On Friday we were up bright and early because my car was due in for its annual MOT. We did think I may be able to sit and wait, but I was having the air-con re-gassed as well and that was going to take an hour on its own, plus they were going to have a good look at the condenser to see why it needs re-gassing every year. I went ahead in my car and called the poet to let him know he had to pick me up.
He and the dog were following me as he was going to carry on to collect his monthly prescription from our old GP. They hadn’t left yet, but this garage is 5 minutes from the house, so I didn’t have to wait long.
I stayed in the car with the dog while he nipped into the surgery, we went to the butcher’s next to get the meat for the week, and then we headed home via B&Q, as he had some bits and bobs to pick up for some DIY.
When we got back, I posted Friday’s blog post and shared it everywhere, but for the rest of the day I was proofreading. At about 4pm, we went to collect my car. It had passed its MOT and had new air-con, but they hadn’t located any leak. Back at home again, he bagged up a load of coal left behind after removing the coal bunkers, and his daughter and her fiancé came to see us and the house Friday evening, and they took all six bags away with them.
For about three weeks I’ve had a problem with my foot. The bottom of my heel feels very bruised when I put any weight on it. It’s worse in the morning and after I’ve been sitting in a certain easy chair. I think it’s starting to get better, after stretching it and keeping off it as much as possible, but it means I haven’t been able to walk the dog and he’s been doing it.
The poet bought me some insoles for my shoes that have built-up arches in them, and those are helping a lot when I’m walking. But we don’t have any suitable for my slippers. For the past month and a half I’ve been wearing flip flops (thongs) or slippers, and we think that’s causing some of it. There’s also a ceiling fan in the bedroom that’s right over my feet, and that may have been contributing too.
On Friday, it was easing a little and on Saturday I had no pain whatsoever. Until I came back from the supermarket. Now we think it may be a torn tendon or something that heals a bit and then I tear it again. This time it’s possible the driving caused it. (It’s my accelerator/throttle foot.) And, perhaps, walking around the supermarket.
If it doesn’t heal soon, I’ll have to take it to the doctor. It’s starting to restrict a lot of what I can do, but fortunately (and touch wood) I’ve not piled on the weight yet.
To help keep the weight at bay, though, I bought a lot of salad and for my afternoon tea on Saturday I had a cucumber sandwich. The problem with cucumber is that the hiatus hernia doesn’t like it. But I hoped it was long enough before bed time and I took a pump inhibitor too, to make sure.
I had quite a chilled weekend, but the poet worked hard jet-washing the paths and the drive after the builders last week. We’ve had a sprinkler going on both lawns, front and back, but every time the dog went out he was paddling in coal dust (aka soot) and traipsing it through the house. So the poet jet-washed the coal dust away as best he could. He also jet-washed the windows at the back as they were smothered with dust.
Once he’d finished, he pulled both cars up onto the drive at the side of the house behind the gate and locked the gate. He was practising reversing onto the drive, between the gate posts and through the corner bit for when the campervan comes home.
We nipped out on Sunday, to check on the van. It was still there, in the secure lockup, and it started first time! He did put the charger on it before trying, but usually even then it takes a few goes. He’d already measured the distance between the gate posts at home and now we measured the width of the van too, both with wing mirrors out and folded in. He’s confident he can get it alongside the house, but if he can’t we can either leave it at that lockup or bring it to one closer to us.
When we came back we left his car on the other side of the gate this time, as it gives us a bit more room right outside the entrance door.
Last thing on Sunday, we moved as much of the furniture from the bedroom as we could because, today, the decorator will be here at 8am. He’s painting the bedroom and the inner hallway and papering a feature wall in the bedroom. Before he gets here, we’ll move anything else we can. The poet will take down the vertical blinds (yay!), and when the decorator goes, we’re buying a new blackout blind for that window, armed with a curtain tie-back and a piece of the wallpaper for matching.
For the rest of the day I’ll be proofreading.
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