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Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Feet

Someone posted this on Facebook, sadly my feet do not fit into such a narrow demographic (Roman'ish).  My feet are horrible.

I'm jealous of those people with pretty feet, mine are these flat ugly hunks of meat that end me. Problematic from my teens with countless episodes of ingrowing toenails; caused in equal part by inappropriate youthful footwear, unfortunate episodes (stubbed, clubbed, clipped, cracked & crushed) and lack of proper care. Leaving them as they are now; unsightly & unloved.

My feet are never destined to be objects of lust or desired by some foot fetishist or pervert. You'd have to be a real pervert to get your kicks out of these slabs.

Pale, dry, hard skinned and flat beyond words, with minimal arch. When the weight of life (and Rupert) is applied they spread; closer to flippers with digits than human feet

No nail on the right, a rhino horn on the left that tends to not only grow outwards but upwards as well. It's almost genetic, destiny at least. My Father and both my Grandfathers had  disfigured feet, and have (had) these almost identical thick discoloured nails on their great toes (the 'one' that went to market) sustained by trauma or fool hardy endever. 

I think my Dad dropped a paving slab on his many years ago, my toes have taken more abuse than can accurately be recoded- pierced with stiletto heel at concert, crushed by dropping a tin of industrial sized paint, stubbed my catching a shoelace on a end fixture causing me to fall very heavily*

My feet in summery ...

Left Foot
Went to market ... horn nail.
Stayed at home ... hammer toe.
Roast beef ... bends to the right.
Had none ... looks okay'ish currently.
Went wee wee wee all the way home ... undersized, chubby, minimal nail & turns out.

Right Foot
Went to market ... no nail
Stayed at home ... thin.
Roast beef ... also bends to the right
Had none ... too close to roast beef, unable to make his own decisions (move independently).
Went wee wee wee all the way home ... pointy.

I've been full of good intentions, numerous devices purchased to address these super-tough nails, to grind, file and mould. Creams, lotions & potions brought to apply to soften and moisturise. But like everything I rapidly tire of applying, become bored, lazy and half-hearted of their care

Foolish considering that I spend so much time on my feet and walk so far, their upkeep should be a higher priority.

My work shoes have seen better days. I have some insoles that slip inside, but they are old and also in desperate need of replacement. Flat, giving the impression they have been run over by a steam roller or stood on by an elephant (which I guess is fairly accurate) 

The sad truth is that I'm fairly careless in all elements of my own upkeep, everything simply seems like too much effort.

I do take some consideration in my personal grooming; hygiene is important when I'm in public, but I do have a tendency to let this slip when I'm housebound. It has recently been pointed out that there is a smell of burning 'south of the equator' 

Please dear, don't sniff my pants!
 
I get my haircut about every six weeks. Shave intermittently. Moisturise on occasion.
Try to brush my teeth twice a day for the recommended time, sometimes a consolatory scrub or swish with mouthwash only takes place. Occasionally I use dental sticks to clean between my teeth and gums, but flossing is a chore to far. Don't visit the dentist as frequently as I should due largely to fear following the treatments and trauma of childhood and especially my teens. I guess like a lot of things it comes down to being a bit of a jessie.

Tasks (chores) for my week-off: Buy new work shoes and insoles. Begin a rigid program of foot care and cream application. I could even book myself in with the chiropodist?!? Give them a warning, you better clear your afternoon to deal with these bad boys.

* Which also sustained an untreatable fracture to my left patella. Every time time I knelt for twelve months a convulsing electric shock would surge from my knee to my brain. It calmed down after a year or so, but kneeling ever since has never been comfortable.



 

Sleep ...

"Sleep, so deep in that first hour you could chop down the door with an axe." 
 
Taken from the poem Night Fever by Simon Daniels

Monday, 29 April 2013

Three Down


Reached the midpoint, three down / three to go. It's been an uneventful few days, nothing to report or recall. Probably for the best. Today's a lost day, utterly wasted. 

Thirty-six hours between finishing this morning and returning to the ward tomorrow. Not enough time to get back into a normal daytime routine; too much to embrace the nocturnal one. I thought of staying in bed today (as my body so wanted), then trying to stay-up tonight. But what to do during the night? I can't exactly go out. Stoke-on-Trent is hardly New York City; less the city that doesn't sleep more the city that goes to bed before eleven with a warm cup of cocoa.

So I would just end up sat in front of the television, eventually my eyes would get heavy and I'd end up dosing off. Fail

Got up before midday. Drove to the supermarket. Picked up some necessary groceries. Returned home. Bit of meal prep and then zoned out in front of the TV. Where I remain waiting for Liz to come back from school.


Friday, 26 April 2013

Horrible Run

Start horrible run of nights this evening, obviously feel a bit depressed and oppressed at that prospect. I guess this is the price I have to pay for recent frivolity & jollity; we have to work to pay for the good times; the gigs, short breaks and the holidays.

Even so, knowing this doesn't make the thought of departing the house shortly any easier. It makes me feel a bit sad; especially knowing that I'll be out of circulation for a while. Realistically I don't expect to be back in the land of the living for a whole week.

I know Liz isn't happy, she feels lonely, very isolated and it has a significant disruption on both our lives. Matters aren't helped by her parents being away, who would usually provide some respite and escape when it all gets a bit too much. I wish I could find a bit of respite from it myself, but I have leant to accept that it's just the way it is at the moment. 

Although acceptance of something doesn't necessarily equate with actually being happy with something, and that's certainly the case with nocturnal working.

I shouldn't go on, I'm acutely aware that my dissatisfaction is becoming a recurrent theme of my blog, something that I vowed wouldn't happen but feels unavoidable. It is so all consuming, especially in 2013 it seems.

Thursday, 25 April 2013

Name in newsprint

Yesterday's incident on the A50 has made it to print; pleased to see the eventual outcome was a good one. I feel more peaceful knowing he didn't fall / jump and it makes the whole event more of a story than the tragedy I feared it could have turned into. 

Fear I sound a bit of a twerp, but at least it's accurate and I haven't been misquoted. A fear that plagued me following that initial conversation. 

http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/Man-bridge-jump-threat-closes-A50/story-18799381-detail/story.html#axzz2RU1QQvUK

Man in bridge jump threat closes A50

Commuters faced long tailbacks when a man threatened to jump from a dual carriageway flyover. Police were forced to divert traffic away as they closed both carriageways of the A50 at Meir at 8.30am yesterday. Drivers dialled 999 after spotting a man 'dangling' from the Meir Tunnel.

Rupert Todd, aged 40, from Stone, was driving back from Longton after dropping his wife at work when he spotted the man.
 
He said: "I couldn't believe it when I saw him. He was dangling very precariously for three or four minutes while police diverted traffic away. You feel helpless in that situation, there was nothing we could have done for him. A policeman was speaking to him when I passed. They did a brilliant job of getting cars out of the way and getting him back to safety. It did make me feel quite jittery. "It's just not something you expect to see."

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "Police were in attendance at an incident above the A50 at Meir Park. Officers closed off a stretch of the A50, both east and westbound, following calls from members of the public regarding a man in a distressed state on the bridge. The man has been safely detained by officers and was treated at the scene by colleagues from the ambulance service before being taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire. Diversions were in place for a short time and the A50 was reopened A50 by 9.20am. Staffordshire Police would like to thank motorists for their patience."

Memories are made of this ...

 


Dave & Rupert Wolverhampton Civic Hall


What a night, what a very special night