STOP/START

The weather is gorgeous, 17c (low 60's), sunny and warm. The car passed it's yearly MOT check, only needed a couple of minor things done to it.

Last night's service went well. It was a pleasant drive there and back without incident. I listened Jean Michel Jarre there and back. I was in that sort of mood, 4hours total driving time.

I have some beautiful sock yarn and the bloody stuff will only knit in single colour stripes no matter what I try and I have tried many things! I think I shall leave ti be for now as it is really winding me up now.

We forgot to get the lottery tickets on Saturday. It was a big mistake to have elected for set numbers all those years ago! We should have just gone for lucky dips. Now we have to do it. Thank fully, our numbers did not win the jackpot this week.

Only the rest of today and 4 more days before we leave on our road trip to Budapest. I am excited about it. I am especially looking forward to it as I know the turbo chair will be taking off so much of the strain of the trip for us both.

For the last three days I have been taking anti-inflammatories. I have had to stop today. I have put on almost 5lbs and my blood pressure is up. The 5 lbs is water/salt retention, thus the higher bp. Damn! They make me feel really good too. However, I can't afford high bp with my angina and the not peeing and bloat feels awful anyway. Plus I am not sleeping well. Don't know why my sleep should be disturbed but it only started the night of the day I started the new tabs. Hopefully, I shall have peed out the excess salt and water by tomorrow. Oh and I also found out that if I don't take the Colofac I just stop pooing! So I am back taking it.

BUSY WEEK

I got a fantastic green frock coat on Ebay which arrived Thursday. Very nice. I am awaiting a tapestry waistcoat and cravat. The coat the waistcoat/cravat were incredibly cheap. I hope the waistcoat is as nice as the frock coat is.

I had a crap night, pain kept waking me despite the slow release Tramadol. They are only 100gm and I am thinking I need more for night. I shall ask when I see Elizabeth on Tuesday. I am still not wanting to go up a level to the morphine she offered last time I saw her. Last night, my ribs got in on the act and they haven't spasmed for quite a while.

I am off for a swim this morning. I shan't tomorrow as I am doing a 190mile round trip to talk and demonstrate tomorrow evening. Monday the car is in for service. I shall swim on Tuesday and that will be it until we get back from Hungary on the 4th. Wednesday I will be bathing dogs and getting things ready. Thursday I shall deliver James, Carly and Little Dorrit to the person who is looking after them. Friday I have to renew my Blue Badge (Handicapped Parking Badge) and deliver Nechung, Luque and Shameless to their holiday home with Dawn. I then have to bath Micah and Whitney and they will be dropped off at their carer on our way to the Chunnel on Saturday morning.

See, I have learned! I know that if I swim beyond Tuesday, I shall knacker myself. I have come to think that this 'falre' is not a flare as it has been going on to long. Ithink it is another progression of my disease. Over the last 20 years it has been like this. I am at a certain level and then suddenly I get worse and then stay at the new level for however long and then another sudden worsening and so on. The most annoying thing is that I had no trouble with daily swimming and now I can't do it daily. Pisses me off big time. I love the water. It also helps me keep my weight down. Still, nothing I can do about it so just have to accept what is. Perhaps I am wrong and this is a flare and I shall improve soon. I just don't recall a flare lasting over 3 months before. It could be worse, I could be ugly.

Whitney has just come up the stairs into my PC to say Hi and give me kisses. Thankfully she is no longer in a romantic frame of mind and she has put the two boys well and truly in their place so all is quiet again here. Phew!