lexin: (Default)
2025-05-06 06:45 pm
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Cat

I didn’t update with the outcome of Opal’s trip to the vet.

She’s been prescribed Gabapentin for three months, and she’s been taking it for a little over a week. It seems to work well, she’s not creating bald patches on her haunches. A move forward. It seems that the cause is pain from the injury she had when she came to me.
lexin: (Default)
2025-04-28 10:48 am
Entry tags:

Update

Opal (the tabby cat) is worrying me.

She has scabs on her rump, and on her leg, and more rough bits on her tummy. A footle through the internet makes me think it’s allergy to fleas, though there are other things it could be, some of them nasty.

I tried to get her a vet appointment today, but they are busy and offered me one tomorrow. So she’s going to the vet at Llandygai tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, I will give her cuddles. Poor kitty, being itchy is horrible, as I know only too well.

Me

My injuries from the scalds are mostly healed except for the one on my tummy. That one is lingering like an unwanted guest.
lexin: (Default)
2025-04-21 11:08 am
Entry tags:

Plans

It is my birthday. I’m 63.

I would have liked to go to Eastercon, which is in Belfast, but I couldn’t afford it. Spit.

My plan for today, therefore, is to play Baldur’s Gate 3 on my PlayStation.

I’ve reached the Grymforge. In the Grymforge I have discovered an automaton called Grym. And, boy, does he live down to his name.

He only takes damage when he’s been standing in lava, and takes more bludgeoning damage than any other kind. In particular, magic attacks do not appear to have much success unless they are cold based. Which, of course, means that the heat from the lava is reduced that much quicker. I spent all yesterday evening on Grym and got nowhere.

My cunning plan, which I came up with overnight, is to load a previous save and go back to the Emerald Grove. There is a reliable vendor there and I will buy a bludgeoning weapon for my whole party. With those, we might make some progress.

On the Wiki for the game there’s a method of killing Grym with one blow but it involves more hand/eye coordination than I’m capable of.

Cats

I took Smokey (my black cat) to the vet for her annual check up. She’s in good condition, but had lost 800g, meaning she’s a bit skinny, and she has a small hernia. Nobody in their right mind would give a general anaesthetic to a 19 year old cat. So we keep a careful eye on her.

The same week, I had to take Opal (the tabby) to the vet because she was walking funny. You may recall that she came to me with a broken pelvis. Her walk was reminiscent of then. She was prescribed Gabapentin and Loxicom. She does seem much better when on the medication. Which is good, because the vet said that if the problem continued we might have to x-ray her, and perhaps refer her to a specialist vet in either Liverpool or Chester.

Opal hates being in her carrier and both Liverpool and Chester are a long way from here. Carrying her in her basket on a train would suck like a vacuum cleaner.
lexin: (Default)
2025-03-27 10:42 am
Entry tags:

Update

A few weeks ago I managed to scald myself.

I made a nice fresh cup of tea, and was crossing the living room when I tripped over my cat, Opal, and tangled the teapot up in my cardigan. Result was some very nasty burns down my legs, plus one on my tummy.

I rang the non-emergency helpline NHS Wales 111. They said, “Go to Ysbyty Gwynedd.” They didn’t add ‘you muppet’ which they might as well have done. So I went and spent a couple of hours in A&E, leaving with bandaged legs around lunchtime.

Since then the burns are mostly healed except for the one on the back of my right leg, and the one on my tummy. Both of those still bleed and/or weep. Still, as the nurse said, a diabetic will take longer to heal.

In case you were wondering, Opal was unharmed. Though I screamed and she hid for a few hours. Had Opal been hurt, I would have taken her to the vet before taking myself to A&E.
lexin: (Default)
2025-01-24 12:26 pm
Entry tags:

Update

The area I live in is covered by an “amber” warning for rain and wind. It’s not currently raining, but the wind is howling round the house, and whipping up the waves in the bay. Opal is cuddling up to me - I don’t think she likes the noise.

I would like to knit or play Baldur’s Gate 3, but Opal won’t tolerate me not cuddling her. Ho hum.
lexin: (Default)
2024-12-01 04:55 pm
Entry tags:

Update

Just a minor update.

I have to do my Christmas cards – not looking forward to wrangling Word into labels. Sigh.

Cats are both well, though Opal spent this afternoon throwing the cushions off the sofa, for no reason that I could discern.

Gaming continues apace, I’m running one of our DnD’s, and I suspect that the party may be captured next week, and have to get out of the prison. As a GM, that makes me rub my hands together with glee.
lexin: (Default)
2024-11-09 08:24 pm
Entry tags:

Update

Yesterday was an expensive day.

About two months ago I left my distance vision glasses on a bus. Or in the hospital. I don’t know which and neither organization has found them.

So I finally gave up and went to the optometrist. My glasses are always expensive, this time £200. Ker-ching! They will be ready in two weeks time. Meanwhile I am struggling on with my intermediate (computer) specs.

Then when I got home, I thought I would watch TV. April Fool, no you won’t. Your Freesat box has gone belly up, and needs replacing. So that’s another chunk of change.

Meanwhile, at least the cats are cuddly. So there is that.
lexin: (Default)
2024-10-01 02:53 pm
Entry tags:

Update

I”m sorry about my silence, I’ve been feeling like a sack of shit tied up with string. I have no idea why.

On Monday, Smokey was not well, either. She seems to have cheered up. Me, not so much.

I think it may be side effects from one of my medications, but I’m not sure which.
lexin: (Default)
2024-06-06 08:38 pm
Entry tags:

Update

The latest news is that have a diagnosis of sleep apnoea. I do feel that my doctor in London should have spotted this ten years ago, when the problems about me falling asleep constantly first arose. It may even be that the problems I had learning Welsh was down to my sleepiness. Several of my other problems are possibly related to having this, too.

I will be issued with a NHS CPAP machine in July. I am a bit wary of this as when my friend Julian was given a CPAP machine back in the 2000s, the NHS one wasn’t very good and he ended up buying one, a top of the range model. He has offered his old one to me, but I do know that the NHS won’t take them back once issued for some reason, and I will ask why that is. It may be that taking a second hand one isn’t a good plan.

A top of the range model from Amazon is £800, with a good, perfectly adequate, one £450. I can’t currently afford £450, let alone £800, so that puts paid to the idea of getting ahead by buying one before July. I would really like to do that, but obviously can’t.

In more health news, I’ve broken another tooth, again while eating a chip. I will have to stop eating chips. Or just stop eating.

In other news

The cats are doing well. Opal (the little tabby) is running during the day from window to window supervising the birds. I think she really believes that she could catch one if only I would let her. She’s an absolute diamond of a cat, who spends her evenings curled up on my lap.

Smokey is upstairs being standoffish. She’s fine, though. Her fur is lovely and glossy and she seems pleased to see me when I go upstairs.
lexin: (Default)
2024-04-18 01:24 pm
Entry tags:

Kitty

Opal has hit a new kitty milestone.

She’s now lactose intolerant, like most adult cats. Given milk, if you’re lucky she farts. And Opal’s farts could clear the Albert Hall.

If you’re unlucky she has either diarrhoea or vomits, or both. Both happened this week and I have given my unfortunate cleaner extra to remove the stains.

So, a new house rule; no more milk for Opal. If I spill milk it has to be cleaned up right away.
lexin: (Default)
2024-04-12 01:51 pm
Entry tags:

Update

I’m having one of “those” months.

I have had to replace:
My doorbell,
My upstairs toilet, and now
My dishwasher.

Delivery of the dishwasher is Monday, and I’m hoping they don’t have trouble with my stairlift or my curvy stairs.

In other news

I had to go to Ysbyty Gwynedd to have an MRI and it took much longer than my previous experience of one. Still, now done and I may get a result before the symptoms return.

Plus

This morning my sweet Opal was twisting round my ankles, and I nearly trod on her. She’s forgiven me as long as I keep the cuddles and treats coming.

Plus

Mild excitement: my Auntie Peggy has published a slim volume of her poetry, all about her life as a Yorkshire woman. In case you’re interested in reading it, her name is Peggy Mortimer. I do warn you that many of the poems are in Yorkshire dialect. I can just pick my way through some of them.

Thanks to the poems I discovered that I had three Great Uncles, who died in WW1. Their names were Ralph, Fred and John. Why did no-one mention it before?
lexin: (Default)
2024-02-26 08:11 pm
Entry tags:

Update

Am back having travelled to Llandudno to see the tour of “I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue” at venue Cymru. It was brilliant - I really needed the laugh. The teams were Rory Bremner, Marcus Brigstocke, Pippa Evans and Tony Hawkes, with Jack Dee in the chair. Pippa Evans really can sing and Marcus Brigstocke is hilarious.

I stayed overnight in a B&B on the sea front but it was a longer walk than I expected from the venue so I took taxis after my first exhausting walk. I was also on the first floor despite having asked for ground, so lovely though the room was, if anything pops up at VC that I just can’t miss, I’ll find somewhere else.

The cats welcomed me home with yips of catty disapproval. I’ve fed them, but I think I’m going to be in their bad books for the rest of the day. I left them plenty of food last night, but clearly I am a dirty stop out.
lexin: (Default)
2023-12-04 11:01 am

Cats

I have just spent entirely Too Much Money on the cats. It's enough litter, food and snacks to take them beyond Christmas, but even so my wallet is feeling the pinch.

Opal spent the last hour trying to ruin my online Diet Discussion by crawling all over me.
lexin: (Default)
2023-11-19 03:55 pm
Entry tags:
lexin: (Default)
2023-08-27 08:25 pm
Entry tags:

New kitty

I have adopted a new kitty; her name is Opal and she's 14 months old.

She has a broken pelvis, so is in cage rest until it knits together. We don't know how it happened, she was like this when she came, pregnant, to the cat rescue in Anglesey. I suspect abuse, but I have no proof of that. I don't know how long she'll be in cage rest - it could be a month, it could be three, it could be longer.

This little cat has been through a lot in her short life, but she's an absolute diamond. She must be in pain but hasn't attempted to bite, scratch or even hiss at me or my house guest Julian. And Julian isn't as used to handling cats as I am.



Julian came up for our gaming weekend, which went well. But Julian caught Covid so hasn't been able to travel back to London. We're both hoping he will leave on Tuesday.

ETA: Smokey is mostly upstairs keeping out of Opal's way, but I give her extra scritches and cuddles when I go up and at bedtime she gets special treats.
lexin: (Default)
2023-07-31 09:29 pm

Gaming - Call of Cthulhu and gardening

Finished one scenario – ran like rabbits from some kind of Great Old One with an enormous eye, which sucked knowledge from your brain like a sponge. We did our skills and mine did rather well, which was nice for once.

Next scenario starts with an invitation to a fraternity party. I don’t think it needs scary things to happen for an invitation to a fraternity party to be generally a bad idea.

In other news

People may know that I’m not good at gardening, or even that interested. However, I don’t like my garden the way that it is currently. It’s just…boring. It was stones around three edges and astro-turf in the middle.

I met a friend at my Welsh class, and in return for me teaching her to sew, she’s doing my garden. So she moved the gravel that covered the three edges and I bought a ton (a genuine ton, in a bag) of topsoil for £66 including VAT. My friend Lizzy shovelled the soil onto the spaces left by the removal of the stones.

Next stage is for me to buy some plants, which I’ve done and which should be arriving in the next few days. Roses good for poor soil, epimedium, geranium, euphorbia (though I had to get seeds), and senecio. Then we will plant them in the most suitable spots – I am very much under Lizzy’s tutelage, I know bugger-all about plants. They all need to be suitable for soil which is not very good, for areas which have partial sun and which are not poisonous to cats.

Smokey doesn’t go out, but who knows what the habits will be of any cats I have in the future.
lexin: (Default)
2023-04-20 04:22 pm
Entry tags:

(no subject)

It's a lovely Bright day here in Bangor, the wind is a bit chilly, but out in the sun it's marvellous. I had to wear sunglasses, which involved finding them first.

I had to go to Ysbty Gwynedd because a few days ago I did something dumb.

As a result of my cancer, I have a breast prosthesis which is a breast shaped lump of silicone in a thin membrane. I forgot how thin the membrane is and put my finger through it. Sticky stuff started to come out. I used sticking plaster to cover the hole, and then I rang the breast nurses and got an appointment with the lady who prescribes prosthetic breasts.

I was prepared to pay a bit for a new one as it was entirely my fault I damaged my current one, but she seemed happy it was an accident and they will send me one in the post. Free. Plus two free covers to help me not do the same again. So, yippee!

In other news, I think there are now four nests of House Martins on the side of the house. No sign of the occupants yet, but it's still a bit early for them.

Plus, gulls have 💩 on the first set of solar panels. Ick.

Smokey thinks I shouldn't have gone out and has her back to me.
lexin: (Default)
2023-04-13 06:12 pm
Entry tags:

Smokey - lump lack of news

Literally just spoke to the vet.

I took Smokey to them this afternoon, and they took some samples from the lump. Smokey was unhappy - she hissed at me, hissed at the vet nurse, and tried to take a bite out of the vet.

I’m told the samples showed white blood cells, red blood cells, fat and some other things that I don’t remember. But no conclusive news about what might be causing the lump.

The vet asked if I want the samples sent out for a specialist to see it. Which I do, I want to know what that lump is.

So £132 to the vet for a second opinion. On top of the £77 for the three samples and the look she’s already taken.

You know, I clearly chose the wrong job. Though I’m probably not bright enough to be a vet.

I’m kind of glad Smokey had a go at her. Go for it, Smokes!

Picture below is Smokey giving me the stink-eye.

lexin: (Default)
2023-04-11 02:43 pm
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Smokey lump

I have found a lump on Smokey’s chest, middle of the chest between her neck and where her front legs start.

I’m 95% sure it’s not just a lump of matted fur as I can feel it under her skin.

It’s growing at a medium pace. It’s definitely bigger than when I first found it.

It could be various things: a cyst, a lipoma or a tumour. Or something else I don’t know enough medical information to guess at. But I don’t like it.

I have an appointment with the vet on Thursday.

FML

Smokey looking up at me from next to the window
lexin: (Default)
2023-04-07 06:09 pm
Entry tags:

Smokey

Smokey seems so much better. Her fur is lovely and soft and here is a picture of her playing with a toy on my new rug.

Smokey playing on the new rug