Catch up time: Hi All, been back from hols just under... - NRAS

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Catch up time

LavendarLady profile image
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Hi All, been back from hols just under 2 weeks from 35 degree heat to chilly, rainy old England. Cyprus was lovely but very hot - even the Cypriots were complaining as usually by end September it is cooling down and it is easier to sleep at night. On our last weekend we had two tremendous thunderstorms coming over the mountains. Very spectacular with lightning hitting the sea and great rolls of thunder overhead. And boy, did it rain. Sheets of the stuff. The suddenly cooling air brought out all the mosquitoes and I actually got bitten.

Usually I sit there looking smug as Himself gets bitten. I have found the little beasts don't like your blood when it has MTX circulating so they usually leave me alone. But this time we found a dead one in the bed in the morning and I think that was the one which attacked me. I had bites on my upper arms, some on my back and one or two on my legs. But the little beast died so hope the MTX did some good! Ha.

The second night we were there, I bit on something hard whilst eating in the Taverna which made me jump. Later that night, I was cleaning my teeth when a huge chunk of filling came out followed by half the tooth! The tooth which had been twinging on and off for sometime (ultra sensitive said my dentist) just broke apart. Apart from the occassional twinge when something cold hits it, it is not bothering me at all now. Our friends did say if I needed help they would take me to their dentist in Limassol but it wasn't needed.

We had a busy couple of weeks meeting up with friends who live in Cyprus for meals, visiting one of the Limassol Rotary clubs (made very welcome), into Limassol for shopping a couple of times, explored Kolossi Castle (had been past it many times but not been in before). It was so hot we were very glad to walk across the road to a little cafe under the trees for a cooling drink. Sunbathed and swam (at least Himself did - I sat under an umbrella and read).

Also visited the Malcolm Cat Sanctuary on the way to Akrotiri. Lovely cats which were very glad of a cuddle and a bit of fuss. It is a lovely sanctuary been going for 10 years. They have a kitten pen, an isolation pen for when cats are brought in for checks on diseases etc and they are then neutered. The local vets give their services either free of charge or for a much reduced fee. We decided to sponsor a couple of cats (cost is 14 Euros a year per cat) bought some Xmas Cards from their little shop, left a donation and promised to visit when we go next year. If anyone is interested in sponsoring, they have a website which is worth a look. It is malcolmcat.org.

There is a lot of cruelty to animals and cats are brought in injured having been kicked about or thrown over the sanctuary fence to be found injured the next morning. The orthodox priests teach that animals have no souls and don't feel pain! This I find hard to credit in an otherwise civilised society. If I tread on my cat's paw, she cries so she feels pain.

Back home to mundane things. Been very busy as have started my last but one module for my Open University Open Degree, and been to Charter nights at Rotary, a conference and a council meeting all in 2 weeks!

Berry my young gundog is poorly at present. He has been very sick, is refusing food and is lying on his bed feeling very sorry for himself. I am starving him for 24 hours and then will try him with chicken and rice. If still sick it will mean a visit to the vet. Clearly he has eaten something which has upset his tum. Tilly the older lab is fine as is Minniecat. They were all so pleased to see us when we got back from holiday and collected them from the kennels. Minnie went all round the house to make sure it was all still there! She hates change of any sort being a Burmese. They are great creatures of routine.

Re RA: Shoulder and feet improved with the warmth but feet bad again and have seen the foot lady at Norwich who is making me some narrow insoles for my shoes for more support but has confirmed the toe will need operating on to remove one of the joints eventually.

RA itself has been relatively quiet recently apart from fingers suddenly stiffening up and general aches and pains. Himself has gone down with a cold so is sleeping in the spare room as he is coughing a lot. I still have problems sleeping and don't really know what the solution is. I think it is all part and parcel of this wretched disease.

The airline for our holiday was very good and I had wheelchair assistance to and from the plane at each end which was so helpful. Some stupid women at customs at Larnaca said it was not fair that those in wheelchairs got to go through first. I pointed out that if I could walk, I would gladly do so! Why are people so insensitive? We don't want to be in wheelchairs but sometimes have no choice. Really, the ignorance displayed was breathtaking. I notice other people in the queue looked embarrassed at her comments and the customs man waved me through very quickly. Perhaps he was afraid of a punch up! The helper wheeling my chair said not to take any notice. Perhaps he was afraid I would leap out of the chair and set about this woman!

Saw a lovely Canine Partners dog at the weekend - a black flat coat retriever called Guy. He was with his wheelchair confined master and the interaction between the two was lovely to see. The dog loved a lot of fuss (with his master's permission) and I got a kiss on the cheek from the dog. I support Canine Partners so went to their stall at the conference,bought some mugs and a book and some Xmas Cards and renewed friendship with Malcolm Wells who is their roving ambassador and gives talks all over the country.

Anyway, I think that's all. Nothing else to report except I must try to get out onto the garden soon - it is looking a mess and really needs the attention of our gardener for the heavy stuff.

Love Lavendarlady x

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LavendarLady
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sylvi profile image
sylvi

LL,so lovely to hear from you again. I can see you had a lovely time. That horrible lady at the check in whats to be careful about what she says as god doesn't pay his debts in money and what goes around comes around doesn't it. I have had to use wheelchairs and we got rushed through. My daughter bless her went ahead so she could get through and get the bags,but we got there before her because like you we got straight through.

I have never been to cyprus my hubby was stationed out there a long time ago. We have been in the garden bringing in our plants that don't like the winter. It is very damp here at the moment and it is dour as well.

I am glax you had a lovely time. Love sylvi.xxxx

Hi Lavender,

Glad you had a great time, shame about the bites!

I agree with Sylvi, some people can be so insensitive, wonder if anyone in the queue said anything to her, hopefully once she had thought about it she would have felt embarrassed.

Don't work too hard in the garden!

Mary

Hi Lavender,

What a lovely newsy and interesting blog.

One great thing about being on mtx is that we are walking, talking biting insect killers. Unfortunately it doesn't stop them having a go though, even if they don't like the flavour.

My understanding is that airline policy is to board wheelchairs first because they have found through trials that it cuts down on the boarding time caused by potential traffic jams getting in and out of the seats.

It's not a question of taking the best seats either because those with limited mobility tend to be seated where they will not slow passenger's escape in the event of an emergency - therefore furthest away from exits, usually over the wing.

You can be silently smug that you were, in actual fact, reducing her risk.

helixhelix profile image
helixhelix

So pleased you had a good break, and that warmth eased some of the joints. Don't overdo it in the garden tho' and undo all the benefits. Gently pick up a leaf or two, and leave others to do the rest. I'm quite looking forward to the garden going dormant for the year as thoroughly fed up of weeding, the rain this year seems to have made them all grow like mad. Good luck with your final module. Pollyx

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