Tag Archives: sean

Monday 1st January 2018 – HAPPY NEW YEAR

Having had a couple of bad nights just recently as you know, I decided that seeing as it was New Year’s Eve last night I’d simply stay awake until I felt really tired, and then go to bed regardless of the time.

I’m not sure how much of a good idea that was, because by 05:30 this morning I was pretty much fed up. I crawled off to bed regardless.

And I was off on my travels too. Jammed in on the rear bench seat of an aeroplane – the one that goes right across the back like in a coach or bus. I was sprawled all over everyone else which must have been uncomfortable for them, but no-one was complaining. But a man a couple of rows further forward made some kind of comment, to which the woman sitting next to me – an elderly timid spinster-type – said that she wasn’t inconvenienced in the least and that it was no concern of his. This led to some kind of animated discussion during which I happened to glance down and notice that I seemed to have forgotten to put on my lower clothing. How no-one else had noticed I really don’t know, and so I had to try to keep discreetly hidden.
As an aside – these nudity dreams are quite common but I couldn’t remember the last time that I had had one. There’s certainly no record on anything since at least 2013, and probably a long time earlier too.
A little later I was going down Flag Lane bridge towards the traffic lights at Wistaston Road, and ended up in a pub down there. It was a filthy, grimy place full of cobwebs and the like and the food was dreadful but for some reason everyone was having a good time and several people came up to me to thank me – including the guy with whom I went for a few coffees when I stayed in Leuven.

Lunchtime is usually about 13:00 as you know, but by that time I hadn’t even had breakfast. Yes, I missed the morning completely what with my late night and it’s been a long time since I’ve done that.

The porridge for breakfast was good, and the soup for an early tea was delicious too. The plate of pasta in tomato sauce that I tried later in the evening reawakened my toothache and as a result half of it ebded up in the bin. I don’t want to puch the boat out too far.

Apart from that, what else have I been up to?

Bangor City were playing Llandudno in the Welsh Premier League this evening and it was broadcast on the internet. Bangor City had 75% of the possession, spent most of the match camped in the Llandudno half with their keeper Dave Roberts making some stunning saves to keep them in the game, and then breaking away upfield from a wild slash out out of defence and scoring with the luckiest deflection you have ever seen.

And I’ve also downloaded Java onto my laptop.

I used it years ago when I was building databases but it hasn’t been a feature of any computing that I have done for 15 years and more. I want to build a couple of databases for different projects and there’s no point in totally forgetting my hard-earned qualifications from all of those years ago.

I must admit that I’m much more at home with *.sql-based databases but a Java-based runtime environment is an option with the Office Suite that I use and so that’s my project for the New Year.

So while we’re on the subject of the New Year, let me wish you all the best. I’ve appreciated your support during the last year which has been a quite difficult year for me, and knowing that you are there behind me has made a great deal of difference.

I hope that the New Year brings you everything that you wished for everyone else last year.

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Wednesday 12th April 2017 – WELL, THAT’S THAT …

… for another EIGHT (yes, EIGHT) weeks!

Blood count is at 9.8, which is nowhere near as high as I would like and the protein count is at 1.77, which is still way above the norm, but they seem to think that I might be ready to try for 8 weeks.

And now I’m regretting that I didn’t come here in Caliburn, because he has his own little safe hidey-hole here, and given my accommodation issues just now, I could (and should) be on the next plane to Montreal – and I could go and have my accommodation issues over there.

What’s the difference?

Last night I had a good sleep even though the fridge rattles and the fan in the heater squeaks and groans. I was certainly well away, and for most of the night too. Awake at 05:45 and I’ve no idea why, but never mind.

Breakfast was the stuff that I had bought last night at the Colruyt, and I wasn’t really all that hungry, I suppose. And after a shower, I headed off to walk (about 100 miles) to the bus stop to catch the bus to the hospital.

But not before I had made a rather dismal discovery. I travel light, as you know, and don’t bring many clothes at all with me – I wash them in the shower as I go and leave them hanging to dry. But it seems that Bane of Britain here has bought two spare pairs of trousers and no spare tee-shirt. I was obliged to send Alison a message to tell her to make sure that she stands up-wind of me on Friday.

After the hospital I had a steady walk into town to buy food at Delhaize for tea, and then I went to pick up some Vegan cheese and ginger beer from the vegan place.

university library leuven belgium march mars 2017There was a glorious five minutes of bright sunshine and so I found a bench near to the big library where I could sit and drink my drink and admire the view in the gorgeous afternoon.

And, it has to be said, narrowly avoid being buttonholed by a Jehovah’s Witness handing out leaflets and wanting to chat to people. I waited until his back was turned and then nipped off, smartish-like.

But you do have to think about the Library here. Burnt to the ground by the Germans (along with the rest of Leuven) in 1914. And then again in 1940. So why is it that Belgium – and the whole of the rest of Europe – has more faith and confidence in Germany than it does in the UK?

Clearly the UK is doing something very wrong, and you wouldn’t expect a silly Brexiter to come up with the answer.

Back here, I made myself some cheese on toast and had a little relax. And then made up my mind to nip into the city to one of the cheap shops for a clean tee-shirt so that I could wash the one that I was wearing. Wibra had nothing cheap but Zeeman had a tee-shirt at €3:99 that would do the job.

On my return, I had a little … errr … relax for half an hour and then attacked the shower. Twice in one day, you might be thinking, but I needed to wake myself up and to wash my tee-shirt. And then I hit the town again.

I had a very pleasant evening with Sean and finally met his wife and daughter who are both lovely. Little Charlotte is 6 but she’s quite a character.

Now I’m set for bed, and I hope that I have as good a night’s sleep as I did last night.

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Thursday 2nd March 2017 – AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT …

… having had a decent, long walk or two during the day yesterday was that I was in no fit state this morning.

It took me a while to go off to sleep, and I was flat out until the alarm went off.

I’d been on my travels too during the night. Firstly, I was the adviser to a Politician who bore a most remarkable resemblance to a certain new Transatlantic Politician. I was dismayed with his plans and decided to resign my position, but I felt that many of the plans had been designed with that aim in view. Nevertheless, I wasn’t going to hang around.
A little later, I was back on the buses – working for a coach company that was based in a town that bore more than just a passing resemblance to Middlewich. Two of our coaches, carrying football supporters who had been to watch Northwich Victoria, and they pulled into our yard. By the time that I had caught up with them, they had been parked in a really difficult position in an alcove and I was amazed at how the drivers had managed to park them there. Only one coach was able to go on to drop off everyone so some folk had to be left behind, and this led to all kinds of confusion and anguish in the depot amongst the passengers.

Two families were ahead of me at breakfast, and one of them was sitting in my place right in the window. I had to sit somewhere else.

Back up here, I had the opportunity to go to meet Sean in Gent but I wasn’t up to it and was obliged to decline. instead, I had a good relax on my bed for a while.

bellini ship harbour oostende belgium march mars 2017After all, the weather wasn’t fit for anyone to be outside. The wind was whipping up quite a storm and there was no-one on the promenade.

You can see exactly what I mean by looking at how the waves are pounding away on this ship as it was trying to negotiate its way into the harbour. And there weren’t any other ships around in the vicinity as there usually are.

It really was rough out there.

bellini ship harbour oostende belgium march mars 2017But I couldn’t stay in my stinking little pit all day – I had things to do. And it was on my travels that I saw the aforementioned ship, the Bellini coming into port.

She’s another Luxembourg-registered ship, and stands much more chance of sailing up the Moselle River because she displaces just over 2000 tonnes. She’s a chemical tanker and was built in 2000.

But I can’t understand how it is that just recently Luxembourg has now acquired a merchant marine.

It is rather reminiscent of the story about when Austria joined NATO and was introducing its officials to the other members. One of the officials was described as “our Minister of Marine”.
“Don’t be silly” said Solana, the NATO President. “Austria is a landlocked country. How come it has a Minister of Marine?”
“Well,” replied the Austrian President. “Bulgaria has a Minister of Culture, Belgium has a Minister of Justice, so we are going to have a Minster of Marine”

I had a look around the other hotels here to see what the prices might be like, but there was nothing that might give me much of a better deal, and I ended up at the Delhaize to buy lunch. Grapes were on special offer, two punnets for the price of one and that was cheap too, so I stocked up.

On the way back I went for a prowl around the shops to look for a new bag to replace the suitcase on which the handle broke on the way here.

gluten free gelatine free sweets kruidvat oostende belgium march mars 2017I ended up in a shop called Kruidvat, and this all caught my eye. Weigh-your-own sweets, but with allergy labels. When did you ever see that? I had to buy 100 grams as a gesture of solidarity.

They also had a suitable tote bag thing with wheels. The cheapest that I had seen, and it looked it too, all at €12:99. But needs must when the devil drives so I liberated an example. If it does me until I return home (where I have a choice of several) it will be fine.

Back here, I was dismayed to discover that they hadn’t cleaned my room. but not to worry – I made myself some butties seeing as it was lunchtime. Baguette, tomato and vegan cheese followed by a bunch of grapes.And then I … errr … closed my eyes for a couple of minutes.

At 15:30 a banging on my door awoke me. The cleaners wanted to do the room. I went out for a coffee – to that good place where I was yesterday, and watched the people on the promenade (because the wind had eased) being blown all around.

After that, I had a good walk and was back here for 17:00 in my nice clean room.

la margarita italian restaurant damas restaurant oostende belgium march mars 2017This is my restaurant from last night, the La Margarita where I had my good Italian penne last night.

But I’d noticed the one next to it. This certainly wasn’t here last November, so today I went to check it out. And sure enough, it’s a Syrian restaurant called the Damas and advertises falafel.

As a result of this exploration, I decided that this would be my port of call for tonight.

falafel schotel damas restaurant oostende belgium march mars 2017And wasn’t that a good decision? Here’s my falafelschotel and this little lot cost me all of a mere €8:50 and if there is better value for this anywhere in Oostende, I’d love to be able to find it.

The people who run it are Syrian refugees from Aleppo, and it nails the lie that these people are coming to Western Europe to sponge off the State.

Hard-working people who can cook meals like this should be welcomed anywhere and everywhere.

So there’s no-one on line to chat to tonight, so I’m off to bed for an early night. My hectic weekend starts tomorrow at about 12:30 so I want to be on form.

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Monday 27th February 2017 – NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL …

… the Sleep of the Dead!

By about 21:30 I was totally out of it, what with all of my exertions over the weekend and my late night on Saturday. And with a hectic 10 days to come, there’s no point in pushing out the boundaries so I hit the sack. I vaguely remember at about 23:30 waking up to switch off the laptop, and that was absolutely that until the alarm went off at 07:00.

Totally painless, and I felt so much better for it.

I had company a breakfast – one of these Obsessive Compulsive Disorder people who spent 10 minutes washing a mug, and then 10 minutes washing a glass – that type of person. And then, inexplicably, he left his dirty knife in the sink – and told me not to wash it as he would do it later. Not that I was intending to of course – each to his own around here – but it was such a strange thing to do given how much time he had spent washing the rest of his stuff.

Hospital came next – and I had to get a move on because Bane of Britain had taken his hospital folder down to Caliburn last night and he needed it up there. It’s all keeping me fit anyway. And up there, the nurse who fitted my catheter into my catheter port did so with such skill and dexterity that I didn’t even realise that she had done it and taken the blood sample.

This led to the following fantastic exchange –
Our Hero – “you know, I’m so impressed. You did that so gently that I didn’t even realise it”
Nurse – “I was Belgian Ladies’ national darts champion in 1984 and 1986”

I had to wait ages to see the doctor, but in the meantime I saw Kaatje, my Social Welfare worker and Ingrid, the trick cyclist. Ingrid managed to wangle me a visit to see the Professor who is handling my case, and Kaatje conformed that absolutely everything is up-to-date as far as payments go, and she’ll find all of the required information that I need for my insurance by next week (I shall be passing by).

As far as my health goes, the news isn’t quite so good. Blood count is down, to 10.3 and I’m not very happy about that. The protein loss is stable, but it’s still way too high as we all know.

But the professor didn’t give me much encouragement. I have renal failure – well, we’ve all guessed that with the protein loss didn’t we, so no surprise there. But I have a rare disease as you all know and according to the Professor, “it’s not responding like it should”.

She thinks that moving house is a good idea, because hauling wood and water is not such a good idea, but as to whether I need to go into a care home, rent a property or buy something else, she recommends renting. Apparently I’m
well enough right now that I don’t need a care home, but if I rent somewhere rather than buying it, I can escape from that commitment much easier than a purchased accommodation. She can’t say whether I’m good for &5 years, or good for 10 years, and when you add up all of that, it doesn’t sound too healthy, does it?

On the way back, I went to buy some bread for lunch, and had a goodbye kiss from the girl in the supermarket on the corner. That cheered me up no end, I’ll say!

After lunch, I carried on packing and moving stuff down to Caliburn. But I had a brief moment of distraction ringing up my bank. There’s an “issue” with a payment on my account, for no reason whatsoever, and it’s the monthly payment that i need to make to my Storage company in Montreal – the ones with whom I’ve had all of these issues just now.

“Unusual spending patterns” is the issue so I phoned them up – with a French mobile from Belgium to the UK, explained this to the girl on the phone, who promptly put me on hold for 8 minutes. By the time that I was reconnected I was steaming. The discussion that we had was … errr … rather heated, and in the end they put the phone down on me before I had quite finished telling them exactly what I thought of them and their bank.

But at least the payment has been made and I hope that this will be the last of it. But I’ml getting rather sick of it all.

For tea I had sausage, mash and frozen veg for tea, followed by vegan ice-cream and peach halves. That’s most of my food from here finished, and whatever is left is left.

Another four loads of stuff down to Caliburn, and I even found time to go for a coffee with Sean, the guy who used to live here. I quite enjoy his company, until he starts on about the EU. He really has a bee in his bonnet about it and he isn’t ever going to change my opinion, so I don’t know why he wants to start a discussion about it – unless it’s something to do with the two or three beers I suppose.

And I had a weird experience on the way back. Some French van with three men in it, were stopping at each girl that they saw in the Kapucijnenvoer and asking them a question. It didn’t seem quite right to me, especially when they almost stopped at the same girl twice, realised that it was she and drove off rapidly. I’ve taken the vehicle the registration number of the van just in case, because I can smell a rat from here, never mind from there.

Ad so now I’m totally exhausted, so I’m just about to go off to bed. My last ever night here in this hostel (I hope) and I’m exhausted. I’ve had a really busy day and I need to relax.

Let’s hope that the weather improves.

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Sunday 12th February 2017- AND FINALLY …

… I had the sleep for which I’d been waiting for a few weeks.

It was quite early last night that I took to my bed and that was that. I vaguely remember awakening to switch off the laptop, and then nothing whatever until the alarm went off. If I had been on my travels during the night, I know nothing about it.

Not only that, I must have gone back to sleep after that because the second alarm at 07:15 awoke me yet again. It was rather late that struggled up to breakfast, where I was completely on my own.

Back down here I dozed off for an hour or so, and all of that constitutes the best sleep that I’ve had for ages and I’m so grateful for that. And once I’d come round afterwards and gathered my wits, which doesn’t take too long these days, I attacked the photo and the text for yesterday’s blog. I’d gone to sleep last night without having even started it.

During the course of the morning I had a chat with Liz and with The One That Got Away, and that took me nicely up to lunchtime, when I encountered one of my housemates downing a bowl of soup.

Excitement this afternoon though. The guy who used to live here sent me a message to say that he was in the bar down the road, and would I like to join him? Regular readers of this rubbish remark that I need to get out more often, and this was a good chance.

However, I didn’t stay out too long because Morton were playing Rangers and I was hoping to find it streamed somewhere on the internet (which it wasn’t). But in any case, it was just as well because they lost. The only pne of the teams that I follow who did manage to lose this weekend (Crewe Alex, Bangor Ciy and OH Leuven all managed to win).

This evening I made a pizza and garlic bread for tea, and they were delicious.

So after my nice relaxing day, I’m going for another early night to see if I can have as good a sleep as I had last night. That was wonderful.

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Sunday 22nd January 2017 – WHAT A SURPRISE!

Indeed! And I’d only nipped out for half an hour too!

Last night was another awful night and once more I’m not sure why. I should have fallen asleep like a baby but it wasn’t at all like that. I kept on falling asleep and waking up right the way through.

However I had managed to go off on my travels too. I had to go for a drink with someone and I’d made an appointment to meet him in a bar. But I couldn’t really remember what he looked like. And then I remembered that I had an appointment with someone else – at the same bar half an hour earlier. And the person I was seeing first was waiting outside so he went in to buy me half a pint of beer and as I walked in I saw someone who resembled the person I was to meet second, but I wasn’t sure. But anyway I smiled at him and said hello, then went to look for the person I was to meet first. But before I could meet up with him I met a third person, a young girl whom I had been hoping to see for a while. She was there too, and we started to chat. And not only that, there was this tiny girl with black curly hair who was extremely attractive and I wouldn’t have minded meeting her on another occasion. But eventually I could disentangle myself from all of these other engagements and go to meet the guy – it was indeed him and he had saved a space for me on a seat, but sitting on it was the girl with black curly hair. He asked if I didn’t mind and so I replied that it didn’t bother me. If she didn’t budge up, she could sit on my knee.

It seems that they had forgotten us for breakfast. Stale bread from yesterday, no orange juice – it was that that greeted me this morning and that dismayed me. But I suppose that it happens. Back down here I had a shower and a shave and a change of clothes, and then attacked yesterday’s blog. You may remember that I crashed out yesterday as soon as I returned home, before I have even had time to start it. 2362 words later (I had had a busy day, remember!) it was finished, and it was lunchtime too.

I’d had a good chat on the internet with “The One That Got Away” – that was pleasant too.

And then I went out for half an hour. There’s a guy who used to live here and he’s asked me about doing a furniture job with Caliburn, and should we go for a coffee?

Sounded like a good plan for me, and so we did. That was at 14:00 and I finally made it back at about 20:30. We’d had a few coffees and so on, a really good chat, and then it turned out that he was a big fan of Indian food and knew where there was a good Indian restaurant.

Of course, I’m always game for an Indian and finding anywhere half-decent in mainland Europe is extremely difficult. Consequently, off we went and there we were. And I’ve tasted much worse Indian meals than this.

That’s why I’ve only just returned, from my half-hour coffee break.

As you know, I’m not very sociable, so going out like this is a strange thing. but anyway, there I was, and here I am now, back home

I’ve had an excellent, busy weekend and quite right too. High time I did things like this and after all, everyone is always telling me that I ought to get out more often.

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