The final fatal body blow to my hopes for a daily post during my hospital stay was dealt by EE mobile on the late afternoon of the day before my surgery. Today I began to fill in the gaps with the entry planned for
8th January 2019
On this bright, sunny, morning we set out to enjoy a drive in the forest and to gather a few photographs for my final pre-op publication.
We began by joining a number of bird watchers at Eyeworth Pond near Fritham. Three gentlemen sat on rails, at their lunches, and watched the waterfowl.
Others, like me, photographed
the various tits, including those of blue, marsh, and long tailed examples; thrushes; and a robin, tempted by feeders suspended from branches, and by nuts left on posts, flitting about among the surrounding trees and shrubs, pecking up scraps among the gravel beneath.
Ducks, geese, and a moorhen, occasionally diving for their prey, and surfacing dripping and glistening with pond-water, could certainly be said to have gone fishing.
Ponies basked in the midday sun at Fritham,
where donkeys also grazed
We brunched at Hockey’s Farm Shop before continuing
via Roger Penny Way where pools were filling up for drinking and paddling.
As we drove along the Poulner stretch of Southampton Road, we wondered why there was a seemingly equal body of water being sprayed by vehicles on its surface.
The answer lay in a Christmas tree that still had its lights cascading.
I had, this morning received a message from Alex at Peacock Computers informing me that my laptop was ready for collection. This, of course, meant that I could be on line in hospital.
It was therefore with a certain amount of glee that I sat down to draft this post.
Then came the blow. We had no internet connection and the router was dead. I took this equipment with me to Peacock Computers where James confirmed my diagnosis. Even though it was close to his own closing time, James sped off to the EE shop, attempting to obtain a replacement. After more than an hour of negotiation he returned with a loaned device and an undertaking to repair the faulty article. At least I came home with my MacBook Pro.
I was unable to make the loaned router work. The reason will be revealed in a subsequent post. Eventually I conceded defeat.
We dined on pizza and salad. I drank water.
There you are, Derrick! Glad to see you back and that you are OK!
Thanks very much, Lavinia
Aww, so sorry for this very upsetting accident(?), surgery and lack of internet service, Derrick.
Gorgeous lighting on ponies, bitmrds and scenery! I love the sweet little wrens and robin. Hope you are truly much healed and “no worse for the wear.” xo
Thanks very much, Robin. Knees just worn out
I hope you are doing ok, Derrick. What a story and what beautiful photos! Best wishes to you ~ Mary
Many thanks, Mary. Much easier this time
The birds look beautiful
Thanks a lot, Drew
Nice tits Derrick. Glad to see you back online. Hope the knees are getting better.
Thanks a lot, Quercus. We’ll get there. Much better this time round
Good to hear, though I am a little concerned about the water drinking. It seems out of character…
🙂 I go right off booze post op.
Can you suggest an operation to stop me eating?
Normally I go off food as well, but knees is rather too drastic to recommend
🙂
You do seem to be having more than your fair share of computer related issues Derrick. I’m glad to see you back online and appreciated reading your email this morning – phew!! xx
🙂 Thanks very much, Pauline X
Oh my gosh! Those little nuggets in the second bird photo are adorable. Good to see you’re okay.
Very many thanks, Jill
Great photos as always – and computer trouble, please don’t get me started. I’m trying to stay on a diet, but with the US football playoffs going on, pizza commercials are haunting me every day – and now you’re talking about it!! What is the Universe trying to tell me, Derrick?
🙂 We’re all ganging up on you, GP. Thanks a lot
Oops…..
Thank you for the catch up.
And you for reading, Tootlepedal.
Thank you for the shaggy ponies. Sorry for your computer woes. We are so dependent on our technology these days it feels cruel to not be able to access our online lives – a kind of virtual solitary confinement.
So true, Susanne. Many thanks
Great photos and good to see you getting back to it.
Thanks very much, Dad
The gadgets are getting unbelievably complicated and daft. Time was when these were designed and programmed with the user in mind. These days the designers and coders churn out interfaces that only they can decipher. Life doesn’t seem to have changed for the ducks though!
Thank Heavens for the ducks, Uma. Many thanks
Where can we get such photos with a difference!!! As always, eye catching and mind boggling photos with description so explicit. Thanks Derrick sir for sharing. Regards.
🙂 Very many thanks, Harbans
My pleasure.
Good to see a post from you! I was wondering how you were doing and how things were going!
Sorry to hear about the computer, etc., troubles. 🙁 Glad you got back online eventually.
I could bird watch all day every day and get nothing else done! And not being a photographer, I love and appreciate your bird photos! Often it seems they are posing just for you! 🙂
OH! I want to take those precious donkeys home with me!
HUGS!! and YAY for pizza! 🙂
PS…continued bestest wishes for your healing and recovery! 🙂
Very many thanks, Carolyn. X
I have had a frustrating time with WP and the irritating changes to the stats page but it seems to be sorted now. Glad you are on the road to recovery!
Thanks very much, Andrew. This was the internet provider
I was thinking Bing and Satch when I clicked on your post title, Derrick. But I see I am woefully out of date. I can’t visit you every day, but I hope all is well with you; it seems you have been going through something and I need to catch up. Technical issues of one sort or another seem to be, like change, one of life’s constants. But you’ve got some wonderful photos there!
Many thanks, Mike. Second knee replacement. First one was last May. Sod’s law that it was the internet that beat me this time
I thought there was a post or two missing, but I thought I just might have missed them. Computer and Internet problems are so frustrating! I hope you’re feeling better now that you’re home. It’s always more pleasant to recuperate at home. Hope you’ll be up and rambling about soon–the bird and duck series of photos were lovely.
Many thanks, Merril. It took the internet to knock me down eventually 🙂
🙂
Wonderful photos Derrick. So clear and vivid. You’re really mastering your new camera!
Very many thanks, Gary
Leaving aside the problem you had getting your route done – I sympathise – the photos suggest spring is sprunging…. glad your home though…
Thanks a lot, Geoff
Sorry about your computer and router woes. Glad you’re up and at ’em again – and with a new MacBook Pro? I love mine. Oh, and i especially love the pictures of the mallards and the sun-lit pony. Beautiful!
Many thanks, Jan. I have had the MacBook for a while, but it had a problem which was linked with my internet issues. It saw me through the hospital stay.