A challenging Easter

With 2 fractures in my right hand, last week was a challenge.  It was little things like drying my hair, getting lids off bottles and pressing the button on my electric toothbrush that I found difficult. The pain was also bad so I had to up the pain killers.  If that weren’t bad enough, 3 days of wearing a sling, well Sue’s old tights to be accurate, kicked off my sciatica.  The pain went through into my legs which I have never had before.  Add into the equation, 3 ulcers in my mouth which were so sore that I couldn’t put in my false tooth for 4 days, well suffice to say, I felt a little sorry for myself.

Danielle came round on Tuesday to do my hair which badly needed doing but 2 hours of sitting on my cheap, hard kitchen chair wasn’t very comfortable with my bad back.  Still at least I got my hair washed and blow dried without any agro.  After the hair I took myself off to the gym.  I had only been on the cross-trainer for 2 minutes and my hip hurt like hell, thought I would have to give up but I worked through the pain and managed to do 50 minutes.  Something is better than nothing I suppose.

On Wednesday I picked up my niece Louise from the Co-op in Wolverton and we went over to see her sister and the kids in Broughton.  Louise has got a new puppy, Bailey and she took him to show the kids for the first time.  The puppy was called Bailey and was only 8 weeks old but don’t ask me what breed it was.  Sure it was cute, but Louise didn’t have a clue about rearing a puppy and I am not sure makes the best sense when living in a cramped flat without a garden.

Anyway the puppy went crazy with the little ones and as soon as we got through the door, Bailey had jumped up, managing to scratch all their faces.  Needless to say they all burst into tears and it was mayhem.  Bailey, who is not yet house trained, peed on the new rug several times and did a poop which really stank.  The visit was not really a success and we left after an hour and a half.

I had intended dropping Louise back off in Wolverton but somehow ended up in the pet shop in Westcroft so young Bailey could have his first injections. Every man, woman and their dog were there and we queued for an hour and a half.  Not my idea of fun and I was glad when I finally got home.  It’s not working out very well with my nieces, conversations are strained and awkward and I feel that I can’t make up for the last 20 years.  They come from a world that is completely alien to me. It doesn’t help that I have severed all contact with their dad.  He sent me a text asking if I would act as guarantor for a flat rental and when I politely refused; he sent me a couple if abusive texts. I have deleted him on Facebook and deleted his number.

On Thursday I went to the Fracture Clinic at MKG for a 9.10 am appointment.  The clinic was packed with standing room only.  Luckily I saw the doctor quite quickly; she took off my splint and taped up my fingers which hurt.  Apparently I need to keep my fingers taped for 4 weeks when I have to then return to the clinic.  Then they should be able to tell me how much movement and rotation I will have.  After the hospital, I did some shopping in Newport, went home for some lunch and then went to the gym for an hour.  Sue & Ian invited me for dinner. I did feel a little guilty because they had a horrendous drive back from Southampton (4 hours) and they’d only arrived at the house 5 minutes before I got there.  Sue called a beautiful dinner but it wasn’t a late night as they were both knackered,

I am sure Phil would have loved to have chilled on Good Friday but it wasn’t allowed because I had a stack of jobs for him to do.  He was very reluctant but he managed to get things done.  Rental and Company accounts are now all done and by Friday lunch time Phil had managed to get half the attic floor boarded. On Friday evening we walked to Newport Pagnell as we’d been invited to Ed’s (Maddy & Steven’s son) 30^th birthday party at Robinson’s wine bar.  We went a funny way and it took us over an hour.  The party didn’t start until 7.30 pm and we were early so we stopped for a drink at The Coachmakers.  The house wine was nice but boy what a dive this place is, rough clientele as well and no I don’t mean me and Phil!

I though that Robinson’s wine bar was a strange venue for a party and I was right, being a thin, narrow building, it really didn’t work.  Ed had booked a Michael Buble singer who was brilliant and also a disco and a DJ who was also good.  Just a shame that there wasn’t much room to dance, I gave it a go though.  Unfortunately the food wasn’t served until half nine and I was starving.  The food, curries, rice and bread were a little disappointing, wish I had of sneaked over the road and brought a bag of chips.  The drinks are always expensive at Robbie’s and Phil spent a fortune.  It was a good evening but spoilt at the end by a family fall-out.  I don’t advocate indulging in idle gossip so I won’t spill the beans but I do so hope they manage to sort it out.

It was gone midnight by the time we got home.  I felt fine the following morning but Phil felt rough so I left him in bed and went to Sue’s for a cup of tea.  When I got back to the flat Phil and I went to Wickes to buy more floor boards for the loft but Phil really wasn’t in the mood to fit them. We met Georgina in the Snowzone and we had lunch at the Flame steak grill restaurant.  Certainly not cheap but what we were served, was very nice.  Phil drove Georgina back home to Roade and I went to the gym.  It was gone 4 pm and the late night had begun to catch up with me.

Sad old gits that we are, it would have been so lovely to curl up on the sofa and watch the X-Factor but we’d been invited to Carolyne’s 65^th birthday at her house in Shenley.  Carolyne is one of Sue’s friends so I don’t really know her very well.  The party was fun even though we didn’t really know very many people.  It was another late night which involved more drama.  Unfortunately I was the cause of this drama.  We got a taxi home with Sue and Ian and we hadn’t been in very long when Sue phoned to say that I had gone home with Helens coat which had her house keys in her pocket.  Poor Sue had to turn the taxi round, come back to our flat to pick up the borrowed coat and take it back over to Shenley.  Lucky for me, Sue has a sense of humour and could see the funny side.

We both felt really weary on Easter Sunday morning and would have loved a duvet day but no option because we had promised to go to Melton to take mum out for lunch.  The roads were fairly quiet and speedy Gonzales got us there in just over the hour. We went to The Bowls club for lunch and being Easter it was packed out.  I think mum would have loved us to stay the night but we were anxious to get home.  We were back in MK for 4 pm.

Yesterday morning Phil fitted the rest of the floor boards in the loft.  We decided to go the Super Sausage for lunch/brunch.  We haven’t been there for years; it was busy and more expensive than I remembered.  We went back to the flat and then drove over to Harriet’s flat to get some of our stuff from her attic.  Billy was home from work so he helped Phil, I helped where I could but was limited with my hand.  We pretty much got most of our stuff down and both cars where full.  Of course when we got back to the flat, we then had to take it up the steps and get it up into our loft. Phil did the lions share of the work. It was quarter to five by the time we finished and we were more than ready to chill out and watch some telly.

And it’s another busy one today.  We have a tenant checking out of one of the Oldbrook flats and Phil is meeting the agent for the final inspection at 11am.  The cleaners are going in at midday and Phil and I will back in to see what needs doing after they have finished.  I am hoping that it’s not much.  We have a new tenant moving in on the 1^st of May so at least I have a good window to do works if needs be.  Trouble is, I am knackered before I even begin.