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

Published Monday, July 10, 2023 by with 0 comment

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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Monday, June 26, 2023

Published Monday, June 26, 2023 by with 0 comment

A visit from Ian and Fran - SundayJune 25th 2023

Did my Kennet/Mapledurham ride on Monday. Tom's father's day present arrived.
There are 72. Spent Tuesday tidying up the garden. Same on Wednesday then did a quick ride along the Kennet. Got a Father's Day from JAM.
Meanwhile Edith was feeling sleepy. Had a band practice on Thursday. M finished her first stab at a conclusion. Edith was made official in Woolwich town hall.


She went by bus.


Meanwhile Madeline's sibling is progressing nicely.


Edith went to her second pub on Friday.


She had already tried one before.


Ian and Fran arrived about 5pm. On Saturday we got the train to Pangbourne and had a pint by the river at the  Swan. In the evening went to Clay's which was great. Had a couple of pints in the Fox and Hounds then walked back through the park and over the footbridge before getting a cab. Meanwhile Edith met Ewan. I keep forgettkng about covid but Paul on the RSAC sound team just tested +ve.


Ian and Fran left early on Sunday afternoon so we chilled in the garden. It was very hot. Great weekend.
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Monday, June 19, 2023

Published Monday, June 19, 2023 by with 0 comment

A Busy Week - Sunday June 18th 2023

There had been a slight infection risk with Edith so they did some blood tests and she got the all clear to go home on Monday. This is how she took the news.
On the trivial front a man came to look at the oven, my new bike tyres arrived so fitted them and did my Playhatch loop to test them out. 


On the way home.

At home

Poppy isn't too sure. On Tuesday she met her first set of grandparents.
Meanwhile I cycled out to Britwell cum Sotwell with Kelvin. Apparently Boris has moved there and Kelvin wanted to check out where he lives. Had a pint in the Coach and Horses on the green back in Wallingford. A very nice pub that I've never been in before. M was out at BRO. In the evening I went up to London to see Kurt Vile at Koko supported by King Hannah. I went in for them and as it was still quite empty I got near the front and decided to stay there for the main event even though it meant not having another pint. Both bands were excellent. Kurt Played for about an hour and 45 mins. I did move to the back for the encores so I could get a quick get away. The sound was better there I would say. Did a bit of exploring too, up to the galleries and the smoking balcony. Really nice venue. On Wednesday Edith met the second set of grandparents.

Went over to RSAC on Thursday to take some of the crappy old music equipment down the tip. Then spent some time trying to fix broken mike stands. Edith has had her 5 day health check and everything's OK. She's lost 1% of her birth weight but up to 5% is fine. The big news from this end is that M has handed in chapter 7 of her thesis. That's the last one apart from the conclusion. She needs to go though it all again though and will need to cut some out to get it under 90,000 words. On Friday morning a man came to fix the oven (the fan is on all the time and it needed a new part). Then we popped out to a the Playhatch garden centre. M went to Fiona's in the evening so I went to the Retreat with Coxy and Kelvin. Simon and Hilary were also there. On Saturday got this picture on Edith. The first one with her eyes open. She's being held by Josh buy I've cut him out.
Went to pick up a table chairs M had seen advertised.
There are 4 chairs. I did the sound at RSAC the evening for the Artists Link Up showcase. A series of different hip hop singers all performing to backing tracks they had produced except for one who accompanied herself on guitar and piano. Here are some links Only Adz, K.Kayne, Big Ze, Carbon Alexander, Mack23, Delta, Grimm Dreamurr, RJ, Izzy Evans .All pretty good but maybe a bit samey and nothing much to see apart from the singer. I did the sound with Erin who hadn't done it before but certainly knows his way around a mixing desk and if you follow the links here you'll see why. Meanwhile Edith was being shown London.
Got a call from JAM on Sunday. Madeline had been doing guitar practice. I hadn't realised it was father's day. Tom was enjoying his first one.
A lot of the artists on Saturday had linktree accounts. Hadn't heard of it before so set one up for myself.

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Sunday, June 11, 2023

Published Sunday, June 11, 2023 by with 0 comment

Edith Ounsley-Wise - Saturday June 10th 2023

There is a lot of trivia here before the important news.
Maybe I need to revise these posts. Went to the dentist on Monday morning. Then did a bit of admin and called back Danny and Anton Aaron. Took my suit trousers in to be mended on Tuesday morning as I noticed they had a hole in them at the wedding. Did a variation of my 5 hills ride in the afternoon but as I was on my mountain bike I took the bridle path at the top of the first hill which missed out 3 of the hills. I noticed they were doing some filming on the Englefield estate.
A quick google reveals they do quite a lot of filming there including The Crown. Last week I did an e-conslut with the GPs about the mole on my neck. They phoned on Wed morning and want me to go in but nothing to worry about. Took my town bike into Evans to have a few things fixed and picked up my trousers. They haven't done a great job so I'll need a new suit the next time one is required. Picked up my bike and Evans seem to have done a good job and were very helpful. Went to the docs and the mole is fine. Ordered new tyres and brakes for my road bike and arranged for someone to look at the oven as the fan is always on. Its been a week for getting things sorted. Went to RSAC for a Here Comes The Sun meeting. Its going ahead all being well. Went to the dentist on Friday morning. Had a filling replaced. Did some guitar practice and did a bird walk in the afternoon round Fobney Meadow. Its great that it's all just been left to grow wild. Not even any cattle in there to nibble away. They've also cut back a lot of the footpaths which is unexpected.
I saw this deer along the Holybrook at the back of St Saviours.
I felt a bit guilty as it had nowhere to escape. I'm guessing it must have hidden in Admirals Court unelss it went to the new Starbucks. M had been to the Allied Arms to meet up with John Dearing and chums to see if she could be of any help if they produce another book on Reading pubs. We got a WhatsApp from Tom early evening to say Sally was in labour. At 1 45 on Saturday morning we were introduced to our new granddaughter. 8lb 4ozs.
On Saturday Cracking Up had a paid gig at the Stoke Row Steam Fair in the beer tent for the lunchtime session. It was a much bigger event than I expected and beer tent was massive.
We went down well. Probably the biggest gig we've played and a very appreciative audience.
In the evening got this telling us her name is Edith Ounsley-Wise.
On Sunday Madeline was trying to get to grips with her new counsin's name.
Then we got skin on skin with Tom.
And then this.
Fantastic.
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Tuesday, June 06, 2023

Published Tuesday, June 06, 2023 by with 0 comment

Sunday 4th June 2023

On Wednesday I got the train to Reading's new station, Reading Green Park, and walked back. It opened on 27th May and clearly not all the systems include it yet. E.g. the announcement on the train just says "The next stop is......"
It's £2.00 return with an old farts card.
Saw some baby coots and cygnets.

Noticed these on the way back and saw a woman watering them.

She said 300 trees had been planted last Nov/Dec. They are going to be watered once or twice a  week and the bags hold 75 litres. Had a couple of beers with Kelvin in his garden before tea. Did the Theale, Pangbourne, Mapledurham ride on Thursday and had first Thursday drinks in the Phantom Brewery in the evening. As a result I had a bit of a lie in on Friday.  Did the Fobney Meadow walk in the afternoon. Its dried out and there are lots of buttercups.
Its stag beetle time. I saw this chap flying in the ridiculous way they do in Coley Ave. It then landed in a tree but fell out and landed on its back so I flipped it over.
Then off it went. Did homemade pasta and marinara sauce for tea. Did the sound at RSAC for tribute night with James. This time it was The Human League and Heaven 17. Not as many acts as the other 2 I've been to but good all the same. A good start to the day on Sunday got this video of Madeline independently negotiating the train in Kelvingrove park. Cracking Up played at the Mansfield Rd street party at Steve and Yvonne's. We did our full set and seemed to go down well.
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