Author: peterb51

4th August Sunday

We drove to the hospital to have Kelli’s stitches removed, it took less than a minute, it took longer to print the release form. 

However Kelli was scared to even bend her knee slightly by walking.

We stopped off at a pharmacy to buy some butterfly strip to support the wound for a longer period. Apparently the drop off on their own. The nurses thought this was not necessary, but she was scared and wanted a belt and braces option.

It was a hot day, just right for moving some furniture up at Kelli’s mums house.

Matt and Brenda had bought a secondhand sofa to furnish the upstairs ready for them to move in next month. I was volunteered to help get this piece up the stairs. 

Unfortunately no one thought to measure the width of the door to the stairs. There was no way that this sofa would fit. 

Some drastic measures had to be taken. I suggested cutting the legs off, that would give us about an inch clearance. This was agreed, so with a saw in hand I  cut them off one by one.

Now it was just the case of moving the thing.

The perspiration was dripping as we hauled the beast into the kitchen and up the stairs. 

Cameron’s girlfriend Alyssa was pulling at the top whilst I was pushing from the bottom.

It was awkward, but finally we got it into the room that will be their living space.

Now was the time for ice cream, I was so hot the damn stuff melted in front of me, I had to have a double helping.

Before all this activity, we were invited by the lady who I refinished the record player for, to see her house. It was directly opposite Kelli’s mum house so not too far out of the way. It was a pleasant home furnished in a mid century style. On the way out she gave me two bottles of sparkling wine as she held a baby shower party the previous day, and she had a lot left over.

Those will go down a treat at the next family gathering.

3rd August 2024

I did a solo trip to Menards for supplies, this gave me the opportunity to look around at things I generally don’t do when I’m with Kelli. That is because I have to divert her attention from items we did not come to purchase, I think that is why those trips are so exhausting.

I was able to meander down the isles in a leisurely pace finding things I didn’t know they had. “ Why do I need Amazon?” Went through my mind. “ Why is there no competition to Amazon?” Was another. All these big stores could form a co-operative to service customers, they have large warehouses in all large cities. 

That is when I feared my head would explode, so I went back to just looking at things.

I had to buy some timber to make a floor frame for a new greenhouse. The one we had was only a temporary, being just a plastic cover over a tubular frame. The weather had caused the plastic door to split, so rather than purchase a new cover I bought a slightly more substantial one. It arrived a couple of weeks ago,  I’ve been frightened to open it, but I want to do it soon.

The wooden frame will ensure the structure is square from the outset, and last a little longer.

So with the four by twos lashed to the roof I set off back home.

2nd August 2024

The owner of the record player came to collect it today.

As always there is alway a last minute dash to make sure everything is right. There were a few issues mainly due to the person who gutted it in the first place, I would have liked it to be a bit more refined, but I tried to make the pieces that I worked on be as good as I could.

The pre paint preparation from its previous owner had left the veneer very thin in places, so I was limited in how I was able to refinish it, the the customer was over the moon with it.

It was still humid, but I did what I could before the pool called to me. It was a relief for a brief period, watching the birds and insects going about their business.

Once we were out and drying, a lady from up the road knocked on the door with a gluten free banana bread, this was out of the blue, and put my faith back into people, I can’t wait to try it with my tea.

The grass in the back garden has suffered badly from the dogs piss. I bought some gummies that is supposed to reduce the richness of the nitrogen that kills the grass, it’s called “Dog rocks” I hope it works.

My daily correspondence with my friend Dave on the cassette deck continues with the conclusion that the power works for the pre amp, I need to find another 12 volt supply to drive the motor.

Now that’s another challenge.

1st August 2024

Well this cassette deck has got me beat. I reached out to a friend in the UK for advice. Two emails later with lots of pictures I’m still no further forward. I guess this may go down as a failure unless I get a flash of inspiration.

The record player is nearly finished, thank god.

I hoping that the owners come to collect tomorrow.

With Kelli working at quarter speed because of her injury things have been slow, once the record player has gone there are several pieces that can be started.

We think there are rabbits getting into the garden, there were piles of droppings around the garden, and there have been times when Phoebe has shot around after something at the speed of a rocket.

It is so humid here, the windows are all misty in the morning, and it’s like carrying around a damp blanket. The weather brings out the crickets, the evening soundscape is filled with countless chirping.

31st July 2024

It was a hot day, just right to do the weeks shopping. The only difference was that I was doing the driving, and I had to remember which side of the vehicle had the steering wheel.

Before we left I sprayed anther coat of poly over the top of the record player, and another when we got back from the shops.

Nature’s Market has one section dedicated to supplements and all things for good health. I am still shocked at the prices of some of them(not really)

I often have this discussion with Kelli that Americans are fixated with supplements and drugs, of course I have to be careful that I don’t sail too close to the rocks because Kelli herself takes a lot of them. It shocks me to see them all laid out on the counter surface. I have asked her doctor if people ever get addicted to them, of course he says no, but my point is, when do you know to come off them? I’m sure people keep taking stuff for many years because they are afraid of going backwards, and have to start all over again.

The expert in the store pointed out one supplement that targets joint and muscles, he said he takes them regularly, and feels like he could climb a mountain. You pay over fifty bucks a bottle for these, and it’s a huge market, and not that well understood by the average punter.

No one can ever answer my simple questions “ when do you know when to stop?, and “how can you tell?”

Kelli is on the journey where her liver, digestion and her immune system all need support.

30th July 2024

Sleep wasn’t great, Kelli was having pain in her knee on her good leg. It had been troubling her for a while, but now it has to take all the strain.

She booked a session with another kinesiologist from the practice to take a look and try to relieve her pain.

Since the accident I have been doing all the driving much to Kelli’s concern. This was heightened by the fact I nearly ran a red light, but I did stop in time.

Brandon, the young kinesiologist worked on the pressure point in the foot, this seemed to relieve the pressure in the knee area, don’t ask me how? I just watch.

In the evening the Indian lady who helped Kelli after the accident brought over some food for us, which was so unexpected, there are some people who are really kind. There was a spicy chicken soup and a lasagna, I guess the soup is mine.

Kelli found her contact details by advertising on a local neighbourhood app, then she sent a note of thanks and things developed from that.

29th July 2024

It’s hard for Kelli to walk around because she has to keep her leg straight, this is putting a lot of strain on her other leg, making life difficult.

There are only so many pain relief tablets she can take, that, and all the supplements makes her rattle

It’s very humid outside, so perspiration happens with the lightest of tasks, anything more strenuous and I drip, not good when I’m sanding because the drops can stain the wood leading to even more sanding, and so it goes on.

I did stain the record cabinet, which was a plus, but I still haven’t worked out the problem with the cassette recorder.

I have noticed that the mainstream media have started to rewrite history. The censorship is so blatant, if you type in to Google, Trump assassination attempt, it is not the first thing that comes up, even though it’s current news, it is buried near the bottom. (Note that did change a few days later)

Kamala Harries’s history has changed, she was given the border and became the “Border tsar” well that was a disaster, suddenly all that disappeared.

The democrats will stop at nothing to stop Trump, they have tried to ruin his reputation, take his business away, take his money, and almost took his life.

The only thing left will be civil unrest, this is where they can issue a state of emergency and suspend the election.

Most people aren’t stupid, they’ve seen the dirty games the government play to beat them into submission. It is a tinderbox, with petrol at four dollars a gallon and food prices that have doubled it won’t take a lot.

Add to that the country being run by a senile old fool, and the choices that the population have to make, it’s going to be a rough ride.

28th July 2024

A day of rest for a change, but first a bit of work on the record player to get it ready for the staining.

Next I did some work on a side project, that is restoring classic cassette tape recorders. I repaired an old Sony a while ago, but I bought a cheap Technics on eBay. The unit itself needed new belts and a new motor. When everything arrived I used this opportunity to put it all back together. The deck itself is very basic so the refitting of the motor was simple, but the belts a bit more awkward, but it all went together, thing we’re looking promising.

I re soldered the power wires to the motor, and plugged all the rest of the wires into their respective places on the circuit board.

Then I plugged in the deck and pressed the on button, nothing happened. Normally I would expect the motor to turn, but it didn’t.

Was the motor a dud? I asked myself, I better check it.

I found a nine volt battery and connected it to the motor with some wire and crocodile clips.

The motor worked, and all the functions operated as they should.

I removed the power lead from the circuit board and found the pins that supplied the power. I checked the voltage at the pins and it registered twelve volts, this should mean that the power supply works. I checked the continuity of the wire from the connector end to the motor, and that was okay, so it doesn’t make sense why it doesn’t work.

That’s my quandary this week.

In the afternoon we went up to Kelli’s mums to help Matt and Brenda clear out the top floor of the house, as they are planning to move in soon.

The three rooms were filled with junk, since Dave died, much of the upstairs hadn’t been touched, and he was an avid collector of everything.

They had already made a start, but my main purpose was to move the furniture. Getting the gun cabinet out was the greatest challenge, it was made from solid walnut, but fortunately it was in two halves. This was relocated into Kelli’s old bedroom which had her mother’s collection of seasonal house decorations in bags all over the floor, it was messing with my head to see such chaos. The last thing was a massive oak desk that we moved against a different wall.

After that, it was back to the house for a rest.

27th July 2024

A more subdued day to be sure. Kelli spent the day walking with a straight leg, and in obvious pain. We took a trip to pick up some medical supplies so she could redress the wound.

I worked on the record cabinet trying to get it ready for staining tomorrow.

It was a hot day, so we tried thinking how we could get Kelli into the pool without getting her knee wet. With a bit of cunning and acrobatics we managed it, of course it was even more tricky getting back out, but that was in the back of our minds as we floated around.

The day was playing havoc with her pain threshold, by the evening it was aching bad, so at nine in the evening I drove to Meyer, the largest supermarket I have ever known to buy a pain numbing spray.

This place is vast, mainly the reason we don’t go there, but on this occasion I had to.

I had plenty of time to look for the stuff as it closed at midnight, but surprisingly I found it quickly.

As soon as I got back home she applied the spray, which did help, thank goodness.

27th July 2024

It was another troubled night for both Kelli and myself. I have come to accept that these things happen, but that’s no consolation for her.

We did finally get some sleep, only after I moved on to the couch, but we both slept till nine.

I had to drive to Elaine’s to check the template I had made for her feature over her front door.

By the time I got home Kelli had finished painting the bed frame, so I tackled some re veneering on the record cabinet.

We also manage a float in the pool.

After that we did something that would change the course of the day, a bike ride.

It was great, a ride down to Kollen park.

There was activity on the lake, diners were already tucking into their early dinner at the Boatverks, and the fishermen had their lines cast into the water hoping to catch something for theirs.

We started to retrace our journey, past the brightly coloured flower beds, until we came to a portion of our lives where we both can’t explain what happened.

Somehow we collided, whether I was distracted or Kelli, I just don’t know, but she fell off her bike which in turn knocked me off. So there we were sprawled on the pavement Kelli shouting in pain.

She had hit her elbow and her knee, blood was starting to seep through her white leggings.

On this occasion neither of us had phones with us, and as she had looked at her knee injury, decided that he would need to go to the ER.

Fortunately there was a guy walking towards us with two large dogs, he stopped and asked if we needed help. He had a phone which he handed to Kelli. She was able to call the paramedics, but we had no idea how long that would take to arrive.

In the meantime two strollers stopped to help. One was very friendly Indian lady and her tall American husband, they stayed for quite a while and even offered to go back to their home to get some snacks for us. They then went back to their home.

The main problem for me was how to get the two bikes back home.

As the ambulance arrived, the two paramedics got out to access the situation.

They applied a dressing, after first cutting her leggings to access the wound.

She was then loaded on to a gurney and lifted into the back of the ambulance.

My plan was to lock her bike, and for me to ride back home to get the truck, retrieve her bike and then go on to the hospital, which is exactly what I did. I did engage Turbo mode on the bike and got home in record time.

In the meantime, the Indian lady had driven back with some food, but the paramedics advised not to eat anything until she had been seen by a doctor.

However she followed the ambulance to the hospital until I got there, what a kind lady she was.

Then came the noisy part. Kelli pain threshold is very low, so any touching of the wound would be met with a yell.

The doctor proceeded with the pain numbing injections, which in themselves hurt, but once they kicked in, he got on and gave her five stitches.

We were both starving, and our only option was a take out, by the time we got home it was past ten, not a good time to have a meal, so we’ll see what happens.