Journal Entries
Being a Carer
Posted Oct 10, 2012
Journal 2012 Oct 11
Reading benjaminepmoore's series “I couldn't care less”, brought to mind – again – my feelings of awe and respect for those who spend much of their lives caring for others. It also brought to mind – again - recognition that I am just not that sort of man.
No. Not that sort. Until, nearly three weeks ago...
Ms Stress, my wife, was out with a friend, T, for a bit of shopping, a coffee or two and of course a bit of a yatter. Come five o'clock and I'm thinking “Oh well, they do chattalot”. At six, I'm beginning to wonder. Six thirty, I'm thinking “Best phone the police”, when an incoming 'phone call “This is T's son...”.
Driving to the hospital in Christchurch (some 40km, 25m), desperately trying not to rush, getting lucky by easily finding a parking space, keeping calm and carrying on to be directed to the cardiothoracic ward and there she was. Doctor delving into her head, his tweezers seemingly halfway into the cut... sewing her up, four sutures and the fifth not holding so the superglue will have to do.
That was Friday evening. Drip tubes, drains, what have you on the stand which she pulled around with her like Mr Magoo from, I think it was the Sunday. I took her home on the Tuesday evening. Four broken ribs and 'some bruising'.
So I'm a carer now, with three week's experience.
I've surprised myself. I'm not as bad at it as expected... but then again, with luck, it's for only a few months and a (so far) quickly reducing workload, as she is determined not to sulk.
The experience has reinforced that awe and respect.
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Latest reply: Oct 10, 2012
Inevitably ...
Posted Jun 14, 2012
...Just at the point you begin to allow yourself to think that you might actually be catching up, you realise that you've thought that a few times before
- and lo! the hunter of the lost has caught this someone's tho-ught in a noose of laughs.
Some months (a year or so?) ago I called in a Tree Surgeon to deal with some overhanging boughs that were too big, too high for me. TS turned out to be an interesting man and we chatted for far longer than I could have afforded. I loaned him a book ('Green Woodwork' or 'Identifying Wood' or 'Catastrophe Theory' or something unremembered but returned). I have a feeling that I was going to contact him again, about something of moderate importance and can't now remember but anyway...
This evening he turned up with a book for me to glance at and a story (perhaps he thinks I'm the one to magic-up a solution).
He'd been to see to a small job for an old man ("85 but - no. Not old") who had showed him into but not around, his shed. Not around because one would have to sidle and shuffle around machinery, tools, equipment and lots of - just stuff. Anyway he returned to the door with a book that he thought TS might be interested in.
It's 'Saws & Saw Tools' (yes, an ampersand) by E. C. Atkins & Co. of Indianapolis - and other places. It was published in 1914.
It is a wonderworld of yesteryear's technology.
Later, I did a search. The company was founded in 1849 and incorporated in 1895 and, lo and behold, in scribd, what did I find but an 1895 publication of that book.
>>
http://www.scribd.com/doc/39788481/Saws-and-Saw-Tools-1895-From-www-jgokey-com
<<
I've heard, seen, read about older technology (haven't we all?) and have been in some wonderment at times - but this, with all its detail, has me somewhat brain-scrambled. I mean, just scroll a bit down that link and select 'Cross-Cut saws'. Scroll down - there are 11 pages of 'em, with a bewildering array of tooth shapes and spacings. And there's more... sawmakers tools, adjustable saw sets ... ... on page 116, a Portable Wood Saw And Frame:
>>
The above cut represents a Portable Circular Saw and Table, for sawing fire-wood, etc. With a two-horse railway power or four-horse lever power they will saw from fifteen to twenty cords of wood per day,' or just as much as three men can handle. It can also be used to advantage in cutting off fencing stuff or building material of any kind, and is a very useful machine for farmers, railroads and wood-yards. Size of pulley, 6x6 inches, with 24-inch saw.
Price ......... $40 00
<<
The illustration caused some head-scratching but hey!
That's just one book from the old man's shelf.
The awkward thing is that his family are just not interested and when he leaves for a better place he suspects it will all be thrown out.
The other awkward thing is that methinks G thinks I'm clever, educated, capable... It ain't necessarily so. Clever? Not really. Educated? by experience yes, otherwise not really. Capable? Once upon a time yes but now, not really - in fact not very much at all.
Nevertheless, I shall have to do something. First step will be to contact G and have him take me along, camera and voice recorder at the ready. After that?
Who knows about it all — Who knows — WHO knows ?
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Latest reply: Jun 14, 2012
Recession, Cut-backs and Education
Posted Mar 17, 2012
There has been an issue with rendering this post, please contact the editors.
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Latest reply: Mar 17, 2012
To Christchurch and Back - A Tiki-Tour
Posted Jan 26, 2012
We'd not been into the city for some eighteen months or so - since before the first earthquake - and we wanted to look around - and to see the Busker's Festival.
frenchbean has written a piece, pipping me to 
http://wsogmm.h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/brunel/A87736765
and this is a bit of a naddition or footnote.
The 'bus takes a zig-zag route of course, picking-up and dropping-off along the way and affords a rather better view of things than when driving.
On arrival at 'Central Station' you are pretty well adjacent to the shopping area, just a short step to Ballantynes, one of the big department stores. This entrance, judging by the roof, looks to be rescued and leads into a larger, original-looking area then through to a few adapted shipping containers... The whole lot is of a very high standard - allowing for the recovery work that's been done (visible only in a few areas), the place is of a standard comparable to equivalent stores in any city in the world that I've visited.
The Container City is impressive - very. Chatting to the Town Crier (he's been doing it for twenty-seven years!), it seems the shopkeepers are very happy with it (therefore customers are, too). There are no current plans to redevelop the area so maybe - just maybe - it'll stay as it is permanently - ?
We had problems fixing our position and he, the Town Crier, pointed out that most of the landmarks were destroyed and have been cleared - lots of car parking space now, at $1 per hour, if there's actually road access...
On to Hagley Park to the Busker's Festival which happens every January, usually in and around Cathedral Square. Good entertainment.
Later, in March, the Ellerslie Flower Show will take place in the park - another annual event for one's diary - moved here from Ellerslie itself some years ago.
And so, back to Central Station (more containers, with the usual ticket office, passenger lounge etc) and the 'bus home.
Oh, and yes, there were even containers for my waste products.
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Latest reply: Jan 26, 2012
... and just when
Posted Dec 23, 2011
...checking my last entry, another. About 3/4 hour after the last.
Bigger. With a Thump in the middle of it.
Doglet wanted 
No report yet on Geonet... [the first one in my last post was Geonet ref 3631359]
... and a small thump at 15:45.
Nothing yet on Geonet - they're all away for Christmas?
Ah well. Posting
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Latest reply: Dec 23, 2011
Rod
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