Is It The Stroke Or The Old Injury?
At school, a bully broke my humerus. He was twisting the arm upside down and hitting the tricep muscle repeatedly. I tried to turn round to hit him back after about twenty minutes or so of this torture and I overbalanced and all the extra pressure on my arm broke it. It sounded like the noise you get, when you snap a raw carrot. I have only ever had it X-rayed once and that was at the old Highlands Hospital in Winchmore Hil, just after the break. I had seen pictures of green-stick fractures and it looked like that, with bits of bone everywhere.
Over the years it has sometimes been very painful. Once about ten years ago, I went to see a doctor and he got a CTScan done on the shoulder, as he thought, that was where the problem was. Since my stroke it sometimes has decided to annoy me. It did quite a bit in Hong Kong, but it couldn’t have been too bad when I was out of hospital, as I was able to drive cars around the yard at the stud. When I first moved to London it couldn’t have been too bad, as I was able to do some interesting metalwork. But it has been very bad over the last couple of weeks and that includes hospital. But you cope and I’ve now found a computer, that will allow me to type easier right handed.
I should say that the hand is generally pretty good and I can use it to help me get up and down stairs on a bus. Last night for instance, whilst standing on the New Bus for London, I was using my left hand.
On the other hand, there have been lengthy periods in my life, when I used to wear my heavy watch on the right hand and I have always slept on my right side or face down, with no weight on my left arm. I even did that as a child before the arm was broken, due to the layout of my first bedroom.
So is the pain in my left are due to this old injury or down to the stroke?
L’ve Got Petrol
My son has parked his car in my garage, so if I needed some petrol, L suspect I could syphon some out.
But as I don’t, the petrol in his car is safe.
And as it’s only one of the last proper Minis, I would probably only get a couple of mouthfuls!
I’ll just walk to the bus as normal.
Everybody Talks on the New Buses for London
It’s true! I’ve been on one three times now and every time, I’ve had deep conversations with complete strangers.
Poeople discuss the merits of hybrid drive, the style of the seats and the joys of old Routemasters.
This can only be good, as it’s not just the past-it like me, but young kids with a life in front of them.
I think it is true to say, that the old Routemaster and the silver tube trains of the 1960s generated the same enthusiasm.
So long live good design! Or even valiant attempts at it!
Laughing All the Way to the Angel
The proposed fuel strike doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, as someone who can’t drive because of a stroke and has lost two of his nearest and dearest family in the last few years to cancer, I could claim that all of the bad news is being shared out a bit.
The strike does bring out the worst in people.
I do hope that no-one near me has stored a lethal amount of petrol in his front room and then decides to have a fag.
I’ve got a litre of goat’s milk in the fridge, which will last me three weeks. If things get tight, I can walk all the way to the Angel and because too many politicians live in Islington, the shops will be open.
My only problem is that I have a dental appointment in Notting Hill on the 4th and if the Underground runs out of electricity or the buses out of diesel, I won’t get there. But then, if that happens the country will be in total chaos, with tanker drivers the focus of everyone’s anger.
We live in interesting times.
Call That A Bin?
I was watching the Apprentice on BBC1 and one team came up with a bin design.
It may be arrogant to say it, but my bin design of a couple of years ago is better.
Standing on a New Bus for London
Coming back from the Angel today, I got a New Bus for London. And it was totally packed and so I had to stand.
As I didn’t have a measure with me, I can’t be sure, but it struck me that the central aisle on the lower deck was wider. Or perhaps those with large cases and packages had got a seat.
So I stood all the way to the stop where I got off.
I can’t say I do this often, but I felt it was easier to stand than on a normal London bus. The handrails were in the right place and it struck me that the dynamics of the bus are better. This could be because the bus is longer and slightly wider, but it might be that the placing of the hybrid drive train is better. It could also be that as all the seats were full and the design placed them in the right position for balance, that the passengers were making the bus more stable.
Of course all of these points could apply to any new bus design. So I think it is true to say, that on the subject of ride and vehicle dynamics, there is a lot to be squeezed out. As I’ve said before there is a war out there and it’s the passengers, who’ll win.
As I stood there holding safely to the handrail, it got me thinking. The ride difference between the New Bus for London and the normal Wight or Dennis product, was almost like that between the old Routemaster and it’s predecessor, the RT. That difference was very marked, as the RT had a very simple suspension and a traditional body, but the Routemaster had independent front suspension and a integral body design. The Routemaster was also a lot lighter than the RT, despite carrying eight more passengers.
It Never Rains But It Pours
After my brief escapade into hospital last week, I thought everything was better.
But now I learn, that my penis implant has failed. Apparently, the piece of broom handle that was used has got wordworm and has now collapsed. The French surgeon, who did the job at great expense can’t be traced and the NHS doesn’t want to know.
I’ve talked to Cuprinol and they have no idea what I should do. If anybody has any idea, please reply to this post.
The Olympic Legacy
Everybody seems to be complaining that there won’t be any Olympic Legacy. I’ve just had this e-mail read out on Radio 5.
Just compare Manchester after the Commonwealth Games, Sheffield after the World Student Games and Liverpool after the City of Culture with Athens after the Olympics and Montreal after the Olympics.
You can’t say we don’t do legacy. We do it very well!
I could have added, where’s the legacy in Atlanta and my physio from Queensland, doesn’t think there was much legacy after Sydney.
London’s biggest legacy will be the Olympic Park. And no-one who’s ever been over just a few of the UK’s big parks, could not agree that we do parks well. So just as Victoria Park and Hampstead Heath became London’s lungs nearly two centuries ago, the Olympic Park will be London’s park for the 22nd Century.
It’s a pity though London has got no superlambananas or equivalent. They may be rather trivial, but Liverpudlians love them.
Apple Have Problems With iPads in Australia
According to this report on the BBC, Apple is having to give refunds on iPads in Australia.
Perhaps they don’t work upside down! Or is it all those kangaroos jumping about, setting up odd vibrations at the wrong frequencies!
The Anonymous Widower 