My couple of weeks and welcome to them
Mar. 28th, 2012 03:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chrishansenhomeIt's been one of those months, really.
On the positive side, I'm getting psyched up for my first trip out of the country in near as dammit three years. My various foot problems have made it impossible for me to travel for almost all of that time. I'm just hoping that nothing happens to my feet (or any other part of me) while I'm over there. I tried to get travel insurance that included health cover, and the insurance company, once I told them everything that was wrong with me, wouldn't cover me for any preexisting health situations. This means if I get hit by a bus over there, I may be covered. If my feet get ulcerated again, I won't be. Will have to be extra careful.
I'm memorising the installation of my successor as Master of Goliath Lodge. It's been a very interesting two years. You may recall that I was sprung from Kings College Hospital in order to be installed two years ago, then clapped right back into it. I've initiated four men, passed two, and raised three. Another two men were initiated while I was hospitalised for one further meeting. So we've done pretty well. I memorised all the degrees except for the first half of the Third Degree, which is fairly good going. I am now going to be able to sit there with the book as Immediate Past Master and prompt my successor.
Spring has sprung here in London quite early. We have had little rain or snow over the winter so we are officially in drought at the moment. But the blue skies and budding trees are lovely, especially as spring is normally extremely wet.
Our favourite Chinese restaurant at the Elephant, The Well, closed in January and has not, as yet, reopened. I fear that we've lost it. The inferior restaurant in front of the shopping centre is our only decent alternative.
Our friend Mark was diagnosed with diabetes. He's 41 years old, and has other health problems. Sad news. The doctor issued him with a blood glucose meter but didn't tell him how to use it. He called me in a panic, and I told him to come over and I showed him how to use it. He had a hard time stabilising his blood sugar, and was on insulin for a while, but is now off that and on metformin only.
We had two deaths in the parish in the last three weeks: Gwen Bartlett, a Barbadian woman who used to sit behind me in church and wisecrack her way through the service, was diagnosed with leukemia last month and died early in March. Pat Woods, who used to sit to my right and had been pretty much housebound for the past three years, collapsed in her flat and died a day after being taken to hospital. A third friend, Mara Chibnik, who many friends from soc.motss would know, passed away a few days ago after suffering from pancreatic cancer. I'm very sad about all three; may they rest in peace and rise in glory.
Yesterday I decided that rather than sit inside I'd go out and enjoy the day. I got on a bus for London Bridge, then on another one for Wood Green, then on a third one for Southgate Underground Station. The Masonic Temple where my Chapter meets is up there, and I was curious to see what it would be like to bus up there rather than take the Piccadilly Line. It was nearly two hours, mostly because of delays due to road works. There are lots of vibrant neighbourhoods up there, and I may someday soon take the bus again and actually get off and explore some of them. Once I get my Seniors' Freedom Pass in a year or so I may start bussing myself to those far-flung places rather than taking the Underground.
The good thing was seeing someone from Marblehead, who was visiting with his husband for a week last week. When I was living in Marblehead Peter's brothers used to bully me incessantly. Of course, things are different now and 40+ years later, we took to each other quite well. Peter and his husband John now live in Provincetown, and John is a registered nurse, while Peter is in hospitality. John nursed two people whom I knew in Provincetown, Ernie Cooper and his husband. So it's one of those small worlds once again.
Here they are, John on the left and Peter on the right. What lovely men they are! HWMBO and I were really happy to meet them, and I hope to visit Provincetown while I'm in Massachusetts to see them again.
On the positive side, I'm getting psyched up for my first trip out of the country in near as dammit three years. My various foot problems have made it impossible for me to travel for almost all of that time. I'm just hoping that nothing happens to my feet (or any other part of me) while I'm over there. I tried to get travel insurance that included health cover, and the insurance company, once I told them everything that was wrong with me, wouldn't cover me for any preexisting health situations. This means if I get hit by a bus over there, I may be covered. If my feet get ulcerated again, I won't be. Will have to be extra careful.
I'm memorising the installation of my successor as Master of Goliath Lodge. It's been a very interesting two years. You may recall that I was sprung from Kings College Hospital in order to be installed two years ago, then clapped right back into it. I've initiated four men, passed two, and raised three. Another two men were initiated while I was hospitalised for one further meeting. So we've done pretty well. I memorised all the degrees except for the first half of the Third Degree, which is fairly good going. I am now going to be able to sit there with the book as Immediate Past Master and prompt my successor.
Spring has sprung here in London quite early. We have had little rain or snow over the winter so we are officially in drought at the moment. But the blue skies and budding trees are lovely, especially as spring is normally extremely wet.
Our favourite Chinese restaurant at the Elephant, The Well, closed in January and has not, as yet, reopened. I fear that we've lost it. The inferior restaurant in front of the shopping centre is our only decent alternative.
Our friend Mark was diagnosed with diabetes. He's 41 years old, and has other health problems. Sad news. The doctor issued him with a blood glucose meter but didn't tell him how to use it. He called me in a panic, and I told him to come over and I showed him how to use it. He had a hard time stabilising his blood sugar, and was on insulin for a while, but is now off that and on metformin only.
We had two deaths in the parish in the last three weeks: Gwen Bartlett, a Barbadian woman who used to sit behind me in church and wisecrack her way through the service, was diagnosed with leukemia last month and died early in March. Pat Woods, who used to sit to my right and had been pretty much housebound for the past three years, collapsed in her flat and died a day after being taken to hospital. A third friend, Mara Chibnik, who many friends from soc.motss would know, passed away a few days ago after suffering from pancreatic cancer. I'm very sad about all three; may they rest in peace and rise in glory.
Yesterday I decided that rather than sit inside I'd go out and enjoy the day. I got on a bus for London Bridge, then on another one for Wood Green, then on a third one for Southgate Underground Station. The Masonic Temple where my Chapter meets is up there, and I was curious to see what it would be like to bus up there rather than take the Piccadilly Line. It was nearly two hours, mostly because of delays due to road works. There are lots of vibrant neighbourhoods up there, and I may someday soon take the bus again and actually get off and explore some of them. Once I get my Seniors' Freedom Pass in a year or so I may start bussing myself to those far-flung places rather than taking the Underground.
The good thing was seeing someone from Marblehead, who was visiting with his husband for a week last week. When I was living in Marblehead Peter's brothers used to bully me incessantly. Of course, things are different now and 40+ years later, we took to each other quite well. Peter and his husband John now live in Provincetown, and John is a registered nurse, while Peter is in hospitality. John nursed two people whom I knew in Provincetown, Ernie Cooper and his husband. So it's one of those small worlds once again.
Here they are, John on the left and Peter on the right. What lovely men they are! HWMBO and I were really happy to meet them, and I hope to visit Provincetown while I'm in Massachusetts to see them again.
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no subject
Date: 2012-03-28 09:35 pm (UTC)I'm sure you enjoyed your visit with them.
Great that you were able to get out for a while.
Please do avoid getting clobbered by a bus or whatever when you travel out of the country-and do be careful of your feet.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-28 11:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-29 07:04 am (UTC)