Remain Positive And Optimistic.

Roberto  Matta

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roberto_Matta 

On Saturday evening the weather became clammy, oppressive and the clouds became dark, then a rumbling noise became audible.

Not long after that it was followed by lightning and another roll of thunder, the storm went on for most of the evening and night.

It seemed to rain all night and I was most surprised to find quite a pleasant day on Sunday.

            

It was changeable weather but there had been blue skies and sunshine with large clouds.

Since the weekend it has been cool, overcast and rainy with no sign right now of the summer weather returning, although the long-term forecast predicts warm weather.

As its no longer hot weather the air conditioning unit is turned off for now, it is nice to feel a breeze coming in through the window.

Much nicer to feel natural breeze rather than cool air pumped endlessly around the room, also it is lovely to me to hear the noises from the neighbourhood.

Something I can't do when the air conditioning unit is on, when the weather is suddenly hot I need a cool room which only the air conditioning can provide.

This afternoon I had an appointment with a man called Andre, from an air

conditioning company, to see where install the air conditioning.

It won't be a mobile unit as that is not suitable for us, or the apartment, Andre had a very thorough look around the apartment.

Then he suggested that the heat extractor unit should be placed on the small balcony which we don't use in the front room.

In the front room high on the wall he will place one air conditioning unit, which is not very big, it measures 80 cm x 20 cm.

Then he will install another unit in the bedroom and connect them both together, so that both the front room as well as the bedroom will have air conditioning.

This all sounds very good, because it's the Amsterdam Council, he has to send them an estimate of the costs before he can install the air conditioning.

Hopefully they will not take their usual two months to give their agreement as it would be excellent to have it installed as soon as possible.

Andre said that if approval from the Amsterdam Council was not needed he could install it next week.

If the bureaucrats take their usual two months to give their approval then it won't be installed until October the earliest.

I shall have to do my best to remain positive and optimistic and hope that despite it being the holiday season the Council will nod this application through.

    

A Huge Relief.

 

Roland Penrose 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Penrose

During the night there was a sudden loud thunder storm, followed by a downpour of rain.

I tried to go back to sleep this was difficult, somehow I managed only to be woken up sometime later feeling really dreadful.

As I was half asleep it took me a while to realise what the problem was, which was that I was trying to pee and couldn't, not something I should be noticing.

Not with a catheter, at the same moment I started to feel really hot as if I was going to burst into flames.

Richie came over as soon as I called him; he immediately went to get one of the saline sachets used to flush the catheter.

The contents went in and came back out with no problem, Richie reconnected the catheter bag however there was still no flow of urine.

I was still feeling distressed, Richie got another catheter bag, he took off the old bag and connected the new one.

Instantly the urine flowed and my problem was solved which was literally a huge relief for me.

Amazingly we both went back to sleep, this morning I asked Richie what time it was when I called him, he told me it was just before five o'clock.

Thinking back it must have been the need to urinate that had my legs spasming just as I was dozing off.

It was so late when it started and I was so tired, that I remember my last thought had been I don't care what the legs of doing I'm sleeping.

Marleen who had been sleeping on my feet decided she'd had enough and jumped off my bed to go and join Richie in his bed with the other two dogs.

What a night, thanks to Richie's quick thinking the problem was solved within minutes.

Richie just came back from the doctors; with news that his painful shoulder is luckily only a trapped nerve for which he's got anti-inflammatory drugs.

When he went to the chemist to pick up the prescription he bought me a present, which got me very excited, Richie got me Nina Ricci shower gel, I feel very happy to be so spoilt, he really is my absolute darling.

No Prospect Of Enjoying Hot Weather Again.

Come To Me
Colin Middelton.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Middleton

Today looks totally different to yesterday, the sky is overcast, it’s hot, sticky, it feels and looks like a thunderstorm is brewing.

The heat has not diminished, still very hot, I feel like I have been dipped in hot sticky toffee, the only way I could sleep last night was by taking a sleeping tablet.

Even then it took ages for me to sleep; I drifted off quickly but seemed to wake within minutes.

So dark now that I have put the light on, weird to get such extreme weather, one minute it’s finally summer and the next it is all over.

Would not be at all surprised, if we get a huge thunderstorm very soon, perhaps before the afternoon.

Feels like the heat is steadily getting worse, I am wearing less clothes to cope, boxer shorts instead of leggings, a short sleeved loose t shirt instead of long sleeves.

It all helps me cope with the heat, felt sad last night that being born in Trinidad I can’t handle the heat anymore.

I have always loved hot weather, was happy to come home from work on a hot day and change into my favourite shorts and skimpy t shirt.

Now I am indoors with a fan and still feel dreadful, and sadly no prospect of ever enjoying hot weather again.

As Ever The Optimist.

Man Ray.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Ray


Went to sleep pretty easily last night, especially after the two drunks finished their tins of strong beer and moved on, one went off on a moped, hope he got home safe as did anyone he passed on the road.

Today started very promisingly with gorgeous sunshine and blue skies which lasted an hour when thick clouds obscured the beautiful blue sky.

Not long after the rumble of thunder announced yet another thunderstorm and lots of rain which rather put a dent in the day.

Was really hopeful that today would be the day to go out and visit the market, I am not so keen in a thunderstorm especially one that has drifted off and come back again.

When will it be over and do I want to get halfway up the road only to have to rush home to get back in the dry.

Guess that I shall have to work that out for myself and soon too, going to discuss this with Richie, see what he thinks.

It does not look like the clouds are going to drift away again and reveal the beautiful blue sky and sunshine that I know lies behind the thick grey cloud cover.

Tomorrow is the farewell party for our lovely neighbour Willes at the Fijnout theatre across the road.

It starts at 16.00 so think I will go over then and have a chat with Willes and check out what the theatre looks like.

Hope they will have made it look very nice for her, especially as she worked so well as a volunteer for them.

Shame that she is no longer living in the neighbourhood, especially when it is so much heir’s.

Still hoping for sun, as ever the optimist.

World Cup Final The Netherlands v Spain.

Albert Savinio.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Savinio

Amazingly I slept well again last night with the fan under the mosquito net had a moment of panic when I woke at 7.30 and discovered that was wet.

Thought that meant the catheter had come out and I was lying in a puddle of urine, Richie came over right away and checked me over.

Turned out that I was wet from sweat not urine which was a big relief to both of us, Richie got me a bag of THC vapour.

This got me off to sleep again and I slept until 11.30 which were wonderful as I really need to get lots of sleep.

There was a huge thunderstorm here last night that started with a roll of thunder and a flash of lighting but then it seemed to more away from the city.

We thought it had passed us by but suddenly it was back overhead and it was a huge thunder storm.

It poured with rain and we could hear people shrieking as they tried to get into their cars and get away.

Really thought that today would not be a sunny day as it usually is not after a thunderstorm, but for once summer has come back and it is hot again.

Glad it is a hot day for all the people looking forward to watching the final tonight of the World Cup, can hear people getting ready for tonight.

Wish that it were cooler so that my day could be better as I am already wiped out by this heat and it is only just 12, midday.

26 C is good for me 27 is still good if only just but anything above that is horrible, and I spend my time sitting in the wheelchair with the fan right next to me.

Glad I that I have managed to write this now as I can feel my fingers starting to get floppy and difficult to use.

Am going to stop now and post this with some pictures I found last night so that I did not have to struggle today.

Going to take it easy and hope to enjoy the day even when I am too floppy to do anything, too hot for me to go out as my hand can not function well enough for me to steer the chair.

Despite all the MS pain and problems I am happy to be here with my darling Richie.

Sunny Day

South American Art.

What a difference a week makes, it is a beautiful sunny Saturday here today, a wonderful contrast to last week Saturday when it was cold and grey and raining.

Nice that summer has come back again, seems that we were getting cold northerly winds here recently from the Artic, someone was telling me this was all thanks to the Finnish volcano erupting.

Think that is far fetched I can't see the connection, but there are always grand theories floating around about events that we can not explain.

Very hot here today, think it must be about 25 degrees, sadly heard that the UK are expecting thunderstorms and a drop in temperature tomorrow, hope not as I am just getting used to it being this way.

The warm weather has had the usual impact on my MS and me, my fingers feel like jumbo sausages straining to burst their skins, not a pleasant feeling.

My spasms got more frequent and my arms feel even more inflexible and difficult to move especially first thing, hate being woken up because of my arms.

They really feel like solid blocks that wake me up by wrapping around each other and then fold over each other, this wakes me up very unpleasantly.

Also noticing that I am floppier in the hot weather so getting my shoulders off the bed with the help of the trapeze is not as easy as in the cooler weather.

The plus side is that I can go outside without being wrapped up, apart from a hat to protect me from the sun.

Looking forward to Richie being back soon from shopping and getting me out of bed and under the shower.

Going to enjoy going out today in this balmy sunny summer weather and enjoy it along with all the other happy people.

Being Outside Again For The First Time In 20 Months.

Absurdist Art



Today is Queen's Day here, the Queen's official birthday a national holiday which was brought in to replace May Day as a public holiday.

Sadly last night there was a huge thunderstorm and rain all night which has brought the temperature down from 23/25 yesterday to 15/16 degrees today.

Even more pleased now that I went out yesterday, it was brilliant; it was warm enough for me to go out without a jacket just had a hooded top on over my two t-shirts.

After my physiotherapy session Richie and I went outside with our two very excited dogs, should have seen them strutting proudly next to my wheelchair.

It felt good, it really did, coming out of the building and feeling the warm wind was excellent; and speaking to the first strangers on the street since August 2008 was wonderful.

We went down the road to the dog toilet and while they were busy there I sat for the first time in the sunshine since 19 August 2008.

After the dogs had done their business we walked slowly back up the road enjoying the sunshine and being outside together again.

Richie asked me if I wanted to go straight back upstairs, which I did not want to do was enjoying being out too much.

So instead I suggested that we go and do the shopping together up the road at Bibi's our friendly Turkish shop.

Got there a split second before Bibbi arrived to take over from her brother, she was delighted to see me again after so long.

It was lovely rolling down the road saying good afternoon to people we encountered on our way.
.
Everyone we met was friendly and was very helpful at moving out of the way so I could roll by.

All in all it was brilliant going out again after so long, it has been 1 year and 8 months since I was able to go out.

Yesterday happened very easily and naturally, had thought it would be more difficult but it was not.

I just rolled out of the door and into the lift and was out the front gate and out onto the street with no problem.

Even the unevenness of the pavement was not a big problem and I was not over the top about being outside again, just drank it all in and enjoyed every moment of being outside.

It was brilliant and I can not wait to do it again, think I will go to the market with Richie this Saturday and carry our shopping home hanging off the back of my wheelchair.

In the excitement of going out Richie forgot his camera so there no pictures of me sitting in the sun.

But there will be soon so everyone can see how brilliant it is that my world is getting bigger again.


Please visit Steve, on Saturday is the Memorial for BobRobert in Belcher where they will have a good wake for Steve’s much loved partner.

Hope that we all continue to support Steve in these difficult first weeks of his bereavement.

Let’s weave a web of support and friendship and caring around the globe for Steve.

Please visit The Wheel Of Fortuna and leave Steve a supportive comment.


http://spinfortunaswheel.blogspot.com/

Last night there was a loud thunderstorm which began just before 22 pm, the dogs were quite worried by the thunder.

Marleen gets especially worried so got Richie to let her go on to his bed; this seems to do the trick for her.

Richie had to wait until after 1 am before the storm had calmed down sufficiently for him to go out with the dogs for their last pee.

At 1.30 am they got round to the dog toilet without any mishaps, they did get blown about abit but luckily the storm had moved away over the water behind Central Station.

At 2 am the storm came back and was going mad overhead and the rain came down like stair rods interspersed by huge hailstones.

At 2 am the dogs charged in after a huge clap of thunder seemed to tear the sky apart, Spike jumped under the duvet with Richie and Marleen went to sleep under my bed until dawn when the storm waas gone.

Read in papers today that the wind speed was 100 to 150 kilometres per hour wind and hailstones of 5 cm.

Got very worried for the flowers on the windowsills but they look ok today.

Pleased about that as I remember Richie planting up the balconies in an old flat and after two hours a storm happened and the hail decapitated every flower it was a massacre.

The plants never recovered neither did the weather that summer.

Ever since we have been cautious sometimes too cautious and missed the spring flowers.

We did not do that this year and have pretty flowers on all the available windowsills.

Because of the storm we were up very late today usually Richie massages my legs and gets the baclofen at 10 am but today it was 11.30 before we were awake and suddenly it was 14 pm and Marianne was here for her Tuesday visit.

Marianne came here originally as a volunteer in October 2007 and quickly felt like a friend and now she is becoming a very good friend which is brilliant.

She is a very lovely woman very kind and pleasant to have visit.

Glad she still wants to be friends, sadly another woman who also came as a volunteer in October 2007 has stopped coming.

She told me one day she would see me on the following Friday and emailed me the following day saying’ won’t be coming anymore don’t feel I can contribute anything to your life’

Was not a nice surprise but somehow not totally shocked as had felt that all was not ok since I have been in bed.

Sadly she never wanted to talk about it but I did feel she became very uncomfortable around me shame as I am still me.

Shame too as I really liked Karin, thought she was quite a girl.

Guess thats life.