The Creaking Gate Latest,

Since my last blog of April 19th, I've had a fairly torrid time. 

I started well with an outing on April 24th to Hinton Ampner with my Daughter and our friend Rosie. I pottered around with one stick and had regular stops to rest. It was a lovely day, too hot to sit long in the sun, so, I found sheltered spots with dappled sunshine to be best.

My laburnum tree, grown from a seedling, in full flower for the first time this year after just a couple of blooms last year.

However on April 26th disaster. I was suddenly, for no apparent reason, stricken with severe pain in my back and down both legs. I could hardly move. Hardly slept a wink for three days. I rang the surgery for help and on Thursday Doctor Gupta came to help. When I opened the front door a very smart good looking young man stood there, I guessed him to be about 17. However, he soon proved he knew his business and gave me a very thorough examination. Added another pill to the collection I was already taking. This has shown its worth since then enabling me to get some decent sleep. On Friday a senior doctor rang to see how I was. Advised me to carry on with the medication and told me that he would arrange for me to go to hospital for some tests and X-rays. He also said that as the surgery would be closed until Tuesday because of the Bank Holiday, if I felt any worse over the weekend to ring 111.

On Sunday 2nd May I was struggling to do anything so rang 111. Within an hour an ambulance arrived to see if the paramedics could help. They gave me a thorough check over and advised me to increase one of my pain killers to a higher allowable dose. I was then determined to last until Tuesday. Over that week my daughter Sarah gave me some valuable support too.

The doctor rang again early on Tuesday morning to tell me he had arranged for me to go to Basingstoke Hospital and about 5 p.m. it arrived. After the usual checks, we set off and arrived at the hospital around 6 p.m. 

As it was late in the day I thought nothing much would happen. I was very mistaken. During the course of the evening I was examined by several different doctors, had several tests of blood and urine. Was X-rayed and given some strong painkillers. It must have been around 11 p.m. by the time the last visit by a doctor took place. 

The next morning the consultant came to see me and said he would arrange a MRI scan. However I would be able to go home in the meantime. 

All of the staff who attended to me were brilliant, so caring and thoughtful I could not have been treated better. The food wasn't too bad either, my only complaint was that the medium portions I chose were too large.

Alresford Pigs have been most helpful too. Provided me with a walking frame which I found somewhat cumbersome, so they changed it for a wheeled walker with two trays which I have found most useful.

After two nights in Basingstoke Hospital and after various tests I have returned home with the knowledge that there is no sinister unknown infection or a cancer-causing the backache, It is simply the fact that I am wearing out, and the back needs treating with more respect. So I will be changing my lifestyle. to avoid most hard manual labour. (Good excuse?}

Any offers to look after my garden?

I will see how I get on over the next couple of weeks before making any major decisions. In the meantime, thanks to all of you who have sent me messages and offered help in any way.

 May 2nd. I am very restricted on my movements at present so thought I'd try some very local photography. I was too slow to get a picture of the first visitor, a rook. but I did get these of the magpies who came to clear up my leftovers from lunch.

May 10th. Lots more bird activity in the garden. I threw out some cheese and biscuits I'd managed to drop on the floor. Within two minutes several starlings, three Jackdaws, followed by a rook and a couple of magpies. Then some sparrows Should have had my camera ready. Since then I had a Red Kite swoop down and take a piece of fish off the lawn, scattering all the other birds who were feeding.

May 11th. A pleasant surprise this afternoon when Bill and Karen Ragan called to see how I was and we had a nice chat with tea in the garden. They brought me a large pack of biscuits. That was kind, I have made them last and am still enjoying them. 

I have also had visits from Carol & Dav, Sarah (PinkPal), My grandson Hugo, My granddaughter  Zoe with her partner, Andrew Wilcox and numerous times my own Sarah. Thanks to them all for helping me to stay positive.

Thanks to my good friends David & Carol Hadnett I now have upgraded my wheels with a single-seater sports model. It folds too so I will be able to use it in combination with my car.

Eventually I Sarah took me to the hospital for my MRI scan, still no news on the results

Much to my surprise one evening, I sat for three hours watching and listening to Andre Rieu on SKY Arts. https://www.andrerieu.com/en Not only did he and his orchestra keep me entranced with the atmosphere but they played several of my favourites. It was wonderful to see so many of the very large crowd join in but also to see Andre dancing with a 100-year-old lady from the crowd. The ladies in the orchestra were very colourful in their beautiful crinolines. The star of the show was a nine-year-old with a terrific voice.

If you want to have an evening to remember book one of his concerts.

Andrew and Simon took me to The Flower Pots for a chat and a beer (mine zero alcohol) lots of motorbikes there. My first outing in ages.

Success! I have driven into town and collected my prescriptions from the Pharmacy all on my own! 

Then last weekend I drove over to my daughter's to share in a family BBQ.

Sarah's No Mow May Lawn!

Other flowering shrubs in my garden.

Self-sown flowers in my one-time veggie patch.

Gridironman.

"Café à vélos n°5"

Snake-Head Fritillaries.

There has been so little to comment on over the last few weeks but thanks to the relaxing of Covid-19 rues and my gradually improving health I have been able to re-display my Welcome Mat.

My first guests on Tuesday 13th April were Caroline and Ian. It was lovely to see them again and we had a very enjoyable chat in the sunshine. It got so warm that we were soon down to shirt sleeves.

On Thursday for the first time in a year, I went shopping in Tesco's supermarket to restock my cake and coffee. It was quite a new experience for me. I was glad I went as I was able to choose some nice fruit, better than relying in a delivery of uncertain quality items. Though having said that on the whole, the service from Sainsbury's has been excellent.

On Saturday 17th April I had two more cycling pals call for tea and cake. We had a very relaxed chat over a couple of hours, it was almost too hot in the lovely sunshine.

Jo & Babs.

During the last month, I have been severely restricted in how far I can walk due to a tweak in my back but I have managed a couple of half-mile walks. 

I have managed to do some housework but I needed my DDD Mrs. Mop to help me change my sheets. Have almost managed a very small amount of gardening which is ongoing. I've just paused for a break.

Hope to see more of you at "Café à vélos n°5" or alternatively, I can drive to share your garden.

All the best, Gridironman.

Some good days others not so good!

 It has been something of a curate's egg over the past 7 days. 

Last Tuesday I took my daughter for a walk around Hillier's Arboretum. Thanks to my friend Kathy I have joined and as a member I can visit as often as I like and I can take a friend on three occasions. 

We had a very good afternoon enjoying the spell of warm sunshine. We paused a few times to give my back a rest and to have a cuppa and cake. We enjoyed talking to other visitors and members of the staff too, whilst respecting their distance.

I recorded our walk but forgot to turn the recording off so I have had to edit the Strava record. The original showed our ride home, so I have removed that portion.

On Friday I went for my second jab at the Holiday Inn near the Percy Hobbs Roundabout.

All went smoothly and when I got back home I walked into town to collect some pills from the Wessex Pharmacy. I spotted that Dave's Fish & Chips was open for takeaway so picked up a pensioner's portion. It was a good size piece of fish and a very generous portion of chips, so I froze half for future use.

Unfortunately in the evening of Friday my arm began to hurt quite a lot and I felt alternately hot and shivery. I took some paracetamol but slept very poorly as both my shoulders hurt to lay on and sleeping on my back is always a problem. 

I was up and down several times in the night but after a cuppa at 6 a.m. I started to feel better so got back in bed and went to sleep until I was awoken by a knock on the door at 10.30 a.m. A friend calling to check if I was OK!. 

As the day went on I realised that all the pain had gone and I was back to my normal rickety state.

On Sunday I was tempted to go out but decided instead to try and do some gardening. I managed to scarify the front lawn and rake up the loose moss. It took ages as passing folk kept stopping to chat. It was hard work but lovely too.

Today I have been working on my Family History project but i did find time to enjoy a stroll (?) around the block.

Of course, I did find time to watch three rugby matches. Some very good rugby was played too. I always enjoy watching the French when they find their flair. Reminded me of one of my favourite French players Jean Pierre Reeves who was a top flanker for France in the seventies if I remeber correctly. I played the same position when I was at school.

Enough of my prattling, best wishes to you all and don't forget still to "Take Care".

Gridironman.

Good Progress!

 Another week seems to have passed very quickly. I seem to have been quite busy and have enjoyed myself with a variety of activities. 

On Thursday I was tempted to go for a walk but decided instead to get my scarifier out and have a go at removing at least some of the moss from my back lawn. I made good progress, filled my new brown bin three-quarters full and the lawn looking a little more like there is some grass! I did pace myself over a number of short sessions so I didn't overdo it.

On Saturday I decided to investigate Algy's report of there being a new information board about three spitfires crashing near Abbotstone.

Badger Sett.

Badger diggings.

Sunday 7th March I decided to try a little more ambitious walk from Tichborne. Parked by the church and headed SouthWest along a mixture of public footpaths and permissive paths. the going was mainly dry but there were some patches of mud and water especially in field gateways. I was quite warm despite the temperature being only about 6 degrees as I was walking for over a mile alongside a wood. 

 

Map of the permissive path.

Interesting Fungi.

One of the muddy patches.

Old Man's Beard and Catkins.

High seat for shooting. There were three of these alongside the wood.

Sunday's Route.

The weather was fine with some nice sunny spells. The route very quiet, only saw 4 other walkers a couple of partridge. The highlight of the walk hearing a woodpecker drumming. Much as I tried, despite him keeping going for several minutes, I was unable to spot him in the trees.

Because the going was quite rough in places and with muddy patches to work around my pace was quite slow. After the 3.6 miles I was quite tired and hungry and ready for a lunch of baked spud with Coronation Chicken washed down with a tasty beer.

Gridironman.

More Tottering!.

   

Riverside near Easton

Have had a good week with the sciatica gradually becoming less painful. Only two recorded walks as I have been doing a little gardening too. 

One day I walked into the town and back to do a little shopping and return my library books.

My support bubble daughter Sarah and her husband came for lunch on Thursday. I cooked roast chicken with roast spuds, peas and carrots. They had to scrounge puddings!

Yesterday I drove to Easton to walk somewhere different and to give the car an airing. Enjoyed trundling along the lanes at a slow speed pretending I was cycling. A brightly coloured Jay flew past me. 

I stopped to buy a cake at the West Lea Farm Shop and when I got home discovered I had lost my door keys, quickly went back to the shop where I found them on the doorstep. They must have popped out of my pocket as I pulled out my car key. Phew!

Easton Church.

Easton The Old Rectory. A substantial building.

Just missed snapping the heron!

Croci on the bank by the ARC.

Early Primroses.

I hope, like me, you are all keeping well and enjoying whatever you are managing to do.

Gridironman.

One Old Crock Pottering About.

Over the last three weeks my activities I have done very little worthy of comment, but I thought it was about time I let you know how things have been going. Whilst I am still recovering from my tumbles I have in addition had severe sciatica. 

Luckily I have been well looked after by my family and friends. I can manage a mile or two with a walking stick and on Thursday I managed about 1,5 hours gardening with the help of my two grandsons.

I'm sorry to say I am just getting older and all these things do conspire to prevent one from doing many things. 

To keep myself occupied I have been doing a lot of research to update my family tree and to correct errors. I have found quite a few. It is very easy to get two families mixed up as our ancestors often repeated the names in the family so cousins often had the same names making it easy to confuse the line of descent.

Here are the maps of my little walks:_

A massive total of just over 5 miles for the period!

Gridironman.