Date:	2008-05-12 06:53
Subject:	Sunday .. did it happen?
Security:	Public
Mood:	bah!

So dafwarg obligingly spent a couple of hours checking out the tap, discovering, as I thought we might, that we needed the spindles to match the tap handles, going to Bunnings with me to get them, and replacing the leaking tap, and the three other bathroom taps. (Bonus - he got an electric screwdriver he wanted, I found some square ceramic saucers to match the three pots I have to put some cacti in.) But I missed out on the free iris that was being handed out to women customers :(

I vaccuumed the house, did the laundry once the water was back on, made myself a sensible lunch of tuna slices and an approximation of a ceasar salad, fell asleep, dead headed the roses and assorted other garden bits I do to catch the weekly rubbish collection, fell asleep, went to Tomato Lake to leave the gambusia .. people everywhere, it is obviously very popular for BBQs, and it was Mothers Day ... walked round the lake as the sun was setting to find a secluded spot to leave my little fella. Came home, brought in the laundry, fell asleep. Made something to eat in dribs and drabs while watching a dvd and then some tv, fell asleep ... finally gave up went to bed without seeing what I wanted to see.

At least I slept all night! But I woke up feeling that the weekend didnt happen. Life should consist of more than working and sleeping :P

from everyone ..
( tarot thing )

( Friday in Mandurah )

( Wednesday )
( Thursday )

Mango woke me up early. I doubt I will get to the gym today ...

Yes!!!!

no spoilers, just YES!


and stay for the cedits, people, its worth it.

(cross-posted to UserFriendly)

So much for a regular diary ...

So, in reverse order ..
( Monday )
( Sunday )
( Saturday )
( Wednesday to Friday )

Date:	2008-04-26 08:33
Subject:	Heh!
Security:	Public
Mood:	tickled (well, why not?)

My horoscope yesterday:

"The Moon? It is made of green cheese. Everyone knows that. They didn't find any in 1967? That's because they didn't really land there ..."

Date:	2008-04-22 07:23
Subject:	update ... day three of my leave
Security:	Public
Mood:	lazy

On Sunday I did get to Guildford - by a somewhat ciruitous route because I turned the wrong way onto the Tonkin Highway (there are some lovely houses in the hills ...). I did get my dragon. It is flying gently in my side room, the sun glinting off its blue glass wings :) I also acquired acute white teddy bear for my computer collection at work, and two small ornamental mushrooms for the garden. Guildford is looking sad - there used to be a row of shops near teh Town Hall (where the fair was) thathad collectibles and craftstuff and tea shops .. most of them have gone. The pub next to the town hall could do with a major overhaul - it is a scruffy mess. Which is a pity, because the people living around there care a lot about their community and their houses are beautifully renovated heritage stuff.

On Monday I did the laundry, read the best part of a book, made two phone calls to get my oven fixed and the garden rubbishbag removed, put away some winter woolies and looked unsuccessfully for some tracky pants to wear around the house now its cold, and went to the gym.

I still havent repotted the cacti on the front verandah, or done some jigsaw, or done some craft stuff. But I have been sitting around a lot in the sun and feeling laid back. If the oven guy calls to fix a time I might actually get some cooking done evntually. If its not raing all today - speckly showers on the radar this morning - I might get some gardening done .... who am I kidding, I dont need it fine to do the cacti - perhaps that might happen after all :)

I should go to the gym this morning as I have Blues Club tonight. And yesterday I noticed there may be a barre on the wall under the mirror in the heavy weights area - if there are no beefcake males doing their thing in there - more likely in the mornings - I may be able to include a barre section in my workout. Need to take my shoes off to do it right, so its necessary theres no-one else in there.

Mango enjoyed me being home yesterday - he sat out in the garden with me, chased off a visiting black and white moggy, treated my neighbours ginger and white grumpy girl cat with disdain - shes annoyed that she cant come over the fence and use our dirt (theres a DOG in her garden :) ) and then came inside and fell asleep on a chair next to me.

I was planning on going to Mandurah today - to check out the new train line - but I think a fine day would be better - and I would also like to be home to arrange a time for the oven guy. Other things on the todo list .. visit the museum/art gallery in Perth, visit the museums in Freo, hang out in Freo at the markets (need Friday, weekend for that), go for a walk along a beach (havent done that in a while), find a lake or somesuch with gambusia in it so I can find a home for my solitary left-over gambusia (shouldnt really do that I know, but I cant flush the little thing ...). I am going to see IronMan with the Swancon crew.

Note to self: must remember to tell the Club that their webpage has been down 2 weeks now ...

Date:	2008-04-22 06:51
Subject:	petrol ... *jawdrop*
Security:	Public
Mood:	bugger ...

In my email update from Fuelwatch this morning:

Most Caltex sites are hiking their ULP prices tomorrow by up to 13 cpl to 152.9 cpl. This signals the start of a new price cycle, so today or tomorrow might be a good time to fill up your tank. Tomorrow there will be over 215 sites selling below tomorrow's metropolitan average of 141.5 cpl.

Think I need to fill up today .. which is traditionally a cheaper day anyhow.

This is a conventional warning they put in the notifiers - it usually talks about diesel or autogas ... there have been warnings in the media about the price rise happening, but it was mostly refering to the ES, who do not have Fuelwatch laws yet.

Contrary to media hype, it takes about 2 months for the cost of crude oil (what you see quoted in the news) to filter through to the pump - that is how long it takes to take crude to product (create the different versions of petrol you get at the pump). So what we have here is the result of an enormous price hike just after Christmas. And of course, possibly, the oil companies trying to make a bit more profit befre ES bring in Fuelwatch laws to stop the wild fluctuations in price they are getting. They do work, it is possible to reduce your petrol costs by buying sensibly. There is no way I will be paying 153c. 15c off the going price on a regular basis does represent a saving of sorts, and does convince the oil companies that we do not want to pay higher prices. For some reason BP say that WA is their most profitable state since we brought in Fuelwatch and the shopper docket discounts .... a lot of people must be using BP Woolworths :P

Date:	2008-04-20 09:35
Subject:	First weekend of leave ...
Security:	Public
Mood:	I need to get dressed ...

I cant believe its raining from the south .. what a novel concept :P

Saturday:
First day of two weeks leave. It is very pleasant knowing I can do exactly what I want when I want.

Got woken up as some stupid time by Mango. Eventually got up and let him out, only to find he was hungry, fed him.

Came online. Posted stirring response to ratfan. Did my usual Saturday internet thing - checked JJJ for new mp3s, read all my normal pages, played some Dibblez which for some reason wouldnt hold my score. Set downloads for virus scan updates.

Went to gym, got mildly irritated by the new trainer who was helping new women do stuff .. badly.

Came home to change, have coffee. Tidied up the dining room table and looked at the jigsaw I bought some time ago at the secondhand bookshop in Belmont. It is a market scene by Breughel. Apparently the jigsaw hasnt been done before, although the box is a little bruised. The pieces are still stuck together as they are sometimes when you open a new one. Sorted out the edge pieces and any stuck together bits.

Went shopping. Found that two department stores didnt have what they were advertising (end of the period it was meant to be on special, but this is stuff that is always in demand, so theyd sell anything that didnt get taken during the promotion) so I bought my paper, had a breakfast sort of lunch at my favourite cafe and went elsewhere. Where I spent more money than I should ... but you get that. So because of their promotional purchasing policy, another shop lost sales. I wonder if they ever consider that strategically stockout is not necessarily good business? What goes around comes around even in commerce. Maintaining the flow of customers is good for everyone in the long run.

Went to parents, mowed their lawns. Pa and Ma have recently tried out boules at Subiaco community centre - Pa had to be mildly bullied into going there the first time. Apparently he is now enjoying himself immensely - and they are both showing signs of acquiring that obsessive streak that seems to afflict bowls players. On the other hand, his writing has improved enormously - although he is complaining it trails off into tiny squiggles if he isnt careful - like it didnt do that before! He is still convinced he hasnt made good progress - and its only 4 months since the stroke! He is fine, back to his normal self, is using normal cutlery now (no more fat handles) and complaining that Ma wouldnt let him swim Saturday morning because it was so cold (8C at 7am). There are odd things that still arent quite right, but he will get there.

Came home. A Certain Friend hadnt left a message - so no going out - but I was beginning to get tired so I ate some dinner, watched a bit of tv, and went to bed.

Sunday:
Mango woke me up .. ignored him until gone 6. Eventually I got fed up with the wet nose in my face, followed by sitting on my shoulder purring loudly, so I let him out. What do I have to do to sleep in?

It is cold. There is rain forecast (now happening). I shall go to the gym. I need to do the laundry if it is going to rain off and on for the next few days. Not because I need the clothes, but because I dont really want it hanging in the laundry to dry.

Mango is running in and out as it starts raining - the thunder of little (well, large) paws.

I shall put clothes on and go to the gym - it will warm me up.

Today I shall put away the winter woolies Im not wearing in the plastic crates I bought yesterday, and do some gardening. And the laundry. And watch tv. And do some jigsaw. Maybe even do some of the mending waiting on the table - takeup some jeans for work, etc. And read the books I got from planetfantastic during the week.

That really doesnt sound too exciting .. but I need a rest. Still dreaming about work and waking up stressed because stuff isnt happening the way it should. That has to stop. Perhaps I will go to Guildford and check out their monthly craft fair. Mustnt spend much though - the big craft fair is on next weekend, and I cant miss that. However, I am feeling in need of a new dragon ...

He had the stent put in on Wednesday and the hospital let him come home on Friday - the specialist had said Saturday, but he was reputedly the brightest button in the special care unit and I guess they needed the bed :)

He seems to be fine - his speech has improved and the slight weakness in the facial nerves that was making swallowing difficult seems to have gone.

There is still a lot of work to do - he is religiously doing his hand exercises and other therapies, and it is still tiring, but he is brighter and determined ... and theres nothing like a determined Foster for achieving the (supposed) impossible :)

Meanwhile, they are making plans for their Diamond wedding anniversary on March 13. A lunch party is planned - probably at a local restaurant - including Pas friends from swimming, family, and other friends.

Date:	2008-01-30 20:35
Subject:	Peter update
Security:	Public
Mood:	smiling

He came home from the hospital today. He is using his left hand much better - has almost got knives and forks back to normal - well, almost. He says his next exercise is typing some answers to the emails he has received. His speech is pretty well normal.

On 6 Feb he will go to Charlies for them to put a stent into the artery that blocked - its in his neck so its not all that dangerous. The surgeon is the person who invented the procedure and has done dozens here and in the States. It is a very successful operation and has a very low risk rate. As far as we know it will be a day procedure - if they keep him in it will be preventative only, in case they have disturbed any stuff from the arteries when they do the procedure.

Pa was happy to be home, and made a point of going to see the magpie they have been feeding in the back yard - she was attacked by the other members of her family and lost her tail feathers and a lot of those on her head. She has recovered now, is more or less fully fledged (she still had baby feathers when Pa was taken ill) and looks like a real bird. He has been most anxious to hear how she was going whilst he was in hospital.

Other than that, he was happy to have Ma feeding him again, and is looking forward to going down to the beach. He was pretty tired this evening - he has been going to bed at 8pm in the hospital - but so long as he takes it evenly, it is all getting better from now.

Date:	2008-01-28 09:45
Subject:	Australian artist bags comics prize
Security:	Public
Mood:	smile

Well done Shaun!
clicksy

Pa may be going home soon.

They had a home visit with the OT to make sure everything was safe and she seemed happy with the house.

Pa is walking good, has a lot more energy. His left hand is progressing steadily - he can (just) use a knife and fork ok - using special cutlery with large handles - and he can write again. His writing is shakey and slow but it is recognisably his writing - nowhere near the tight confident modified copperplate he used to have, but it is readable. With practice and possibly a felt tip pen instead of a ballpoint, it will be even better.

They are still expecting to put a stent in the artery to stop any more blockages, but that is a day-surgery (or something short anyway) and it is scheduled at Charlies sometime in February.

I think meeting some other stroke patients who were much worse than him originally and are almost better helped a lot. Also a book lent to him by a swimming friend by a journalist who had a major stroke and recovered has shown him what others have happen to them, helped him put this one into perspective.

He is looking forward to going down to the beach on Saturday mornings to meet the ex-swimmers who gather there to meet the current swimmers. (All older folk who swim at Cottesloe in the sea at 7am - not to be confused with the 6am group, or the Polar Bears from Port Beach ...)

He is also looking forward to Ma's cooking ...

Why is it, the more expensive sprinkler bits are the less time they last? Why should your cheap-and-nasty sprinkler heads, bar sprinklers, timers, all last longer than the classy, twice-as-expensive ones?

Timer, bought new for this house because Id forgotten I had at least three in the basket of sprinkler bits, has just fatally broken above the timer bit. El cheapo from Coles is still going strong ..

El cheapo sprinkler heads to fit the el cheapo bases bought from now defunct WA Salvage, last better than the slightly more expensive ones from Bunnings ...

And dont get me started on the big bar sprinklers (that cover a large square area rocking back and forth) - the most expensive ones usually dont even water a square, their settings are so sensitive they break the first time you use them, and they NEVER cover the area they say. Coles used to do ultracheap placky ones - they lasted forever, covered half the yard (more than advertised) ... and I dont have any left ...

Date:	2008-01-20 19:22
Subject:	Peter-dad
Security:	Public
Mood:	cooking my dinner

Is a whole lot better. He walked me to the carpark this evening, and I turned round and watched him walk back up the walkway to the block - he is walking pretty well normally, although I imagine his stamina isnt what it could be. He says the physio puts him on a bike for 10 mins each session as well as the other stuff he is doing. He says it tires him out - but they do it at the end of his sessions, and the exercises for his hand take an awful lot out of him, so its not surprising he gets tired.

He ate his dinner while I was there and used a fat-handled spoon in his left hand. Its still a little awkward but he manages very well.

His speech gets a little blurred towards the end when he is getting tired, but he talks for longer and it is pretty well normal. The hand is looking more or less normal, although I think he still lacks precise movement in the last two(three?) fingers and he complained that it is not strong enough yet - he didnt quite handle using the spoon to cut the roast chicken he had (if it hadnt fallen apart he wouldnt have cut it at all) or the nice crisp crust on the slice of apricot pie he had for sweet. In fact, if his right hand was stonger, he would handle cutting ok, but hes not using so much as using instead of his left hand has been upsetting his shoulder (result of injury as a child).

He said when Ma came to visit he got to ride in the new car - they took him from the carpark to the front door of the hospital.

Next Friday the OT will take him home for a home assessment to see if they need any modifications before he comes home. They have both mentioned a rail for the back steps and one in the bathroom to help him get in the shower (its in the bath and I find it less than comfortable climbing in ...). Other than possibly a more upright chair as he has at the hospital I doubt he will need more. Some fat handled cutlery wouldnt go amiss even if he is getting better.

Date:	2008-01-12 07:12
Subject:	*lol*
Security:	Public
Mood:	smiling

I love LJs error messages:

"Oops! Looks like Frank's nibbling on the wires. Please try again in a few minutes. If you continue to get this error, let our Support team know. (Frank tells us the servers are delicious.)"

- when I tried to view comments on a previous entry.

Is still getting better - his left hand is definitely a hand now although the fingers arent all as strong as they will be. He demonstrated his "picking up" exercise with the little cups they put meds in, and its definitely getting there. He held a glass of water in two hands, but the left hand was doing the work, the right just there for safety. His speech is pretty well normal now - there is a tiny little area at the corner of his mouth that is still "dropped" but its not that obvious any more. He is still getting tired though (but not as much as he was 2 days ago) - all a function of the nerves getting used to working again.

His room isnt quite as nice as Charlies, but he has the window bed with a view of the trees and grassed area which is very nice. He is sharing with a gentleman who is pretty sick still.

The food, he says, is better. The nurse looking after last night him was friendly and perceptive and will probably get things organised for him. He tends not to say things that he should - kind of "not being a bother" attitude without really saying it - which means that sometimes things that could be fixed dont get done. The staff that organise things like cups of tea also seemed concerned to get things right - he didnt have any of his special teabags so she went off to see if she could find some - but hadnt come back when I left, so maybe it didnt happen. He hasnt been able to drink tea for a while - before he went into hospital it was discovered it was upsetting his tum, so hes been exploring other herbal teas.

He has a timetable for OT and physio sessions and workgroups where they deal with independent living issues - which would be a big issue if he was worse effected than he is. It will all start happening on Monday - they have really only been assessing him since he got there.

was moved to Osborne Park Hospital for rehab today at lunch time. I havent seen him yet because I was way too tired to get there today.

Date:	2008-01-10 05:33
Subject:	Peter-dad ...
Security:	Public
Mood:	up early again

Is doing fine.

His left hand is getting better - he said he cleaned his teeth (with an electric toothbrush) using his left hand without thinking about it - just reflex action, pick up toothbrush and go ... The grip has returned to one, possibly two of the fingers, and he is certainly stronger than he was. His left leg is a little weak - which I dont think he has been aware of until recently - nothing serious, and easily remedied now that he is more mobile. He goes down the hall to the PT's' office to do his therapy now. They are obviously slowly increasing the intensity in preparation for more substantial work. There has been mention that he may not need to go to Osborne Park but could go home with home visits. Home care is used a lot here to reduce the demand for beds - a study done while I was working at Population Health at UWA showed that Home care was beneficial for older patients - they tended to do better in the familiar environment - and it was substantially cheaper to provide visitng nurses and therapists than to keep them in hospital. They use Home care for anyone who has an appropriate home environment and whose condition does not require hospital supervision now.

They have moved him down the hall to a 4-person room - looks like they needed the single for a more serious observation case. He now has a view into the central courtyard - has trees and a pergola.

He is doing around 3 hours physio a day, which make him quite tired, but it is having obvious benefits. He is being allowed to choose more non-diabetic foods as well, as he is getting some substantial sugar lows, even with reduced levels of insulin, but they are monitoring his sugars and he gets midnight snacks of sandwiches and fruit when they are too low. This includes the between-meal Sustagen and other goodies to help him put on weight. So he has been exploring the different breakfast cereals available (think small boxes like they put in multi-packs or you get in hotels). He was disappointed to find that the rice crispies didnt go "snap-crackle-pop" ... more a function of the age of box than any composition I suspect. (ref: Kellogs' slogan)

He is showing considerable interest in the other patients and commenting on the number of medical staff doing Rounds - his specialist surprised him yesterday by showing up at 8am! Charlies is a teaching hospital and the students are starting to return (6th years work 48/52 weeks, 5th years ?44) so Rounds now includes more than the specialist and his assistant. They also use a team approach so the group doing Rounds will include OT and PT in this ward (Neurology - mostly stroke cases).

When I got there yesterday I found a friend from the Blues Club in the bed opposite. I knew PeterK was sick (he has multiple issues), but not that he was in hospital ... Im not sure how they will get on :) PeterK was a singer in a band, now works security, and is totally different to the people Pa normally mixes with. He also knew an ex boyfriend of mine that I never mentioned to the family ... Ah well, you get that :)