to see a puffy-faced pained man.
* * * * *
As I said yesterday, it takes about thirty minutes to get to the hospital. Which is about as long as it takes me to find somewhere to park when I arrive. It is unbelievably stressful following a stream of cars around the car parks, each driver hoping they will be the one to be in the perfect position to jump in a place if someone leaves.
Yesterday I parked on double yellow lines (no parking) because everyone else was doing it! A car pulled away and I thought, "Blow it," backed up, and drove onto the pavement. Normally you can't even find a space on double yellow lines.
Now I'm going for a walk with Daughter again. I seem to be permanently tired even though I sleep well and late. Admittedly I read in bed at night until my eyes are drooping but still I don't understand why I am so weary. I'm sure fresh air and exercise will do me good. (I keep telling myself this!)
* * * * *
Change of plan. The sunshine and showers promised have turned into rain so I'm not going for a walk. Maybe I'll start one of my new jigsaws.
Meanwhile has Trump completely flipped? Everything he says seems to be getting crazier and crazier.
I always remember President Jed Bartlett on West Wing telling a woman who had remained seated when he came into the room that she may have no respect for him but it was the office of President that was being respected when people stood, and that she had better stand in future or else.
It must be really hard these days to respect the office of President without seeing the man in it. Boud said there were huge anti-MAGA protests across the country on President's Day, a fact that went largely unreported on mainstream media. Will his supporters finally come to their senses I wonder, but is there anything they could do if they did? Except maybe water down his most extreme excesses.
This was the bit I was thinking of, so, okay, maybe I got it wrong but I'm sure there was a bit in West Wing when he said about the office of president! Or maybe it was implied.
* * * * *
I am getting obsessed with The Back Door.
"Did I lock it? Yes, I'm sure I did. I'd better check."
"Is the back door locked? I haven't been out of it so it must be. I'd better check."
On going out of the front door, "I'd better check the back door. You just checked it. I'd better check it again."
So Husband saw the dentist yesterday and he said the tooth needed to come out. However, he wasn't the person who did extractions so it would probably be next week.
When the heart surgeon heard that he said, "Not good enough," and said he'd chase it up. Result: Husband is having his tooth out this afternoon.
Cardiac trumps max fax! (Naturally I suppose as one is more likely life-threatening than the other.)
Chatty Crone asked why it was important. Because of the risk of infection apparently. Our mouths are ideal germ-breeding grounds so they won't operate for two weeks after a tooth extraction and dentists won't do anything to teeth for, I think, six months after a heart operation because of the risk of infection getting in the blood and into the heart.
That said the surgeon was keen for it to happen because he's off (again!) the week after next so if he fits Husband in next week it will be less than two weeks after extraction. I assume he'll only do it if he's happy there is absolutely no chance of infection.
So at least things are happening.
Visiting times are 2-4 and 4-6 and it takes about half an hour to get to the hospital from home, so I'm spending a lot of time on the road. Yesterday it was GrandSon2's birthday tea - he became a teenager. That's three teenagers we have now, and Younger Son, my baby will be forty next month! Years just pass, don't they? I wouldn't want to go back but I would like to visit to remind myself of some of the good times.
A wild windy walk with Daughter and dogs today. Just what I needed. I got up and thought, oh, I can't walk today, I have too much to do. The 'too much' was only putting away clothes and sorting out washing etc but it grew into a mountain in my head. So I was glad I went.
In the car on the way there I turned on the radio and it was the morning service. The woman leading it was saying, "If you feel overwhelmed by your to-do list, and the weight you're carrying is heavy . . ." and I said, "Yes!"
"Commit the day to God, let Jesus carry your burdens."
It was such perfect timing that I had to smile. So I prayed, "Help me to commit everything to you, help me to let go of my burdens." Like the man in the gospel who said, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief." I know they'll sneak back in every now and again but for today I'm back on top.
Husband update: seeing the dentist at 12.30 today. What is said there will determine what happens next to a certain extent. The surgeon called in yesterday; said he's busy this week but will see when they can fit Husband in after that. The ward consultant advised him to stay away from people - and then he was moved from his own room into a ward with five others as they needed the single room for someone else. Such is the state of the NHS.
Husband had chest pains last night. Called the nurse who did an ecg and called the doctor who upped his medicine. Operation can't come soon enough.
* * * * *
Went to the charity shop to get a jigsaw. Came away with four jigsaws and four books, all for £14, which is less than the price of one new jigsaw. I'm saving so much money!
