Monday 11th January

Tried to think what I have been doing since last Wednesday, but it has just passed me by in a cocoon of deafness, which has got worse.   When I went last Friday hoping Cleda would finally be able to finish clearing my ears she said after looking, that I really need to see an audiologist, so I have an appointment at 9 o'clock tomorrow, Tuesday.   Apparently they have more up to date equipment than simply a syringe, so I am hopeful.

 

I really haven't been out at all, I didn't even go to church on Sunday as I knew I wouldn't hear anything.   The weather has been very bright and sunny, but cold.   I am still engaging myself on knitting scarves for the seniors.  Kate likes to use them for bingo prizes, but I'm thinking of trying to suggest that it is NOW that they need them, when it is so cold out.  But once I hand them over I feel it is up to her, and I don't like to interfere.

 

I haven't even been looking at television because it is too much for Bubbles, with the volume on maximum - she bolts out of the room.

 

So hope to come back tomorrow a bit more cheerful.

ps I think when I don't write for a few days people give up looking - and I don't blame them.  Only two people looked yesterday.    But I will still carry on for the two.   I will just give up when no one looks.

 

Epiphany

And Day Three of the ears saga, yawn, yawn.  I was there again today, and if anything my hearing is worse than it has ever been.  I can't even hear the television turned up to its maximum setting.   Cleda is getting some stuff out, but it is still very impacted on the ear drum.   I will be so glad to be able to hear again.   And all this is probably far too much information, more than you want.   Let us hope when I go back tomorrow there is some break through.

 

I went out to the car this morning for my appointment at the hospital, and the battery was absolutely, totally dead.  I'd left the lights on.   I think I am getting too old and confused to look after myself, I should be in an assisted living facility.   Anyway, Terry sorted it out for me, got the car going then I followed him back to his shop where I waited for about an hour while he charged it up.   And he didn't charge me, bless him.   I got to the hospital and ear syringing this afternoon.

 

I was in two minds about going to Emmanuel for the meal this evening as it is difficult hearing what people are saying to me, so I arrived late when everyone was eating, and as there wasn't a spare seat at a table I sat by myself on the sofa, and Kevin came to see if I was alright.   There was a candlelit service afterwards for Epiphany, but I thought that as I wouldn't hear anything anyway I came home.

 

The news is pretty much dominated by the Presidential campaign.   Trump is getting desperate and suggesting Cruz should drop out of the race because - although a US citizen of an American mother - he was born in Canada, and that apparently should disqualify him, according to Trump.  Never mind that he has been a Florida senator for goodness knows how long, and no one has ever worried.

Obama is stirring up controversy, tightening up gun control, so everyone is rushing to appear on television protesting it is their Second Amendment right under the Constitution  to bear arms, "to protect their families".   I don't know why they bother with a police force, quite frankly.  Maybe they need a few around to help old ladies cross the road and tell the time, but they could save trillions of dollars by drastically cutting back the police force, just let everyone have their gun and get on with it, and protect themselves.

Obama became emotional at a recent meeting on the subject, actually dashing away the tears.  The mothers in the audience were holding up pictures of their dead children.   We didn't actually see that though, the camera was focused entirely on Obama.

Monday 4th January

There is nothing wrong with Bubbles but she seems to have entered a new phase in life.   Apart from about half an hour in the middle of the day, she sleeps all the rest of the time, on my bed or a sofa.  Of course I don't know how awake she is at night when I'm asleep.  She is usually asleep when I drop off.

Here she was last night, tuckered out after her day gone AWOL.

 

I have lately become increasingly hard of hearing, it is due to a build up of wax in my ears which I periodically have syringed out.   Nurses in England are not keen on doing it anymore - due to the danger of perforating the ear drum if one is not careful - so I am very grateful that the occupational health nurse at the hospital is prepared to do it for me.   It is not the first time she has done it, and she is very, very careful.   It took her an hour this morning, and I still need to go back tomorrow after putting more drops in today.

 

While I was out I stopped by the Senior Centre to pick up a calendar of their events this month - although I don't participate in anything I like to know what I'm missing. And Kate gave me this.......

 

This is for making afghans for the seniors and knitting scarves to keep their little necks warm, ha ha. 

 

I noticed on the calendar of events that it is the Kiwanis bake sale tomorrow, and although I don't go to their meetings any more (8.30 is too early for me on these chilly mornings, and it is even earlier when picking up donuts from Tecumseh) I like to contribute in a very small way to the good work they do, so this evening I knocked up some moist fruit cakes.   And I might do some shortbread.

I've just taken this and it is something else she is finding harder to do, climb on to the arm of the sofa beside the computer desk.   You'd think, wouldn't you, that she would jump on the sofa then on to the arm, but she doesn't, she struggles to jump up on to the arm from the floor.

 

 

She's back!!!!!!!!

I'd just hit 'publish' and wandered to the front door, looked out, and there is she was, sitting on a chair on the porch - which is unusual - normally when it is as cold as this, she would be sitting outside the front door, waiting to come in.  I even had to go over to the chair and urge her to come in.   So goodness knows what she has been up to.  

Later Sunday - Bubbles

I fear she has gone.   Still no sign of her.  She's never done this before......even when she goes outside she doesn't prowl round the neighbourhood, she never goes further than the porch, or underneath the house, so I am suspecting she is under the house.  

 

I am wracking my brains because I can't remember letting her out -  because it is so cold out I wouldn't usually go back to bed, or settle down to anything else, I'd give her a few minutes then see if she wanted to come in again, so I spent most of the day thinking she was curled up indoors, and would soon appear, but  realistically I have had to give up the notion that she is hiding somewhere in the house.  There isn't a single corner left I haven't looked in. .   So I'm baffled and confused, as well as missing her.

 

When I asked Donna is she could remember how old she is, she said she thought she was born when her daughter - who is now 22 - was about 5.   So I know she is old for a cat, and I have been mentally preparing myself for this.  Increasingly she has spent longer and longer periods sleeping.

Sunday afternoon

This is a bit earlier in the day than I normally post, but just wanted to get it off my chest.  

Bubbles has gone missing.  She wasn't outside, it is too cold, but I haven't seen her since about 5.30 this morning and it is the middle of the afternoon.   I keep going round and round the house every half hour, looking in every closet, behind every piece of furniture, and of course I open the front door as well, just to make sure she is not outside.

It is beyond bewildering, beyond belief.  I know I thought she was a gift from God, but it is a bit of a stretch to think He has taken her back, she's been resurrected and gone straight to kitty Heaven.

I hope with the next post I will have some good news.

New Year's Day

It has been cold but very bright and sunny, which has melted the snow away, and I can now unlock my car door.  Not that I went anywhere.   

 

I think this must be the first year since I don't know when, that I haven't seen the New Year in.  I fell asleep in front of the television.   I was thinking wistfully of Andy Stewart who was always on television on New Year's Eve.  Is he still around?

 

New laws come into effect today, and it is a big deal that in Texas handguns no longer have to be concealed - one can swagger about with it on one's hip.  Coming from a country where even the ownership of a hand gun is illegal I have a problem getting my head around this.   Road rage incidents are bad enough without adding hand guns to the mix.

 

So not done a lot today.  I've got two books on the go.  One is about the Profumo affair.  Remember that?  You would if you're English, my age, or a historian.  The book is very badly written, the author - irritatingly - obviously delights in throwing in the most obscure words I've never heard of, and I have got a fairly reasonable vocabulary.   But I will persist until the bitter end, I always feel I have to

finish a book, and I like that it is taking me back to the 60s and all the politicians in Macmillan's government who used to be household names.

 

But I did start another one I picked up at the Dollar Tree (all my books come from the Dollar Tree) it's called "What Happened"   Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception.  That is more promising.

 

So wishing you all, friends and loved ones, a Happy New Year!