Another day, another shaving off of the cough. I think we have it bags packed and on the march at last.
The antibiotic pills last until Monday, when I’m scheduled for another ‘phone triage session with the doctor. If there’s any cough left in me at all I’m going to push the button for more medication–I like the sound of a seven-day course of antibiotic along with a diminishing dose of steroid–and, if that doesn’t work, a consultation at the big hospital in Swansea. Or even the one at Cardiff University. I intend to get rid, or die in the attempt.
Were you able to hear the rather fierce growl that accompanied the last sentence? Dolly did, and she’s come in to the study to see what on earth has upset her tame monkey.
[Pause for tummy tickles....]
Graham’s had two moments of fierceness today:
The first concerns my digital piano, which he’s selling on eBay for me (long story… can’t use my right hand for delicate work any more so I’ve decided to stop torturing myself) and some eBay newbie from Cardiff has emailed him to ask a) can he come and view, and, b) how much do we want for it. I suggested that Graham should write back to say yes, by all means call (in daylight hours) to view, but the deal is an auction and eBay frowns heavily on off-site bargaining.
The second is far more important, and concerns the house. Graham has been labouring day by day to refurbish the internal doors, and this has extended his current project considerably. He doesn’t like it when projects drag. Add to this the discovery today that both w.c. basins are inadequately sealed to the floors and need immediate attention and you get a starter of an idea of the degree of his frustration. At the current rate of progress it’ll be this time next year before the job is finished. Longer if he decides he needs to go out and get a job, which is likely. Add to that the continuing process of discussion and design for the final disposition of the house, joining two rooms to make a giant living kitchen and installing a patio door to the back bedroom that is destined to become our joint hobby/sitting room and you get closer to his fizzy state. Oh, yes, and the design, commission and installation of a nice little summer house for the garden. And the garden itself.
Bottom line is that he will treat this as an initial pass and decorate the walls with paint only rather than lining and painting. Similar ‘quick lick’ treatments will be applied elsewhere, making each room a much faster and less laborious job.
We are unlikely to be moving away from this house anytime soon, so it’s perfectly fine to be thinking of a two or even three pass project over some years rather than the gut-wrenching jobs we’ve been doing this past twenty years or so.
I’m happy with this new way of thinking, and of working, and have told him so.
Settled at last?
We acquired a new pot for our collection today. Graham won it on eBay, paying about two-thirds of its true worth. It’s a smallish, squarish stoneware delight, in need of a good scrub, re-wiring and re-baizing, and the location and careful selection of a suitable shade, and it’s delightful to both of us. About eight inches high it’s the work of an English potter name of Bernard Rooke. I really must count up and catalogue our ceramic collection. That’s the problem with constant moving and the slow, painstaking job we’ve made of building the collection. You can forget things, passing them every day and dusting them twice a year. Good for delight and for environmental texture, but not entirely satisfactory for insurance purposes.
Old lamp, new lamp, call it what you will
All in all, I think you could call this a satisfactory day. Oh, and what a joy it is to sleep and rest with (almost) no coughing.
