Old High Riser Blog

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Old bag pride

Phyliss is not a person who keeps his opinions to himself. I am quite proud of my collection of old plastic supermarket bags that I still use. I think I have enough to see me out, and then there are some brown paper carry bags too. No further environmental impact by me. 

"Andrewww, I bought you a bright and colourful shopping bag. I don't like those old supermarket ones you use." I used the bright and colourful shopping bag yesterday. It wasn't as practical as my old supermarket bags. Thanks Phyllis. I will continue using the bags I have. 

"Andrew, the tissue boxes are boring. Coles has more colourful tissue boxes."

"Quite so Phyllis, but Aldi 3 ply tissue boxes are quiet and calming colours. If you want other more expensive tissues, you buy them, and given the number of tissues you use, you will be barely able to afford them. Be grateful that I pay for your tissues. It wasn't part of the deal."

"Andrewww, can you tell Kosov that he dresses so badly when he comes to meet me after I finish work". Phyllis did have a point. I told Kosov to dress better, and he did, in pale blue close fitting jeans, with a nice tee and his rough canvas looking jacket over the top. He really did look quite hot, as one might at the age of 21.

My old age care package roast lamb is ok, but a little boring. Phyllis deconstructed my meal, removed most of the gravy and added pepper gravy, spiced up the the vegetables and it was a whole lot nicer than it normally is.

Another deconstructed meal by Phyllis. 


This is a close up of a ripe black plum. Delicious. But where the patch is in the photo, is where I ripped off the product sticker, and the skin came off with the sticker. When my hand bled after a group hug with Phyllis and Kosov, I applied a Band Aid. The next morning when I ripped off the Band Aid, my arm skin came off with it. Jesus, I ended with a bruised arm and two scabs, which thankfully fell off a day ago. 

Years ago Ray and I discussed over bench lighting when our kitchen was renovated. We asked our electrician about the cost of getting bench lighting, and decided no. Tech has moved on since then, so as a kind of toy for me and of benefit to Phyllis who is frequently in the kitchen, I bought a Mag Light from the inty netty thingie.

 

The lamp was substantially discounted and the website said a 40% discount would be applied at check out. It wasn't. I complained. The discount applied at the checkout was the discount that I saw for the price. I complained back that it was deceptive marketing, and the company again replied with such soothing words, I gave up. I am happy with the new lighting, above the air fryer. 

It's Grand Pricks weekend here. Ingrid will be glued to the tv screen for the car racing, in memory of her husband Ricardo's interest in motor sport. No, Ingrid? 

GP means the bogans invade the bougies. I am not saying my niece is a bogan, but she and her husband, with two of their friends will park in one of my car parking spaces today as they visit the car racing event. The husband has some kind of motor business, and so has a professional interest. I wonder if Oldest Niece will want to bring their friends up to see her old age pensioner uncle's flat. I don't care either way, but I have instructed Phyllis and Kosov to ensure the place is spotless, and remove their bucket and bailing dish from the main toilet.

Two days ago my right hand middle finger swelled up and became red. Thy body will heal itself, I thought. It wasn't. I saw my doctor yesterday and he prescribed antibiotics for fingernail bed infection. Once home, I noticed that above my elbow on the underside had swelled too and was red. Clearly thy body was not healing itself. The antibiotics will work, I am sure. 

I made a return visit to a neurologist at the public hospital movement disorder clinic this week. After drawing spirals with either hand on the paper, we agreed to maintain the status quo with the current drugs I take for my shaking hands. She did explain other more interventive treatment options. Apparently, you can grab and grip some balls for a short time to give temporary relief before you go out for dinner at night, and the vibrating balls will give you temporary relief. I will be reviewed in six months.

I don't know why I do it, but I like to charge up Ray's phone, tablet and watch every so often. It went wrong today with the charging bar flashing orange lights and not working. I Googled and it was to do with plug interface, it seemed. I tried two other charging leads, with the same result. Third time lucky and I was able to charge Ray's Samsung watch, charge and update his phone and its apps. So all is ready for his return, except he won't. 

 

So that's my bloomin' lot.

39 comments:

  1. That's a lot but I'm a nurse so I'll just focus on the medical things. You can get bandages that come off more easily and won't pull your skin off. Maybe talk to your pharmacist.
    And the infection in your finger, that is spreading up your arm, keep a very close eye on it. Hopefully the antibiotics will do the trick, but you might need intravenous antibiotics. Give it one more day and if it isn't improving, go to emergency. If you have a fever, go to emergency. You don't want to end up with sepsis.
    Sending hugs to you Andrew.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Pixie. Your advice is very helpful, and you've made me take this seriously as I don't want sepsis.

      Delete
    2. Is it getting better or worse?

      Delete
    3. Getting better Pixie, about 40 hours after the first tablet, this Sunday morning.

      Delete
    4. Thank you for letting me know.

      Delete
  2. I'm with Pixie on this one. Don't leave it too late.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Andrew, rubbish bags pleaaase! The plastic ones unless washed harbour bacteria. There are ways to recycle them. My son is like you with hoarding rubbish bags. When I visit my first job is to deal with a cupboard full. We use hessian bags or get paper ones which can be recycled .

    Take the wonderful advice that Pixie and Jaycee have given
    I feel your pain with the pricks but at least most of yours would on.y be posh bogan pricks. Adelaide has the real deal bogan race and pricks
    We get our beautiful parklands and roads taken by the full deal bogan pricks, we even get some of yours. Living near the parklands we are more vigilant for breakins vomit and rubbish .
    Take care of that arm

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Which part of Adelaide are you from? I'm far enough from the city that I can only hear the car races if my door is open.

      Delete
    2. Anon, maybe my finger became infected by bacteria in my old plastic bags. We are exposed in all sorts of ways to possible infection. I don't think old plastic supermarket bags have much to do with anything, aside from the environment.

      I am not sure about posh bogan pricks. The ones I saw yesterday and today looked pretty bogan.

      Yes, I know you have some horrible race around your city but I can't remember the name.

      Delete
  4. The concept of remaking and deconstructing meals is indeed an intriguing and commendable approach. Regarding the matter of shaking hands, I trust that you are not undergoing treatment with levodopa-based medication. If so, it is advisable that the dosage remains as minimal as possible.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The rebooted, reconstructed meal looks dee-lish!

    ReplyDelete
  6. "Bucket and bailing dish"? Please explain. Maybe. It is toilet related so could be gross.
    Your last paragraph made my eyes leak.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think Merlot, the bucket and bailing dish do the job of what a Japanese toilet or a European bidet does. Super cleanliness, perhaps. The can spend 20 minutes in the toilet. I don't ask.

      Delete
  7. I need someone to deconstruct and doctor my meals. Bandaids tear my skin, too, I'm very careful with them. Thinning aging skin..... something else to deal with.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deb, thinning ageing skin really tells you are getting old.

      Delete
  8. I love that imaginative reworking of the meals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The taste is much the same, but the presentation and the way I eat the meal is much better.

      Delete
  9. What did the neurologist say caused the shaking hands? And what were the interventive treatment options on offer?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hels, it is hereditary. My grandfather, my mother etc. There are many options to treat tremors, but my choice now is drugs.

      Delete
  10. It's nice that you have Phyllis to spice up your meals, those old age pensioner meals are purposely made bland because many older people have digestion issues with spicier fare. Too bad you didn't get a photo of Kosov in his blue jeans and canvas jacket. Hope those antibiotics work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. River, I suppose that would be right about the meals. If I want spicier, I don't have to go far to ask.

      Delete
  11. Phyllis has become quite dependent on you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. More like Kirk, he wants me to be dependant on him.

      Delete
  12. You are well looked after by your tenant, so good on you and it seems shame that when your meals are delivered they are not already spiced up. I guess not everyone can take spices, so they keep the meals bland.
    Redness up the arm indicates infection. The new light over the air fryer looks very nice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Margaret, that must be right about the food. I can't eat food as spicy as I could when I was younger. The signs of infection are now lessening.

      Delete
  13. Gosh what a lot of things happening. Do take Pixie's advice and keep an eye on that hand and arm.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thelma, I appear to be out of the woods with the infection now. Thanks.

      Delete
  14. You are going through the mill. Your skin sounds quite fragile. I hope the antibiotics work, but, as others have said, don't let it develop. It's fortunate you have two nice young men to keep an eye on you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JB, the antibiotics are working and things are settling down. I knew my skin was quite thin, but not to what degree. Now I know.

      Delete
  15. "Apparently, you can grab and grip some balls for a short time to give temporary relief" many find this to be true. You did expect someone to seize that line when you wrote it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TP, seize the word and do what? I am puzzled.

      Delete
  16. Hope that infection goes away quickly, Take care x
    Alison in Wales x

    ReplyDelete
  17. I hope the antibiotics help with all the issues, Andrew.
    Getting old is not fun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pat, I thought they were working last night, Saturday, and Sunday morning it is clear they are. I is happy.

      Delete
  18. You should avoid the sticking bandaids. Do they have the elastic type bandages that stick to themselves instead of your skin. If your skin is that fragile, it would be a worthwhile thing to have on hand.

    ReplyDelete