Ichabod's Day

In theory, the flutter of a butterfly's wings in China could effect weather patterns thousands of miles away. In other words, it is possible that a very small oc curance can produce unpredictable and sometimes drastic results by triggering a series of increasingly significant events.So, in light of this - I wonder what type of butterfly has been producing the chaos that has been my life for about the last month!! For 6 years we have been debating what to do with the kitchen - it's the last room in the house to be overhauled, but it has always proven too hard to decide. Should we extend? Should we move a window, should we move the garage etc etc....! Always too hard so stick with it - an oven that only cooks food on the left hand side, a hob ignition that bites your finger everytime you try to light it, a cooker hood that belongs in a kitchen 5 times the size and gives you concussion and a sink that only a contor tionist could use - to name a few minor faults!! Eventually we t

Over the last few weeks I have been an accidental tourist at 2 ends of the country (well not extreme ends but oop north and daaarn south really). The first occasion was in Manchester - now I know I only live about 12 miles away but I rarely visit - daft really as I could catch the bus into Piccadilly Gardens from right outside my house. Anyway, we were looking for somewhere to go one saturday with Dad and his friend Sandra and being one of the better days of the last few weeks we decided we wanted to be outside ( rather than the Trafford Centre). So, duly caught the bus and joined the hordes. Actually we had a lovely day. We walked to Selfridges and whilst looking round the food hall decided to have lunch at the Champagne Bar (and pretend to be sophisticated). We then went outside and went for a trip on the Manchester Eye (like London but smaller!). A quick stop at Hotel Chocolat, a walk round the farmer's market and time spent watching children run in and out of the water feature

OK, here goes, have calmed down enough know to not exactly laugh about things - but at least to put them into perspective. Step-son was charged with house-sitting whilst we were on holiday. Trust was given for him to look after the house, feed the birds, water the plants etc and in return he was left a fridge/freezer full of food, a crate of beer, comfort and access to equipment to work on his music production. What could be better - he gets a retreat away from his siblings, peace and quiet etc and we get peace of mind knowing that the house is safe!!! Oh dear!!!! Returned home a day earlier than expected due to mother-in-law being poorly. OMG! It wasn't so much the state of the house (4 black bin bags of rubbish in the kitchen, a floor that would rival super glue in its adhesiveness, 6 x 2 litre bottles of sherry - empty!) that aroused suspicion - what first drew our attention to the fact that all may not be well was a tube of superglue - obviously purchased in our absence. What

(well 6 an d a dog actually!). After the success of last year we decided to go ahead and book another holiday together in norfolk - this time in Holt . The dog disney forgot to draw (aka Bruno) was back to f ull strength after the disaster at the beginning of last year's hols, weather was forecast to be a good week - what could go wrong? Well this year - Intrepid Cliff Boy injured his back on a mission (a run in with the Wii personal trainer) putting paid to any further plans to scale the cliffs of Norfolk, then ICB's car wouldn't start on the morning of the journey down. However, these problems were not insurmountable, so 4 adults, 2 kids and 1 dog took off for an adventure (of course remembering to pack heaps of tomatoes and lashings of ginger beer!). Arrived at the rented house - omg! Such opulence for a holiday let - we were blown away with it all - stunning. Rooms large enough to find a quiet place to read, daydream, converse. A dining room that wouldn't have been

Ok, one week into a three week holiday, had major plans have actually done very little. Have had late nights - I'd forgotten what it was like to stay up late - very decadent!! Made better by the fact that I have no alarm call in the morning. I have slept in, read in bed, watched TV in bed (without being ill!!!). I have "pottered" - I love pottering - mooching about the house doing "stuff". I've cleaned my jewelry, sorted out the photos in the photo frames. I've been out for lunch and even breakfast. I will admit to opening work emails every day - but tried very hard not to respond. The best thing is that the weather appears to be picking up - hurrah! Had a lovely walk around Pennington Flash and then tonight taking Bruno for a walk the sunset was stunning - a sign of days to come I hope as I continue my holiday. I intend to continue in the same vein as before - with some time away in Norfolk too - beach walks, shopping in Norwich, might even do a spot o

OK, so we bought a tent!! After years of debating whether we should get a campervan, or a static caravan and always deciding that (a) we had better ways to spend money we don't have and (b) we wouldn't use them anyway cos by the time the weekend comes around there are always chores to do around the house and we are too tired from working all week - we stopped talking about it. Anyway, husband decided out of the blue that he wanted a tent for his upcoming birthday. Duly researched best ones, spent a fortune on all the bits - how come you need to much stuff to get back to nature?? And, apologies everyone, but it's rained eversince!! We haven't had chance to go anywhere in it yet. We did manage to get it up in the back garden at the weekend (well saturday didn't rain at least) and what the "instructions" (hardly!) said would take 15 minutes took us an hour and a half and a near divorce. Once it's up it's quite exciting to think that we could actually

What a weekend - full of high and lows. I said goodbye to a special person on friday, not sure of the correct term - ex brother-in-law probably. My sister's first husband and the father of my two eldest nieces died aged 52 from cancer and his funeral was on friday. As with all complicated family dynamics, I lost touch with him when he and my sister divorced, but kept up with his life through the girls. My memories of him are those of a teenager and young adult where he patiently allowed my to go out with him and my sister on dates, picked me up from college at weekends to take me home for a visit and entertained me and various boyfriends over the years as I tried to be a "grown-up". I wanted to go to the funeral - to say goodbye and to support the girls through this - but I found it more emotional that I expected to (should have taken a tissue - one was discretely handed to me from the row behind!). It was a humanist ceremony and woodland burial - very special, but sad no

Took advantage of the gorgeous weather we've been having lately and was invited by some friends to take the dogs for a walk out at Rivington . We parked up at the little barn and walked through the woods down to the Folly - which is apparently a copy of Liverpool Castle with views of the r eservoir on one side and the Pike and winter hill on the other side. From here we walked down to the reservoir and walked alongside, occasionally going to the water's edge to let the dogs have a quick paddle and a drink. The evening was so peaceful, a few other walkers and cyclists were about, but the sun was warm, the sky blue and the company good. You'd never have thought we could be here up north at 8pm on an early June evening. A great evening was had by all.

My american relatives have been visiting these last two weeks. Auntie Gladys (she of the famous family potato salad recipe), her son and grand-daughter and her cousin. They have tried to fit in the whole british experience in 11 days - no mean feat!! After braving our roads with their hire car - I did try to explain that although places are technically a lot closer together here than in the states - our traffic and road systems can add hours to a journey they still managed to pack in some areas of Scotland, York, Lincolnshire and Stratford before coming back to me in the north. I tried hard to think of what would be the ultimate English experience and finally settled on taking them for afternoon tea at the Midland Hotel in Manchester. After a few anxious moments - the taxi let us down so I had to drive in Manchester and find somewhere to park (thank heavens for satnav!) and braving downpours of torrential rain which miraculously stopped as we got out of the car, we walked a few 100 y

Well! Last night I did something that I have wanted to do for years - I was "taken under" (not sure of correct term) Past Life Regression hypnosis . How fascinating. For years I have had a keen interest in past life stories and indeed have a strong belief in re-incarnation, but I never found anyone who could take me through this. Anyway, during a chance conversation with a friend I found that he was trained to use regression hypnosis within his role at a palliative care hospice and part of his training did involve past life regression (although not much call for that on the NHS!). Unfortunately for him I think I may have backed him into a corner with my enthusiasm and he agreed to try it with me. Having intrigued my facebook friends with a teasing build up to the session - I sat down with him last night as he explained any of the risks involved - might not work, might be distressing etc - but ultimately I would be in control. He explained the expectations arising from exp

Was lucky enough to be invited to Alton Towers at the weekend to help celebrate a 7th birthday - what fun! I jumped at the chance but made it very clear that I didn't do scary, high, up and down or even upside down. I'm ok with spinning and I was happy to hold the bags oh, and I didn't do "wet" either. Perhaps not helped by husband suggesting that I beware of any rides that conquer gravity in fear of bursting open from my operation scar (ever the optimist!!). Little did I realise what the power of persuasion and the potential humiliation of being outsmarted by a 9 year old!!! The day itself turned out to be another lovely spring day with the promise of sunshine and clear skies - and my decision not to take a jacket was vindicated. Found the way there fine with the trusty satnav, parking no problem. First stop the monorail from the car park to the entrance gates - explained that this would probably fulfill my excitement quota for the day. Straight into the park -

Went away for the Easter weekend to Wales - what fantastic weather we had. We were up a mountain in a chalet (a v. steep 1in1 hill had to be conquered before reaching the place) near Aberdovey . The views of the estuary were tranquil and only the sounds of birdsong, sheep and children playing could be hear d. Just what we needed. Did a bit of beach activity one day for Bruno and some sightseeing - but mainly sitting out on the balcony in the sun, chatting, drinking, eating (lots) and general merriment. Then we came home and yesterday my car alarm decided to go off -- and off----and off. I quickly became the neighbour from hell as we tried everything to stop it. I couldn't control it from the key thingy. Even the man from Green Flag didn't know what to do so we ended up disconnecting the battery until I could take it in to a garage today. Anybody know how to disarm an Audi A4 alarm??

I've been teaching my family to use wikis - what a great application. We have decided to have a big get together for Halloween weekend and, as I've been off work for a while convalescing, I was tasked with finding somwhere that would take 16 of us and 5 dogs - no easy task I can tell you! Finally found a fantastic place in Lincolnshire where we have rented 3 apartments in the grounds of an old hall- but where was everyone to sleep to ensure any room sharing preserved modesty and the 5 dogs were spread out? After a few emails backwards and forwards between everyone - waiting for replies and making sure that everyone had access to all the info, I suddenly had a brainwave (doesn't happen very often). Why not use a wiki. I have been using these with both undergraduate and post graduate students and on abstracts and publications with colleagues in NZ and USA successfully for some time as a means of sharing and networking so thought I'd give it a go. I set one up ( very ea

Am very excited today. I went to the bank to set up a business account for Yo-Yo Consultancies (links to our website but still a work in progress) It feels rather strange - almost like I signed my life away - but am very excited all the same. We have currently set the business up as a Partnership as I have joined with another occupational therapist and, both being employed full time, we will have only limited opportunity to develop the business into a major limited company at this stage. Yo-Yo will be an additional string to our bow and will initially concentrate on time limited contracts that offer advice, guidance and project management to occupational therapy related projects. The business will start at the beginning of April with a contract from the College of Occupational Therapists to consider the issue of the Advanced Practitioner role - so all systems go in the next few weeks - luckily I should be back to full speed by then. It is really quite daunting to be asked what the bu

Yay I can now walk around like a " normal" human being without pain - albeit rather slow. I posted a status update on my Facebook page recently that said I was enjoying sauntering in the early spring sunshine - and a friend posted a comment that the word 'sauntering' isn't used much these days. But sauntering is most definitely what I am doing. I am forced to walk quite slowly and am therefore re-experiencing the joy of aimlessness and daydreaming. Normally I walk with purpose - to get to somewhere, to fetch something, always with a time limit on it (have never been one to walk as a hobby - this too is purposeful walking and tends to involve more hiking and treking than I can possible find enjoyable). I'm talking about aimless sauntering, the sort of pace one uses when walking home from school. Whilst engaged in this activity (admitedly this takes place in the cemetary as it's the nearest - being opposite the house) I have read the old stones and wondered

Well, the op did take place and I have not been able to sit for too long at my computer until today so haven't been able to post. After two weeks of walking like Mrs Overall in Acorn Antiques I can now stand up straight and walk a little way without doubling over. I have now experienced the "magic curtain" you know the one - the curtain that swishes round a hospital bed and suddenly makes everything secure, safe and confidential! This is certainly a strange phenomena from a patient perspective. The curtains of other's hold a fascination for the bedridden yet conscious - what is going on behind the barrier, who are those people who arrive with clipboard in hand and "swish" and then disappear into another world? As new patients arrive the magic curtain is "swished" immediately - to protect them from prying eyes or to keep them from escaping I wonder? Regardless of what professionals might believe about privacy and dignity - the curtains DON'T do

So, the NHS gets another chance! Tomorrow I go in for my op - fingers crossed that they go through with it this time - I don't think I could deal with another cancellation. I had occasion to test the NHS again last night and am sad to say that they failed yet again. I cut my finger on a steak knife whilst cutting a bit of beef for a sandwich - yes I know - not the right tool for the job- and predictably I sliced through the top of my finger. Now, those of you who know me will know that this is not an unusual occurrence - have had more stitches in various fingers than a tapestry - and no - I guess I'll never learn. Anyway, anyway after 2 hours it still hadn't stopped bleeding (despite being wrapped in a teatowel - ancient, little known remedy!) so decided that could just about drive to local hospital to get it seen to. Duly did - disturbed the dog who was snoring away on the sofa and thought he was settled for the night and arrived into an empty carpark. Now you'd have

For well over a week now we seem to have been bombarded from all (media) angles that the country is covered in snow, everywhere is snowed in, don't leave the house unless you really have to. We've heard that this is the worst snow "we've" had for 18 years blah, blah, blah. When what they really mean is the South East (and some areas of the midlands) Now, I like a good read of the newspapers as well as the next person, I also like to watch the BBC News and Sky News channels at least once during a day, however these recent reports have only gone to serve the view that the north/south divide really is fit and well. I remember not that long ago (maybe about 8 years) we had that much snow that I couldn't get my car up the road to my house - don't remember that being headline news for days. I watched with interest a reporter, huddled into a quilted coat using language such as "chaos" and "devastation" and behind her was a row of cottages with

There I was in my gown and surgical stockings having not eaten or drunk anything for 13 hours when the Assistant Directorate Manager (about 12 years old!) came to me as I sat by the bed waiting to go down to theatre and told me they'd run out of theatre time and would therefore be cancelling my op and would definitely reschedule within the next 28 days - off you go home now!!! I was devasted and extremely angry - and almost told them what they could do with their operation - but then quickly realised that was probably a bit too petulant and would be cutting my nose off to spite my face. I left as quickly as I could, got home and felt extremely sorry for myself for a few hours. Now I am trying to get back to some semblance of normality whilst I wait to go back in in three weeks time ( and counting). How cruel of them to put me through this - so much for the new improved NHS is all I can say ( well, is all that is printable anyway!).

Have been slowly preparing myself for the op - passed the health assessment so all being well will go in a few days time. Have begun to get a bit nervous now - made worse by the husband asking where all the important documents can be found if "the worst" happens and do I want to be buried or cremated! Nice one. There also appear to be many more stories in the media about hospital errors, operating table disasters, MRSA etc etc - or perhaps I just a bit more sensitive at the moment! I must admit it is hard to concentrate on much else now - and I still have 3 more working days to go - goodness knows where my head will be at. I suppose I ought to get used to it as the symptoms of the menopause will be hot on my heels - get ready for forgetfulness, hot flushes and general irritation. Oh the joys of woman hood!!! I intend to write of my experiences - if you can bear to read it here. On a more positive note - the business that has been in the pipeline for a couple of years has fina