TODAY IS THE 18th OF NOVEMBER AND CAN ANY OF YOU REMEMBER WHY THIS DATE IS SO IMPORTANT?

It's the date in 2004 that she drove to Shropshire to collect me from where I was born.. yes folks, today is our 14th anniversary!

Fourteen years, goodness me, that's a long time, isn't it? When I arrived, I was a little parrot and so well behaved, now I'm fully grown and as naughty as a bag load of monkeys and veryvery naughty monkeys, they are too apparently!

I don't have a lot to report or tell you.. she went out yesterday to take stuff to the allotments and whilst she was there, took a few photos of roses and sweet peas, they're as happy as Larry because their roots are in a very raised raised bed (work that one out). 

Jack Frost strikes at ground level so she's raised the level of the earth in her beds to a minimum of 5cms - 12" and in some of them, it is 8cms - 20" deep.

It was far too cold for me to go. especially as I've been a Silly Billy and taken off my vest aka waistcoat and nibbled one of my shoulders.. sigh.. well, what would YOU do if your mama was / had been ick-dick = sick and confined to 'barracks' for nearly seven weeks?

Exactly, you would get a bit 'stressed' as well, to put it politely! So the waistcoat had to go.

However, let me tell you about other stuff. The weather here in London is glorious, lots of trees still have their leaves on and they're golden and red, a truly magnificent sight on the allotments is a Silver Birch whose leaves are a pale gold.. 

We have had a couple of days of heavy rain but nothing like other parts of the country or on the continent, poor Italy has been hit with horrific floods and hectares of the Dolomite range have been denuded of trees by avalanches of trees being swept down the mountains by torrential rain.

Our politics, well, let's not go there, because no one knows what is going on, least of all me or her.

What I do know is that she had a lovely lunch today when she met up with an old friend but I only had the remains of my breakfast plus some slices of citrus fruit and they were all cold so a smidgen of hot food wouldn't go amiss.

Fourteen years, which is almost as long as she and Dagga Parrot were together - they lived together for over sixteen years. I have a couple of years to catch up on him and then, perhaps, I'll be able to 'train' her a bit more.. fat chance.. that has made me laugh so much I slipped off her head!

Chirps to you all.. we are both full of chirp and hope you are too.

GeeGee Parrot.
November 18th, 2018.  

'GREEKS BEARING GIFTS' BY PHILIP KERR AND KNIGHTSBRIDGE IS WET.. AS IN VERY WET.. TODAY.

If you are up to date with my blog, you will remember that earlier this week we didn't get the rain that they forecasted and it has been mild and pleasant.

Well, that all changed this afternoon and it's wet out there and she's thanking her lucky stars that she raided the North End Road market yesterday and gathered up eggs, fruit and other bits n' bobs.

Unfortunately, she didn't make it to the library and is out of library books but luckily, Tereza, our upstairs neighbour had given her a bag of books for the charity shop, so she stuck her hand into that and came out with a cracker of a good book.

It's a novel woven around history, history that wasn't in her history books when she was at school.

'Greeks Bearing Gifts' by Philip Kerr.

Based in Germany and Greece in 1957, the book revealed to her the story of the Nazi persecution of the Jews in Thessaloniki.. aka Solonika and the theft - plundering of their gold and other items of value.

The ramifications of that plundering still rumble on to this very day because Germany has never paid one pfennig, mark or euro to Greece or to the Jewish survivors in compensation.

We recommend you read this book. Everyone should read history.. especially people who think of themselves or call themselves politicians ..

Philip Kerr, who sadly died of cancer on the 23rd of March, 2018 just before this book was published, wove an extremely clever tale of espionage, trickery, murder and subterfuge.

He wrote several books and armed with his name, she will be getting them out of the library in order to read more of this man's excellently crafted work.

It's now pitch dark out there and heavy rain is falling, we are grateful to be indoors and dry, with both food and water to hand. 

A great many others, some through no fault of their own, are much less fortunate.

GeeGee Parrot.
November 10th, 2018.
PostSript: Tomorrow at 11.00 o'clock on the 11th day of the 11th month 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of WW1. 

The phrase 'The war to end war ' was penned by H. G. Wells.

If she was well enough, she would be going to commemorate this anniversary at our local church, St.Columba in Pont Street.

This site certainly knows about war because the original church, built in 1884, was destroyed by wartime enemy bombing on the night of 10th May, 1941.   

EQUIFAX - SUPPOSEDLY A SECURE FINANCIAL COMPANY - WERE HACKED & SHE'S RECEIVED DODGY TEXTS

Enough about health viruses.. here's something that will make you 'wonder' about the level and quality of security that our financial institutions have in place.

For many years now the banks have been warning their customers about not releasing details of any kind to anyone about their accounts and especially not to respond to any calls and text messages about their bank accounts and NEVER to transfer any amount of money.

She's never shared any detail of any account with anyone and if she has to discuss anything with a bank, she goes into a branch to talk with someone.

In September 2017, the giant financial company Eguifax was hacked and 400,000 UK consumers had their personal details stolen. 

NICE.. huh! Maybe their HQ should have their 'windows' blocked up in the interests of security.

She immediately changed log-in details and passwords and was thankful that she had never had any links to any accounts in / on her mobile / cellphone.

So she was 'amused' to receive - recently for the first time ever - a slew of text messages saying that her two accounts with a bank had been frozen due to three attempts to use a Debit card and would she please respond to a particular telephone number to speak to someone about this.

'You have to be joking, I don't think so' she thought and picking up her landline, she called the banks customer service number.

Edward took her call and sighed and said "Oh dear, another one, I am so sorry about this but ever since that breach at Equifax and particularly this week, scammers have been incredibly busy and I cannot tell you how many calls we have received about exactly what you have experienced, your accounts are ok, nothing has happened."

She thanked him.

NOT NICE.. And the banks, who are closing their branches left right and centre, wonder why we, their customers, are losing our trust in them.

I don't have a bank account and I don't have any money because she doesn't give me 'pocket' money, 'why not'?, I hear you ask, "well you see, I don't have any pockets". 

"Boom Boom" as Basil Brush used to say!

GeeGee Parrot.
November 10th, 2018.
PostScript: Which financial institution is window-less in the interests of security? 

A PERFECT STORM.. PART 3. LIVING IN ISOLATION!

Well, she's not really in isolation because I'm here but we are not allowed visitors and if she goes out, she has to wear a scarf a la Hepburn, dark glasses and have every inch of herself covered up!

One day when she had to go to see her doctor, her own mother would not have recognised her! It was a bitterly cold day, so she put on a wig, they keep your head warm, added a scarf and dark glasses and went out.

The receptionist recognised her voice, squealed with laughter and said "what a disguise, I'd love to see Dr. William's face when you go into his room" and buzzed her through to the staircase. Well, he loved it and chuckled.

Today there's doom and gloom about a weather front that is, apparently hitting the UK. I write 'apparently' because there are photos of rain soaked streets in London, besides other places, but it is all most curious..

For, on our steps, there is not a drop of rain water to be seen. They're as dry as baked bone and bones are what I want to tell you about.. 

For she received a gift yesterday which make her cry.. she works as a volunteer for a charity shop in Fulham.. where she'll go back when she is given the 'all clear' by Moorfields.

One of the volunteers and she were talking about food, stews in particular, as you do when you have a great butcher and a brilliant fruit and vegetable market right outside the shop door!

They said that they bought trays of bones from Dickinsons, the butcher and she remarked that she roasted bones before using them in a stew. 

"Wow.. I have never thought of doing that and it makes perfect sense, doesn't it?" said her colleague.

The night before last, we were tucked up and watching a lovely dvd when we heard someone shutting the top gate but thought nothing of it until she received a text from that colleague saying that they were all sad to have heard about her not being well and that there was a 'little' something on her doorstep.

Hmm, she thought, how nice and pottered off to investigate what it could be. 

'WHAT!! NO.. I can't believe it!' But yes, she had better believe it, her sweet colleague had been to their butcher and bought her a bag of lamb bones!

A wonderful mix of end of neck (her favourite cut for lamb stew), chops bones and ribs.

If you have a PROPER butcher, who doesn't just buy his meat in already cut, they should have bones that are wonderful for: stews, soups and stock. 

Our butcher sells a well laden tray for £1.00 and you had better get there early if you want any for the good folk of Fulham are not stupid!

So, yesterday afternoon, she divided the bones into two, turned on the oven and slid a large roasting tray into the oven to cook for 90 minutes at a medium heat. 

She had seasoned the bones with a mix of herbs, salt and pepper, (one of her favourite from The Spice Maker) but added no oil, for the fat from the lamb would render down in the heat and stop the meat drying out.

Her eyesight might be dodgy, her hearing certainly is certainly but there is nothing the matter with her (or my) sense of smell! 

After 90 minutes, the fat had melted, the meat was cooked and the bones had started to break down.

The same was done with the remaining bones, then the trays were put aside and when we went to bed, the bones had cooled and the fat hardened.

Today she'll take a huge casserole and will fry, until they are soft but not browned, onions, garlic and tiny amounts of ginger and turmeric root.

She'll add and fry a mix of herbs, spices and brown and yellow lentils. Add a good amount of water, bring the pan to the boil and then drop the heat down to a simmer. 

After a good hour and having kept a careful eye on the liquid level, she'll add the bones, carrots and top up the water so they're covered and it will sit on a back burner for a long time.

You cannot rush a good stew and as you cannot put a pan of this size into the chilly white larder, aka fridge, it will live on the stove and be brought to the boil once a day.

It will be delicious, you can use barley but she cannot as barley contains gluten to which she is highly allergic, her right hand finger joints swell, both knees become painful and vicious hives break out all over her body. 

When she showed a particularly bad attack to her doctor, his mouth opened, he gulped and then called in the senior partner of the practice to see them. 

Who grimaced and said "And ignorant people poo-hoo food allergies and the devastating effects of those horrifying chemicals they use on non-organic farms, I know you use homeopathic medicine, which remedy are you using to counteract these hives?"

So, dear reader, you are now up to date.. she has to get some yumyum organised for our lunch and then she'll 'do the stew'.

We hope that you're happy and healthy wherever you are and if you're not, then if you can do something about it pretty quickly, do so, for life is too short to be wasted.

GeeGee Parrot.
November 7th, 2018.
PostScript: The Spice Maker. (44) 01689 897677

They sell brilliant herbs and spices in grinders, 2 sizes and everything that you could possibly want for decorating cakes! We have posted about them before and will, undoubtedly, do again.. She loves their products and their prices! 

Tell them you read about them on GeeGee's blog. 

A PERFECT STORM.. PART 2. HOW IT UNFOLDED.

Ok, where was I? Ah yes, we went to stay for two days with friends in their glorious house up in the hills above Streatham.

We caught a bus to Streatham Hill, then another which took us up Leigham Court Road, where we got off and met Roy, who drove us to their house.

The weather was glorious, her bed comfy, the food magnificent and Ann and Roy had no objections to me sitting (very quietly) on the dining table at meal times.

She had gifted Ann two days gardening work for her birthday. The first day, she tackled their very big terrace. She weeded and cleaned it and then did the same to the paths which lead up to the top of the garden where the vegetable patch is.

The next day she worked on the large vegetable patch and tackled two large 'hot box' compost bins.

The contents had stuck half way so nothing was dropping down, compost must have a ratio of green and carbon in order for it to decompose properly and there were far too many grass cuttings in both boxes.

Dirty.. Messy unpleasant work but as both her hosts are over 75 years old and not up to doing this kind of work, she raked out what compost had been made from the bottom and sorted it out from the top. 

Jobs done.. 

She got a massive hug from Ann and a lift from Roy back down onto Streatham Hill where we caught a 137 bus to take us home.

That was on Thursday October 11th, on Friday, she went to the library and did grocery shopping and called into see our Lebanese friends.

Then all hell broke loose!

For she awoke on Saturday with an incredibly sore neck and throat, her hearing was non-existent, she was running a temperature and her ears were blocked and her sinuses were.. ohhh.. so painful.

Ginger, garlic, cloves (and sesame oil) were brought in to 'play', they are anti: bacterial, inflammatory and viral and any thoughts of gardening were banished.

Luckily she had done the food shopping and had plenty of fruit and bird food, she had caught 'the mother & father' of a cold (or so she thought) and put herself back into bed with another quilt on top to keep herself  warm.

Sunday more of the above

Monday. Having spent a gruesome night with a high temperature and chills.. she woke up at about 7am and had a major panic attack. Her eye lids were stuck together!

She felt her way down the hall and into the bathroom where she soaked both eyes with water until the 'glue' was washed away.. to find.. oh no!

Oh yes.. both eyes were covered in what looked like thick creamy white string.. very scary.

Action stations.. wash, dress, put fresh food and water out for me and out of the door to catch a bus to Moorfields A&E, she had the sense to take her Moorfields hospital number with her, her vision was dreadful so she didn't feel safe enough to go by tube.

She followed the 'green' line down City Road.. lucky are those who don't know what this means.

And went into reception at A&E, she was wearing dark glasses as the string had formed over both eyes and it was both hideous and scary.

"How can I help you" said the pleasant woman behind the desk, she said "Here's my hospital number, I'm a patient here and this is the problem" and with that, she took off her glasses.

I won't write what the woman said.. too rude but she literally sprang into action, she gave the hospital card to another colleague and said "access her file asap, I'm taking her into isolation, come with me" and she led mama, who had her glasses back on, past an astonished bunch of people and off into a corridor where she had never been before.

"Sit here and rest, someone will be with you as soon as we get your file down from records" and she closed the door.

In a very short time, a charming doctor was with her and asked to see her eyes.. he was angelic. He took her into another room and cleansed her eyes, asked her for the sequence of events which had led up to this and then examined her eyes.

"You have contracted several different serious complaints, you have both severe viral conjunctivitis with pseudo-membranes and you have picked up an infection" explained Dr. George, "I am just going to get someone else to examine your eyes" and he left to come back with a pretty and smiley woman who introduced herself as Emma.

Much cleaning of hands went on, then she looked at mama's sore eyes. "Ok, 2 drops into each eye, wait 1 minute, then use forceps George", she then explained that pseudomembranes are like fish scales that attach themselves to the eye ball and if left untreated, would cause her to lose her sight.

It didn't hurt but it was mighty scary.. just the mere thought of those fishy scales being peeled off your eye ball is scary in itself.. let alone seeing the forceps coming at you!

Emma returned with a prescription, "You must follow these instructions to the letter, for the first week, you take 1 drop every 2 hours, then every 4 and so on for 7 weeks, I've made you a follow-up appointment on Wednesday at 11am. You mustn't socialise with people, keep your head and throat warm, bed rest is essential, keep on taking the ginger and other herbs. IF, you have to go out, you must wrap up warmly. Please eat lots of fruit and drink a lot of water and hot ginger tea. We'll notify your GP by email of what we have found, now go home to bed and we will see you on Wednesday", she bent down and kissed mama on the top of her head and said "Don't worry, we'll sort it out, thank goodness you came in and didn't just think it was because of your cold". 

So there you are folks or rather here we are, she's down to 3 drops a day, so slowly. very slowly, she is getting there, the creepy white string is now just a hideous memory but she did send a photo of her eyes when they were at their worst to her surgery.

Who have been angelic, they called her the moment they received the email from Moorfields and discussed it with her. 

They've made an appointment with audiology for a hearing test at the end of November and a friend took her hearing aids to be checked and collected her new prescription long and short distance glasses.

Most of the time she has slept, I've plucked my tummy and nibbled my shoulders again.. yes, it had all grown back but now I look as if moths have been at me. Because this is horrid.. I'm not used to mama just lying there.. 

Emma was certain that she'd had a cold brewing when she was in Streatham and that combined with a bacteria which had been in one of the compost bins, she had created the perfect storm.

GeeGee Parrot.
November 6th, 2018.
PostScript: If you are cleaning or clearing out an old compost bin, wear goggles and a mask. The bacteria that break down food waste and plant waste are extremely powerful and you do not want to breath them in or get them in your eyes.