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That's why you and me are worn out!
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What have you been doing today?
- Thread starter Mottie
- Start date
Been over the allotment most of the day. Digging, weeding, potting up and generally fixing things. The beekeeper was over there and came and apologised to me for the thuggish behaviour of his bees this week when they attacked me. One of the things he mentioned to me that can cause an attack was….petrol! He asked if I’d just filled up the allotment lawnmower by any chance. I hadn’t but I had been tinkering with my petrol camping stove and had a bit of an accident that involved me chucking it out of the shed when it caught fire. I had some petrol splash over me too so it looks like it could have been that what could have been to blame. Anyway, a new plot holder has been making complaints about his bees because she is scared of them so he is reducing his hives from five to two. He goes to great lengths to keep them safely, even to the extent of keeping them behind some fence panels and erecting some netting to make them fly at height when entering or leaving the hives.The bastards have done me again! I’ve been attacked by at least two of them for just minding my own business. I have a small pond on my plot and my neighbour has one too. The bees go there for a drink. Several of them came at me and were buzzing around my head. I tried swatting them and running across the allotment but the fùckers wouldn’t leave me alone. It felt like someone had punched me in the eye….and then they were gone. This is what I was left with:
View attachment 377810
When I got home, I used a pair of tweezers and pulled the tips of two stingers out of me (those two black dots). Can’t see or feel anything in my eye though that’s caused that bleed. I may have just punched myself in the eye!
I tried to carry on working over there by chucking an old net over the ponds but to be honest, the noise of bees frightened me. I gave up and came home but not before I made a quick video of the bastards.
I fitted the first aid box in had in my workshop to the outside of my shed for use by anyone and the beekeeper gave me some extra strong antihistamine tablets to put in there.
Repointed the patio where new table and chairs will go.
Then I had some time to spare, so I swapped tyres on my mountain bike, fitted the summer ones now that weather seems to have improved.
As I was there I degreased cassette, derailler and front mech.
Regreased everything and as it happens I remembered that I had bought new brake pads before winter, so fitted them as well.
And...as I had my tools out, I changed oil and seals at the suspension.
Just needs a wax now and it's ready for summer months, having taken too much mud in winter.
Finished at 3pm and little monsters dragged me down the playground and made me play football.
Came back at 6.30pm and had a well deserved ice cold beer.
May the weather stay sunny...
Then I had some time to spare, so I swapped tyres on my mountain bike, fitted the summer ones now that weather seems to have improved.
As I was there I degreased cassette, derailler and front mech.
Regreased everything and as it happens I remembered that I had bought new brake pads before winter, so fitted them as well.
And...as I had my tools out, I changed oil and seals at the suspension.
Just needs a wax now and it's ready for summer months, having taken too much mud in winter.
Finished at 3pm and little monsters dragged me down the playground and made me play football.
Came back at 6.30pm and had a well deserved ice cold beer.
May the weather stay sunny...
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Went to Stockport indoor market hall today. Famously appeared in a few TV shows. Last Tango In Halifax, where there's a bit of a car chase. It's quite amusing because one minute they're driving along a road in (I think) Skipton, and the next minute, they're alongside the market building in Stockport, where one car rear ends the other!
At least one of the Harlan Coben series featured it too, as well as other areas of Stockport and Manchester. In fact, the sports club where our eldest used to play lacrosse against Eccles was used in Harlan Coben's The Stranger and Fool Me Once.
Anyway, I digress.
Stockport Market, fantastic a building though it is, is not what it once was in terms of footfall. Perhaps I'm being unfair, comparing 2025 to 1975! In those days, there were stalls outside as well as in and the whole area was heaving. But these days, the outside stalls are banished and today at 10am, there were just a few people wandering about in the hall. It got a bit busier towards 12, but nothing like it used to be. I suppose that's a story repeated nationwide.
I got a load of fruit and veg which seemed to be better than supermarket offerings and certainly better than what Asda served up to us the other week.
Then we went to Calderstones Park in Liverpool.
The namesake of the park is a group of prehistoric stones, said to be older than Stonehenge.
I tried following the signs but got lost.
In the end I asked a guide, who took me to them. They turned out to be arranged in two rows of three outside a cafe under a canopy.
I was expecting them to be out in the park, arranged in a circle.
No doubt they were dug up by meddling Victorians rather like Stonehenge.
At least one of the Harlan Coben series featured it too, as well as other areas of Stockport and Manchester. In fact, the sports club where our eldest used to play lacrosse against Eccles was used in Harlan Coben's The Stranger and Fool Me Once.
Anyway, I digress.
Stockport Market, fantastic a building though it is, is not what it once was in terms of footfall. Perhaps I'm being unfair, comparing 2025 to 1975! In those days, there were stalls outside as well as in and the whole area was heaving. But these days, the outside stalls are banished and today at 10am, there were just a few people wandering about in the hall. It got a bit busier towards 12, but nothing like it used to be. I suppose that's a story repeated nationwide.
I got a load of fruit and veg which seemed to be better than supermarket offerings and certainly better than what Asda served up to us the other week.
Then we went to Calderstones Park in Liverpool.
The namesake of the park is a group of prehistoric stones, said to be older than Stonehenge.
I tried following the signs but got lost.
In the end I asked a guide, who took me to them. They turned out to be arranged in two rows of three outside a cafe under a canopy.
I was expecting them to be out in the park, arranged in a circle.
No doubt they were dug up by meddling Victorians rather like Stonehenge.
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They also used Bramall Hall near us in Last Tango In Halifax where the couple who had the car crash above got locked in.
It was depicted as a really spooky place. Of course, it was overnight and it was raining with thunder and lightning. In reality it's not scary at all. Very old yes, but not scary.
It was depicted as a really spooky place. Of course, it was overnight and it was raining with thunder and lightning. In reality it's not scary at all. Very old yes, but not scary.
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One of the rows of stones.
In front of Bramall Hall, used as a location in Last Tango In Halifax. The place is called Bramhall, with an h, but the hall omits the h in the name of the hall.
In front of Bramall Hall, used as a location in Last Tango In Halifax. The place is called Bramhall, with an h, but the hall omits the h in the name of the hall.
Good to hear you’re out and about again after your fall @securespark
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No you don't know Motties pain. Being stung in the eye is totally different to you being punched in it.I know your pain....
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I broke my ankle on 23 November. I was assessed as too unstable with crutches immediately after the break and couldn't yet use a frame so was confined to bed until after the surgery and the plaster cast was removed and I had an Air cast boot fitted. I was supposed to start weight bearing then. The ACB was fitted on 16th December. I was supposed to start walking on it from that date. But due to the Physios messing up, I was first told I was weight bearing, then that I was non weight bearing. So I stayed in bed. The best I could do was an exercise that Physio set for me where I could use the frame to stand, but I had to only put weight through my right (unbroken) ankle. Then stand on the unbroken ankle for as long as possible before sitting on the edge of the bed again.
I was eventually sent home (again as non weight bearing), so had to go home in an ambulance. I was seen by a complete team of care givers at home every single one of which said "You're down on our paperwork as NWB."
Then when I appeared at my first post-op check by the surgeon (again relayed to the hospital by ambulance), on 13th January, the surgeon looked at me quizzically in a wheelchair and asked "How's the walking going?"
When he realised the last time I had been on two feet was the day I slipped on 23 November, he went apoplectic. He sent me to a Physio immediately to get the ankle moving as it had been either in a plaster cast or an Air cast boot from 23rd Nov until 13 Jan. I was supposed to take it off at night, but no one told me! So when the poor nurse took everything off, the stench was unbelievable!
Think Bishop's Finger, but magnified several times. It was horrendous and I really felt sorry for her.
He was really worried that the ankle might be beyond the point of no return but with persistence and exercise at home without Physio (the appointments have been spread really thinly). I have made good progress.
From the 13th Jan, I started with a frame and progressed eventually to a stick. I couldn't use crutches, due to my CP, just too wobbly on the right side.
I did visit a pharmacy at the back of an out of town Tesco and go to Rugby matches to watch Rowan play a couple of times. Then the home Physio told me I wasn't supposed to use the frame outdoors. It was a fall risk! From leaving the car to getting the the pharmacy counter, waiting 5 mins for the meds, then getting back to the car took me the best part of half an hour!
Now I have my own aluminium stick that I use if and when I need it. I have problems with the CP and now I have issues with the broken ankle...some days are good, some are bad, some are fair to piddling.
But I just potter along, take each day as it comes and do what I can.
I was eventually sent home (again as non weight bearing), so had to go home in an ambulance. I was seen by a complete team of care givers at home every single one of which said "You're down on our paperwork as NWB."
Then when I appeared at my first post-op check by the surgeon (again relayed to the hospital by ambulance), on 13th January, the surgeon looked at me quizzically in a wheelchair and asked "How's the walking going?"
When he realised the last time I had been on two feet was the day I slipped on 23 November, he went apoplectic. He sent me to a Physio immediately to get the ankle moving as it had been either in a plaster cast or an Air cast boot from 23rd Nov until 13 Jan. I was supposed to take it off at night, but no one told me! So when the poor nurse took everything off, the stench was unbelievable!
Think Bishop's Finger, but magnified several times. It was horrendous and I really felt sorry for her.
He was really worried that the ankle might be beyond the point of no return but with persistence and exercise at home without Physio (the appointments have been spread really thinly). I have made good progress.
From the 13th Jan, I started with a frame and progressed eventually to a stick. I couldn't use crutches, due to my CP, just too wobbly on the right side.
I did visit a pharmacy at the back of an out of town Tesco and go to Rugby matches to watch Rowan play a couple of times. Then the home Physio told me I wasn't supposed to use the frame outdoors. It was a fall risk! From leaving the car to getting the the pharmacy counter, waiting 5 mins for the meds, then getting back to the car took me the best part of half an hour!
Now I have my own aluminium stick that I use if and when I need it. I have problems with the CP and now I have issues with the broken ankle...some days are good, some are bad, some are fair to piddling.
But I just potter along, take each day as it comes and do what I can.
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It was grim in hospital being stuck in bed all that time. I used humour a lot. Because if you didn't laugh, you'd cry!
Here are the X-rays, in case I haven't bored you with them before!
Edited to remove personal details from X-ray.
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Chuckling at this
Just had the warning from the Sage. I suppose that’s a job for when I get back from the dog walk.
All done. Descaled it, then I ran the fluid through it once more, then used it to descale the kettle, then the chrome plug in the downstairs loo basin and finally let it drain into the macerator. I got my moneys worth out of it.
