Our happy place

Although we start the long drive to Italy next week currently we are having such a good time in Ilkley it’s going to be hard to leave.

We’ve enjoyed beautiful spring weather, our little town and the countryside are looking beautiful. We are so grateful to live in this part of the world especially given the madness that’s happening elsewhere.  We are both out most days for walks, MrFF usually with one of his groups, this week he latched onto a party who were Friends of the Dales buses, supporting this valuable service that takes us deep into the Dales.  I have used the service too, it’s such a sociable experience and the drivers are helpful and pleasant.  Except once when the driver said he’d never driven the route before, he’d been called in as an emergency driver, and asked MrFF for directions which he happily provided.

I am a creature of habit, my solo walks generally take the same route so that I can check on my favourite gardens and monitor building projects.  I call it my Bertie walk named after the alpaca who lives across the valley above our town.   I don’t see him every time, it’s such a bonus when I do.

Yesterday afternoon MrFF and I walked together with the intention of seeing the bluebells in a nearby wood.   We ended up walking 6.5 miles, across fields and down to the river where we sat beside the old bridge watching the ducks for a while.  

We agreed we are so fortunate to be able to step out of our door into such amazing countryside, onto the moor, along the river or through pastures.  I am so happy we came back to Yorkshire.  And we never tire of taking photographs. 

Friends of the Dales Buses walk

Malham Cove, the cows are belted Galloway

Insitu

This afternoon I finally got my implant crown fitted. 5 months 1 week since my front crown broke, £4,000 lighter, I am fixed.  I was feeling a bit edgy about today’s appointment, mainly fearing the new tooth wouldn’t fit or look right.

It was quite a painful process, my dentist said there would be some pressure and stretching of the soft tissue.  After the second ouch he administered anaesthetic and announced he'd need to trim my gum.  Now several hours later I feel a little sore but am already enjoying not having to wear my temporary denture or feel the gap uncomfortable at the front of my mouth.  I have to eat carefully tonight and by tomorrow I am ok to bite on the tooth, I think I’ll stick to banana a bit longer and not be tackling a crisp apple for a while.

I need to go back to the dentist in a couple of weeks for a check after which we can leave for Italy.  However the weather here is so lovely we are in no hurry to depart, just look at the snaps MrFF took on his walk in The Dales last week, Yorkshire what’s not love. 

Testing times

I am convinced that when I was at the doctor last week he looked again at my test results and said that while my folic acid level was acceptable it was in the low percentage of acceptable.  He asked if I’d agree to a course of folic acid and vitamin D, which I did. So I was surprised when I collected the prescription to receive a course of oral suspension antibiotic for fungal infection.  I was even more surprised at the disgusting taste of the medication, which 4 times a day I have to swill around my mouth before swallowing.  It’s shockingly sweet with a chemically fake almond flavour, yuk.  I have almost finished the course and it’s made no difference at all.

Meantime on Tuesday evening I received a call from the surgery asking me to provide another urine sample and make a face to face appointment in 4 weeks time with the first doctor I saw.   I explained that I would probably be away and asked if the results could be delivered by phone.  Apparently not which was worrying, they said they’d get back to me. 

Next morning I delivered said sample in a small jar inside a not transparent plastic bag.  The receptionist seemed a bit surprised to the point she seemed to move away when I presented the sample. She went off to prepare the necessary paperwork and returned with a little tube like I was given the first time. She said if you can get that back to us as soon as possible and seemed impressed when I offered to go to the toilet and decant the contents of my jar into the tube, simple, job done immediately. 

I asked why they needed another sample, apparently the first one didn’t reach the lab, aka it got lost. It definitely reached the box of samples at reception because I saw it go in.  I have no idea why the missing urine test wasn’t spotted at my last appointment and how it came to light a few weeks later.  I also asked about my next appointment, which I can have in 2 weeks time and can be by phone if necessary.  

It’s all been a bit shambolic and that early evening phone call could have been handled better, particularly as we had friends staying so I was busy preparing dinner whilst stressing about the need for another test.  It’s 6 weeks since I raised my concerns about my sore tongue.  I’ve had 2 blood tests, stool sample test, chest x ray, a lost urine test and another urine test plus a course of antibiotics, nothing has changed my tongue is still sore and cracked.  I am wondering if things will improve once I get my implant tooth, the dental treatment is finished and we can think about going to Italy. 

On a happier note we enjoyed time with our friends, were able to show them the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales and of course our lovely town looking extremely springlike.

Counting down

My dentist has now taken impressions and my implant tooth is being made.  I am back in under 3 weeks, if it fits ok and everyone is happy that will be the end of this almost 5 month process and we can think of returning to Italy.  Reading today however that the French government is about to issue survival instructions to its citizens to prepare them for invasion makes me wonder if travelling into the EU is the best idea but things are changing so quickly it’s hard to predict

My doctor has prescribed a week of medication for my tongue.  I really cannot wait for all this oral annoyance to be finished. 

We have friends coming to stay for a few days next week.  I am hoping that at times a gappy smile will be acceptable as I cannot contemplate wearing my denture all day long,  maybe if I promise not to laugh.

Still knitting from stock, a very snuggly scarf in Debbie Bliss Angel 75% super kid mohair, 24% silk.  I used double yarn, dark blue with a little sparkle and pale grey together, I used 50g of each for 1.5 m long x 0.3 m wide. 

And on the go another pair of oddments socks for MrFF, I definitely have enough yarn for the legs and heels to match, what’s inside his shoes may not.

Today is the spring equinox, equal hours of sunlight and darkness before the daylight hours start to lengthen.  It’s 14 degrees outside with a hazy sun so I shall soon go out for my walk.  I am trying to feel spring likes, new growth, new beginnings, the start of spring, and hoping that getting my tooth fixed will be just the regeneration I need.

We started off so well

I was able to check online that my second set of tests were satisfactory and expected to be called back to the surgery for the official results and further discussion.  The radiography department advised me to contact my doctor if I hadn’t heard within 7 days.  I waited a bit longer than that before I sent a message on the pro forma we now use to contact the health centre.  I received the response my test results were ok and no further action would be taken.  Of course I wasn’t able to respond so back to the pro forma, same details, same questions like what did I expect from the doctor, was I affected mentally.  I did mention it was annoying to keep doing this and not being able to continue a conversation.  I also pointed out that my dentist had referred me to the doctor because of my tongue which no one had bothered to examine. They asked for a photograph of my tongue and provided a link for a one time reply, now I have an appointment in 2.5 weeks time.  

I am grateful for all the testing I’ve had which was all quick and efficient, at the hospital in Skipton I was in and out 10 minutes before my official appointment time and parking was free.  But I do wonder why I’ve had so many tests, pleasing as it is to know they were all ok, or why the issues I raised haven’t been addressed, no examination of my tongue or weight check.  I am back at the dentist before I am back at the doctor so will have another discussion with him and decide whether to cancel my appointment.

Meantime I’ve been knitting up sock yarn oddments.  I weighed the yarn and thought I had enough to make a reasonably matched pair.  Wrong. As MrFf said they will be inside my shoe, no one will know except me.  Same with my sore tongue, i could just keep my mouth shut. 

Health ok, eyesight not so good

I have not been called back to the surgery yet but it’s possible to check ones health records and tests results online. Obviously I did that after a couple of days and happily all the results were normal or satisfactory, no further action required.  That’s a big relief, as MrFF cheerily pointed out I’d be disappointed if I had weeks to live having paid thousands of pounds to get my tooth fixed.    Remember Yorkshire values are very different to those of the rest of the world.

Of course we are no wiser as to why my tongue is sore and cracked which was the reason for my original consultation and tests.  Maybe once I have my implant things will improve, meantime I keep brushing and scraping, smug in the knowledge that I’ve passed by MOT for now.

I started knitting with the Trek sock yarn but found it impossible to do so in the evening, basically I cannot see what I am doing.  We do have a reading light beside the settee but MrFF isn’t happy to have it on in evening while we watch tv which is when I do most of my knitting.   So I’ve cast aside the Trek until we have lighter nights and knitted a pair of pink West Yorkshire Spinners socks in the same pattern, they took no time at all and were pretty much self illuminating.

Then I found a spool of 4 ply 50% wool 50% silk in the charity shop, approx 100 g for £1.99 enough for yet another necker.  The yarn is beautiful, on the spool it has a lovely sheen that doesn’t seem to transfer to the knitting but feels very soft and cosy.  I love the colour.

What’s wrong with me

At my last dental appointment I mentioned that my tongue was stained, furry, cracked and quite sore.  Martin confirmed that I didn’t have anything fungal or bacterial but that it could be an allergy to the strong mouthwash he gave me.  He then asked if he could look at my eyes and check my nails after which he suggested a blood test might be a good idea as I could be anaemic.  When I told him I’d lost almost a stone (6.3 kilos) since my front crown broke he said I should definitely get a blood test.   

It was easy to enter my symptoms online and within a couple of hours I spoke to a doctor and was given appointment next day for blood to be taken at our local surgery.  This week I went back to the health centre to discuss the results with a different doctor.  I told her about my dentist’s concern, the state of my tongue etc.  She looked at my results which were all normal but said they hadn’t tested for anaemia as the doctor had marked weight loss as the problem, so now I have to go back next week for more blood to be taken. 

Then she asked me various questions from a script one of which was had I ever smoked, which I had for a few years in my 20s but mostly socially and never regularly. She listened to my breathing and felt my abdomen which she said were fine.

Now in addition to more blood tests I have to give a urine and a poo sample and also go to Skipton for a chest x ray.  At no time did the doctor look at my tongue or ask me how much weight I have lost or what I weigh now (8.5 stone/54 kilos).  I did mention that I am quite happy to be thin and the weight loss occurred when I struggled to eat for a month with a wobbly crown before I returned to Yorkshire. Now I am eating normally and healthily, not drinking alcohol, sleeping well and exercising regularly.

I seem to have opened a can of worms and we have gone completely off piste. I am grateful to be getting such thorough testing while wondering about all the people with serious medical issues who wait months and months for treatment.  Meantime at my dentist’s suggestion I have bought a tongue cleaning brush and a scraper (he suggested a butter knife was a good alternative to the latter).  Things are much improved and I am hopeful I shall be fixed before the results are in.

Into February

So far February has gone well.  Tuesday I was back at the dentist who said normally the stitches would have dissolved but mine hadn’t so he took them out.  It was painless and he reported everything looks healthy.  Now we wait 6 weeks before impressions are taken for my implant, then another 3 weeks before it is fitted.  What an age this has taken, my mouth still feels a little sore but I am grateful to be so well looked after and hopeful of a good outcome - eventually.  Meantime I have not been very sociable because I really don’t like wearing my temporary tooth. MrFF would have liked us to take a break somewhere warm but it would have been pointless for me, I’d rather stay home with a gappy smile.

It’s lovely to have longer hours of daylight with quite a lot of sunshine.  I am walking out regularly and climbing the 3 flights of stairs back to the penthouse.  I often return through the town with a dash into one or two of our charity shops for a quick treasure hunt.

Lovely recent finds are

A Kosta Boda snowball t light holder for £4.50, it is chunky, heavy and twinkles beautifully. My lovely Danish friend in Italy has several these that are always lit when we dine outside on warm summer evenings. I have admired them for many years and now have one of my own that even in February brings to mind convivial summer nights.  

200 grams of Trekking Hand Art hand dyed sock wool £4.99, just look at those gorgeous shades. 

The yarn 75% wool, soft and squishy, it speaks to me of men’s cable socks and I cannot wait to cast on.

Nice weather, time outside, good books, lengthening days, green shoots, it’s going ok here even if the outside world is a crazy scary place.  Sometimes we have to find comfort where we can.  

End of endless January

A bright sunny end of January day.  The light coming into the kitchen this morning prompted me to dust the slats of the blinds but enough cleaning I’ll take a walk soon.  On Saturday when I returned from my usual 6 miles the power was off in the building, I had to climb the 3 floors to the penthouse via the fire escape.  It made me realise that I should use the stairs more and now after my walk that’s what I do, an extra little work out.

There are definite signs of spring, clumps of snowdrops in flower, bulbs coming up in my balcony pots and my Christmas bulbs brightening the lounge.   Yes that is blue sky.

Last week I was at the dentist for the start of my implant placement.  The post is in,  I have 7 stitches in my mouth and am back to eating cautiously. Apparently I still have about 9 weeks to go with appointments right through until April.  MrFF is getting restless to return to Italy, I just want the job done and ignore his suggestion I ask my dentist to hurry up.

I am being stoic with my pastimes. I am reading Wolf Hall, one of the books on my should read list and knitting from the stash, socks and neckware.

 
The scarf is Be Simple by Carolyn Glauz-Todrank which I knitted using 100 g of yarn and wear knotted like a necker.  

Could do better

Last week I ordered and received a cotton polo neck jumper from the John Lewis sale, a cosy wardrobe addition to wear under a cardigan or jacket. It was just right except for the label above extolling their ethical sourcing of better cotton, even though there might not be any better cotton in the garment.

A Google search for what the label is trying to tell me didn’t enlighten me at all.

Better Cotton is sourced via a chain of custody model called mass balance. This means that Better Cotton is not physically traceable to end products, however, Better Cotton Farmers benefit from the demand for Better Cotton in equivalent volumes to those we source.

Mass Balance is the chain of custody model that laid the foundation of the entire Better Cotton initiative, making our programme easy to scale and bringing immense value to the farmers. It was first introduced in the Better Cotton Chain of Custody (CoC) Guidelines, the guidance document that set the requirements for organisations in the supply chain that are buying or selling Better Cotton or cotton-containing products through Mass Balance Better Cotton orders. After the introduction of the CoC Standard v1.0 in 2023, Mass Balance remained a key offering alongside physical chain of custody models. 

Any wiser?  Me neither.  I imagine the scheme makes very little difference to the cotton farmers or the environment but gives a tidy income to those who thought it up, wonderful career and travel opportunities for its board of international directors and cons the unwary purchaser.  

Walking on ice

Winter dusk

This year the council have only been clearing snow from the main roads in our town, side roads and pavements are untouched and over the week with below zero temperatures and more snow fall it’s been difficult to get about. Schools and community centres have been closed, the bins have not been emptied, care workers struggle to attend, most people have stayed at home.

Our challenge is that we have to descend a fairly steep hill to reach services like shops, buses and this week my dentist.  I’d been out a couple of times with MrFF for some exercise, we’ve managed to stay upright with a few skids but it was not pleasant and at times bitterly cold.  These last couple of days as the temperature has risen above freezing, just, the surface of the snow and ice has melted in the sun leaving a skating rink or in our case a bob sleigh run.  I don’t have the confidence to walk by myself so on Thursday MrFF kindly accompanied me to my dental appointment, a 4 mile round trip. 

As an avid snow shifter when we lived in Scotland, I had my own personal snow shovel, I am surprised how few people have cleared their paths and drives, though I am pleased to see how little they’ve used their cars.  I know shops no longer clear the route to their door because of health and safety regulations, they could be responsible if there was an accident. That probably applies to offices and businesses generally but if residents cleared the pavement in front of their house it would help us all.

Temperatures are set to rise by Sunday which could make conditions worse before they get better.  Let’s hope the snow is gone quickly and no more arrives before my next dental appointment in about 10 days time.  My dentist is pleased with my progress so far though he too struggled to remove my temporary denture, commented it was still a snug fit and asked me to take it out.  He says I’ll be all sorted in another 11 weeks. The last 6 weeks with this temporary front tooth have felt like a lifetime but equally not wearing it and having a front gap isn’t comfortable either.  I am not miserable like I was at the end of last year but I am looking forward to April and hoping January won’t linger as long as it usually does.

These two obviously think otherwise, our littlest grand nieces up early on the first day of snow enjoying their first proper winter weather.

As expected

I was up several times in the night checking the forecast snowfall, it was quite gentle but persistent and by morning we had this.

Undeterred we walked the couple of miles to town and back collecting the Sunday papers and some fresh veg. Only the main roads had been cleared and we saw several cars stuck on side roads, the snow on the pavements was deep, rutted and becoming compacted, if it freezes it will be treacherous.  There were plenty of children out with their sledges and a lack of milk, bread and eggs in the shops as apparently deliveries had failed to arrive. 

A seasonal start to the new year, a year which I can only hope will be an improvement on the last.  We still think of Grigio often, Mario eventually reported that Vincenzo is fine at his house.  I am back at the dentist on Thursday.  6 weeks into the 4 month implant process I struggle every day with my temporary denture which I often remove to enjoy the various delicious treats we received for Christmas and always to sleep.  I should be fixed by the end of March, MrFF is talking of returning to Italy in early April.