John's Progress

Some good news about John.   He had second scan today and it seems he will not have to have another operation.   His pain medication has been changed and he is much more comfortable now;  he was in a lot of pain up until tonight.  He sends his love to everyone for your good wishes and hugs (although he will take a rain-check on the hugs just for now).  In good spirits and even managed a joke.  Hopefully he will be moved to a ward tomorrow.  Thanks for all your positive thoughts and prayers and best wishes, very much appreciated by us all.



Love  Jo

Up-date re John's Operation

Up-date re John's Operation




John had operation this morning. Good news was that they were able to do all three bypasses. Unfortunately there is a leakage of blood which they are monitoring. If it doesn't stop, they will have to operate again to stop the bleeding.  Thankfully he is in the best of hands. John asked me to keep you all up-to-date and I know you will all have been thinking about him. I know you will be sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers. Will keep you up-dated as much as possible. I am not very good with this technology so I hope it gets posted because I know you will all be thinking of John and wondering how things are going.
Take care of yourselves also, Jo

Into hospital

 
I shall be going in for my triple by-pass on Thursday so this will be my last post for quite a while. If all goes well (I mean computer-wise – I’m taking it for granted that the operation will go well) Jo will be posting occasional up-dates. I have taken the comment moderation off this blog  and GB will kindly delete any spam comments.  My other blogs will have the comment moderation left on so please don't be surprised if your comments don't appear for ages.

I'm not bothered about the operation but I am not looking forward to the after effects of being carved up. The Canadian Chickadee reminded me of that classic Peanuts cartoon where Lucy complains to Charlie Brown about having to go to the dentist. He says, "You're not afraid of a little pain, are you?" Her reply is brilliant. "Of course I am! Pain hurts!"

At least when I am recovering I should have some time to catch up with my fellow bloglings activities.

Take care.

Ducks and drakes and other boids

Jo and I went around Ashton Park, West Kirby, in the sun on Saturday. There were dozens of ducks and geese around.

 

Canada Goose

 

  

  

Coots

 

  

Mallard

 

Little white duck!

 

Moorhen

 

Tufted Duck

Black and White Tuesday – Sandbach, Cheshire

I’ve shown this photo before but it was Uncle Eric’s copy and was not so good. I have cleaned Mum's print of it up a bit and can now tell that it is Sandbach Crosses, Cheshire. Taken about 1928 – Mum and Eric would probably have cycled there.

They are two 9th century stone crosses, decorated on all faces with carved figures, animals and vine scrolls. The taller cross shows biblical scenes and has a mutiliated head. The shorter cross has a truncated shaft with the mutilated head of another cross. They were taken from their original site and broken up. The fragments were eventually restored to their present site in 1816. The style and themes of the sculpture indicate contact with the wider Anglo-Saxon world, suggesting Sandbach was a significant centre of pre-Viking sculpture in the 9th century.

Sadly, I cannot look at this photo without thinking about a friend who lives just down the road from these. She is very ill at the moment. Your prayers and thoughts for her would be welcomed.

Happy Monday - Professional nursing

If all had gone to schedule (which it hasn't)  I would have been in hospital this morning so it seemed appropriate to post this one today:-

Nurses Aren't Supposed To Laugh.......

Fred had a problem so he went to see the nurse.  She asked him to show her the problem.

'Okay then,' said Fred, and he proceeded to drop his trousers, revealing the tiniest 'man-thingy' the nurse had ever seen.    Length and width, it couldn't have been bigger than a AAA battery.

Unable to control herself, the nurse started giggling, then fell to the floor laughing.

Ten minutes later, she was able to struggle to her feet and regain her composure.

'I am so sorry,' she said. 'I don't know what came over me. On my honor as a nurse and a lady, I promise it won't happen again. Now, tell me, what seems to be the problem?'


'It's swollen,' Fred replied.

She ran out of the room.

Patterson 1907

When I spoke to the driver of this car I was informed it was from 1907.

 

  

 

But I am mystified – I cannot find Patterson cars on the Internet. Does anyone (i.e. GB?) know anything about them?

Oops - You're right Ginger V - I re-checked my photos and sure enough it's a single T - I must have misread it after making the photos smaller.

Friday My Town Shoot-out – Town Plazas

This week's subject for the Friday My Town Shoot-out is town plazas - chosen by Redlan (Rod Gelarde) .

Liverpool has a number of places that fit Rod’s definition of a town plaza –

Plaza is a Spanish word related to "field" which describes an open urban public space, such as a city square. It’s the space where a large crowd gathers during public occasions or crisis. The plaza remains a center of community life that is only equaled by the market-place. In modern usage, a plaza can be any gathering place on a street or between buildings, a street intersection with a statue. It’s a center of a town/city or a certain place.

The main gathering place for outdoor events and celebrations in Liverpool’s city centre is the Plateau outside St George’s Hall. When Liverpool FC brought the F A Cup home in 1965 tens of thousands of people lined the route that their open-topped bus took around town and an estimated seventy thousand spread out from St George’s plateau all around the city centre to the Town Hall.

 

 

This was the celebration of the return of some Liverpool troops from Afghanistan.

Major events on the plateau often involve the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress.

And there are usually bobbies on hand to make sure everything goes alright.

This winter the plateau even played host to a penguin!

If you would like to see other members' shoot-outs please go to the link page.

To learn more about the Friday My Town Shoot-out why not pay a visit to the
home blog.

Growl

Liverpool still has a few Superlambananas about. This one is in Queens Square.

This is the only Superlambanana in captivity. In 2008 it escaped from its cage and the City Council issued fliers to encourage people to write on their blog with sightings. (At that time it was simply yellow and not tiger coloured).

England swings

England swings like a pendulum do,

Bobbies on bicycles, two by two,
Westminster Abbey the tower of Big Ben,
The rosy red cheeks of the little children.

Now, if you huff and puff and you fina'lly save enough
Money up to take your family on a trip across the sea,
Take a tip before you take your trip; let me tell you where to go,
Go to Engeland, Oh;

Mama's old pajamas and your papa's mustache,
Falling out the window sill, frolic in the grass,
Tryin' to mock the way they talk fun but all in vain,
Gaping at the dapper men with derby hats and canes...
                                         Roger Miller

Black and White Tuesday - Sports

Today’s Black and White Tuesday Theme is a Sporty one....

Dad posing for cricket but dressed for football! I would guess it is about 1919 as he looks about 12.

Mum (left) playing rounders at Calder c 1924. I’m sure Those gymslips are shorter than the regulation length! They were supposed to touch the ground when you kneeled down with your back up straight!

Calder High School, Liverpool – Upper Va Netball team in 1924. Mum is front right. I like this photo because they look like prime candidates for St Trinians!

Anyone for tennis? Mum and a friend in Calderstones Park, Liverpool, c 1926.

Mum’s office (the Insurance Committee – forerunner of the Family Practitioners’ Committee) tennis tournament – c 1928. Mum is front left.

Mum’s friend Phyllis Hales at an open air baths – possibly New Brighton – c 1928.

I have always thought you had to be a bit mad to be a goalkeeper. Perhaps, since he was my Dad I should use the word eccentric instead! The Furness Withy Shipping League 1931.

And Dad won medals for cycling. 

And tug-of-war was a popular pastime on office outings.  Lilleshall, 1931 - Mum's offce.

And does a sack race at the same outing count as a sport?

The 1932 office day out at Rhyl saw everyone playing bowls.