Telepathic dental nurse

Clean bill of health from the Polish dentist, who seemed very friendly and polite even though his English is obviously non existent. Pity the support staff at the new practice didn't follow his lead! as their attitude seemed one of bored indifference. Before I went in I told the receptionist that I required a check up and a scale and polish. She took my health questionnaire without looking at me and seconds later I was having my consult. All well and good! Anyhow without a word the dentist completed the examination and the nurse told me I could go! I sat my ground and asked if I could have my requested scale and polish. She answered rather dismissively that the dentist didn't think that was necessary! Her attitude got my back up and I couldn't resist saying sweetly "The dentist said nothing to you, how do you know?" I then turned to him and asked him directly if he could give me a scale and polish! He completed my request graciously, even though I could hear her huffing and puffing in the background. Some of me feels as though, with non professionals like her being the public face of the nhs, it is a case of the lunatics taking charge of the asylum

ER and a sick Fin

ER is always value for money, it is a pity that characters get written out on a regular basis then get reincarnated into a new (often younger) character with all the same personality traits! so Julianna Margulies became Maura Tierney, then the senior nurse mantle was carried by Linda Cardellini, but you can forgive this minor gripe as the writing and direction is always top notch. My favourite character is one of the more minor characters:-Yvette Freeman plays Nurse Haleh Adams,a lip pursing black middle aged nurse with a somewhat cynical attitude. She is the wallpaper of the ER, always there and always in the background! The new series is as gripping as ever!

My very favourite episode was way back in 1995. Rosemary Clooney played Madam x ,an Alzheimer patient who sang Have yourself a Merry little Christmas as she wandered confused and alone, through those never ending corridors ! Oh it broke your heart!

Finlay had a huge fit this evening, his first for an age. In fact he had two in quick succession which is a little worrying! He is asleep on the couch with me at the moment and seems to be sleeping it off. Late to bed again!

Hey ho

ps this was on Nige's blog! thanks nige!

I somehow just knew that John's favourite ER character would be Haleh Adams, although this does seem a little add odds with his later blog entry: as an avid ER fan since it's first night, I'm sure that Nurse Freeman would also have 'pursed her lips', just like his dental 'nurse'. Trouble is, despite their irritating manner, I think John secretly enjoys the challenge of rude folk. Well, he handles them better than I do, I guess...

In reply to this I guess I do like the challenge of "rude people", but perhaps more accurately I hate to feel that their rudness gets one over on me!

A nice face

Bought some mats for the back of the Belingo and walked the dogs as per usual on the beach. Seeing that I am working an extra shift tonight ( as a sort of thank you for good off duty) felt like settling down to a good movie this afternoon.I found a dvd of The Missing (2003/I) in the bookshelf, it's an excellent old fashioned western with Tommy Lee Jones,Cate Blancette, and brilliant child actor Jenna Boyd-a good choice for an afternoon's indulgence.

Earlier as I was driving through Rhuddlan, I stopped at the roundabout and noticed an elderly far eastern man in the back of a car gazing outwards. He looked as though he was smiling and I couldn't help thinking what an open friendly face he had.

Some people are blessed with kind friendly faces no matter what mood they are in. My grandmother was one, I always thought that the actress Rosemary Harris (pic) is another! and this got me thinking ( like it does) of other's with a warm demeanour.

Several years ago I looked after a middle aged Hindu lady with a TB lesion of the spine. As ward manager , I kept her nursing care primarily carried out by female nurses as acute patients were nursed practically naked, but one day due to a shortage of staff I had to help turn her. I asked her permission to do so, and she agreed and I remember being struck by how serene this lady looked and how dignified she behaved. She had that gentle face that was so noticeable and I find it interesting that I remember her after so many years.

We talked during her brief stay with us (she quickly was transferred to the rehab ward) and I was surprised when, out of the blue one day she asked me if I had been close to my grandmother? I stated that I had and asked her why she had asked. She replied a bit strangely that "I had a look as if I had been". It was all a bit Lord of the rings!

The Spazmobile seems cool and a family meal

Picked up Spazmobile today and actually fitted the dog gate in the back myself, so am feeling all very masculine this afternoon! The belingo seems pretty easy to drive and both Chris and I are pleased with it although I do forget to change gear from time to time as the polo was automatic. Chris has done pretty well today as it is his first without cigs, But I suspect he is dying to wring my neck as his anxietylevels are at an all time high and tolerance levels are at an all time low!

Good job the family came around for a meal. The whole evening is always pretty easy as everyone pitches in and you know you don't have to try too hard!

From left to right Sister in law Jayne, brother in law Ned, Chris,Brother Andrew, Brother in law Tim, sisters Anne and Janet!

Ang Lee eat your heart out

The snow is even deeper tonight when taking the dogs out for a hike! All I needed was a sled, reminded me of Ang Lee's The Ice Storm (1997)

White van driver and doing the right thing

The snow is getting worse. This morning it was do-able, as everything remained wet and slushy, but tonight the snow is thick and the lane is icy! Excellent! NOT!!!


Finished jobs today, paperwork,shopping for the family meal tomorrow, paying bills and cleaning out the polo! As I took a cheque up to Lloc to pay for the coal delivery, the snow really came down and was almost a white out. Ahead of me on the main road I saw a white van swerve slightly and hit a large black and white border collie which somersaulted into the snow on the verge. The van stopped and the driver, a builder type got out briefly and without checking if the dog was ok, got back into his van and sped off. I put on my hazard lights and got out. The dog was barely conscious and shaking in shock. All I could think is to get to Caerwys ( about 3 miles away) and get the dog to the vets quickly but before I could lift it up I was joined by a woman of about 65, who had stopped behind me in a 4 by 4. Despite the snow she already had taken off her coat and in a no nonsense type of way wrapped it around the dog. I picked the animal up and she told me to put it in her car as she lived in Caerwys and would take it to the vets. As she got into her van she shouted cheerfully "Thank you for stopping!!!", and drove away, leaving me all a bit shaken by the experience.


I rang Sergent Vets later when I got home and unfortunately the farm dog had to be put down, but I was struck by the kindness of the Lady and the uncaring behaviour of ignorant white van driver.

Why do some people "do the right thing" ? when others move on by? .....It is perhaps an age old question.


To me, It would be natural to lend a hand to someone or some animal in distress, it is just the decent thing to do . why then did I and this lady automatically stop? and the builder didn't? How could he justify his behaviour to himself? This "selfishness" is, I guess, a part of being human, just as the woman's kindness is and I should not have been so surprised. I just wish that this man would have seen the old woman remove her coat in the middle of a snow storm like she did, perhaps it would have shamed him...then again...I somehow doubt it.

George's first snow,Hannibal , The silence of the snow

Well there goes my primulas!, the snow that has been warned for much of mid and South Wales has hit Trelawnyd. At 6am this morning it was so bloody freezing I lit the fire and set the hens up with warm mash. They did the right thing as it is 9.30 am now and still they have not ventured out yet. At least George enjoyed himself

PS
The problem with filming a novel is that there is just too much to cram into the narrative ( or more importantly too much to cut out of it) , and cutting the novel to pieces is exactly what has occurred in Hannibal Rising (2007). I am surprised as Thomas Harris ( who wrote the trilogy of Lecter books) is responsible for the movie screenplay. I enjoyed the book, and I think its strength lay in the subtle interplay between Lecter and his Japanese step mother which mirrored the electric banter between Clarice Starling and the aged Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. The film has opted for the more familiar horror route rather than dwelling on relationship interplay and it is much the poorer for it. The choice of Gaspard Ulliel was also a mistake as he has no depth in his performance as the severely abused Lecter. I suspect even at twenty Anthony Hopkins would have been electric as he was in the original, but Ulliel just does not cut the mustard. Li Gong would have had something to get her teeth into if the director adhered to the novel, but as it is, she just stands around looking beautiful. Sheffield's Dominic West seems to come out best as the troubled Inspector Popil.

Have arranged to pick up the "spazmobile" on Saturday which give me tomorrow to clean out the polo (a big job and no mistake) I think the window workmen are comming then to measure up to replace the cottage bathroom and back bedroom windows. Hope the snow goes before then! mind you I love the stillness snow brings to an area, especially at night! when I was walking last night several owls flew in circles around the cottage and it was so silent because of the snow you could actually hear their wings beating! class

Cold snap & a good read!

The "girls" look a bit excited, they have just guzzled a large plate of weetabix and hot milk! as temperatures have plummeted below zero again and tonight we are expecting several centimeters of snow! I suspect Chris will get stuck in Sheffield tomorrow as British Rail never does very well when "normal" winter weather approaches.


Sorted out (finally) a mattress that fits the new bedstead, so we will have less of the overnight Olympics that is finding enough space to sleep ! Thank god for Marks and Spencer on line.


Recieved this attachment from Siobhan Malcolm who was intrigued by my Big Brother blogs. Very funny!

Reading an excellent book at the moment The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfield. Set in 1909's New York it is a thriller centred about a serial killer and Sigmund Freud's first visit to America
http://www.interpretationofmurder.com/

As Chris is away I have indulged in my pet pasion for tea FISH FINGER sandwiches! Humm, several miles away from Hillbark Hotel !