What's Grandad got to talk about?

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Grandad
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

Delete, double post
Last edited by Grandad on Mon Jun 04, 2018 11:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.


:gg:
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

I had an eye appointment today as a follow up to an appt in March when the doctor opted to refer me to a consultant because she is concerned about the progressive glaucoma in my 'good' left eye. There is also a developing cataract in that eye and I wanted to discuss having surgery for that.
His opinion was that as my right eye is blind the risks of cataract surgery, although very small, are not worth taking at this point. This should be considered when the cataract has even more effect on my vision. I agreed with this.
He has however increased my eye drops to 4 times a day, both eyes, in an effort to reduce the eye pressure even more.
Only good thing, MY VA is 6 over 15 so still OK to ride the scooter☺
:gg:
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Horus »

Keep riding Grandad :up
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by BBLUX »

Grandad wrote:I had an eye appointment today as a follow up to an appt in March when the doctor opted to refer me to a consultant because she is concerned about the progressive glaucoma in my 'good' left eye. There is also a developing cataract in that eye and I wanted to discuss having surgery for that.
His opinion was that as my right eye is blind the risks of cataract surgery, although very small, are not worth taking at this point. This should be considered when the cataract has even more effect on my vision. I agreed with this.
He has however increased my eye drops to 4 times a day, both eyes, in an effort to reduce the eye pressure even more.
Only good thing, MY VA is 6 over 15 so still OK to ride the scooter☺
Grandad, I would really push for that consultant appointment. I have had glaucoma in one eye for more than 15 years. About 3 years ago my consultant changed my, once daily, drops from Xalatan to Xalacom because my pressures were rising again. I have been totally stable since that time with steady pressures of 15-16. I also have very, very early signs of cataracts but he says its nothing to be concerned about. Probably brought on by all that intense Egyptian sun 8)
It could be that you might benefit from a change of drops.
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by BBLUX »

Referencing the reminiscences about Gunk and Swarfega by MD.
When I worked on the vintage aircraft before we moved to Egypt we had big tubs of Fast Orange with pumice. Brilliant stuff. It removed all the oil, grease and even aircraft dope at the end of the day and it had a lovely refreshing orange smell. Much nicer than Swarfega.

Sorry for the intrusion after having neglected the forums for a few years
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

Hi BBlux, good to see you. Hope you and FB will stick around. We have become just a very small group and don't often have much to say about Egypt these days.
We DO however chat about anything and everything and it would be good if you and FB were to join in. :up

With regards eye drops. I have been using drops for more than 30 years for glaucoma. My right eye is now virtually blind with just a little vision in the extreme right field.

I used Xalatan for many years plus Dorzolomide once a day. A couple of years ago the 'tan' was changed to 'com' which I use first thing each morning. I then use Dorzolomide 3 times a day. All in both eyes. My left eye is poor and next appointment I shall be asking for the cataract to be done because outdoors my left vision is like a fog.
:gg:
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

A few more mutterings for my blog, this time of a horticultural nature.

I made mention to my son that I thought about growing a few tomato plants. He said Karen, his wife, has plenty in the greenhouse, so I now have 3 well established plants, variety unknown but I will keep you posted on those.

Casting thoughts back to late last year when I was the tortoise in the Amaryllis race. Eventually my Red Lion produced splendid blooms, see my avatar, and the Minerva had a very hard life eventually producing a flower stem only to be smashed by a cat or squirrel. I left both pots on the bench in my workshop and, surprise surprise, they are both shooting again. So I shall certainly lead the race this year :lol:
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Now hostas and slugs. I have said before that I do not have a slug problem and it has been suggested that the foxes will keep them under control. I have two small groups of hostas on the patio and something is eating some of the leaves. Not a major problem and we have not seen any slug trails. I am wondering if there is another explanation, some insect or bug that has a liking for hosta leaves.
This is a single plant with only very slight evidence on the leaves
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This is a group of 4 plants with more evidence. The photo shows the worst affected leaf.
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Any suggestions as to the cause would be most welcome. Thank you. :up
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

I just love hostas as the leaves are so totally lovely but I've seen some hostas with leaves just in tatters.

I'm not too sure what has been eating your hostas and my own guess would be baby slugs since the holes are small but so far (knock wood) I haven't had any slugs chowing down on my own hostas.

Am thinking your tomato plant shouldn't be buddying up to the hostas ;) Am thinking it would love way more sun than hostas get.

I'm growing 4 tomato plants. They're flowering already so I'm happy with them this year.

Lovely Hostas though.
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by FABlux »

I am also enjoying gardening this year. We only moved in last April (2017) & the garden had been totally neglected for about 5 years. Knee/hip high grass/weeds everywhere so too busy trying to establish some order in it last year. Luckily there was a basic structure, with 5 separately stone edged areas. I planted herbs in 1 long one, near the kitchen.

This year I sowed 3 each courgettes, mini cucumbers & aubergine & 1 butternut squash as well as peppers, chillis & tomatoes. I got some new seeds & planted 3 Gardeners Delight cherry toms but also had some old tomato seeds which never grew in Egypt so thought I would plant them and see if any germinated. OOPS* 17 more plants :roll: The courgettes are producing faster than we can eat them, think I will start supplying the neighbours very soon! The radishes grew but have all been nibbled by something, tiny marks too small for slugs so no idea what, maybe the same things you have on your hostas Grandad. Have sown more in a large pot and will keep that raised up & see what happens.

Have picked 3 kgs of redcurrants this year, I love them but they are too sharp for Barry. We found the plants when we moved in & cut back the weeds, gave them some TLC & they have repaid it :) Have put in a variety of other fruit bushes & a seedless grape & hoping they do as well. There was already an enormous black grape vine but we got the pruning wrong when we cut it back & it didn't fruit last year, but it is making up for it this so hope they are edible. It's a bit of a learning curve after 10 years in Luxor where we had mainly citrus & fig trees.

It's lovely being able to plant old favourite plants as well & am rapidly filling 2 rather large beds with flowers.
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

We have a cat that comes to visit most days. We think it is a 'she' and we are not sure if she is a stray or not. Whatever, she is very friendly and seems to like me and jumped on my lap and nuzzled me to scratch her this afternoon.
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She is quite content to sit on the arm of my chair
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And this still frame from a video early last evening shows she is not scared of foxes :lol:
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:gg:
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Mad Dilys »

She's lovely! Definitely she as that colour is sex linked. I saw an advert for a Tortoiseshell male car needing a home once and answered it. The rueful, and ignorant advertiser eventually had hundreds of replies some offering huge sums of money. It was a male, but a tabby not a tortoiseshell. :lol:
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by FABlux »

She has obviously found somebody kind to keep her company during the day. Maybe (if she's not a stray) her owners are out at work & she gets lonely for human company :?: I wonder if she will eventually play with the young foxes, Kinnie, our cat, used to play with Missie, the young female, taking it in turns to chase each other.... usually through the flower beds :roll:
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

Very pretty calico and nice that she likes to visit. IMO cats develop habits and once they get comfortable in a place or spot will return to frequent that same place on a daily basis. I think you just might have been adopted. :up
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Mad Dilys »

My daughter has been adopted - much to the fury of a neighbour who think they own the cat. My daughter at that time had never owned a cat, didn't have a catflap, but "Octavio" basically moved in.

She's been accused of kidnapping him, but it's very difficult if a cat is yelling at the window in pouring rain and soaked to the skin. She got a battered old rescue cat subsequently and new house sharer has two!

Octavio doesn't like the other cats but still thinks this is his home.

Irate neighbours claimed that their child was missing him. Maybe the reason he moved out?
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by FABlux »

Mad Dilys wrote:Irate neighbours claimed that their child was missing him. Maybe the reason he moved out?
More than likely I would think :tk Our son acquired a cat under similar circumstances. He had a cat flap for his own cat but Felix moved in as well (the 2 cats were friends). He tracked the owners down because Felix was chipped, & took him back several times, eventually suggesting they keep him in for 2 weeks to get him used to staying there. They did & after 10 days he returned having escaped, the owners decided he really didn't like their toddler & gave up & agreed to share him if he ever returned to them. Shortly after they were moving and asked our son if he would keep him permanently & signed the papers for change of owner. for the chip registration.
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Mad Dilys »

Unfortunately Octavio's owner is just bloody minded! What do you expect from Yuppies in central London?

In defence of my daughter I should like to say that her home was virtually uninhabitable when she bought it and the edge of Brixton in spite of it's tree lined streets was definitely unfashionable. In fact the house next door is still a Council House. Quite scary really that even taking into account the money she has spent on home improvements the house is worth about 8 times or more the overall cost she has invested over the last 15 years.

When I pointed out that she could buy a nice farmhouse with some land in Wales, she looked at me as if I was crazy. She loves central London. :?
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

My Wednesday blog. ;)
Until a few years ago I would regularly walk around the city finding all sorts of interesting places in the old parts of the city. I have not been able to do that but my newly acquired mobility scooter is opening up those opportunities for me again.
I have said before that we live just about a mile from the city centre so just a short ride on the scooter. Canterbury is built on the river Stour and the river splits as it flows into the city and comes back as one stream when it leaves the city. The island that is so formed is called Binnewith from medieval times and much of the old city is on the island.
My task this morning was to show you our 'Little Venice' aka the City of Canterbury. Here is a small selection of pictures from this morning of the two streams that flow right through the centre of the city.

This is the southern stream, just beyond the wall on the left is Greyfriars that I shall visit again another day.
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That stream flows east and under the Kings Bridge in the high street from which I took this picture. Look closely to see a replica ducking stool, also reflected in the river, and note the greenery mid frame left.
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There is a restaurant on the river where all the greenery is visible. This is the restaurant and a view looking back to Kings Bridge.
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Behind the black building is All Saints Lane. In that lane there is a 16th century building with a small cottage at one end. I have mentioned this cottage before but after we married in 1957 we lived there for a few years and I could not resist going down the (memory) lane.
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I proceded further east to another point where this stream is bridged near the new Marlowe theatre. These are views looking East and West from that bridge.
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On my way home I had to cross the northern stream which runs along the old city pound. Note the bars at the windows.
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In the past I have posted pictures of the northern stream. On these Canterbury waterways there are three small companies running river trips which do very well because they pass through much of the old city.
That's it for today. ;) :lol:
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

Extremely interesting Grandad! I LOVE your city!

I'm amazed there is no trash anywhere (although I get the sense you've probably gone and swept the street prior to taking photos! ;) ;) ;) ) and the water is so clean and clear. Very pretty.

It amuses me no end that so many of your houses are built with water flowing past. HERE there are set backs and you have to keep well away from so much as a drop of water. There could be seepage into your home which is black mold which means DEATH (to you if you breath a molecule) and there could also be a fish coming in and migrating upstream and heaven forbid you could block this.

Lovely photos.

Are the bars on the windows as this is a high crime area? or ?
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by Grandad »

@LovelyLadyLux
LovelyLadyLux wrote:Extremely interesting Grandad! I LOVE your city!Are the bars on the windows as this is a high crime area? or ?
Thank you LLL. :up
The building with bars on the windows is the rear of the old city 'Pound' or jail. So the bars are to keep people IN not OUT. The other side of the building is Pound Lane in which was situated the old Police Station. I don't have a picture so that is one for my next trip.
I am sure you would like my little city. Very small and you can walk everywhere. After 10am no vehicles are allowed in the city centre so I am able to scoot along in the road which is all block paved.
:gg:
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Re: What's Grandad got to talk about?

Post by LovelyLadyLux »

Not having any cars in after 10am would be a WONDERFUL BONUS! Your City has charm and lots of character. Am sure it is a lovely place. If I was closer I'd be visiting you ;) :)

Bars are always good to keep people IN as well.
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