Thanks, Larry, it is such a ridiculous and annoying domestic accident and fortunately not a serious one. It doesn't happen often, years since the last time, but it is always when I am tired or stressed, and cutting onions. I think the onions are a part of it, as they make my eyes water and hurt, and voilà! Concentration is disrupted, eyes are blurry, a slip of the knife and the tip of the right thumb is hurt. I keep a box of bandages in one of the kitchen drawers for emergencies such as this - not in the knife drawer, though!

Making fun of it helps ease the irritation of it happening.

Addendum to previous post: this is the Inspirations place, take previous in that vein.

Thank you very much, good night to all, mind the cutting edge of knives and onions.

No need for more canines here,
one is enough,
Take it out to run etc,
And ruff, ruff, ruff

Using a keyboard is hampered by a clumsily bandaged thumb,
The knife used to cut onions slipped, the cut was done,
No, I did not cut myself, as the question was put,
Fatigue and exhaustion were readily at hand
They combined to be efficient, and cripes,
The slice was done

Sadly...

Tis true.

Instead of bleedin' over all the bleedin' space,
There be a thick clumsy bandage, staunching the wound
Creating a think carapace
It doesn't hurt as much now
This is good, as we know
But geez, don't ask me to squeeze any lemons
That would hurt like a son of a bitch
And it totally messes with this bit of pathetic doggerel
Which ties back to the first line,

No extra canines or doggies, please
They'd make things even more inane,
We're fine as we are,
And now shall remain.

Thank you, thank you, thank you all so much for your applause and appreciation, no, it's too much.

Wait! Stop! Don't throw shoes and bricks, I SAID it was too much, all right already!

<img src="/images/emoticons/help.gif" alt="help">

https://upload.storiesspace.com/145722015-274975BB-B33A-4840-B3E9-37149F066EA3.jpeg

Elizabeth, if the tea is loose leaf, could you get filter tea bags, make up a bunch of them, and donate the tea to a food bank, if such exists where you live? Or donate the tin as is, to a food bank or a church group?

That is very lovely that two strangers paid for your anniversary dinner. The generosity and kind hearts of those who do such acts is wonderful.

As for me, after years, decades, of holding doors open, giving my seat on the bus or tram to people of a certain age or a pregnant woman, or woman with small children, well! A young woman offered her seat to me the other day, on a crowded tram. THAT is a first for me! I declined the offer, but thought it was very kind of her.

Thank you again to all who have asked about Himself, I can safely say that he is getting better although he needs to rest and take it easy, no going to the gym for example, before the end of the month. It isn't raining, so he can get outside and go for short walks, and the stairs no longer wind him. The doctor authorised him to get the flu shot in two weeks time, thank goodness, because the flu season hasn't hit yet, and he is still somewhat weak from the pneumonia, so he would be even more vulnerable.

Seconding what the Magnificent one said, thank you, Keith. Those who actively campaign AGAINST vaccination, based on lies, false news stories and social media propaganda which they propagate are infuriating, and they are close to being criminally responsible.

Ah, the time change fall back an hour challenge! We did that a week ago, and it was not too difficult. Since I sleep badly with stretches of being awake in the wee hours, I was able to recuperate that tricky time slip to my advantage. Plus, last Sunday was glorious, sunny and mild and I got out for several hours in the morning to walk by the river and do some pinhole photography. Today is a swift and total turn around from last weekend, with heavy rains, wind, dark lowering skies. Clearly, the autumn has shifted from the golden, luxurious sort, to the inward turning dark days.

I'll have tea with you, Scott, I have a thermos of Assam Mangalam and am happy to share it.

Thank you, Cynthia, for your kind words, it is a real relief the antibiotics are working. He's still very tired and low on energy and gets winded easily, even the two flights of stairs to our floor knock him back a bit. He has been making noises about going out to the store, which is quite close by but far enough that he isn't up for it. I told him if he tried it I would hide all his shoes. Anything that is needed, I can get.

Your Christmas beading projects sound interesting, are you doing needle beading, or frame beading or another technique?

Enjoy the play, Larry, glad to hear your weather should be all right.

It's mid-afternoon tea for me at the moment, on a rainy and cooler Saturday. The morning was spent running around, literally, from one place to another - organic farmer's market, department store for a sweater, bookstore, and so on and so on.

Among other items, there's a 5 litre cubitainer of really excellent apple juice from local fruit producers. I'll leave it near the on-tap ginger ale Scott set up. Himself, still sick, discovered that a half-and-half of apple juice and ginger ale is quite to his liking, so help yourselves if that sounds good.

Thank you all for the get well wishes, they are much appreciated. His recovery is going to be slow and long as our family doctor has diagnosed not bronchitis but pneumonia, which is what we both suspected in the first place. This far into the antibiotics he is less worse than he was, and finally no fever, so that is encouraging and a relief.

Sara I hope you are feeling better than you were, and Gil, you too.

Work well on your texts, Larry, and I hope the wee doggo is not too lethargical after his reaction to the shot.

Thanks all for the good wishes. Larry, it is really frightening. I filled the prescription for antibiotics and other medication this morning, so he is just starting to counter attack the bacteria. Nevertheless he is still running a fever and is weak and tired and miserable - who wouldn't be?

Sarah, I hope you get better quickly. There is plenty of ginger-ale and crackers here, that is such a basic sick-room necessity. I also prepare a thermos of honey, lemon and grated ginger steeped in hot water for sipping on during the night. In spite of resistance from the (im)patient, he actually drinks it and admits that it helps.

I spent the morning vacuuming the radiators before we put the heat on, which we will do soon especially with someone being sick and running a fever, to try and get rid of as much dust as possible. They are open at the top and have ridges inside which just cumulate dust, and when the heat is turned on, the air gets that horrible, stale dusty smell to it. Plus, I am quite allergic to dust mites so once we have the heat running, my allergies worsen. Then later this week I'll get the flu vaccine.

Sorry everyone, I'm rambling all over the place here, mainly because I'm trying to keep all the balls up in the air, not forget any of them, and not drop any of them.

Scott, what are the chances of installing a ginger-ale barrel so it can be drawn like draft beer is? Because it is already in great demand, I suspect there will be a fair amount consumed.

Right. Off to scrounge something for lunch, wake the patient up in 45 minutes for his next round of medication, and feed the neighbours cat.

talk to you all later, stay warm and healthy!

Well the past twelve days have been quite a ride, with himself coming down with the first cold of the season, not too bad and fairly innocuous.

Or so it seemed...

Until weird stuff happened eight days into it, extreme tiredness, muscle aches, fatigue, loss of appetite, fever.

Come on, loss of appetite? <img src="/images/emoticons/help.gif" alt="help"> Fever? <img src="/images/emoticons/help.gif" alt="help">

No I'm fine, no, I'm fine, cough, cough, cough, rinse, repeat...

With the FEVER, yes, fever, breaking last night so he was drenched. Awful.

Today?

No, I'm ok, not great, but it was - interruption for dreadful coughing fit - worse before - cough, cough, cough, trouble climbing stairs, gasp, wheeze, cough, no I'm not hungry but I'll be gasp, wheeze ok. Also the fever may have broken in the night but ahem! Was it over with?

Um, guess not...

So earlier tonight we took a taxi to the 7/7 24h walk in clinic because someone still had a 39C temperature for the third day in a row.

<img src="/images/emoticons/confused5.gif" alt="confused5"> <img src="/images/emoticons/confused5.gif" alt="confused5"> <img src="/images/emoticons/confused5.gif" alt="confused5">

Geez. Diagnosis? Bronchitis, antibiotics for six days as well as a solution to ease the coughing.

At least it is not pneumonia which we both suspected, still, bronchial infection ain't to be taken lightly especially for a person of his age, or any age for that matter.

Otherwise, all is just grand. <img src="/images/emoticons/icon_geek.gif" alt="geek">

Remembrance My maternal grandfather served in the First World War. A mining engineer, he enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Forces in 1915, at the age of 28, and served as a sapper in the north of France. By the time he was discharged in 1918, he had been wounded by shrapnel, subjected to gas attacks, and developed tachycardia. At the end of the war he returned home, married...

Added 08 Nov 2019 | Category Memoirs | Votes 8 | Avg Score 5 | Views 115 | 6 Comments

"Start random playlist," he said, waiting expectantly, unseeing eyes turned straight ahead. Two guitar chords, loud and clear, shook loose a memory. He knew what was coming. Singing, she entered the spotlight, her clear, powerful voice pealing out: cheated and mistreated, when would she be loved. In his mind's eye he saw her, young, beautiful, sure of herself and of them. The music...

Added 27 Jan 2019 | Category Micro Fiction | Votes 12 | Avg Score 5 | Views 601 | 12 Comments

  Dear Alan, It's been a while since I wrote to you. Did you know there's a story competition in your name? I had an idea for it, started to write something. It was clever, funny, titled Jankowski's Lost'n'Found . The story got lost, but it goes something like this: Jankowski and Al were old friends, co-owners of a cab they took turns driving. They had a flat rate, 4.20, due to the...

Added 28 Sep 2018 | Category Flash Fiction | Votes 20 | Avg Score 5 | Views 506 | 19 Comments

Come with me, come here, We'll fly away soon, Give me your hand, And a hug Then settle on my rug Hang on tight, tuck arms and legs in, Are you ready to take off? Let's go for a spin! The altitude's no problem, We've plenty of air, As you will soon know by the wind in your hair. We'll swoop and soar Above earth and its cares - - Tedious, boring, Gloomy and drear! - Before landing quite...

Added 05 Sep 2016 | Category Songs | Votes 8 | Avg Score 5 | Views 813 | 8 Comments

Random rhymes: punchy, munchy scrunchy, bouncy, jiggly, hunchy, Loosely, widely, funky, Stinking, rotten, clunky * Save it. Saved. Is it any good? Unlikely, so... Don't get your hopes up - The answer is no * Not much is likely to be salvational - side note, is that even a word? - side reply, It is now, get used to it. * So... Continue as before With doggerel words ...

Added 29 Sep 2018 | Category Poetry | Votes 5 | Avg Score 5 | Views 373 | 5 Comments

“You don’t have to do this, you know. In fact, you shouldn’t be doing it.” “Yes, I know, but it’s all right, I’m going to do it.” “I really don’t think you should, and would prefer you didn’t.” “I’m still going to do it, it’s the least I can do for you. You shouldered me as a burden often enough, in the past.” “That was different, you weren’t old enough or big enough, and needed to...

Added 22 Jul 2016 | Category Flash Fiction | Votes 6 | Avg Score 5 | Views 674 | 5 Comments

Chances, Taken without regret, Embraced, Without hesitation or doubt Like that time When you dove Into an ice cold lake Not on a dare But because it was there And to do so affirmed that you existed Those chances, No regrets, As you sank Stunned with shock by the bone chilling reality of the water - So cold So clear So intransigent yet so welcoming, Heart pounding, Adrenalin coursing,...

Added 30 Jun 2016 | Category Poetry | Votes 6 | Avg Score 5 | Views 742 | 4 Comments

I make my point by tossing him out a window, He'd been warned when he entered the room, "You found your way in, you can find it back out, And if it isn't done quickly, From me you'll get a good clout." I repeated my warning twice over, Was he hard of hearing or just buzzing about? At any rate my threat was put into action, With a fly swatter I rubbed his life out. * Author's note: I have...

Added 23 Jun 2016 | Category Poetry | Votes 6 | Avg Score 5 | Views 587 | 6 Comments

So here I am waiting, And biding my time, For a shipment that was Ordered From a store that's on-line. Their products are alluring, Like snacks to consume, The virtual basket's expanding There is always more room For specialty items, Things new to the store, Best deals of the day, And more, so much more! I wasn't enticed - Well, maybe some of the time - But the items I needed Remained...

Added 15 Jun 2016 | Category Poetry | Votes 7 | Avg Score 5 | Views 563 | 7 Comments

Look by the door,   A row of hooks Hung with keys - Basement, attic, car All are useful   If you please   But one sits alone No door does it claim   That door is long gone   And all that remains Is the key That unlocked its dreams.    ...

Added 09 May 2016 | Category Poetry | Votes 7 | Avg Score 5 | Views 810 | 5 Comments

  MARTIN HANDED A MUG of fresh coffee to Jane and slid into the seat opposite her at the breakfast table, pausing a moment before he spoke. “Jane, I need to ask you something.” Caught off guard by the statement, she slopped a little of the steaming liquid. “You always do that when I’m holding a drink,” she chided gently, dabbing the spill with a napkin. Her lighthearted tone belied...

Added 13 Sep 2018 | Category General | Votes 12 | Avg Score 5 | Views 323 | 7 Comments

  THE CALENDAR TAUNTED JANE, its little yellow-highlighted square outlined in a bold red stroke mocking her lack of progress. ‘You’re going to miss the deadline, you know. I’m just six weeks away now,’ it scoffed. ‘Whatever made you apply for that fellowship anyhow, and what could the panel have been thinking when they gave it to you? You’re no writer; you’ve proven that over the past...

Added 12 Sep 2018 | Category General | Votes 12 | Avg Score 5 | Views 435 | 7 Comments