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2008 - May 2nd - Friday

JH had an unusual experience: JH found herself down at the Leisure Centre and changing to have a swim at the early hour of 8.30am!  [In the mornings, K and R have a very ‘practical’ attitude to rotation of the queue for use of the bathroom and toilet, by three adults, one of whom, ie, JH, tends to get anxious about her IBS!].  JH did have her usual breakfast of cereal and banana, and lots to drink, as she really felt that she could not leave eating until after her swimming experience – as Kathy does.  Kathy had negotiated three visits to the Leisure Centre for JH: the facilities were palatial compared with PCC’s Pools.  JH swam several lengths in the main pool which is all the same depth; she then sampled the heat, {or cold} of the cascade, the sauna, the steam room – and the rest!  Myles, Kathy’s 5-year old grandson, loves the children’s pool – in which the cascades and fountains sprouted out of jumbo taps, toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste!  The Centre did, of course, also offer the facilities of a gym, tanning cubicle, face makeovers, café, etc.


 

JH and Kathy compared wounds, in the communal changing facilities, for the first time!  In view of our public conversations, and of course Kathy’s enthusiasm for introducing JH to everyone who knew of Kathy’s receipt of a ‘new’ kidney, JH was undoubtedly the ‘lady of the moment’ and greeted and thanked by all of Kathy’s friends and acquaintances – and strangers of which there were not many!
 
Many errands were necessary - in particular Kathy had to sort out her prescriptions for a supply of drugs to take on the trip to Cyprus: the Skinners were off to Cyprus on 19th May; they were really looking forward to the visit as they had not seen their long-time friends over there for two years, because Kathy had been unable to go to Cyprus in 2007 due to the problems with her fistula.  However, Kathy did tell JH that the ‘seizing up’ of her fistula undoubtedly speeded up the offer of a date for transplant.

JH was then taken to lunch at Hippos at Leigh-on-Sea!  The waitress noticed JH’s new hippo earrings, and commented enthusiastically - so JH explained that she had been brought to the Café especially because of her interest in all things hippopotamusy!  JH spotted a notice advertising a new line of cheesecake but they had sold out: never mind, JH had some delicious soup, and a caramel slice instead.  Hanging on the wall at the end of Hippos was . . . a picture of a hippo, of course!  At Ralph’s behest, JH hopped up and rested a hand on top of the picture whilst pointing at it: unfortunately, the picture fell down; however, it had no glass in the frame and so was quickly retrieved; when Ralph hung it up again, we both noted that it was only ‘lodged’ precariously on the hook.  Ralph finally took a photo of JH next to the picture – without any further mishap - and also took a picture of JH standing outside the café so that Hippos could be read (which entailed some rather hasty dashing between vehicles).

We then went to Southend: Ralph had an appointment at Southend Hospital - to be given the results of the arthroscopy, etc, of his knee.  Prior to going to the Hospital, JH mooched about the pedestrianised town centre, whilst Kathy got a few essentials, and then JH took a walk with Ralph through the vast shopping mall.  JH recognised the ‘circus’ in the centre as being the place where Ann and JH had taken Auntie Gert as a treat, after AG had had her stroke, in the early 1990s: we took AG in her wheelchair down on the funicular railway, walked along the Prom, and managed to push her along the pier; when we returned to the Mall for refreshments - whom should we meet but Barbara Watts and her husband, John – together with Barbara’s mum who was also having a trip out: for some years, Barbara and John had been tenants in the flat upstairs in AG’s house in Ilford.  {Sadly in due course - Ann let her sister JH know that Barbara had died from the sequelae of a subarachnoid haemorrhage, suffered whilst on holiday in Canada some 18 months ago.  John had died some years before Barbara from heart problems, but mum had had her hundred birthday on 25 September 2007!} 

At his appointment Ralph was told that the only remedial solution to his pain would be a knee replacement, as he had very severe arthritis.  Whilst the Skinners were in the Orthopaedic Clinic, JH went round to call on the WRVS Tea Bar Lady, Jean, who made JH very welcome.  We had a long chat – comparing notes about our Tea Bars: Jean seemed to be under the impression that every other WRVS Tea Bar was palatial compared with hers – having seen photographs of them in the WRVS magazine – but JH disabused her!

When we got back to Chez Skinner, Kathy and Ralph were flagging – which was hardly surprising, as they had had a very busy day, plus their determination to give their guest a good time - and Ralph had had all the anxiety about what was going to be said to him at the Orthopaedic Clinic.  If necessary – during the course of JH’s stay - they both resorted to lying down for as long as it took to recuperate whilst JH ‘did her own thing’ such as reading, doing jigsaws, listening to The Archers, and even accessing her emails, via orange, on the Skinners computer [after a few hiccoughs in accessing her email box on a different computer, ie, a lap top with a mouse pad].  Kathy and Ralph usually had a digital music programme on, whilst they were chatting in their sitting room, because they were very aware that the conversations of the occupants in the flat below could be heard, so . . . it went without saying that our conversations might be heard by the downstairs neighbours.  As the programme broadcast lots of ‘golden oldies’ JH quite enjoyed the entertainment – in spite of being a aficionado of Radio 4, usually.  So much for sound insulation in modern buildings (which deficit JH had noticed when visiting the Elfleins in Germany)!



 
 
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