Alt.Mustardland

I sing in the choir, and we had a visiting vicar to administer Communion. Next week, the morning service is Lay led and the orchestra plays instead of the choir. If we have verses where someone has a solo, I sing instead. We play one piece before the service, then on after. If they are short, we might play two. Before we start, we play through a couple of verses of the hymns. There is occasional tension with the Bellringers who have to let people know they need to hurry up the steep hill.

I hope you remembered to buy food for yourself.

Hi, Many years ago, there was a group based in surrounding London, there was a Group called "The Spare Time Club". It came to an end (The Proprietor of the club seemed to have an altercation with the VAT) Some tried to re-established an alternative but without an employed secretary, there just wasn't the people to run it - Whoops, going off-topic there... Try again. I was "Limk Man" for East London and Essex, so had to meet all the new members, many of whom became good friends. One of These was Anne from Harlow, aka as "Anne with an 'e'" (her mate Ann was also in Harlow). She, like yourself was also a Singer - The Harlow choir was apparantly well known in musical circles. That's why I was interested in your choir - She was also in the Local (to Harlow) Drama, and sang as a Nun, in The Sound of Music.
oops, I'm going "Off Topic" again. But to complete that, I was also one of "The Gang of Five" who planned and arranged meeting Venues and Times in our respective dates for the "Essex Ramble of the Month", alway not to clash with the Ladies organising a similar group in Epsom, although I also Did a Deal with a Retired Naval bloke in The Peak District who was an A1 organizer re guides, Accom, Food etc. I wish He was still there.

No, I didn't Buy food, so I have been out again.

I saw your e-malil this morn, but couldn't respond as Time was short - Having to change my GP, after the address changes, Her Surgery is on an infrequent bus route, and I wanted to get my Prescription renewal to her before having to delay a day or so. I will reply over there.

My choir is just the local church choir, whose primary function is to give the organist the illusion there is someone else besides him in the church.

We have two sets of hymn books, one of which has added lots of new hymns, which is OK. But it contains bowdlerised words to some of our favourites, We all hate it with a passion. If anyone suggests using the red book with better words and nicer harmonies, the control freak 'leader' who lives too far away to organise and attend any practices, blenches, clutches the green book to her bosom and says "some of these are lovely."

Do they have an online function at the surgery to order prescriptions, ask for appointments and check records? Our surgery recently merged with the one next door so they weren't competing for medical staff. Our online system closed and we had to transfer to the other one, but the new version has more features than the old one. It would save you having to do the great trek to order prescriptions.

Hi, Been a bit "Tied up" today - got 15 lines of correspondence to keep up on. I'll try catch up tomorrow, Must organise Stepchange and fit everthing around it.

No to Prescriptions ... The Phone messages are only on for a short time per day - the message being that Prescriptions must be ordered in person (Total waste of time as "In Person" just means to drop it in their (inside) letterbox). This Doc (well, Group Centre) has a policy of asking one to have at least 28 days in hand at your house, but want you to order 56 days dosage. at a time. There is a new Standard in their noticeboard today for South Essex to adopt the Mid Essex rules - MAX dosage to be no more than 28 days. I'll see how it goes when I collect - I can understand the logic, There is an elderley Lady of my acquaintance, cannot get Her Doc to give her all the sleeping tablets that she wants - and Doc doesn't seem to keep repeating the same tablets (Looks like he wants her to change the regime at 14 days, and no more than that at her home).
There has been one of the Pharmacies offering to re-order from "Anticipating Surgeries", when due at set intervals, and then collect and deliver to you... it Looks like the Mid-essex NHS, are now being followed by the S-Essex NHS who wants the doc to know that one is still extant. A certain Practise Nurse also wants to know if others (e.g. dentist/hospitals) are prescribing anything.

Gotta go: Needs Beauty sleeps.

I'm sure that Healthwatch would be interested in such an antiquated repeat prescription policy in their county. I can understand why a doctor might be somewhat cautious over sleeping tablets, but Diabetes (and stroke) medicine should be on constant tap. All the dentists I have known have told me to get anti-B's from my GP, and painkillers over the counter or likewise. Hospitals only give you a week's supply and are supposed to include mention of this on discharge report to GP.

Don't they know how hard it is to get to an essential appointment? You could do a renewal request when you go anyway in a sealed post dated envelope, but would reception staff know what to do with it? You've got enough on your plate to worry about that. The Patient Panel Group might be interested.

When we discovered at Healthwatch that all the medication one was taking was being demanded by hospitals, and the patient's 56 day supply in blister packs was then being routinely destroyed by the hospital pharmacy, we did refer this to the CCG. I told my neighbour only to take a few days' meds with her into Hospital for a routine stent replacement, plus the counterfoil from her prescription. The hospitals here don't do the medication trolley, and the medication is kept in a cabinet by the bed for return on discharge. Much more sensible.

As you know, I don't get mail to my address.
I also has some appoints with other medical matters, that I got Nursey to only book me by text phone. One of these appoints became due at the time of recent TIA, so I missed that appoint. I tried to phone but there always seems to be Nursey is too busy doing Nursey things to answer the phone, I also found in my phone that I was being "Reminded" of another hospitals appoinment - I never received that appointment and had never heard of the hospital named? so I tried to contact the ... well, it was "Patient Services" when the idea was being trialled. Hospitals like to use Acronyms, and PS could/was also used for Physio Swimpool, so the Name Adopted was P.A.L.S. - I think it was something like Patient Advise Liason Service(not certain about the 'S'.). I went into Basildon Hosp PALS office, today and found the door locked.. A rather disturbed Vicar came to help - The P.A.L.S. office was now the Bereavement Councilor, who was absent.so I was sent to the Telephonist to get a phone number, because no one knew where to find the P.A.L.S. Office (Deliberately made for Public use to discuss individual help in privacy) - The phone is Free (for 30 mins) for internal (or inter hospital) calls. The public-use phone is on a wall in a busy Foyer, so the conversation would be Limited. I found the home behind a desk, and with a Banner in front of it (The outfit using the desk and Banner was a staff's Trade Union marketing gang) were not to pleased when I moved their desk and Banner. The phone worked, the "freeness" worked, but there was no one to answer after waiting for several minutes there was no Answer. So I went to the dining/coffee shop, to consider options.
Forced my way back to phone: still no answer.
I know the "Stroke doc" wanted me to have another scan and test, But not at that early stage at the time of my original exam. So it is Possible that he had "sub contracted" me to a less busy hospital or Private Hospital appointment that was lost in the mail addressing problem, but I didn't actually know that and nobody in the telephone room knew of that Hospital so I aimed for the receptionists of the OPD for that days specialists - fortunately I found a very helpful lady who could find my "next appointment register", and for some reason both depts have made appointments for future visits She, of course, had no ideas of my notes, and knew nothing of any other hospitals, but she did print off letters (already posted) for each Depts for July. Fine ... except ... is one of these depts expecting results from the contracting hosp? Should I attempt to let someone know that I didn't have the know-not-what tests that He won't have in time for July...?

Rain again, but it looks like tailing off for the rest of the day with short light showers. Ignoring the heavy rain in the middle of the night that is.

Not had much time to look in today (OK, to be more honest, I keep falling asleep).
I bought a half-wheel of Cornish Brie (£2:00, Chelmsford Market), So I'll raid the Biscuit Jar and make a Goodnight Snack... with some Grapes.

Snap. I bough a bit of Somerset Brie. But I haven't got any grapes. Chiz. I get days when I keep falling asleep. It's nature's way of telling you to take a break. In your uphill struggle, you need to build in at least one day off a week. Don't do as I do, Do as I say.

You are not allowed Brie without Grapes: or you will have to resort to Granny Smith?
Thinks: You have just reminded me of a Manager at Thorn Electrical, Who had a Russet tree in his Garden and through the season would bring an apple to each of us four at the Dining Table to go with Canteen Cheese. Funny how one sometimes remember these long-missed people.

I like Braeburns these days, or Laxton's Superb, which was crossed with Golden Delicious to produce Braeburn. A later attempt with the same breeds produced the Jazz apple, but it isn't as good as Braeburn. I remember Fanny Andrews who made the most delicious faggots, with lots of sage and onion. Discussing it a few years ago with my brother, it emerged that neither of us had ever bought them anywhere else. Fanny lived in one of the farm cottages and worked harder than anyone I ever knew. She once gave me a bantam hen and chicks which were about the size of spherical 5p pieces. They were the most delightful feature of our farm yard as I grew up. Apart from the 5 Shire horses.

You see... You see what you've done: Got me thinking on another tack. Yet another Client (Chelmsford Council) had me out sorting Dustcart rounds. One of the Rural rounds had to call at ... well, I nearly said Farmhouse, but it was actually a Fruit collection of different Apple types - hundreds of them - I was told that He had an open day every year, and sold these apples in small quantities (Retail Quantities that is). I can't find it now? I was told that He had the Local (to me) apple, Billericay Blusher. No idea what it looked or tasted like, nor if it was a Desert, Culinary or Drinking apple?

I'd better go and Hide - Just realised that the Board I've been shouting at, I was in fact telling the local Councillors their fortune.
I'm going into Hiding, I have to berate them in a more structured way during the next week ...

As long as it wasn't abusive or violent, just relax. I'm sure they will benefit from your wisdom and experience.

There's a great apple collection Brogdale, across the estuary at Faversham, which has the National collection of apples. 2000 + varieties. We grew lots in South Shropshire, including cider apples, including Tom Putts. There was one yellow cooker that was dual purpose. You had to pick it carefully because it was so soft you could dent the surface by light finger pressure. My auntie said it 'went abroad' when you cooked it, because it turned into puree very easily. We called it Scotch Bridget, but my brother told me it was a Pippin.

One year, I arrived at Brogdale in Octogre to find it was apple day. There was a huge barn with saucers on tables with all the varieties set out in order of type. At one end, an enormous shelf unit divided into cells had a different apple in each cell. When you looked at it from the opposite end, it had turned into a mosaic picture of an apple. I later discovered when I visited my artist second cousin up by Margate, that his wife had designed it. She was a pretty good artist herself.

I've been to a rehearsal this morning, where I had to count a lot of beats between playing and not playing. Nice hymns, and 3 pieces by Haydn, Corelli and Purcell respectively.

I just Googlied "Billericay Blusher" - it came up with Cosmetics, so I added the word "apple" and it came up with repairers for Apple Computers in Billericay, and a School that uses Apple Computers (thinks: that school was originally a Church school ... The Pilgrim Fathers - had a ship built in Tilbury, did Sea trials to the Brighton, Picked up their mates along the South Coast, Took Victuals (Beef Livestock) on their last port of call at Plymouth and invented America. How do I know ... The Current clergy's daughter married my mate).
Faversham ... in Kent. Didn't know that you were as near as Kent.
A Rehearsal with spaces in it! When is the Live performance?

I was when I was visiting my daughter then my cousin. I wanted to visit Brogdale, and Whitstable. Well worth the visit. Both are Real places, not artificially tarted up with glitter and tat for the tourists. Usually I live in Somerset near a seaside town with very little for the tourists who aren't staying at the holiday camp.

I think Billericay Blusher will be a local name or even a local variety.

The live performance is tomorrow morning. Other people will be playing in the spaces, and I have to count so I know when to play again.

So the this Mornings show is over - It must have gone well.

Rather a quick post - I should be sorting documents (and have that Hosp appoint in the Morn - Must have info for that too).

One of my Very first Management Services Client was the Director/accountant of "Home Grown Fruit", Based in Canterbury and I had to examine several sites - Herefordshire, S Wales, Essex and several in Kent. The Kent site had several farms as Members but (Like Brookfield) all seemed to be relatives of each others Farms. Wish I had encountered Brogdale.

Yes, Billericay Blusher was a Local type - just like to know what it was/is like.

I could a tale unfold whose lightest word would shrivel up thy blood, make thine orbs start from their spheres, and make thy knotted and combined locks to part and separate and each particular hair to stand an end, like quills upon the fretful porpentine.

Or just say that after stocking my expensive laser printer with a set of cheaper refilled toner cartridges, I foolishly tried to print a photograph on proper paper. The next sheet to go through of normal paper jammed irretrievably in the output tray. Because I needed to print off the draft magazine, I ordered a cheaper printer that scans and copies as well. It came with a CD ROM which I had no use for, and after messing about with subscription sites that only revealed their status after going through download, installation and scan, I found the instructions for downloading before those for using the disc, not after. I finally got it to work printing test sheets so now it's the real thing. I replaced a HP colour Laserjet printer with a Canon 4 in 1 inkjet printer for a third of the cost.

In other news I'm enjoying some Cotswold brie with baguette and red and white grapes, not wishing to incur disapproval.

Yes, I have a Cannon printer - but I don't understand the destructions, so it's probably just as well that I can't find them (the instructions that is). The Previous one (hp) was a) simpler, and b) worked. I have found the silver disk that was needed to get it going: so I might give it a re-try.

Sorry for not getting back to you, which I will, but a bit of a brain "turn" got me taking ages to type, and then lost the lot. I'll try another sleep before having another Go..

The cartridges don't last very long. Only a score of pages. But maybe the permanent cartridges have a lot more in them. I shall get some tweezers in hopes I can clear the jam in the output tray and start with some heavier duty paper until it's working properly. I'll use it for bulk stuff and save the inkjet for pictures and scans and one offs.

The magazine has gone off to the printer now, and I've had my toes done so I'm more comfortable with less hanging over me.