Tuesday I had 2 appointments, one with the physio at 2.30 pm, and one with the consultant at 6 pm. in between I drove over to St Albans, wandered round the shops, stocked up on M&S guilt free snacks, and had a cuppa in their cafe. Mindful of the rush hour I left quite early to drive back, arrived too early, so had a walk around the shops in Harpenden before driving back to the hospital. Parking was a bit easier, I was still quite early. In reception I met a couple who I know from the church in St Albans, then I saw another person I know from our town. Private medicine seems to be becoming quite popular, there was a sudden influx of people at around 6 pm, presumably folk who had just come from work. I forgot to say that my physio was very pleased with me, likewise the consultant. I have another physio appointment in 2 weeks, and if I can reach my hand further up my back, then I will be discharged. I have a red band to use for strengthening when the yellow one becomes too easy. The consultant only wanted to see me if I am in pain in a couple of months. All in all good result. At Weightwatchers I had gained, which is to be expected after last week. I seem to be spending less at Sansbury's, which can only be a good thing.
I was a bit cross at getting both electricity and gas bills estimated, as my electricity meter is on the outside wall. We had 2 minor disasters, a metal skewer became wedged in a kitchen drawer. preventing me from opening it. In my efforts to dislodge it, I managed to pull the front off the drawer, so that meant a trip to Homebase to buy corner brackets.
I think it was Thursday when I came home to hear the washing machine making a horrible noise, I could hear it as I stood at the front door. When I got in husband was valiantly trying to hold it to stop it from banging into the cupboard next to it, as it rocked violently to and fro. I pushed the stop button, and it shuddered to a halt. The lock light stayed on and I was unable to open it for a while, then I manged to take half the towels out,and tried to rinse and spin it in two halves. It still made a lot of noise, and rocked, so I was unable to spin it all. I manged a cooler wash, but that didn't rinse too well, so I was left with a rather soggy pile of washing.
Later that day I walked down for my repeat blood test, arriving at about 3.45 pm to find no one else waiting,so I was in and out in no time.
Glumly, I looked up washing machines online. Call me awkward if you wish, but I still want a hot and cold fill machine. The new cold fill are ok if you use biological powder, which I don't, or if you don't do many hot washes. Also I have a hot water tank, and it seems a bit pointless to have a boiler heating a tank, then a washing machine heating cold water. The only ones available are a reasonably priced one from a company, of whom I have never heard, and two others costing in the region of a thousand pounds.
I tried a small wash the next day, but water came rushing out form under the machine. I immediately stopped it and drained it. The weather wasn't good for drying, and the washing was still soggy, so I rang Daughter, who was coming home that day with the family from New Word Alive, and got permission to go to her home and use her machine just to spin the stuff drier. Later it did get hung on the line, but then had to be finished on the radiators. Husband, seeing how frustrated I was promised he would have a look at the machine.
As I went out on Saturday morning, I reminded him of this, so he pulled the machine out, and began to take the top off. We had decided not to go into town to avoid spending too much, so I got a few things locally. When I got back husband showed me the problem. The bit of ballast which sits on top of the drum was askew, as a spring had broken. The drum had knocked a hose off as it spun awkwardly, which had caused the leak. The failure of the machine to open may have been because the circuit board had had a good shaking. I went online found a stockist and ordered two new springs, and attachments.
Later that we walked, through pouring rain, up to see Daughter, as we had found some rather splendid Thomas the tank engine T shirts for Nat. Daughter had a tummy bug and felt unwell, so she was curled up on the sofa. Nat was pleased with the T shirts. Daughter's husband went to do the shopping, and a bit later I took Lydia up for a nappy change. Nathaniel followed me. He chatted away whilst I did the nappy, Lydia kicked with such exuberance that every time I got one leg in her tights it came out again. I went into the bathroom to wash my hands, and Lydia drummed her heels on the floor, where I had placed her, delighted with the resultant noise.
As we left the bathroom, I called to Nathaniel to come down. it was a bit hairy for me, having to hold Lydia on my left shoulder, as the handrail is that side, but I didn't think that my right shoulder was up to it. As I sat down, I again called Nathaniel to come down. suddenly his excited chatter stopped and we saw him somersaulting down the stairs, literally head over heels, bang as he hit the bottom few stairs, then crash as he hit the bit where they turn. Daughter was instantly awake, out into the hall and gathering up her screaming crying toddler. I remembered what someone once told me, that it is better for them to cry than be silent, I told Daughter this, Nathaniel said his bottom hurt, obviously where he had landed on the stairs. I said it was best to get him checked over, so when his poor Dad arrived home, he had to unpack the shopping and then bundle both children into the car. We couldn't help, having walked up, and Daughter by this time was shivering. Apparently Nat had been trying to carry toys in both hands and must have slipped.
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| For once I was unable to rotate this |
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| Nat before his fall |
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