Weight

Since my brain bleed nearly a year ago, I lost lots of weight. In hospital I lost nearly 1.5 stone. I have put weight back on and am currently around 11 stone and have been this weight now, give or take 1lb, for about 4 months  despite stopping my liquid feed via my stomach PEG. I have been told to maintain this healthy weight, which I am doing. It probably helps that I am not allowed to touch alcohol at all and haven't done for almost a year.

Garden

Although I still feel far from well, tomorrow, if it is dry, I shall attempt cutting the back lawn. This is quite large and my wife will certainly help me if needed. Our son, who normally come and helps on Wednesdays is in France with his family.

People who see me say how well I walk and look. If they only knew how I feel inside they might be very shocked: I still feel very poorly inside.

Wicken Fen walk 1.74km

Highland cow at Wicken Fen

This afternoon, my wife and I walked around the boardwalk at Wicken Fen. I took my Samsung smart phone with GPS so I was able to measure how far we walked - 1.74km, which, for me in my present state, was good. There were several swallows about as well as dragon and damsel flies, and butterflies.

Butterfly on the boardwalk

Lis on a bench at Wicken Fen

Me by the small windmill at Wicken Fen

Anglesey Abbey walk this morning

This morning, we did a 1.62km walk around Anglesey Abbey. Weather was good but blustery. Dahlias are already in bloom, about 4 weeks early. We are so lucky having this NT property on our doorstep.

Anglesey Abbey walk - tracked with Samsung S4 mini using "My tracks" GPS app

Amazon

See  http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Everything-Store-Bezos-Amazon/dp/0316377554/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1407689902&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Amazon is an organsation you probably either love or hate.  Currently I am reading "The Everything Store - Jeff Bazos and the age of Amazon" by Brad Stone, lent to me be a neighbour/friend.  A fascinating read about the history of Amazon and the man behind it all.

Bazos sounds like the boss you would NOT want - a real taskmaster - a very "driven" man with real conviction. Right from the early days he believed in what he was doing. He is clearly a very clever man with a high IQ.

UK football (soccer) season again

It seems only a few weeks since the last season ended, but here we are at the start of a new football season already. Newly promoted Cambridge United (the "U's") played Plymouth Argyle (the Pilgrims) at home. They won 1:0 too. 

I "sort of" support Plymouth (Devon team) but also want Cambridge United to do well.  It was the first game, so a lot can change. I hope Plymouth manage to pick themselves up from their away defeat and do well for the rest of the season.

Newly relegated Torquay (also a Devon team) managed to lose their first game in the Football Conference.

Eating more solid food

Since coming off the liquid feeds I am now able to eat most sorts of foods without problems. This lunchtime I prepared Welsh rarebit (egg with cheese on toast) with potato salad and this was OK apart from a little bit of the toast.

In the last week I have enjoyed cheddar cheese, cooked salmon, runner beans, courgettes,  and a wide variety of other solid foods.

Although not yet back to a full, normal diet, it is so much better than it was and infinitely better than I feared last year when I expected to be on liquid feeds for ever. Now most foods are enjoyed.

Ickworth walk

This morning, in the glorious sunshine at Ickworth, we walked down through the
meadow in the old walled garden to the lake at the bottom of the hill past the little church, which is now restored and open.

The round trip is about 1.7km measured with my Samsung phone's GPS (see map on LHS). This far from my farthermost walk since my brain bleed, but it was very pleasant nonetheless.

The forecast for tomorrow is bad with lots of rain and winds - a day to stay at home.

The meadow at Ickworth in the old walled garden

World War One

Arguably, the most futile waste of lives ever, we are, this week, celebrating 100 years since we went to war.  I fail to agree with any arguments that it was a "just war"  or that it was necessary.  With the wisdom of hindsight, it is easy for us to look back at WW1 and be wise after the event I know.

http://conflicterature.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/poppies.jpg?w=710

I am sure that, at the time, the masses were stirred by patriotic fever and I am also sure that Kaiser Bill was a war monger. Still, millions of innocents were killed and with what result?  Just 21 years later we were at war with Germany again!

To my mind, "ordinary" men were coerced into battle on all sides. I think that first Christmas truce tells us a great deal.

The image is located on another website. If the link and image need to be removed for copyright reasons please let me know.

Storms coming?

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .

On my other blog I may have been premature saying that the storms had missed us for today. There was a lightning strike about 5km east of Newmarket just now and over lunch it rained very heavily here, albeit briefly. Maybe we'll catch it later? Thunder (for now) has passed.

The White Pheasant - Fordham, Cambs, UK

See http://www.whitepheasant.com/ .

In recent years this restaurant has changed hands and now serves excellent meals. Last night, my son and my wife went there and thoroughly enjoyed their taster menu.

My son, from London, says the food was at least as good as anywhere in London.

The restaurant was very busy (fully booked) which is always a good sign.  When I am fit again, I suspect we'll be going there!

Wiltshire Farm Foods

See http://www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com/taking-care-of-mealtimes?gclid=CNi6xqjfgcACFcSWtAodaDIAag  .

http://www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com/product_image.ashx?p=502&w=298&h=298

Some months ago I was told that I might never, ever, be able to eat solid foods ever again. This news was devastating to the whole family. Thankfully, some 7 months later I am eating solid foods by mouth, mostly the same as those enjoyed by the rest of the family and no liquid feeds at all. The change is staggering. I still have problems with some drinks.

In those dark early days I discovered puree meals from Wiltshire Farm Foods - they were OK. They actually do a wide range of foods that are quick and easy to prepare, making them ideal if you are infirm or old. The full menu looks very good and reasonably priced. Most meals can be microwaved in a few minutes.

Lightning tomorrow?

Today, the evening looks fine, but tomorrow and Sunday the remains of Hurricane Bertha are due to hit us, so we may get strong winds and lots of rain, possibly some storms too. See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en . Athough no longer a hurricane, now a tropical storm, what is left of Hurricane Bertha could still land a nasty punch here in East Anglia. We'll have to see what comes our way.

Boris - London Mayor and soon to be MP?

Boris Johnson comes across as a bumbling buffoon, but actually he is a very bright and intelligent man, probably with a high IQ.  I hope he makes it back to the House of Commons as an MP next year. He would be an asset.

Some are even suggesting that he could become the next leader of the Conservative Party and even the next Prime Minister. His public persona does him little credit. The fact he was re-elected as Mayor of London says a lot.

The last time I voted Conservative was in a local election in 1971. At the moment I am open minded on the 2015 General Election. I shall wait until all parties have stated their aims. Being unlike the recent Euro election, I may need to consider tactical voting. It is a simple vote: whoever gets the most votes in each constituency wins, so small parties like the Greens tend to lose out.

Grandchildren gone home

We love them dearly, and love them coming to stay, but with my current level of fatigue, I find having our youngest grandchildren very hard work. The house is both quiet and tidy again. We miss them and their little ways.

Lucinda with the sweet peas.

Edward with a neighbour's cat.

Approaching storm?

According to the lightning map, there is a storm moving down in our direction from The Wash area. It will be while before we'll know the exact path, but currently it is heading our way.

UPDATE 1555z:   Seems the storm is currently tracking SE towards north Norfolk. We may miss it. Time will tell.

Rosetta probe to a comet

Fascinating stuff. Comet now orbited by European probe after 10 years.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-28659783 .

Profound fatigue

This is bad this week (stroke). Not sure if it is the extra burden of having the little grandchildren here or whether it is just a bad week but I feel profoundly tired most of the time.

Today was doubly bad as I had physio this morning. It is getting my wife and I down, and irritable. The little ones are only doing what very little ones do and I get frustrated not being able to do all that I'd like with them.

I am just so exhausted. I wish the fatigue would end.

BBQ

Grandchildren enjoying the picnic today.  We had a BBQ.

This teatime, as the weather was so nice, we decided on a BBQ in the garden. The grandchildren had a picnic on a rug on the grass. I was able to eat a wide variety of foods: barbequed chicken, beef burger, potato salad, marinated mushrooms, sweetcorn and half a bread roll. It was a nice BBQ and I enjoyed it, especially after the good news this morning.

MRI scan results

A week ago I had another MRI to see how my brain bleed is repairing.  Today I had to go back to get the results. I was extremely relieved to hear all is repaired, my boys will not inherit the problem and all is well.

My relief was visible. This had been a real worry to my wife and I.  I dreaded further brain surgery, fearing some long-term damage. I have now been "signed off" by the neurosurgeons and should not need to see them in their clinic again.

Approaching storms?

http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en

There are storms currently over southern Belgium. These are moving NNE at present. If they reach the UK, I suspect they will not reach us here in Burwell. It will be several hours before I can be sure though.

Kent grandchildren

For the next few days we have our "Kent" grandchildren staying here with their mum and dad. They are very little.

The elder one (now 5) is being sat upon by his 2 year old sister. He enjoyed picking a pile of blackberries with granny from a local hedge.





Here they are sitting on the garden bench enjoying grapes. Our granddaughter loves grapes!

Storms

It looks like the storms that were threatening us have now moved away.  Although there was a lightning flash at Earith, west of Haddenhan, the main centre of storms is now tracking north up the North Sea past Yorkshire. May be we'll be spared today. There is another down near Cheltenham which may be moving this way.

See http://www.lightningmaps.org/realtime?lang=en .#

At the moment, it is raining very heavily.

UPDATE 1945z:  Storms that were threatening us have died out, for now.

UPDATE 2012z:  Main storms are in the northern North Sea and in the Heligoland area.

Gaza - more dead

"Some 1,655 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and 63 Israelis, mainly soldiers, have died in the conflict."

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28619418 .  The needless bloodshedding goes on. When will it end?

I read yesterday that the real motive for the fighting is the Leviathan natural gas fields off Gaza that Israel has its eyes on. Israel does not like to think revenues from this going to Hamas to fund terrorism. This I can understand. The answers must surely be a just peace, an end to Hamas leading Gaza and some sort of sharing in the gas field? Whatever, I hope the Palestinians are treated fairly and justly. They have suffered more than enough from Israel backed by the west.

Ebola - spreading?

WHO officials are worried that the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa may not be contained and may spread further. Ebola kills more than half the people who develop it.

See http://www.latimes.com/world/africa/la-fg-guinea-ebola--20140801-story.html .

Post brain bleed walk today

Today we walked to a friends' house, a 2.62km round trip. This equals my longest walk to date (since the stroke) but this was without holding on to anyone and without any walking aids. Walking is getting better.  I still feel giddy when walking, but even this must be improving oh so slowly.

Distance was measured using the GPS app (My Tracks) on my Android Samsung S4 mini smartphone. The GPS seems to work impressively well when out in a top shirt pocket.

Sweet peas

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/Advice/ACEImages//RHS_WSYD0003866_590944.jpg

For the first time in many years, my wife decided to grow some sweet peas. These smell beautifully and make excellent, if short-lived, cut flowers. This year, because of my poor health, most of the flower beds have been done and maintained by my wife Lis. She has done a great job.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Cosmos_na_Mostra_de_Flor_de_Hong_Kong.JPG/220px-Cosmos_na_Mostra_de_Flor_de_Hong_Kong.JPG

Her cosmos have also been excellent. We probably have the most colourful garden in the street.

Both images above are located on other sites. The links to them are shown below each image. If this is a problem (copyright etc) please let me know. 

Our sweet peas

Israel, you are acting like you WANT the world to hate you?

Why is "the West" so strongly pro-Israel? Especially the USA? It must be the strong US Jewish lobby. Madness. It is surely time for real peace and the USA (and UK?) to stop backing Israel. Give the Palestinians a fair chance.

See http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/us-little-doubt-israel-bombed-gaza-school-2014731172852773778.html

Wonderful weather forecasting

According to the Met Office and BBC Weather apps, we are supposed to be experiencing a nice sunny evening here in Burwell.  It is actually dark cloud and it has started to rain. Can the forecasters never get it right, despite their super-computers? I actually get very annoyed by the inability to correctly forecast the weather now, let alone a few days in advance. It seems the only time they get it right is when there is a big high pressure system overhead. In that weather one has only to look out of the window!

UPDATE 20.20pm local time: the sun is shining, the flowers smell beautiful, it is a lively end to the day.


PS  Get Israel to make peace, not war.

Stroke - videofluoroscopy

This afternoon, I am going in to Addenbrooke's hospital as an outpatient, yet again, this time for a videofluoroscopy of my swallow. Although I can eat foods pretty well, I still have problems with some drinks. They video you drinking liquids to see why swallow is not easy.

UPDATE 1430z:  All went well. No choking on drinks and more advice on how to drink unthickened drinks. Advised to drink more by mouth so stomach PEG can be removed. A good day.

PS  Get Israel to talk peace, not war.

The best place on Earth

Thurlestone Rock and Bolt Tail (in distance)

Although somewhat biased, I believe this picture posted on the South Hams History Forum by Mike Wannacott tonight shows the best place on Earth.  I have seen many places but none match the South Hams.

Lapthorns (my family name) have lived near here for at least 500 years. A Lapthorn shared "1 fee of land" at South Huish (just off the left of this picture) way back in 1428.  We have lived in these parts for a very long time.  The coastline was probably quite different when Lapthorns first farmed or fished hereabouts.

I suspect my ancestors farmed on Dartmoor more than 4000 years ago before the soils were exhausted and when the climate was milder, living in Stone Age huts.

Parking on pavements

As a disabled person (with a blue parking badge for now) I get very annoyed with people who block pavements by parking half on them in rural villages where there is no need. 

How not to park!

Since at least 9am (probably much earlier) this morning a grey Vauxhall Corsa has parked in such a way that neither a push chair nor a wheelchair would be able to pass on Mill Lane, Burwell. Even just walking past is hard. It leaves the pavement about 12 inches wide only which is nothing. Do people not realise the nuisance they cause? I tried to ring the police on 101 and report it. The auto machine said expect a 10 minute wait. After 5 the line was just cut off! AJ07ZDK. Ringing the police will probably do no good.

If I was in a wheelchair this would be a major issue. I am sure their motives were good,but frankly the car is a damn nuisance.

Gaza

The actions of Israel overnight attacking a school designated a UN safe area in Gaza, is nothing short of a war crime.  15 innocents killed and dozens injured - disgraceful in any language. There is absolutely no excuse for this slaughter. Even if rockets were fired from the local area it is no excuse to kill already traumatised children. Slaughter of the innocents.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28558433 .
See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28559537 .

For years, the state of  Israel has treated the Palestinian people like scum. They deserve to be treated as full humans and accorded the full rights all humans deserve. No more settlements on Palestinian land. After the horrors to the Jews in WW2 you would think Israel would want to help build a kinder world. Not a bit of it! They seem to want to spread hate.  I know Hamas must stop firing rockets at Israel and I know there are good Jewish people, but the war on Gaza is fostering hate and yet more resentment.

What is needed are real substantive talks leading to a comprehensive and fair peace for all in the region. Now is the time for jaw, jaw not war, war. Will Israel never learn? If you treat the Palestinian people as less than human what do you expect?

At the moment, Israel, supported by the USA and the UK amongst others, is not even seriously trying to get a lasting peace. Any eye for an eye seems to be all Israel understands.  Now is the time for real love and kindness to be shared and long-term peace to be given a real chance.   People of  Israel - wake up!   USA and UK: support the Palestinians at the same level as Israel.   Give peace a real chance!

Sanctions against Russia?

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28551391  .

I see the EU and the USA have increased sanctions against Russia. Russia claims these will hurt the west too. They may be right, but Russia has been too lax over events in Eastern Ukraine with its support for the separatists.By now, a thorough investigation into the MH17 jet should have been held, but still the Russians are prevaricating.  By doing so, they are as much as admitting their complicity.

Russia, I am sorry, but the whole world expects better of you than back in the dark days of the USSR and the Cold War. Play by the rules the whole world expects or expect the economic consequences.

This not East versus West.   At present it is Russia versus the whole world.

I agree with greater sanctions if it helps Russia to see how to regain its rightful place at the world's top table as a truly democratic nation. Currently Russia is doing itself no favours at all and thinks it still lives in a pre-1989 world. This is 2014 - times have moved on.