Fruits of our labour

Job advert from media industry: 

Salary £18-20K a year (Mmm, part-time?)

Excellent benefits package (OK, tell me more)

Free parking (At least better than a meter in the Borough of Westminster)

Lunch on us once a month (Fancy Italian restaurant or butty and cold drink from M&S?)

Fresh fruit every day (Two seedless grapes a day...well, that's a clincher).

A&E: Alzheimer's and an emergency trip to Cambridge

Another disconcerting visit to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge earlier on this freezing winter night. Mother-in-law, the subject of many previous posts, was admitted to the huge complex yesterday as the decline in her health begins to accelerate. Alzheimer's is most certainly taking a firm grip.

TESTING TIMES: Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge      Photo: BBC

She now lives in a care home in the village of Little Downham, little more than a short hop and jump from the cathedral "city" of Ely where she receives round-the-clock-care from dedicated, amiable, hard-working staff. Despite their efforts, accidents are bound to happen and sure enough, last week, on Christmas Eve, mum-in-law had a fall. It was not serious in itself and a thorough check by the GP revealed no breaks or even bruising, although he did suspect she was suffering from a UTI. No need for the hospital, he said. That would only add to her obvious confusion. A course of strong antibiotics should do the trick.

But her behaviour has altered significantly of late; her speech is becoming more slurred, the words she so desperately seeks cannot be conjured, her once-brisk walk has been reduced to a mere shuffle and everyday tasks are becoming increasingly difficult. Why fumble with a fork at the table if your fingers will suffice? Not all the time, you understand, but more and more often, and the frustration simmers.

The tipping point occurred when she deliberately took to the floor of her room after refusing food and drink. She then flatly refused assistance and began to threaten the staff who were patiently trying to cajole and coax her to her feet. No point. She was not going to cooperate. After a call to ours, it was decided that the paramedics should intervene. A trip to Addenbrooke's A&E followed and she was then formally admitted on to a ward for the elderly where innumerable tests and scans have been carried out in an attempt to discover if there is an underlying disease in addition to the dreaded Alzheimer's which is largely responsible for her decline. The brilliant NHS staff suspect not, but they need to be certain.

The good news is that mum-in-law shares a bay on the ward with a chirpy lady from Witchford who is compos mentis. No long silences there. Furthermore, m-i-l actually recognised her daughter tonight and remembered her name. We shall see what tomorrow brings.

NB: Please remember that by clicking on the adverts on this blog you are helping to make a contribution towards Alzheimer's research (see previous posts). So get clicking ...

Follow Fenman @ harrysrus on Twitter

Bewitched by Fenland on the eve of Halloween

FIELD OF VISION: Why walking the dogs on an Autumn evening in the Cambridgeshire Fens is such an enjoyable experience. Click on the picture and see for yourself. A setting sun, stunning sky, distant silhouettes, and, of course, a hint of mist and mystery. Bring on Halloween.

Meet the Fenland Photobomber ...Our Reg was here

FOCUSED: Reg's inquisitive nature seems to be helping him
develop a talent for unwittingly appearing in photos

MEET the Fenland photobomber, alias our Reg, the pygmy goat. After I sidled up to the paddock fence to get a quick snap of our sheepish newcomers, Dolly and Summer, this inquisitive face suddenly appeared. Reg doesn't exactly have Hollywood A-lister looks, but his mummy still loves him. The cheeky chappy was therefore in sharp focus while the intended subjects became blurred objects when I took the picture. Reg here reminds me of the cartoon character my dad used to draw when I was a kid. He was called Kilroy (the character, not my dad) and his nose was poking over a wall (the character, not ...).

WIKIPEDIA
Photobombing is the act of accidentally or purposely putting oneself into the view of a photograph, often in order to play a practical joke on the photographer or the subjects.^[1] Photobombing has received significant coverage since 2009.^[2] In discussing a "stingray photobomb" picture that went viral, Andrea DenHoed suggests that the photobomb label "implies a narrative of surreptitious sabotage,"^[2] although in the sense of unintended and/or initially unnoticed people in the background of spoiled photographs, photobombs have existed for much of the history of photography.

He nose, you know: Cartoon courtesy of WIKIPEDIA

NB: Please remember that by clicking on the adverts on this blog you are helping to make a contribution towards Alzheimer's research (see previous posts). So get clicking ...

Follow Fenman @ harrysrus on Twitter

Roast dinners? Ewe must be joking

QUALITY CONTROL: The sheep check out their new grass
just minutes after arriving in a kind neighbour's horsebox

JUST a quickie. Here are our latest additions. Sheep. Let's hear it for Dolly (mum) and Summer, all the way from a picturesque and historic village near the lovely town of Olney in Buckinghamshire. They are Babydoll Miniature Southdowns with an impeccable pedigree and are definitely not on any future menu. Great wool, though. More to follow in a few days but, in the meantime, a couple of pictures to show how quickly they have settled in to their new surroundings. Please excuse the haphazard layout of photos. Out of my hands, I'm afraid.

STABLEMATES: Dolly and Summer in purpose-built home

Brazil World Cup 2014: Why Rio's right to kick off about England hate mob

ENGLAND PASSION: The talented Rio Ferdinand   Wikipedia

ENGLAND FALL GUY: Manager Roy Hodgson       Wikipedia

ENGLAND are out of the Brazil World Cup 2014. Surprised? Well, no, of course not.
There are some great jokes flying around but the nation still finds it hard to hide the disappointment. Eliminated at the group stage for the first time since 1958.
But anyone who follows football realised Roy Hodgson had a good young, inexperienced squad with defensive frailties. And in view of this significant fact, it was obvious England were never going to be world-beaters no matter how much, how often or how hard we dreamed those sweet dreams of triumph. Roy's boys just weren't up to it and therefore did not earn the right to progress despite two tight games.
Even the drunken morons raucously belting out ancient football chants during my tedious train journey home from London last night, just a few hours after that Luis Suarez-inspired defeat which condemned England, would have known this.
So why the usual, sad, sometimes distasteful clamour for change, sackings, etc., and the hate mob's desperate need to blame in certain newspapers, on the web, TV and in social media?
I'll tell you why. Despite all the bilge about low expectations before a ball was even kicked in anger, some people just can't help themselves when it comes to any easy target, a rehashed story and screaming headline proclaiming the same nonsense that was regurgitated after previous World Cup exploits. Formatted rubbish. Shocking headlines are designed to grab attention. Read me, this is interesting, it's news, it's informative, it might even be amusing. But many headlines can turn out to be ill-conceived rubbish aimed at the lowest common denominator.
Some sections of the media treat the national sport with intelligence and adopt a different attitude - I include tabloids in this - by dissecting, thoughtfully analysing, coming up with constructive proposals and encouraging sensible discussions that may establish platforms on which to develop a stronger, successful national setup. But other sections - you know who you are - couldn't give a damn and revert to type. Same old, same old. Easy pickings.
The manager is building a new team, with a different approach and has probably made some mistakes. Not taking at least one very experienced defender, for a start. But give him time. And don't say the squad are a bunch of overpaid oiks who show no passion. Can't beat a good cliche, eh? See what the wealthy, but talented former England defender, Rio Ferdinand, has to say on that controversial subject.

Rio Ferdinand on Twitter: Loads saying no pride no passion....the boys didn't try, r u saying? Rubbish. We just wasn't up to it. Nothing to do with pride & passion.

Follow Fenman@harrysrus on Twitter

Please click here

PLEASE click on any of the adverts that appear on this blog. By doing so you are helping to generate a small amount of money which can then be used in the battle with Alzheimer's Disease. It's a worthy cause, so get clicking as well as reading. Cheers.

PS: R.I.P. Stephen Sutton. A genuine inspiration to people of all ages.

Follow Fenman@harrysrus on Twitter