Happy Birthday Ally

Seventeen today. That's flown. Woke up in the middle of the night for present ceremony. She was well chuffed particularly with her pink ipod. I fell back asleep. Then it was off to me mas for appt at rapid access chest pain clinic. Into carpark after 10 minutes then to G clinic. Ecg weight then interview with nurse specialist. She took a good history no waiting for consultants verdict.

Birthday meal

Been looking forward to loch fyne restaurant for weeks.
Found it fairly painlessly and arrived early. Place was buzzing. Drinks then meal. Starters ally I moules marineres, jean lobster bisque and me pan fried cornish squid and balsamic tomato and garlic.
Mains ally salmon fillet whiskey wild mushroom cream sauce. Jean garlic butter prawns and me whole lobster ginger and soy served with noodles. Finished off with sorbets and the jobs done fantastic meal.

Birthday retrospective.

Must try and remember what I got. Cash and book tokens.
Books two douglas coupland and some serious ones and a mini aerial views of england.
An elvis costello cd.
Some chocolates and toffee.
A nintendo ds lite.
Some boxer shorts.
A league of gentlemen radio show CD.
I am sure there are more will need to confer.

Sat in hospitals.

I seem to spend a large portion of my life observing the NHS up close. Yesterday as a participant. Today accompanying mny mum to her rapid access chest pain clinic.
Walton clinic monday am for 4 year follow up. I arrive in good time and am greeted with the shock news my appt was cancelled on the 12th december. This was already rearranged several times and I had not been informed. Once again the university Hospital Aintree Foundation Truss had buggered up out patients. I hear of this frequently but this is me. I am not impressed. Poor girl looks hassled I smile it aint her fault she'll get no grief from me. She puts me name down and agrees to discuss it with the Doctor. I seek tea and toast. Provided by WRVS. I bump into mary trimble ex of maghull health centre. Then I met the pocket doctor professor John Wilding. Exchange a discussion the see Mr K. Interviewed by dietitan weighed ( not good ) gained though not as much as I thought. See DDK agree a plan to manage it. Still 61% EWL. Would be nice to be maintaining at 70%EWL at 5 years in September.
Pop into work then home via thorntons.
Did a big post in Walton opd I lost.

What do you buy a bloke whose 46

Walton OPD

Woke up at an early hour. Seemed to wake better than ever. Before I know it I am at Walton after listening to jean and ally having som{ sort of debate about a cardigan whilst medicating a rabbit. Arrived at walton without any change for car park and it keeps getting worse. The trust cancelled my clinic appointment without telling me. I am not impressed , I decide after consultation with jackie to go and get tea and toast and hang around. See mary trimble from the diabetes team ex of maghull. She looks well despite it being her first day back from the sick. Then back round into clinic and bump into john wilding pass the time until Mr Kerrigan pops along. So now I sit hunched head down blogging.

Close up with new lights

And my super sexy new tripod

Worklights

From B&Q clamp tripod hook bright 1299 bought two from B&Q

RIP Auntie Pat

At 10am this mornin Pat me mums sister passed away in Whiston Hospital. She had not been in good health for years and has been in hospital since new years eve. I will miss her just over 12 months since her husband Billy passed away. My thoughts are with steve lorna alana steven and dean.

Happy Birthday to me from me

Thanks to everyone for cards presents and good wishes. I am 46. The website is four though as evidence of my senility I spent yesterday thinking it was three.

I shall list my presents when I have more time- currently waiting to go out to stockton heath for a meal - thats warrington to the unitiated. Long way for a meal - but hot diddley I dont mind driving in fact its a pleasure.

Fixed my radio

In a moment of strange machismo which involved disconnecting the battery. Don't know how I did it don't care radio works and car works. Met Ann the new woman who does. We had prepared for her for days. Top player really pro cleaner. Went through the kitchen liike a dose of salts. I felt uneasy and couldn't settle. She gave me a list of tools she needed. I got to allerton road and then realised I needed my wallet. Cursing I headed home.

Did some relecting last night

Lucky to be alive and blessed not to be too impaired following my SAH. Head still aches but I guess there are plenty of guys who wopuld swap places. Sitting in the opd at the neuro usually makes me grateful. Nipped into work saw colleagues and then saw the first patient for today. Get a nice compliment from Euan the anaesthetist about my work and book him for a support group gig. Arrive just in time for appt board shows a 30 min delay.

Monday Tuesday

Days off cold and dont do much. Consider many things work on Wednesday - Birthday Saturday getting old first time I havent had a party since I was 39.

Looking forward to Loch Fyne at Warrington though.

Saturday & Sunday

Mr Fence man came to assess the damage to the homestead - this will cost I suspect. He says a lot of things I dont understand like 7ft twobyfours - uprights versus horizontal. I assume my mentalist shit man I just need me a rabbit proof fence stance.

Then in the pm its off to see Auntie Pat in the building site that is Whiston Hospital. Mum recalls that she spent the first months of Daves life half living there.

The restaurant is shut - what a crap private place they could be making a bloody fortune selling the usual gnats pee and dinks I suspct that the shop (not run by the WRVS) has a sort of deal so they can make extra.

Robbin gets the lot of em.

Diagnosis with Auntie Pat remains unclear apparently she has had another MI so is back on coronorary care - she dont look good. Her colour aint right - she is having a transfusion via a central line - has TPN, morphine or insulin pump, a catheter a drain and a ng tube draining black bloody gunge.

She doesnt look good and mam doesnt seem to grab it - though I guess your younger sister isnt meant to go before you. Betty and John leave and we spend sometime with Pat. Mum dont like hospitals or the sick.

 

Sunday wake with a bad head do dinner for 7 and flake in th afternoon. Off to mums at night and a meeting in the pm.

 

Monday tired - but up at 8.45 working on website and chartiy stuff.

Junior DocSpot: Ward craziness

Junior DocSpot: Ward craziness Terrifying but all too true.

Loch Fyne - Loch Fyne Stockton Heath

Loch Fyne - Loch Fyne Stockton Heath going here for my birthday going here for my birthday next saturday

Friday

Up Mum pays bathroom men - it looks good - we put rest of dosh back in bank on Allerton road, where there is a strange picture representing the song Penny lane - if memory serves this used to be in Penny Lane in what is now  Penny Lane Surgery. Then it was along to home and bargain, over to Smiths for envelopes and then across to Sayers for Bavarian Slice naughtiness. Picked Mum up off to Charity post dineer in the Mission caff, only two eff words 2 buggers abd a shit (from me mam that is).

Took her home then did envelopes stuffing. Then carried it all up the post and spent 37quid posting it. The woman was sick of me (maureen) though Graham the postmaster was multi orgasmic about the range of weights I was presenting. He gave me a leaflet on weights and sizes (ooer missus) and gave me a homily on the benefits of first class over standard parcels. He seems to get on Maureens wick in a way which can only indicate they are married.

Then try to buy some notelets off the far too thin lady - all her notelets are far too pink and girly I have nearly run out of my macho lifeboat ones. End up with some black and white stuff.

Do some work on me expenses and feel goosed by Friday night

Thursday it was windy

So I slept in - only rising to get Ally from School. Missed my condition Management Programme appointment - I have trouble with dates I thought it was next week Doh.

Went the Doctors Wednesday

Took mum she has to go to Rapid Access Chest Clinic - then ny turn Frank thinks I have lost weight - hmm - my body fat is heading South I think. Need to get BP monitored. Get a script sorted out. Frank gives me a copy of the neuropsychologists report. Drop them in and its off to do the rest of a couple of hours. Everyone in work seems light and cheerful. Home then Ally and I nip to Mums to see Auntie Mary  - or big sis. John is there too and the bathroom men aint finished much to my mums chagrin. We decide to nip to Speke to take tea and buy my birthday present - we en up in Damons which apart from the kids and the noise isnt as bad as I imagined. I go back home.

Dock road bridge on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Dock road bridge on Flickr - Photo Sharing! - part of Liverpool group

Eighties Liverpool - a photoset on Flickr

Eighties Liverpool - a photoset on Flickr what a set meant a lot to me - old memories, days gone by - I am thinking of reproducing some of them.

Liverpool Playhouse

IMG_271611, originally uploaded by kenclarewls.

The Flint Street Nativity December 2006

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Lousy nights sleep.

Remember looking at the clock at 4am. Feeling grot. Then next minute the alarm goes off, then my blackberry alarm goes off and I am up and outwardly mobile but near death myself inwardly. And I have to work today for nearly 3 hours.

Tuesday URTI

Had a crap nights sleep. Earache breathing and head ache. Obviously a serious malady. Ally off sick gut rot. Me goosed slept in. Then sorted myself out and got motivated. Picked mum up who pretended to want shopping but really just wqated to visit the bog in Tesco. Her bathroom upgrade is nearly done. Got appts for me and mum to see frank tomorrow and then visited adeles for a beard trim and head polish. Cooked tea then off to meeting. Home and straight up into the loft. No its not punishment its operation tidy up. Flake out a bit watching spooks dvd and realise I have no sleeping pills left. So its 2.45 I am drinking hot chocolate and reading love and other near death experiences by Mil Millington. Also browsing assorted magazines blogging and feeling peed off I can't kip. Have to work tomorrow too. And I have ear ache. Grrrrr.

Monday afternoon

Perplexed after a morning witn sweet momma I turn to my bed for the afternoon. Head aching and definitely coming down with man flu at least. Off to a meeting in the pm and motivated by having to pick someone up. On return home Jean has fcound the serial number for the car radio. Shakespeare disgraces himself (again).

Went for a cup of tea

Which may have been a mistake mum has enagaged a talkative man from Conway. Who after her name is called seems intent on yapping to me at every opportunity. My non verbals ( a large naff off sign with I aint interested written on it). After 10 mins of my extreme ignorance he gets he hint.

3 hours opd

Did a 3 hour stint at a new patient clinic. One cancellation so down to three. Straight on to a meeting then give a couple of folk a lift and its off to home. Cheerful and then to bed.
Up early to take me mum to pacing clinic at CTC. Part of the new development on the Broadgreen site this disabled parking is as usual inadequate. My mum is as talkative as ever I confess to being slightly adrift, the late to bed and early start doesn't help.

Saturday live from the sefton suite.

Doing my permitted work on the sefton suite. Todays business consists of two new patient clinics one NHS and the other private. Absolutely no difference from what I can see cept there are more butties for the NHS one. New patients tens to see the buttie situation as a bit of a test I think. Still relatives carers and friends tuck in. Got a letter from the condition management people today. Got an appointment. Just waiting for the last patient to be seen. Will then catch up with my colleagues and scoot home.

Schindlers Lift

Its all gone Kate Adie

Phyllis Rowe

As observed by Kathy Aston

Small Island Read 2007: Registration Form

Small Island Read 2007: Registration Form Kieran dude shouldn't a library dude like you be giving these out free to the proletariat like me.

Photographically poor

Not as many opportunities as I would have liked. Light poor had to fill in a photography permit and wear a sticky. Not allowed to use a tripod was a dissapointment. A bit too much Kate Adie for me.
Fine cake and coffee too many kids good shop.

IWM north

Late lunch in the watershard restaurant. Nice view over some dock type stuff. Weather is mad rain wind sun rainbows. All sorts.
Lunch is chicken breast wrapped in parma ham with spuds and veg.
Back to exhibition areas.

IWM north

Some excellent exhibits though a bit too interacive for me. Lots of multimedia peace and kids involvement going on. When I was a kid and went to the London branch all I wanted to do was clamber on board a main battle tank. I was also struck by how the world has moved on since WWII. There are new conflicts to be recorded.

Confound you car man

Seems like a straight choice the lack of car sets me day. I mope bitterly and do some work on charity stuff or I get proactive. I decide on the latter. I shall use a public transport journey to offset my long distance flight to new york late last year. I have studied the stuff on the web then printed it off and left it. Daft booger. Still I am guessing I can ask. I can remember piccadilly then tram to harbour something. Which reminds me I am in sokething of an M+S advert. Clad totally in their garb almost entirely blue lagoon apart from my coat which is collezionew and the zip is broke grrrr.
So I am a man of leisure sewmi retired on a bus pass. Good job because if I was rushing I would be up for violence. The bus seems to be taking every stop to collect people for the slow convention in slow town. Man I am tallking serious psychomotor retardation, the man next to me is in a cocoon. He was a caterpilar when he sat down. He looks like he be one of those scary moths with big eye shapes on the wing when we arrive. Two elephants were having sex when I got on
- the baby is due in lime street. I have gone minimal camera packing here. 350 with 18 to 55 zoom and powershot G5. I have no idea what sort of shots will be available so this is a recce. (See amateur photographer magazine the articles do sink in).
So the slow bus is exchanged for a fecking slow train. Though it is a minimal stopper going through st helens newton and then on to the land of manc. I see a tad of blue sky through the grey.
Arrived picadilly - big found metrolink scary. Missed tram to harbour city eccles. Seen note about www.noisefestival.com/ metrolink tram is a cool form of transport will look up when I get home. The imperial war museum is a distant view from the harbour city tram stop. The cold urban wind blows round the designer pads sort of like where Baldwin lives on Corrie. My hat blows off. I run to catch it.

Up early and busying myself

Going well till blackberry alarm tells me I need to be in Belle vale jobbie in 20 mins. Saw eddie - nice bloke even if he cant spell haemorrhage. I am being assesed as part of uncle tonys Pathways to work he doesnt want my broken brain festering on the slagheap with the other job seekers. He has appointed a nice NHS lady to have a chat for 6 meetings. IT IS ALL VOLUNTARY and I believe Eddies intent - Hedoesnt point out that to get access to any new goodies you have to be seeing the nice lady. Anyway I fill out the forms with eddie - we add in sub arachnoid haemorrhage - is that like a spider. I says yeah and we have a discourse on the arachnoid appearance of a brain layer. I explain coiling - just put brain surgery he says.

So I am barking half brained and no guts - strike me that I should apply to be information Tsar or head up home office database management. Shit I could leave files in desk drawers for england. In the dark my arse well actually he was out bombing when it all went down but surely it was top of his briefing when he moved into the home office. Tony Blair Says carry on flying he will offset his carbon footprint - tosser - he doesnt fool me. I offset by getting the bus back from the job centre.

Jean comes home I am off to Richer sounds to sort my dvd burner and the top people actually lend me a spare while mine is inthe menders. I will buy from there again. Meeting at Halewood. Still no car I aint happy bout that.

Car goosed again

Maybe starter (mebbe covered on warranty) car sucks. I want to whip it fawlty style. I get two long overdue letters done. Picked up the post and forward it on. Wonder if being organised is a sign of illness. was on the trevor mcdonald tonight show. It went better than I thought. Better than I hoped really. Ally was proud which made feel very good.

Michael Browne

Michael Browne I spy Mickey Browne my best man and drinking buddy for too long. Currently about to submit MPhil thesis entitled "Trust in Technology among Critical Care Nurses" made me laff.

Mooching round bold street

I have a wander then pop into two camera shops on bold street make the boy let me look at all the bags. He smells heavily of unwashed BO not a good sign on a monday morning. Then I nipped into a big oxfam shop then over to the mission caff to see auntie ann.

Up at dawns crack

With the girls out to get car. Ring Rac. An hour and quarter so nip to simply coffee for butty and tea. Back to car and the delightful mark same bloke as last time tries to jump start me. Unsuccessfully I get towed to childwall motors. Dave promises the electrician I don't think I am getting it b ack tonight. He does. Then its the 86C tbus formerly known as 80E 75a to town.

Lambasted for non mention of Ally

Rightfully so as it happened. Ally tripped and fell down the stairs last week. (Wednesday I think). She somersaulted and scraped her leg and badly bruised her thigh. It looked bloody sore. She told me off yesterday for not mentioning this sooner.
So weekend - got up late both days. Not clear why but trying to remedy this monday. Saturday took calls re tonight on Monday (8pm). Messing with canon G5 and realise that ISO400 is a very noisy setting. Took me 2 days sans book to work out how to change it. Sunday afternoon took ma to whiston to see pat. Ask nice lady at front door where pat is shitty computer says coronary care. They direct us to hdu who direct us to D3. Ma has an angina attack (need to get her some spray). Don't know what's wrong with auntie pat. Facts abdo op under local. MI post transfusion catheterised on O2 PCA and two IV's. She looks surprisingly well. Shock of the week heard from dave.
Oh and car goosed again saturday Morning.

Doctored information on celebrity nutritionist | Science | Guardian Unlimited

Doctored information on celebrity nutritionist Science Guardian Unlimited Kieran pointed this out and it rang some bells - Fuel PR did the National obesity forum conferences in 2004/5. Good memory Ken - and the name of the man you dealt with Steven larke - Clarkeola in the article I think.

TASCHEN Books: Photography - All Titles - 20th Century Photography - Facts

TASCHEN Books: Photography - All Titles - 20th Century Photography - Facts The third of the trio of books I bought thought I need some serious background and inspiration. In Borders I found a whole new section where I can sit and read photography (art not science) books.

TASCHEN Books: Pop Culture - All Titles - Signs - Facts

TASCHEN Books: Pop Culture - All Titles - Signs - Facts Bought this it appeals to my love of signs.

PostSecret

PostSecret Bought the book of this in Borders half price 8.99 hard back

Goodbye Mr Noodle

BBC NEWS World Asia-Pacific Inventor of instant noodles dies I had those glasses in the 70's.

Trick-cycling For Beginners

Trick-cycling For Beginners Hearty laffs and true tragi-comedy from a fellow bipolar sufferer.

Friday night from bed

Been a funny week. Only been into work thursday and friday and I am feeling quite miserable. Things that don't usually bother me are getting on me wick. I have a mountain of paperwork to sort and motivation is less than zero.
Car is back, my sump is goosed and he needed to pump my sump and change my battery. For this and the other service stuff if get to hand in 211. Still Daves a nice guy and we are in this for the long road.
I want more time to play with images and take pages and I especially like collecting EOS related gadgets. Final filming done for tonight with trevor mcdonald, few query phone messages to sort but now wait. Am shagged out. Auntie part getting better.

Wednesday 3rd january

Body clock up the swanee again. Some discussion with ally in the middle of the night. Led gto me being comatose till 11.30 and in bed till one. Got my appointment for Walton headache clinic. Few emails from folks jane down under with the barmy army. Picked ally up from school and went to mums then on to speke. Sat in borders. Bought season one of the shield with my HMV voucher. Eying up photography books in borders now.

A Roman Holiday

http://www.hotelbrasile.com/en/ Booked this gaff for February half term, courtesy of Lailla at Co-op travel who take the hassle out of it.

A Roman Holiday

http://www.hotelbrasile.com/en/ Booked this gaff for February half term, courtesy of Lailla at Co-op travel who take the hassle out of it.

2nd January

New years day wasn't easy. Stayed sober and drove. Felt a bit uncomfortable but the lack of port drys the social gears. Went to Ruth and Pauls felt a bit miserable when I got home. Started looking for somewhere for a break for half term. Both tempted by Rome I think. I find the booking and decision

This Life

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6191407.stm This life + 10 guaranteed as a bit of quality telly. Jean was a big fan when it first came out and its up there for me in my top telly. Groundbreaking stuff.

Always at the festive time

RIP Auntie Tilly - no relation but a part of my life for 40 years. Pleasant irreverent old lady who used to give me money and tell me I was growing up at the christmas fair. All this stopped when I reached 35 of course. (I lie). She was my brother in laws auntie (his mums sister I think) she had been ill and in residential care for ages. Fractured her hip just before chrimbo and tired on Sunday morning.

Auntie Pat - me mums sister isnt well initial sketch reports vary. The Kathy scrambler seems to be working overdrive and we await more news. A lazy day here and out to visit me mam at teatime prior to a meeting. She looks shook up by her younger sisters serious illness. Ally is out for the night. We watch Spooks DVD's and are bed for 11.50.

Happy new year one and all - fireworks klaxons and partying were loud last night.