Jambo

In retrospect, I could never work out where Motown ended and Northern Soul started. Or was it the other way round? 🤣 Being a Cockney it was all Motown to me.

I feel a lot like I did before I booked my first ever flight to Thailand back in 2003. Where have those years gone? Medically speaking the advice about how long to wait between my new hip and a long haul flight is somewhat confusing. It would appear 4 to 6 months is the recommended period to wait due to the possibility of blood clots which can be fatal in certain circumstances. So I am looking at flying out at the end of February and staying through March. I will make a similar monthly trip in November next year. In mind to spend three weeks "Up Country" with a few days in Pattaya at the beginning and end of each trip. Well that is the plan at the moment. There is the distinct possibility that my right hip will go the same way as the left one so I need to make the most of my mobility whilst it lasts. I will probably book directly with Air France/KLM in the next few days which looks like costing about 1,000 pounds for the round trip from Edinburgh. Less than my short haul trip to Spain next week. 🤣

I retired to Thailand back in June 2006 some three years after my wife died. For the previous 8 years I had been a self employed accountant working from home building up a client bank of some 50 customers including in the end six large pubs from the same brewery chain. They were a major income source as I did everything for them including running their payrolls and negotiating fines with the Inland Revenue when they got caught hiding income from, say, live music nights or gaming machines. 😉 So in 2006, I sold my client bank to another accountant, took my private pension and retired to Pattaya. I had the time of my life getting pissed every night and having the pick of all Secrets new girls. I even had a business card printed with my title of "Honorary Pussy Tester." That lasted for about 3 months when I realized that as enjoyable as this was my health was suffering and I reverted to "Retirement Mode" and basically socializing at weekends only. Ben was a mate then. In fact he was more like the younger brother I never had. I did an initial set of " Management Accounts" for Secrets because he did not trust Alan his own Manager. There was a lot of "black holes" in the initial recording of expenditure and cash introduced by shareholders but as far as I could tell Alan had done an excellent job in recording day to day income/expenditure once Secrets opened. As much as I was enjoying retirement, Thailand style, I was happy to help out in the office as Alan's main role was head chef and he was a really good Chef. Then one day we all received a message on our phones from Alan telling us he was at Bangkok Airport on his way to Papua New Guinea to run the catering for a Gold Mine. The next day I became Secrets General Manager so full time employed again. There then followed several of the happiest years of my life. It was not like work because all Secrets customers were visiting with the aim of having a great time and most did just that .............in spades! We were a great team as well all getting on with one another. Then Ben f***d it all up with his lifestyle and Poker addictions all funded through Secrets Bank account. I still had the responsibility to somehow pay all the bills and I found myself waking up in the night wondering how I was going to pay the staff. Eventually, I walked away because enough was enough. What a shame.

I wasn't criticizing just making a personal observation. Sorry if I touched a nerve.

I can recall a Pub in Dunfermline refusing to accept my English 20 pound note before a Hearts game but that had more to do with some moody copies apparently doing the rounds. Bloody cheek really given that Scottish notes are not technically legal tender in the UK. 😉

I can't play golf either but it took me 35 years of trying to come to that conclusion. To enjoy retirement one just has to have other interests otherwise there really is a massive hole and you just vegetate. Is there anything more sad than the guys you see sitting in a bar in the middle of the afternoon in Pattaya nursing a half of lager.

Some of you would be very shocked how things are in the UK now. It is almost the exception to pay with cash anymore, anywhere. The very first pub I went into in Rose Street, Edinburgh did not accept cash and that was over two years ago.

White Elephant area. Also, why oh why call it "The Robin Hood?" What possible connection does Robin Hood have to Pattaya, Thailand? Should have called it "Fryer Tuck."

I had a very bad meal there on my first visit and never returned. Awful location.

I get the flu and my 7th covid jag on the 11th November. 🙂 I postponed the covid jag as I only had covid two weeks ago. I have to believe if I hadn't had the covid jags my symptoms would have been far more severe. I finish 6 weeks of giving myself blood thinner injections on the 16th October. My stomach is looking like a pin cushion. The needle looks long but it does not hurt at all.

Sunday : 3 weeks 4 days since my hip replacement and 11 days since I tested positive for covid. 😚 I am walking normally now with no limp and no pain. Some initial stiffness in the hip however that disappears after a minute or two of walking. I had a good/bad year of not being able to do any meaningful exercise as it was just too painful. That has left me really unfit and that has been compounded by feeling really lethargic following covid. It was a real effort today to drag myself away from watching Europe doing the business in the Ryder Cup. I must do a walk every day as walking is the best possible exercise following my operation. I am still religiously doing the set exercises every day but nothing beats a brisk 30 minute walk especially as around where I am living is virtually all up and down hill and the hills are steep! I called into our local charity shop to see if they were interested in taking my two sets of walking sticks and an unused walking frame. Unlike "Jobsworth" at the Royal Hospital they will be delighted to accept my various aids and I promised to drop them in on Friday when my daughter can park in their car park. Under 3 weeks now until my 9 days break in Spain so I want to be able to walk up to an hour or so by then. My hotel is only 2 minutes from the start of "The British Strip" and the first Nightclub so I am hedging my bets. 🤣

I have been mostly stuck in my flat/condo for well over a year. I cannot fly long haul for months (well it is not recommended) so I fly to Alicante shortly hopefully to get some autumn sunshine. Totally free of opioid painkillers I anticipate a good few San Migs and Carlos Primero brandies with my coffee! 😄

When I went for my Hip Replacement Pre-Op meeting at the Royal Hospital I was given an 81 page NHS booklet full of useful information. Of particular help to me was all the various exercises one must undertake to ensure a full recovery. The final two pages was full of "Useful telephone numbers" one of which was entitled 'OT Equipment Return." That has relevance to me as I left the hospital on discharge using a pair of NHS issue walking sticks that looked brand new. I had already purchased myself a set of extended walking sticks that go halfway up ones arms and a walking frame. Neither of these have been used so I intended to donate those to the Royal Hospital at the same time I returned their standard walking sticks. I telephoned the number with a view to arranging a pick up of the items in question. I explained to the guy who answered that I wished to return my pair of walking sticks to the Royal Hospital and donate some unused, brand new, equipment. "No, you cannot do that we don't accept donations." says jobsworth. "Why not?" says I "They are brand new and good quality." "No,sorry." says jobsworth "We are not allowed to accept donations. I suggest you phone the Salvation Army." "Well what about the two walking sticks I left using from the Royal Hospital?" "What's your name and date of birth? asks jobsworth. I give them to him and after a short while he says: "Cannot find you listed in Edinburgh. Where do you live? So I tell him and he says "That's West Lothian. We don't deal with returns in West Lothian, only Edinburgh." To which I respond with "I walked out of The Royal Hospital with the walking sticks and the Royal is in Edinburgh." Jobsworth responds "To be quite honest mate if I was you I would give the whole lot to the Salvation Army." "That is a crazy waste of money. Surely the NHS cannot afford to just give equipment away every time somebody is discharged from Hospital on crutches?" "To be quite honest mate. I have worked for the NHS for 10 years and nothing surprises me any more!" The inmates are in charge of the asylum moment.

We have a house in Bangsaray I haven't seen for two years. I spent weeks repainting the whole of the outside then returned to the UK for a family visit I expected to be three months. Then my hip started to go tits up. Back in the Spring.

Can you really consider a one/off show paying tribute to one of the greatest groups of all time a "cover version". I think not.

Difficult situation and even a friend might well not thank you for such news however well meaning. The topic reminded me of something that happened to me when I was a Regional Sales Manager based in Birmingham. I came home from work one evening to be confronted by my wife in floods of tears. She had received a phone call from a guy who had suggested that my wife should tell her husband to stay away from B#####a in the office. Although he did not give his name I knew immediately who it was as unfortunately two days before I had the none too pleasant task of dismissing one of the sales staff following a series of meetings and under performance warning letters. I tried to help him by giving him an extra month's pay and immediately releasing him from further duties. He nevertheless told me exactly what he thought of me. I explained this to me wife and she calmed down readily. It helped that I had previously mentioned the fact that I had not been looking forward to having to give notice to one of the sales staff. Not the first time but never pleasant. The next day I mentioned what had happened to another colleague and another "Danny". I was "DA" and he was "DH" to all that knew us in Brum. DH was a great guy and a good friend. A bright guy from the Irish community in Brum. He introduced me to a lot of his mates and we took up almost a row at The Villa on a Saturday. Anyway, having mentioned the incident to DH I did not give it much further thought until a couple of days later DH put his head into my office and said "Boss, you won't have any more trouble with him again. Me and a few guys from The Ladywood Social Club put him straight." "Jesus, Danny! What the f**k have you done?" says I in a blind panic thinking of a body turning up in a ditch. "No, nothing to worry about we just had a quiet word in his ear. He knows the score now." You will not find that solution in a Dale Carnegie training course. 😄 A happy ending all round with trust resumed. Almost.

I received just the one letter advising me of both the pre-op and the date of admission for the operation itself. They were two weeks apart but in the middle of the pre-op on a Friday I was offered a cancellation for the next Tuesday. I was very pleased to accept the offer.

Sunday: 19 days after my Hip replacement. Finally the symptoms of my Covid bout are in retreat. Four very unpleasant days and nights with a streaming nose, sneezing and coughs. Feeling much better today. Rightly, or wrongly, I kept up with my daily walks. It was good to get some fresh air and I avoided getting anywhere near people I encountered on the way. I religiously complete the full set of set exercises each day but there is little doubt that walking is the best form of exercise. I am now walking normally without any pain or a limp but I need to build up basic fitness. Keep walking. I think I mentioned somewhere that it is sometime before I can undertake a long hall flight due to the risk of blood clots. There is nothing to stop me going short haul (less than 4 hours) so I am off to Spain for 9 nights in just under 4 weeks. No problem arranging Travel/Medical insurance. I declared I had a hip Replacement operation and that I am not on any prescription medications ( as agreed with my GP on 15 September) other than blood thinners which cease 4 days before I fly. The cost for the trip 68 pounds which was much less than I expected. On thing is for absolute certain. I am not going to go down with covid like I did 18 months ago. I am going back because I felt so cheated the last time.

Well here we go again! Arsenal vs that team who forever will live in the shade of their illustrious North London rivals. Very confident we will do them today. Two for Jesus; one for Saka.

I have only been scammed once in Thailand....................twice if you count Lek running off with my Yamaha. I booked two return flights to the UK for Sai and I at a total cost of 70K baht at a travel agent in Pattaya Tai used several times previously. Received what appeared to be all the correct booking documentation. Visited a week or so later expecting to collect the flight tickets themselves to find the shop shut. For good, as it turned out. They took my money knowing full well they were going out of business. Since then I have always booked flights direct with the Airline.

I agree with that recommendation. Pattaya International wanted me in to operate on my left knee. I went To Bhumrangrad for a second opinion and the Consultant advised me that it would be about 10 years before I would need any operation. The last time I saw Dr. Oliver I had to display my dick to him. After a close look he pronounced "Yeast infection" and charged me 800 baht for a 60baht tube of Canestan cream. 🤣 Quite a relief really as I had been away with the usual suspects to AC. Low risk from BJ's but you never know.

I cannot stop sneezing. No wonder covid gets spread around. I am isolating but I must somehow keep up the walking practice.

Wednesday; 15 days after my Hip Replacement operation Yesterday I mentioned a cough that came on and my walk to the local Pharmacist for some cough medicine. I was coughing on and off most of the night and managed very little sleep. At about 05:00 am I felt really hot and I had a headache. Oh no I thought! You could not make this up. Next to my bed on a shelf was my last remaining Covid test kit left over from when I had covid about 18 months ago. I looked at the date on it and it stated not to use after December 2023. Took the test.........Positive. I was hoping it was no longer accurate so at 9:15 I telephoned my usual Pharmacist who have been delivering my prescription medications. I asked if they could deliver a box of test kits today which they said was no problem and they delivered at 11:00am. How was that for service. Took another test and that was positive as well. My symptoms are no worse than a streaming cold but it is a pain in the arse and I gave my walk a miss today. Had a good rest but I did complete my full range of designated exercises. Going to have to isolate at least through the weekend.

Tuesday: 14 Days after my hip replacement Operation The district nurse came early today to change my dressing except when she took the old one off she found the wound was completely healed so no new one needed. She made me laugh when she said " You didn't get this done at the Jubilee (Glasgow) did you?" "No at the Royal (Edinburgh) " says I "I thought so. The ones done at the Jubilee always fall off!" 😄 (There is s certain class of Edinburgh folk who look down on "Weegies" i.e anybody who lives to the west of Edinburgh Airport. 😉 I worked for a year in Glasgow and they made this "English bastard" ( term of endearment) very welcome.) Good day for me. I walked into Town this morning and had a grossly overpriced cappuccino in "Dnisi" . About 12 minutes to Town but a good 15 minutes return because it is 75% up hill. Does not sound like a lot but 15 days ago I virtually could not walk at all. The Hospital (NHS) handbook says to take an hour's rest each day which I welcomed. After that I did my complete series of 10 set exercises which I can now do in there entirety. I think I have a cold developing with a tickly cough. So I had my second walk of the day to the local pharmacy which recently changed ownership after a terrible reputation. I left with some cough medicine and they must be trying to attract back customers as the lady Pharmacist put it though as if it was on prescription which meant it was free. A little tiring but no pain other than what one would expect from muscles learning about exercise again. A good day.

My God! They both are huge fish but that common is a monster. In my lifetime I am sure that mirror carp alone would have been a UK record. My respect!