For Andy, who wonders why we need to worry about wild pigs over here

Andy wasn’t sure why Phil needed to carry a deadly weapon funny stick to deal with wild pigs. But Wee Piglet and I know why…

Grrrr…..

Is Blogspot broken today?

I can’t get into any Blogspot blogs to reply to comments. It’s been going on since this morning. Hmmm…

a second attempt.

For some reason I Can’t make a capital letter at the start of the header, but l’m sure I can live without one. can’t make a Smiley either.

Does anyone else use this? Transcriber?

written with Transcriber

this is written with my stylus on the Screen. Amazing. Much Faster than typing! I was testing a Virtual Keyboard but I think I’ll stick witti this.

Hospital this afternoon. Ugh… Don’t read if eating, or of a nervous disposition.

I have to tootle over to the local hospital this afternoon to have a gastroscopy. (That’s the one where you swallow the gadget, btw; not the other one…) I’ve had a hiatus hernia for years. It used to be intermittent, but apparently now it’s a permanent fixture. I normally just ignore it, but from time to time it causes acid reflux, which can be painful and irritating.

Anyway, when I was doing the Dales Way a couple of months ago I was listening to podcasts from the BBC, and one of them, Medicine Now (or something), was about a condition called Barrett’s Oesophagus. Apparently this is a condition in which oesophageal cells in close proximity to the stomach develop the characteristics of stomach cells, in an attempt to deal with acid they weren’t designed to be swimming around in. It’s a condition that people with acid reflux sometimes develop, and it can be a precursor to oesophageal cancer.

So, since I’ve had reflux acid for years, and my mother died of oesophageal cancer last year, it seemed like a good idea to consult the GP a couple of weeks ago and request a test. The BBC programme said a simple test which can be done in a GP’s surgery has been developed, but up here in the frozen climes of North West England it appears that clever new developments like that haven’t yet reached us. Therefore, I’m off to the hospital later today for the blasted gastroscopy.

(Incidentally, this means I’ve not had anything to eat this morning. Anyone who would like to send me restorative chocolate should address it to me and send it via Piglet Monster at The Sty. Heh…)

I had what felt like about a thousand gastroscopies about 10 years ago during the 2 years or so it took for my gallstones to be diagnosed. They were a nightmare, and over time I developed an almost Pavlovian response to the suggestion that I should ever have another. It’s possible to have some sort of sedation with them. I didn’t ever find that it helped much, but it’s better than nothing. It’s only possible to have that, though, if there’s somebody around to take one home. I’ve not got anyone here to collect me (Piglet hasn’t yet passed her driving test) so now I’m trying to decide whether to just lie to the nurse, and take a taxi back. That’s prolly what I’ll do.

So… I’m a bit nervous, now. Not about whether I may have some vile lurgy–that seems very unlikely–but about having yet another bloody gastroscopy. And I’m going to have to leave wee Piggly shut up in her little crate while I’m out, and she’ll get all upset and wonder whether I’m ever coming home. I’ll leave the radio on for her, and she’ll probably listen to Case Notes, or something, and demand an urgent consultation with the vet when I get back. Sigh…

Want to do a long walk. Now. Suggestions?

Hi peeps,

I’m getting fed up beyond description festering here at home, unable to sell the house and unable to get a job (overqualified…).

I want to do a long walk. I might as well be out walking as sitting around here, festering. I realise it’s the wrong time of year, though. Still, does anybody have any suggestions? Is it too late for LEJOG this year? Too late for France?

Keith Floyd — Death of a legend

I read just now that Keith Floyd died today, and it came as a real shock.

Keith Floyd was the first of the TV chefs that I ever enjoyed watching, and in fact I enjoyed his first couple of series so much that I used to transport my video recorder round the country with me so that I could be absolutely *sure* of recording the episodes. And video recorders were bloody great big things, back in those almost prehistoric days.

RIP, Keith. You brought a lot of joy to many people, as well as (presumably) a lot of unexpected royalties to The Stranglers ♥

One for the girlies. Boysies — look away now!

Do you ever get one of those periods that takes forever to actually begin? They seem to come with permanent backache, as well as a host of the other grizzly period-related incidentals…

I’ve had one waiting to start for what feels like 6 months, but was probably no more than a couple of weeks *g* Well the blasted thing has finally kicked in. What an enormous relief!

*reaches happily for the Panadol Extra and hot water bottle*

Davidson Fellows – 2009

Over in the USA, Bob and Jan Davidson have been awarding substantial scholarships to enormously talented teenagers since 1999, in order to support and encourage them in the pursuit of academic and/or musical excellence.

These young people are truly amazing, and I’m always staggered and humbled to read about what they’ve been up to. Take a look at what this year’s batch have been doing!

Davidson Fellows 2009 — Press Release

Need a smile? Try here!