where art collides philosoperontap

Frosty out, and there’s me talking yesterday about the joys of spring. With caveats obvs. The wind direction most quoted in this morning’s shipping forecast seemed to be our prevailing souwesterly suggesting warmer times ahead. I also heard mention of a high pressure though there were a few gales thrown in for good measure. Always there are gales. Who’d be a fisherman?

The sitting with an elevated leg would appear to he having the desired effect on the swelling. Good to know. I assume I won’t always have to prop the leg up although I’d be quite happy to spend time loafing around on the sofa. The sofa is too low for my current sitch. Another ten sleeps to go before I’m allowed to put weight on the leg. Maybe I should make a counter that decrements daily. Good word, decrement. We have a small blackboard In the kitchen. Be easier to just chalk it on that. It shall be done.

Lambing season is upon us. Article on the wireless about stolen sheep. In my family tree research I came across a newspaper report of a trial that involved one of my relatives as a witness. The father of one of his farm hands had nicked some sheep belonging to a neighbour that had been moved to common land for grazing. The thief was sentenced to ten years transportation. Something tells me I’ve told you this before but it does bear repetition. Who’d be a farmer eh?

Apparently sheep from the same farm used to herd together on the common. Would have made it a lot easier to gather them in. Same when it comes to mountains. They stick to the places they’ve always gone to. Learned that on “the great mountain sheep gather” or simlar. It’s about gathering in a flock of Herdwick sheep on a mountain in the Lake District and driving them down to the farm for shearing. Gripping stuff. Might see if I can find it on iplayer today. A worthwhile use of two hours. It can be on in the background. 

Just took a look. It’s not on iplayer anymore. Why do they bother taking these vids down. All time classics. Timeless. There are a few different vids on YouTube I might check out. Leave it with me.

In the meantime I’ve scoffed a toasted sausage sarnie (on brown) and am now swigging tea as I have a little time before I need to jump in the shower. The absolute stop is nine fifteen at which time THG heads off to the gym for some weight training. She needs to be here to put my surgical stockings on. When I stop typing you will know I’ve finished the tea.

Had a message overnight on Ancestry. Two of my relatives emigrated to the USA in 1857 and following their trail I came across the fact that one of their husbands, a John Jones as I recall, or Davies, would appear to have been involved in the American Civil War. The facts didn’t seem to square up so I messaged the person who had made the links and she has just got back to me, after a month or so. Not everyone is on Ancestry as often as I am. I had decided in the meantime that the said relative was not really linked to me and they had made a mistake. Anyway the person is sending me a photo of his civil war military registration card and we will see what that has to reveal.

Sitting down continues to get easier by the day. My right glute recovering slowly. Day by day. When you think about it the glute will be the muscle that was sliced open. “Shudders”. Comes to something when your sitting down is affected as well as your walking. Even the lying in bed is affected.

Wake up, it is a beautiful morning. Feels spring-like. We aren’t totally clear of the winter doldrums yet, always a mistake to think that, but signs are appearing. Good times lie ahead. Lift your face to the sun and soak up the warmth. Remember that?

I must say I’m looking forward to the forthcoming spring and summer season. For one we aren’t heading off to foreign climes for lengthy holidays. It’s Hannah’s wedding in September so we figured we would go after that. The beneficial side effect is that we will be around to look after the garden for the whole summer. No coming back from holiday to find the tomatoes have gone crazy for example.

A little project is in the offing this year. I’m going to clear some of the border around the barbecue area to make room for bar stools. Makes sense to make things comfortable for your mates when hanging around being supportive when pitmaster Tref is flipping burgers (etc). 

I may even invest in some posh bbq tools though we don’t really need them. Last year when Hannah and I visited the Boschendal Winery in South Africa they had some terrific gear in the shop. V nice bbq tools with a cool canvas holder. Unfortunately they were v heavy and we were already at our weight budget for the flight into the bush. Problem is I have not been able to find another bbq tool set as good as the one I saw in SA. When you google for one it is clear that some vendors have worked hard on their SEO rankings and their stuff is pretty ordinary at best. Snorrabiggie.

Settled into the armchair in the snug, leg up. Tell you what I’m looking forward to the end of this phase of rehab. Having to keep 50% of the weight off my new hip and leg up to help reduce the swelling. I’ve developed a system for sitting. The cushion laden stool is up against the chair and halfway across so that I can choose to have leg or legs up or down and no gap for said cushions to fall through. When I sit down I dump the left crutch on one side of the chair and use the other for support when lowering myself into position. Once seated and settled I prop both crutches up against the window sill to the right. Important that you know these details.

One of my ancestors from Maesnoni farm, the place where early religious dissenters gathered, kept a diary. I found this out from email exchanges with someone I was put in touch with by @alun. If I could get hold of that diary, even just to read through it in the security of a library, I’m sure it would be massively revealing. Religious and farming life in the eighteenth century. He wouldn’t have done any of the physical work but still revealing.

Not sure I mentioned it but Hywel Harris, leader of the welsh Methodist movement and frequent visitor to Griffith Jones Llanddowror and William Williams Pantycelyn stayed at the farm seven times during his evangelical journeys throughout Wales between 1735, the year of his conversion, to when he died in 1773. This makes it really personal – you’ll have to look at this link to understand why but it goes back to my time living at the iconic  Coleg Y Bedyddwyr Bala Bangor. Bala Bang as it was known. Only the chosen few lived in Bala Bang.

Having to put more weight on my left leg is having a bit of a knock on effect on the small of my back which I’m sure will sort itself out once I’m up and running, so to speak. Got to make it through the next couple of weeks or so.

Must dash…

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Made it out into the brisk, fresh February sunshine. Quite cold actually but good to be outdoors. We live on a wonderful planet. A combination of the cold and soreness meant I only walked to the pedestrian crossing and back. As I got there the number five bus raced by without stopping at the empty bus stop. Not many want to get off at that stop. They are all off into town.

Turning around to walk back I smiled at a woman jogging the other way. She returned the smile. Not sure I’ll want to go jogging again. Walking certainly. Great outdoors. Then as I approached our drive I could see a yoof walking towards me at a fastish pace, head buried in device. I wasn’t sure whether we were on a collision course or not but continued my slow progress assuming all would be well. It was going to be easier for him to take evasive. With ten metres to go he noticed me and veered to my left. All was well.

Did the rest of my exercises and back now in my chair. I do the exercises pretty much every time I get up. The mantra is more is better.

THG tells me it is ok out but we are waiting to see how the day develops. Certainly not the fine day it was yesterday. She is thinking of going for a run later but won’t if it is raining. I’m relying on her input as I’m sitting with my back to the window looking at the kitchen wall. Not my usual place to sit but the pew is too low and awkward to access at the mo.

The pew is everyone’s fave place to sit. Sourced from St Peter in Eastgate when they were revamping their interior and installing chairs that give them flexibility to change the space inside the church. They like to put on things like barn dances, or at least they used to. Not sure I’ve heard of one for some time. I’m not a fan anyway. Feel a bit daft and it just isn’t my thang. Dunno what else they put on. Space for a game of rounders (baseball) or simlar. I don’t go.

We are lucky to be able to fit the pew in the kitch. I suspect yer normal sized kitchen wouldn’t have the space. It’s the biggest room in our house, by design and the room most used. I asked THG how old the pew was as it’s position as family favourite place to sit will to a large extent be down to the comfort level brought on by many years of faithful bums on seats “wearing it in”. She guessed Victorian.

I looked it up.

• 11th century: The original church was built
• 1643: The original church was damaged during the English Civil War
• 1776–1781: A new church was built
• 1870: The current church was built by Sir Arthur Blomfield
• 1884: George Frederick Bodley added the chancel decoration
• 1914: Temple Lushington Moore added the south aisle and Rood Screen
• 1993: The north aisle was altered to create the Louisa Smith meeting room

Interesting to imagine the shenanigans going on during the civil war. Took em a while to get around to rebuilding it and then they can’t have done that brilliant a job as they redid it again after a hundred years. Looked that up and it appears they needed a bigger gaff. Can’t find any pics of the earlier churches.

Apaz there was a siege of Lincoln in 1643 hence the damage. I imagine it was the Royalists inside with the Roundheads doing the besieging. I’m not sure I was bothered who won though my old pal @Will, an ardent member of the Sealed Knot, has very strong views I’m certain.

From a family perspective we would appear to have been supporters of John Myles (Miles), the leader of the Baptists in Wales after the civil war and a member of the parliamentary army during it. Our farm Maesnoni was on his radar as a religious meeting house and I suspect he visited it circa 1650.

Another snippet to run up the church belltower is the fact that our previous house in Greetwell Gate, just a few yards away from St Peter’s church, was also built in 1870. Lots going on at that time innit. I imagine the builder spotted a bit of land going spare and decided he’d chuck up the house on a speculative basis. It was the middle of three and would have sold v quickly. Location, location, location built as it is 76 paces from the Morning Star pub, close to the church and a gentle stroll to the cathedral and the amenities of the Bailgate Uphill Quarter. Or whatever the council came up with a while back. Historic Bailgate I think. This’ll be the same council that decided to cancel the Christmas Market so I don’t really give them much share of mind. As long as they keep taking the bins for which the yare paid handsomely.

The house in Greetwell Gate had a pigsty in the back and the deeds specifically mentioned we were allowed to keep a pig.We didn’t because there are two perfectly good butchers within walking distance and I knocked the pigsty down to make space for a bbq area which was far more useful to us.

I’ll finish with a weather update. It is raining and THG’s run is in jeopardy. See how the day pans out.

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Excellent pea and watercress soup for lunch with granary bread and butter. Then a walk in slow mo to the bus stop. The number 5 bus arrived just as I had turned around and started to head back. I expect the driver thought I’d be good for another £1.50 fare into town. I think that’s how much it is. Have to wait four more years until the bus pass drops through the letterbox.

Only problem is “town”. Why do people go there? Same old chain shops as in every other town centre. I’m more likely to want to head in the other direction and end up in Skevegas or somewhere. Will the bus pass get me that far? Not that Skeggy is particularly attractive. Cleethorpes on the train would be better.

The afternoon has turned out nice. I was aware of the likely development as the Shipping Forecast seems to be toning down a little. Less of the “gale force 8 at times”. THG should get her run in.

Bit of admin to do meself. Got to pay for some drugs, some of which I haven’t used. Quite interesting to see the cost difference. The morphine is around four quid. This must largely be driven by market price. Has the Taliban been flooding the market with opiates? The blood thinner however is well over £100 for around 5 weeks supply. Big difference. The latter is mandatory. I’ve not needed the morphine. Party at ours sometime?

Sleep patterns are all over the place at the mo. I’m heading upstairs at around nine pm and therefore am awake by five plus I’m up several times in the night. The benefit of the early wakening is of course I’m there in time for the Shipping Forecast but it ain’t going to last. It’s the sleeping on my back wot does it I’m sure and that has to continue for four more weeks. 

The Shipping Forecast is not, I’m afraid, going to become the new milkman delivery time. You can easily tune in to that yourselves. I usually nod off again after the bulletin anyway.

During the day I am now in a semi prone position having seen the physio yesterday. My right leg is still swollen and the solution is to “sit” with said leg in a raised position. This is easier to do when stretched out. I’m not supposed to bend beyond 90 degrees at the hip, daddy oh.

Beeootiful day out and I may at some stage make the first pilgrimage to the shed. This is not as straightforward a manoeuvre as it might sound with slippery paths and a deck to negotiate. We shall see innit. I’ll certainly take a stroll to the bus stop though the physio did caution me about overdoing it at this stage. A bus stop too far 🙂 

In the meantime I have a conference call at eleven with a person of Scottish extraction. Someone from the Brussels office said he was not that easy to understand but I said it would be straightforward for me having watched a few episodes of Rab C Nesbit. Just have to be careful of my language 🙂 Something to look forward to, a conference call at eleven. Might even set the alarm so as not to miss it. Yanow what it’s like getting buried in your laptop.

…

Bought the first four series of Dad’s Army last night btw. Had wanted to do this yonks ago but you could only buy DVDs online and Dad’s Army was showing on ITV Premium so no online sources for purchase. Wasn’t going to sign up for another paid TV channel. Presumably ITV has now stopped showing Dad’s Army hence its availability for purchase elsewhere. I’ll hoover up the other series at some stage but there are nine all told and I didn’t feel like shelling out for the whole lot in one go.

After lunch went for a stroll to the pedestrian crossing. Not as far as the bus stop which is less than 100m away so not particularly far. However the physio told me not to push things too quickly and also pointed out the error of my ways in my walking with crutches technique. 

I had moved on from the slow shuffle I had had to demonstrate before they certified me fit for leaving hospital. You can get far further more quickly by doing a ‘normal” walk with synchronised crutch movement. However I am still meant to support 50% of the weight on the operated on leg for another couple of weeks and have had to revert to the shuffle.

The upshot is my effective range has been reduced. I could spend a little longer out walking I suppose. I’ll get there :). Back in the armchair now with leg propped up again.

Showered, shaved (gotta look good for the nurse), dressed, socks on and up. The socks on bit, as regular readers may know, is a separate activity.

Stitches out today. Still have a little tenderness there but should find out what’s going on if anything when the dressing comes off. First physio sesh. 

The problem when you have your first hip replacement is not knowing what to expect. What is progress at which stage of the game. My cousin Allyson cast off her crutches and was walking in 3 weeks. I dunno. I’m told to use crutches for 6 weeks, going down to just the one after 4 of them. Suggests rapid improvement might be expected from here on. 

THG was out the door early to pick up her car from Coops’ garage before setting off to the gym for some weight lifting. Well it is Monday morning after all. Superwoman. I am installed in the snug having dome the first round of exercise and now ready for whatever the morning wants to throw my way.

The exercises are not particularly onerous and because of this I’ve upped the number of reps and frequency. Whenever I get up out of the chair I do a few reps. It will be some time before I’m walking up mountains but that is the ambition. Not Everest. Let’s be sensible. I’d like to think that Y Wyddfa was on the list. We like that part of the world.

…

Sat on an industry call. Central numbering database n stuff like that. I might drop off. I did drop off. It was either that or nod off. I feel the need of a change of scenery and a visit to the shed. Only thing is I promised THG I’d stay away unless I had someone with me. The route there is v slippery. Been out for a short walk. Not as far as the bus stop. Wot!

Two weeks of sat on my arse would seem to be enough but I suspect there is more to come. Certainly been doing a lot more exercises. Need to get movin.

…

Wound check complete. Stitches out. Took all of thirty seconds once the nurse had me on the bed. All good apaz. Amazeballs.

It somehow feels instantly more comfortable. The perceived wisdom is that the stitches tighten up so removing them must have relaxed the muscle. Feels as if a glass of champagne would be appropriate but it ain’t apnin. First of all I’m off the pop until the end of March and secondly I wouldn’t be able to drink a whole bottle meself so it would be a waste.

Still not allowed to rotate the hip until after 6 weeks but it should go quickly enough. Four weeks to go.

The downside to going to bed early is waking up early. The Shipping Forecast has blown through, Storm ten in Rockall, and I’m now listening to Spike Milligan on Desert Island Discs. Disks? Currently playing Yesterday by the Beatles. What’s not to like? I thought to put it on as they were playing Goon Show episodes on Radio 4 Extra but I never really gelled with the Goon Show. Was of its time. Shipping forecast was read by an enthusiastic female presenter. Seems to be a thing, being enthusiastic at that time of day.

Avin a bit of a lie in. Figured I’d wait for someone to offer to cook breakfast. No point in getting up and having to sort it out meself when I have an enthusiastic visitor to sort me. Switched on morning service half way through. All about radical equality. Soz  love. Am all for it but it’s not why I listen to the Sunday Service. Switched off again.

Now downstairs wiv a cup of tea waiting for the world to start turning. A Full English has been mooted and I am not going to jeopardise the sitch by having toast as an interim nibble.

Made some progress of sorts with the Family tree yesterday. A couple of people I contacted came back with loads of info. One of the farms, Cwmiar or Cwm y Iar (look it up) as it was in the eighteenth century, has had its outbuildings converted to holiday cottages and I dropped the owner a line. She replied and said her 90 year old dad knew a lot about the Maesnonni farm and they were good friends with the person who runs it now who would appear to be a descendant of the people I am looking at. Wowsers.

My biggest issue is that I now have too many John Joneses to fit into the jigsaw. A John would name his sons John and David, or David and John :). They in turn would also name their offspring the same. Before two long the area was flooded with John and David Joneses. It is very difficult to keep up with it all 🙂 

I have no idea how many pieces this jigsaw will have when it is finished. It would be a never ending job if I let it. I have to be careful not to go down too many side alleys. I’ll keep you posted obvs but a visit to the area should help. A stroll around the cemetery taking photos of gravestones. That kind of thing. Someone has already done this to some extent but I don’t have all the info I need.

One of the John Joneses ended up as the rector of a church in Llangunllo (pop 2011 369) which is miles away. The population in the eighteenth century would have been even less. He would have known every single person in the parish. An interesting fact that has come out of my research relates to the growth of nonconformist denominations in Wales. Clerics in the established Church used to whinge about this a lot but the truth be told if everyone in the country rocked up at church one Sunday then the Church of Wales only had capacity to accommodate 25% of them.

Gotta go. Bakson.

…

Back in the snug with my fourth cup of tea. A bath has been run. Not for me. The kids like to take advantage of our bath when they come home. They typically only have showers in their own places, or small baths. I have a sonos 5 discretely attached to the ceiling in the bathroom for the specific purpose of listening to toons whilst in the tub. Not that I have a bath that often and usually only in winter. Certainly not whilst I still have a dressing on my hip, waterproof or not.

…

Rainy in the shire. Too slippery to venture forth on the crutches. It’s ok once you get to the pavement but hey, it’s rainy. Sat in the snug watching football and rugby at the same time. Both are muted and really I’m only glancing occasionally. 

THG got home from her travels shortly after two pm. Trains rammed apaz. A combination of returning end of half term holidaymakers and the fact that a load of trains were cancelled yesterday due to leaves on the line or some similar meterorologically triggered event. Fortunately she had a seat on both trains. A pot of tea awaited her return. Seemed like the right thing to do.

Goodness gracious me the sparrows had just finished farting this morning when I got up, got dressed and made it downstairs. I’d had enough lying on my back in bed. Let’s get some movement I thought.

Hannah heard the kerfuffle on the stairs as I tried to carry a grabber and a bag full of essential items such as socks, hoodie and laptop together with my crutches. She took the bag off my hands and once I was settled returned to the comfort of her bed. Seven thirty.

Not much going on outside. The occasional car rolls by on their way to earlies. No tea yet as the kitchen is closed. Too early for the staff. THG would have already sorted it 🙂 

I’ve turned the thermostat down. It’s been getting too warm first thing, especially for those still tucked up under the duvet. I’m ok with my hoodie on. Been wearing this hoodie for over a week now. It has a front pocket which is v handy for carrying my phone when strolling to the kitchen/downstairs loo/bus stop, the three destinations on my current route map.

Hungry now. I believe a cooked breakfast might be on the cards later but I sense the need to have an interim slice of toast.

…

Two slices of sourdough toast and marmalade and half a grapefruit with a pot of tea and I’m sorted. Ready for the day.

…

At 08:52 I can hear the fast jets taking off from either Scampton or Waddington. The defence of the realm doesn’t recognise weekends. Well actually it probably does. Our next door neighbour at Greetwell Gate used to fly his twin engined jetstream from Scampton to RAF Northolt every Friday to visit his girlfriend in London. Would only take him half an hour. That’s what I call a good commute. 

The Red Arrows take 15 mins to fly from London back to Lincoln. Years ago we were watching one of the Queen’s jubilees and the finale was a Concorde and Red Arrows flypast. As soon as it was over I decamped to the Morning Star and exactly fifteen minutes later the Reds did a flypast of the Cathedral, or of the Morning Star. Take yer pick.

Looks like it is fining up. Bodes well for the walk to the bus stop. I think I’ll try and get three or maybe even four of them in before the rugby starts. Feels as if it is time to ramp up the training. I’ll get to know for certain on Monday with my first physio session.

The road outside is getting busier and now seeing walkers head in the direction of Tesco. Unless they are planning on walking to Wragby or somewhere which I did once and found that the pavement ran out about two thirds of the way there. Quite dodge it was.

Up at the crack of dawn believe it or not. Well eightish. Hannah and George were off swimming so if I wanted someone to pull my socks on I needed to get in there before they left. It’s only my right foot that’s the issue 🙂 You’re getting the whole nine yards of recovery process here. Also a bit sorer this morning so I’ve added ibuprofen to the painkiller cocktail.

I don’t know whether the soreness is down to me sitting in the armchair for much of the day, interspersed with the occasional exercise obvs. Find out soon enough when the stitches come out on Monday.

Today, as you probably know, Friday. We are having a takeaway curry from the Castle View and last night I tried calling to book a slot – they get v busy. Their phone was up the swanee. I got a busy tone all night. Can’t believe they took it off the hook because they were getting too many orders. Anyway I sent them an email with the order but not heard back yet so at the time of writing I am not sure where we will be sourcing the curry. They open at five so will have to call then, assuming they’ve fixed the phone. You have to be quick off the mark as their takeaway slots get booked up v quickly.

That was actually an aside as my observation of it being Friday related more to the fact that it is quite customary to have a beer early doors. I’ve hardly touched a drop since the middle of January, Christmas really, but today feels like a couple of pints of lager day. Problem is I daren’t do it. Last thing I want is to keep having to go to the loo. The other thing is all we have in is cans of John Smiths, purchaysed for our party last December. Funnily enough nobody drank it. Any of it! It was a cheap case of beer to chuck in the mix to avoid running out. We never run out anyway.

I shall look back at this period of my life with no fondness whatsoever. One interesting thing that has come out of the last few days is to see the strength of my daughter Hannah. She has taken putting my socks on for me in her stride, so to speak. It’s a fact of life that parents at some stage are likely to need looking after. This period of immobility is an early introduction to aged parents for our kids and fortunately should only be temporary. At least I am able to do everything else myself. If you know you know,

Next door has packed their car up. Must be off somewhere for the weekend. Or the tip.  I didn’t clock what they put in their boot but it didn’t feel as if it was rubbish. I see all this because I’m sat in the bay window of the snug. The armchair has been brought over from the shed – the only one that meets the height spec and even then I’m sitting on three cushions. 

It would be preferable to sit looking out at the garden where the view is more pleasant and there is no traffic noise but the snug is better suited for this present purpose. Easy access to the rest of the house, a TV, somewhere to put down a cup of tea, the grabber, some books and my laptop. The TV only goes on in the evening and it is generally a struggle to find anything to watch.

So now I’m waiting for the kids to come back from swimming – I fancy another cup of tea. I’ve normally had at least three by now. Also got the first conference call out of the way. Only conference call. Nine o’clock and work is finished for the day. Mostly.

Yesterday was spent fruitlessly trying to find evidence of the use of our farm Maesnoni for dissenter gatherings. John Miles or Myles in particular. I knew I’d seen something somewhere. I did find that Hywel Harris had spoken at Maesnoni. Hywel was a big name in the Methodist movement in Wales. Then this morning, blow me down, knock me down with a feather, I found it. I’d already captured a screenshot with the details but didn’t spot it on my trawl through what I already had. John Miles,1649!

This is quite exciting. V historic. Maesnoni is still a working dairy farm in Llanllwni. It has to be on my list of places to visit during my trip in the spring. Another of our farms, Glyn Adda. just a few miles down the road in Alltwalis was also used for the same purpose. I haven’t nailed the family association between Maesnoni and Glyn Adda but I’m fairly sure it is there.

The biggest question is how we got to own all the land. There are over ten farms involved which is quite a substantial holding for those times. It feels as if you either owned thousands of acres or just a few, or nothing and the ten farms seems a bit in between. We shall see. More as it happens…

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Blowing a hooley out there, as they say. I knew this was coming as I miraculously woke up just before the Shipping Forecast this morning and it was gale force 6 to 8 veering on 9 everywhere you looked. If you are in Cromarty or Fair Isle, Shannon or Sole you’d better batten down those hatches. 

I know it is windy in Lincoln cos I looked out of the window to see whether it had dried enough for me to venture forth to the bus stop. The ground was too slippery for crutches this morning. I dunno whether it is slippery or not but it is now too windy. Hang on I’m just going to test it out.

Made it to the bus stop. George came with me for a bit of company and “just in case there was an issue”. No bus in sight but there again I didn’t want to catch it anyway. Takes you downtown.

Some IoM ferry sailings have been cancelled. I looked on their website. We have had a couple of trips in the last year or two where we’ve had to come back earlier due to an impending storm. Pain in the arse but needs must. 

This year we are flying. Planes also get grounded due to the weather but we can’t not go just in case the weather is going to be bad. It often is bad anyway. The beauty of staying in Peel is that we (I) can just stroll along the prom to one of the pubs on the quayside to sit out the storm.

The IoMSPCo has a new boat called the Manxman. We used it last year. Had a double bed stateroom where we rode out the voyage. Far comfier to have your own cabin than to have to sit in the lounge with the great unwashed.

…

H&G have gone to pick up a curry from the Castle View. They have half an hour to wait so I assume they’ve gone to the pub for a swift un to sit it out. It’s what I’d do. In fact I’ve been know to delay the pick up time to let me squeeze in said swift un. This is something you miss when house bound. Cherish those days of mobility.

Castle View phone is knackered. That’ll be costing them a bob or two. They have a massive takeaway side to the business.

I can put my knees together. Not sure I’ve mentioned it before. This is nothing to do with me being demure or anything like that. Before the op I couldn’t do it. Neither could I lift my knee up beyond say a 20 degree angle. I can now. I don’t yet know about rotational hip dexterity, or however they put it. Actually if I used the correct medical terminology none of us would understand it, unless you are of that ilk. That background. 4 sleeps till the stitches come out.

Enough of this hip talk daddy oh. Oh except to say the arrow is still there but fading fast. Also took a pic of the dressing today but you don’t get to see that due to its proximity to my hairy backside,. I note they shaved that bit of glute which is understandable. Only time ever.

I did have a shower and a shave this morning and feel invigorated. That’s what showers are for. And cleansing obvs. Purging. I’m lucky I have a waterproof dressing. We had a pal around the other night and she did not and had to wash herself with flannels for six weeks.  

When you interview your hip surgeon make sure you ask about waterproof dressings before making your final choice. Mind you at the going rate for a consultation your shortlist wants to actually be short. Mine only had the one surgeon on it as I’d done my due diligence in advance. In making his diagnosis he told me the only solution was surgery and left it hanging as if it was my decision to make. I told him I chose him because he knows what he is doing ands he should tell me what to do. The result is known to all. Ongoing result anyway.

Stop. I said no more trendy talk.

THG has headed out for some well earned R&R and George is frying away in the kitchen fair play to him. This will be my first proper fry up for over a week. I can’t actually see the action because the chair I use faces towards the wall. The pew, which is the most popular seat in the house, is marginally too low for me. Pews were clearly designed to make it easy for worshippers to lean forwards and slip onto their knees for devotions.

The family tree research, the pace of which is mostly glacial but which does occasionally trigger a landslide of new information, continues. I am approaching very interesting time. The oldest family member I have is David Jones, a wealthy landowner of Maesnoni farm, Llanllwni, Carmarthenshire. From what I can gather the family was uber religious and of old Welsh stock.

I’ve seen links with John Myles (Miles) visits and other early dissenters from the 1600s and early 1700s. A few Baptists from the area were early escapees to America. Maesnoni farm takes some finding because place name spellings in those days were fairly random. Maesnon could also me Maesnonni, Maesnonny, Maes-nonny etc. Llanllwni was also Llanllwney or Llanllwny. Anyway it’s keeping me busy/screwing my eyes up. Plenty of good material for a book.

The story includes transportation to Australia for stealing sheep, hangings at Carmarthen Gaol and rioting against local turnpikes during the renowned Rebecca Riots..

Ciao amigos.

Did you know, the shipping forecast lasts ten minutes. What’s not to like? I know this because during one of my awake periods I switched the wireless on to help me nod off again. Unfortunately I was up to date on episodes of “TwentyYears A Growing” by Maurice O’Sullivan and the next one wasn’t due until 08.30 (Radio 4 Extra – well worth a listen and I must buy the book). 

Hmm, worramagoingtolistento? Ahah! The Shipping Forecast. The trusty Shipping Forecast. Guaranteed to get you off to sleep again. On it went. I figured I’d stick a five minute snooze on as I didn’t particularly want to hear anything else. Would you Adam and Eve it, the doggone Shipping Forecast got cut short half way across Dogger Bank or similar. I switched it back on and copped a “snooze at the end of the programme” setting which did the job.

Winding the clock forward and I awoke in time to catch the live version of the next Shipping Forecast. I was quite thrilled with this. Dunno if you’ve ever been lucky enough to catch more than one of these iconic broadcasts in the same day, let alone within a few short hours of each other but the difference is marked.

I’m not talking about the difference in the weather here. That is always changing unless you happen to be becalmed somewhere near the Bermuda Triangle. No, the morning version didn’t have the Sailing By musical introduction. Quite disappointing. Instead we were fed some trailers for programmes later in the day on Radio 4.

Once I recovered from this disappointment I found that the tone of voice and delivery of the presenter was quite different. Whereas the one in the middle of the night was calm and relaxing, dull almost, the morning guy was quite upbeat, almost rapid fire. Wow. Unless I’ve been on watch all night I guess I’m not listening to it at that time of day to help me fall asleep. I’m after news of whether the gales in Biscay are slackening or should I be hanging my washing out anywhere in the vicinity of Rockall.

The latter would benefit from a gentle breeze obvs but no rain and definitely not a gale as I wouldn’t have to go to M&S for more underwear when I’ve already restocked the drawer within the last ten years (jokes).

They should really do a Shipping Forecast Greatest HIts. Maybe an end of year review of the best moments. That time when Hurricane Hernando struck Cornwall destroying the day’s crop of clotted cream and preventing the strawberry jam from setting. Or when on April Fools Day they slipped the Serpentine in Hyde Park in the forecast. Lock up yer pedalohs. A Greatest Hits might showcase the talents of the different presenters featured during that year. Who knew there was such a variety of of voices? There are at least two we know for a fact and this isn’t something you can record well in advance to facilitate economic use of studio time.

I have to be careful not to drone on too long here or I could spend all day at it and some of you have stuff to be getting on with. I’ll finish with the information that the Shipping Forecast lasts ten minutes and is a good use of your time at 05.20 before you head out to do the milking or go to the gym.

Ciao amigos.

…

Couple of short solo walks today. Bus stop and back. Didn’t get as far as yesterday with Tom. Suspect that was a bit too far for this stage of the game. Little by little… Now watching a programme on steam trains on Amazon Prime. Different on screen aspect ratio. V niche stuff but still better than a lot of the footage they churn out these days. Doubt they use that term anymore. Digital age and all that.

Got bored and now watching a black and white western. This won’t last long either. Next up binge watching Guy Martin’s Proper Jobs.

At least it’s the Peul v Villa at half seven.

Not a particularly good night’s kip. Woke up a lot. Probably because I’m having to sleep on my back but it is what it is. The last couple of hours seems to make up for it although I did wake up with a slight headache. Paracetamol sorted, amazingly. Then a refreshing shower.

I’m not looking for sympathy. It is just a reflection of life after the hip hop. A life that is gradually getting back to where it should be. For example the sideways leg moving exercises were a lot easier this morning.

Gonna be mostly off the pop for the next few weeks. The original, medical advice driven motivation is that alcohol combined with morphine makes you drowsy. I stopped taking morphine after day one so that doesn’t apply, although alcohol makes me drowsy anyway if I don’t drink enough of it.

No, the side effect of alcohol that would affect me most is the frequency of visits to the lavatory once the seal is broken. Then there is the increase in the number of visits overnight as the body continues to process the beer. Whilst still using crutches it just isn’t worth the hassle.

THG has set off for a swim and then her gym classes, fair play. Tom is still in bed. He goes back to the smoke today. THG herself heads off for a few days R&R from Tref on Thursday. We had both been going to London to see a Peter Kay gig but I’ve handed my ticket over to one of the kids. THG is being replaced by gorgeous daughter Hannah and her affianced George who are moving in Wednesday evening to put in a shift. That’s what ya do for your daddy innit.

Daddy himself is very much looking forward to regaining his freedom of movement. It’s only when you don’t have it you realise how important it is. Even small things like carrying a cup of tea to the snug. I’m lucky to have a great family. 

This morning I have to do some work! I got to rite some stuff dunneye. The morning is the time to do it when my brain is fresher. Amazing how tiring sitting on a pile of cushions in an armchair gets you. I do move about and have some exercises but they don’t take up the whole day. 

Then there’s the long outdoor walk. Yesterday I really pushed it and must have done at least 80 yards. Round trip! Today I sense we will crash the 100 yard barrier. Effin amazin ou quoi? Note the use of Imperial measurements. Dunno why. No real reason. It’s probably for the same underlying reason I call a radio the wireless. Both are valid. I can make it sound further by measuring in yards rather than metres though the quoted distances are mere guesswork anyway.

In theory I could walk to the Bromhead for physio and stitch removal on Monday. Google says it is 0.6 miles, 13 mins. Takes quadrupeds longer obvs. I’m certain Google assumes the walking speed of yer average granny as lots of them stride past when I’m ambling along. Also google doesn’t realise you can take the shortcut through the Lindum Cricket Club car park (Lincoln Rugby Club before it moved to Nettleham) which brings you out right opposite the hospital. I think I’ll make that a goal for the later physio sessions. It should only be a ten minute walk or less for a fit person.

…

Rewind. Tom goes tomorrow, doh. V invigorating walk with him to the bus stop and back. Basically neighbour number 3. Plotted the distance out on google maps and it’s 120m round trip. Mixing my units here but I’m happy with that. Will go again after lunch and maybe push it to 150m, or more. Without going crazy obvs. Making it to the bus stop represents a significant milestone as all I have to do is stand there (for up to 20 mins) and I could catch the bus into town, foolish as that might be.

…

Bit of news. After a nap upstairs I popped into the kitchen to retrieve what was left of the bunch of grapes Mandy had brought around yesterday. Would you believe it whilst en route to the snug one of the grapes dropped off and rolled under a chair at the kitchen table. Totally unfazed I hopped along to the snug to get the grabber and was able to demonstrate extreme dexterity in picking up the grape off the floor. It being well within the five minute rule I was able to pop the grape in my mouth and bite into the deliciously juicy piece of fruit. More as it happens…

I’ve definitely given up on the sock puller upper. Need to find out where I got it from and leave a shite review. I can do my left foot manually (so to speak) but not the right. Yet. You all need to value your own health and fitness. This is an advanced warning of what it is like to get old. Not for everyone but for many.

Almost a week since the op and four nights since I got home. Before the op I would have a constant soreness in the hip from bone rubbing on bone. None of that now. Just the constraints of the stitches which come out a week tomorrow. I’ll need to check. Going to call the hospital this am anyway. Just to catch up on old times. No. My stitches removal and first physio have been arranged for Nottingham but the hospital is only three hundred yards from us in Lincoln and it makes sense to get it all done there.

Quite looking forward to that. I sense that the real progress begins then. My (3rd) cousin Allyson, who I’ve met online in the course of doing the family tree research, also had her hip done recently. She said that after three weeks she ditched the crutches. They are telling me to stay on two crutches for four weeks dropping to one for two weeks and then they are happy for me to go off and climb Yr Wyddfa or Steep Hill or play golf. Will see how it goze innit.

Just waiting for the other person to join a conference call believe it or not. Nine thirty on a Monday morning! Wot on earth? I hear you exclaim loudly as you fall off your chairs, spill the coffee and drop biscuit crumbs all over the carpet. I know, I know but hey… 

He is now a minute late. I was four minutes early. Four minutes early is on time. A minute late is keeping me waiting when I have better things to do such as nip upstairs and switch the heating back on. Mind you it isn’t that cold. Tis a beeootiful day out. 

I shall be heading out for a walk this morning. Yesterday I made it past the pedestrian crossing to the tree in front of next door’s drive. Not directly in front of the drive obvs as they wouldn’t be able to get cars in and out. Just beyond the entrance.

Today I will go further. There is no reason really why I couldn’t go a lot further but the advice is to do it bit by bit in case you go so far that you can’t get back. Tbh the main stress is on your hands because I’m not used to holding crutches. The ultimate objective is to get as far as the Morning Star and then take a break to build up energy for the walk back.

He is now eight minutes late. In two minutes I shall abandon the call. Not that I have other urgent pressing matters. 

He scraped in by the hair on his chinny chin chin. All done. Let’s get on with le jour (he was French).

…

In other news Mandy Wheatley swung by with some grapes. The thought was very much appreciated (hint hint – though I’m good for grapes at the mo).

Went for a walk with our Tom in attendance. Made it two doors down. Kept short in deference to the fact that Tom was wearing a pair of shorts and a tee. Effin cold out. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

…

In bed by 9.15 but really because there was nowt to watch after University Challenge. Should have brought a book up. Found an interesting documentary on Roman writer Suetonius on Radio 4. Was a bit concerned there might be wall to wall politics but I might just be too early for that.

Spoke with the Bromhead hospital. Stitches removal has been brought forward to Monday in Lincoln, ditto first physio sesh. 6 sleeps. On the other hand I’m told I have to wear the stockings for another 5 weeks and sleep on my back for that time. That doesn’t make for a good kip. I guess there are worse things at sea.

Made it back to the end of the 17th Cent with the family tree. Online sources running out. A trip to Wales will have to be planned.

Gospel happy clappy on the Sunday service. I don’t mind a bit of uplifting Aretha Franklin Americun gospel as opposed to the modern happy clappy nonsense we get fed in the UK. Trouble is it’s a bit lively for ten past eight on a Sunday morning. The BBC needs another focus group to realign their content with what us punters want to hear. Reassuring dullness with some strains of classic church music thrown in to break it up a bit. The wireless has now been switched off no doubt registering a massive blip on their audience listening numbers.

The DG will have something to say when he (or she, I dunno) sees the charts in the Monday morning management meeting. “Did Tref not like the Sunday Service?” The phone will probably ring but if they do their usual trick of ‘number withheld’ I almost certainly won’t answer it.

Breakfast is THG’s highly invigorating gran o’la with yo ‘gurt and locally harvested blackberries. I am sorry that most of you will not get the opportunity to try it. V uplifting. There is also toast. White, buttered, orange marmalade, fine cut. The toaster started working again as soon as our Tom came home. Still doesn’t do the top bit of the bread. The toaster is toast once, I get round to sorting it. Manãna.

THG is off to her usual devotions this morning leaving me to sort meself out. This is not a big issue. By the time I need another cup of tea Tom might have surfaced. He keeps different hours to me being a much later bird. I’ve been getting to bed by nine since coming home from the hospital. It’s comfier there. I have found myself awake during the wee small hours looking for something to listen to on the wireless. 

I say wireless. It’s the BBC sounds app. The World Service is a bit hit and miss and last night it was definitely ‘miss’. I found instead a story on Radio 4 Xtra about some remote Irish Isle. Did the job. Even tempted to find out when the next episode is on, always assuming I can remember what it was called.

I can make my own tea. It’s just the carrying from the kitchen to the snug. That too is doable with some care but it makes sense to delegate it to an able hipped person. Tom has been very forthcoming with the tea tray fair play to him. A good lad.

Now fully socked in the snug and settled in for the morning. Socks are the only things I can’t put on meself. That will be the first sign of improvement. Yay I managed to put my own socks on. In a bit…

…

I’m told, by our esteemed Meteorological Office, that there is less than 5% chance of rain today. Well they called it precipitation but I understood what they were trying to say. I will therefore venture out of the front door a little later and walk as far as the front gate. We haven’t actually got a gate but it is the place at the entrance to the manoir where gates would be fitted if we did have them. When I get there I may even go further and see if I can get to the pedestrian crossing. That feels as if it will be enough for now.

Yesterday it was chucking it down all day and the drive was too slippery to risk. Had I looked I daresay the Met Office would have said 100% chance of precipitation. I didn’t need to look on their website. Just looking out of the window was enough.

There is noise coming from the kitchen. Breakfast being prepared. Sausages. We don’t all have brekkie at the same time. Wouldn’t life be boring.

Watching a bit of Rallying from Sweden on da box. V pictureskew with lots of forest and snow. The do a good snowy forest in Sweden. Good saunas too, no doubt.

Well, up and at it by eight thirty. Showered and then got meself dressed with the aid of one of those ‘grabbers’. Mostly. Needed help with the socks and the DVT stockings. Bloody difficult things to get on even if I was not encumbered with a wound on my right hip that prevents me from bending. At least these stockings are a discrete dark green as opposed to the stand out and get noticed buff coloured ones you normally see.

One of the disappointing purchases of late was the ‘sock putter onner’. This is a contraption you feed a sock onto and then pull up over your foot. Hey presto your sock is on. Well don’t bother I’m telling you. I wish I’d asked @Karen before I bought it because when I told her she said they were rubbish. Also I don’t need the shoe horn as I’m either only wearing slippers or my Timberland shoes that just slip on. Ah well.

I’ve mostly been able to do stuff meself although carrying anything whilst ‘racing’ along on my crutches is an issue. Especially cups of tea. Need to get a tote bag out so that I can carry books and laptop etc. Maybe put tea into a flask?! Plenty of tote bags in the shed though not been anywhere near there since coming home. The deck is slippery so I’m under orders to steer clear unless accompanied by a team of ‘propper uppers’. Isn’t worth the stress for the moment.

Breakfast was an excellent half a tin of grapefruit segments and a bacon sarnie prepared by the lovely THG. I am lucky to have THG as I’m sure most of you who know her will know. No grapefruit spoon was needed for the tinned fruit obvs. Now propped up on the armchair in the snug with a few books and a laptop within reach. An extra cushion under me on the armchair seems to have made the difference from a comfort perspective. Three now instead of the two I’ve been using.

So a day of getting through the day beckons. Writing, books, snooker, lunch, maybe some sport on the telly. Not enormously different to Saturdays in recent months but things do now at least have a prospect of change. I can move my hip a lot more than this time last week and I know it is going to improve from hereon in. (Hereon in??).

My life is quite quiet these days compared with the kids. One of em was at a red carpet world premier of a film at the Berlinale International Film Festival last night (probs got the name wrong) and another was at the last night party of James Bay’s European Tour the night before at Wembley. I like that the kids take life on to another level. We are but here for them to put their foot into our cupped hands and hoik themselves up.

I quite like the quiet life thing.

There is big news btw. All change at Lidl where you need to scan your receipt before getting out of the shop and Tesco car park now has speed bumps. The news just came in on the THG wire. I didn’t know they had a speeding problem at Tesco and Lidl must be attracting a lot of thieving gits. I know nothing. 

The other news is that there is Women’s Alpine Skiing on Discovery Plus. When I was a kid we used to watch Ski Sunday every weekend during the season. Seem to have got out of the habit. In those days it was probably on BBC1 or 2 prime time. Bugger all else on in those days. Bugger all on now, except Women’s Alpine Skiing but it is only ten am. The snow is good apaz. Aaah one of them has just missed a pole turn and pulled up. Red hot sports reporting as it happens…

At least there is rugby on at three o’clock. Quins v Saracens. THG also pointed out there Is Leicester City v Arsenal at twelve thirty. Cmon the foxes. There is undoubtedly more to life but currently it is what it is. No way will you get me doing jigsaws.

Somewhat bored sat here in the armchair in the snug. Have put the snooker on the box. Daytime TV at its finest. THG loves snooker but she is out.

I do get up periodically to move about. For example I’ll get up and make a cup of tea and bring it back to the chair to drink. Then I’ll have to get up to go to the loo. So it isn’t all just sitting on my arse and it is Mark Selby v John Higgins.

Been slowly making progress with the family tree but am looking for that breakthrough discovery and there is only so much staring at the laptop I can do. I have a brief conf call at two but it will only be five mins. Ten max.

Things are slowly improving. After only one day on the opiates I’ve dropped the morphine. It was making me sleepy and I don’t appear to be in much discomfort anyway. Will  in future stick to gin and tonic as my drug of choice. Or Timothy Taylor’s Landlord. The morphine is there if the pain returns.

I can only ascribe the lack of pain to the good job done by the surgeon. Ok I can feel the stitched bit if I land awkwardly in the chair but otherwise nowt. A true artist. Maybe I’m just ‘ard. Oh I’ve lost an arm. Well I’ve got another one.

Losing an arm would be a real nuisance when it came to playing snooker. I’m rubbish at snooker as it is as I have to stare at the ball over the top of my glasses. Every shot would have to be made using the rest. 

Maybe you can have a snooker equivalent of a runner in cricket. Someone to put their hand on the table for you to prop your cue on. In cricket you can only have a runner if you’ve injured yourself during the game so it wouldn’t be considered to be the same sitch as losing an arm. It is unlikely you could lose an arm and then recover in time to get back to the venue to finish off the match. Everything is possible I guess, in the most powerful minds.

Had my first visitor, Ajax. Didn’t bring any grapes but that’s ok.  I wasn’t expecting him or the grapes so it’s a bonus.

THG rang from Waitrose. We are apparently having a Valentine’s Day meal deal for two. Lovely. What’s not to like? She is also likely to have to cook it but she won’t complain. Trooper she is. Is it normal for the bloke to cook the Valentine’s dinner? Dunno. Bound to be nice.

Both Tom and THG are out now. What happens if I fall and hurt myself and am unable to call for help? Don’t worry. I’ll just have to stay sat watching the snooker. 

…

Long old day in the armchair. It’s early days but definite improvement. Just need to get the wound healed up