Disease, diseases, diseases
Another disease to add to the list. Dupuytrens Disease, or as Google describes it:-
Dupuytren's contracture causes one or more fingers to bend into the palm. The cause is not known. In some cases it remains mild and does not require treatment. If the function of the hand becomes affected then a surgeon may recommend an operation to cut through the thickened tissue causing the contracture, or to cut it out.
I found out about this whilst I was at the clinic for another problem. To do with my hand yes, but not to be told that I am suffering from another feckin' disease.
I was informed that I was being referred to a plastic surgeon. Like, I know that I am not the best looking guy in the eggbox, but a plastic surgeon!!! Apparently they can cut my hand open and slice things or cut things away. Whatever. As long as my hand is OK I don't really care. But, a plastic surgeon. The last time I was sent to one of those guys was to fix my nose after the sixth breakage. I said no as I thought I didn't need it. I had surgery on it but not plastic. No way.
I will just have to wait and see what happens. as long as it doesn't interfere with my plans for my cruise. Talking of cruise. The bill came in for it. I have to pay the full amount by the end of March. On my feckin' birthday to be more precise.
other things happening in my recent life. i have fallen out with the Germans. The Germans who sell stuff on Ebay to be more precise. I recently purchased an item on Ebay from a seller in Germany. He was not registered with Paypal. For those of you who use Ebay you will be aware of the advantages of Paypal. Anyway, this seller insisted on cash payment. I sent cash. He denies receiving it. He asks me what address I sent it to as he has moved address. I told him. He said it was the right address. I suggested to him diplomatically, that if he was registered with Paypal as most Ebayers are, this might not have happened. I am awaiting his reply. I don't hold much hope of receiving my item. By the way, it was a Rolling Stones item.
Feckin' non Paypal German Ebayers. Feckin' stupid me. My loss, but I am still very angry.
Other things happening. I hapened to be in Belfast the other day with my wife. we were going along the Dublin road and came across an Oxfam Book and Music shop. We went in. We looked around. We bought enough reading material for our cruise and some. I think we got enough books between us plus some cd's that I picked up all for £17.00!!! That's the price of 1 brand new book. And it's all going to a good cause. Support the charity shops. They are definitely much cheaper.
Just to let you know. My wife isn't well either. But I am managing OK on my own. Also, my son was sacked from his job. I don't know why, but I will find out. I will find out.
Cheers for now
Posted :: Sunday 1/27/2008 12:43:00 PM
I've just been mugged
Yes. MUGGED. Not by your stereotypical mugger that you are all picturing in your minds. But by my dentist of all people.
I was informed today before I even sat down and got comfy in the dentist chair that I love so much that as and from my next visit I will have to pay for the treatment I receive. I can pay monthly or for each visit I have. That's the choice. I told my dentist that I wasn't happy about it. I didn't work all my working life and pay my stamp to have to pay for something that i have already feckin' paid for.I didn't actually use the feck word but I felt like using it, believe me.
I asked the question. What if I can't afford it? The curt reply was, 'We are now going to be charging everyone and if you don't agree to the plan then you may find another NHS dentist' Some chance.
The total dental bill for my household would stand at just under a thousand pounds per annum. What do I do? Stop going to the dentist altogether?
If it wasn't for the fact that I need to go to the dentist every 3 months mainly because of all the drugs that I have to take I would stop. But it looks as though I will have to go and pay the ferryman after all. Mugged. You better believe it.
More news this week. Of a different kind. The cruise that we are going on in June to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary. Well, the itinerary came in. While I was reading through it I realised that it was cheaper than we had realised. I looked again and saw a line on the totals column. A discount line. This had not been mentioned while we were in booking the cruise. After making discreet inquiries I found out that my sister had organised it. (she works in the travel agents as well) Maybe we can use that to pay for the next few visits to the dentist.
Wait and see. Wait and see
Posted :: Thursday 1/17/2008 12:30:00 PM
We Are Sailing--We Are Sailing
Across the Sea. Yep. That's the idea. We, my wife and I, are sailing across the sea to places afar that we have never sailed to, or even been to. (We don't sail a lot. We don't sail at all!!!!) But this year we will be. We are going to sail all over the Med and Greek islands and Gibraltar and Italy and France and and and .......!
On Christmas I presented my wife with a DVD and tour brochure, amongst other things as well, and told her to sit down and watch the DVD. She did. She watched and she proclaimed 'What's this?'
I told her that this year we, as in WE were going on a CRUISE. A CRUISE TO THE MED. IT IS OUR SILVER WEDDING ANNIVERSARY and we need something big to celebrate it. To commemorate it. To wonder about it. To reason out why we are still together. To To To just go away somewhere and do something that we have never had the opportunity to do. She has always wanted to go on a cruise. So I explained the details and she said yes. (Of course she said yes, who wouldn't)
So, the other day we went to visit my sister, who just happens to be a travel agent, and after much deliberation with the Cruise Operative we selected our Silver Wedding gift to us.
Money. Cost. Stuff and nonsense when love comes into it.
We will have to tighten our belts though to pay for this. Including everyone else who lives under this roof of mine, sorry, ours. That includes the dogs as well. They will have their own holidays. In the kennels.
One thing that always happens at this time of year. Clear out time. Tidy out all those drawers and cupboards. See what can go to the next car boot sale or go onto Ebay or just go into the bin. It's amazing what clutter one can gather up in a 12 month period. I have been busy getting stuff photographed and ready to go onto Ebay. I think that this year I will make a huge effort to downsize my CD collection. Not my Rolling Stones collection. But just any CD's that I think I probably won't play maybe again or maybe ever again.(There is a difference) So far I have none. But I have put 3 DVD'd and 2 LP's on Ebay. Already got 1 item sold. I'm in the money. I'm in the money.
I will try going back to work tomorrow. I have been off with the Novo Virus thing that has hit so many people around the country. I have done what they told me to do on the News. Don't go out. Don't go to hospital. Don't go to the Doctor. And most importantly of all. Don't go to work. OK by me. I now feel up to going to work tomorrow. I dread the thought of the mess awaiting me on my desk when I go into the office though.
While we were out the other day booking our cruise we went out to take advantage of the sales as well. I managed to get nearly every thing i need for the cruise. The only thing i am desperate for are some really decent trousers. Somehow, I don't think jeans are the accepted menswear for the Captain's Table. I have everything else. I got some really good deals. i got some REALLY good crazy shirts that would remind me very much of my favourite era's. The late 60's and the early 70's. Everybody on board will be well impressed. Or else!
I will go now and sort out more CD's.
Cheers
Posted :: Sunday 1/6/2008 9:24:00 AM
Happy New Year
To you all. And here's hoping that 2008 will be a better year than the last. That was the wish that I got from my mother. She gets very concerned, and rightly so, about all these stabbings that are happening. Knives are needed for a purpose. To eat with. To carve with. To hunt with. To gut fish with. Not to poke somebody somewhere in their anatomy so that the end result is death!!!!!
Story with a moral.
Never mind Iraq etc. I used to sell these weapons of destruction many years ago when I was in retail. I thought that I was being responsible when I refused to sell knives of any description to kids who were under 16 or looked it unless they had their parents with them. It worked to a point.
One lunchtime a well dressed gentleman came into my emporium and purchased the most expensive hunting knife I had in the shop. It was a beautiful South American knife with a hand carved hardwood scabbard .
Half an hour later two policemen arrived into the shop holding this knife. They asked me various questions etc about the knife. In other words, was it bought from my shop and could I describe the person who purchased it. Yes and yes and even more yesses to more questions. All the time, I couldn't help but notice the blood dripping all over my floor.
As the policemen moved to go out I summoned up the courage to ask why? One of then turned to me and in a rather abridged version told me that the man who bought the knife from me immediately went up the street to a certain pub and stabbed a man. I never heard if he survived or not, but I did hear various stories afterwards on the street. The most believable one being that the purchaser was just out of prison and he wanted to get revenge on the man who was doing things with his wife while he was in the pokey. You know what I mean???
That bar is no longer there. It was bought over and totally redesigned. Stabbers aren't allowed in.
The moral of the story. I stopped selling knives. I sent as many of them back to the suppliers as would take them. The rest went into storage.
The truth today is, people are getting stabbed with kitchen knives now more and more.
No wonder my Mother is concerned.
Happy New Year everybody!!!! (watch your kitchen drawer and keep counting the knives)
Posted :: Wednesday 1/2/2008 7:33:00 AM
