Author: Jeff

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Broken

Pic of the week 15/4/18

I’m in pain. Again.  Not the tooth this time, but my knee, my right knee which I thought had pretty much got better took a big hit on Friday.

I did a tournament at Kingweston on Friday – good standard, a mix of U15 academy & district FA sides – I ref-ed four 35 min games and lined another. By the end of it my knee was hurting. So much so that I cancelled that night’s spinning.

It’s now Sunday afternoon, and it still hurts. Cancelled yesterday & today’s games (middles) and tomorrows line at Glastonbury U18. My season is over.

The last month has been a painful one – first my tooth, and then my knee.  I need to remember that I am only just shy of fifty years and my body can’t take the hammering it once used to.  This weekend I’ve realised that, and come to some conclusions.  I can’t do everything.  I’ve really enjoyed referee-ing this last week, but I’m really not enjoying the pain and enforced idleness that is the result.

Straight lines – I need to stick to straight lines. That means running, swimming and spinning. My body can cope with that, its the twisting and turning (football, referee-ing) that imparts those loads. Not sure when I shall start to run again. Hope to be able to spin on Tuesday, but will cancel if the knee doesn’t feel right, and swim this week.  Running the Glastonbury 10K may now be in doubt.

In other news, weather has been rubbish, but yesterday the sun came out & I found my spot at the bottom of the  garden. More rain today, but it is forecast to heat up next week.  Here’s hoping …

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Tooth Part III

I’m still not sure if it was a cunning ploy, or she was just being open and honest with me, but my dentist scared the bejesus out of me today.

When I first went to the dentist three weeks ago, I was in so much pain (abscess) that she could have done anything and it would have been an improvement (and she did – sorting the problem with one big injection of anesthetic, much prodding & poking , draining the abscess and prescribing antibiotics).

Today I was back for the permanent solution.  I was pain free as I trudged through the drizzle to the surgery with much more reluctance than before. Then, I was hopefully going from big pain to much less pain, today I knew I’d be leaving in more pain than I arrived.

I’d been offered the choice of root canal surgery, which she had explained only had a 50/50 chance of success, or having the tooth out.  I had opted for the latter.

As my dentist invited me to take to the chair, she began filling my head with a tail of woe: “I’ve seen the x-ray, its not going to be an easy extraction. The roots are long, some root may get left in, might have to have some bone removed.” This was not what I wanted to hear. “If it goes wrong, I can refer you to hospital. We’ll need a lot of anesthetic”

She gave me a big injection of pain killer. Then she gave me some more.

As my mouth began to freeze, and before I turned into a complete dribbling wreck, I instructed her to do what she had to do. I remembered the pain of a few weeks back, and anything would be better than  that.

She set to work. Pushing,  prodding, pulling. Five minutes (probably more like two) she stood back and said “that’s it.”

Initially, I wasn’t sure if she meant it, but she did. I couldn’t adequately express my gratitude – a combination of a numb face and a mouth full of gauze to stem the blood rendered speech pretty much impossible, so I put my thumbs up, tried to smile but couldn’t (that frozen face again) and shuffled out of her surgery – despite her now being one of my favourite ever people (I was in so much pain a few weeks ago) I hope to not darken her door again for some time.

A few hours later, the anesthetic has worn off, I describe myself as “in discomfort” rather than in pain, a bloody, tangy taste in my mouth, but hopefully on the mend to full dental health.

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Almost Prayed – The Weather Prophets


Track of the week 8/4/18

If you thought about it too much, it could get quite frightening to think about how well Spotify knows you. Within a week or two of being on the service, it served up this gem for my enjoyment, a track that I haven’t listened to for years, and years and years.

And yet was more than happy to hear again.

So perhaps Spotify does have the power to discern my musical tastes, but if it does, sobeit – its doing a pretty good job of letting me listen to what I like. All power to its elbow.

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Stuff

Pic of the week 8/4/18

Not too much to report this week – weather has not been brill for the Easter holidays , and have spent much of the time pottering around. A few points of note:

  • Swum or spun everyday until yesterday (when I ref-ed)
  • Arranged my new (re)mortgage. Going for a 5 year fixed rate offset deal.
  • Mowed the lawn on Thursday (5th April) for first time this year. It looks pretty rubbish – largely just moss and barren patches. Hope it improves as spring arrives and blossoms into summer (when will that happen?)
  • Refereed yesterday – cup game: Bruton Res v Milborne Port A, went extra time – and today: Wessex U16 v Perry Street. Thoroughly enjoyed both games.
  • Right knee had been getting progressively better all week, but was a little stiff after yesterdays game, worse now after today’s.  However, few exercise free days coming up for it to get better.
  • Binge watched “Manhunt: The Unabomb story” on Netflix. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

… and tooth out tomorrow. Has been on the distant horizon for a while, is now hoving into clear view. Want the tooth out, and all sorted, but not looking forward to it.

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100 years

Yesterday,  1st April 2018, marked the 100th Anniversary of the formation of the RAF

A life time ago, I did my bit for Queen and Country and, whilst I faced nothing more threatening than a dodgy kebab in downtown Adana, Turkey, I’m proud to have been one of the boys in blue.

Little photographic evidence still exists of my service, but Carl Smeaton – a former brother in arms – posted the one of us emerging from the CS gas chamber. Somehow, he is smiling as if he enjoyed the experience, I’m the one in the background, suffering. I never did like it when we played soldiers. This would have been taken whilst we were on 137 IOT (Initial Officer Training) We were part of (the notoriously tough) D Squadron.

The next photo was taken at Incirlik Air Force Base, Turkey, where I, a fresh faced Flight Lieutenant, can be seen briefing the top brass (whilst wearing a natty pair of shorts.) I used to go to Incirlik for 3 weeks at a time every few months, whilst JEngO on 101 Squadron, as part of Op. Warden – a joint US, UK, French & Turkish mission to enforce the no fly zone over Northern Iraq following the first gulf war. 101 Sqn had x2 VC10 tankers permanently stationed in Turkey.

And the last photo shows me playing football for RAF College Cranwell against the German Air Force. Can’t remember the score.

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Sheriff Fatman – Carter USM


Track of the week 1/4/18

I signed up to Spotify last week and have found myself listening to lost tracks that I haven’t heard for years. It is quite frightening as to how well it predicts what I want to listen to.

Anyway, I’ve found myself listenting to Carter USM quite a bit over the last week. It was a toss up between this and Last Living Boy in New Cross as to which would make the cut. “Living Boy” is a bit more obvious and well known as Carter track so, in the spirit of TotW, it was the Sheriff that got the casting vote.

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49!

Pic of the week 1/4/18

Turned 49 on Wednesday!

A big day, had a lovely cake, lots of presents and played football (staff v leavers 4 – 4), before staggering through to the start of the Easter holidays.

Age is taking its toll – hurt my right knee (twisted? swollen) playing football on Wednesday, was hobbling badly on Thursday.  Managed to go swimming today (Sunday) 48 lengths (on mile) first exercise for sum time (other than playing football). Still conscious of my tooth – not really hurting, but I think its a bit of fear that the pain could return.  Am having it out a week tomorrow, not looking forward to the procedure and pain, but am looking forward to it all being sorted.

Had a big family gathering last night at Ask, lovely to see everyone again.

Weather is rubbish – Friday was wet, wet, wet and tomorrow promises more rain. Its cold. A few green shoots on plants but we haven’t had any springlike weather. One begins to doubt that summer will ever come …

 

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Tooth part II

Pic of the week 25/3/18

So, a week ago I was in pain. Mind bending, throbbing pain. I woke on Monday morning and I was no better.  I couldn’t go on like that.

Phoned “my” dentist – nothing they could do for me until my appointment on 26th (tomorrow!) Given the number for Somerset emergency dental, called them up and they got me an appointment for that afternoon (Monday 19th March)

Dentist had a look, took an x-ray and diagnosed an abscess.  Gave me a big injection and my face froze. The dentist began her work – not exactly sure what she did, but I was euphoric – no pain for the first time in days, combined with whatever was in the anesthetic, combined with the knowledge it was going to be sorted. Bliss.

A mini vacuum hoovered around in my mouth, I was bashed & beaten – apparently the abscess was drained, packed with antibiotics and fillings placed over my teeth.  I picked up a prescription of antibiotics and headed home, happy as Larry.

A few hours later, the anesthetic wore off and the pain returned, I was worried that the problem hadn’t been sorted.  But as the days moved on, so the pain became less – today is my first pain-relief free day.

Back to the dentist tomorrow for my scheduled appointment, to find out what my dental future holds.

In other news – clocks went forward today, accompanied by sun & blue skies, the first hint of spring, although its due to leave us again next week for more rain & cold.  And I booked two tickets for Deacon Blue in Portsmouth in November – something to look forward, other than the absence of dental pain and the warm weather that must, surely, just be round the corner.

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What becomes of the brokenhearted? Jimmy Ruffin


Track of the week
I’ve always been a soul boy at heart – who doesn’t love a bit of Motown?

I first unearthed this gem on a “Best of Motown” LP I bought and I recall playing it at lot at RAF Lossiemouth or RAF Kinloss (can’t remember which)  I didn’t know the track before I bought the album but it soon became a firm favourite.

I believe that this was a one hit wonder for Mr Ruffin – to be fair, you can’t improve on perfection.