Wednesday 30 August 2023

On and on

 One day just merges into the next at the moment, keeping up with the ordinary, trying not to miss appointments. 

Pushing on with cleaning and describing bike bits, with the occasional...should be more often...sale. Some different shape chainrings this time..the oval being an idea that it was more efficient, that you never had a dead point in the circle....an idea that has returned many times in the past hundred years!



Doing bits in the garden..tonight we had our own beans and carrots in our meal!

I rummaged through the freezer and made a large batch of mixed berry cordial...ten 330ml bottles! 


I cool them on their sides..apart from ensuring that the cap is properly processed, it shows any that leak..and get used quickly.

Another batch of chutney made with our friend's dark plums, foraged apples, home-grown shallots...and the finishing touch of homegrown jalapeno peppers!!


And we have, at last, the first butternut squash!! Only an inch long so far.....and a bit late...must start earlier next year....and find out why there have only been male flowers until now!!

Pirate has had one bit of good news... PSA level halved...so it looks like the radiotherapy has done some good.

We met the regular District Nurse today....she is a nae messin' cracker!

A farmer's wife...a long time nursing...and means business..she takes no prisoners and cares for her patients. 

She also knows Pirate's specialist nurse well..so communication should be even better from now on.  With her about, he now feels more confident in dealing with what is happening to his body. And I feel that I am working with someone who is backing me too.

15 comments:

JayCee said...

That all sounds pretty good. Your new nurse is just what the doctor ordered!

Fresca said...

I looked up “Nae messin’ cracker” and got no results—but from context I figure “go messing around”— she sounds ideal!

Oval chainring—intriguing! I thought of you when I cleaned my bike chain—something I do far too rarely—biking in dirty gritty streets every day—I had to scrape crud off… Very satisfying when done and oiled with a fresh clean sheen.

Fresca said...

PS Good news about Pirates numbers!!!

Joanne Noragon said...

The addition of the new nurse sounds like a load off your mind!

Red said...

Sometimes good things come in small steps. Having workers that you have confidence in comes a long way.

Susan Heather said...

JayCee took the words out of my mouth. The new nurse sounds just the ticket. 🙂

northsider said...

Good to read your stocked up with fresh and homegrown produce GZ.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Good to hear that PSA level has come down. A few glasses of that cordial might help too. Getting along well with the medical staff can make such a difference .

gz said...

Fresca, Nae messin'....no nonsense....down to earth...and she is a cracker...a good 'un.

Debby said...

Oh my goodness. Tears came to my eyes when I read Pirate's good news. How wonderful!

Steve Reed said...

Sounds like good news about the nurse! Your squash sound like our sunflowers...lagging, maybe because of the weather?

gz said...

I think you are right about the squash Steve. Possibly the answer is to start earlier next year, even if it means commandeering half of the kitchen bench until I can safely move plants out into the greenhouse!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Good practical nurses with oodles of common sense are worth their weight in gold. Kindly, half-whispered words are all very well and good but sometimes we need people who will roll their sleeves up.

Ursula said...

Just a quick hello, GZ. And to let you know that I have not forgotten how fair minded/level headed you were and are in other blogs'comment boxes.

As to your endeavours: The other day I marvelled (think Edvard Munch: "The Shriek" - albeit with a smile) when realizing that the more time I have the less I get done.

U

gz said...

Thankyou and Hello U.
Its how I was brought up, influenced by my father, and his mother in law, my grandmother.
Grandma also said "the hurrier I go, the behinder I get"!