Events this month have all been overshadowed by what is happening in Israel and Gaza. I won’t comment on the rights & wrongs of the situation but the barbarity of the original Hamas attack, and the implacable severity of the Israeli response, are both shocking. With the eyes of the World’s media fixed firmly on the Middle East, we should not forget the continuing war in the Ukraine, nor the suffering elsewhere following the earthquake in Morocco and the catastrophic flooding in Libya.
In last month’s blog I wrote that Nottingham remained untouched by this year’s exceptional global weather, but then October brought Storm Babet. Nottinghamshire was quite badly affected by flooding, including some villages just 2 or 3 miles away, close to the River Trent. We live on a hill, so were safe, but the ‘pond’ that sometimes forms during very heavy rain at a low point in our lawn, extended much, much further this time, actually linking up with our permanent pond. Doreen was worried that our fish might leave the pond and become stranded, but the water was never deep enough. I am happy to report that both fish are safe and well!
In August last year (blog no.56), I wrote about the frustration of itching, but being unable to scratch. The problem has worsened with time. My scalp and beard are the main culprits although I have a few other ‘itchy hotspots’. My GP recommended a different shampoo, which worked for a while. The itching is worst in bed at night so I now have my hair washed daily, just before bedtime, alternating shampoos. This month, daily antihistamine tablets, and honey-cream for the hotspots, have been prescribed, adding to my ever-growing list of medication. They seem to be working. I hope it lasts.
We did receive an unexpected visit this month from a District Nurse. She came to measure me up for compression stockings; but I have had them for 2-3 years, ever since I became restricted to a wheelchair, unable to walk. “That’s it, then.” she said. “You should change them every two years”.
“Two years!” I replied, aghast, “I change mine every two days!!”
I anticipated being regally entertained this month by the Rugby and Cricket World Cups, running concurrently. There were several really close and exciting rugby games, with South Africa winning the final by just 1 point. The cricket hasn’t matched it, with England, sadly, being comprehensively beaten in 5 of their first 6 games. Only a miracle will save them from ignominy! Our daughter, Fiona, as a Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages has, on occasion, to ‘marry’ or register the baby of a sports celebrity. She has absolutely no interest in sport so rarely recognises them, only to be told by colleagues after the event that her last client was famous. A recent example of this reminded me of when, 12 years ago, I was first invited to the local BMW dealer’s customer golf day. I knew no-one else there so, when they read out our names and start tees, I only listened for mine. When I met my three playing partners, we introduced ourselves by first name and we were off. Walking down the fairway with an athletic-looking man around 40, who I thought was called Peter, we began to chat. He told me he’d been a pro footballer so I asked his surname. “Anderson” he replied. The name ‘Peter Anderson’ rang no bells but, on the next tee, the other two began to question him about his time as a player, calling him ‘Darren’. I realised I had mixed up the first names and misheard his surname. He was the former Spurs and England footballer, Darren Anderton. Nobody told me this golf event always included several sports personalities. I did then recall, when the teams were announced earlier, hearing the name Glenn Hoddle and thinking, “Gosh, that must be difficult: Having the same name as a former England team manager!!”