Home and Land sold

Posted on by gizzajob

Last Friday, the family home and land sold for good. But the septic tank for the bungalow I’m set to move to is in a neighbouring premises. However, that is being seen to. Plus, I received an alert letter; as a stonking great water bill is due my way. The most obvious leakage was resolved today, but others need to be discussed with the new owner.

I had to deal with an issue which arose with the Christian Fellowship I had attended; which made me decide to stick to Facebook and YouTube to follow their services. But they’ll open a new Café next month, which I hope to attend regularly. God is shutting one door, so I may enter another.

Hard to believe that it will be Twenty years since 9/11. It will also be two years since Daniel Johnston passed away. That day is also the All-Ireland Final. Tyrone V Mayo. It will be a spectacle, but one team will be in the receptacle. (Imagine Patsy O’Hagan writing that?)

Tunes:

A week’s rest

Posted on by gizzajob

I have been staying at the home of my Artist Friend – my Support Bubble – since Saturday. I’ll head back on Friday morning. However, I will soon be rolling in it. My family home and land are on the market. My brother and I will soon have a Nice Little Earner.

I hate so much garbage since Saturday. However, my weight has remained the same from last week. A miracle. Perhaps, things are going the right direction.

I won’t brag, though. There are friends of mine suffering. A friend of mine is having Back Spasms. I must remind myself of how blessed I am for my health. I’m in two mind over whether or not to continue PIP beyond this time next year. After twenty years on Welfare, I feel that it’s a mug’s game.

Bandcamp has got me to follow Chris Olley. (the Nottingham Prince) Six.By Seven were a band panned by a Friend of Mine; who shaped my musical interest. But, on reflection, Chris has a Wife and Kids. So, he has a living. He’s real.

Good times ahead.

Hell is other people

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Even as a Christian, I can have a misanthropic streak inside me. Dealing with others, in the Cattle Market of life, can be a forced exercise.

Today, I passed an old man cycling on a B Road, heading home from Portadown, and only God’s grace kept me safe. Now, I’m trying to relax. Stinking Thinking has me in a tizzy whenever I make a mistake.

I had an interview on Zoom last Thursday. No joy, but I requested feedback.

The Derry and Strabane District is subject to a localised Lockdown, now. I must be grateful that my brother’s home. My plan was to relocate to the Donemana/Aughabrack/Glenmornan/Artigarvan area. But God hit me with a two-by-four on that.

Tunes:

Hobson’s Choice

Posted on by gizzajob

This afternoon, I had a Doctor’s appointment about Tinnitus – which has been ongoing my whole life, but I’m only addressing now. My left ear is so waxy, I was prescribed drops. If there’s no improvement after a week – I require syringing to dewax my ears.

The Doctor wasn’t made aware of my exemption from wearing masks – as I have Asperger’s – as I discovered- by a Mate who was a Nurse and is now a Lecturer in Nursing at Queen’s University – that Doctors don’t have access to one’s Medical Records. He didn’t react too well to the Government exemption rules; perhaps because there’s a breakdown in communication between the Executive in Northern Ireland and Whitehall. Sounds like something from ‘Yes, Prime Minister.’ 😐

On a more positive note, my massages are available again through WAVE Trauma Centre. Also, I called USEL – as a cry for help trying to find work again. They may be able to get me back on STRIDE; but there’s no guarantee. I’ll find out for sure on Wednesday.

I had to pay the 2019/20 tax by bank transfer this evening. Tough times! But I live in hope. Even though the justify option doesn’t work on the New WordPress template.

Tunes:

I feel better

Posted on by gizzajob

August is starting well, for me. My IKEA bed base came this morning. However, there are some sections which require more than one person arranging it. God willing, my uncle will help me.

I ordered my first bits of recipes for suggestions from The Batch Lady – Suzanne Mulholland. She had a top time-management role in America before becoming a Farmer’s Wife in Scotland. Sounds right up my alley.

I am glad the Superstars Café is returning to normal hours from this week on. But it isn’t the same with Lockdown. They’re trying to crack a nut with a pneumatic drill.

Tomorrow, I plan to attend a Café in Draperstown for a half-price fry as part of a UK-Wide initiative throughout August. Mid Ulster is virtually Covid-free. So why should we wear masks here? We’re not New York or LA.

For now, I have to focus on reducing expenses rather than look for work. But, this Friday, I will see a Social Farm outside Claudy to see if I would enjoy it. Get back to what I was supposed to do. 🙂

Tunes:

I wish I was in Macclesfield

Posted on by gizzajob

Today marks the fortieth anniversary of Ian Curtis’ suicide. I was meant to be in his native Macclesfield today to commemorate. However, the Tyrants have us in Lockdown. England has gradual reopening, already, while Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales still want us to stay at home.

Nevertheless, I’m learning to cope. I ordered Lavender-flavoured Organic Shampoo; I never washed my hair in the past few years. Now, I’m doing more self-care. Also, I got cotton makeup pads to apply the coconut oil I got last week for my face. The leftover plastic boxes, from the orders of Chicken Chow Mein I’ve had, can be used to store the pads. Those takeaways weren’t such a waste of money, after all. Plus, I also have leftover boxes from the Mayflower curry powder.

Also, happy Victoria Day to all Canadians. Here comes Summer. In this country, it’s wet and miserable; Summer for us. 😀

Tunes:

New Decade – New Plan

Posted on by gizzajob

This evening, I weighed myself at Slimming World in Ballinderry. After getting down to below 20 Stone – 280 Pounds – eleven days ago, I put on eight pounds since then. There were a few boxes of biscuits and Chicken Chow Mein deliveries along the way. However, I manned up about the weigh-in, and got a recipe book and ordered stuff for delivery from Sainsbury’s – to make Veggie Chilli Con Carne. I’ll NEVER go Vegan but remain open-minded to Veggie options.

Christmas itself was great. I spent FOUR consecutive days with my neighbour for meals. Then, I bought her Jimmy Choo perfume and a bottle of Australian Sauvignon Blanc to show my appreciation. One of her brothers from Philadelphia flew back to Ireland on Boxing Day and he gave me a Philadelphia Eagles Toque as a gift. I also got, from my Skype buddy from Toronto, a Leafs t-shirt, a George sweatshirt, two pyjama bottoms and a Greatest Hits compilation by the Headstones – Canadian Punk Band from the Nineties. I was landed. 🙂

Twenty years ago, we faced the Millenium Bug. Now, it’s the Millenials who are bugging us. 😀 My Toque proved to be a good-luck charm, as the Eagles secured a playoff berth last night. 🙂

Tunes:

Internet in the Boonies!

Posted on by gizzajob

I switched from EE to Three for my broadband. However, it’s horrendously slow and unreliable; my upload speeds are only in K; I’m not s**tting you.

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Yesterday, I had to pay for new blades for my windscreen wipers and also fix the motor as the fast wiping didn’t work. More expenses. :\ I had to call Lifeline, Samaritans and a friend from America to outreach.

One positive that I can use either one of my phones as a Hotspot in the meantime. But sometimes I wish I was Amish and never had to worry about Technology.

Tunes:

July Madness – And a new chapter in my life

Posted on by gizzajob

The Twelfth was last Friday – the day celebrating the Victory of William III over James II in 1690. As eggs are eggs, there are sectarian conflicts then. A Catholic man was savagely attacked in Kilkeel; while a Protestant Couple from Castledawson were chased out of their home by a Republican Mob. Most in Northern Ireland holiday away during then. I stayed at home. Although I bought groceries at Springisland Store that morning.

On Sunday, I went to People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire for a picnic with a Meetup group. The Meetup itself was run by an American woman who Lectures at a Protestant Theological College based in Carolina. (not sure which one, though) She said she has done missionary work in Africa and is in Ireland to do consultancy for the College.

Yesterday – Tuesday – I signed off the Condition Management Programme. I have now progressed to Antrim New Horizons. If I don’t start with them next Monday, it will be a few months later.

Last week, I was at the Apple Store in Belfast, as my MacBook Pro has a broken r key. Turned out that the MacBook Pro is too old to be fixed. However, I was advised to buy a remote keypad. Then, I ordered a Logitech keypad from Amazon. It arrived on Thursday. Then I had to use DuckDuckGo to learn how to open the battery latch. (Bluetooth didn’t work on my MacBook Pro)

Also, last week, I got to see my Cousin’s kids from Dubai. They were with the seven-year-old son of my other Cousin, and they were playing Minecraft on their Tablets. Being modern kids, the boy from Dubai called his Cousin a, “Douche!” while the girl said, “OMG!” I got some laughs out of that.

 

Tunes:

 

Losing Weight

Posted on by gizzajob

Three weeks ago, I was hospitalised after sensory overload. I have been on the hamster wheel quite a while, recently. However, what emerged from that is an awareness of my limitations. For the four Wednesday evenings of June, I will be attending Pilates classes in Holywood (North Down, in case you might be searching for me on IMDb) and hope to join the local sessions in Coagh once it resumes in September.

Also, a fortnight ago, my car got through the MOT. Having heard about the daughter of my ex-Landlady from Dublin spending over €1,000 on repairs for the Southern equivalent and still not getting the car passed, I can be thankful that I have good people in my local community who won’t rip me off. But, yesterday, the service light was on, and the car needs to be seen to, again, on Monday.

Last Sunday, I went to the Continental Market in Cookstown. Really glad to have gone. I had a Brautwrst hotdog there from the German stall and Grilled Chicken with Sweet-Potato Fries fries from the Spanish booth. My three weeks of Slimming World have gone well. Three-quarters of a stone – aka ten and a half pounds – lost, already. 🙂

Tonight, I’ll be seeing Superstars Café’s team do a stage production of ‘The Lion King’. Hopefully, on Tuesday evening – if the car will be fine – I will see the Elton John film in Cookstown Cinema. Things are better now. 🙂

 

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