(no subject)

[turps]

Long time no post. James has been pretty ill with a nasty kidney infection. Finally, he's better and is back at work today but one day I was waiting for him in the car while he saw the doctor and I really wouldn't have been surprised if they'd sent him to hospital for IV antibiotics. But they didn't -- though the doctor did phone at the end of the week to check how he was doing, which surprised me a lot as they never do that -- and finally the antibiotics kicked in and he started to get well, though annoyingly he was only two weeks away for all his sickness warnings to drop off at work. But, no way could he have gone in so it is what it is.

I volunteered to take part in a Covid-19 antibody study, I'll cut for details as it involves blood.

For the next year on a monthly basis, I'll be sending in blood so they can check if I have any COVID antibodies. I got the first test kit last week and it included two lancets so you could prong your finger and you had to sort of massage blood out to fill a vial. And, man, I give blood no problem at all but that gave me the handshakes and I wasn't keen on the situation at all.



I've been for tea at Pauline's house. It was so lovely to see her up close and get a hug. I also saw her again yesterday for a catch-up. We used the Eat Out to Help Out scheme and it was great. In fact, it's a scheme I've used a few times since the start of the month.

I ordered this dress and it arrived yesterday. Now I need to find a matching face mask or maybe go contrasting. I haven't decided yet.

Sadly, blight has wiped out 90% of my tomato plants this year. The only ones that have survived were the random plants I'd shoved into corners when I ran out of space. However, the courgettes have flourished yet again and we're buried under the things.

I've watched all of S2 of Umbrella Academy and enjoyed it. I may talk about that later when I'm not doing a catch-up. I've read some The Old Guard fics and still love winterhawk and I'm sure there are great new Umbrella Academy stories to read, but to be honest, I'm still enthralled with The Musketeers, to the extent I'm going back for rereads.

And I just finished my catch up on DW, well as far back as I could as it stopped me after a while. So, if you posted any news I'd normally comment on and I haven't, let me know as DW won't let me go back that far.

Comments

[pensnest]

Poor James! I hope he is properly better.

Good for you for doing the Covid-19 antibody study. Stabbing yourself in the finger is surprisingly hard - I did it for a little while for diabetes stuff.

Nice dress!

Grandpa's tomatoes seem to be thriving, and in various stages of development. There are red ones in his jungle, which I hope he notices. I have strange interloper plants growing in my freshly planted flowerbed, I don't know what they are but I have decided to let them grow so that I can figure it out.

[turps]

He's feeling much better now but got pretty ill for a while. I suspect if it wasn't for being careful due to COVID he would have been in hospital, but as it was they were willing to keep on with the super strength antibiotics.

Kudos to anyone that has to do their own blood draws on a permanent basis. I'm just glad it's only once a month, I'd rather have an injection any day than do the stab and collect blood myself.

The dress won't be used often, just for formal occasions but it looks good on and was a good price so I'm happy.

I love freshly picked from the vine tomatoes, so hope you enjoy yours. The way my plants look I may get a handful by the end of the season.

I've got a sunflower unexpectedly growing in the courgette bed, dropped from the bird feeders I suspect. I'd say maybe yours is the same but they tend to be easily identified.

[shadowhive]

Aww no, poor James! I hope he gets better soon

Oh yeah I wouldn’t like to do that

Ohh pretty dress!

Aww nice!

I’ve loved seeing your comments through the day🖤

[turps]

James is much better now, thank goodness.

Yeah, it wasn't fun. When the kit arrived and I saw the tube that needed to be filled I was surprised. But, at least it's only once a month.

I always try to catch up on everything when I've been offline a bit, I'm too nosy to do otherwise. Plus, I like to know everyone is doing okay.

[dine]

it's great to see you again! I'm sorry James had such a hard time, but glad he's doing better now.

that dress is beautiful - hopefully you'll find a mask that's just perfect with it.

[turps]

I miss catching up with everyone when I'm offline for a while.

James is doing so much better, I was worried about him for a bit.

I never thought I'd ever have to think about matching masks to an outfit. What a world we live in right now.

[sylvaine]

Ooof! I'm glad James is feeling better! *hugs to both of you*

[turps]

I was so happy when the meds finally kicked in.

&Hearts;

[frausorge]

I've been missing you! I'm sorry James had to go through that, it sounds both unpleasant and scary. Glad to hear he's on the mend.

Good for you for helping in the study. I hope the blood drawing may become more routine after a while!

Sorry about the lost tomatoes. I guess it's a good thing you had some stragglers separate from the rest.

[turps]

It was scary, especially when the doctor phoned the first time and said the sample he'd sent in was pretty much all blood. But, he's much better now, antibiotics are amazing things.

I don't know what it was about the blood draw that made my hands shake so much, it was amazing I got any of it in the tube at all.

The stragglers are doing great. It sucks I lost the rest but it's the first big disaster I've had since starting to grow tomatoes, and at least now I know the warnings signs to look out for.

Now I just need to use up the courgette glut that shows no sign of stopping.

[turlough]

Poor James! That sounds like a really nasty thing to get. So good to hear that the antibiotics finally started to work and that he's feeling better.

I'm impressed that you did it! Even if you felt shaky afterwards. I don't think I could voluntarily hurt myself like that!

That's a beautiful dress! Such a stunning colour. You're going to look magnificent in it!

Your poor tomato plants! Hopefully the remaining ones will stay healthy and give lots of tomatoes! Though with all those courgettes it doesn't sound like you're going to be starved for veggies ;-D

[turps]

He's feeling loads better, but typical it happened at all. Especially when he was so close to having no sickness warnings left at all.

When I volunteered for the study I thought it would be a blot of blood on some kind of paper, not filling a small tube. I'll still do it, but would have much prefered my version.

Thank you! It looks lovely on, no idea when I'll wear it apart from the one occasion though. Maybe next year if we can travel again.

The straggler tomatoes are doing great, and I did nothing special to them. Just gave them water unlike the ones inside which got fed, trimmed etc. Next year I may just neglect them all. But yeah, so many courgettes. It's the time of year when every second meal contains them *g*

[sperrywink]

Oh man, poor Jmaes. GLad he is feelign better but I really wish he could catch a break health-wise.

Good luck with the Covid thing and the blood draw.

I always think of you when I hear courgettes. I'm not surprised you still have a ton of them even if your tomatoes were wiped out.

[turps]

Yeah, me too. This is so different to his usual health issues too. I really hope it's not the start of something else to deal with long term.

Thank you. I have to admit, I'm glad I don't have to do the next test for a few weeks.

Every year I worry I don't plant enough courgettes, every year I end up buried under the things. You'd think I'd learn, but nope.

[cold_clarity]

sending you and james both much love. <3 i hope things have been looking better (since i'm a little late to the comment-train).

[turps]

Thank you.

Sadly no improvement yet, but I'm sure there will be soon.

Hope you're doing okay ♥