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Bob's Blog Page 53

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You are reading Page 53 of Bob's Blog/diary/dream/story/journey/novelistic memoir.

He is 85 years old and counting.

He is also very much aware that this blog is of no significance whatsoever -

at the time of writing!

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Tuesday 1st October 2024.

Dear Angels,

Back in 1950 I was 11 years old and it was my first year in Cobham Secondary School in Cedar Road.  Living in Oxshott we were bussed into Cobham by Ben Stanley's Coaches which often smelt of vomit, a great start to the day.

 

The coach journey took us into Cobham past the dentist in Leigh Place where you were gassed to sleep, past the changing huts and diving board at the OMTYT (oozing mud through your toes) River Mole swimming facilities,  past the Old Mill jutting out into the road allowing only single lane traffic, past The Bear which was hidden behind stinky great tar clad timber warehouses, into the High Street, past The Fox and Hounds, Penny's the Ironmongers where I earnt my first penny organising the paint pots, past Soan's Garage, Farrants, Shortlands Shoes, The Gas Showrooms, Woolworths the Fishmongers and many other Banks, Barbers and businesses not forgetting Cobham Ironmongery.

 

I never liked school but looking back Mr Uden's woodwork class was probably the least nauseating.  The woodwork workshop was across the playground where the girls used to play netball, next to the domestic science block where the girls learnt to cook!  Amongst the girls were Daisy, Dinky, twins Joy and Leila, Anne, Hazel, Bryony, Audrey, Maureen, Tessa, Sheila and Joy.  They all wore baggy blue bloomers for netball!

The outside toilets open to the sky were in the other corner of the playground.

 

Mr Down the headmaster used to think nothing of rapping you over the knuckles or your backside with his cane for committing the slightest misdemeanour.

In Mr Uden's class I learnt how to use a tenon saw, a chisel, a set square, a block plane, a vice, a brace and bit, a ruler and melt glue with the Bunsen burner.  The aroma of melted resin glue is with me now. 

I learnt to do a halving joint, a dovetail joint and a mortice and tenon joint.  Amongst the useful things I made was a roller towel holder, a sturdy stool and a table lamp.  The table lamp was a beautifully balanced design in hardwood with a delicate chisel pattern down the stem finished in a rich mahogany stain and a green baize base.  It graced my bedroom as a 'Good Companion' with a warm glow for the next 74 years. 

Little did I know then that 74 years later it would be gracing my laptop as a 'Good Companion' watching me blogging to the world.

 

The Oxshott Village Sign Mug and Mouse Mat are purely coincidental!

Love you lots,

Bob.

good companion.jpg
good table lamp.jpg

The 'Good Companion'.

Wednesday 2nd October 2024.

​Hope you had a nice day, or better a great day.  It's radiator and respite day today.

Thursday 3rd October 2024.

The removal of the radiator to make way for the stairlift revealed a fascinating history of wallpaper.  The house was built in the early 1930's and we moved in in the early 1970's.  The wispy, delicate 1930's design is dreamy don't you think?  The 1970's design classic, the 1990's garish and the recent off-white emulsion surprisingly matches the background of the 1930's.  Quite remarkable, if only we could travel back in time, but we can't, can we?  Apart from that the Earth moved yesterday but more will be revealed in good time.

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wallpaper 2.jpg

Friday 4th October 2024.

 

Actually 1990's should read 1970's and vice-versa but it doesn't matter any more as all plans are on hold until Marcia comes out of St Peter's Hospital.  Cracked her hip when the Earth moved yesterday.  Jacob and Jim carried her off in their ambulance full of morphine.  Not the thing to blog about but she now needs her Angels more than ever.

Saturday 5th October 2024.

Actually the 1930's wallpaper should read the 1950's wallpaper but your favourite blogger can't be bothered to change it, well he could but it's too complicated to explain, mainly because his brain stopped working in the late '50's.  Coping with this web platform which offers 'unlimited' space for blogging is enough for him to cope with at the moment.  The Mickey Mouse 'analytics' it offers enables him to know where his readers are but not a clue who you are so you can relax.  Except Paul currently in Edinburgh that is!  Thanks Paul hope things work out for you soon.

Let me explain where we are with 'Horizontal Gravity' (yawn) at the moment.  It's a force that seems to have been discovered by yours truly but he doesn't know what to do with it and neither does anybody else it seems.  I reckon it could power a billion flywheels that would keep the lights on for ever and a day but the academics can't grasp 1950's thinking so there you are.

 

More importantly my one winged bird, now in hospital with a broken hip as well as the after effects of a disabling stroke was surprisingly chirpy yesterday.  Her 'Angels' must be working overtime.

Meanwhile your favourite blogger has time to think about dusting, hoovering, washing, cleaning, cooking, gardening, decorating and gravitating horizontally, but only thinking!

Sunday 6th October 2024.

Another trip to St Peter's yesterday found the patient p*****d off with her situation but with a certain determination to visit Polesden Lacey before Christmas.  Meanwhile her Primary Carer has time to dream, to think, 'to do the things he wants to do' and to read his own blog, which is the only reason he wrote it in the first place.  He found himself reading Page 32 which recalls a very sad visit to Polesden Lacey as it happens but also Page 33 and Page 34 which find him in a very creative poetic mood.

Monday 7th October 2024.

Dearest Angels,

You'll forgive me for blogging about something that perhaps shouldn't be blogged about but I find it helpful therapy and perhaps you would as well.  Another visit to our one-winged bird Marcia at midday yesterday found her in extreme discomfort from the after effects of the stroke, the after effects of the ironmongery inserted into her fractured hip and probably the after effects of the anaesthetic and morphine as well.  Understandably she didn't want to be here.  

Patricia, bless her, in the next bed (it's a  two person poky ward) said 'give her a poke, she'll wake up' in her loud cockney voice.  For half an hour she didn't move.  Back in this blog on a number of occasions I've been told I've got healing hands which I put into action yesterday, I felt your energy.  Lunch arrived on her over bed table, she opened her eyes took a sip of water, a few scraps of chicken, potatoes and sweet corn and all the plum pudding and custard (leaving none for me!) and proceeded to chat almost normally.  There is of course a long way to go but thanks for your 'energy', I'm tempted to call it 'Horizontal Energy' but I wont.

 

Out of the blue one of our oldest buddies Naomi, who we met in Seattle in '68, called to say 'Hi' and sends her best, she's 85 today so happy birthday Naomi.  As it happens I'm 85 and three quarters today!

Loadsa love

Bob.

IMG_0327

Marcia, Naomi and Julia in the Spring of '69 with Mount Rainier towering behind. 

Tuesday 8th October 2024.

Yesterday, apart from dreaming about The Pacific Northwest, we're allowed to dream aren't we?  I had a chat with another Robert from Limerick University.  It would seem that it is only Roberts who are interested in 'Horizontal Gravity', anyway, there's a power station called Moneypoint out in the west of Ireland with 'the largest flywheel in the world' installed to help balance the grid.  I'm not expecting the conversation to lead anywhere but we are allowed to dream aren't we?

 

Another hospital visit today is planned, I shall be taking along a jar of 'Waitrose Horizontal Energy' for our patient.  Actually it's Rice Milk, not sure how they milk rice but there you go.

Wednesday 9th October 2024.

Another roller coaster day of hope and despair for our one winged bird with a broken hip.  Hope because she had been moved into a light and airy 3 lady ward, full of light, full of optimism, views of the sky, the trees, the clouds and the rain.  Hope because the banter between the old ladies was uplifting and at times inappropriate!  Hope because the lovely, lively Physio's Zoe and Nicola had her out of bed, hobbling on her frame and were more than pleased with her progress.  Hope because the doctor declared her medically discharged and hope because there was talk of discharge into a local re-hab unit.

 

And then despair.  Despair because without warning late yesterday she was moved into another ward deep in the bowels of the hospital, no daylight, no views, belongings scattered, favourite dressing gown swept up with the laundry never to be seen again, items tucked away in the fridge lost and, of course, a bunch of new neighbours.

 

Yours truly will be trying to find a parking space again today to see what's going on.  At least it's free parking for Blue Badge Holders but not sure if you need the holder with you!

Not that it's in any way relevant but Nick from The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has recommended I contact Supergen ORE.  They are consortium of Professors of Offshore Energy who have all previously ignored my proposal but there you go.

Thursday 10th October 2024.

Faith in human nature returned to stinky Heron Ward yesterday.  All staff were exceptionally caring and apologetic for what had happened and went out of their way to make our patient comfortable.  Even the cherished dressing gown was found hiding in the cupboard.  Marcia responded with a brave acceptance of her situation knowing that Heron Ward was a transit ward but transit to where and when remains a mystery.

 

A vision appeared at the end of the bed with a thick Yorkshire accent (with a touch of Lancastrian, probably from Tod') with a leather bag hanging round his neck.  He proceeded to engage in conversation.   He enquired as to my sun damaged skin and my sailing days.  At which point he rummaged in his bag, pulled out a version of Psalm 23 and said goodbye.  It was only then that I spotted his white clerical collar.

 

I don't currently go to Church but I did in 1950. 

113.jpeg

Innocent Angels. St Andrew's Oxshott 

This is his version of Psalm 23.

The Lord is my Pilot; I shall not drift.

He guides me across dark waters.

He steers me in deep channels.

He keeps my log.

He pilots me by the star of holiness for His name's sake.

Yea, though I sail mid the tenders and tempests of life

I shall dread no danger for He is near me.

He prepares a harbour before me in the homeland of eternity.

He anoints the waves with oil, my ship rides calmly.

Surely sunlight and starlight shall favour me on my voyages

And I will rest in the port of our Lord forever.

​An omen?  Or an Amen?

Friday 11th October 2024.

​​

And if you don't believe me -

prayer.jpg

Our patient has been moved yet again and is zombified.  The 'transit' ward seems to mean patients are 'transited' from one part of the ward to another on a regular basis.  We can but hope.

PS.  The University of Manchester have invited me to a TEAMS meeting to discuss the way forward for 'Horizontal Gravity'.  We can but hope.

Saturday 12th October 2024.

Hi Angels,

Marcia thanks you for your 'energy' which definitely helps, I can see the effects.  I know you have your own problems to deal with but if you have any spare 'energy' she has now been told that she has a cracked vertebrae as well.  Despite all this she is in a calm and very accepting mood, mostly.  Her new location does have positives, a very caring team and plenty of passers by who she responds to and she gets on well with.  I collected a few brownie points yesterday by getting East Enders up on the iPad.  Phew!

I would prefer you to keep this to yourself, Fairoaks Airfield is just down the road from the hospital!  It's only £205 per hour!  It was only £7 per hour in 1965.

Loadsa love,

Bob.

Sunday 13th October 2024.

Lovely story.  A couple of months ago I took Marcia in the wheelchair to the local library.  We were looking for a DVD called 'The Jewel in the Crown', one of her favourites.  They don't do DVD's anymore but a lovely lady overhead the conversation and said her father had recently died and she'd check his collection which she wanted rid of.  Yesterday, I went into the library to order a book called 'The Lost Gardens off Heligan' by Sir Tim Smit, the librarian recognised me and produced an unopened DVD of 'The Jewel in the Crown' donated by the lovely lady.  How lovely was that?

Why did I order 'The Lost Gardens of Heligan' by Sir Tim Smit?  Because he was the force behind
The Lost Gardens of Heligan and The Eden Project.  I heard him recently being interviewed and he encouraged us to think BIG and follow our dreams.

Cliff, 'The Lost Gardens of No 48' could be a best seller!

Monday 14th October 2024.

Angels were again on duty yesterday to help our one winged bird through another MRI scan.  She so hates MRI scans but bravely accepted her situation and came out of it in surprisingly good spirits, probably due to the hot brunch delivered by yours truly from the kitchen at 'Stones Throw'!  

 

You're probably cheesed off with scrolling so this is the last of Page 53.  Thanks for reading and hopefully Page 54 will bring some more good news.  There will definitely be news!

Bob's Blog Page 53

         Page 52                        Page 54          

You are reading Page 53 of Bob's Blog/diary/dream/story/journey/novelistic memoir.

He is 85 years old and counting.

He is also very much aware that this blog is of no significance whatsoever -

at the time of writing!

HOME PAGE

ABOUT and BLOG INDEX

    CONTACT

TIDAL STREAM ENERGY

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