A Warning

It's my last shift at the hospital tonight until New Year's Eve!
I'm taking my secret santa gift in, and there is a story about it.
Historically I always tend to get shit gifts! Not always but generally it's true, and a couple of years ago I got a bit of a  naff gift in the shape of some plastic antlers.
Now even the patient who I opened the gift up in front of said it was a shite gift, so I was not adverse in blogging of my disappointment!
That was a big mistake!
The nurse that bought me the aforementioned antlers must of read my somewhat caustic blog entry and although nothing was said, she obviously was not happy with my ingratitude and I was subjected to a rather frosty reception for several  months!
This year, it being my last Christmas on ITU I thought I would set things straight and managed to obtain the " antler" nurse from the secret santa stocking.
I'm not saying what I bought, but it is tasteful and expensive and classy.
An apology for bad mouthing some plastic antlers which I subsequently tied to the front of a farmer's landrover!
Hey ho

A Rare Shot

Earlier, while I was watching Danny Mac fail to win strictly Come Dancing
I snapped this photo of the Prof and Winnie TOGETHER for the  second time in a month
I blame the strong gin/vermouth martini

.

She'll have to stop drinking

Deer oh dear

Affable Despot Jason has been making deconstructed reindeer all morning. It's his daughter Liv's birthday today and the children at her party will be making one each as part of the party game.
He delivered one to us yesterday which had pride of place in the living room, at least when we get sick of it we can burn it!
I've just dropped Liv's birthday card round, they've had to leave their house front door open because of the glue fumes!
I saw policewoman Jo out walking her dog soon after. She was on the way to ours with a christmas card and wanted to know if I was still wearing my pyjamas under my trousers like I was when she saw me this morning.
I assured her that I was wearing proper underwear like a normal man!!
( but I had to think twice)

Fantastic Beasts

I'm not a fan of Harry Potter, indeed I have never read any of J k Rowling's work, so I was, I'm afraid at a bit of a disadvantage when we went to see Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them .
Having said this I more or lest got the gist

Redmayne and Fogler

In 1920 New York EnglishWizard Newt ( Eddie Redmayne)  accidently frees some mythical creatures he has been entrusted to care for. The American wizards arn't happy, nor are the anti witch loving humans so Newt , his friends- a wannabe baker ( Dan Fogler) and American wizard investigator Tina ( Katherine Waterston) are left to save the day.

Waterston

It's not my cup of tea, but I must admit Fogler and Waterston are incredibly cute in their roles (with Waterston looking incredibly like Audrey Tautou aka Amelie), the mythical Beasts suitably mythical and an art deco New York wonderfully art deco.
7.5/10

Chrimbo Greetings

Here is my Christmas Card to you all in blogland. I think it lies just on the right side of good taste.
This morning, in this virtual world, it comes plopping onto your computer mat with my best wishes and thanks and I hope we can forget the bad things in life, just for a week or so, to enjoy a bit of frivolity with baubles.
So on behalf of an over worked Prof, a sexually demanding bulldog, a couple of old terriers,Mary the puppy and Albert the wide eyed cat, I send you commentators, followers and lurkers...all the best of wishes.
I'll also take the opportunity to send a virtual card to the cast of characters who lurk here in Trelawnyd. So to Mrs Trellis, Auntie Glad, Gay Gordon and Big Mary, Pat the animal helper, Jason the affable despot, Gaynor the mad organist ,Mrs Frazer et al , I hope you all have a very merry Christmas!

Supportive Post

A friend of mine is having big problems in work, so I am sending them all my positive vibes this evening.....

I told them that they should be a bulldog
For after the switch on of the fairy lights in the cottage window
Winnie has spent most of the evening watching them twinkle through sleepy half lidded eyes

The Prof came home early tonight, I was expecting him back after nine. He was tired as it was Graduation day at the University. He ate the leftover turkey lasagne, 5 homemade mince pies and fell asleep. Thanks to animal helper Pat, who gave me the mincemeat....we've missed her in the village..she's been cruising around Barbados for the past few weeks

Who said Trelawnyd is parochial

Shit I've just lost 5 followers! 

Christmas 1985

Christmas week 1985 I was  shadowing a community psychiatric nursing sister with her caseload in the deprived and depressing northern town of Runcorn.
Through a succession of faceless maisonettes, we sat on grubby sofas and listened to  sad stories of loneliness, mental illness and substance abuse and I watched as my mentor tried her best to keep heads above water and bums out of the local psychiatric unit.
The last visit of the day was to a woman called Jean.
Jean lived alone in the top flat of a ten story complex. She had suffered from severe mental health problems for forty years and had recently been placed in her flat from long term psychiatric care only a few months before.
I remember her flat very well. There was no carpet in the hall and the living room but there was a tiny tinsel Christmas tree standing on top of a large black and white tv.  A homemade fabric stocking was hung on the fire surround and just two Christmas cards  were perched on the mantle.
( one of those cards having been sent by my colleague) The flat was sparse but incredibly clean and it was evident that Jean had been waiting for our visit all day.
In mismatching cups we were offered coffee with powdered milk and a single mince pie served on a paper plate and I remember sharing a sad glance with the nurse when Jean presented us both with gifts hastily wrapped in cheap Christmas paper. My gift was two placemats with photos of cats on them. The nurse received a small yellow vase, and I remember Jean beaming with delight when we both thanked her effusively for her kindness.
When we washed up our own cups, the nurse quietly checked the fridge, noting that most of the shelves were empty . There was a calender on the wall with the note " NURSE COMES TODAY" written on that day's date. Nothing else was written on it until the week of new year's eve, where the same sentence was written.
It was the very first time that I had experienced someone who was so totally isolated in a community setting and it shocked and saddened me.
I listened as the nurse talked about medication, and as  I waited patiently when she took Jean into the bedroom to administer a regular injection I noticed a carrier bag which the nurse had tucked away by the side of the arm chair shortly after we arrived. In it was a package of cold meat, and what looked like chocolates and a cake.
Before we left, we let Jean monopolize her only conversation of the week and as she retrieved our coats, I watched and grew a few years older as the nurse silently slipped a ten pound note behind one of the cards on the mantle.

Christmas E Card

thanks to Francine who sent me an e Christmas card from Ohio
It's my most decorative one to date