A day away, some of what I learned and Jan's coming home today - we hope/think/ ... ... ...

31 March

What a busy today. I have everything from yesterday to catch up on as well as today's chores. Not only that, but Jan is coming home sometime today. However, because there's a large step into our block of flats she is being sent home in a ambulance so she has support to mount the step. Whatever, we will both be pleased she's home.

Yesterday's day out was really good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I now have a list of things to do in regards to my writing. I've had a domain name for over two years now but have done with it at all. Every website builder package I seen didn't impress me but depending on price I might have to have one done for me. Also on the list is new Facebook and Twitter pages just for my writing; after that, or maybe even before that, I'd better open up a separate email address for just my writing needs.

The last session yesterday was on the need for editing. In that group I was the only one it seems that had anything edited, even if it was only a first chapter freebie. Asked what I thought about it I was honest and said that it was humbling, that raised laugh at least. I then explained that to being with I was angry and upset but on a second reading I saw the sense in what was being said. Most of corrections suggested have now been dealt with but there's a few still to go through.

I bought a number of books while I was there, the last one of which is Hidden Magic by K.D. Faerydale, (I wonder if that is a made-up name?) The reason I bought it is that one of nuggets of info I gleaned was to buy and have a look at that quality of the books that various self publishing companies produce. There's a couple I've wondered about but it Matador that I have really trying. As they are the main sponsor of yesterday event I bought one of their books and I have to say it's very impressive. I shall read it next and report back on it later.

And so for a photo ... 

A couple of bruisers.

And Techy funny today ...

Technology: NEW PASSWORD REQUIRED
User: My usual password is not working suddenly, why?
Website chat assistant: Your password has expired - you must register a
new one.
User: Why do I need a new one as that one was working fine?
Website: You must use additional letters.
User: 1*Another iancjc naughty word*ingingprettyroseshovedupyourassifyoudon'tgivemeaccessright*Another iancjc naughty word*ingnow
Website: Sorry, that password is already being used.            

Jan getting better, a bad joke rebounds and TB in cattle

29 March

The situation with Jan just keeps on getting better and better. Test have shown that the fit she is had the other night is not a reappearance of the epilepsy she once suffered from. She does have a urine infection which may have caused it. It seems that the only thing that is keeping her in there at the moment is the need for a walking frame. She can't get one until Monday so hopefully she will be home soon after that.

I'm sure that if you watched all the reality cop and fire service progs on telly you will have seen that there is a lot of banter and fooling around going on between colleagues. Well, there was an inter-service charity boxing match held in Leamington  where it all went a bit too far. A fire fighter entered the ring carrying a pig's head and a sign that read' RIP my last opponent'. Things got a bit heated and the fire fighter lost the bout on points very badly. As I said, things didn't work out for him. As for boxing itself, well, I'll leave you to make your own judgements on that!

Cattle farmers are having a rough time of it these days due to bovine TB. The badger is blamed for a lot it now. But I'm not so sure ... Some time ago I watched the start of one of Andrew Marr's programmes about the history of mankind. One item that stuck in my mind was that he said that humans passed TB onto their cattle. If that is right then perhaps the cattle spread it to the badger and now the cycle is set up to continue.

I thought about this when I heard the story of the cats passing TB onto their owners. That should be red flag in my opinion. We have little idea as to what can and can't be passed from species to species do we. Not so long ago there was panic over wild birds spreading bird flu; at the end of WW1 it was Spanish Flu that killed more men than enemy action. The last foot and mouth outbreak was cause by, if memory serves, animals being feed from infected feed from abroad. And of course don't forget Anthrax, a killer for just about all animals, including us humans.     

Today's photo is part of Coventry Precinct ...

And the Sage has spoken again ...

 Husband takes the wife to a dance club, were there's a guy on the dance floor going crazy - break dancing, moon-walking, back flips, the works.
His wife turns to her hubby and says: “See that guy, 25 years ago he proposed to me and I turned him down.”
Hubby says: “Looks like he's still celebrating!"       

Update on Jan, a first conference and yet more blackmail

28 March

We're up and down again today. I had a text from Jan to say that her feeding tube would be taken out today seeing as she is eating a full dinner, although it has been liquidised. As long as she can eat a couple of meals without being liquidised she should be OK to leave hospital early next, a lot earlier than we had thought.

However, she had also told me that she had almost bitten through her lip while sleeping last night. 'not good' thought I. The next text said that a nurse had told her she had a small fit during the night. That's the first since 1997. That is not so good news and we'll be hoping it just a one off. I'll find out more later today.

Sunday then ... I'm off to the Self Publishing Conference at Leicester Uni. It's the first writers event I have been to so I'm really looking forward it. Although I've read in info on the website, (http://www.selfpublishingconference.org.uk/speakers/4563095167), but I don't really have any idea as to what really happens these things but it all adds to excitement I suppose.  At least it's not all that an early start seeing as it's only about 25 miles from me here in Dorktown.

Two items in the news yesterday have struck me as worth mentioning. Birmingham Child Services are on their chance to get sorted out before they are taken over by a government body. A last chance? After five deaths already will it take another one to get some serious actions taken? This last chance is playing with the life a child somewhere in city. That to me is worrying - how about you, how do you feel about it?

During the banking farce a few years ago the bankers, the people who caused most of the problem in the first place hide behind the blackmail threat of bankers leaving and going abroad to stop government actions that were needed at the time. It worked too, the government backed down. Now we have the Big 6 energy companies threatening possible black outs and energy rationing to try to stop the 2 year investigation into their working and pricing practices. The government should call their bluff and give in to the them!

And so to a photo ... 

One of a set off benches at Chester Zoo. I thought it a clever idea.

And today's funny is from the Friendly Sage ...           

A little girl asked her father, "How did the human race start?"
The father answered, "God made Adam and Eve and they had children, and so all mankind was made."
Two days later the girl asked her mother the same question. The mother answered, "Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved."
The confused girl returned to her father and said, "Dad, how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God, and Mum said they developed from monkeys?"
The father answered, "Well, dear, it is very simple.
I told you about my side of the family and your mother told you about hers."

Jan's update, parking and MH370

27 March

Right then ... Jan first ... she was very tired yesterday because of lack of sleep the night before. Around 8pm last night she went to the toilet and fell on her way back. Last night she slept right through the night and woke up at 9 this morning. The other day she sat and had a good chat with her consultant and he says that she won't be released until she is eating proper solid foods, not liquidised foods. That good be weeks. Total recovery could be months and some things she may never recover from. Only time will tell.

Parking at the Hussy, like all other UK hospitals can be a real nightmare! The pricing just doesn't make sense either at least here at the Hussy. So far I have been paying £2 for up to 90 minutes. Yesterday they wanted £3 because I was there for just short of 2 hours. Having heard what Jan had said I decided that I would pay for a longer period up front instead. The pricing is £7 for 7 days, £14 for 14 days but only £15 for 30 days. I paid the £15 on my card so I don't have to worry about having change for the machine now.

I haven't seen the news yet today so I don't know the latest on flight MH 370. The worry of families of flights passengers must be horrendous and I can't imagine what they are going through. It does seem strange to me that there is no on board device that can't be interfered with that can track the airplanes location. All ships are required to have one fitted so why not airplanes? Maybe it's because they are fairly limited in their range, or perhaps because there is a tracking device already fitted, BUT ... and here's the thing, that one can be switched off by the flight crew. It is the thought that one of them had switched it deliberately to conceal the airplane's location that is causing the problems.

Of course, the conspiracy theories are already starting to wing their way about, Malaya hiding weaknesses in the their air defences being one of them. I wonder how long it will be before one starts about the Yanks being behind it; or how about ... yes, why not ... a UFO has snatched the airplane to do experiments on the passengers. What's the betting on both of them ;-)))

Some time ago I mention what was termed the peace dividend and said that before long it would come be seen as the peace duping, or what term I used. My argument was that Russia was still was strong  as she ever was and would continue to be treat to the west. Others have now seen the danger since Europe, and ourselves by the way, buy a lot of gas from the Russians. It's far too easy for the Russians to turn the tap off and plunge Europe in the cold and dark. Perhaps they might not have been so keen to do so if there still a strong NATO presence in Germany. Britain's armed forces are just a shadow of their former selves. Remember, in the 1980s there was a large army in Germany and the UK, large enough to keep a large presence in Ulster and to raise a fairly large force to steam down to the South Atlantic in 1982. Now we would be struggling to find enough troops to cover Ulster if that place kicked off again.

The blame for this is not just a Tory one, Labour too has cut the armed forces. Both must take a large share of the blame for our reduced strength in arms. I wonder who the historians of 50 years time will blame for it all? Sadly I won't be here to find out, but I really would love to know.

And so we come to a photo then ... 

Ah yes, a Vulcan boomer, a sign of Britain's might as an armed nation.

Time for a funny then ...

A girl in a bar starts talking to a handsome & very fit bloke. Things progress and she invites him home for a coffee.
It was a warm night & he unbuttons his shirt & she sees NIKE tattooed on his chest. She says "What's that for?"His reply " I earn money every time someone reads it"
Time passes and she asks "Have you any more money earners?"He rolls up his trouser leg to reveal REEBOK." Same again, every time someone reads it I earn money"
Things progress and as he strips off his briefs there she sees AIDS tattooed in a delicate location. She says with horror "Surely you haven't got Aids and don't get paid to advertise it?!"
"No" he said "Wait a little while and it will warm up" It said ...
ADIDAS