Aberystwyth in August, Part Two

We started our first full day in Aber by going up to the Nant y Moch dam or as it now known the Hydroelectric system ( it still looks like a dam to me). It was a stunning day and Peter and I spent a wonderful couple of hours taking pictures, driving around the reservoir on the narrow roads or just sitting and looking.

We then went into town and, although there were more people than there were on Friday afternoon, we found the place quite empty. There was a farmers market on and I'm a sucker for those sort of things so we went up to the castle to have a look. It was quite disappointing to find it consisted of two stalls, one selling sweets and the other a few plants and some jars of home made chutney and jam. I bought a couple of jars of chutney and made the fatal mistake of mentioning the weather. NEVER, EVER mention the weather to a Welsh farmer, you are just asking for trouble, and I got it.

'Hot! Hot! You call this hot! You should have been with me in Egypt!'

Twenty minutes later and still reeling from a vivid description of heat stroke, complete with re-enactment of a seizure, yes he did actually start shaking, we managed to get away, vowing that next time we'll keep any conversation strictly on the chutney. Once I tried the chutney though I decided it was twenty minutes well spent as it was absolutely scrummy.

We decided to try out a new pub/restaurant called The Starling Cloud for lunch on the recommendation of my mother. We sat outside in the fresh air and tucked in to the most wonderful food. I even indulged in a naughty glass of cider.

The afternoon was spent on the prom watching kids searching for crabs in the rock pools or trying to fly kites and I remembered many a happy day doing exactly the same thing. I was itching to go for a paddle but knew I'd never make it down to the sea's edge and back so had to be content with remembering what it was like to stroll in the surf. Maybe next year. Ice cream was eaten. I couldn't decide between mint choc chip or rum and raisin so had both, which was an interesting combination.

A quick trip back to mum's to do my meds and have yet more tea and cake and then we took mum out for a meal. we wanted to go back to the Starling as we'd liked it so much but it was packed out so we went to Llety Parc instead which used to be the place to go but has let it standards drop a bit. I wanted something light so plumped for a quiche with salad. It was OK but I must say I've never had a salad quite like it. On the plate was half a lettuce, most of a sliced cucumber and two large tomatoes. If it had stopped there it would have been great but it didn't. In addition there was a huge dollop of coleslaw and another of spiced couscous. Now comes the weird bit. On top of all that were two slices of pineapple and four strawberries, the whole pile was topped off with a hard boiled egg. I can't say it was all that nice and Peter hated his lasagne which was very dry. Not exactly a success though mum seemed to enjoy her meal.

We fell in to bed exhausted and slept really well, which is just as well as Sunday would bring a very long, very wet and very frustrating drive home.

For Anne

I did not know you
Our lives never touched
'Til the day they gathered
To bid you farewell
And they painted your picture
And as I looked around
I felt I saw you
In the words and the sound

Brian May

I heard this song on the day I heard that Anne had passed away. 

I attended her funeral today and heard it again on the way home. Although not entirely accurate as I did, briefly, know Anne, it is a beautiful song and I thought appropriate for a such a beautiful, brave lady.

For you Anne. I will always think of you when I hear it.

For those who do not know it here is the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThOgPxAnZSE

Aberystwyth In August, Part One.

Gosh I'm so happy I've finished my three days in work. I was so tired after my trip to Wales but it was much more than worth it. So how did the trip go?

We set out around nine and decided to maximise our time in Aberystwyth by taking the motorways, and hopefully getting there fast, so it was M1, M6 and then M54. We then swapped to the A483, A70 and A44 where everything slowed to a crawl. We didn't see a caravan until we hit the Welcome To Wales sign and then there were millions of them.

As it was approaching midday and we were getting hungry we decided to cut our losses and stopped at a charming country pub for lunch. For the life of me though I cannot remember the name of the blasted place. Anyway we went in expecting the usual pub fare but were faced with what was essentially a Chinese restaurant. Sweet and sour chicken, egg fried rice, beef curry and bean sprouts were gratefully received and then devoured as though we hadn't eaten for weeks. Well fed and much more relaxed we completed out journey with the windows wound down so we could breathe in the fresh air.

We arrived at two and my mum almost burst into tears when she saw me. I had warned her about my weight loss but it clearly was worse than she thought. Having calmed her down and with our bags settled upstairs we were treated to tea and cake while having a good natter.

Then we were off down town for a quick look around to see what had changed since my last visit. I was dismayed to see so many shops closed down and astonished that at the height of the holiday season there were so few people about. Aberystwyth used to heave with tourists throughout the summer but not now it seems. Thinking it was probably because it was getting late in the afternoon and with the shops all around us shutting up, we returned to mum's and more cake and tea.

After another good gossip and with my drugs done we headed into town again for two of my favourite things. A stroll along the prom at sunset, well Peter strolled and I pottered along on my trike, not quite the same but it will do until I can get back on my feet. Once the sun had set we grabbed two bags of chips covered in curry sauce and two cans of Vimto from the nearest chippy, Aberystwyth has quite a few of these, and settled on a bench on the prom to talk and listen to the sea.

Amazingly I polished off everything and even ran my finger around the inside of the plastic box to get the last of the curry sauce. Don't ask me why this little ritual is so special, it just is. Then it was back to mum's to watch the news and have an early night. We slept like babies and woke around seven to the sound of seagull calling. Fan-bloody-tastic!!

Enjoy the pictures, I will continue this story on Friday. Right now I have to get myself ready for a very sad day. I will be attending Anne's funeral tomorrow along with several other from the PH forums. It's going to be a very tough day.

Home

This is just a very quick blog to say that I'm home from Aberystwyth safe and sound.

Although it was little more than a flying visit we had a wonderful time and were very lucky with the weather. I acted like a proper tourist taking millions of photos, most of which will find their way onto this blog over the coming weeks, eating ice cream and marvelling at the beauty of the sea. I actually got a little sun burnt, a first for Aber I must say.

I ate too much, I definitely drank too much and I admit to over doing it a little bit but I was having such a good time I didn't want to miss out on anything.

The trip home was a bit of a downer, not only because I was leaving Aberystwyth and my mother but because it absolutely piddled down all the way and I couldn't take as many pictures of the mountain pass as I'd planned. I took a few but they were not half as beautiful or spectacular as they would have been in sunshine.

So I will leave you with a taster and will post a fuller blog on Wednesday. I'm shattered so need a sleep, that's what having fun does to you.

Sleepless In Harlington

My goodness was it hot last night.

I just could not settle and my plight was made even worse by Tarmac who just wanted to be cuddled and insisted on lying on top of me all the time. Damn cat! I finally dropped off, I think, at around three and must have been in a really deep sleep when my phone went off. My first thought was 'not now, I've got too much to do' but once my brain de-fogged I realised it was a text, not a call so bleary eyed read it wondering what was so important that it couldn't wait until them morning. The time stamp said 3.38 and I had a slight panic remembering both my boys were working nights. The text was from Andrew and said. 'please text me at 1 to make sure I wake up.' Livid doesn't cover it. I'd nearly had a heart attack and my sleep ruined for that! I will be having words to remind him that just because he's awake doesn't mean everyone else is.

Me? Sit on people uninvited? I think not!

I was up at six, which I handled brilliantly this being my usual 'get up' time when I'm working, and after a quick shower I was on the motorway hot footing it to the airport to pick up Svet. Surprisingly this little task went without a hitch and we were back home well before eight. Shattered from the flight, she couldn't sleep because of a combination of heat and crying babies, Svet took herself off to bed for a few hours and I made a few phone calls. First was to the Warfarin clinic, which I'm supposed to be attending tomorrow to change my appointment. The second was to Papworth to let them know that I won't be at home for a couple of nights. Peter and I have long joked that I'll get the call the minute we arrive in Aberystwyth. So fingers crossed that my usual luck will hold out and everything will happen to cause the maximum disruption at the most inconvenient time.

This afternoon we are shooting down to Hatfield so Svet can spend a few hours with Andrew while Peter and I do some shopping and then it is back home for quite evening in front of the TV before an early turn in for all of us.

Tomorrow morning it will be a case of waiting until Andrew arrives home from his night shift and then we're off to Aber leaving Andrew and Svet in charge of house and cats. So the blogs over the next few days are going to be a bit erratic. It will depend entirely on two things. One, will I be able to find Wifi, my mum is not connected being a bit of a technophobe and  two, will I get any peace to write anything. Both are doubtful so the next blog will probably be on Sunday, if I get back early enough or failing that Wednesday. Take care.

Hot, Bothered and Busy.

I'm starting this blog with just a little reminder.

Please enjoy this blog, please feel free to leave comments, good or bad, and please feel free to let others know about this blog. However, please DO NOT use this blog to advertise you commercial enterprises, religious or political views or businesses. This blog is free to everyone and is here for one purpose only, to inform people about life with PH. It is fine to link you blog if you also write about PH or transplant because it is useful for people going through the same thing to read how different people cope. If certain people continue to try and use this blog for financial gain then I'm afraid I'll have to do something I've never done before and that is block you. You have been warned.

Right back to the matter in hand.

Think I'm too big for your desk? Think again!

Today I feel completely drained. The last two days have been pure torture as the heat in the office continues to build. Yes we do have more fans but they only move the hot air around so any relief is brief to say the least. I had three fans on me yesterday and could still feel the sweat running down my back. At least one person has actually been so badly affected by the heat they have keeled over and had to be sent home. As for me well every time I've stood up I've felt dizzy. However it seems we are about to be rescued as a man came in yesterday to tell he believes the air conditioning has been fixed. Can't wait for Monday to find out whether this is actually true or not.

Outside of the office it is distinctly chillier as thunderstorms have given way to drizzle, grey clouds and a cold breeze. On the plus side I'm feeling 100% better and my appetite has returned, you should have seen the plate of pasta I downed yesterday. Now ideally if it could be this temperature, or maybe a couple of degrees warmer and sunny, I'd be a very happy bunny indeed.

I have got a rather hectic five days lined up.

Today I'm making up the spare room, running around with a duster and generally tidying up for Svet's arrival tomorrow. This afternoon I'm out looking at tumble driers. Ours died one Monday when we tried to use it on the stuff that had got caught in the thunderstorm. At sixteen years old we discovered it was cheaper to replace it rather than repair it so with that in mind we are off to compare practically everything about them before making a choice. It will be riveting I'm sure.

Tomorrow it is an early start to meet Svet at the airport. Then in the afternoon we are taking her down to Hatfield to see Andrew while we go and do a bit of shopping.

Friday Andrew arrives home after a week of night shifts and Peter and I leave for Wales.

Saturday lunch with the family, a quick look around the shops and an evening on the prom eating ice cream or chips covered in curry sauce, a very rare treat.

Sunday will be a leisurely drive home and then back to work Monday. Next weekend I'm doing....nothing.

Your ironing? Now? Really?

Yes I know is seems ridiculous to travel all that way for such a short visit but when you realise that it is two years since I saw my mother maybe you can understand the need to do this. After all I could get the call next week, next month and goodness knows when I'd see her again after that. Worse case scenario, and I'm not being maudlin just stating a fact, I may never see her again. So this trip is really, really important. I do have two weeks off in October when I plan to spend a week in Wales but something inside me is saying 'do it now' so that's what I'm doing.

As I type this I am having to battle with a very furry but determined little body.

Smirnoff is a huge coward when it comes to storms and since we've had a few recently he has been sticking really close to me. This entails trying to fit a very long cat onto a very short desk top, not always with any degree of success. On Sunday he even got up on my ironing board as I was using it so I would stroke him.

I love my moggies with a passion but that doesn't mean I like having to move a leg or tail out of the way whenever I want to move my mouse.

Well better get on with it, time waits for no man, as they say.

The Little Irritations of Life

We finally had our thunderstorm, well if you can call one flash, one bang and about six distant rumbles a storm. We had a huge amount of rain though and that has perked up the garden and cooled things down considerably. I loved lying in bed last night hearing the rain battering my window. So much more relaxing than the whine of the fan I've had on for the past month. I slept better last night too.

This morning it is very breezy and much cooler with the odd splash of sunshine here and there. Just my type of weather. I know everyone will be moaning about the 'end of the summer' but just two days ago everyone was moaning about how hot is was. You can't win with some people.

After catching up on my soaps I then settled down yesterday afternoon to watch one of my favourite films, The King and I. I always cry at the end but my enjoyment was rather tempered this time around by the banging, drilling and swearing going on on the other side of the living room window.

Last week Andrew blew his exhaust. Peter performed a patch up with a baked bean tin and ordered a new one. The intention was to do a quick switch over and send him on his way. However, as is the way with these things, the old exhaust has different ideas and is proving to be the devil's own job to part from the bike. Peter has now moved onto drilling the old bolts out. Hopefully fixing the new exhaust will be child's play after this.

Talking of Andrew, he is having real difficulty adjusting to sleeping during the day and staying awake at night. This is partly because of the heat and partly because of the noise coming from the garage as Peter desperately tries to fix his bike. At least the heat side of things has been sorted out, for now. I suspect he'll end up getting through Monday night in a daze and then he'll be OK, until he has to get his pattern back to normal for his next shift.

Andrew isn't the only one on nights this week, Laurence is too. He is popping up to see me tomorrow before his shift starts. I will cook something nice for him, I just don't know what yet.

It is our thirtieth wedding anniversary in two weeks. How one earth did we manage that! A lot of my friends have married and divorced twice in that time. I don't know what the secret is, find someone you completely bond with I suppose. We've been through a lot together and nearly come to grief on more than one occasion but we've always managed to work it out. I guess that's where we might differ, we have always been able to talk to each other.

Anyway, I've been scratching my head as to what to get him for this very special occasion. We will go out for a meal, that is a no brainer, and we will probably be very naughty and have a glass of champers or two but I wanted to do something special. Peter has been my rock since I went down with PH. He has worried with me, encouraged me and sometimes put his foot down and ordered me to do things. He needs a medal for courage too. So this year I wanted to show my appreciation by getting him something very special, but what?

After much deliberation and a lot of research I think I've come up with the ideal thing. Unfortunately I can't tell you because I want it to be a real surprise and I can't guarantee that someone won't let the secret slip. So I'm going to have to sit on my hands and keep my mouth firmly zipped. I'm so excited and can't wait to see his reaction.  All will be revealed on the 13th August or later.

The next blog will be on Wednesday, yes really, it will. I have taken a couple of days off so I can go and see my mum but as always there has been a little hiccup.

Andrew is on nights until Friday so we were going to go and just leave him to look after the cats. However he then announced he'd 'sort of got my timings wrong' and girlfriend Svet would be arriving on Thursday morning from Bulgaria and could we please pick her up. Not too much of a problem we thought, we will go down Thursday instead. Who were we trying to kid? Andrew won't be home until Friday and we don't want to leave the poor girl on her own in a strange house, in a strange country. So now we are going down on Friday and will have to be back on Sunday a neither Peter or myself could get the Monday off from work.

It's going to be a very short visit but at least I will get to see my mum, after two years of trying. I also have two weeks off in September so I'm planning a week then, provided our off spring do not come up with any other problems to get in the way.

Well I've got a heap of ironing to do, where does it all come from? And hopefully a restful afternoon making frozen yogurt planned. Until next time.