Thursday 17th October 2024.

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The lovely Gemma from The University of Manchester said that she would be happy to 'collaborate' provided I can get some funding from somewhere.  She suggested I put the potty, sorry, amazing idea forward for another competition so I'd better get on with it.

Meanwhile Bob's Mrs, despite her disabilities and hospital dinners is quite chirpy.  There is a possibility that she will be allowed home and we can get the stairlift in after all.  

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She thanks all her Angels for the vibes.  I celebrated by edging the crazy paved paths laid down in the stone age with grandfathers half moon edging tool, very therapeutic, and a Guinness of course!

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Friday 18th October 2024.

Being made to languish in a ward with zero nutritious meals, zero windows, zero fresh air, zero views, zero bird song, zero countryside aromas and zero tactile animal encounters is difficult don't you think?  Especially when you are beginning to feel just the slightest bit better. 

This is the current situation of our one-winged bird and it seems that there is nothing that can be done to change her situation.  Her previous experience in hospital for 6 weeks in Epsom stands her in good stead but in Epsom she had windows, fresh air and views of trees waving and dancing in the breeze.

For visitors the location of St Peter's is also extremely challenging at the best of times.  Public transport options are zero unless you take your tent and overnight bag, parking, despite a multi tier car park, is mostly impossible and traffic with irate drivers on the verge of self detonation cramming every square yard of available road space for miles around is beyond description.  The Duster also finds it extremely challenging as she has a tendency to dislike being made to change gear every 3 seconds.  Gear graunching is unavoidable in these situations, sorry Ivan.  Not my fault!

You could say the M25 is virtually door to door but getting on it and off it at Junction 10 at the moment takes forever.

Thankyou for listening. 

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Saturday 19th October 2024.

What a difference a day makes.  Plenty of parking space at the hospital, very little traffic going and even less coming back, probably because I chose the long familiar country lane route back past The Ottershaw Harvester (now The Miller and Carter),  The Seven Stars, The Ship Ripley, The Talbot, The Hautboy Ockham (long since closed, sadly), The Black Swan (affectionately known locally as The Mucky Duck) and The Plough at Downside (scene of many a affectionately remembered raucous occasions!) but needless to say I persuaded the Duster not to stop at any of them.  Honest!

Meanwhile back in Heron Ward Marcia still needs her Angels to help her with the pain and discomfort rather than the morphine and diazepam.  She enjoys the wholesome gluten free food and drinks supplied by her Favourite Angel but sometimes he still doesn't come up to scratch!  He is inclined to forget repeated instructions and requests!  But he tries.

The following will be accompanying an application for Government funding for you know what.   

I would like to point out that, apart from The University of Manchester, despite many attempts to engage those Universities and Organisations with testing tanks and expertise in this area, my attempts have not been successful.  This leads me to conclude that they fail to understand the concept or they have written me off as an eccentric or this proposal is indeed 'game changing' and would revolutionise Offshore Energy Generation making all current methods of offshore energy production, including offshore wind farms, redundant.  

A little bird told me it was somebody's birthday on September 13th, a bit late but better late than never?​​