My first experience

Well after 24 years as a nurse, I have for the first time used the primary care system to obtain a sick note for work! and my experience of my local GP practice has been a mixed one!. I still had a problem getting my socks on this morning, so decided to book to see my GP so I could get some more Volterol. My conversation with the receptionist went as follows



Me: "I wish to make an appointment to see a doctor"

Receptionist: "We have a computer failure so we are not giving out appointments at present"

Me "So what do I do?"

Receptionist: " you can come down and wait to see a doctor, but I cannot promise you see someone quickly"

Me : "How long roughly is the wait?"

Receptionist :(frostily) "depends on how many people turn up"

Me: "What if I was an old person, who had trouble getting into the surgery?"

Receptionist: (sighing and thinking I have got a real trouble maker here!) "It's the computer problem I can not help the problem"

Me: "When will the computer problem be rectified?"

Receptionist: " it has been down for 2 weeks.....it's a virus, also we cannot give perscriptions out for 72 hours, I am afraid"

Me : "So you are telling me I may not be seen if I come down and wont get any painkillers for three days after I have been seen?"

Receptionist: " Yes"

Me: " Do you think this is an acceptable service?"

Receptionist: "Huh?"

At that point I gave up.
Anyhow as it happened I did get seen quickly and the doctor was very thorough and professional. Surprise surprise my blood pressure was elevated, so I have decieded to loose weight and get back in shape! so the visit was fortunate just on that level.

Sad news last night, Nuala's Mum very sick in Liverpool, so she is coming up from London today. I hope to go over to see her later to offer a bit of support.

Old fart!

Certain thigs remind you that you are getting older! Yesterday was going out and noticed that both hens had dissapeared. In my haste to check where they were (they had climbed back up into their roosting area), I tripped over the low gate which leads into their field. Glasses went one way, dignaty went another, and I felt my back pull . By 6 o'clock I had trouble getting my socks on to get bready for work and by 4 am this morning I was in agony at work. So I limped down to A & E and got prodded and poked by a 12 year old house officer and sent home with valium and diclofenac. I have just woken up and walked the dogs, and feel as though a small elephant has been tap dancing on my spine all night. Feeling sorry for myself as even sitting on the loo was not a nice experience! Chris still in Boston so I havent even got anyone to put my socks on!!

Postscript: How is this for a wierd "twin " thing, Janet is off sick today...........with..........yes..........you've guessed it Lower back pain, did I may add, the same day at the same time as I did mine!!!

Roaring fires & Ally Mc Beal.

The weather is awful today, cold and wet, so apart from dog walking I have decided to spend the day reading by the fire, which is something I seldom do, well during the day that is. Am working tonight also, so making the most of the day. Chris rang from the airport upset at leaving ! ( I am jealous he is going to Boston until the weekend) I have never been to Boston, and all I know about it is a vague knowledge of the Boston tea party and the fact that "Ally McBeal" used to walk round the city centre amid fairy lights and snow musing about life to a Ballard by Vonda Shepard. At least on Ally McBeal, it looked lovely. Chris would love to go back to New York for his 40th, and I am not arguing, I love American cities.

Catching up with friend Kim on Friday in Sheffield, which will be lovely, but as the way of the world has it she has been through a hard time recently, so catching up has a little more relevance. Staying as usual with Nige, so looking forward in doing something with him on Saturday before going home. He is staying with us in December so we are glad to be able to return his hospitality then! I look forward to it.

Cor Meibion Trelawnyd (aka the Village Choir )

The annual Trelawnyd male Voice Choir concert took place this evening at the village hall. ( see pic before the refurbishment) The majority of the village had turned up as there must have been 350 people crammed in to every spare space. The standard of the singing,as usual was excellent, and the hair on the the back of your neck raised noticeably with some of the more traditional Welsh belters! The concert was supported by two local "guest stars", a tenor and Baritone who won the blue riband at the National Eisteddford. The younger Man, Aeron Gwyn Jones (pic) was excellent; it was strange but when he spoke he had a tiny Welsh voice which was rather diffident, but when he sang, he boomed!...quite amazing.

Chris is off to Boston tomorrow, but took this picture before going to bed early, dog sofa!! Meg still not showing too much.....perhaps she is not pregnant!

Betwitched ,Bothered and bewildered

I love the internet. Obviously after watching The History Boys last night, I looked up the Rodgers and Hart song and read the lyrics for the first time. It is so melancholy and moving, and sums up unrequited love perfectly! Alan Bennett's use of the song was genius.


After one whole quart of brandy
Like a daisy I awake
With no Bromo Seltzer handy,
I don't even shake.
Men are not a new sensation;
I've done pretty well, I think.
But this half-pint imitation
Put me on the blink

REFRAIN
I'm wild again
Beguiled again
A simpering, whimpering child again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I
Couldn't sleep
And wouldn't sleep
Until I could sleep where I shouldn't sleep
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I
Lost my heart but what of it?
My mistake I agree.
he's a laugh, but I like it
because the laugh's on me.
A pill he is
But still he is
All mine and I'll keep him until he is
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered
Like me.
Seen a lot
I mean I lot
But now I'm like sweet seventeen a lot
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I
I'll sing to him
Each spring to him
And worship the trousers that cling to him
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I
When he talks he is seeking
Words to get off his chest.
Horizontally speaking
He's at his very best.
Vexed again
Perplexed again
Thank God I can't be over-sexed again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I
(Reprise at the end of the show)
Wise at last
My eyes at last
Are cutting you down to your size at last
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more
Burned a lot
But learned a lot
And now you are broke, though you earned a lot
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more
Couldn't eat
Was dyspeptic
Life was so hard to bear;
Now my heart's antiseptic
Since you moved out of there
Romance-Finis
Your chance-finis
Those ants that invaded my pants-finis
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more.

Pass it on boys....

I think I am the last person to see the theatrical version of Alan Bennett's The History Boys , and I was impressed with most of what I saw. The story is set in 1980s Sheffield and centres upon a bunch of bright, funny sixth-formboys in pusuit of sex, sport and a place at university.Also in the story is a maverick English teacher at odds with the young and shrewd supply teacher, and a headmaster obsessed with results . The actors who play the boys, steal the show, as they often have the best one liners, and the pathos that goes with unrequited love. The actor who plays Posner, "I am homosexual,Jewish and I am from Sheffield...Boy am..I fucked!!!!" (First on left) was excellent in a difficult and painfull role . I wondered if the character was based on Bennett's own experiences and life? ....out of all the characters Posner seemed the most unhappy, troubled and unfullfilled. I must admit his rendition of Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered by Rodgers and Hart, is gut wrenching..

"I'll sing to him
Each spring to him
And worship the trousers that cling to him
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I"

Christmas shopping, dog barber and going out three times in one week!!!

Took the dogs for their haircut to "Top Dogs", in a small village outside Chester. The dog salon is nothing more than a grotty back street shop, but they do a good job!! (even if Finlay (left) does not look too happy)..Meg seems to be a lot happier


Completed most of the Christmas shopping in Chester, and wrapped it listening to the soundtrack music from Pride and Prejudice by
Dario Marianelli which is a wonderfull soundtrack, quite beautifull.

Cannot believe this week as I am off out THREE times!!! in the evenings : Tonight Chris and I are off out to dinner, tomorrow I am off the see the theatre production of The History Boys in LLandudno and Saturday is the annual concert of the Trelawnyd Male voice choir, which is a sell out as usual.

Patricia Cornwell, Kay Scarpetta and a certain Lee Remick

Have been re-reading Patricia Cornwell's second book Body of Evidence (1991), and am totally engrossed with her way of storytelling. Her lead character is Kay Scarpetta, a flawed but brilliant ( aren't they all?) forensic pathologist, who seems always to be battling not only serial killers and psychopaths, but the whole American political and secret service systems. Later novels seem to move away from "catching the bad guys" to more bizarre and convoluted plotlines which all disappointed me, but her early stuff is sharp, clever and very enjoyable. Scarpetta is a career woman, who through self discipline and sacrifice ( single, no kids, few friends) has made it to the top of her field. She has a dysfunctional brother/sister relationship with a police partner Marino ( who in my mind's eye looks like the captain out of Cagney and Lacey) , a niece Lucy (who grew from precocious geek teen to lesbian police officer in the novel series) and a loyal old lady secretary Rose. In Cornwell's writing ,Scarpetta becomes a well defined and multi-layered character with depth. Cornwell describes often in minute detail, Scarpetta's routine and decision making; drawing from her "history" of Italian/Miami upbringing, quite simply , as a reader , you feel as though you KNOW, the character, for bad and for good. In my minds eye I envisioned Scarpetta as looking like Lee Remick (Right). Isn't it strange that Cornwell (Left) actually resembles Remick!!! du-du. du-du ( X files music)