Weak Flesh

When I was having such trouble with the oven on Sunday, I burned my hand a bit, but this was healing well by Wednesday morning. However, the burn was very visible on the right hand. We had a trustee meeting that evening, and thinking my hand looked rather repulsive, I decided to cover it with a plaster. Of course, all I could find at home was a pale green plaster with the legend 'keep calm and carry on' on it. Since meetings can become more than a little tense at times, this seemed appropriate.

As it happened the meeting wasn't too bad, but when I arrived home later, and removed the plaster, the scab had disappeared and the burn was looking rather revolting. By Thursday it had scabbed over again, but there was a nasty red puffy area of inflammation and infection around it. I was rather annoyed with myself for putting the plaster on, since I had to visit the quack and start antibiotics that evening. Oh well.

During this time, Kooky had developed more tummy lumps, and a small wound on his tummy. I shall have to drag him to the vet, since I can't examine him without being bitten, probably on my already infected right hand. Dear me. Romy is also in the wars with various injuries. Must be the time of year. Or the time of life, in my case.

Having put on half a pound last week, I succumbed to the scales on several occasions this week and appear to have gained pounds in weight. This may be the thin end of the wedge so I was very careful yesterday, and will continue so, but I have a sinking feeling that this may be an unsuccessful week for weight loss. I feel a plateau, at the very least, beckoning. All will be revealed, unfortunately, on Sunday.

Sunday Fun

My friends Evon and Kate arrived for a relaxed Sunday lunch. However, an hour before I became far from relaxed when the oven would not go on. Seems the cleaner had messed around with the integral timer. I have never used this since there had been no instructions for its use. I panicked, thought I was going to have to do coq au vin instead of roast chicken, and what on earth to do with the already assembled blackberry and apple crumble? At this point Dorothy rang from India to ask what present I thought Julian would like. I could not think at all, still in a panic, but eventually fiddled with the timer and the oven went on. The oven continued to be tiresome throughout the afternoon. I really must find out how to kill off the timer so it doesn't affect the oven.

Anyway, all was well, champagne cocktails were consumed, followed by red wine. Roast chicken with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pud, carrots, peas etc. were piled onto plates. I did manage to forego the potatoes and Yorkshires. However, as I opened the oven to reveal a very scrumptious blackberry and apple crumble, I was overcome. So glad I bought single cream, since this was added to my sins. Coffee afterwards.

We had a great time, exchanging news, chatting and financial advice from Evon, who seems to have her finger on the money pulse. She told us how an ex had bought his parents a fifty million pound yacht, with twelve full time staff. Dear me, I know a few people with plenty of money, but at this level my imagination fails me. Though as Edna O'Brien would say, I shan't join the 'begrudgers'.

Consumer

Intensely annoying. Gained half a pound. Thinking back through the week, I may have somewhat underestimated the calories in my breakfast porridge, to which before microwaving I added not only the usual spices and small amount of maple syrup, but also a couple of teaspoons of chocolate covered cocoa nibs, which were delicious and chewy, but evidently rather calorific. I may falsely inflate my calorie consumption a bit, just to get back into things.

Purchased two wonderful cashmere cardis from Lands End reduced from £120 each to just under £40 each. Even when the weather is warmer and in the summer, evenings are a bit chilly, so these represent good value. They arrived yesterday and are very well made, with proper petersham down the fronts, tiny round pearly buttons and three quarter sleeves. One is a light brown, and the other one is a lightish turquoise.

Forgotten Appointment and Spare Bodies

Rather worryingly, I missed my GP appointment, because I somehow thought it was for 4pm, whereas I had clearly written 3pm in my diary. I could not see the GP so put in a repeat prescription request. My brain is definitely going.

Which reminds me, I received the body donation application form. Dear me, it is very complicated indeed. People who are obese (that's me) are ruled out, as are those who have had a postmortem; infectious diseases such as viral hepatitis; HIV/ AIDS; tuberculosis; if any organs other than corneas have been donated; some (unspecified)forms of dementia; severe bedsores or varicose ulcers or recent surgery where the wound has not healed; gross peripheral oedema and severe deformity of the spine. Also if the death occurs abroad, or if it occurs in UK over the Christmas or Easter periods when the medical schools are closed.

Well, I think that would exclude most of the recently deceased population. Also they may not decide whether to accept a body until they actually examine it, and there are all sorts of formalities. Much more complicated than arranging any funeral. Imagine the disappointment of your relatives, having been grateful to get rid of your body for science, when the medical school ring back and ask them to collect the corpse because it is not suitable. So they have to unexpectedly have to organise and pay for your funeral. I must watch Soylent Green again. We could learn a lot from it.

It really is a whole lot of bother. Hopefully by the time I croak I will no longer be obese, though I feel Alzheimer's encroaching with my missed appointment. The amount of bureaucracy involved would be worse for my heirs than organising a simple funeral. I had hoped to just sign the forms and they would collect the old bod and do whatever they wanted, since I wouldn't be using it myself. I am such an optimist. Hmmmmm.

Kook, Words and Old Coin

Have managed to cut a few fur lumps from Kook, I may need help from Julian to do some more. It is really quite awkward, especially as he can be a biter, and I have to be careful about invisible nipples and boy bits. So I tend to be rather ultra-cautious.


Reading the free Readers Digest inflicted on me at Christmas, I discovered my 'Word Power' is not very good. For example, I discovered that 'rebarbative' means unattractive, and that someone's 'hamartia' is their fatal flaw, as in ' John's hamartia was his addiction to the bottle, this in turn leading to his becoming extremely rebarbative in decent company.' Such fun for the illiterate like moi.

I must try and get along to the British Museum some time, where I think they have a coin section. In the sixties, I found a bronze coin in the garden in some soil. It has uneven edges, broken slightly in one place. One surface appears to be blank, but the other has an image of an arch, with a woman seated, holding an infant. It is hard to see the image, so I may do a rubbing in the hope of bringing it out a bit. I would really like to know what it is. Here's a bad snap, but will try and get a better image some time.

Fire Surround and Lumpy Kook

Excellent green curry at Lye Torng. Good review in The Times of a programme on BBC 4 last night 'outside the court' which interviewed people in an interesting way.

Here's the fire surround painted grey, which seems passable to me.

Kooky has so many matted lumps underneath him, but he bites me every time I try to snip them off for him. Definitely a two person job. I know they are a problem because he tries to bite them off himself when he is cleaning his undercarriage, poor thing.

My latest breakfast: small sliced brown bread (120 cals 2 slices) spread with Oxford Vintage marmalade (30 cals). Drain and mash kippers from tin, then spread one third (100 cals) on the bread. Put in a toaster sandwich bag and toast in the toaster. Serve with Lapsang Souchong tea. A very filling 250 calorie breakfast.

Thank You Flowers

Arena decided to send me a large bunch of flowers as a thank you - I have been sending flowers to people for quite a while, normally purchased from them. Decent of them to send me a bunch.

Dorothy and Julians fourteenth wedding anniversary today. Time has passed very quickly, and it seems no time since we were throwing confetti at them outside Chelsea Register Office. I hope they have fun celebrating.

I think I may have finished painting the fire surround now I have managed to mix a kind of greyish colour which is okayish. I shall snap this soon. Today I have the less exciting chore of emptying the hoover, a job beyond the skills of my cleaner. Then I shall do more washing, before lunching at the Lye Torng and going to a meeting later this afternoon.