The Night Mail

[Oldddudders]

As we all know, some days simply go better than others. We were more than a little downcast by a phonecall from a cardiac rehab unit lady yesterday, which included the news that Christmas in France cannot happen. Sherry must not go abroad until 3 months after her op, and should she do so, her travel insurance would be invalid. Having been told weeks ago that she could drive after 6 weeks, it all seemed possible. Oh, well, at least the same call led to a link to a 75-page document re dos and don'ts for the recovery period, some of which were in conflict with other online resources!

 

Sherry had provided a blood-sample on Monday, and mid-afternoon a GP rang to discuss it. Sodium is now looking good - remember the level only dropped because Derriford prescribed a drug that Sherry's notes said she shouldn't have..... But he had a slight concern over another indicator, and could we come in quite soon, please. So we did, and he expressed concern over her left lung, which he wanted x-rayed. Off to the hospital Medical Reception Unit, where x-ray, blood test, ECG, urine test conducted. Just like A&E - lots of ambulances lined up with engines running is a very bad sign - the MRU was overloaded, with 21 patients for a Unit intended for 9, and two staff short. So Sherry was there 8 hours, sitting in a chair, not on a bed. That time included one blood sample misbehaving so they couldn't analyse the content, and so another had to be taken shortly before release. The upshot is that Sherry does not have the suspected pneumonia, but does have a chest infection. Anti-biotics provided, and the night doc has just rung to say that the late blood-sample is ok. We got to bed shortly before 3...

 

We might hope today is a little smoother!

[jamie92208]

21 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Today's mighty groan comes from the tale of Richard Potato, an ambitious politician who went on to become...

 

 

 The Dictator

 

Unfortunately  I don't have the option of going back to bed as Beth has just informed me that i have to go for my flu jab in 20 minutes.  I'd forgotten.

 

Sorry to hear about your poor day yesterday @AshcombeaAshcombeand @Oldddudders. Just grateful that it isn't pneumonia.  We will howevercrauseca glass of something at Christmas herecin France.

 

Jamie

Edited November 17, 2022 by jamie92208

[bbishop]

11 hours ago, SM42 said:

 

" Have you taken the photo yet?"

 

Andy

The gentleman may be ambidextrous, as I am.  When you've all stop laughing, think what it is like living with no reference to left and right.  Toni has now learnt, when we are on a shout, not to say "turn left" but to say "turn my way".  We don't necessarily have the ability to do things with both hands, but rather to do things randomly with either hand.  So when I was taught to salute in the CCF, my response was a mirror image of the instructor, who pointed out that treason was still a capital offence (it was 1964).  Thereafter my every instinct was to salute left handed and so had to grip my trousers with that hand.  Bill

[bbishop]

33 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

As we all know, some days simply go better than others. We were more than a little downcast by a phonecall from a cardiac rehab unit lady yesterday, which included the news that Christmas in France cannot happen. Sherry must not go abroad until 3 months after her op, and should she do so, her travel insurance would be invalid. Having been told weeks ago that she could drive after 6 weeks, it all seemed possible. Oh, well, at least the same call led to a link to a 75-page document re dos and don'ts for the recovery period, some of which were in conflict with other online resources!

 

Sherry had provided a blood-sample on Monday, and mid-afternoon a GP rang to discuss it. Sodium is now looking good - remember the level only dropped because Derriford prescribed a drug that Sherry's notes said she shouldn't have..... But he had a slight concern over another indicator, and could we come in quite soon, please. So we did, and he expressed concern over her left lung, which he wanted x-rayed. Off to the hospital Medical Reception Unit, where x-ray, blood test, ECG, urine test conducted. Just like A&E - lots of ambulances lined up with engines running is a very bad sign - the MRU was overloaded, with 21 patients for a Unit intended for 9, and two staff short. So Sherry was there 8 hours, sitting in a chair, not on a bed. That time included one blood sample misbehaving so they couldn't analyse the content, and so another had to be taken shortly before release. The upshot is that Sherry does not have the suspected pneumonia, but does have a chest infection. Anti-biotics provided, and the night doc has just rung to say that the late blood-sample is ok. We got to bed shortly before 3...

 

We might hope today is a little smoother!

 

It's doing the rounds, guys, I had a chest infection after the flu and needed a second dose of penicillin to clear it.

Do you have access to a Sats monitor?  Useful bit of kit in this situation.  Bill

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, SM42 said:

 

I might just give up on the day and go back to bed after that. 

 

Andy

Get back to the painting!

[Happy Hippo]

10 minutes ago, bbishop said:

The gentleman may be ambidextrous, as I am.  When you've all stop laughing, think what it is like living with no reference to left and right.  Toni has now learnt, when we are on a shout, not to say "turn left" but to say "turn my way".  We don't necessarily have the ability to do things with both hands, but rather to do things randomly with either hand.  So when I was taught to salute in the CCF, my response was a mirror image of the instructor, who pointed out that treason was still a capital offence (it was 1964).  Thereafter my every instinct was to salute left handed and so had to grip my trousers with that hand.  Bill

Not long after I was commissioned I sustained a shoulder injury playing rugby, which meant my right arm was in a sling.

 

I asked the RSM for advice on repaying compliments in such a condition, thinking he would tell me to stiffen up and just give an eyes left/right as appropriate.

 

Not quite sure as to the protocol for such circumstances, he rang up a fellow RSM (who was in charge of ceremonial duties at HQ London District), and it turns out that when the right arm is incapacitated, saluting with your left arm is the correct method.

 

It looks strange, but is correct for those particular circumstances.

[SM42]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

Get back to the painting!

 

How odd

 

Guess what I've been doing 

 

Andy

[SM42]

In one of those rare moments of foresight, I put a bit of extra cover down on the floor before I started wielding a brush today 

 

This was most fortunate as one of those extra covers caught a big splot of paint. 

 

Andy

[Happy Hippo]

15 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Ah, I didn't say that I didn't spend any of my money on loose living, just that the slice guvvmint took off me wasn't available. The amount I did spend and exactly how loosely I lived is, of course, subject to the official secrets act.

 

Dave

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The above images show Dave being very frugal with the taxpayers money.

 

I on the other hand, spent absolutely loads:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2022 by Happy Hippo

[Compound2632]

4 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

The above images show Dave being very frugal with the taxpayers money.

 

Worth every penny of it by the look of it. Clearly providing a social service.

[Tony_S]

2 hours ago, bbishop said:

Do you have access to a Sats monitor?  Useful bit of kit in this situation.  Bill

They are really cheap too at the moment. They shot up in price in the early days of Covid. It was very useful during my recovery from heart failure. At first I was routinely in the “ooh it is beeping” warning range and had to do the recommended breathing exercises. My indicated pulse rate wasn’t good either. Anyway after the stenting and medication, my meter indicate much healthier numbers.  I didn’t pay an excessive amount for mine. Similar one on offer £20 from Argos at present. Look for Pulse Oximeter. 

[Oldddudders]

3 hours ago, bbishop said:

 

It's doing the rounds, guys, I had a chest infection after the flu and needed a second dose of penicillin to clear it.

Do you have access to a Sats monitor?  Useful bit of kit in this situation.  Bill

No we don't, but it was measured at 99% yesterday.

[J. S. Bach]

11 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

I’ve never worked for money! ...snip...

Where's the bravo sierra button when it is so desperately needed? 😾

[coastalview]

It has now been officially declared that I am "old".

 

We are spending a few nights in London and on the packed tube in the rush hour yesterday a young lady offered me one of the priority seats.....

 

We did take the opportunity to ride the new Northern Line branch to Battersea Power Station. The way the power station has been converted is impressive but I've never seen so many security guards in my life.

[polybear]

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

I on the other hand, spent absolutely loads:

 

 

 

A large Muddy Wallow.  What more could a Hippo want?  (OK, oodles of cake and a decent supply of good Whisky help)

[iL Dottore]

9 minutes ago, coastalview said:

....We did take the opportunity to ride the new Northern Line branch to Battersea Power Station. The way the power station has been converted is impressive but I've never seen so many security guards in my life.

Of course there are. There's a LOT of serious money there. Flats (the few that remain available) start at a million quid (and that's just for a tiny pied-a-terre...)

[jamie92208]

11 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Of course there are. There's a LOT of serious money there. Flats (the few that remain available) start at a million quid (and that's just for a tiny pied-a-terre...)

Not being flogged off cheap by one of Captain Cynicals minions then.

 

Jamie

[polybear]

15 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Of course there are. There's a LOT of serious money there. Flats (the few that remain available) start at a million quid (and that's just for a tiny pied-a-terre...)

 

ISTR that when Docklands started to be built many of the Brickies etc. pooled their money and bought as many as they could afford; by the time they were completed their value had gone thru' the roof and they made a killing.

[iL Dottore]

5 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Not being flogged off cheap by one of Captain Cynicals minions then.

 

Jamie

My dear boy, £1 million IS cheap for such a Supervillain (and all self financed by nefarious deeds: after all, you can't just pop in to the Halifax and ask for a £500 million mortgage for an Alpine Lair, can you?)

[Northmoor]

12 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

ISTR that when Docklands started to be built many of the Brickies etc. pooled their money and bought as many as they could afford; by the time they were completed their value had gone thru' the roof and they made a killing.

This is one of the few surviving terraced streets on the Isle of Dogs and less than 10 minutes walk from Canary Wharf tower one.  I wonder what these houses were for sale at in 1987, when the DLR opened?  Before that time, the local authority had struggled to get people to live on the IoD as the docks had closed and public transport consisted of a single bus route to the city.

[br2975]

10 hours ago, 5 C said:

Compare and contrast some of the earlier pictures with those from nearby Northants Police. The Chief Constable Nick Adderley is ex-Royal Navy (and wears the South Atlantic Medal). I assume the officers pictured in non-standard headgear are ex-military wearing the berets of their former units.

 

 

.

Whilst a former South Wales Chief Constable  (now with The Met ) was busy wearing a 'thick vest' in order to understand 'hot flushes' and empathise with menopausal females.

[Happy Hippo]

14 minutes ago, br2975 said:

.

Whilst a former South Wales Chief Constable  (now with The Met ) was busy wearing a 'thick vest' in order to understand 'hot flushes' and empathise with menopausal females.

The man who probably persuaded my brother it was time to retire

[Happy Hippo]

43 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

My dear boy, £1 million IS cheap for such a Supervillain (and all self financed by nefarious deeds: after all, you can't just pop in to the Halifax and ask for a £500 million mortgage for an Alpine Lair, can you?)

Yes:  It's called blagging.

 

But you've got to be on your toes and have a good getaway driver before the Sweeney turn up.

[PhilJ W]

The house that my mum was born in no longer exists, it was destroyed in the blitz. It was a semi and now the other half is detached. There was/is alongside an identical pair of semis. One sold last year for £1.25 million!

The house that was sold is in the centre of the picture (No.19) mum was born in 1919 at No. 23. The houses were built in the early Edwardian period and what was then described as 'lower middle class', my grandfather was a cabinet maker. 

[Dave Hunt]

6 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The above images show Dave being very frugal with the taxpayers money.I

 

And I only ever broke three of them - and what's more, they could be repaired!

 

Dave