Evenin’ all. I know I haven’t been around for a while, but before anyone thinks I’ve ‘done a Toc’ I just want to ‘splain myself.
The first thing that happened is that I came down with wolf flu. Now, imagine parvo virus crossed with the most virulent man-flu squared and you’ll have some idea of how I felt. All I wanted, as I lay whimpering helplessly in the back of The Cave was for somebody – anybody – to come round with a flask of hot, home made chicken soup and stroke my ears with lots of soothing ‘there, there’ sounds.
Nobody came. Sob!
Secondly, I had arranged to have a new comms system for The Cave by way of a deal offered by Portugal Telecom involving integrated television, broadband and telephone, all delivered though the phone line. Sod’s Law being what it is the two events were consecutive rather than concurrent, hence the long absence.
Anyhoooo, I was eventually able to drag my sorry carcass to the vet who prescribed a course of antibiotics with a stern warning to lay off the grog until three days after the course was completed. When I recovered consciousness, I argued for different tablets which did not involve this ignominy, but the vet was implacable, the barsteward, and I have been gagging for a beer this past fortnight.
The PT installation wonk turned up last Friday and I have to say did a brilliant job. I’ve now got 98 free digital TV channels, the internet is super-fast and while all this is going on I can make free phone calls within Portugal and to northern Europe (including Blighty) between 9 PM and 9AM and all this for less than half what I was paying previously.
One thing I did miss was the Feast of São Martinho when you can wander though the nearest town smelling the wood smoke curling from innumerable hearths and stoves and buying a traditional cone of roasted chestnuts from the street vendors who appear as if by magic with their little braziers on every street corner. This is Portugal’s bonfire night if you like, at least as far as the smells are concerned.
Wonderful!
OZ
Boadicea's Chariot 
Delighted to see you back OZ! Sorry to hear you’ve been laid low… I take it you have had several large beers to celebrate your recovery! 🙂
Sadly not, Boadicea. The beer has to stay chilled and unopened until Wednesday. 😦
OZ
You really do have my sympathy on this one.
One Christmas a good few years ago, when I was holed up in the hills of N Carmarthenshire being solitary and antisocial, I had the misfortune to go down with human flu!
The boy was in Portugal for the holidays strangely enough.
I was so ill I really couldn’t get out of bed, the central heating boiler ran out of coal and I was to ill to get up to feed it. When I finally came to I found out I had been in bed for five days and didn’t actually know it, had missed Christmas!
Finally tottered downstairs to the telephone and rang a mate who came round and ministered to me, it was a wonder that I didn’t starve or get pneumonia, the boy was horrified when he got home in the new year at a pale and corpse like mama.
All a bit of a problem when you live by yourself.
But glad you are on the mend, where’s the new girlfriend? Or didn’t she make the grade?
(Nothing like being nosy is there, my excuse is coming from Wales!)
Aha! Sympathy for the Wolf from Christina. Eat your hearts out, losers!
Christina, the NSW is indeed a qualified nurse, but was on duty all throughout my confinement and, being half an hour’s drive away, was unable to be of comfort. She has promised to make amends, to which I look forward.
OZ
Yikes OZ,
In recognition of your enforced patronage of ‘the wagon’, I see it as my civic duty to double my intake by way of compensation hic!
I don’t want to burst your bubble chum, but my beloved is a nurse. They do caring for a job day-in, day-out. Guess what is in short supply when they’re off the clock. I get zippo sympathy from mine. A pint of water and two paracetamols is the pinnacle of ministering in this house. 😦
Speak for your own Ferret. This nurse has ooodles of compassion on and off duty.
Good to see you on patrol!
Y9u have been missed, Oz, but hope you are feeling better.
Where was Eff? Oh, OK, she’s pretty hopeless, but for goodness sake, I’m sure she soothed your fevered brow occasionally. 😉
Truth be known I was hoping for a small queue comprising, inter alia, the NSW, Pseu, Val and Jan, all bearing a flask of home-made chicken soup and lots of sympathy. Visits from Ferret, Bravo and Toc are all very well but not quite the same, know what I mean?
OZ
PapaG – A wolf has to do, etc…..
Araminta – I have had quite enough problems withut worrying about SWMNBN, who anyway seems busy teaching disobedience to Das Furballen.
OZ
Glad to hear the NSW is still on the map!
Christina – Imagine the Olympic flag. The NSW has her own home, work colleagues and social circle of friends, as do I. Occasionally our paths interlink as per the middle circles and very nice it is too!
OZ
Glad you’re getting back to fitness, OZ. You got to be in good shape for all those Amends.
I would have send Welsh cakes and vit C if I’d known you were poorly. Guaranteed “feel better” remedy 🙂
Good to see you back, OZ. 😎
Hello, OZ.
From one wolf to the other.
Oy Oz, the Olympic flag has 5 rings, it has to be an orgy!
Christina – Not tonight it ain’t. Duty calls yet again and I am left to keep the double bed warm all by myself.
Nighty chilly night.
OZ
Commiserations, OZ. Glad you managed a limerick while so burdened. Maybe it was therapeutic? 🙂
Sorry to hear of your illness, OZ, and glad you’re now feeling better. Had we known, I’m sure there would have been a queue wandering round Portugal clutching flasks of soup!
Welcome back, I’ve had a bout too – nasty.
Welcome back to the fold Mr wolf, I was about to put out APB to find out what had happened to you, then here you are, large as life and recovered. If only you’d spoken up sooner, us ladies here on the chariot could have got the first plane out to you. We could have administered all manner of wonderful potions to assist your recovery. Great to have you back OZ.
Psst, wipe your nose, it’s running again 🙂 🙂
So, Bilby, where was your vacuum of hot, home made chicken soup and ear-tickle then?
OZ
I didn’t realise you’d been sick, OZ. I make great chicken soup and my ear-tickles are the stuff of legend. Are you still feeling low?
PS Your link didn’t work, but I know where to find you. 🙂
I’m fully recovered now thank you for asking, but may well call on the stuff of legend next time, closely followed by a bowl or two of chicken soup. 🙂
OZ
Within our peculiar relationship, OZ, of prey and predator, the only way I could hope to approach you is when you are vulnerable; chicken soup and ear-scratching skills at the ready for such an occasion, but I do hope you keep well. 🙂 I have ear-tickled a tiger (behind bars) but never a wolf.
I’m glad you’re feeling better.
Night night, OZ.
High there what a lot of trouble you all have.
Oz .. what happened to that nice Russian woman you so admired ?
Did she not fit the bill ? Or maybe she was too bossy. ?
Bilby – Whatever my state of health (which has now returned to rude) you would be very welcome at any time and would be perfectly safe, particularly if you bring your ear-scratching skills and a bowl of soup.
Smiley thing.
OZ
Mornin’ Tigerbrite – Long time no see. Hope you are well and that the Spanish weather is better than it is here right now. I’ve been waiting since the weekend for a couple of tonnes of firewood to be delivered but the man won’t bring it until it stops raining.
Took the NSW out for lunch on Saturday with some other friends to my favourite restaurant way up in the hills. We had pork tenderloin in a fig sauce, lamb chops and venison stew, but had to turn down the offer of an additional bowl of wild boar because we were already stuffed.
OZ
Hi Oz
The spanish weather has been just great. A beautiful autumn. And still kind to us now although we feel it a little chilly at 13C at night.
I hope you are keeping well my friend.
Hiya Tigerbrite – Even though I say so myself I was very brave during the worst excesses of wolf flu and only whimpered a little, despite nobody bringing any soup or TLC. I am now fully recovered, thank you for asking. I’m about to light the fire and do some more homework as there is thick fog outside and I can’t even see to the end of the garden.
OZ