Just when you think life has punched you to the floor, given you a good kicking and spat on your unconscious body, it comes back for another go.
The missus has not been the same since one of her many botched operations about 4 years ago, slowly losing mobility, although still walking she struggles with stairs and has become pretty weak, we came to the conclusion that the op may have caused nerve damage or similar?
So after several months of tests ECG, EEG, MRI, EMG and various other letter combinations she has been diagnosed with something called Myotonic Distrophy :(
An incurable progressive muscle wasting disease, so the future looks far from bright.
A complete loss of mobility in the future seems to be a cert and it's just a matter of sooner or later, hopefully later.
I'm always amazed that we've never won the lottery as she seems to regularly pick all those longshots, one in ten for a hospital infection (she's managed 3 of those), the many baby problems ranging from one in a hundred to one in a million, and this one which is just a one in eight thousand chance.
Some people have all the luck ........ she's had none.
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Friday, 12 June 2009
Springwatch
Every Spring and Autumn (Fall for Americans) the BBC broadcast a nature programme which keeps an eye on a variety of British wildlife during the breeding seasons. It has always been interesting but I tended to watch it rarely because I couldn't abide one of the presenters former "Goodie" Bill Oddie who just came across as one grumpy old git most of the time.Luckily he has left (various reasons quoted) and been replaced with Jools Holland lookalike (and soundalike) Chris Packham.
The "action" was of the same standard as usual and other presenters Kate Humble and Simon King were as watchable as always, but Packham got me tuning in every night for a non nature related reason.
There was an "in joke" or private bet going on, to see how many Smiths song titles he could cram in without people noticing, which being a sad old Smiths fan made me listen to everything he had to say :)
Last night was the final episode and he didn't let us down as in reply to a congratulation message from the aforementioned Bill Oddie he replied "William it was really nothing", then a close up of a messy nest saw him comment "paint a vulgar picture" and so on he was managing about 6 a night at the end.
As they say little things please little minds ........
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Friday, 5 June 2009
The Job Hunt
All getting a bit depressing at the moment, I've sent of dozens of CV's but it seems that the old fashioned "sorry" letter has gone out of fashion.
I've only had one reply in nearly six months and that was when I applied to work in the job centre!, even that turned into a farce as I was invited to a numeracy and literacy test which I did but was told I hadn't got through to the interview stages then a month later I received a letter from them telling me I had passed the tests and that I should keep the letter in case I applied again in the future?
Obviously my face didn't fit then so why would it in future.
Maybe I'm setting my standards too high, especially my wage expectations?
Probably 95% of the jobs seen that I would be qualified for offer wages that I couldn't live on in 1995, and the only jobs offering the wages I was taking home 2 years ago tend to be managerial or degree standard health service jobs which I really don't have a chance of.
Oh well something will come along soon hopefully.
I've only had one reply in nearly six months and that was when I applied to work in the job centre!, even that turned into a farce as I was invited to a numeracy and literacy test which I did but was told I hadn't got through to the interview stages then a month later I received a letter from them telling me I had passed the tests and that I should keep the letter in case I applied again in the future?
Obviously my face didn't fit then so why would it in future.
Maybe I'm setting my standards too high, especially my wage expectations?
Probably 95% of the jobs seen that I would be qualified for offer wages that I couldn't live on in 1995, and the only jobs offering the wages I was taking home 2 years ago tend to be managerial or degree standard health service jobs which I really don't have a chance of.
Oh well something will come along soon hopefully.
Wednesday, 3 June 2009
The Economy
I read that illegal downloads are costing the British economy £12 billion a year?
Apart from the obvious fact that the majority of illegal downloads are of songs, films, games that you wouldn't buy anyway, it seems to assume that the money you save isn't being spent on anything else.
Surely most of us use the money we save from downloading illegaly to buy life's little luxuries like food, rent, gas, electric, council tax, mortgages etc which as far as I know contributes to the British economy doesn't it?
Apart from the obvious fact that the majority of illegal downloads are of songs, films, games that you wouldn't buy anyway, it seems to assume that the money you save isn't being spent on anything else.
Surely most of us use the money we save from downloading illegaly to buy life's little luxuries like food, rent, gas, electric, council tax, mortgages etc which as far as I know contributes to the British economy doesn't it?
Whinges (Part 99)
Double Standards
People that complain about Anti-Social behaviour and then go and get rat-arsed at the weekend and claim it's only kids.
People that complain about other people Smoking damaging their health and then light up barbecues and ruin the entire neighbourhoods summer evenings.
People that point out that they only buy environmentally friendly products while still driving the kids to the local school in a gaz guzzler and take at least one air travel holiday every year.
Politicians of all parties who despite the indisputable facts that alcohol is the major cause of anti social behaviour and the biggest drain on the health service refuse to back any call for an increase in prices in case they lose a few votes.
People that complain about Anti-Social behaviour and then go and get rat-arsed at the weekend and claim it's only kids.
People that complain about other people Smoking damaging their health and then light up barbecues and ruin the entire neighbourhoods summer evenings.
People that point out that they only buy environmentally friendly products while still driving the kids to the local school in a gaz guzzler and take at least one air travel holiday every year.
Politicians of all parties who despite the indisputable facts that alcohol is the major cause of anti social behaviour and the biggest drain on the health service refuse to back any call for an increase in prices in case they lose a few votes.
Bright Idea
Fair play to Morrisons at the moment, they are selling their "energy saving" 20W (100W) lightbulbs for 29p for a pack of 2 and you get 4 free, so 29p for 6 or less than 5p each.
Surely this is the best way to promote us to change to the energy savers, rather than trying to make us all feel guilty.
Nice to see that these have come down in price even in the big DIY retailers who were selling them at about £3 each about a year ago but have now been forced by the supermarkets to drop the prices.
Sadly they're still not a patch on old fashioned lightbulbs, I tried one in my bedside "touch" lamp and it just made a strange hissing noise and refused to dim or turn off, and my hall light only has room for a smaller lamp so that when you answer the door in the dark it's really gloomy unless you can keep the person at the door talking for 5 minutes until it's bright enough to see them.
Surely this is the best way to promote us to change to the energy savers, rather than trying to make us all feel guilty.
Nice to see that these have come down in price even in the big DIY retailers who were selling them at about £3 each about a year ago but have now been forced by the supermarkets to drop the prices.
Sadly they're still not a patch on old fashioned lightbulbs, I tried one in my bedside "touch" lamp and it just made a strange hissing noise and refused to dim or turn off, and my hall light only has room for a smaller lamp so that when you answer the door in the dark it's really gloomy unless you can keep the person at the door talking for 5 minutes until it's bright enough to see them.
Boot Sale Tales
Well I'm a few more boot sales down the line, some good some bad but the old instincts are returning.
Repackaging crap for profit (works on the high street, why not in a field).
You soon learn that image is most important thing these days, stick an old 45rpm single in a box and try to sell it for 10p you don't get any takers, yet put it in a new 5p plastic sleeve and label it "rare only £3" and someone will try and knock you down to £2.50 and think they've got a bargain? it's a crazy world.
Repackaging crap for profit (works on the high street, why not in a field).
You soon learn that image is most important thing these days, stick an old 45rpm single in a box and try to sell it for 10p you don't get any takers, yet put it in a new 5p plastic sleeve and label it "rare only £3" and someone will try and knock you down to £2.50 and think they've got a bargain? it's a crazy world.
Politicians
Politicians are crooks shock!!
The only shock is that it until it's front page news most of the British public didn't seem to know or care? Even now only 48% of the country think they're dishonest?
I think I've spent most of my life in the knowledge that MP's are parasites living off the public, so I struggle to believe anyone thought they were honest.
Quote
Politics (pronounced "sc-um-ba-gs"): noun; from the Latin words Poli meaning "many" and Tics meaning "bloodsuckers".
The only shock is that it until it's front page news most of the British public didn't seem to know or care? Even now only 48% of the country think they're dishonest?
I think I've spent most of my life in the knowledge that MP's are parasites living off the public, so I struggle to believe anyone thought they were honest.
Quote
Politics (pronounced "sc-um-ba-gs"): noun; from the Latin words Poli meaning "many" and Tics meaning "bloodsuckers".
Back Again
Oh well time's come to update this blog now I'm back with the cyber crowd.
Still got no money and no job but life continues (with a struggle).
I hear things are looking up? although my own family are now all in the same boat as me.
The wife's 2 brothers have both lost their jobs with large companies recently (one with Virgin who are not my favourite people at the moment), my eldest son has been laid off from his job (replaced by someone who was willing to work for half his pay).
Even the mother-in-laws ironing business has collapsed as people have started ironing their own clothes (or don't bother like me).
Still coping well though as me and the wife have lived just above poverty for most of our married life apart from the last 5 years where things went very well, so it's just a return to a lifestyle we're used to, unkike the rest of the family who seem to close to breakdown.
Anyway here's a few things that have been on my mind recently :)
Still got no money and no job but life continues (with a struggle).
I hear things are looking up? although my own family are now all in the same boat as me.
The wife's 2 brothers have both lost their jobs with large companies recently (one with Virgin who are not my favourite people at the moment), my eldest son has been laid off from his job (replaced by someone who was willing to work for half his pay).
Even the mother-in-laws ironing business has collapsed as people have started ironing their own clothes (or don't bother like me).
Still coping well though as me and the wife have lived just above poverty for most of our married life apart from the last 5 years where things went very well, so it's just a return to a lifestyle we're used to, unkike the rest of the family who seem to close to breakdown.
Anyway here's a few things that have been on my mind recently :)
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