When I went down to Level 4 to park a shopping trolley in the pickup area I noticed that the padlock was missing from my storeroom and on closer inspection I found that the padlock guard had been wrenched out of shape so that there was no possibility of just replacing the padlock and I have called in a locksmith to replace the bolt and the padlock. I have also reported the break-in to the Building Manager who is coming to have a look tomorrow and will liase with the shopping Centre security to see if anything shows up on the CCTV as there are security cameras everywhere and this happened in a secure area, only accessed with a fob.
It is obvious that what was in the storeroom was inspected but, except for my bike which has very flat tyres and is dusty, nothing was worth taking - not obvious with the cursory inspection which I gave the room, anyway. The Party Boys held an all-night party the night before last and it is easy to suspect them - possibly unfairly - but it IS a secure area and I can't imagine any of the residents suddenly taking it into his head to break in to one of the store-rooms.
I have been busy for the last few weeks. I had my eyes tested and for the first time ever my eyes have not changed, my retinas are still intact and there is no sign of cataracts. I have had a new sleeping splint made for my teeth and I am due to have it checked for fit and comfort the day after tomorrow. I have had my flu vaccination and Himself and I are back teaching at COTA in the new premises in Victoria Park where we have much more space to move around but so far no internet connection to COTA's system and the system we have to use as 'visitors' keeps on cutting out. I sometimes think that maybe I should invest in a dongle again but it would get very little use and is hardly worth the bother.
Techie had to come and fix my Win 8 laptop because I managed to do something wrong and every time I tried to fix it I made the problem worse. Anyway, it is up and running again but Techie has installed Classic Shell which I don't like much but it is probably what any Win 8 clients will have. I can still work it from the Tiles and I still have two unadulterated Win 8.1 tablets to play around with.
The babies are well, sleek and shiny and if they start to get antsy I turn on the pheromone diffuser. And I am spinning and knitting with two spinning projects on the go and three knitting ones. But the latest parcel of fibre from USA was returned to sender because the sender had neglected to put my apartment number in the address and the courier didn't have the nous to drop it off at the Post Office. It will be returned to me or replaced with the next instalment of the fibre club of which it was the first instalment of three.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Signature Success
Finally, finally ... I have managed to insert linked signatures into my Surface Pro 3 mail. I have spent many hours trying, convinced that there MUST be a way if only I could find it. Microsoft was no help (as usual) and eventually I fell back onto my computer mantra, "When all else fails try the right button" and it brought up a whole new array of options, one of which was "set hyperlink".
I had the stitches removed from my back last Tuesday and yesterday I removed the dressing, not without some trepidation as I can't see it at all and just had to hope that everything was in order. So far it has itched a bit but seems to be holding together well and I will resume my daily yoga practise on Monday. I have been doing some stretches because I have been spending a great deal of time spinning and knitting and felt the need to stretch out at the end of the day.
I went to my Knitting Club which is held on the first Tuesday of every month and discovered that, of the five of us, three are or used to be spinners. Amazing. Anyway, I read on the Medscape site today that people who do craft work can delay the onset of dementia. Exercise and keeping a healthy weight are also helpful. Now that the weather is turning cooler I will start walking up the fire escape every day as well as my yoga.
The cats are well. Parsifal has been peeing pure ammonia and I was concerned but I stopped feeding him dried green-lipped mussels (mainly because they are expensive and so easily crushed that I have been throwing about half the packet away) and things have improved markedly - hardly a whiff any more which is a change from having my eyes water whenever I scooped out the litter.
I had the stitches removed from my back last Tuesday and yesterday I removed the dressing, not without some trepidation as I can't see it at all and just had to hope that everything was in order. So far it has itched a bit but seems to be holding together well and I will resume my daily yoga practise on Monday. I have been doing some stretches because I have been spending a great deal of time spinning and knitting and felt the need to stretch out at the end of the day.
I went to my Knitting Club which is held on the first Tuesday of every month and discovered that, of the five of us, three are or used to be spinners. Amazing. Anyway, I read on the Medscape site today that people who do craft work can delay the onset of dementia. Exercise and keeping a healthy weight are also helpful. Now that the weather is turning cooler I will start walking up the fire escape every day as well as my yoga.
The cats are well. Parsifal has been peeing pure ammonia and I was concerned but I stopped feeding him dried green-lipped mussels (mainly because they are expensive and so easily crushed that I have been throwing about half the packet away) and things have improved markedly - hardly a whiff any more which is a change from having my eyes water whenever I scooped out the litter.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Out Damned Spot Revisited
The mole which I had removed turned out to be a melanoma 'in situ' which means that it was caught at a very early stage before it had penetrated the skin. I was very lucky but the pathologist recommended that some more tissue should be removed just in case. So yesterday I went back and had my nicely healed incision cut out and a bigger, wider one made. I am now back to square one with eight stitches instead of the original six and another two weeks of bandaged back. And it itches and is more uncomfortable. I should be grateful that the melanoma is all gone and here I am complaining about a little discomfort.
It was a glorious morning this morning so I loaded the cats into the Kitty Carriage and took them down to the park. Poppy elected to watch from the safety the Kitty Carriage but Parsifal climbed out and had a sniff around and chewed on some grass. There was a flock of white cockatoos eating the grass and they were so unafraid that we were able to walk right through them and they only took flight at the very last minute which was great fun for the cats.
Then we dropped into Zoo where Parsifal explored the cat furniture and had a cuddle with Roz. Once again, Poppy stayed in her safe place - but that was OK.
I have started spinning the first of my four braids of Polwarth 'Watercolor' for another vest. The vest which I am currently knitting from the Rhinebeck/Metro Brown yarn is going to be too big but that just means that it will be loose and I can wear more clothes underneath. I will knit the Watercolor a size smaller. I had not taken into account the fact that I have lost eleven kilos and have gone down a dress size.
It was a glorious morning this morning so I loaded the cats into the Kitty Carriage and took them down to the park. Poppy elected to watch from the safety the Kitty Carriage but Parsifal climbed out and had a sniff around and chewed on some grass. There was a flock of white cockatoos eating the grass and they were so unafraid that we were able to walk right through them and they only took flight at the very last minute which was great fun for the cats.
Then we dropped into Zoo where Parsifal explored the cat furniture and had a cuddle with Roz. Once again, Poppy stayed in her safe place - but that was OK.
I have started spinning the first of my four braids of Polwarth 'Watercolor' for another vest. The vest which I am currently knitting from the Rhinebeck/Metro Brown yarn is going to be too big but that just means that it will be loose and I can wear more clothes underneath. I will knit the Watercolor a size smaller. I had not taken into account the fact that I have lost eleven kilos and have gone down a dress size.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Out Damned Spot!
Last week my doctor examined my skin for nasties and lit on a mole on my back which I could only see with the aid of three mirrors. Although it was not black it showed irregular borders and she decided that it needed to come out.
Yesterday I saw another doctor in the practice who does minor surgery and she removed the offending spot. We are now awaiting the pathology to ascertain if it is a melanoma or not and we go from there. In the meanwhile, I have stitches in my back and a waterproof dressing and will be having baths for the next few nights. The dressings and stitches are supposed to remain in for two weeks and I have an appointment next Wednesday morning to have the dressing changed. That needs a doctor to instruct the nurse and since my own GP will be away next week the one who did the surgery will have to preside. I presume that the same process will have to take place when the stitches come out. (memo to self: Make appointment to see my own GP the week after next.)
I now know how Poppy was feeling after her lump was removed; it itches and hurts on and off - the itching more on than off. Her incision has almost healed now and she is a happy little cat again and Parsifal has mostly stopped annoying her. Maybe he was only trying to help her and she mis-interpreted his intentions.
I spent yesterday uploading MS Office for School & Home on my new Surface Pro 3 - it took all afternoon (I kept getting the message "You have a slow connection; this may take some time.) - and I have spent the morning downloading MS Office Picture Manager which is not in the latest MS Office Suite but so many people have asked for it back that there are instructions on the internet. I am finally getting my Surface Pro 3 set up but it is fiddly and I hate the mail although I am starting to find out how it works. At least is seems to have loaded my contacts list, although it may only be my yahoo one. I guess that will sort itself out eventually. The folders do not seem to have come with the rest so that will be the next fun job. I guess that it is a good way to keep my brain from atrophying.
Yesterday I saw another doctor in the practice who does minor surgery and she removed the offending spot. We are now awaiting the pathology to ascertain if it is a melanoma or not and we go from there. In the meanwhile, I have stitches in my back and a waterproof dressing and will be having baths for the next few nights. The dressings and stitches are supposed to remain in for two weeks and I have an appointment next Wednesday morning to have the dressing changed. That needs a doctor to instruct the nurse and since my own GP will be away next week the one who did the surgery will have to preside. I presume that the same process will have to take place when the stitches come out. (memo to self: Make appointment to see my own GP the week after next.)
I now know how Poppy was feeling after her lump was removed; it itches and hurts on and off - the itching more on than off. Her incision has almost healed now and she is a happy little cat again and Parsifal has mostly stopped annoying her. Maybe he was only trying to help her and she mis-interpreted his intentions.
I spent yesterday uploading MS Office for School & Home on my new Surface Pro 3 - it took all afternoon (I kept getting the message "You have a slow connection; this may take some time.) - and I have spent the morning downloading MS Office Picture Manager which is not in the latest MS Office Suite but so many people have asked for it back that there are instructions on the internet. I am finally getting my Surface Pro 3 set up but it is fiddly and I hate the mail although I am starting to find out how it works. At least is seems to have loaded my contacts list, although it may only be my yahoo one. I guess that will sort itself out eventually. The folders do not seem to have come with the rest so that will be the next fun job. I guess that it is a good way to keep my brain from atrophying.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Bells and Whistles III
Surprise! Yesterday my intercom was working again but the first and only call which came through was from a woman looking for 601 so I can only hope that the powers that be have got their wiring correct. When the building was first open, people trying to contact 511 were connected to 602 and since it was The Party Boys who lived in 511 and their parties often started at 2.00am it was no fun for the occupant of 602 who was constantly being woken at all hours of the night and into the early morning.
I had my skin checked yesterday and there is a naevus which has to come off. It is right in the middle of my back where I can't see it so I have to take my doctors word for it that it is better off than on. It is being removed on Monday so my yoga may have to be suspended for a short while. My doctor is the third person who has suggested that I might have psoriasis so I am beginning to think that maybe I actually do have it and that is the reason that I itch.
I have finished spinning the Rhinebeck/Metro Brown yarn and am already some way to knitting up the front of the vest I am making with it. It is not my colours but is rather nice.
I have sourced a site which dyes and sells solid colours so I will be able to do more of the matched plying but first I need to get on and spin up some of the fibre I have stashed. Or perhaps I could start matching up the colourways I already have with solids.
I had my skin checked yesterday and there is a naevus which has to come off. It is right in the middle of my back where I can't see it so I have to take my doctors word for it that it is better off than on. It is being removed on Monday so my yoga may have to be suspended for a short while. My doctor is the third person who has suggested that I might have psoriasis so I am beginning to think that maybe I actually do have it and that is the reason that I itch.
I have finished spinning the Rhinebeck/Metro Brown yarn and am already some way to knitting up the front of the vest I am making with it. It is not my colours but is rather nice.
I have sourced a site which dyes and sells solid colours so I will be able to do more of the matched plying but first I need to get on and spin up some of the fibre I have stashed. Or perhaps I could start matching up the colourways I already have with solids.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Bells and whistles II
On Saturday night (7th March) I decided to try appealing to a higher authority regarding the intercom system - or the non-intercom system as it is now - and posted a complaint on the "Our Community" forum. This morning I received a phone call from someone there. She has obviously contacted and spoken to the person responsible for getting things fixed. He said that he only found out about it last Friday 6th March when things "blew up" and he was going to have to get technicians in to fix the problem; that it might be a big job and take a while to fix.
Hmmm - at least something is going to be done now but I am very angry that my
phone calls to report the failure of the intercom were either forgotten or brushed aside as some kind of hysterical fantasy on my part.
I cut the kittens' fingernails this morning, having deemed Poppy sufficiently recovered to cope but, as usual, she took great umbrage and bit me on the thumb. I have had her right leg checked out by a vet and no problem was found so I can't understand her. I can only think that at some stage before I got her someone cut too close to the quick and she has never forgotten. She was getting quite good about it but we are obviously going to have to start all over again.
I plied the last of the Rhinebeck/Metro Brown spinning this morning and will skein it tomorrow. Then it is back to the Jewel - but only two braids left to do. There is a new 'Discworld' site on Ravelry.com and various dyers have been asked to produce two colourways depicting characters from the Discworld Series. I don't need it but there is an absolutely beautiful merino/silk colourway called 'Quoth', all in iridescent raven-coloured fibre; I have ordered six braids, enough for a jacket or sweater. It will probably not arrive until May but I am not short of fibre to spin so I am happy to wait.
Hmmm - at least something is going to be done now but I am very angry that my
phone calls to report the failure of the intercom were either forgotten or brushed aside as some kind of hysterical fantasy on my part.
I cut the kittens' fingernails this morning, having deemed Poppy sufficiently recovered to cope but, as usual, she took great umbrage and bit me on the thumb. I have had her right leg checked out by a vet and no problem was found so I can't understand her. I can only think that at some stage before I got her someone cut too close to the quick and she has never forgotten. She was getting quite good about it but we are obviously going to have to start all over again.
I plied the last of the Rhinebeck/Metro Brown spinning this morning and will skein it tomorrow. Then it is back to the Jewel - but only two braids left to do. There is a new 'Discworld' site on Ravelry.com and various dyers have been asked to produce two colourways depicting characters from the Discworld Series. I don't need it but there is an absolutely beautiful merino/silk colourway called 'Quoth', all in iridescent raven-coloured fibre; I have ordered six braids, enough for a jacket or sweater. It will probably not arrive until May but I am not short of fibre to spin so I am happy to wait.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Bells and Whistles
My apartment intercom has been down for the last eight days and the only people who can get into my apartment are the ones who know my telephone number and can phone up to say that they are unable to attract my attention in any other way. I have reported it twice; last Thursday and again yesterday when I found that one of the other apartment residents also has a non-functioning intercom, leading me to suspect that the whole complex is affected. The problem is that unless people are familiar with the working s of the intercom any visitors probably think that we are away from home.
At this juncture I am happy to report that I have two happy cats. I am not sure if it is the result of the Happy Gas and the Happy Chicken-and Duck soothing treats which they eat in the mornings. The instructions for these are rather amusing:-
"DIRECTIONS FOR USE:
To provide optimal emotional balance for your pet, administer the daily dose of delicious Tranquil Treats as directed.
CAT WEIGHT - All sizes: 8 daily
Poppy is still not eating as much as she used to but she has a way to go before she could be considered thin, let alone starved, so I am not that fussed, her incision is almost healed and she and Parsifal once again curl up together to sleep and I wake up in the mornings with him in bed with me and her curled up against me on top of the bedclothes.
Yesterday I attended the inaugural session of the local library's Knitting Club. It was a fun couple of hours with four other participants. I felt a bit guilty as they were all knitting for charity and I was knitting myself a vest. We will be meeting on the first Tuesday of every month and tea and coffee are provided towards the end of the session. On the strength of nothing in particular I have just ordered nine braids of fibre on the theory that one must grab it while one can as not all colourways are available all the time. . . . and the last lot I ordered still has not arrived but it usually takes about four weeks to get here so I am not about to start panicking yet. D3 says that her orders are here in about six days which I find hard to believe since it takes longer than that for a parcel to come from over east.
At this juncture I am happy to report that I have two happy cats. I am not sure if it is the result of the Happy Gas and the Happy Chicken-and Duck soothing treats which they eat in the mornings. The instructions for these are rather amusing:-
"DIRECTIONS FOR USE:
To provide optimal emotional balance for your pet, administer the daily dose of delicious Tranquil Treats as directed.
CAT WEIGHT - All sizes: 8 daily
Poppy is still not eating as much as she used to but she has a way to go before she could be considered thin, let alone starved, so I am not that fussed, her incision is almost healed and she and Parsifal once again curl up together to sleep and I wake up in the mornings with him in bed with me and her curled up against me on top of the bedclothes.
Yesterday I attended the inaugural session of the local library's Knitting Club. It was a fun couple of hours with four other participants. I felt a bit guilty as they were all knitting for charity and I was knitting myself a vest. We will be meeting on the first Tuesday of every month and tea and coffee are provided towards the end of the session. On the strength of nothing in particular I have just ordered nine braids of fibre on the theory that one must grab it while one can as not all colourways are available all the time. . . . and the last lot I ordered still has not arrived but it usually takes about four weeks to get here so I am not about to start panicking yet. D3 says that her orders are here in about six days which I find hard to believe since it takes longer than that for a parcel to come from over east.
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