Thursday Jabs

 

 

I received a letter a while back informing me of the latest jab for old people those in their prime.  I laid it aside as you do.  Then there came an email with the same offer.  Then, having ignored the previous mailings I received another letter and email.  I looked into this jab business, being caring about such things.  I went through the Booking procedure, then looked for a nearby jab centre.  Horrified I found there was one in a town 6 miles south, and one in a town 6 miles north!  Our town, the biggest and most important had only a visiting bus and that on a Sunday way down at the 'Braintree Village Shopping Centre.'

I chucked it.  

Later, much later, speaking to the wise elders at the village gate, I was instructed to seek further, as pharmacies were doing this also.  More letters ordering old prime people to the jab house arrived.  This time I obeyed and searched for Pharmacies local.  One up the road, of which I am not keen, was very busy, so I searched for a better place.  I found the place I got the last jab was free, booked myself in, and today I wandered in the rain down to their place, pressed the button on the locked door, grunted in the intercom (why have this if she did not know who was there), entered without being asked what I wanted, was greeted by a young woman, gave my age, received disbelieving looks, told the truth, and was taken through to the nurse.  This delightful black nurse, full of life and thoroughly enjoying stabbing people she said, jabbed me for the Pfitzner and then the Flu jab.  

In spite of warnings I have felt no noticeable difference since then.  There again, as I am always suffering the things they say occur after a jab I am unlikely to notice anyway.  So I am satisfied with the operation.  So simple in spite of what others go through, and not just because of Covid.  I have a friend who's mother is dying, possibly before Christmas.  His wife's mother may have gone before then, a cousin has terminal sickness also, a brother seriously depressed, and his church has several who may not last 6 months.  Another long time friend has just begun dialysis.  

I am grateful for my limited health problems.

That said, I have been knackered all week.  I took too much out of myself over the weekend and have not stopped long enough since.  At least tomorrow means nothing more than a walk, if I feel like it, to Sainburys.  Then it is sort out the Xmas stuff that has been left all week.  Time to pack and send off I say, before another post strike and before I run out of cash.  Then I plan the online gifts and sort the cards which are ready and waiting.

Good job I got a warning of a 10% rise in my pension.

The Chancellor announced his budget today, I did not bother to listen, already it has been torn apart, or praised to the heights.  As usual after a budget.  The very rich, such as Hunt and Sunak and his wife, are not paying much more, and the banks have saved money in a small move, hidden under everything else.

I am too tired to care tonight.   All will be well.

 

Another Flu Jab

Those fun-filled-frolickers who forecast the weather have delighted us by threatening snow for the morrow!  This appears to be funny in their eyes.  Now while snow can offer decent photographs it comes with other disadvantages, cold for a start slippy for another, dangerous for roads, old people, and me!  Brats throw snowballs at you, people spend their time grumbling about snow,(and I hate that) and buses and railways grind to a halt.  Cars that are driven are either slow or driven by untrained jet pilots with a death wish, and don't get me started on the slush that is left behind!

This also means that with a temperature of 2% tonight, thats 34% in English, the heating must be made to work, all this costs money!  I know this as I sit here now with my feet on the heater!  At gas central office they are breaking out the Bubbly already, just wait until January!

 

I was back this morning, in spite of the rain, to the surgery.  This time it was the Flu Jab.  The queue of aged people was long, but quickly parted to let me in to the Stasi.  She, I must say, was very cool in the heated atmosphere, lots of folks stumbling aroung hither and thither, some knowing where they were going, some not.  I, the youngest among them, was treated well by the Stasi, she even helpfully gave me the Blood Test result, nothing changed there, and sent me round to the old folks queue.   Five people were before me, except I was the only one on time!  I joked with the crew there before a nurse approached, called my name and off I went.  I must say these two nurses while efficient were not the cheeriest.  I suspect they have come in for the day to jab the Flu queue and then hop off to collect the kids.  Their men, if they have them, are welcome to their cheerless faces.   

All done I retreated to Sainsburys and Tesco, changed the bed, (it is nearly the end off the month) and set the washing machine going.  The day has been filled, or at least it has passed by quickly.  Now the darkness falls, the rush hour stumbles by slowly, the chill deepens and I am left wondering just how much snow will actually arrive tomorrow, if indeed it does. 

Because of an outcry in the past, by the grubby right-wing media, those weathermen are likely to 'Cry Wolf' to often these days just to avoid blame if it all goes wrong.  However, I will be residing indoors if the sun does not shine, the cupboards are full enough, the temptation to walk the chilly streets is not strong, and football might arrive.

 

Flu Jab for BBC ALBA

 

Early this morning I took myself round the corner for the Flu Jab.  Last year they gave this jab alongside the pneumonia one, a fortnight later I had a cold that lasted until May!  I await this year with trepidation. Today this was a case of joining the chilled people outisde the surgery, called in one door, ticked off a list, told to stand on the yellow mark, then ordered in, identified, jacket off, needle in, jacket on, out the other door and off to Sainsburys.

It all took around two minutes and the line was moving along happily.  I did suggest she spoke quietly when saying "You are over 65..."  but she refused to believe I was 32!  The girls in Sainsburys took a  smilar attitude in spite of my youthful looks. They did not believe I was blonde either, claiming my hair was gray.

I did not try this in the Butchers, not with those knives around. As I filled my freezer I noticed one butcher was butchering an entire sheep, I commented that it is many years since I have seen an actual animal in the flesh, or what flesh was left of it in any shop.  All comes in plastic packets today.  I clearly remember the butcher in Granton Road, sawdust on the floor for the blood, a long line of cows and sheep hanging from hooks on the wall beside us, and the man scribbling a note which mum passed to the lass behind a glass frame who took her money.  Cash being considered unhygenic!  This local butcher is very hygenic, and indeed well worth going to.  The shop is part of a chain in this area and moved in a couple of years ago when the previous man closed down, they have several shops in other towns, and his meat is worth having.  I did not ask for pies.

Now my freezer is full, meat lies awaiting in the fridge, so what could I have for tea?  Chips and tinned salmon!  Too tired to cook!

 

This afternoon I had a happy time watching the Heart of Midlothian dispose of a worthy Greenock Morton side at Cappilow.  Now it was claimed the last time we were there was 33 years ago!  I was last there a good few years before that, and there was no grass to speak off on the pitch in those days.  

Today however I ventured there by PPV TV.  A great idea that allows us to pay a small amount (£14 I paid this week, to see the game.  The fact that the thing switched itself off FOUR times before kick off did not endear me to the situation, others also suffering stalled pictures and blank screen.  No replay came to our cries.  However when the game began the picture remained constant and all was good, or as good as PPV TV can make it.

One thing stood out for me was that the camera used covered the football match!  By that I mean it watched the game, it did not desperately seek out the back of the managers head, needless replays, close up's of the back of players heads, more replays and following a player when the ball is in action rather than watch the game!    

This indeed was exactly what occurred when later I watched Motherwell disintigrate while playing Hibs.  I say watched, but I mean watched a collection of video Pannini stickers as BBC ALBA insisted on ignoring the game, as they usually do, instead searching out individual players for meaningless baloney from the Gaelic speaking commentators who ignore the actual game in front of them!

I sometimes feel this is done to force people to attend games in person, even now.

The PPV is a great idea, which I hope can be extended, some problems remain however.  The camera is I believe one of those 'A1' things, set to follow the ball.  This caused problems at one game when the camera insisted in following the bald head of the referee!  Maybe he ought to wear a cap?

Sky and Premier, it must be said, are just as bad.  Following the game is less important than the tabloid Hack seeking a story when none exist.

Bah!