Monday, February 09, 2026
Fives and Old Lodge tomorrow
Looks as if I am blessed with luck. Keith and Gareth are fulfilling my dreams.
M
Left Care Home
Katherine and I went to staplehurst care home for last time and cleared out all my things. Also handed over 20 pounds cash, as repaying the 16 pounds taxi fare, and a bonus, that I had to leave as a charitable donation. What strange strict rules they have.
It feels good to have left, and to be able to help Tricia through a tough stretch.
Quite difficult to clear everything, and we still found things in our final search. Mostly computer leads behind beds. Hope we have not nicked anything of theirs.
M
Bank suggested cash
Went to the bank with Katherine.
Explained my problem with taxi, and basically was told to always have enough cash on one. Not helpful.
My solution of paying when you have good reception is better.
M
Old Lodge
Going up with Keith tomorrow.
Gosh, it seems ages since I went up there.
M
Sunday, February 08, 2026
cannot start my apple mac mini for some reason
as if no power is getting to it. Totally unresponsive
May have to take to apple shop in arcade.
M
visit to care home this afternoon
Objective is mostly to get some supplies of tamulosin, and to pay back the 16 pounds loan for taxi fare.
But will also bring some more stuff home, since I dont think I will be returning to residence.
Tricia seems to be coping with me being around, and that is truely wonderful.
Katherine was delayed and went there directly, so no stuff brought home.
M
fiddled with Central heating
Tried to get the CH timings better. Maybe others have tried to change it when I was in hospital. Anyway it was a bit of a mess.
Summer time and winter time do not help. And the kit has changed a bit, and the controls for the ground floor are different from the upstairs.
Anyway all changed I think. Basically the assumption is that the ground floor needs central heating for breakfast and supper. While upstairs needs heating for waking up, and going to bed.
So mid day is the bit where an override may be needed. The study at the top has gas fires in two rooms always ticking over very gentle, and that can be switch up if needed. On the ground floor, the stove in the garage is ticking over and can be changed. The drawing room and playrooms are more difficult and only the playroom can be bolstered with a fire in the stove.
The boiler is set pretty low, partly for better efficiency, but also to prolong its life.
Stoves in dining room and play room are optional, of course.
I am not quite sure what the problems were when I came back, but the shift from summer time to winter time did not help.
The 10 oclock off for the bedrooms is perhaps generous, and that could be reduced if we get up earlier.
M
Saturday, February 07, 2026
pay at start of journey
I got caught out pasying at the care home for a taxi, as the wireless reception is poor or non existant. So I could not pay by card and had no cash.
Answer either to drive to a place where there is reception, and pay for that journey and the journey back to the original destination
Or the pay, at the starting point, assuming that has good reception.
M
Friday, February 06, 2026
paying by card
Seems that paying by tapping a card on a small payment device does depend on a wireless connection, from device to the internet.
At the care home the signal failed. And it was difficult to pay by cash.
At home it has never been a problem.
Once it's panicked, all cards are deemed dead unless you have a code, but I suspect that it may be more complicated.
M
Thursday, February 05, 2026
repercussions of recovery
Clearly not remembering one illness is helpful when you have recovered. You have no memories to worry about.
But for some close to you, when you were ill, they used up lots of energy etc, keeping a brave face etc. It is vital to them to show some strength. But when you get better, the dam can break and all the accumulated fears and worries can be an emotional ticking bomb. As you recover, they may be the ones that need the most support.
M
lunch at home
It really is surprising how little food is served up or eaten at the care homes.
Now often this is because the residents are not active physically or mentally. They basically don't need much. But their reserves seem to be very low as well.
Difficult to know what to do. Other than to make sure they cater for the odd exception.
You could weigh them and put the charts up for family to see. Have more meals, over a longer time period, though zoe would consider unhealthy.
Best is probably to make them hungry, with some compulsary exercise regimes. Rewards for using up energy.
M
at home
Back in Somerville gardens, and going to spend the night here as a trial. Got my pills for tomorrow morning.
It is wonderful having a speedy internet, with few if any problems.
Paid the taxi with a visa card. No problems.
M
Wednesday, February 04, 2026
modern cars
I was driven in two cars today, both very new.
I was amazed how big they seemed. And one was a mini. The other was a Merc, and felt about the same size. The insides were almost unrecognisable to me, and very flashy.
All rather grotesque
M
got asked by a young master what I was doing in the quad.
It was as if I was trespassing, and certainly should not be using a school toilet.
I was rather taken back, and explained that I had been coaching fives there for over twenty years.
Given his age, he might be just have been one of the novi when I started. Silly twat.
M
big floods on the park
I thought the days of flooding in the Tonbridge park were over. But today there were sheets of water on the land near the river.
The town itself was dry, but it shows that there could be trouble coming again.
M
Forgot the Tonbridge schedule
For some strange reason I thought the boys played their ladder games on Thursdays, thereby making wednesday and Friday training days. Tuesdays were not training days, as I would remember being exhausted if it was so.
But of course it is Tuesdays that is the ladder day.
Silly me. Anyway I had a restful time today watching the military mess around. One of the instructors was an attractive young lady, in uniform. Wonderful how things change.
M
taking a taxi
It really is yonks since I took a taxi. What with a car, free buses and lifts with friends, I find it difficult to remember when I last took a taxi.
Back then taxi drivers probably preferred to take cash, as it made handling tips easier.
But now I guess it is the reverse.
What with 6 months out of circulation, with cards I hardly recognise, and no understanding of cabby's behaviour, I feel very exposed.
M
passed on the river plate trophy
Left the trophy with the porters etc to give to Henry.
Rather glad to not have it any longer.
I am proud of rescuing it, and identifying it. But it needs to do some work for its living.
Not worried what they call it.
My biggest thrill was coaching fives players for twenty odd years.
M
