Just another year.

 Nearly the end of the year. All the presents have been opened. There is one present that certainly lasts the time. Lego. Whilst the children have new kits to make and play with, Lego from years and years ago is still eagerly played with. What a magnificent toy for children's fun and imagination.

Localised.

 More Christmas shopping. I despise shopping on the internet so it was nice to have time to browse the local shops with their individual items and chat to the staff. Whether a chain store or an individual shop it is much better for the soul to support the local community rather than some faceless usually American owned internet organisation.

Christmas shopping

 A visit to the hospital today but beforehand we had time to do some Christmas shopping. It was nice to be out and about.

The consultant at the hospital signed me off, nothing more could be done but I was to carry on with the nasal sprays. Will I be able to taste Christmas dinner? Probably not. Again.

Someone is pulling the wool over...

A walk round Alexandra Park in the evening to see the lights that have been installed as part of Christmas decorations. Then to see the bollards along Hill Road that have been covered with a variety of wooly jumpers. Some fantastic designs.

Who nose?

Two years to the day since I lost my senses of taste and smell.

I have got used to it by now, sometimes I can almost smell a random small selection of things, garlic, perfume, toast. Other days nothing. So something must work occasionally. But one taste that has always been completely blank since this started is mint. Toothpaste has absolutely no smell or taste at all. I hope that it comes back and then all the others might return too.

It never rains

 But it pours.

Lots of heavy rain today. A good day for the cinema followed up by fish and chips.

Potty

We bought a small fig tree and put it in an available pot but now it needs replanting so although not dormant it seems a good time to put it into a bigger pot which will suit it for a number of years. I wonder how many before it starts to produce edible fruit?

Apple picking

 Lots of apples to pick this year. We have tried to wrap them and preserve them in a cool place in previous years when we had too many. But this year we have a new small freezer so we are cooking them until slightly soft then either blitzing them up or leaving them as they are. When cool putting them into containers and freezing.

Masquerade

 Each to their own but I honestly fail to see why anyone would still wear a mask. I had to wear one all the time in hospital, which is the most likely place to get Covid. But to see people walking down the street in the open air wearing a mask makes me realise that the utterly dreadful media in this country have a lot to answer for.

The BBC is surely discredited in everything it now does. Their biased news is now shown to be be scaremongering and untruthful. Defund now! 

Soon be Christmas

September already. The garden is beginning to go over into Autumn, some flowers are finishing. But whilst we seem to have done poorly with the green beans, the apple trees are totally full of ripening fruit.

I don't seem to have had to cut the lawn much this year, perhaps I am just getting lazy.

Operation complete

I was phoned on Friday that my operation time was changed. Instead of coming to the hospital at 12.00 could I be there at 8.00? Of course!

I was there is plenty of time, along with a few others. As it turned out I was the third of three to be operated on that morning. The first chap went in at about 9.30 and was allowed to leave at 15.30. I didn't go the the theatre until 12.30...

The trouble then was that I had been allowed nothing much to drink since before midnight. So it meant that I was dehydrated, However I was eventually allowed home at 19.30. So only an hour more than the first chap but what a long exhausting day.

Cancellation of operation, when I tell everyone that...

 The hospital phoned to say that my operation on Monday was unfortunately cancelled. I didn't ask but I suspect that it was due to Covid or isolating due to someone in the operating team being pinged.

What an idiotic idea the Track and Trace is showing itself to be.

Also what a totally useless piece of tech the smart phone is proving to be. Quite simply the worst invention ever.

A grand day out

A trip to the hospital allowed us time to go to the shops in the morning.

To wear a mask or not to wear a mask? That is the question.

Not.

Desperate Den

 One of our three year old grandson's favourite things to do is making a den and playing transformers.

All well and good except I have to also fold myself up tightly into the same tiny space. The contortions to get into position are difficult enough but after an hour or more of being curled up, it takes much longer to extract myself.

A Day Out

 After very recently being able to cuddle our grand-daughter since she was born over eighteen months ago, we had a day out. We were allowed as our son and daughter-in-law were given the all clear from their Covid tests.

Whilst earlier generations had reasons to be negative about certain countries and/or regimes, I wonder if this generation will come to think ill of China for inflicting Covid on the world?

Preparations

 We had a delivery of a cot bed.

No, not for us directly but in preparation for our son, daughter-in-law and baby.

Well, baby is not strictly true.We are hoping to see our eighteen month old grand-daughter whom we have only ever seen on zoom.

What a terrible time that Covid has caused.

Market Day

 Thursday is market day and always worth a look around.

The plant stall is always worth a look and the quality is good. The Erigeron we bought is doing well.

I chatted to the fishmonger and he says that his fish come from Cornish fishermen. We bought some halibut, it is quite rare to see.

After a dry time...

 Goodness we have had some wet and windy weather recently.

I hope that everyone is looking forward to getting out and about on Monday 17th May.

What a weird time we are living in.

Blue skies, nothing but blue skies...

 I have not read any reports of hosepipe bans but we have had a dry time recently.

Bit cold for sitting out some days and a bit windy but when it has been good, it has been great to sit out and watch Spring emerging, lots of bluebells everywhere.

I know some people like the changing weather but I would be happy that the plants get watered from the ground and we didn't have clouds and rain. And in particular whilst a gentle breeze may be welcome on hot days, I hate strong winds.

Opening up

Is anyone else going out and about?

I had to go to Southmead hospital for an appointment and we decided to go in to Bristol and look around the shops beforehand.

It was busy and a huge queue went around Primark, which seemed bonkers. Though it is school holidays so I guess it was youngsters shoppoing with their friends. What a strange time to be a teenager.

It was depressing to see quite a few shops now permanently closed though and some of those that were open didn't have full shelves presumably because they are unsure when they will close again.

All fools day.

 Has anyone heard that the Covid virus has been a year log April fools joke? I wish it was.

Whatever will future generations make of this time of ours? Covid/BLM activists/Extinction Rebellion nutters etc. will surely be something that is part of the school curriculum in years to come.

Blooming lovely

 Plenty of daffodils coming up, some snowdrops too all making the garden a bit cheery.

I have some perennial plants that I have overwintered and will be ready to plant out now. I have also had some success with some cuttings that I did which are beginning to show leaves.

Hardly any success with green bean seeds though. Last year every seed that I planted grew very well, but this year, four out of twenty four in the tray have managed to grow and not very healthy either. Not sure why.

A year ago..

 Amazingly today marks the day since we last physically met as a group.

It was a cold, overcast and rainy day and we were not in our usual room but instead met in the main hall huddled close to the heater.

To mark the day we had a Zoom meeting, I wonder when we will actually meet up again?

Still here

 Well, I had the vaccination - in my case the AstraZeneca.

I had a slight ache at the top of my arm for a day and nothing else. I am not sure if that means that if I had got Covid then I wouldn't have had much reaction anyway.

Goodness there is a lot of noise about this virus and vaccinations. My take on it is the NHS have saved my life and continue to monitor and care for me so I think it is right to do as they ask. Not without question but where I consider it is best.

I hope that everyone is keeping well.

Congratulations and vaccinations, when I tell everyone that...

 Another month and no sign of an end yet.

But I do have an appointment for a covid jab. I was sent a text from my GP practice with a reference number to apply online.

As there were no available slots it took quite a few attempts but I finally got a time on a Sunday.

The vaccinations are being done a little drive about 20-30 minutes drive away.

Shall I have the vaccination, have my DNA altered and be injected with a Bill Gates microchip? Or...

Good News, Bad News

First the good news. I qualified then applied for a bus pass and it arrived in a few days. Very easy to apply and do online.

Bad news, where can I go and why?

Typical, I finally become a bona fide OAP and can legally be grumpy and politically incorrect. Does that mean that I can call Labour a bunch of dangerous liars and idiots? No I guess that is being polically correct.

New Year. Same old...

 Well, who would have thought that this year would have been the same as last year?

Oh everyone.

It's like a bad version of Groundhog Day. Let's hope for a happy ending very soon.