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29 February 2012

‘Leap for PM’

It’s 29th February, which only happens once every four years. It has traditionally been a date when women could propose marriage to men. Indeed a lovely young lady popped the question 38 years ago, when at university. I politely declined and I am sure that she has been grateful ever since.

But over on Radio 4, there has been quite a build up over the last week or so by Eddie Mair on the PM programme. He has invited listeners to take a ‘Leap for PM’; to do something that they would not normally consider doing to celebrate this date.

We’ve had listeners writing in to tell Eddie what they are going to do: There has been a depressed agoraphobic promising to take a bus journey to town and a middle aged lady who is being tattooed, live, on air!

Lawrence headed out with a camcorder to record places he used to enjoy with his wife, who died suddenly a couple of years ago. Sharon from Brighton runs a cafe and is going to change it to a vegetarian outfit. Philip from Kidderminster wrote that he wanted to finally finish his musical composition and Richard, a conductor from the CBSO, is going to play it next month!

All these people are doing something that celebrates life, which is a refreshing change from the normal dose of financial and political scandals that infest the news each evening.

My day was spent at Addenbrookes Renal Department hearing some news that was not wholly unexpected, that is going to affect things quite a bit. A bit of a bugger really.

So then! Adopt, adapt and improve!

51 comments:

  1. Did you buy her material for a skirt? I don't know wheter you have this tradition over there, but here a man is supposed to give a woman fabric for a skirt if he declines... And if he says yes, he needs to give her a lot more than that, of course ;-) (As a woman I dare to say this, from a man it might be considered insulting :D )

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    1. Ooh! I have not heard of that tradition, Maria. She kept a few of my LP's, I seem to remember... She went off to France (or was it Spain?) with them...

      By the way: You can say whatever you like - it would never sound insulting! Your command of English is incredibly good.

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  2. "A bit of a bugger really."

    Presumably that's an understatement. Give us a shout if you need to vent spleen or just get things off your chest.

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    1. Just a bit, Stef... the spleen thing is just about the only internal bit that seems to be okay.

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    2. Just as well then Al.
      You'd be really buggered with no immune system!

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  3. Hospitals are often the purveyors of bad news.
    Sorry to hear that the kidneys are not happy though Al.

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    1. The weird thing is that they actually feel okay. The results however, show that they are well & truly bolloxed! Anyway, they are putting me on the scrap merchant scavenging list for some second hand parts, with the option of some regular oil changes coming soon.

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    2. "The results however, show that they are well & truly bolloxed!"

      WTF? You mean that they're hanging down between your legs?????

      No wonder you're concerned!

      :-)

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  4. Replies
    1. If the spare parts van doesn't turn up in time there'll be a whole load of stuff!

      Hang on, just a doggone minute, OM! I seem to recall you have only just replaced your boots.

      :-)

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  5. Hmmm, there seems to be a lot of health issues around blog land these days. Doesn't seem right either given that it's mainly blogs about doing outside healthy stuff that I read.

    I hope the prognosis is positive. My car is built mainly out of spare bits and "second hand parts" and it goes ok!

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    1. Exactly my feelings too, Sandy. Just as long as they connect up the second hand bits the right way round with some neat stitching... That'll do me.

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  6. Yes, echo that. Best wishes to you and hoping for a resolution to your kidney problem.

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  7. Allan,

    Second hand is the new life stile over here. So you can stay with us.

    Best wishes

    Rolf

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    Replies
    1. Second hand/third hand: I'm easy with either!
      Cheers, Rolf (Are you still looking west?)
      :-)

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  8. Pal - what can I say? Will it be a temperance crossing in May?

    Seriously, I hope whatever gets done, gets done smoothly and with great and fast effect.

    Carl.

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    1. I've heard that beer is fine. Not much potassium in beer (Potassium is stuff that gives you heart attacks... ) It's good to flush out the kiddlies every once in a while.
      :-)

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    2. Interesting because I was told that Potassium based salt rather than normal salt was better for you.
      So I have been using it for ages
      and now I discover that it is b..................

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  9. First thing that springs to my mind Alan is - Very Best Wishes.

    Brian

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Brian. How are the LEJOG plans coming along? Still interested in going for it?
      :-)

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    2. Oh yes! I will follow in your footsteps one day. Sadly, perhaps, in more ways than one. A near one who needs care following a recent "C" diagnosis, (and my dog who I couldn't take and I couldn't bear to leave behind) prevent me from stepping out just now.

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    3. I am sorry to hear that, Brian. I wish you and yours well, Sir.

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  10. Alan,

    Best wishes, and let's hope everything works out okay.

    As for Leap Year events, my lovely wife proposed to me in a restaurant in Bath four years ago. Not in a bath, which would have been a totally different experience, or in a bath in a restaurant in Bath, which would have got us arrested.

    Needless to say I accepted. I'm not regretting it. Yet... :-)

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    Replies
    1. What a splendid woman! You may not be regretting it, but of course....

      :-)

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  11. Sorry that your crook Alan, I hope thinks turn out ok.

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  12. Hope things go as well as possible for you, Alan, and good luck with it all.

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    1. Indeed! Less blogging and more walking on the cards, I think.
      :-)

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  13. Lynne and I send our best wishes to you Alan and hope this is resolved quickly. Take care.

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    1. I seem to have a good team at Addenbrookes but as I moved further away, they are keen to heave me over to Berkshire. They are trying to find a decent consultant, which is good. I think I shall run interviews...

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  14. Hmm, missed this yesterday due to visiting mother in hospital - 'bolluxed' in a slightly different way. All very worrying - the Dishy Pharmacist and I hope you get sorted as quickly and as effectively as possible. Do get in touch if you feel a need for any second opinion re medication.
    Good luck...

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    1. That's very sweet of the Dishy Pharmacist.
      :-)
      I hope your Mum gets sorted - you feel so helpless when it's someone you love and it's all in the hands of hospitals.
      Let's hope Mr Lansley doesn't screw it up too much.

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  15. Perhaps this might be the little push that people need to join the organ donor register- yes, you've always been meaning to get round to it!

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    1. Good point, OM. Though I'm not too sure that there are very many internal organs of mine that would be of any use. Or the external ones, come to think of it. Nobody would want them!

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  16. They had some kidneys on offer at the co-op Alan. I could see if they have any left...

    You'd have to pay postage, obviously. But, I mean, what are mates for if they can't help out?

    They had liver, too...

    ..what previous commenters said, though.....

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    1. A new liver... That could come in handy after a night at Stan & Bill's...
      I'll make a reservation now.

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    2. I better make sure I have all the route details from Stan and Bills in case you never leave .... :)

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  17. Good luck with whatever it is that needs fixing. Remember you're honed from years of exposure to the elements and probably as hard as nails, so stay positive.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Over the last few years, staying positive is possibly the one lesson I have learned.

      'Ard as nails? Hmmm. I'm just an old softie, really.
      :-)

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  18. Bugger, sorry to hear about that Alan. Hope all goes well for you. If I had some spares you would be very welcome to them.

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    1. Ah - I'll nick some of that Ginger Facial Manfur, if you've got any spare... Mine used to have a distinct ginger tinge - now it's all gone 'orribly grey!

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  19. Ginger? How very dare you!

    As he goes off to look in the mirror.......

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  20. My children will tell you I don't share Alan, so there's no organs going spare here, but I do blood if you're B+. Keep smiling x

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    1. I've always thought that the Blood Group B Positive was a wonderful way to look at life! I met a chap who was motorcycling around the world and he had it on the sleeve of his leathers "Mike McCabe B+"
      Link HERE

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  21. Oh, shit, Alan. Concern and very best thoughts from this side of the pond.

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    1. Those were my thoughts too when the very pretty consultant gave me the news! The thing is, she was more upset about it than me, as I have known this was a likely outcome for years. It was the sudden decline in their performance over the last few years that was the surprise. Before then, it was thought that they might hang on just long enough...

      Increased blood pressure brought on by stress accelerated the decline.
      Ho hum!

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