Scanned!

I went for my scan on Thursday! I was optimistic and only put 1 hour on the car parking ticket. It worked - we were in and out in no time! I didn't even get to wait in the waiting room and drink a pint (of water) I was just directed to the main area - and told to keep drinking the water I had with me. Then a nurse came to take me straight through to get undressed - I put on the gown and was called into the bright white CT scan room.

The technician said "Have you ever had a CT scan before, Bernadette?" I told him I'd had quite a few! So, he didn't go through all the explanation - just got on with it. This time I had to go through it with my arms above my head - while they scanned my torso - then put them down by my side while I was having my head and neck scanned. The only bit that hurt was when he ripped the plaster off my arm that had been holding the needle in place (for the iodine injection) Ouch!!

So, now it's just a waiting game to see what the results are. I know they have their Team meetings on Mondays - so maybe they'll look at it then. I am sure I'll hear something quickly if there's a problem - so no news will be good news!!

Tracy and Al

Had a lovely meal on Friday night with Tracy (the Lady Trucker!!) and her hubby Al (also a Mobile Library driver). It as lovely to catch up and we did get a bit tiddly. We enjoyed a meal and some wine - then the males of the party decided it would be a good idea to try some Sambuca - with coffee beans in the bottom. Apparently you are supposed to light this on fire before drinking! Since none of us had a match or lighter - two ladies from the next table lent us theirs and looked on in amusement while Al and Nathan tried to light the drinks. They just succeeded in getting the lighter sticky with the liqueur before handing it back. I don't think they were too impressed!

We just had to drink it as it was - then tried some red and black Sambuca. I was the only one who had to get up the next morning!! I did look a little bleary-eyed in the library - but luckily it wasn't too busy. :-)

Last night when we went out to meet up with Danilo, I offered to drive so I wouldn't need to drink anything! Danilo is down from Edinburgh and it was lovely to see him again. We had a very nice Thai meal and good conversation. Nathan always says that Dan is the most intelligent person he knows - so we talked about Scottish devolution, banking, how to make Pi (not the kind you eat!) We did manage to perplex him though - Nathan told him about the magic trick that Morgan and West had performed on him when we went to see them back in November. He could not work out how they did it! It was the one where they got N to pick a random Harry Potter book - go to a page chosen by the audience - pick a word somewhere in the middle. After much showmanship they had the exact word circled on the exact page - that was in an envelope in Nathan's pocket.


We still have the page - and it was definitely from the book he chose!

Nathan choosing a word..

Dan said he'd always thought that these kind of mind-reading tricks were done with a stooge from the audience who was in on it - but knowing that it had happened to Nathan - he couldn't work it out. Hope it didn't keep him awake too long in the night!

In the meantime we are getting prepared for the Education Innovation Conference and Exhibition in Manchester next week! We will be back in our Jigsaw School Apps shirts and drumming up lots of business!

I'll report back on how that goes - looking forward to it!

Scanxiety time again.....

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At last I've managed to sort out a date for my scan. There seems to have been a change in procedure since I had my last one. Usually they send you a date for the scan and then a couple of days before that day you pop into a local Vampire Sanctuary and get them to extract your blood. This is then sent off to the hospital so they can check your vital signs before they do the deed.

So, I have been hanging on to my blood envelope waiting for a date - so I know when to go to give up my blood. So I waited, and waited... and no date came through. I tried to call Appointments  - but always seemed to be 10th in the queue, so I didn't hang on. Eventually I got through and they told me they didn't need them - I should call Mr Hughes's secretary. She explained that they don't send you a date for your scan until they have received your blood! As they hadn't had any of mine - they had cancelled the scan request! She told me to get it done and then let her know right away.

So I went up to Bradwell Hospital last Wednesday to let them stick a needle in my arm and drain it off! It is obviously a very popular pastime - as there was a massive queue. Everyone wants a go! :-)

Then I let Nurse Wendy know and also called ENT.  I got a letter through - it is going to be on Thursday 20th February at 11am. So, I am pleased that is sorted. It's almost a year since the last one so fingers crossed...



Barbara and Peter

Dad likes chocolate cake!

In other news, it is my mum and dad's wedding anniversary today! We went out for lunch at The Wheatsheaf in Cheadle to celebrate  with them and Dom, Sharon and Sarah. Then back to theirs for cake and games. We played Smart Ass - which is not that easy as it seems to be very American. Still, it was fun! Sarah wanted to play the Spoons card game - which she won! Then of course no family gathering is complete without a game of Poppywally!




Back to work tomorrow. It is half-term so I guess we'll have a few more younger ones I ! In fact over the next fortnight we are doing a National Children's Survey - so I will be attempting to hand out and explain the forms to every child between 5 -11, get them to fill them in and put them in a box. Also record any refusals. Wish me luck!!

No more rain puddles!

Almost done!

The outside of the library is being improved for access. They are putting in a better ramp with handrails and trying to make the drainage work better so that the rain does not come under the door and wet the carpet. It is looking much  better already. Hopefully they'll be back to finish it tomorrow.
I was very impressed that the Poets managed to carry on their class despite the pneumatic drills and steam roller.

They are working on their Bards in the Bog project - where they are coming up with poems that I can put in the public toilet for people to read and reflect on while they are in there. It is coming up with some interesting results! More on this in a  later blog....

A little bit of Full Frontal Nerdity...

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Life is getting back to normal after Bett. I am back in my library coping with the variable weather. The other day it was beautiful and sunny - with brightness sparkling through all the windows.

Silverdale in sunshine :-)

Then a few hours later it was raining so hard there was a lake outside the door and it was raining in through the roof in the office. I had to put bins under the drips until the roofing people could get over and fix it!

I do feel quite lucky that we live here in the Midlands though - and not by the coast or near a raging river. I feel for anyone who has been flooded or had their electricity cut off. We have it easy here.

On Saturday night we went over to Stafford to the Gatehouse Theatre to see Festival of the Spoken Nerd: Full-Frontal Nerdity.

We went with Janet and Terry. Although I think Janet misheard us when we said nerdity and enthusiastically agreed to come with us before she realised the truth :-) Heehee. They both enjoyed it though!




Toroidal Vortex

 Featuring a stand-up Mathematician, Matt Parker, a scientist Steve Mould (inventor of the "Mould Effect" :-) and Helen Arney who makes up songs about science, it is a funny and quirky show - with real flashes of danger.

They plug a pickle into the mains and create a fire tornado in direct contravention of all Health and Safety laws. Nathan was keen to try that at home as we have a waste paper bin exactly like the one they used. Fortunately we don't have a Lazy Susan though - phew!

The most impressive part as where they demonstrated a Toroidal Vortex.

They filled what looked like a kiddies play tunnel with smoke and then blew smoke rings with it. They were surprisingly powerful. They tapped it from the stage and knocked a lady's hat off at the back! Amazing.

You should see them if you can!!




Back to the present though and it is pouring with rain again! Poor Nathan has a bad cold - which is not good as he has so much work to do since Bett - as the orders come in.

We are all gearing up for the Education Innovation Conference & Exhibition 2014 in Manchester at the end of the month.