Am I the only person who is experiencing this in the UK? I doubt it.
Join something e.g. hotel chocolat or the National Trust - be with them for some time.
Then change address.
Of course you pay for mail forwarding with the Royal Mail
Let everyone know you have changed address.
And then find out the mail forwarding only works intermittently - when Royal Mail decide to do it and not when mail is sent to you - if you have mail forwarding via the Royal Mail send yourself something to check if it comes back to you ... you know it won't ;)
And then find out all these organisations are *still* sending your membership and every thing else to your old address and of course, because Royal Mail isn't doing what you paid them for - you aren't getting the mail.
Most of these organisations use 0870 numbers because they get a kick back out of you ringing them. It's a revenue stream for them. You could use saynoto0870 to check if a geographical number is available. This is useful because you pay less and, if you have free minutes on your mobile, you can use your mobile to ring them.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
oh well so much for that then
I started smoking again in August but I have converted to smoking roll-ups i.e. hand made cigarettes and I use a filter. Apparently there are less chemicals in roll ups.
However, the twinge to give up is starting again. The smell, the cost - these are both getting to me.
Popped into the shops today and bought a few items, including tobacco, cigratte papers and the filters to use with them. If I hadn't been buying those those last three items the cost would have been slashed by two thirds.
Perhaps it's time to get on the wagon again.
Had a lot go on in real life since my last post. Hence the absence.
Good to be back.
However, the twinge to give up is starting again. The smell, the cost - these are both getting to me.
Popped into the shops today and bought a few items, including tobacco, cigratte papers and the filters to use with them. If I hadn't been buying those those last three items the cost would have been slashed by two thirds.
Perhaps it's time to get on the wagon again.
Had a lot go on in real life since my last post. Hence the absence.
Good to be back.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Smoke Free VI - I coped fine
I've been doing an AS Level in Psychology this year and had the exam yesterday afternoon.
On top of the stress of revising and the worry of taking an exam I have been worrying about how I would 'cope' without cigarettes to resort to.
The news is : I coped fine. I came out after the first paper and some candidates were lighting up. I actually felt superior because I didn't feel I needed a cigarette.
The second break wasn't as superciliously uplifting but I still managed not to run off and beg a cigarette from anyone.
Though I will admit to talking to someone who does still smoke and eyeing their cigarette most greedily.
£156.90 saved so far!
I think I should start looking at away breaks and getting a hair cut as a treat.
On top of the stress of revising and the worry of taking an exam I have been worrying about how I would 'cope' without cigarettes to resort to.
The news is : I coped fine. I came out after the first paper and some candidates were lighting up. I actually felt superior because I didn't feel I needed a cigarette.
The second break wasn't as superciliously uplifting but I still managed not to run off and beg a cigarette from anyone.
Though I will admit to talking to someone who does still smoke and eyeing their cigarette most greedily.
£156.90 saved so far!
I think I should start looking at away breaks and getting a hair cut as a treat.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Smoke Free Session V
Three whole weeks ................. 21 days ............. 0 cigarettes ... £137.29p not spent on cigarettes!
I worked it out today that I have not had a cigarette since Friday 27th April. I have had 21 cigarette free days.
There's an ad campaign here in the UK. There are four posters in it showing two men and two women with a huge fish hook in their faces, tugging at them. It's all about being hooked and I'm so feeling that metaphysical hook tugging at me today.
I wonder why Saturdays seem to be the hardest day? It was tough last Saturday too.
I can't pretend this is easy. The car has just cost me nearly £100 in welding and still needs some £250 more work doing to get it through its MoT this year. And I am just so dying for a cigarette today.
However, I am at least not adding to my financial woes by setting light to my money. I really really wish I had never started ! Stomp STOMP STOMP. There, hissy fit done now. (and I promise I won't muck around with typefaces again.)
I had to really work hard on resisting going into a shop to buy some cigarettes on the way home just now. It just seems to be so tough.
On the plus side, I let the radio wake me up at weekends and was woken this morning by the dulcet southern drawl of ex-US President Jimmy Carter and his discussion on the Middle East and the Blair/Bush disaster that is Iraq. He criticized Blair for supporting Bush in this move.
Yep, it's easy to criticize others and Mr Carter may be more in a position than any of us to be able to lodge valid critique of world affairs at this stage but it was good to be able to hear the criticism. And interesting that his criticism is juxtaposed against the Queen's support of the Blair/Bush effort.
And it was good to stay curled up in bed, listening to it before the demands of bodily needs and a meowing cat meant I had to rise.
I ran for a bus today too and wasn't so badly out of breath for all that. I have air in my lungs at last.
I have to fix in my mind, the benefits.
I am glad I have got this far.
I worked it out today that I have not had a cigarette since Friday 27th April. I have had 21 cigarette free days.
There's an ad campaign here in the UK. There are four posters in it showing two men and two women with a huge fish hook in their faces, tugging at them. It's all about being hooked and I'm so feeling that metaphysical hook tugging at me today.
I wonder why Saturdays seem to be the hardest day? It was tough last Saturday too.
I can't pretend this is easy. The car has just cost me nearly £100 in welding and still needs some £250 more work doing to get it through its MoT this year. And I am just so dying for a cigarette today.
However, I am at least not adding to my financial woes by setting light to my money. I really really wish I had never started ! Stomp STOMP STOMP. There, hissy fit done now. (and I promise I won't muck around with typefaces again.)
I had to really work hard on resisting going into a shop to buy some cigarettes on the way home just now. It just seems to be so tough.
On the plus side, I let the radio wake me up at weekends and was woken this morning by the dulcet southern drawl of ex-US President Jimmy Carter and his discussion on the Middle East and the Blair/Bush disaster that is Iraq. He criticized Blair for supporting Bush in this move.
Yep, it's easy to criticize others and Mr Carter may be more in a position than any of us to be able to lodge valid critique of world affairs at this stage but it was good to be able to hear the criticism. And interesting that his criticism is juxtaposed against the Queen's support of the Blair/Bush effort.
And it was good to stay curled up in bed, listening to it before the demands of bodily needs and a meowing cat meant I had to rise.
I ran for a bus today too and wasn't so badly out of breath for all that. I have air in my lungs at last.
I have to fix in my mind, the benefits.
- I'm richer for not smoking
- I'm healthier for not smoking - I have whiter teeth, my gums are better and my skin is improving. My circulation should be improving some I hope.
- My money is not going to support the profits of cigarette company which not only sells an addictive drug to its customers, but also lies to them about the carcinogenic qualities of the drug and the additives they include in the final product.
- The flat doesn't smell like an ashtray
- My clothes don't smell of cigarette smoke and nor do I.
I am glad I have got this far.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
The SmokeFree Diaries - Session IV
Spoke to a friend and a sister on the telephone yesterday. They both smoke and it was strange to hear them puffing away on their cigarettes as I spoke to them.
Kate's husband gave up using the inhaler, which he found helped because it was most like a cigarette.
Wore the patch through the night and so far have consumed four lozenges in two days. So I've had 19 mg of nicotine each day and it is taking the edge of the whole thing.
I still get anxious when going shopping - particularly food shopping. It's the will-I-crack-or-not scenario but I managed to go to the garage on Tuesday night and get some milk and bread. I did buy a small bar of galaxy chocolate though. I have no idea what that means psychologically speaking - the need to buy something that pleases the senses in some way disregarding any health/weight issues.
It was just a small bar.
I still would like a cigarette but I try to rationalise myself past the desire to smoke. If it does continue for much longer I might try an inhaler just to see if that works
Reasons to stay smoke free
Did I say I had to wash my fleece because it smelt of old cigarette smoke?
I was out a week ago last Tuesday and I could smell this awful smell and realised it was my jacket. So that went in the wash along with my winter fleece.
I'm going to have to do the car soon too because that smells. I still drive with the window open. Strange habits.
Kate's husband gave up using the inhaler, which he found helped because it was most like a cigarette.
Wore the patch through the night and so far have consumed four lozenges in two days. So I've had 19 mg of nicotine each day and it is taking the edge of the whole thing.
I still get anxious when going shopping - particularly food shopping. It's the will-I-crack-or-not scenario but I managed to go to the garage on Tuesday night and get some milk and bread. I did buy a small bar of galaxy chocolate though. I have no idea what that means psychologically speaking - the need to buy something that pleases the senses in some way disregarding any health/weight issues.
It was just a small bar.
I still would like a cigarette but I try to rationalise myself past the desire to smoke. If it does continue for much longer I might try an inhaler just to see if that works
Reasons to stay smoke free
- no ashtray smell in the house
- no ashtray smell in my hair or clothes
- a happier cat
- a richer me
- not giving money over to companies that sell products which poison me and make me ill. I won't let myself be duped anymore. bwahaha!
- whiter teeth naturally.
- reduced risk of heart attack
- improved circulation
- not deliberately poisoning myself.
- a fresher smelling house
- fresher smelling clothes
- a happy cat
- a richer me
- a conscious reduction in funding of companies that lie and don't consider their customer's life and health
- naturally whiter teeth
- improved circulation
- less risk of heart attack or cardiac issues
- being chemical free
Did I say I had to wash my fleece because it smelt of old cigarette smoke?
I was out a week ago last Tuesday and I could smell this awful smell and realised it was my jacket. So that went in the wash along with my winter fleece.
I'm going to have to do the car soon too because that smells. I still drive with the window open. Strange habits.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
SmokeFreeNess III
- Giving up smoking isn't easy.
- Nicotine is far more addictive than heroin. You can be addicted to nicotine in 7 seconds but it actually takes a bit of work to get addicted to heroin.
- Cigarette manufacturer's add chemicals to their cigarettes to maintain brand loyalty. I should imagine a lot of these chemicals are addictive in their own right which is why I crave buying a packet of the brand of cigarettes I used to smoke.
- Would you get £2000 out of your bank account, set fire to it and then inject yourself with carcinogenic drugs?
We talked about how I'd felt and I said I still get cravings for a cigarette even though I am using the patches and even though I hadn't put my patch on until 4pm on Monday.
I was honest and spoke about the times I had had a cigarette - even the three puffs of one on a Saturday night so she suggested upping the patch strength. I wasn't keen on this because I do get a skin reaction to the patches. They do irritate and I know I can't tolerate the 21mg patch because of the skin irritation.
I have found it difficult; I have been less tolerant where I am normally tolerant but I am not sure if that is all so bad. However this may not be a bad thing. There have been times where I have wished I could be more assertive and maybe that will come out more.
We also talked about the anxiety. I experienced huge anxiety over the prospect of giving up smoking. I also was quite nervous of going shopping in Sainsbury's and managing to go past the cigarette counter without buying a packet of cigarettes on the first Saturday that I had given up. But I did manage that. I still get anxieties about failing and going into a shop or garage and buying cigarettes.
I have also had cravings for a cigarette. Last night after cleaning my teeth I wanted a cigarette before going to bed. When I get these cravings I understand they are there and I accept that they will occur.
The problem for me, during the last week is that craving is like a constant niggle. Having had those three puffs on a cigarette on Saturday night, I was able to manage staying at the BBQ and watching Sarah's lovely arowanas. I even coped with waiting to watch them feed although Sarah did bring feeding time forward.
So we decided something extra would help me. We looked at the lozenges, the inhaler and some tablets that you stick under the tongue and let dissolve and I opted for the lozenges. I think the inhaler would have helped last week but I feel it is now too much like a cigarette to be of any benefit.
I got them at the pharmacy and took one on the way home. Although they do have menthol or peppermint in them they tasted and felt like an ashtray in my mouth. I hope that will help me avoid using too many. I only have 36 - well 35 now - to last a fortnight so that's not very many at all. That is
- 36/14 = 18/7 = 2 and 4/7th lozenges per day or about 2.5 lozenges a day.
I was congratulated on how well I was doing but I feel I would have deserved the congratulations if I hadn't had any cigarettes at all during the week.
So now I have my second prescription filled!!! Wow!!! what a success!!! When I started, I really didn't know if I would get this far.
I spent the money I had saved not buying cigarettes on some fish and a new filter for the fish tank. I got three botia almorhae and three botia striata who are all gorgeous. I also got a Fluval 2+ which cost me nearly £30 and some new fish food. And some more plants.
SmokeFreeness II
Well .... here's the report from the latest nicotine addict trying to come off the evil stuff.
This weekend was the May Day Bank Holiday in the UK and a friend came up. We went out to see her niece who's just had her 21st birthday and I found out she is not only Aries but her birthday is the day after mine. What an excellent bunch we Arians are :)
We ate and drank far too much and I was very very naughty and blagged a cigarette off a student in the pub. Poor soul was clinging on to his 10 fags and surrendered one to me. I took three puffs and then put it out.
Next day I woke up feeling as sick as a pig - was it the food and wine we'd consumed or was it that naughty cigarette? We'll never know but I usually don't have hangovers or feel sick. The food had a lot of cream and was quite rich and I am not used to such good Italian food.
After Angie had gone south I crawled back into bed for a bit and then went to a BBQ. Almost everyone was smoking there which I found quite tough but I was determined not to slack off again. I felt if I did that then the slacking off would get to be too much of a habit and I would slip back into smoking again all too easily.
I gave a couple of mates a lift home and Christine wants to give up too. She's going to try the lozenges. Quite why she isn't using the patches I'll never know. I think Christine was amazed that I could stand there and let them smoke but not scream for one myself. I did want one and I said so when she asked me how I was managing. However I know that if I want to give up then I have to be firm with myself and not give in. I shouldn't really be giving in as much as I have been doing!
Bank Holiday Monday, I gave myself a treat and didn't put a patch on until 4pm. I was tired and slept for part of the afternoon and then had a long lounge in the bath and I didn't go out to the allotment or do much all day bar potter about and have a duvet day. But I think it did me the world of good to be lazy and destress like that.
Anyhow I went to the Doctor's again today to get a new prescription and I shall post about that after breakfast.
This weekend was the May Day Bank Holiday in the UK and a friend came up. We went out to see her niece who's just had her 21st birthday and I found out she is not only Aries but her birthday is the day after mine. What an excellent bunch we Arians are :)
We ate and drank far too much and I was very very naughty and blagged a cigarette off a student in the pub. Poor soul was clinging on to his 10 fags and surrendered one to me. I took three puffs and then put it out.
Next day I woke up feeling as sick as a pig - was it the food and wine we'd consumed or was it that naughty cigarette? We'll never know but I usually don't have hangovers or feel sick. The food had a lot of cream and was quite rich and I am not used to such good Italian food.
After Angie had gone south I crawled back into bed for a bit and then went to a BBQ. Almost everyone was smoking there which I found quite tough but I was determined not to slack off again. I felt if I did that then the slacking off would get to be too much of a habit and I would slip back into smoking again all too easily.
I gave a couple of mates a lift home and Christine wants to give up too. She's going to try the lozenges. Quite why she isn't using the patches I'll never know. I think Christine was amazed that I could stand there and let them smoke but not scream for one myself. I did want one and I said so when she asked me how I was managing. However I know that if I want to give up then I have to be firm with myself and not give in. I shouldn't really be giving in as much as I have been doing!
Bank Holiday Monday, I gave myself a treat and didn't put a patch on until 4pm. I was tired and slept for part of the afternoon and then had a long lounge in the bath and I didn't go out to the allotment or do much all day bar potter about and have a duvet day. But I think it did me the world of good to be lazy and destress like that.
Anyhow I went to the Doctor's again today to get a new prescription and I shall post about that after breakfast.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
SmokeFreeness
Yeay!
Well I went and did it.
I finally mustered up the courage to go to the doctor's surgery to get help to start my smoke free life. That was a week ago and I got a prescription for some nicotine patches.
I was supposed to start on Friday 28th April and I did ... sort of. I had three cigarettes left from a packet I had bought the day before so I smoked those and then put my patch on. (Probably very very bad for my health.)
Later on I blagged, no let's say it, begged(!!) a cigarette from a neighbour. It made me feela bit sick to be honest. Luckily she is moving so, although I shall miss her, there won't be anyone for me to cadge cigarettes from.
So on Friday 28th April I had a total of four cigarettes. I reduced my cigarette consumption by 86% on the first day so I think it's not perfect but better than not reducing it all. I wore the patch on my left arm and it itched and burned for a bit when I put it on.
Since then I haven't had one cigarette. Not one!!! It's been soooo tough.
If I keep this up I will have saved £47 by the end of tomorrow which will be fantastic!
How am I coping with it? ... Generally okay, I think. I used lots of tricks at the beginning to reinforce my aims.
Every time I experienced a craving, for instance, I rued the day I had started; looked back on that time and considered how foolish I was to have even begun smoking.
I also reminded myself about my other reasons for wanting to be smoke free. Saving money, my health, the cat's happiness, needing a greenhouse and shed for the allotment, wanting to start a business but not wanting to set fire to all that hard earned cash.
Considered that anyone who, once a year, took nearly £2000 out of their bank account and set fire to it, then injected themselves with or somehow deliberately consumed a carcinogen material, could be described as at least a little insane,
That helped lift me past some of it I am sure.
I did start coughing and sneezing a bit on Sunday but that hasn't got too bad yet. I feel I am breathing better and my teeth are certainly less stained already. Need to wash my fleece though because I really noticed how it smelt of stale smoke. Certainly seem to have enough energy to cope with the lack of sleep!
I'm so happy to have been so successful so quickly.
Well I went and did it.
I finally mustered up the courage to go to the doctor's surgery to get help to start my smoke free life. That was a week ago and I got a prescription for some nicotine patches.
I was supposed to start on Friday 28th April and I did ... sort of. I had three cigarettes left from a packet I had bought the day before so I smoked those and then put my patch on. (Probably very very bad for my health.)
Later on I blagged, no let's say it, begged(!!) a cigarette from a neighbour. It made me feela bit sick to be honest. Luckily she is moving so, although I shall miss her, there won't be anyone for me to cadge cigarettes from.
So on Friday 28th April I had a total of four cigarettes. I reduced my cigarette consumption by 86% on the first day so I think it's not perfect but better than not reducing it all. I wore the patch on my left arm and it itched and burned for a bit when I put it on.
Since then I haven't had one cigarette. Not one!!! It's been soooo tough.
- Saturday: woke up in the night really wanting a cigarette and woke early in the morning with really heavy cravings. Got nicotine patch on my right arm as soon as I had showered. It provides some relief against the cravings. They are still there but much more manageable. Really don't think I could do it without them. Did a lot of digging at the allotment and then bathed and went to Sainsbury's. I removed the patch when I bathed and stuck it back on afterwards. Mercifully it held and I was able to go to Sainsbury's get some food and *not* go to the cigarette counter! I treated myself to some Belgian waffles and ice cream and an expensive meal of little courses - like antipasti and some turkey and so on. Just a lot of little nibbles. 0 cigarettes today!
- Sunday: restless sleep and woke during the night and early again - still craving cigarettes - desperate to put my patch on. Have been swapping arms and moving the site around where I put the patch i.e. left arm and then right arm. Thought the sensitivity to the patches had reduced as I acclimatized to them but today was left arm day again. Today's sight was close to Friday's site and the whole of Friday's site came up in bumps and was very itchy. Really wasn't very comfortable at all, but I survived it. 0 cigarettes today.
- Monday : busy day lots to do - went to woodwork and Psychology classes. Told people at woodwork that I'd given up. This sort of activity will help me try harder to stick to being smoke free. At least that is what I hope, Psychology is in the evening and we have a short break about 7.30pmish. I really felt like having a cigarette then but managed not to chase anyone or try and cadge one off anyone. (Honestly, we druggies know no bounds in seeking to satisfy our primordial cravings.) Still getting cigarette cravings.. presumably, with the nicotine patches, my actual nicotine cravings are at a minimum and fairly well kept at bay by the patches. This can only be the habit part of smoking. The desire to stop and have a cigarette always seems to crop up. Possibly part of it is the nicotine receptors in the brain trying to delude the rest of me? Anyhow - that was the most notable craving and I managed to get past it. I find that if I simply breathe in deeply, as if I would when smoking a cigarette, I can push the desire away when I breathe out. Another 0 cigarette day! That's three days with no cigarettes at all.
- Tuesday : Restless night followed by an aggravating day trying to get Debian to work as I wished. Really is a bad week to decide to change operating system!! Anyhow, I plugged on and got a bit angry with it doing unexpected networky type things and not loading kde properly. I was really suffering from a desire to have a cigarette all day but I knew that having one wouldn't solve the OS issues and would just mean I was back on the smoking treadmill again. Went to tiling class in the evening which was alright. Always good to see people and we watched a video and measured a fake 'bathroom' up for tiling. Assessing where to put the tiles is a lot of work but you do have to think about it to get a good finish. Then we grouted drilled and bored through some tiles. Had partially let myself be fooled into thinking that I could cadge a fag off one of the class mates if I was that desparate but by the time I got to tiling class, I didn't want a cigarette. So that made 0 fags for day 4 too.
If I keep this up I will have saved £47 by the end of tomorrow which will be fantastic!
How am I coping with it? ... Generally okay, I think. I used lots of tricks at the beginning to reinforce my aims.
Every time I experienced a craving, for instance, I rued the day I had started; looked back on that time and considered how foolish I was to have even begun smoking.
I also reminded myself about my other reasons for wanting to be smoke free. Saving money, my health, the cat's happiness, needing a greenhouse and shed for the allotment, wanting to start a business but not wanting to set fire to all that hard earned cash.
Considered that anyone who, once a year, took nearly £2000 out of their bank account and set fire to it, then injected themselves with or somehow deliberately consumed a carcinogen material, could be described as at least a little insane,
That helped lift me past some of it I am sure.
I did start coughing and sneezing a bit on Sunday but that hasn't got too bad yet. I feel I am breathing better and my teeth are certainly less stained already. Need to wash my fleece though because I really noticed how it smelt of stale smoke. Certainly seem to have enough energy to cope with the lack of sleep!
I'm so happy to have been so successful so quickly.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Smoking
I want to give up smoking.
I want to give up smoking.
I want to give up smoking.
If I repeat this to myself often enough I might even believe it. I don't mean that I don't want to give up smoking. Nor do I believe that I don't want to give up smoking. I simply haven't believed I want to give up smoking.
Dieters don't lose weight - they have a 'target weight'. So dieting becomes about hitting a target. I believe most people can derive a sense of satisifaction from hitting a target.
So where is the target in 'giving up smoking'? How can I turn the 'giving smoking up', the sense of cessation; the 'stopping smoking' from the sense of loss to the sense of gain.
I will first list all the benefits I can think of if I didn't smoke
I want to give up smoking.
I want to give up smoking.
If I repeat this to myself often enough I might even believe it. I don't mean that I don't want to give up smoking. Nor do I believe that I don't want to give up smoking. I simply haven't believed I want to give up smoking.
Dieters don't lose weight - they have a 'target weight'. So dieting becomes about hitting a target. I believe most people can derive a sense of satisifaction from hitting a target.
So where is the target in 'giving up smoking'? How can I turn the 'giving smoking up', the sense of cessation; the 'stopping smoking' from the sense of loss to the sense of gain.
I will first list all the benefits I can think of if I didn't smoke
- I won't smell like an ashtray
- My clothes won't smell so much
- My teeth won't get so stained
- I won't spend so much money
- I'll reduce my risk of heart attack
- I'll improve my circulation
- I'll reduce other health problems associated with smoking.
- I won't have to stand in the rain and cold to have a fag anymore.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Yet more adventures in a Rover 114
Well it had to happen really.
The Rover blew its head gasket.
I was traveling toward the M1 on the M18 and thinking I'd be home by 4.30 when I noticed the temperature gauge was through the roof. I pulled in to the hard shoulder but I have no idea how long it had been like that. All I know is I had been driving for about 15 minutes.
I called the RAC and they let me know that this was my fifth call out and after this call I would be paying them £59 to come out to me until my renewal date. Luckily that's only two weeks away.
I finally got home, with the car on a flat bed, at 7pm. I then had to walk half a mile each way to get some milk.
I've booked it in to have the cylinder head done. It's going to cost me £390 plus a tow in of £40.
I hope they can fix it.
The Rover blew its head gasket.
I was traveling toward the M1 on the M18 and thinking I'd be home by 4.30 when I noticed the temperature gauge was through the roof. I pulled in to the hard shoulder but I have no idea how long it had been like that. All I know is I had been driving for about 15 minutes.
I called the RAC and they let me know that this was my fifth call out and after this call I would be paying them £59 to come out to me until my renewal date. Luckily that's only two weeks away.
I finally got home, with the car on a flat bed, at 7pm. I then had to walk half a mile each way to get some milk.
I've booked it in to have the cylinder head done. It's going to cost me £390 plus a tow in of £40.
I hope they can fix it.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Even more adventures with a Rover 114
I had to go to an AutCAD training course a couple of weeks ago.
That was a 45 mle round trip and on the Thursday I got flagged down and told my brake lights were not working.
I ran around three garages to find some stop and tail bulbs, put one in and still no brake lights so I knew the brake light switch had gone.
The brake light switch on this car is a spring actuated by pressing the brake pedal. This is my third Metro and they have all broken that spring. It's at the top of the pedal in the bulkhead between the engine compartment and the drivers bay and the manual says first remove your steering column. I searched for a replacement part and got responses by the Friday but they wanted £23 for delivery and it was a used item so no idea of the life span.
I rang Kwik Fit who suggested an auto-electrician for the job so I rang the auto electrician who'd replaced my alternator and battery last month and asked if they could do the job. Got the car down to them Saturday morning bright and early and left it with them. By 10:30am they had concurred with my diagnosis and had a new part on the way. I went to town, got the bus out to them and paid just over £35 for the full repair.
It's really funny how much space you get behind you when you start using hand signals to indicate braking and I am happy the car is fixed.
That was a 45 mle round trip and on the Thursday I got flagged down and told my brake lights were not working.
I ran around three garages to find some stop and tail bulbs, put one in and still no brake lights so I knew the brake light switch had gone.
The brake light switch on this car is a spring actuated by pressing the brake pedal. This is my third Metro and they have all broken that spring. It's at the top of the pedal in the bulkhead between the engine compartment and the drivers bay and the manual says first remove your steering column. I searched for a replacement part and got responses by the Friday but they wanted £23 for delivery and it was a used item so no idea of the life span.
I rang Kwik Fit who suggested an auto-electrician for the job so I rang the auto electrician who'd replaced my alternator and battery last month and asked if they could do the job. Got the car down to them Saturday morning bright and early and left it with them. By 10:30am they had concurred with my diagnosis and had a new part on the way. I went to town, got the bus out to them and paid just over £35 for the full repair.
It's really funny how much space you get behind you when you start using hand signals to indicate braking and I am happy the car is fixed.
Tek Fun
MsP is doing well .. at least she's a little less pink which shows her allergy is subsiding under the effects of the steroid injection she had on Friday. I have also decided that no matter how much she nags, walks so well on her lead and is norty about not going out, she is going to have to become a totally indoor cat.
Mother came for a visit this week and Tuesday we went to see The Devil Wears Prada. We got back late that evening and I went to check emails. Nada ... zero ... zilch was happening. No graphics signal at all. Ho hum. It's a Athlon XP 2000 on a Asus A7V333 mobo in an ITee case. The case is pretty and was mooted as a great new design but I think it got beat by the lack of modability and the Shuttles plus some design issues. More about those later.
I did a hard reboot - switched the whole thing off and then back on again - still nada. I swapped the KVM cables. That didn't fix it. So I opened the case up and took out all the RAM took out all the IDE drives and tried booting it with just the graphics and 1G of RAM. Still nada. Figuring it was something nasty I went to spec up a new machine.
After a few hours speccing up a nice little number, a friend encouraged me to try a different power supply so I borrowed a 250W and plugged that in. Hey presto! life!
So I have ordered a new case and a new PSU. The ITee case is an orginal design but, in my opinion, it has some flaws. The case is very well well constructed but
This case was part of my first build and I bought the maroon one because I liked the availability of different colours. The case could be much improved by a deeper recess for the mobo - or a longer bay for the drives, some better cable management for the IDE cables, and a lot more case meshing to improve airflow but I don't think even that will get this case up to spec for the heat some of todays CPUs kick out. I don't yet know if a standard PSU will fit in the case without any mods to the case itself.
Good bits were excellent build quality, the colour - which has never scratched, the different design and the clip in drive bays. This was one of the first cases I came across with clip in drive bays; necessary for this design and so easy to use. But the heat issues mean I am getting a new case. I might take down my old Celeron and see how that does in there with a 250W PSU but I will mod the base of the case and cut/ream/drill holes underneath to get some air to it. Be a shame to see it go after all these years.
Mother came for a visit this week and Tuesday we went to see The Devil Wears Prada. We got back late that evening and I went to check emails. Nada ... zero ... zilch was happening. No graphics signal at all. Ho hum. It's a Athlon XP 2000 on a Asus A7V333 mobo in an ITee case. The case is pretty and was mooted as a great new design but I think it got beat by the lack of modability and the Shuttles plus some design issues. More about those later.
I did a hard reboot - switched the whole thing off and then back on again - still nada. I swapped the KVM cables. That didn't fix it. So I opened the case up and took out all the RAM took out all the IDE drives and tried booting it with just the graphics and 1G of RAM. Still nada. Figuring it was something nasty I went to spec up a new machine.
After a few hours speccing up a nice little number, a friend encouraged me to try a different power supply so I borrowed a 250W and plugged that in. Hey presto! life!
So I have ordered a new case and a new PSU. The ITee case is an orginal design but, in my opinion, it has some flaws. The case is very well well constructed but
- air flow is a problem
- the PSU is at the bottom of the case with no meshing around it to give it some air
- the PSU is non-standard- the mains socket is on the side of the machine with a lead to the PSU from that socket so you'll have to mod up a replacement PSU
- you have to be aware of the power leads when shutting the case; if you trap them, the steel case will cut the leads so use the cable tidy that comes with the case
- heat rises and that PSU always got hot in there, so much so that I ran it with the case open for years
- long IDE cables allow you to lay the back of the case down, but long or short they clog up the innards of the computer when the case is closed causing airflow problems
- space for two 8cm fans but you have to fit a 6cm because an 8cm fouls on the IDE cables as they come off the board
This case was part of my first build and I bought the maroon one because I liked the availability of different colours. The case could be much improved by a deeper recess for the mobo - or a longer bay for the drives, some better cable management for the IDE cables, and a lot more case meshing to improve airflow but I don't think even that will get this case up to spec for the heat some of todays CPUs kick out. I don't yet know if a standard PSU will fit in the case without any mods to the case itself.
Good bits were excellent build quality, the colour - which has never scratched, the different design and the clip in drive bays. This was one of the first cases I came across with clip in drive bays; necessary for this design and so easy to use. But the heat issues mean I am getting a new case. I might take down my old Celeron and see how that does in there with a 250W PSU but I will mod the base of the case and cut/ream/drill holes underneath to get some air to it. Be a shame to see it go after all these years.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Further Adventures with MsP
Yesterday, I noticed a lump under MsP's chin. She objected to it being touched.
I checked it this morning and it had got a lot bigger and the objections a bit louder so I took her off to the vet's again.
She's had a lightweight steroid injection - she had a full strength one on Oct 9th so it's just running up to four weeks and we decided the lighter jab would be safer. She's also got 10 days of Antirobe to take in case it is an infection.
Poor little baby looked a bit queasy once I had got her home.
The vet also said to continue feeding her the Hill's Prescription diet z/d Low Allergen dried food so she is back on that after a bout of diarhea this week too.
We go back next Wednesday.
I checked it this morning and it had got a lot bigger and the objections a bit louder so I took her off to the vet's again.
She's had a lightweight steroid injection - she had a full strength one on Oct 9th so it's just running up to four weeks and we decided the lighter jab would be safer. She's also got 10 days of Antirobe to take in case it is an infection.
Poor little baby looked a bit queasy once I had got her home.
The vet also said to continue feeding her the Hill's Prescription diet z/d Low Allergen dried food so she is back on that after a bout of diarhea this week too.
We go back next Wednesday.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Adventures with MsP
I have a cat I got as a rescue from Thornberry Rescue centre.
Her name is Precious and she is beautiful.
However, the Chinchilla Persian breed as a whole is an allergy cat. And no I don't mean one of those poor creatures manufactured in a laboratory. I mean the Chinchilla Persian Breed as a whole suffers from allergies.
These can be anything from food allergies to hay fever allergies to allergies to materials or carpets or anything else on the planet.
When I got Precious she was in a very poor way and came to me as a simple semi-long haired white cat. The reason I chose her was because of the way she ignored me, had a urine stained coat and was obviously very very fed up.
So I thought I'd rescue the cat from the rescue centre and bring her home. It was touch and go for the first week while I discovered this breed cannot tolerate most ordinary cat food. I had tried various types of dried food and tinned cat foods and she went from bad to worse with diarohea and vomiting in the first week.
I took her to the vet who identified her as a Chinchilla persian diagnosed the lump on her chin as a rodent ulcer and gave her a steroid injection plus a course of synulox and prescribed a diet of boiled chicken followed by careful introduction of small amounts of various foods to find what suited her.
I went to the Yorkshire cat show and had a chat with a breeder of Chinchilla persians. That conversation plus reading around on the web helped me realise these are very very tender animals indeed. I even read of one breeder so proudly telling of the story of one kitten they had bred that couldn't even tolerate its mother's milk. If you have two Chinchilla Persians it is highly unlikely they will tolerate each others food so you will be clearing up diarohea and vomit and washing the cats down every day of your life.
The Chinchilla Persian is a man made breed - developed by Princess Alexandria, one of Queen Victoria's daughters. Being a nam made breed it has its problems - the most typical being the stomach problems and food allergies. Naturally The GCCF specify nothing in their breed standards about the health of the cat. Normal Persians are know to have reduced life expectancies because they can't breather properly yet their standard is pushing for flatter and flatter noses. And that's without considering the eye problems the Persian suffers from. This is how much all these breeders care for the animals they are creating. They purposely and deliberately breed animals with significant health problems and then sell them on.
So .... back to Precious. She impoved greatly after the initial treatment at the vets. I subsequently removed the collar because she was reacting to it and she began to blossom into a happy little cat.
That was until May this year when she started to scratch herself bald. It didn't happen progressively at all. Just suddenly one day she scratched a lump of fur off from between her shoulder blades.
She then proceeded to pull lumps of fur out above her eyes as well and I finally got her to the vets in early August. I'd managed to repair the damage done on two of the three sites that were irritating her but she still had crusty legions above one eye. I couldn't see my usual vet because she always seemed to be on holiday when I rang to make an appointment so I elected to see another vet at the same practice.
They immediately prescribed skin scrapes and skin biopsies to check for the presence of mites and I asked for a FelV/FiV blood test to be taken at the same time. That's when all hell started to break loose.
I have never experienced an animal suffering so much after an operation. I have had five cats in all and none of them have reacted in the way Precious has reacted to any operation. From that point on she would urinate and defecate anywhere in the bathroom except in her litter tray and it wasn't until two weeks ago when I tried some Feliway that she stopped urinating on the floor and returned to using the litter tray at least for urinating. She is still not using the litter tray for defeacting but at least she has returned to the bathrrom for that and is not using the hall for it.
The operation itself didn't cure anything but at least we knew it wasn't a mite infestation and she turned out to be FiV and FelV negative. The stitches from the biposies were taken out 10 days after the operation and you should have seen the pleasure on her face from being free of the collar and the bandages at last.
Unfortunately this freedom was shortlived. I went into the kitchen to clean the collar and put it away. I cam back into the living room to be faced with a cat with blood pouring out of one of the wounds that had not healed properly. Now some vets will tell you the cat must have a dleicate skin and be allergic to the stitches and any other b******t they can think of to get themselves off the hook.
Luckily I know two people who don't know each other but happen to be clinicians and both independently said to me that she hadn't been sewn up properly. The vet had only sewn the top of the wound so the underneath part had not been able to granulate and would have been as itchy as any wound can be and driving her potty.
She had to be rushed back to the vets where she sat quietly while two staples were put in to seal the wound. She was so very very good while those staples were being put in. The wound subsequently healed fine and the staples were removed some 10 days later.
So this poor little dear had been in her collar for 20 days and I had to maintain a melolin patch with bandage and stocking top around her upper body to stop her scratching the patch in between her shoulders.
When the stitches were taken out she was prescribed a course of Synulox antibiotics to help clear the skin infection which had been diagnosed as a bacterial ionfection. The Synulox didn't touch it and she reverted to diarohea again.
I took her back to the vets again to have the staples removed and she was prescribed some Fuciderm to act as a topical steroid. This did work and the skin cleared up but she started to scratch other areas of her face and pulled a chunk of fur out from near her whiskers.
So I went back to the vet and she said it could be stress it could be food it could be anything but to continue with the Fuciderm.
I continued with the Fuciderm but I could see the whole thing was simply starting up again. So two weeks ago I transferred to another vet and she was given a steroid injection and a different antibiotic called Ceporex. I could see this cat visibly improve due to the steroid injection. The inflamed parts of her skin started to look less sore and she visibly relaxed.
The Feliway arrived through the post the day after and we achieved pee in the litter tray at last. The cat pee on the floor was driving me round the bend because she'll go at least three or four times a day and so it has to be cleared up three or four times a day. Going to the lavatory in the night had often meant a footwash plus floor wash if she had gone across the doorway. The reief Feliway bought us both cannot be underestimated.
She also started playing more and engaged in kitty fishing and beating up Pingu. I was so glad to see my little girl getting back on her feet and being happy again.
Until last night everything was doodling along reasonably well. I have my reservations about her excrement - it's soft for her but reasonably well formed and not diarohea. However it does look reddy brown so I am wondering if the antibiotics such as Synulox and Ceporex themselves upset her tummy and she is in fact bleeding slightly inside.
However, last night she scratched herself again - 10 days after her steroid jab and she's up with problems again. So it's another visit to the vet this morning. He was surprised to see her again so quickly.
Her antibiotic has been changed to Antirobe and she now has some more Fuciderm which will act as a topical steroid. I'm hoping the Antirobe will help her but I've just looked it up and it states there could be diarohea and vomiting. Nothing I can do but wait and see.
Her name is Precious and she is beautiful.
However, the Chinchilla Persian breed as a whole is an allergy cat. And no I don't mean one of those poor creatures manufactured in a laboratory. I mean the Chinchilla Persian Breed as a whole suffers from allergies.
These can be anything from food allergies to hay fever allergies to allergies to materials or carpets or anything else on the planet.
When I got Precious she was in a very poor way and came to me as a simple semi-long haired white cat. The reason I chose her was because of the way she ignored me, had a urine stained coat and was obviously very very fed up.
So I thought I'd rescue the cat from the rescue centre and bring her home. It was touch and go for the first week while I discovered this breed cannot tolerate most ordinary cat food. I had tried various types of dried food and tinned cat foods and she went from bad to worse with diarohea and vomiting in the first week.
I took her to the vet who identified her as a Chinchilla persian diagnosed the lump on her chin as a rodent ulcer and gave her a steroid injection plus a course of synulox and prescribed a diet of boiled chicken followed by careful introduction of small amounts of various foods to find what suited her.
I went to the Yorkshire cat show and had a chat with a breeder of Chinchilla persians. That conversation plus reading around on the web helped me realise these are very very tender animals indeed. I even read of one breeder so proudly telling of the story of one kitten they had bred that couldn't even tolerate its mother's milk. If you have two Chinchilla Persians it is highly unlikely they will tolerate each others food so you will be clearing up diarohea and vomit and washing the cats down every day of your life.
The Chinchilla Persian is a man made breed - developed by Princess Alexandria, one of Queen Victoria's daughters. Being a nam made breed it has its problems - the most typical being the stomach problems and food allergies. Naturally The GCCF specify nothing in their breed standards about the health of the cat. Normal Persians are know to have reduced life expectancies because they can't breather properly yet their standard is pushing for flatter and flatter noses. And that's without considering the eye problems the Persian suffers from. This is how much all these breeders care for the animals they are creating. They purposely and deliberately breed animals with significant health problems and then sell them on.
So .... back to Precious. She impoved greatly after the initial treatment at the vets. I subsequently removed the collar because she was reacting to it and she began to blossom into a happy little cat.
That was until May this year when she started to scratch herself bald. It didn't happen progressively at all. Just suddenly one day she scratched a lump of fur off from between her shoulder blades.
She then proceeded to pull lumps of fur out above her eyes as well and I finally got her to the vets in early August. I'd managed to repair the damage done on two of the three sites that were irritating her but she still had crusty legions above one eye. I couldn't see my usual vet because she always seemed to be on holiday when I rang to make an appointment so I elected to see another vet at the same practice.
They immediately prescribed skin scrapes and skin biopsies to check for the presence of mites and I asked for a FelV/FiV blood test to be taken at the same time. That's when all hell started to break loose.
I have never experienced an animal suffering so much after an operation. I have had five cats in all and none of them have reacted in the way Precious has reacted to any operation. From that point on she would urinate and defecate anywhere in the bathroom except in her litter tray and it wasn't until two weeks ago when I tried some Feliway that she stopped urinating on the floor and returned to using the litter tray at least for urinating. She is still not using the litter tray for defeacting but at least she has returned to the bathrrom for that and is not using the hall for it.
The operation itself didn't cure anything but at least we knew it wasn't a mite infestation and she turned out to be FiV and FelV negative. The stitches from the biposies were taken out 10 days after the operation and you should have seen the pleasure on her face from being free of the collar and the bandages at last.
Unfortunately this freedom was shortlived. I went into the kitchen to clean the collar and put it away. I cam back into the living room to be faced with a cat with blood pouring out of one of the wounds that had not healed properly. Now some vets will tell you the cat must have a dleicate skin and be allergic to the stitches and any other b******t they can think of to get themselves off the hook.
Luckily I know two people who don't know each other but happen to be clinicians and both independently said to me that she hadn't been sewn up properly. The vet had only sewn the top of the wound so the underneath part had not been able to granulate and would have been as itchy as any wound can be and driving her potty.
She had to be rushed back to the vets where she sat quietly while two staples were put in to seal the wound. She was so very very good while those staples were being put in. The wound subsequently healed fine and the staples were removed some 10 days later.
So this poor little dear had been in her collar for 20 days and I had to maintain a melolin patch with bandage and stocking top around her upper body to stop her scratching the patch in between her shoulders.
When the stitches were taken out she was prescribed a course of Synulox antibiotics to help clear the skin infection which had been diagnosed as a bacterial ionfection. The Synulox didn't touch it and she reverted to diarohea again.
I took her back to the vets again to have the staples removed and she was prescribed some Fuciderm to act as a topical steroid. This did work and the skin cleared up but she started to scratch other areas of her face and pulled a chunk of fur out from near her whiskers.
So I went back to the vet and she said it could be stress it could be food it could be anything but to continue with the Fuciderm.
I continued with the Fuciderm but I could see the whole thing was simply starting up again. So two weeks ago I transferred to another vet and she was given a steroid injection and a different antibiotic called Ceporex. I could see this cat visibly improve due to the steroid injection. The inflamed parts of her skin started to look less sore and she visibly relaxed.
The Feliway arrived through the post the day after and we achieved pee in the litter tray at last. The cat pee on the floor was driving me round the bend because she'll go at least three or four times a day and so it has to be cleared up three or four times a day. Going to the lavatory in the night had often meant a footwash plus floor wash if she had gone across the doorway. The reief Feliway bought us both cannot be underestimated.
She also started playing more and engaged in kitty fishing and beating up Pingu. I was so glad to see my little girl getting back on her feet and being happy again.
Until last night everything was doodling along reasonably well. I have my reservations about her excrement - it's soft for her but reasonably well formed and not diarohea. However it does look reddy brown so I am wondering if the antibiotics such as Synulox and Ceporex themselves upset her tummy and she is in fact bleeding slightly inside.
However, last night she scratched herself again - 10 days after her steroid jab and she's up with problems again. So it's another visit to the vet this morning. He was surprised to see her again so quickly.
Her antibiotic has been changed to Antirobe and she now has some more Fuciderm which will act as a topical steroid. I'm hoping the Antirobe will help her but I've just looked it up and it states there could be diarohea and vomiting. Nothing I can do but wait and see.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Further Adventures in a Rover 114
I do some volunteer work for a charity and left there about 5.30 pm after an afternoon of putting leaflets in envelopes.
Got to the car and put the key in the ignition. It went clickety-clickety-click and didn't start.
Luckily I am a member of the RAC so I called them from my mobile - which merrily told me there will be a charge for an 0800 number but there you go - such are networks these days that they cannot let you get to an 0800 number for free.
The RAC man turned up in due course and assessed the problem. He diagnosed a flat battery and nipped under the hood to check the alternator output. He connected up my battery in parallel with the one on his car and charged mine up. I revved the engine and he deduced the alternator was not only not charging, but after I had switched the engine off, noted the alternator was actually draining the battery.
He followed me all the way to my 'usual garage' and I left the car there overnight. The RAC man even took me home. The next day I rang the garage only to find the repair bloke was away on holiday and they suggested another garage I could ring that was near them.
I rang that garage and they said they were fully booked out until Monday and then said 'Not sure where we'll get an alternator from, though'.
Last time I replaced an alternator on a car, it was a fairly simple task of removing the alternator, going to Lucas and getting a recodnitioned replacement unit, then returining to the car and fitting the new alternator.
My previous cars had been Minis and Metros and the alternator on those was readily accessible at the top of the engine. The alternator on a Rover 114 is in a different place, below the exhaust manifold and above the oil filter. This makes it a fiddly job to get the alternator out and and even fiddlier job getting the replacement unit in. As I have a back injury I decided it was worth paying a garage to do the job.
Anyhow not only did my 'usual garage' not have any repair work capability they also did not have so much as a booster box or jump leads to start the car. So I had to ring the RAC again and the same man came out to help me.
We charged the battery up again, which by now was fully flat, and took the car to an autoelectrician who was able to repair it that same afternoon. It cost me £160, a day lost to repairing the car and I now have a brand new Bosch battery and a shiny reconditioned alternator.
I don't think I'll be bothering with my 'usual garage' ever again. I can get the car MoT'd elsewhere and I'll find other garages for doing any repairs.
I was already wary of them after I booked the car in for a service the day after I bought it and asked them to change the fluids and check the brakes. Three weeks after that a water pipe burst and I found out I had no anti-freeze in the water system. I also had to have the rear brake rubbers done recently despite him saying they were ok two months ago.
Anyway, the car is fine now.
Got to the car and put the key in the ignition. It went clickety-clickety-click and didn't start.
Luckily I am a member of the RAC so I called them from my mobile - which merrily told me there will be a charge for an 0800 number but there you go - such are networks these days that they cannot let you get to an 0800 number for free.
The RAC man turned up in due course and assessed the problem. He diagnosed a flat battery and nipped under the hood to check the alternator output. He connected up my battery in parallel with the one on his car and charged mine up. I revved the engine and he deduced the alternator was not only not charging, but after I had switched the engine off, noted the alternator was actually draining the battery.
He followed me all the way to my 'usual garage' and I left the car there overnight. The RAC man even took me home. The next day I rang the garage only to find the repair bloke was away on holiday and they suggested another garage I could ring that was near them.
I rang that garage and they said they were fully booked out until Monday and then said 'Not sure where we'll get an alternator from, though'.
Last time I replaced an alternator on a car, it was a fairly simple task of removing the alternator, going to Lucas and getting a recodnitioned replacement unit, then returining to the car and fitting the new alternator.
My previous cars had been Minis and Metros and the alternator on those was readily accessible at the top of the engine. The alternator on a Rover 114 is in a different place, below the exhaust manifold and above the oil filter. This makes it a fiddly job to get the alternator out and and even fiddlier job getting the replacement unit in. As I have a back injury I decided it was worth paying a garage to do the job.
Anyhow not only did my 'usual garage' not have any repair work capability they also did not have so much as a booster box or jump leads to start the car. So I had to ring the RAC again and the same man came out to help me.
We charged the battery up again, which by now was fully flat, and took the car to an autoelectrician who was able to repair it that same afternoon. It cost me £160, a day lost to repairing the car and I now have a brand new Bosch battery and a shiny reconditioned alternator.
I don't think I'll be bothering with my 'usual garage' ever again. I can get the car MoT'd elsewhere and I'll find other garages for doing any repairs.
I was already wary of them after I booked the car in for a service the day after I bought it and asked them to change the fluids and check the brakes. Three weeks after that a water pipe burst and I found out I had no anti-freeze in the water system. I also had to have the rear brake rubbers done recently despite him saying they were ok two months ago.
Anyway, the car is fine now.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
That was good ..........
I went for a great ride out on Sunday and covered about 140 miles. It was good to be out on the bike again.
Monday was a busy day. I started a furniture making course and a Psychology A level. Looking forward to more next week but it was a very busy day.
The A level is now divided into two parts - the AS level and the A2 level. The AS level represents the first year of an A level but you take an exam at the end of the year and you have the AS qualification. If successful with that presumably you can continue on to the A2 level.
We sat and watched the Aversion Therapy part of Clockwork Orange while a thunderstorm raged outside. Quite surreal.
Tuesday was a busy day too. I went to a course to show me how to fill in a self employed tax return. In the UK we have to file by 31st January after the close of the tax year. If we file paper records before 30th September then the tax office will calculate how much we owe.
Then I took the cat to the vet and showed her the bald bit MsP had created on her cheek bone. We are back down to boiled chicken - she won't touch the roast chicken I cooked Sunday evening so I am boiling chicken fillet for her. I have to decide how long to keep her on the boiled chicken but it will be at least four days and I am tempted to keep it going for at least a week to make sure any allergy is out of her system.
Then I will reintroduce the Royal Canin Persian 30 dried food and see how she goes with that for at least a month. I shall take the cat food I have got to one of the cat rescue places.
Monday was a busy day. I started a furniture making course and a Psychology A level. Looking forward to more next week but it was a very busy day.
The A level is now divided into two parts - the AS level and the A2 level. The AS level represents the first year of an A level but you take an exam at the end of the year and you have the AS qualification. If successful with that presumably you can continue on to the A2 level.
We sat and watched the Aversion Therapy part of Clockwork Orange while a thunderstorm raged outside. Quite surreal.
Tuesday was a busy day too. I went to a course to show me how to fill in a self employed tax return. In the UK we have to file by 31st January after the close of the tax year. If we file paper records before 30th September then the tax office will calculate how much we owe.
Then I took the cat to the vet and showed her the bald bit MsP had created on her cheek bone. We are back down to boiled chicken - she won't touch the roast chicken I cooked Sunday evening so I am boiling chicken fillet for her. I have to decide how long to keep her on the boiled chicken but it will be at least four days and I am tempted to keep it going for at least a week to make sure any allergy is out of her system.
Then I will reintroduce the Royal Canin Persian 30 dried food and see how she goes with that for at least a month. I shall take the cat food I have got to one of the cat rescue places.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Screaming into the empty bowels of subsistence
It's just gone 7 am on a mild September Sunday morning.
Since I last posted I have spent about £320 on vet bills for the cat.
She started scratching herself bald in three specific areas in May this year and I initially thought it was because she was an indoor cat so started trimming her claws and washing the lacerations with salt water - one thumbnail of salt to a pint of water in case you need to know.
The home based treatment continued for a while until she was simply left with crusty legions on one bit that wouldn't heal and wouldn't regrow fur.
I took her to the vet and he prescribed skin biopsies and scrapes. I had her tested for FiV/FelV at the same time. The results showed an increase in normal skin bacteria and no mites or other nasties.
So we tried Synulox and that didn't work. I paid out for Fuciderm and that seemed to work at clearing the crusty legions except that this morning she proudly scratched bald another spot on her cheek. I've fucidermed it to avoid bacteria etc and she is back on boiled chicken but she'll have to have the collar back on to prevent her scratching anymore.
On top of that, due to post menopausal night sweats I haven't had a decent night's sleep in about three or four weeks and I am supposed to be going on a ride out this morning.
Since I last posted I have spent about £320 on vet bills for the cat.
She started scratching herself bald in three specific areas in May this year and I initially thought it was because she was an indoor cat so started trimming her claws and washing the lacerations with salt water - one thumbnail of salt to a pint of water in case you need to know.
The home based treatment continued for a while until she was simply left with crusty legions on one bit that wouldn't heal and wouldn't regrow fur.
I took her to the vet and he prescribed skin biopsies and scrapes. I had her tested for FiV/FelV at the same time. The results showed an increase in normal skin bacteria and no mites or other nasties.
So we tried Synulox and that didn't work. I paid out for Fuciderm and that seemed to work at clearing the crusty legions except that this morning she proudly scratched bald another spot on her cheek. I've fucidermed it to avoid bacteria etc and she is back on boiled chicken but she'll have to have the collar back on to prevent her scratching anymore.
On top of that, due to post menopausal night sweats I haven't had a decent night's sleep in about three or four weeks and I am supposed to be going on a ride out this morning.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Adventures in a Rover 114 Part IV
Rule No 1: Do not annoy the driver.
Rule No 2: See Rule No 1.
Well, that was fun that ... but better was yet to come.
My swimming companion was a little worried about the car having a problem because we had planned to go to another festival as stewards and we were due to set off on the last Friday in July. She asked whether the car would be fixed and I said I should think it would be but perhaps she might want to check coach and train prices and think about it.
Now it's a long time since I had a Rover and the repair person at my usual garage was off on holiday at the end of the week and had no time to fit the job in. Neighbours recommended another garage so I went down there. They quoted me for the job but said the part would take four working days to get to them, so I booked it in with them to have the water pipe replaced on the Wednesday two days before our departure date.
I let my swimming companion know there would be a delay and that the car would not be in the garage for repair until two days before our departure date. Again she sought reassurance and again I said it was up to her and that she might want to check coach and train journeys and availability. She declined to do that.
Naturally enough, things are never plain sailing. I rang the garage on the Wednesday to be told there had been an error in the order and the part had not arrived. They would reorder but the earliest they could guarantee part arrival was Friday afternoon.
I informed my swimming companion of the delay and that the car would be in the garage by Friday at the earliest but I could not guarantee that it woud be ready to go on Friday at all. Again the topic of her getting a coach or train was discussed. She again declined that option.
Thursday evening I got a text from her and I didn't bother to reply to it. I should have done really because she was seeking reassurance that all would be well. I could have taken the opportunity to make it absolutely plain to her that I couldn't give her the reassurance she sought. At that time I had no idea whether the part would turn up on Friday let alone whether the car would be fixed. There was no reassurance to be had for either of us.
She texted me a number of times on the Friday and I said I would let her know progress, if there was any, as and when it happened.
I started to get very annoyed with her. It wasn't until her sixth text that she actually remembered I existed at all or that I might be feeling some stress over the subject - most of which was being generated by her texts!
Finally the part arrived late Friday afternoon and the car was repaired. I ran around that evening, paying rent to my landlord and getting some tins of food in so that I had something to eat at the festival. I popped round to the landlord's and dropped off the rent and had a good chat, got home about 10.30 pm with a chinese and did some work.
I texted my swimming companion to ask her to consider us running about 24 hours over. I rang her at one point and said I would have everything packed and be round to her about 3pm.
I then got an earful of demands and complaints about the car. So I told her she could get the coach and that I wasn't going. I wasn't prepared to spend five minutes in a car, any car, with her let alone four hours travelling on motorways.
I had simply had enough.
I'm not overly proud of my behaviour ; I'd let things ride until she'd annoyed me enough for me to lose my temper and then lost it right at her - very bad people management; damaged my relationship with her and stayed at home instead of going to a festival, camping out and generally having a good time.
I hope she got there ok.
Rule No 2: See Rule No 1.
Well, that was fun that ... but better was yet to come.
My swimming companion was a little worried about the car having a problem because we had planned to go to another festival as stewards and we were due to set off on the last Friday in July. She asked whether the car would be fixed and I said I should think it would be but perhaps she might want to check coach and train prices and think about it.
Now it's a long time since I had a Rover and the repair person at my usual garage was off on holiday at the end of the week and had no time to fit the job in. Neighbours recommended another garage so I went down there. They quoted me for the job but said the part would take four working days to get to them, so I booked it in with them to have the water pipe replaced on the Wednesday two days before our departure date.
I let my swimming companion know there would be a delay and that the car would not be in the garage for repair until two days before our departure date. Again she sought reassurance and again I said it was up to her and that she might want to check coach and train journeys and availability. She declined to do that.
Naturally enough, things are never plain sailing. I rang the garage on the Wednesday to be told there had been an error in the order and the part had not arrived. They would reorder but the earliest they could guarantee part arrival was Friday afternoon.
I informed my swimming companion of the delay and that the car would be in the garage by Friday at the earliest but I could not guarantee that it woud be ready to go on Friday at all. Again the topic of her getting a coach or train was discussed. She again declined that option.
Thursday evening I got a text from her and I didn't bother to reply to it. I should have done really because she was seeking reassurance that all would be well. I could have taken the opportunity to make it absolutely plain to her that I couldn't give her the reassurance she sought. At that time I had no idea whether the part would turn up on Friday let alone whether the car would be fixed. There was no reassurance to be had for either of us.
She texted me a number of times on the Friday and I said I would let her know progress, if there was any, as and when it happened.
I started to get very annoyed with her. It wasn't until her sixth text that she actually remembered I existed at all or that I might be feeling some stress over the subject - most of which was being generated by her texts!
Finally the part arrived late Friday afternoon and the car was repaired. I ran around that evening, paying rent to my landlord and getting some tins of food in so that I had something to eat at the festival. I popped round to the landlord's and dropped off the rent and had a good chat, got home about 10.30 pm with a chinese and did some work.
I texted my swimming companion to ask her to consider us running about 24 hours over. I rang her at one point and said I would have everything packed and be round to her about 3pm.
I then got an earful of demands and complaints about the car. So I told her she could get the coach and that I wasn't going. I wasn't prepared to spend five minutes in a car, any car, with her let alone four hours travelling on motorways.
I had simply had enough.
I'm not overly proud of my behaviour ; I'd let things ride until she'd annoyed me enough for me to lose my temper and then lost it right at her - very bad people management; damaged my relationship with her and stayed at home instead of going to a festival, camping out and generally having a good time.
I hope she got there ok.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Adventures in a Rover 114 Part III
Having damaged my passenger door we then proceeded to enjoy the rest of the weekend in fine style.
The Guildford festival was it's usual self but we were much aided by the presence of Angie and her car. She has a club foot and so has a ticket which allows her special parking privileges. We exploited this, using her MPV to move us all to and from the festival en masse. On Sunday, Rosie described the Guildford festival as a festival of one hit wonders and we all greed.
Monday morning I drove Tom back to Brighton, looked up a mate that wasn't in and drove up into London in the sweltering 34 degree centigrade heat.
MsP seemed fine and we headed off back up North in the cooler evening temperatures getting home about 1.30 Tuesday morning. Even at night there are traffic jams on the M1.
All well and good and a fortnight to go to the next festival ... or so I thought.
Had a sleep got up and nipped out to book the car in to have the timing belt done and then get a quote or two on the door repair. My usual garage couldn't do the timing belt until the 16th August and the first estimate on the door repair was for £250!!! I decided to nip to Sainsbury's and then get some more quotes after a gym and swim.
I just could not believe when I pulled into a parking bay in Sainsbury's with steam pouring out from the bonnet. I parked the car and got out to look at the expanding pool of rusty boiling water spreading out from the front of the car.
I am a member of the RAC and so I rang them using the store's public phone. It's an 0800 number so you get your money back at the end of the call but you have to have 30p to make that call in the first place.
The RAC came out within about twenty minutes and we discovered it was a water pipe that had corroded. So mercifully at least it was not the radiator itself but simply a metal water pipe that had corroded in one part. The RAC man pulled the hose that fitted over it further on, to cover the hole in the pipe and make the vehicle road worthy again.
I grabbed the cat litter and other sundries I needed from the supermarket and dived off home. Got to the swimming pool late and let my swimming companion know I had a problem with the car.
The Guildford festival was it's usual self but we were much aided by the presence of Angie and her car. She has a club foot and so has a ticket which allows her special parking privileges. We exploited this, using her MPV to move us all to and from the festival en masse. On Sunday, Rosie described the Guildford festival as a festival of one hit wonders and we all greed.
Monday morning I drove Tom back to Brighton, looked up a mate that wasn't in and drove up into London in the sweltering 34 degree centigrade heat.
MsP seemed fine and we headed off back up North in the cooler evening temperatures getting home about 1.30 Tuesday morning. Even at night there are traffic jams on the M1.
All well and good and a fortnight to go to the next festival ... or so I thought.
Had a sleep got up and nipped out to book the car in to have the timing belt done and then get a quote or two on the door repair. My usual garage couldn't do the timing belt until the 16th August and the first estimate on the door repair was for £250!!! I decided to nip to Sainsbury's and then get some more quotes after a gym and swim.
I just could not believe when I pulled into a parking bay in Sainsbury's with steam pouring out from the bonnet. I parked the car and got out to look at the expanding pool of rusty boiling water spreading out from the front of the car.
I am a member of the RAC and so I rang them using the store's public phone. It's an 0800 number so you get your money back at the end of the call but you have to have 30p to make that call in the first place.
The RAC came out within about twenty minutes and we discovered it was a water pipe that had corroded. So mercifully at least it was not the radiator itself but simply a metal water pipe that had corroded in one part. The RAC man pulled the hose that fitted over it further on, to cover the hole in the pipe and make the vehicle road worthy again.
I grabbed the cat litter and other sundries I needed from the supermarket and dived off home. Got to the swimming pool late and let my swimming companion know I had a problem with the car.
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