Monday, July 31, 2023

Published Monday, July 31, 2023 by with 0 comment

A Busy Week - July 31st 2023

Got a call from the colonoscopy people and the samples that were sent for testing are all OK so now I just wait for the next screening test in 2 years time. A pretty dull and wet day so didn't do much except practice for Tusesay evening.Edith is going to be a real chuckler by the looks of things.
Meanwhile Madeline has some big shoes to fill. Popped down to RSAC on Tuesday afternoon to measure up for a fence I said I'd build. Cracking Up Played Bike Night at The Crown in Kingsclere in the evening. 2 one hour sets starting at 6 30 and finishing at 9. We were unexpectedly playing outside the front of the pub. Probably 60 plus people there at a guess. Think we went down OK. Didn't get an awful lot of applause but the landlady said bands dont normally get any so I guess we did OK and she said she'd have us back. Got £250 between us.
M wanted to go to the Surrey records office in Woking on Wednesday so we thought we'd make a day of it. I got off the train at Guildford and walked most of the year way along the Wey Navigation then got a bus. It was a typical, lazy, sunny, country afternoon.Butterflies were sunning themselves on the path.
Went to RSAC on Thursday to dig some holes for the fence I am erecting.  Went to LSB in the evening followed by Oppenheimer at Vue. Edith thought it was all very amusing.
 I popped down RSAC on Friday afternoon with the intention of doing a bit of measuring up and then going to BnQ to buy the fence posts and stuff but I bumped into Felix who was coincidentally going down there and he said he would get them. He also said him and his son might put the fence up. Went to RSAC again in the evening for the Club Velocity night, not doing sound just as a punter. It was a singer songwriter night. Ben Marwood, Oxygen Thief and Darcey Hope. All really good. How come everybody knew all Ben Marwoods songs? On Saturday we drove over to Dave and Alice's in Brighton. Went for an invigorating walk on the sea front. It was very windy. Alice cooked a really tasty meal with baked salmon. On Sunday we drove out to Seaford and did a walk along the cliffs and then inland to the Cuckmere Inn for lunch.The Seven Sisters were on view. Drove back immediately afterwards as Tom and Sally were coming round with Edith. Got some cuddles and had a takeaway indian from House of Flavours.On Monday we drove to the Oracle Business Park and then walked to the Bull at Sonning for lunch. Edith's first meal out. M had got smiles from Edith on Sunday and I got some today.They went home about 7pm.

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Monday, July 24, 2023

Published Monday, July 24, 2023 by with 0 comment

A Couple Of Gigs - Sunday July 23rd 2023

Walked into town on Tuesday then to the Kennet mouth and left along the Thames and back. Surprisingly 5 and a half miles. Did a version of my old cycle to Slough ride with Stuart and Graham on Wednesday. Ended up in the The Crown at Cookham for lunch. It was Stuart's first ride since recovering from shingles so he was a bit knackered and got the train back. Roy had recommended The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band so went to see them at The Bullingdon in Oxford. Really good, mainly blues slide guitar.
On Thursday morning we checked out The Berkeley Gardens Day Nursery for JAM. Seemed pretty good. They mentioned that they sometimes take the kids to a wooded area at the end of Portway Close. I went to check it out and found it led to the wooded area in the courts off Bath Rd. I never knew there was a way through there. Had a band practice in the afternoon. Went well. Meanwhile Edith is ticklish and has started smiling. There was a butterfly on the clematis on Friday morning.
Had a brisk walk into town to pick up a few things. I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of this person.
On Saturday I was doing sound at RSAC for Punk 4 The Planet withy Erin. A Greenpeace benefit. It was a bit of a pain as the main band, SODDS, turned up late and they were meant to be sound checked first and also had the drum kit. So there was a lot of hanging around. It worked out OK in the end though as these things tend to do. First band were Brioche, two piece with left handed woman drummer and chap playing bass and guitar. Second up Acid Claw, meant to be 6 but the bass player didn't make it due to rail strikes. So 2 guitars, sax, keyboard and drums. Then SODDS, two of whom turned up very late so no sound check. They were 2 guitars, bass and another woman drummer. They were the pick of the bunch but all loud shouty punk. Only half hour sets though so home by just after 11. On Sunday I was back at RSAC for a HCTS meeting and musical equipment inventory. Had a call from JAM.
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Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Published Tuesday, July 18, 2023 by with 0 comment

Colonoscopy - Monday July 17th 2023

On Monday got to know that our nephew Chris and his partner Jonna have had another baby girl called Alicia Julia.She weighed in at 3745 grams just one gram more than Edith.
Also Michael and Ann have come back from an Icelandic cruise with covid. Did a bowel cancer screening test a couple of weeks ago and as a result had an telephone consultation and have been booked in for a colonoscopy next Monday at Wexham Park hospital in Slough. Picked up a colonoscopy pack on Tuesday morning with all the gory details. I need to go on a low fibre diet for 3 or 4 days before and fast and take laxatives the day before. Did the Southcote Lock walk in the evening but anti clockwise. The cows are back in Fobney Meadow but it looks like a different herd.
The graffiti as been cleared in the tunnel near The Holybrook. How long will it last?
Did a ride out to Stanford Dingley on Wednesday morning. A green woodpecker flew out in front of me at one point and for a while we were going at the same speed so it was just flapping away a few feet in front of me.
Edith met her auntie Amy. On Thursday we had an early band practice so met for breakfast at The Yolk Cafe which was very good, as was the practice. Edith is now 5kg and seems to like her baby bouncer.
It rained all day on Friday so didn't do much. Had a call with JAM on Saturday morning. A good start to the day on Sunday as I had to have breakfast before 8am but only because I can't have anything to eat for the rest of the day due to Monday's colonoscopy. Also needed to take 2 lots of laxatives. On a happier note got a photo of a sleepy Edith looking like a young Tom.
Had the colonoscopy on Monday. They found and removed 2 polyps that they thought looked harmless but sent away for testing anyway. They also say I have diverticular disease but I don't have any symptoms. Looking on the NHS website that actually means I have diverticulosis. Anyway I need to move to a high fibre diet, eat my 5 a day and drink at least 2 litres of fluid a day.
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Monday, July 10, 2023

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Sunday July 9th 2023

Rode out to The Frog at Skirmet on Tuesday. It rained quite hard all the way back. It was actually quite nice cycling in the rain apart from near home when my fingers became numb. Also really good to have a bit of of downpour after all the hot weather. The hottest June since records began. I've got a bit addicted to the TdF so as a result instead of me going for a walk Wednesday afternoon we both went out after tea. As a result noticed that The Foresters seems to be closed which is a pity and surprising as last time we were in there about a year ago it seemed to be thriving. On Thursday morning got a photo of a sleepy Edith and a video of a mischievous Madeline trying to open the microwave. Heard fron Jeannie that Andy had a special valve fitted to his ventilator so was able to talk for a while. Did my 5 hills ride in the afternoon then had first Thursday drinks in the Alehouse. Did some garden tidying on Friday. In the evening did sound at RSAC for Greg Mayston's Blues Americana supported by Steve Morano. He was a very good singer sondwriter. Had some problems getting a good balance with sound initially for Greg Mayston but sorted it after a couple of songs. Did some good stuff, he has a 1935 national steel guitar. Only 4 paying customers though. Got a call from JAM on Saturday morning. Mark Cavendish was in a very innocuous crash and is out of his last TdF. He'd finished 6th, 5th and 2nd in the sprints and was after his 35th win. He shares the record of 34 with Eddy Merckx. In the evening we hosted a 'pub garden' event to replace Mandy's postponed house warming. I probably had too much wine. Had a HCTS meeting at RSAC on Sunday and Edith went to The Green Goddess.
Then she went to Greenwich Park
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Monday, July 03, 2023

Published Monday, July 03, 2023 by with 0 comment

Edith Comes To Reading - Sunday July 2nd 2023

On Monday we volunteered to take part in an experiment at the uni for a research project. It involved looking at blurred faces and indicating which emotion they were displaying. You could make them less blurred until you could recognise the emotion. Got a £10 amazon voucher each for our trouble. URZ announced Ruben Selles will be their next manager on Tuesday subject to him getting a visa. If I haven't already mentioned the EFL have filed more disciplinary charges against us for dodgy dealings and HMRC have filed a winding up order. Ho hum. In the evening I met Kevin and Ian Hutchings at Bracknell station and we cycled out to Windsor Great Park. Got the train back from Egham. Did a southern loop ride on Thursday. Edith is wearing Madeline's foxy lady outfit.
On Friday M went to the dentist in Oxford. Had a chat with JAM when she got back. I did sound at RSAC in the evening for Jopy, The Dianas and Barrelhaus. Sally was staying at her folks with Edith for the weekend as Tom was at Ewan's stag. We thought we were going to Dave and Alices for the weekend so M went over to see Edith. On Saturday realised we had got the dates wrong so not going to Dave and Alices. Heard from Jeannie that Andy is slowly recovering. Can move his head and shoulders but still cant open his eyes. Watched brilliant 1st stage of TdF.  Adam Yates first, Simon second. We had a tea mainly made of spuds and courgettes from the garden. We then recorded a message/news bulletin for Andy.  Meanwhile one granddaughter opened her eyes......and the other went to the Science Centre in Glasgow.
Mandy cancelled her garden party for next Saturday so we've invited people here instead. Watched TdF on Sunday then went to the Wises to see Edith.
M cooked a fine roast chicken.
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