After 4 months and 70 sessions, I have been discharged from the tender clutches of the Physio team. I have almost normal movement - although apparently I still walk like Quasimodo - I do hope they were exaggerating in their mime.
I now have to spend the next 6 months jumping up and down to build bone mass before another op next autumn. At this stage they will take out what ever plates or pins aren't necessary so I need to jump up and down to strengthen the bones prior to this. I will keep my bouncing within the privacy of our own home - as this is not something I would inflict on neighbours.
Ian is pleased too as this means he no longer has to do the return trip twice a day to drop me off and pick me up. So hurrah all round!
Unfortunately today didn't go quite as planned - I had to see the consultant and as this can take some time with x-rays and such like, I said I'd ring Ian when I'd finished. Ian gave me his phone to take - however he didn't tell me what the pin number was on his phone so I had to guess. I tried guessing three times and then it blocked so I couldn't use it. I tried the phone at the hospital and it only took cards, so I had to walk into Llerena. I limped into the square and couldn't find a phone - so if in doubt ask a policeman. He pointed me towards a phone which also only took cards, so just as I was about to try to buy a telephone card whilst mentally running through the 'discussion' I would have with Ian about him not sharing his PIN number with me when I saw a lad from the village. At amazing speed I through myself at his car and I think asked him if he was going to Villagarcia. Once his slightly startled expression passed, he seemed quite happy for me to get into his car, as he parked and went off to do his shopping. We then go down to Dia where he does more shopping. Oh, and to the furniture shop whilst he does even more shopping. Trust me to pick on someone who was just coming into Llerena rather than going home.
Eventually I arrived back into the village although before getting home I was taken into someones house so she could show me around it. She had lived there for 87 years! Eventually I arrive at the house, only to find that we have to head off back into Llerena because Ian wanted to get his phone unlocked - and apparently it was MY fault that the phone was blocked and not HIS for not telling me the number!!! Sigh.
We then headed back to Villagarcia as Ian forgot to bring his passport and they needed this number to unlock his phone.
We then headed back into Llerena just as the shop was closing for siesta. I think, however, the look on Ian's face persuaded them that perhaps now was not the time to start with good time keeping.
The weather seems to be warming quite rapidly now, it is 4 o'clock and 25 in the shade. Even my workshop is in double figures. It is noticeably lighter in the mornings and evenings too - at 8 when I started at physio it was like the middle of the night - however this morning the sun was just up.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
storks fighting
They look such friendly birds - however these two appeared to be in constant combat. Well, I think it was combat...
Friday, February 16, 2007
Private Viewings
As you may have noticed, through a blip we became a public blog for a period of time – not sure how long however.
Well why does that matter I hear you cry?
Perhaps the following might give you an idea as to why certain things are best left private.
We think that a new romance is blooming in the Pullen Household. Let’s just say we have been aware of little signs and indicators that loves young dream may be within our four walls. And indeed, this week our assumption was proved correct.
We had noticed that Schnookems and Davy have become increasingly close, and whilst they are similar insomuch as they both have taken on the appearance of a football with head and legs, they have also started taking themselves away down the other end of the house for quite little moments together.
On Valentines Day we saw them together; and Davy was licking Schnookems’s ear. Needless the overall tenderness and romance of the situation drove one of us to tears.
I went into the kitchen leaving Ian to retrieve what ever it was that was ‘in his eye’ making it water.
Well why does that matter I hear you cry?
Perhaps the following might give you an idea as to why certain things are best left private.
We think that a new romance is blooming in the Pullen Household. Let’s just say we have been aware of little signs and indicators that loves young dream may be within our four walls. And indeed, this week our assumption was proved correct.
We had noticed that Schnookems and Davy have become increasingly close, and whilst they are similar insomuch as they both have taken on the appearance of a football with head and legs, they have also started taking themselves away down the other end of the house for quite little moments together.
On Valentines Day we saw them together; and Davy was licking Schnookems’s ear. Needless the overall tenderness and romance of the situation drove one of us to tears.
I went into the kitchen leaving Ian to retrieve what ever it was that was ‘in his eye’ making it water.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Flight fun
I have just returned from a trip to the UK. I booked the flight through the Iberia website and was surprised to find that the flight was not an Iberia flight but operated through Clickair - a budget airline which Iberia have a 20% stake in. The flight was a good price €160 all in, so I wasn't too worried.
Until the flight was delayed.
There was apparently an indefinite delay at Seville. After 4.5 hours, at 6 o'clock, they told us the flight would not go till 10.00 so a lot of people left the airport for something to eat. About 5 minutes later they said the flight was going NOW, and we were rushed through. Well, those that were left.
Rushed not onto the plane, but onto a bus and then driven around Seville Airport for 20 minutes! People who appeared to know about these things said it is common practice with delayed flights to do this. Compensation is payable after 5 hours and this is timed not to the time of take-off but the time you are checked through the final check at the gate. Therefore although we didn't take off until over 5 hours over the scheduled time, our trip round the airport meant that we didn't qualify for compensation. Hmmmm. I don't know about this - but it did seem strange to be going quite so many times round the Seville airport perimeter!
I also wonder about the message we were given about flight not going till 10, as surely the plane must have been at the airport when this was given. Was it happy co-incidence that the plane that they replaced the broken plane with was much smaller than the original and that there were many less people to go on it as many people had left the airport?
Obviously this meant that I missed the last coach to Bournemouth, however luckily have some friends who have just moved near Heathrow so I was able to give them a call. Needless to say I had not paid any attention to where I was - not even knowing which terminal I had come in at so they told me to stay where I was and they would find me. I was by the arrivals section and I noticed that a man with exactly the same suitcase as me kept sidling up to me and looking at me in a meaningful way. I kept thinking that he was going to tell me that red-fox was running or something equally spy-like. I ignored him, thinking that if he was a spy he was pretty rubbish - and how unlucky that they picked on a case like mine for the 'drop'. All of a sudden another man with the same case poked his head out of the Arrivals hall and started bellowing at the first man. At this stage I any thoughts of them being spys went out the window - I am sure even the most inept spy would not shout across heathrow for the man to come and change the b****dy case.
What had happened I guess, was man 1 had taken the wrong case and was told to come back and change it. He thought he was supposed to swap with me and I ignored him. Man 2 was patiently waiting for his case to be returned and finally cracked with impatience and decided to make his presence known in no uncertain terms.
Anyway - sucker for punishment that I am I have booked another flight with clickair for later this month. I wonder how eventful that flight will be!
Until the flight was delayed.
There was apparently an indefinite delay at Seville. After 4.5 hours, at 6 o'clock, they told us the flight would not go till 10.00 so a lot of people left the airport for something to eat. About 5 minutes later they said the flight was going NOW, and we were rushed through. Well, those that were left.
Rushed not onto the plane, but onto a bus and then driven around Seville Airport for 20 minutes! People who appeared to know about these things said it is common practice with delayed flights to do this. Compensation is payable after 5 hours and this is timed not to the time of take-off but the time you are checked through the final check at the gate. Therefore although we didn't take off until over 5 hours over the scheduled time, our trip round the airport meant that we didn't qualify for compensation. Hmmmm. I don't know about this - but it did seem strange to be going quite so many times round the Seville airport perimeter!
I also wonder about the message we were given about flight not going till 10, as surely the plane must have been at the airport when this was given. Was it happy co-incidence that the plane that they replaced the broken plane with was much smaller than the original and that there were many less people to go on it as many people had left the airport?
Obviously this meant that I missed the last coach to Bournemouth, however luckily have some friends who have just moved near Heathrow so I was able to give them a call. Needless to say I had not paid any attention to where I was - not even knowing which terminal I had come in at so they told me to stay where I was and they would find me. I was by the arrivals section and I noticed that a man with exactly the same suitcase as me kept sidling up to me and looking at me in a meaningful way. I kept thinking that he was going to tell me that red-fox was running or something equally spy-like. I ignored him, thinking that if he was a spy he was pretty rubbish - and how unlucky that they picked on a case like mine for the 'drop'. All of a sudden another man with the same case poked his head out of the Arrivals hall and started bellowing at the first man. At this stage I any thoughts of them being spys went out the window - I am sure even the most inept spy would not shout across heathrow for the man to come and change the b****dy case.
What had happened I guess, was man 1 had taken the wrong case and was told to come back and change it. He thought he was supposed to swap with me and I ignored him. Man 2 was patiently waiting for his case to be returned and finally cracked with impatience and decided to make his presence known in no uncertain terms.
Anyway - sucker for punishment that I am I have booked another flight with clickair for later this month. I wonder how eventful that flight will be!
Bob
Bob is demonstrating why it is not a good idea to take pics of white dogs against a white background! He is wearing his coat as he has been scratching behind his shoulder and making himself sore.
We've bought some clippers so we'll be keeping them with short back and sides which will help with stopping itches. Clippers are great but dogs still wiggle!