Sunday Express and Benefit Claimants

WITHOUT PREJUDICE

What is it with The Sunday Express and people on benefits?  What they fail or forget to realise is that most genuine claimants need this money, paltry as it is, to live on.  It is not, contrary to their 'research' a fortune.  Most are not scoungers and most are definitely not thumbing their noses at the taxpayer.  This paper has a go at claimants because they are an easy target.  I have given up complaining to them and one of their writers who shall remain nameless, who is usually the main writer of these missives.  Whether he is responsible this time or not I don't know but it really is not nice to tell readers half the story.  Some people play the system and they are the ones who need stopping but you cannot blithely go on at length about how badly the taxpayer is being conned by all these claimants.  If the Express cared one iota for it's readers, many of whom are disabled they would soon realise that NOT everyone claiming these paltry benefits is a shyster, but they won't print that exception because it takes away the power of their arguments.  Most claimants have already paid into the system and not being able to predict when or even if they would become disabled in their lifetime, are simply claiming back what they need to live, but as the money received is so poor even that cannot be guaranteed.  Until fresh air is able to feed, clothe and house a disabled person then the state, as a 'caring' state has to do it.  Tax payers need to know that, God forbid, if anything happened to them in their lifetime they would have help when they need it.  Just because they are able bodied now does not guarantee mishaps in the future but NO-ONE even thinks about that, and it's something they do not realise, disablement can easily happen to them.  Most disabled people do not choose to be this way, and if the Express think it's right or fair to have a go at these people then they are wrong.  One line which really angered me was where they say 'Research shows that if a person claims benefit for more than 1 year then they stay on it for 7 years.'  They leave the statement like that, so what are they saying? that someone decides to claim benefit for a year and then says 'oh I can't be bothered lets stay at home for another 7?'  Doesn't work like that Express.  Let me explain it for you yet again - most long term disabled people are on benefit long term because their condition worsens over time and in some cases is not operable, you are simply left by the NHS to get on with it. 

I will no longer buy the Express after this article was printed today because I am sick to the back teeth of this persecution of those on benefit. 

Perhaps they would like the people on benefit to be forgotten about and live on the streets because if you want to take their money away that's the outcome.  So, here's a question they can't answer for all their bluff and bluster - what will you replace it with?

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Whisky Fuelled Mince Pies!

Blimey! Talk about alcohol in mince pies!  Hubs put whisky in these as I don't drink brandy (don't drink whisky for that matter come to that) oh well, suffice to say that these whisky fuelled filled mince pies are the best home made pies I have ever tasted bar none, and no I'm not just saying that because he made them - they are really that nice.  I helped as well by coming over all arty and making square bases for the pies; then just putting some of the homemade filling on them and lightly dusting with icing sugar at the end.  Hubs went for the more traditional little pie shape - awww.  Both lots were totally scrummy and needless to say like there are only a couple left.  Well, didn't really want my roast lamb dinner tonight!  Yes, we did use 'proper' whisky, yep, the famous one!  Not the usual paint stripper variety we seem to have had in previous pies in previous years.  As ever, doggie is occupying the front row seats between the kitchen and dining room ever hopeful as always but he really couldn't cope with whisky ... sleeps enough as it is.

Then hubs, proud as a peacock with his endeavours (I'm surprised I can spell that right after having whisky fuelled filled mince pies) pipes up: 'First time I've ever made mince pies' to which I reply: 'So you've made we wait 13 years for this, while greedily shovelling shop bought down your neck knowing I can't have shop bought because of the apples and other assorted crud that goes into prepackaged food these days.'  He went ... oh, er, yeah.  He is priceless isn't he?  No really, I mean I couldn't give him away!!!

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

A Tuneful Chorus of 'It's a Long Way to Tipperary' is not nice at 3.30am

I swear this village is filling up with more idiots than it can handle.  Was woken up this morning by two of them launching into a very tuneful rendition of 'Its a Long Way to Tipperary' at the delightfully ungoldly hour of 3:30am!  Does nothing ever curtail these idiots?  It's snowing, it's freezing cold and very icy out there  - even moreso at half past sodding three in the morning.  Perhaps when you're that well oiled you don't feel the cold but you'd have to be pretty well trolleyed to be that far gone - trust me.  They finally sung their way past the house and I suspect got home ok.  Does that then give me the right to turn up outside said home with a huge brass band at let's say 7am when they will still be asleep and repay their very kind serenade with my own medley of Christmas songs and tunes??  Well I would you see, but I don't feel it's fair to the other people who live alongside the idiots to wake them up even though they were probably serenaded by said idiots too.

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

A Hairy Baker in The Kitchen?

For those wo are in the UK you'll know who The Hairy Bikers are (Dave Myers & Simon King) and they are accidental chefs who are also motorcyclists who ride round the country (nee the world) on their powerful machines cooking delights all over the place.  They sometimes slip into Hairy Baker mode where they bring us the delights of baking, sugary confections, cakes and chocolates when they are not being The Hairy Bikers.  You can follow them on Twitter if you'd like, and you can find them on this link:- http://twitter.com/HairyBikers and on their website here:- www.hairybikers.com/

That said, the hairy baker in my kitchen is neither Si or Dave, no, it's the husband!  Threatened last night, completely out of the blue, to 'do some baking tomorrow.'  He's hairy in sofar as he has a bit of a beard going on and he bakes, so Hairy Baker in the Kitchen seemed like a good title; go on admit it, you've gotten this far on it eh?  Any road up, he's in the kitchen now making some mince pies without the apples because I'm allergic and they give him erm, wind.  He's prepared I'll give him that - not!  Goes into the kitchen first thing and is searching for hours for baking tins, swearing that he had some 'somewhere' well wherever 'somewhere' turns out to be it isn't in our kitchen this morning.  So off he goes to the local store, main roads clear of the old white stuff but the pavements are another matter, like well, ice (probably because it IS ice dear).  The local councils will only ever be interested in salting the pavements when they are sued because some poor soul has gone A over T.  Hubs then comes home with an assortment of tins and bowls and heaven knows what else to do battle in the kitchen.  A small set to occurs when I am taking up the space he wants by getting the dog's dinner sorted out.  Small ripple of bad temper flares and then quickly subsides when dog is fed and he can limber up to do his 'baking' - the husband that is, not the dog; although if he could bake we'd never have to work again, he'd have his own agent and he'd give those talented dogs on the Simon Cowell mega money making machine Britain's Got Talent a run for their money!

See, thought it was too good to be true, he's just come upstairs and asked if he can have the printer on!  You're SUPPOSED to be baking matey, s'cuse me while I go crack the whip!!!

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Mad Dogs in the Snow and the Final Paul O'Grady Show

S-i-g-h!!!  Yes, dear beloved border collie is at it again!  Not content with humping the hosepipe in the summer, he has to eat every single snowflake in winter (when else?) and tries to eat all the snow when it lies on the ground.  Anyone else have a dog like this?  I have no idea what he thinks snow is, but I really don't think he's is honestly thinking 'yum, dinner time' but with him, you never know.  That's one for Cesar Millan isn't it, bet a pound to a penny he wouldn't have an answer for that.  Imagine if you will, a crowded arena somewhere in England and The Dog Whisperer, the Great Cesar Millan is introduced to the crowd.  After the talks and the instructions on how to be your pack's leader, the inevitable cry goes up: 'Any questions?'   My hand goes up, and I'm picked. I take the mic and say: 'Cesar, why does my border collie hump the hosepipe in summer and try catching every snowflake and eating as much snow as he can get down his gullet in winter?'  I can imagine the howls of laughter reverberating around the arena, and poor Cesar standing on stage open mouthed as he thinks 'What am I doing here?' it would be a riot, I bet he wouldn't have an answer for that but as I'm unable to go to any of his shows we are never likely to know the answer LOL, what a shame eh? cos I'd LOVE to know.  I mean, the hosepipe isn't even female dog shaped ya know?

Oh Paul O'Grady, how heartbreaking was that show tonight?  You HAVE GOT TO COME BACK somehow to TV, this CANNOT be the last of you at teatime.  Surely someone, somewhere can get you a deal to come back?

You have a wonderful way of chatting to your guests like they're old friends and it makes the viewers feel like we are too.  No one else has the same knack of making people feel instantly at home like you do, and you get away with saying things to your guests that other people cannot do, take for instance saying to Dame Shirley Bassey: 'Your'e a frustrated stripper really' - anyone else would have had a clout in the face, but you just get laughter and everyone loves you for it.  You get away with it because you are, like me, a Scouser and you have that irreplaceable cheeky charm that cannot be taught.  You are missed already matey, get back on TV soon or else ok? - you really are missed already.  You are an institution at five o' clock and please note I did say you are an institution, not you should be in an institution, just before you start kicking off heh heh.  Whoever decided they couldn't afford you needs their bumps feeling, how can they let you go?  - well, they can only sit and watch the viewing figures slide to zero 'At Five on Four' now that they've let you and your hilarious show go for good.  It's our loss my friend and what a shame!

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Well, it snowed and Kent stopped.

We had a light deluge and Kent came to a standstill!  M20 stuffed, M2 stuffed, A249 Stuffed, A299 stuffed, well, you get the picture.  All of our major transport links stuffed; what a day.  No postal deliveries or collections, nothing! na-da! zero!  Why does this happen e-v-e-r-y single time it snows???  I know I go on about north Wales and I need to again, because the roads up there are properly gritted with the results that the roads are open and safe to use.  Yes, ok, sometimes the weather is SO bad the gritters fight a losing battle but the snow has to be constantly falling and building up to almost unmanageable levels NOT the measly 4 inches we had in Kent, I mean come on!!!  All those concerned with gritting in Kent say the roads were gritted 'properly' but in my own experience properly gritted roads do not contribute to the total closure of the main roads and infrastructures of an entire county.  Even on the main A2 just outside of Bapchild near Sittingbourne a lorry jack-knifed and rather selfishly straddled the carriageway, crossing it's arms and snubbing attempts to cajole it out of the way so other vehicles could pass!

We have more of the same predicted for tonight so Saturday will be another day of nothing moving I guess.  Obviously people have to be safe and stay at home where they can, but watching some people driving like it's a balmy 70 degrees and wall to wall sunshine is a joke; THAT'S why there are so many accidents, well, that and the fact that the roads do not appear to be gritted properly to start with.  Cars and lorries do have purchase when the road is gritted, they do not slip and slide all over the show.  But no matter what the prevailing driving conditions some drivers carry on regardless; if they paid attention to the conditions they would learn to drive slowly; they'd have no choice, they'd not use their brakes but instead use their gears to control the car, and in automatics they'd use their lower gears.  When I lived in north Wales I had no choice but to learn the hard way as north Wales snowfalls do teach you how to drive in winter if nothing else.  Perhaps that's why there are so many accidents and shunts, ice skating with cars (4x4's on Ice anyone?) here, because the only time you do get to learn (or practice if you will) is when the snow hits but it's not a good way to learn if you end up on your roof because you've hit a patch of black ice.

Pity the snow didn't hold off for one more week when most people would have been at home for Christmas, with the obvious exceptions of the men and women of our unfailing emergency services who do a wonderful job, and all the other unsung heroes who work over the Christmas and New Year holidays.  Mostly the roads would have been clear, all presents and cards awaiting delivery would have been delivered and would not now be sitting crying in a darkened post room waiting for some poor soul to take pity on them and get them to where they need to be.  Next week, you can bet the sun will be cracking the flags and it will be a balmy 70 degrees, only joking, but you never know eh?  I do know though that this global warming con is worrying isn't it, all this snow and ice!!!

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

So, is it to be a deluge or a sprinkling???

According to the weather bods here in Kent you'd think we were going to be under six feet of snow come morning!  Notice how they generalise and say 'The South East' and when you look at the weather map there is NO snow at all going to be falling on your particular part of Kent?

I am a northerner by birth and as such have endured some really cold winters, and I do mean cold.  Walking to school in skirts and socks and bare legs because trousers were not allowed for girls.  Snow so thick on the pavements you had to walk in the road.  The types of winters where you can wash a pair of jeans and hang 'em on the line to, ahem, dry (well atttempt to at least) only to find you go out later in the day to bring them in and find they are frozen solid and will happily stand up by themselves in the corner of the kitchen for at least an hour until they thaw. 

I have also endured some long and pretty substantial snowfalls in north Wales where I used to live for many years.  To say that what we get down here and what forecasters consider substantial bears absolutely no resemblance whatsoever to those snowfalls of the 1980's in north Wales, I would class these here today as light dustings but then I don't know how much snow one forecaster has ever seen in their (usually short) lifetimes because they seem to be getting younger each year.  I have been lucky enough to see major falls of snow which need a snow plough to keep the roads clear.  One year even they couldn't cope, for as fast as they were clearing the main A5 from Corwen to Llangollen it was falling again (and building up) behind them.  All they succeeded in doing was creating walls of snow on each side of the road up to 6 feet each side and only passable by one car despite it being a main trunk road through the valley.  Those drivers must have been knackered to say the least, as they would usually have done a full day's work and be clearing the snow or gritting through the nights when it was really bad, still do as far as I know. 

When you have driven on compacted snow which has fallen on top of ice and then frozen and are experiencing a blizzard at the same time then you will know what real snowfalls are like, and for forecasters to compare what dustings we get here to those major snowfalls is just plain daft.  So when they talk of centimetres falling, I have to laugh because they wouldn't cope with what north Wales produces.

Mind you, driving down the M1 in a swelling, swirling blizzard is fun, especially when it wasn't forecast!

Not far from where I used to live in north Wales is the always beautiful Horseshoe Pass; mountainside reaching vainly up to try touching the sky on one side and on the other a drop so severe you are terrified to come down the pass on a good day let alone a winter's day.  So, on the days like today when it is very cold and sudden severe frosts are forecast the pass will be closed.  You see, even on good days it is possible to travel down the pass and see a tyre go sailing past from some poor soul behind whose tyre has either burst or come loose, course once it starts going ....

At the top of the Pass is The Ponderosa, a cafe and small arcade where skiers and outdoor enthusiasts gather to have fun in the snow because once you get up there (if the pass is open) it is truly spectacular and rivals places like Switzerland and Austria, dare I say the French Alps for beauty.  I was up there one day having a coffee and watching the world go by when a group of skiers came in with all their gear, and started depositing their skis etc in the corner while they went off to get warm and a coffee.  It was just like being in the Alps and yet I was only half an hour away from home at the time in north Wales.  It was majestic and beautiful and that is why the beauty of north Wales for me, takes some beating.  It is a fabulous place and if I had the money I would be back up there like a shot.  For now though, I have my memories and all this talk of snow brings it all back, bounding and tumbling towards me like a playful puppy.

If you get the chance to see north Wales, particularly the Horseshoe Pass just outside of Llangollen then please do, you will not be disappointed.  Just make sure you go when the pass is open, it is safe to do so and for Heaven's sake be careful on the way down!

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

And so, the end of an era RIP little Buster

How incredibly sad was Monday's (23/11/09) Paul O'Grady Show?  You could see how hard it was for Paul to do it but he did himself, and little Buster proud and you know what? I don't blame him one little bit for losing it briefly at the end, before the tribute to Buster, because I did too. 

It's at sad times like this that I feel the need to write something, and I hope I've done the little guy justice because, having lost a treasured companion myself, also at age 14 I know exactly what it is like to have your companion with you one minute and the next he or she is gone.

This is called Old Friend.

Old Friend

Goodbye old friend
we’ve come to the end
of the roads we travelled together
those that were fun
and those that were none of
the glorious days of summer
those twisted and turned
the ones that burned in our memories
long and forever
the calming and cold
the unerringly bold
gave us stories, well some can be told
the others we’ll keep
until outwards they seep
in my tears which I cry for you now
such a painful goodbye
till the day that I die
that moment is with me forever

Now each road that I travel
I travel alone
nothing will ever replace
that small tiny face
the one that I trace
in my thoughts, my dreams and my prayers
my other companions
try as they might
will do what they can to console
but you were my first
unconditional love
the one that I treasured bar none
they know you’re not there
and I know that they care
and are wondering where you have gone
so we keep each one close
till the time we repose
and are all together again.

© silversapphire 241109

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

This Poppy. A Remembrance Day Poem by SilverSapphire

Two years ago, I wrote this poem which, truthfully, had been a bugger of a thing to write.  It had been going round in my head for 18 months prior to it being born on paper, and was eventually published in 2007.  It started out as a poem for my late father who served in WW2 and who died in the 1980's age 57! but I want to dedicate it tonight to all of those servicemen and women who are still serving and to those who have fallen in wars (some which should never be fought; you know the one I mean). 

I wear my poppy with pride every year as I have done since childhood.  My dad was also in the Royal British Legion and so I was immersed in the history and reasons behind Remembrance Day since as long ago as I can remember. 

So, if you will permit me, I'd like to present it here today in preparation for Remembrance Sunday 2009.

This Poppy

This Poppy fell for my father
it does so every year
and with it comes the heartache
and many red hot tears

Shed for those who won’t come home
the ones who died out there alone

This Poppy falls in remembrance,
it’s impossible to say
how much we owe to those who fell
they fought for us, they died for us
through a living man made hell

This Poppy fell for a reason
yet its message is always lost
on those who should know better
those who never count the cost

This Poppy falls to remind us
of the sacrifices made
it’s not some casual observance
it’s not just a parade

It’s a deep and heartfelt tribute
to those faultless memories
of those who gave the only thing
they could to make us free

And to those who should know better
and we all know who they are
In remembering those
who fell in war

I won’t betray their memory
I won’t give up my liberty.

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Bonfire Night, Scaredy Dogs, Birthdays & Remembrance Day

I know November 5th was a few days ago but round here, the local youths think it better to keep a few back to set off outside people's homes.  Usually at 1.30am and they do this because they know a) Police won't get near 'em in time to tell 'em off and b) Because they can!  Upshot of all this is dear old doggie gets very uptight over it (no, not worth bothering rewriting Uptown Girl by the ever wonderful Mr Joel to the words of Uptight Dog) suffice to say that as he's getting older he's getting more scared and I have no idea why, he was fine in his youth but not now.  Some expert or other says it's because their hearing is way more sensitive than ours (yep, dog owners usually know this) will ever be and I agree, to a point.  His hearing has not become more acute as he's gotten older, I would assume it would be like ours - ie, getting duller as we age - not so apparently.  Poor guy sits down, walks around and lies down looking very down in the mouth, ears back and panting and won't sit near us (as if he thinks we are the architects of all this noise somehow) and if he thinks that, then he's way too clever for his own good, over analyzing things never helps and yes, he is a border collie but he can be so stupid at times he gives his breed a bad name (but that's an entirely new blog). 

I've been watching The Dog Whisperer when the mood takes me, and he advises that you don't pet the animal when it is fearful because it's just reinforcing the behaviour and as it feeds the insecurity, it makes it right in the dogs mind that being fearful is a good thing.  I knew that from ages back when I read up on it (not a total dunce ya see) as to why dogs and cats should not be encouraged in scared and fearful behaviour, because isn't it the first thing we want to do when we see an animal in distress?  We want to cuddle it and speak soothingly - NO, it's all wrong I hear DW cry.  By not giving affection when the noises start is meant to make the animal see it's ok and not to be worried, well Cesar Millan, it's not working with my old guy, he just hates the noise.  He even dislikes high winds and lightning so I think the next step is noise aversion therapy (thank you nods to BBC's 'The One Show' for that) whereby you play a disc or a tape of thunderstorms/fireworks etc (not at the same time obviously) at a level where the dog (or other worried animal) notices the noise but does not become fearful of it.  Having it on in the background makes the dog comfortable with it eventually, and hopefully it will get rid of the anxiety associated with fireworks etc.

I'm no killjoy by any means but I do think fireworks (or mortar bombs as they are round here) should be sold just for displays (like the one across from me right now in the local school, big bonny and everything (bonny is a scouse (Liverpudlian) term for bonfire, and if you didn't know already I am a scouser born & bred).  Big red fire engine comes and makes sure bonny is out properly before they all go home.  Thankfully, it's all over in about two hours and once the bonnies out, it's not so bad, unless the wind is blowing the smoke all over the place and into the houses opposite (ie MINE!).  Being asthmatic, smoke inhlataion of any sort is not a nice thing Mr School Caretaker Sir!.

And now, the bit I'm dreading ... tomorrow, I reach a birthday of a certain age (no, not that one - the next one) and I'm not looking forward to it at all, but as there's nothing I can do about it, just have to accept it and move gracefully on.  Someone told me earlier this week: "To embrace it" - oh yeah, that'd work!  Just imagine me walking down the high street 'embracing my birthday of a certain age' - I'd get locked up! 

Other half took me out to the local eatery today for lunch.  Usually it's quiet and peaceful on a Saturday lunchtime but, well, you know my life; yep it was heaving.  The table they had for us was right in front of the open fire (which was nice to see but not right in front of it) and so I refused it because I'd melt.  We sat in the bar and had lovely food, I had a prawn cocktail (being a child of the '70's, it never leaves you that) and a minted lamb steak in a red wine gravy (what they didn't tell you was they emptied half a packet of paprika all over the plate in an effort to make it look all arty and stuff).  I asked them to get me one without half a ton of paprika on it and they did, and then we had new york cheesecake.  But I don't feel so good after it, so hope the chef didn't put anything else in the other dish that he shouldn't as you do hear things of what certain chefs do to food that is sent back!  I wasn't just being awkward you see as I have an allergy to peppers and paprika and I'm reacting now, my face is so hot I could go out and be the bonfire myself- ah well Happy Birthday eh?

As well as being my birthday tomorrow, it is also Remembrance Sunday (being the closest Sunday to Nov 11th) and I am honoured that this year it falls on my day.  The Service of Remembrance is also on BBC1 tonight at 9.15pm for 1.5 hours!  I say 1.5 hours with an exclamation mark because anyone who is the same age and/or older than me will remember back to the 1970's and '80's when there was a whole Festival of Remembrance on the Saturday night before Nov 11th - always! It wasn't a paltry hour and a half of singing and marching, no, it was a full evening of military and gymnastic displays by the Royal Navy, the Army and the RAF along with, marches, music, prayers, singing and honouring the fallen with the poppies falling at the end of the evening.  Now, it seems Strictly Come Dancing and Meat Market sorry, X Factor, are way more important than remembering the lives of those serviceman and women who gave their lives to let us all live in the relative peace and ahem, security we are allotted by the great and good (if any exist) in the EU!

 

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

The curious case of Uptight Man at the vet's today.

Back to the vets again today for dear old collie to have his nails trimmed.  Vet was running late and he really doesn't like to.  There were two other dogs in the waiting room and everyone was chatting away - even the dogs.  Except collie got a bit scared of the lab trembling and working itself into a state of near apoplexy trying to get over to say hello (now my collie was doing this when two cats tried staring him out a visit or two back, and he definitely doesn't like being on the receiving end).  He even tried getting under the chair I was on and standing up, nearly toppling me off it.  Everyone, including me, had a good laugh at that - the things dogs do when they want to hide eh?  All the times I've been a dog owner and been to the vets I've never had that happen - first time for everything I s'pose.  There was a wire haired fox terrier, gorgeous little guy up there too.  Lab gets seen and goes home and then the terrier.  Terrier and his owner come out and are waiting to pay when a silver car screams to a halt outside the vets (on a single yellow line no less) and out gets a very uptight looking man with two cats in one cage (poor little sods), miaowing and carrying on for all they were worth!  His wife strolls in behind.  Cue collie going ballistic, his favourites are back!  The terrier's owner, a woman after my own heart, says to her dog: "No, that's not lunch."  As the cats were crying and making a really horrible sound collie starts barking which is not like him and we quieten him down. 

Collie gets seen and we come out again, engaging the receptionists in chit-chat while we wait to pay,  we explain that collie is tormented regally by cats strolling along the garage roof and wagging their tails ... at which point uptight man pipes up: "Oh well, that's just awful isn't it, it's a shame for your dog that a cat wags it's tail ... " he would have carried on, probably till he was blue in the face and burst something, but I just cut him off and carried on talking with the girls, thanked the vet and we left.

Firstly, how bloody rude is uptight man (thinking of rewriting 'Uptown Girl' to fully illustrate the point with very profound apologies to the master - Billy Joel).  Secondly, why can't he behave himself like every other owner (cat, tortoise, frog, budgie, dog etc) we encounter?  Last cat owner was a lovely lady but this guy; well, he needs to go cool off.  What a a moron!  Now, it's entirely possible that his cats had been hurt by dogs but that is no excuse for his dreadful behaviour, after all it's not my dog who attacked them, and not all dogs are the same. 

Most cat owners I know don't hate dogs and vice versa (even if the cats and dogs themselves do - it's their ancestry - no, they haven't been using a well known ancestry site to look up their ancestors, just trust me on this - ok? - notice I almost resisted saying it's in their genes, and then trying a joke about how we can't get a pair to fit!! but thought I wouldn't do that one as you probably know somewhere I can get jeans for dogs and/or cats) just the odd one who gives the owners a bad name, and uptight man was very odd indeed.  Hope I never have the extreme bad luck to encounter him, his wife, his cats or his big fast car ever again! 

Where's a traffic warden when you need one eh?

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Swings and Roundabouts on eBay (I guess they sell them as well though, right?)

Newbie sellers on eBay, aren't they a hoot?

Don't get me wrong, most newbie sellers take the time to read about selling, and are clued up on the do's and dont's before they start on eBay, but there are a small number who don't, and I seem to be getting landed with them more and more and it's really hissing me off! 

The latest escapade happened two days ago when I bought something from this particular seller.  I don't pay immediately any more as I don't get paid immediately any more, so I pay within the sellers timeframe, and if they don't give one like this person then they get paid when I do (about 4 days after the auction) which is usually within most people's "reasonable" expectations.  Except, this one decides to pester me with a barrage of emails as soon as the auction ended demanding to know when, where and how I am paying.  I have learned from bitter experience that these types are after starting up a war of words by email because despite saying things to the contrary, they have no other life than having a go at a stranger in cyberspace.  I did not reply to her mail until today.  Yes, yes, I know I should have followed my own advice because the last time I tried sorting something out amicably I ended up in  in a war of words with some eejit in the west country because I had dared to advertise postage which was for special delivery, and was therefore higher than what this fool considered normal.  Every five minutes there'd be an email from her till I asked her to either buy the item and I'd look at the postage or go away.  She wouldn't go away and she wasn't even buying the item.  You would not believe the state this one got herself into, degenerating into spiteful, nasty language until I had no option but to block her email addy and report her to eBay.  All because she wanted some stranger to lower postage on an item she wasn't buying!  Isn't that the most moronic thing you've ever heard?  There is absolutely no sense in it at all - what a moron! 

Anyway, back to today's debacle, new person decides I am at fault for her getting married a few weeks ago; because I haven't paid yet her 2 kids won't have xmas presents.  This as well as saying she hasn't pestered me and I wasn't being fair because I had somehow forced her, by replying to her email, to tell me all this.  Yep, really worrying isn't it - didn't realise I was so powerful.  Any way, after her last missive, I told her not to send any more emails as they would be deleted without being read.  So go on, guess what she did next - that's right!  She sent another email!   I'm so stupefied by the eejits on eBay really I am, and yes I did delete it without reading it. 

Ebay is a great way of buying and selling, but people like this one really do bring it down and make it a less than enjoyable experience.

On the other hand, my little camera arrived today with all the bells and whistles on it (why you need bells and whistles on a camera is anyone's guess), it's a reconditioned Kodak, and it's so perfect, a little gem of a thing.  There had been a problem with getting it due, not to the post strikes like you might imnagine, but because the shipment mine was in had been damaged and they wrote and told me so, kept me informed evey step of the way, said that a new shipment was coming on Monday 26th Oct and I'd be told when it was coming out.  It arrived this morning, in a FedEx bag and delivered by Royal Mail - go figure!  The company also gave me £5 refund for all the hassle.  It is such a refreshing change to have a company that treats it's customers decently and does exactly what they say they're going to do, I am really pleased with them so I'm going to buy from them again when I need more batteries and any accessories for this little beaut.  Oh yeah, forgot to mention the company trading on eBay is based in New Jersey with European depots (mine was sent from a depot in Swansea), being an American based company probably explains the courteous, polite way in which I've been treated; all employees work to the same standard and it's really encouraging.

If you're interested in the model it's a Kodak EasyShare ZD710, it's tiny but perfectly formed and I love it ta bits!

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Yes, It IS necessary to blow my stack when talking with my bank!!!

You know I'd told you about the problem I was having on Saturday and how I'd found a bod at my bank who'd help?  He didn't!!  I should have been worried when he kept telling me how good he was at 'helping people.'  How is this bank able to employ people who say they'll do something and don't, all they do is pay you lip service?  Is this unique to me and my bank, or does this happen to everyone?  It's abysmal service.

What my bank has done has charged me a 'late payment fee' even though it was their fault, it was the computer doing it, allegedly.  Funny that, I'll only ever fall for that one when a computer becomes sentient (and even then I'd wonder) because these guys programme the bloody things, so how is it 'the computer's fault?'  They must think I'm as stupid as they are, and that is the wrong thing to do believe me!  It's not as if you only have to tell one person the problem and get it sorted, what happens is that I have to tell different people (usually in different departments 'cos you've come through to the wrong department madam' or 'I need to transfer you to soemone who can help you as I can't do it') the same problem and it gets as bad if not worse as when you're looking for car insurance.  What I need is something along the lines of go.compare (and no, I'm not breaking out into opera at the moment) or one of the other available comparison websites where you ask the question once and you get the answer many times.  I know that sounds daft but that's what happens with my bank, only I have to ask the question many times and it gets so annoying and very, very frustrating to say the least. 

Now, apparently because their error has put my account 'in arrears' (something I never am by the way) they want those arrears before they take off the late payment fee.  After explaining for what seems like the 45th million time that I am not in arrears - it is their error, ergo they remove their error and the charge too; or I take it further, I am put on hold while they discuss the matter yet again.  Then they come back and magnanimously announce that they will remove the arrears and the late fee and give me £5 compensation 'for all the phone calls' - but, if we're talking compensation for stress and irritation here, throw in some hurt feelings we could be talking about a few grand here, oh yes!  But, that won't happen, because all I want is fair play and their errors taken off my account and not passed on to me as if it's my fault!!!

Moral of the story here is don't just put up with what your bank say if you know for sure you are in the right.  If you can't get anywhere speaking to the bod at the end of the phone, ask to speak to someone higher up, thereby reducing stress, cost and any frustration ... unless, you're with the same bank I'm with and if that's the case, I suggest you find a nice clean, flat piece of wall where you can bang your head!

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Is it necessary to blow my stack every time I need to call my bank?

It seems so!

I have problems every single time I need to talk to my bank over one problem or another (usually of their making).  It gets so bad I think I may as well just give up, but I don't give up and that's probably not a bad thing but I can feel it having an effect on me.  Apparently, after years of low and normal blood pressure, it is now high, or at least it's on the 'high' side of normal or so the doc says, I mean is it any wonder when some teeny tiny little problem that should take no more than 5 minutes to sort out takes over an hour?

Before it was taken over by a bank I would never go near with a ten foot bargepole, it was a great bank, very helpful people you could call on a dedicated line and problems large, small and indifferent were sorted out quick and easy, but things went from great to unbelievably abysmal in the matter of a few months.  Doesn't matter that I've been with present bank since the early eighties, still get treated by some of them like I'm 6 years old and that's not a good thing to do to me!

Since the complete domination of the call centre, personal, decent service has gone (this lot are in the UK and can understand what I'm after which you'd think would be half the battle, but no, they are always 'not the right department madam, I'll transfer you' at which point you are not transferred but cut off).  Not only do I end up being cut off (is there a more annoying and soul destroying sound than the single tone you are left with when that happens?) and wanting to throw the phone out of the window, I want to go down and pitch up at 'Bank HQ' and have it out with 'em there and then.  If I manage to get reconnected to this 'service' after waiting an eternity for the phone to be answered, I am likely to be met with a pseudo sympathetic teenager saying: 'oh that shouldn't happen' when you tell them you are likely to explode if they don't help.  Oh, and that recorded message in one of the most infuriating tones ever which 'us lucky customers' must endure, telling me they are: 'busy helping other customers.'  Wonder how long those lucky people waited to be 'helped'?

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggggggggggg (pause for breath) gggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Today I finally got the problem sorted out, a full hour and twenty minutes after I started calling.  I wouldn't mind (well I do actually - see above) but I ring the right department, and am led upon a useless and time consuming merry chase around the various departments and personalities that infest this bank's call centre, before the merry-go-round stops at the very first place I came in.  So, the upshot is that I did finally get the current problem sorted by a helpful guy in the (right) department (a full blown rarity I grant you).  He not only sorted the problem out but is going to give me a small amount of financial compensation - which won't be going into double figures so don't get excited.

Why banks don't employ people who have a brain cell (like the guy above) I don't know - probably costs more you're right. 

The current problem was, apparently, the computers fault! 'Oh,' I heard myself saying 'that old chestnut.'

Now it;'s time for a well earned cup of tea with sugar in and possibly a lie down in a dark room for an hour or so till the husband traipses in from wherever he's been today, Bluewater I s'pect!  Ah well, at least the old car passed it's MOT today!  Small mercies I know!

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

The Truth about Cats and Dogs (at the Vet's)

My dear old collie had to go for a second blood test today as the first one showed he had low calcium & high potassium but he had to be retsted as in 98% cases that can just be an anomaly in the phials they use to collect the blood.  Upshot was he had the blood taken (same vein as last time) almost fell off the table when the assistant stood on the wrong side of him when he made his usual break for freedom, good job I had a secure hold.  We were than asked if we wanted to wait as it would take 5 or 6 minutes to retest at the surgery, or go home and be called later with the result; we chose to wait.  Had we known what was about to unfold we would have opted for the latter. 

Waiting room is gloriously empty and collie lies down, really wanting to be home for his breakfast.  Enter a lady with 2 cats in cages and all hell breaks loose, well sorta.  Lady puts the cats down facing collie who is by now in a state of near apoplexy.  I have never seen a dog shake and shiver himself into such a state before, but then this is a collie who has been tormented beyond the realms of reason by the neighbourhood cats parading themselves along the garage roof to peer down at him as if to say 'yah boo sucks mate, ya can't get me up here' (well the cat equivalent anyway), they are almost laughing at this poor collie in a frenzied twisting blur racing from one end of the garage to the other barking furiously up at them. 

Had my camera been working the other morning I would have had a brilliant picture with which to illustrate my point; sadly said camera had gone on strike (must be affiliated with a certain union at the moment, but that's another story entirely) which was a shame as it was a really fine tableau of collie standing in the garden looking up at a black cat perched on the garage roof looking down at him.  No-one moved, even the birds were still anticipating the dog to suddenly get up to the garage level or the cat to fall.  Neither happened but the cat saw me and took off, which caused more barking and mad dashing to and fro from collie. 

Lady with the cats turns the cages round to face away from collie who stops shivering a little - but he was having a moment all of his own there this morning.  Then the vet comes in and says bloods are fine and we can go - well once we've paid the bill, cue more shivering crying, semi-howling, and that's just the husband! 

We seem to attract cats, despite hubs and I being allergic and the dog just hates them on sight.  What a morning, don't know about the dog being worn out, I know I am.

© silversapphire 2009
All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

As well as 2nd hand radiation not being safe, it now comes to light that low level radiation doses are dangerous too!

Researchers today have decreed that low level radiation doses are damaging to the heart!  The guys on the other side say that because there is no data to back this up no-one should worry about it. 

Oh, well that's all right then!

Seriously though, it's not just us poor old patients who have this to worry about but the people who work in the nuclear medicine areas where LLR is given out.  I suppose time will eventually tell of course, in the meantime I'm still doing my own research and finding out for myself about the 'dangers' of these drugs which the medical profession would rather you did not know.

Having to say that the LLR I received for my thyroid hs started to get rid of the swollen and very dry throat I had, it's only been just over a month so still too early to tell.  Just hoping now that I haven't swapped one problem for another!  Hmm, lets see if it's been worth it *balances heart damage in one hand, and thyroid treatment in the other* - nope, can't tell yet.

© silversapphire 2009
All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

Please help us save Stephen Fry's TV series: KINGDOM

I know there are far more important issues going on in the world (see last blog) than trying to save a TV show but a lot of us feel that this show should at least be given a further outing and if you agree, please help us save it.

There is an online petition to be signed by going here: http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/bringbackkingdom/

And a website here: http://bringbackkingdom.yolasite.com/ where you'll find campaign updates and a flyer which you can print off and distribute (where legally possible of course).

In these days of doom, gloom and postal strikes it's nice to have a Sunday night drama which isn't full of the bad stuff and for that reason ITV, we'd like our Kingdom back.

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

An Open Request to anyone who reads this Blog

As a member of twitter and a follower of Stephen Fry, I received the following in my updates earlier today.

"Desperate story of Akmal Shaikh, bipolar British man facing execution in China; we must help Reprieve save his life." 

It is such a distressing case to be sure, and I feel moved by reading about this man's plight; don't know about you.  I'm not really one for getting involved in things like this but it's so sad that this mentally ill man is being criminalised after being duped by others into carrying illegal substances simply because he does not have the mental capacity to understand what he and they were doing.

There is an organisation called Reprieve, who are working to save his life, but time is fast running out; read here about their fight, and how you can help by visiting the link at the bottom of this blog.

About Akmal Shaikh

A British national from London, Akmal is facing imminent execution in China for carrying drugs. Reprieve has strong evidence that he is seriously mentally ill, most likely suffering from bipolar disorder.

Akmal has a lifelong history of erratic and bizarre behaviour. People who knew Akmal have said 'he seemed crazy to me' and that 'he was severely mentally disturbed'. It appears that he was severely delusional at the time of his alleged offence, believing himself to be a world-famous pop star, and that drug smugglers took advantage of his confused state by promising him super-stardom in China.

Akmal's appeal has just been denied in the High Court; it is now with the Supreme People's Court, and he faces possible execution within days.

Copyright Reprieve Organisation © 2009 All Rights Reserved

On the following link, you will see a small video which Stephen Fry has made appealing for people to help.  There are a number of ways in which you can do this, one of which I used this morning, is a letter already written which is copied into the body of an email and sent to David Miliband as an urgent appeal for him to save Akmal's life.

Please help if you can.  Thank you.

http://static.reprieve.org.uk/stephenfryappeal.html

All blog content, except where notated is © silversapphire 2009 All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

An Open Blog to David Cameron MP

Dear Mr Cameron,

I, like many other disabled people in the UK today, are appalled and sickened even further by reading your proposals for the removal of people from IB and DLA. What you forget to say is that there are genuinely disabled people out there, I am one of them, who cannot work and need this money to live. You make this sound like an attack on the genuinely sick and disabled and you surely have not forgotten that we also have a vote. I am certainly not voting for someone who is going to make my life more difficult than it already is because he has no idea of how meagre these benefits are, and are the lifeline which gives us a modicum of independence. I dread to think what will happen to this once great country of ours if Labour is elected to another term, which is what will happen if people do not vote Conservative.

I cannot believe that you Mr Cameron, would be so callous and insensitive to people who are genuinely disabled. There are no jobs in this country and employers, take it from me, would always employ an able bodied person over a disabled person any day of the week. Ignoring that fact, or saying it doesn't happen is ridiculous in the extreme. I had hoped the Conservatives would have had some experience of life as it happens outside of Westminster but it seems that these policies are thought up by people who want a 'one size fits all' stripping of the meagre monies we have to live on. We are still reeling from the mauling by the last work and pensions secretary before he resigned and it's a complete disgrace. Yes, there are scroungers, workshy, feckless people out there but NOT all benefit claimants are, you should rethink this idea as it is just scaremongering for those of us who have a small amount of independence, and frightening for those who cannot see any future if this happens.

When I was able to work I paid tax to support those who needed it, now that I am disabled I am being looked after by those who pay tax now; just like I did. I did not begrudge my tax being paid and neither should tax payers today, but they are always told that the people on benefits are workshy, feckless morons who have never paid tax in their lives. This is a monstrous lie, completely reprehensible, disgraceful and morally insulting! Previous taxpayers who are now on benefit are always treated like the rest, it stinks Mr Cameron and until you redress this appalling attack on the sick and disabled then you will never get my vote.

If those lucky enough to have full health are happily joining the 'bash the sick and disabled bandwagon' then they had better hope that they never become too sick, or disabled to work because they will have voted in a disastrous state of affairs whereby they are stripped of any dignity through the inexcusable act of becoming sick and disabled under a Conservative government.

Yours,
silversapphire

© silversapphire 2009
All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

So, is secondhand radiation safe?

The more I've been reading about people's experiences with radioactive iodine, the more I'm concerned. We all know the dangers of secondhand smoke, but secondhand radiation exposure? The hospitals and doctors treating a person would have you believe that if you stay 1m away from everybody (including pets) for 11 days you, and they, will be fine. Except, according to real people's real experiences they are not being entirely truthful. Take for example, a woman in the US who walked into her father's garden shed a few days after treatment where she proceeded to set off the Geiger Counter he had in there! As if that wasn't scary enough, reports say that the 'send people home' approach instead of keeping them isolated in hospital for the few days immediately afterwards (the danger period) only came into force in 2007. Pre-2007 patients having radioactive iodine were kept isolated for four days afterwards and after that they were sent home. Is this just for economic purposes? I definitely think so. Treatment varies around the world.  In Australia you ARE still kept in hospital and isolated from others, in Hawaii you are kept in and monitored; in the UK and the US you are sent home to contaminate every living thing you care about. I am so angry about the dangers of secondhand radiation NOT being explained fully to me so I could take more than the paltry regulations they tell you to take. They are: sit in the back seat of a car in which you are travelling with another person. Impossible when that car is a jeep (because of my back problems) the close proximity of sitting in the back seat to the driver (hubs) is as close as if I were sitting next to him, which is what we had to do as I can't sit on the back seat where it is more bumpy because of being over the wheels because of the back problems. The doctors aren't worried are they? lets be honest here, they are not living with you in the same house. I am also advised not to travel on public transport, to keep away from pregnant women and children under 5 until October 1st. Everything else will be ok until 20th Sept. Other advice from differing NHS trusts and indeed from hospitals around the world are: Keep an arm's length away from anyone else, keep 1m away from anyone else, no flying for 6 months, do not get pregnant for 6 months (helpful to men I always thought!) wash your clothes every day, shower every day, do not prepare food for others, do not share utensils, and it goes on and on and on. Hospitals only ever cherry pick their 'conditions' you are never told all of these things by the same hospital, it is downright illogical and confusing. Better to go and live on the top of a mountain for 6 months and be done with it eh? (except you'd probably contaminate the mountain!!) Seriously though, it does make you wonder if it would be safer for all concerned to stay in hospital until it's over, but then of course, like I said earlier that costs money doesn't it.

Because it is not visible, we are unaware of the dangers the radioactive field we are emitting just by being in the same house as someone. My dog thinks I don't love him as he can't sit next to me on the couch I presume until October 1, as I could affect his thyroid as well as hubs. Hubs and I already sleep in separate rooms because I don't sleep well and keep him awake, which is unfair when he has to go to work, so we decided a while back to have separate rooms, therefore sleeping apart was not going to be a problem; just living in the same house is. Flush the loo twice, rinse utensils before washing them yada yada yada.

Apart from this, radioactive iodine can permanently damage the saliva glands and cause a very dry mouth, it also plays havoc with the body's mucous membranes, which are critical for digestion, all the enzymes go haywire and all they tell you before you take this thing is: 'You will only get a sore throat for up to 48 hours afterwards' except I didn't, I had to go back for an x-ray 4 days afterwards and had to stretch my neck upwards so they could take the picture, now I have a sore throat and neck. The problems I already had with my swollen throat, catarrh and mucous and unable to swallow saliva have definitely been exacerbated. I was told, and had indeed hoped I would be making my problems better, not worse. Then, later when the thyroid cells begin to die off I can expect to put on a huge amount of weight, which apparently is impossible to lose, I will have problems with no saliva and I will be constipated because the body will start to slow down. Add to this, further blood tests to find out if my thyroid has become hypothyroid (underactive) will be needed, probably for life. I say probably, because in this country, and definitely where I live, follow up healthcare is a lottery. I have had undetected thyroid problems since mid 2000's yet pre-treatment, my blood test for thyroid always came back normal, so how will they tell I will have an underactive thyroid or not if the tests keep coming back normal. I suppose I'd have to go into the coma (myxoedema) which can happen with underactive thyroid, or collapse somewhere (knowing me, it will be highly inconvenient) before they will help me. Also, because my veins have been completely buggered up by inept junior doctors and some nurses in local hospitals who can 'never find a vein' but doggedly persist in digging around for one until I am black and blue literally, and my veins have thrombosed. Because of one person's cack-handedness, I suffered with a thrombophlebitis in my left wrist for 18 months, how attractive is that? It looked for all the world like a slug under the skin, all green and black bruising and then yellow as it healed, oh yes it was delightful - NOT.

So, to sum up, I am not happy to have had this treatment with all the side effects kept away from me, and the fact that I will have to have regular blood tests to see if I am going underactive, with all the digging around in my veins, I will have none left, what will they do then? Well, then it becomes my fault that they can't find a vein, and at which point I remind them that I didn't bugger my own veins up just to spite them, rather they did it to me and this is a consequence of staff who don't do it properly, because on those occasions when you get a really good phlebotomist you don't even know you have had blood taken, no bruising, no scarring and no pain. Sadly, I only ever see these people once in a blue moon, the rest of the time I'm at the mercy of gung ho nurses who take great delight in saying things like 'hope the next one is normal' thinking I can't hear the insult, I am normal my dear, least I used to be until cack handed junior doctors and some nurses buggered up the veins, it's your fault NHS, not mine, stop blaming the patient for your mistakes.

At least they have now found out why my earlier RAI was not in my records, apparently I have two sets of notes!  No, I'm really not joking, you couldn't make this up could you?  They promise faithfully, just like they have so many times before, to amalgamate them.  I am not holding my breath I can assure you.


© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

NHS losing my records of past RAI treatment, and the implications

Went for my follow up x-ray today to see whether the thyroid has taken up the Radioactive Iodine, and it seems it has.  I was telling the woman who was doing the x-ray that I'd been here before and she said: 'No you haven't, we haven't got any record of you being here before this.'  The Hubs and I know that we were there about 2 years or so ago for a radioactive drink thing, where we had to spend 2 hours in the hospital to enable the gland to be seen and I had the same rigmarole then as I did today.  I get a snotty woman wanting me to lie down for the x-ray, and I can't lie down because of my back problems, she wouldn't believe me, she said: 'So you don't even want to try?'  I'm getting annoyed now because they should be helping me to get comfortable so I can have this done, not be badgered into doing it their way to make theor life easier, honestly I despair of the way the service is going.  I said, rather tiredly, cos I am knackered after this RAI last week: 'It's not a case of trying dear, I simply cannot lie down.'

I had the x-ray sitting n a chair with the camera almost up my throat, like last time.  Except that the nurses were more friendy last time, and I cannot belive they have no record of this at all.  Their demeanour is such that if we haven't got a record of it you didn't come here, but I did and I want to know what the implications are for my thyroid and my health if they have given me this present treatment wothut looking at the contra indications of last time.  Luckily, we still have the date of the test and the appointment letter, so they WILL HAVE TO look for this lost paperwork, I was not making something like this up ... honestly, I really do have better things to do.

© silversapphire 2009

All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author

The Ashes 2009: How England Men's Team Won

Australia's Assassinator Brett Lee did not play.

© silversapphire 2009

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Radioactivity, A Dogs Life & Cricket

Feeling a bit ropey today, apparently it's to do with my body breaking down the radioactive iodine thingy which I had 48 hours ago.  A bit like the sicky feeling you'd get when your body breaks down the anaesthetic after the dentist has numbed you up for a drilling!!!  Doing my level best right now not to go talking to Himself down the big white telephone.

The dog is mightily fed up with me at the mo, you know he'd had that rawhide bone yesterday? Well, he finally decided he wasn't going to bury it anywhere, after much walking round the house and garden looking for somewhere suitable, at one point trying to bury it under a pile of CD's which were on the floor.  He repaired to the garden and lay down facing away from us (so's we couldn't see him I guess) and starts wiring into it.  Hubs goes out to check on him and finds he's been gnawing so hard on it he's made his gum bleed, so that had to go.  Gave him a bonio and took the bone away while he wasn't looking, but he spent a long while looking for it cos he could still smell it out there, which is heartbreaking.  Although he's fine today and the gum has stopped bleeding, it's not worth making him ill just to let him have this bone so it's gone now, suffice to say that that is why we haven't bought one for a while as it must have made his gum bleed last time.  With the passage of time, I forgot that we don't give him these things for a reason, he's far too precious to me to let him loose on these things.  Being a border collie he in intense, with everything, so whereas another dog would lick it slowly to soften it up for chewing, he just tries to eat the whole thing in one go.  His toys are all the tough stuff as he has broken or ripped most of the other toys he had.  His favourite is still the little blue bone. 

He still doesn't understand why he can't sit next to me on the couch and is being moved to the required 3 feet away until I am no longer radioactive (next Sunday).  Can't even cuddle hubs and having to observe strict routines like keeping my towels away from his, not using cutlery that I have used in cooking, say I'd tasted something I'm cooking - I can't then put the spoon back into the food, just little things like that, keeping toothbrushes and cups etc away from his, and flushing the loo twice just in case there's a pesky bit of radioactivity lingering.  I know they said I won't glow in the dark but it would be helpful to see what is going where as if you can't see it you tend to think it's not there, but you can't take any chances.  Little niggles which you wouldn't think are a problem, really are when you come to observe them.

I'm also aggrieved a bit whith the doctors at the hospital as they say I have to observe all these things but just say 'it's just a precaution so you don't give anyone a dose of radiation' when you ask why.  I am curious enough (or just plain nosy if you will) as to what would actually happen if their observances were not adhered to!

And finally for today, the 4th ODI England v Australia

With the Aussies cruising steadily at 3-0, I ask myself what is the point of this current England Team.  'Resting' players is a misnomer, poor babies eh? - what they should say is replaced!  I don't know what Ravi Bopara has over the team, but they will not drop him and replace him with someone who can score runs.  Their present effort is  a miserly 150+ which, in a limited over game is just not enough.  I think Strauss does not understand that to win these types of games, as opposed to the longer test matches, you have to put runs on the board quickly, you cannot have the luxury of being 'in' for tow or three days to get a decent amount of runs on the board.  Blocking and defensive playing is not what ODI's are all about.  It really annoys me that there are so many great players out there in county cricket who never even get a sniff at playing for their country in favour of the current mollycoddled players out there at the moment.  The rest of the world must be laughing their socks off at this lot, I know I am and it's a joke.

If our Women's Cricket team can play AND WIN their ODI's and their Ashes series consistently then why do the men find it so hard?  Answer: The women have the right mental attitude, they want to win and they see Australia as equal; so they play accordingly, they do not see Australia, like the men seem to do, as conquerors.  It's so depressing to see this lot almost quaking at the crease, turning away from the ball as if they don't want to hit it, or be hit by the ball, it's daft to the point of nonsense.  I doubt that England (men's team) will ever be good enough, until they change the way they think about the game.  We are not the sum total of one or two batsmen (Flintoff and Pietersen) there is no I in team; they need to realise that they themselves are capabe of winning every match they play but they lose so much that that is what they expect and so that is what happens ... with monotonous regularity.  I just wonder how many more times the crowd will be willing to get behind such a losing side time and again, and how many times they will be willing to fork out all this money to see them play at these expensive venues, watching the team lose again and again and again.  Ok, they may win today but can you see them winning the next 4 matches?  me neither.  How they ever wrestled The Ashes back is beyond me, it really is.  Australia must be having a good laugh at us in private, they know we are weak and now so do I.

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Putting up with Them - The Dog's Viewpoint

When they came home today they brought me one of those bones made of hide or some other such stuff.  They present it to me and then watch as I try to go outside and bury it, I mean don't they know anything?  I HAVE to be on my own so's they can't pinch it when I'm not looking, any self respecting dog wouldn't let another see where he's burying a bone for heaven's sake!  S'cuse me for a mo while I sit down for a bit, it's thirsty work all this running round the garden trying to outsmart them and, after trying to bury it in my dad's sweetcorn plant, they must have heard me trying to upend it I think, cos mum came out and stopped me.  She said it was in case I hurt myself if the pot tipped over but I know it was really so she could see where I'd buried the bone so's she could half inch it when I went to bed tonight, I'm a border collie you know - I'm NOT daft (well, she says I am sometimes, but I don't agree with her).  I mean, they are the daft ones, they give me this bone and then expect me to sit in my bed and chew it!  The ignominy of it all.  See, told you I was clever, I know big words like ignominy and stuff.  So, as a proud border collie, I can't for the life of me understand them, probably never will but I have to try it on sometimes, especially with her cos she thinks she's top dog and she's always saying stuff to me which to her sound like "When you can open your own dog food and serve yourself then you can be top dog" which to me sounds like Blah blah blah blah, food blah blah, blah de blah blah!  They never understand do they?

Anyway, back to this bone, I am doing my best to make them understand that I want to bury it outside but dad keeps telling me to blah blah blah, or bring it in he says, and he won't see that I want to stay outside and bury it, there's nowhere inside is there?  My daddy and my mummy are so daft at times but they love me I know they do, even if mum is staying away from me and daddy for some reason [Because I'm still slightly radioactive doggie darling] see, again, butting in.  Blah blah blah stuff.  Ah well, soon time for my bonio.  I know that word all right, do I ever, AND they brought me black ones today, daddy says they make my poo black and mummy just says it's supposed to help with flatulence, but I don't fart ... well, not that much anyway.

S'cuse me now while I go and see if my bone is still where I buried it.  I'm letting mum have the copyright here cos she's sitting there pressing some little buttons for me and looking up at a window with pictures on it.  I love 'em really, cos they love me.

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Overheard in the hospital lift whilst on my way to my appointment today

I had 22 BLOODY patients in last night - 22 bloody patients.  This from a nurse in front of her colleagues and other such 'patients' in the lift.  My first response was, 'well if it wasn't for patients you'd not have a job would you?'  - but then I thought 'eeeuuu, that must have been messy!!!'

Nice to know the NHS is staffed with 'nurses' like this isn't it? or should I say BLOODY nurses!

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I am now radioactive - so pleased to meet you

And it finally happened today.  I saw my physisit phycisit  physicyst  nuclear medicine doctor today, and I have now had my tablet.  What a carry on though, my appointment was at 11am and we get there, just, after doing battle with their car park entrance aka traffic backed up onto the main road!!!  I had to sign forms to consent to the treatment and they proceeded to tell me what the dangers were (as well as the benefits obviously), I can't go near children or pregnant women, I cannot be near my beloved dog, the husband I can live with but hey my poor dog thinks he's in disgrace.  I cannot fly (in an aeroplane) obviously (hey if I could fly without one I'd get myself an agent and a caribbean island out of the proceeds thank you very much!)  Anyway, back to reality - I have to carry my card (in said reality a bit of yellow paper) which tells people at the airports that I am not (yes, I'd love to use the T word which rhymes with berrorist but they'd be down on me like a ton of bricks, or should that be tonne, oh poop, who cares) as I'd set off their radiation thingies at said airport.  So I promised I would not fly until 1 October when I am officially free of radioactivity and can do what the hell I'd like (even though I have never been on a plane, or been abroad in my life, all 49 years of it).  I also asked if this stuff is so dangerous for other people around me, is it actually safe for me to have in the first place???  Doctor was quiet than, so you see why I was so worried in my last post!  Apparently it IS safe, just not for other people to be around me.  Oh, don't you just love going round in circles???

As a brief aside, in the hospital's entrance today there was a workman loading boxes into a cupboard, specifically for boxes and some bright young thing had helpfully (in their eyes bless 'em) had written 'Please store all box's here.'  I am speechless at the lack of decent education in this area if that is what people are being taught today, you just couldn't make it up ... and why would you want to when there is this wealth of idiocy sweeping the nation's spelling, it is such a rich stream of material.

Until next epistle, ta-ta for now.

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Great to have our old neighbours back next door.

It's been a while, but our old neighbours have come back to live next door again (yay!) and their little boy is so funny.  He's a gorgeous, confident and happy (sometimes naughty) little boy of four, cute as a button with soft blond hair and lovely soulful brown eyes, he's going to be such a heartbreaker when he grows up!

I had heard someone roaring in the garden next door and thought it was just someone having an off day, but nope, his mum told me it's the little fella, standing there, legs braced, leaning backwards, arms outstretched roaring at the top of his voice to scare the cats away.  He's a case, he really is.

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Dragonfly Fighting and Mosquitos performing Night Time Dive Bombing Manouevres

Just thought I'd write this down before I forget it.  Hubs was trying to dislodge what he thought was a dragonfly from committing suicide in our lightbulbs last night when he suddenly cursed and said: "That's not a dragonfly, little buggers just nipped me."  It looked like a dragonfly, although it was red in colour, but sounded like a whole army of them in the light bulb.  We were very wary of what flew in after that I can tell you. 

Then there are the squadrons of mosquitos who, true to form, are well versed in flying in formation en masse and buzzing at ear level just as you're dropping off, makes you jump.  The little sods we have here seem to have been practising their art for years, some are obviously in mosquito intelligence as they hide when the light goes on but it's a devil of a job trying to swat them in the dark!  Then when they think they've gotten away with it they try again, swooping low, in formation, buzzing and dive bombing as they go on a co-ordinated fly past of nuisance making, until the light goes on and bam, they bought it cos we're lying in wait for them most nights with a rolled up newspaper, which for some reason makes our collie go mental.


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Is being made Radio Active as good as it sounds?

Well, big day tomorrow, I am being made radioactive!! Well, ok, not as glam as it sounds, I'm having a radioactive iodine tablet to shrink my thyroid nodules -oh joy!  Apparently this is a new thing they can do to shrink growing nodules - so great - if it works though.  I'm getting a bit jittery over it to be honest, I was meant to have it last month but my kindly dentist split my lip, (no, we were not fighting)!  And my thyroid doctor wouldn't give me the tablet as she said the RI (I'm getting fed up writing radio iodine (sounds like a pirate radio station "Hey, welcome to radio iodine - we glow in the dark").  Ahem, apparenty I will not be glowing in the dark so that puts paid to hubby's idea that he can plug me into the mains for a fortnight to power the lights and the telly.  Well that was his excuse for wanting to plug me into the mains, so I guess that's disappointing for him eh? 

If there are any injuries, or surgery knocking about in the body then the RI will go there and cause untold problems and not to the thyroid where it is meant to go, and where the hospital's literature assures me it will go - and nowhere else!!  See why I'm getting jittery?  So, I had to wait four weeks for the split lip to heal.  It took two weeks to heal as I developed a cold sore in the cut.  Not even a simple slipt lip is a simple thing for me, and waiting four weeks is just waiting for something else to happen and it did, I developed a cold and I still don't know who gave it to me, but that went and left me with other problems.  The hospital said to let them know a week before if I can't come due to illness or injury etc but bearing in mind that the split lip happened three days before the RI treatment that's not always possible.  I am hopeless at predicting when I'm going to be ill, how about you? 

Hope they don't postpone it again as I'll be getting into the realms of flu jabs and that could be a disaster waiting to happen.  We're still pondering whether to have the swine flu one as we don't believe this government when it says this jab is safe - would you? - they've lied to us about everything else, why would they suddenly come clean on this.  We'd rather take our chances thank you Mr B.  We're just hoping it's not disguised as the seasonal one we have to have each year, I wouldn't put that past Mr B and his cronies either.

So RI and a healthy body, apart from the nodules, is something which may or may not happen, wish me luck cos guys, I'm gonna need it.

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All rights reserved. No part of the publications, or of this website may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without the express prior written permission of the Author