no point in starting a fight over a few cent too few

 The morning was spent being unwell again, there is no way to tell what this really is. Is it just laziness, or is there something wrong. The feet and legs get cold so easily, it is really uncomfortable.

Wrap up again after the morning duties and stay warm. Perhaps it is the medicine to lower the blood pressure that causes this. Perhaps that is what causes the frequent need to visit the bathroom. There is no way to know without the judgement of a medical person, one who knows these things.

The midday meeting with the gallery people was interesting, but it was a waste of time. They are just strange people who spy upon each other, it goes nowhere. They have a new place to meet in, it is horribly expensive and the service is incompetent. There is so much room for improvement, they just do not know what they are doing. Leave shortchanged, there is no point in starting a fight over a few cents too few.

Remember to buy a new card for the camera, it would not do to run out of pictures in the middle of the job tomorrow late afternoon. And go to the bank for some cash, it is important to have these things even though most things are now paid for by card.

It is now getting dark, even though it is only early afternoon. There is time for one more walk over the park, perhaps this will improve the state of health and mind.

a feeling of missing something

It is past midday, and yesterday's activities are fading into the distance of the past. It was a late sleep this morning, for there was so much activity in the kitchen that the regular pursuit of making a small breakfast in peace and quiet could not be followed. Instead, a shower, a rest and then when the space was free a late, late breakfast.

Calm down a bit. The Argentine has found his flat, it all goes well. Perhaps he will need a loan to pay the deposit, maybe it will be necessary to help him here.

There will be shopping to do, and planning for the Monday trip to the university campus in Garching. All of these things will work, hopefully the conversion to the camera will work as planned and go smoothly.

A visit to the collector would also be a good idea. He is a man who has not been attended to for a very long time and there is a feeling of missing something.

These are things that happened yesterday. on the 28th

 this post wil step in for yesterday's post which was not written. There was too much happening in the evening and it was forgotten

Mea culpa

This is the first time that this has happened for a while now.

The news of Karen Coughlin death on facebook was shattering, Karen Coughlin who lived in France, and was an artist. It was unexpected.

Yesterday evening was strange, there was a visit to a film, this was curious, and then a visit to a small guesthouse with an elderly German couple, and then the Argentine wanted to clink glasses because of his success in finding a flat.

The end of the day merged into the start of the next with a long conversation with the artist in his studio.

Yesterday morning was spent thinking about how to set up the new Carl Zeiss lens to work on the view camera. A visit to the university workshop will be necessary. That is a plan for Monday.

These are things that happened yesterday.

package day

The sky is an even dark grey today, one hour after the alarm's futile attempt to awaken its owner to a conscious state. Downstairs, turn on the clothes dryer and make breakfast. The cat and the wife are asleep in their room, it is simply too early for them.

Upstairs, breakfast and the news. The threats of the vile man from north America are reverberating around the world, it will be an interesting four years after next January. It is the right of the people living there to destroy their status quo if they want to.

Read the news on the screen, play Wordle, go downstairs to have a shower and collect the dried clothing from the machine. The cat and the wife are apparently not awake yet.

There is a parcel due today containing a useful gadget. It is coming all the way from Finland. The aim is to make the photography of those tiny figures easier. It is a project that has to be constantly worked upon. This is to prevent disinterest taking over.

Tidy up the room and prepare to go downstairs to continue with cleaning up the corridor. 

It is now eleven in the morning. The day has started not well, but more neatly than the last few days.

 

time spent

 That is all there is to it today, it is not much. The laboratory stand has arrived, it is as ordered. It is a cheap product, and its performance is as expected. It is not great, but it works. Today, a bit rough and a little bit unpleasant. Breakfast as every day, too late to really make the day great. Arrange things, do a small job for the Argentine, he cannot print out or publish his documents. Do this for him, and scan them afterwards as well so that he may sent the things as  an email complete with his signature. Then visit the artist for the third time today, and be lucky this time. He is there, and his friends are also there who are helping him with his move to the new studio.

It is not worth staying too long, but still get into a discussion over picture rights. It is a never ending story, and there is no final answer to it.

The day was spent with a pleasant little meal in the Thai place, a worthwhile small feed. It was worth it.That was at midday, it was just a Tom Yang soup with some rice. But it was most pleasant. There was no discussion about copyright. It was eaten and it was good.

Two cards were printed, both of the shadow of the bicycle on the wall.

Printing works well out of the editing application, perhaps that is a route for the future. Perhaps it is not.

This evening there will be a short time spent in the artists studio,  and hopefully a short time spent in the pub.

the rest of the day

 The night was so cold outside the bed, it was hard to get up to go downstairs in the early morning to respond to a call of nature. But it was possible, cold is relative, and the return to the blanketing duvet was welcome. The cold did not have a chance to reach the bones.

Sleep last night was deep and firm, this was strange. Even after returning to bed, it was light and bright in the morning upon awakening. Realise that it very nearly no longer is the morning, it very definitely is the late morning.

It is a beautiful lightly clouded blue day outside, the grey ugliness of the past weeks has lifted. Downstairs, in the kitchen, prepare breakfast.The wife has set up the coffee maker for her coffee, which is why it is necessary to find other jobs until the machine is free. Having taken the used crockery from the last couple of days downstairs start to fill the dishwasher, also put in things that are lying around the place. The coffee machine burbles, and then burbles loudly. Turn of the gas flame. A minute later the wife comes in and, without a single word, fills her cup with coffee and milk and sugar and returns to her bedroom. This is an unusual relationship, or do your thoughts differ on this subject? It is abnormal, it is saddening. It is stupid too. Knock on the sons door, he is barely awake. He has a day off from his University, and perhaps it is the change in the weather, he is sleeping well too.

Take the breakfast upstairs, and write these notes whilst finishing the coffee. 

The next thing is to make the bed and to start work upon the rest of the day.

grey, or is it just the weather

 Last night was a succession of unexpected events that led to a late evenings or even early morning meeting at the artists place. This was pleasant, there was a saxophone player there too and jokes were told and wine and similar things consumed.

This morning started badly, but so what. 

It is Sunday, a day for slow starts or church. Opt for the slow start, it is cold outside, and it is cold outside the bed. The icy little room has a single ineffective heater that probably swallows more electricity than the rest of the house. But only when it is on.

The day is grey and cold, and misery is easy. There is very small comfort in anything now. There is an invitation to meet people at the cinema, and there is a small job to be done at the Christmas market next weekend. And that is all.

Perhaps a walkabout would be in order, a chance to see what, if anything at all, is happening in the town. Maybe this will function as something to alleviate the depressions.

late waker

 Yesterday was cold and today is colder. Tomorrow may be colder still, it is winter that is progressing steadily to its zenith. But that is months away yet.

Yesterdays train journey was exhausting, even though it was curious to ride in a train that leans into the curves it is negotiating. This is a bit like a cyclist, just faster. It is not as dangerous as a motorcycle. Return to landshut was simple, a short visit to the shop that will be opening tomorrow to check on the opening times was more complicated. The completely stressed-out proprietress proceeded to scream at the uninvited enquirer, this was unnecessary and even caused raised eyebrows among the others present.

The later evening was spent in the pub, there was talk of acquiring a new tenant for the shop.This is  profitable idea, not bad in itself. A wine merchant's is a quiet form of business.

Today's awakening was late, and take the decision not to go to the gallery meeting. The decision not to apply for further display space has already been made, there will only be future exhibitions there at the express request of the gallery owner.

An exhibition in the local pub would be nice.

The town is filled with people suffering from the first throes of christmas spirit. The street is filled with wooden huts decorated with fake snow and fairy lights, trying to capitalise on the festive times.

cold

 The return journey fro Bayreuth is slightly later than expected, the original train was cancelled, it necame necessary to take an alternative route. 

The night was spent on the floor of the sons apartment on a thin mattress. Awakening was easy, but as the back was vey sore, getting up was not. Eventually got up and ma de the bed, then pushed thenemadresd undernearh the son's bed. He woke with a start and got dressed and combed his hair all in one fluid motion. He had torush off to the university, he had a practice session for one of his exams.

Alone in his flat for now, open the windows to let out the night's air. The son is frightened of the cold.

Last night was a pleasant evening in the local pub. This was a pleasant small place, all filled with um   tables at whoch card players were playing their game. There were no women there. Just men.

The som bin returns, and after a while leave the tiny flat to make the short jourNey to the rsilway station through the old town. We stopped for a cup of coffee on the way. This was hot.

train timetable times

 The time is now eight twenty eight in the morning, and all the small morning chores have been done. At half past six this morning the weather outside was clear with a sprinkling of snow or frost on the roofs opposite the balcony window. Now it is snowing continuously, a light snow slowly turning everything white.

Even the cat has been fed, that grumpy animal ate what was offered and then wandered back into the wife's bedroom to sleep it all off again. The animal has a good life as far as it is possible to tell.

Five minutes later now and the snow has changed to large flakes that are diffusing the view to the bluffs at the end of town.  Now the snow has stopped, it is a quarter to nine.

The bags are mostly packed, and the train will leave Landshut railway station at eleven fifty six, there is time for a bite to eat and a drink of coffee in the station.

Look forward to meeting the son at his flat in Bayreuth and having a conversation with him.

the shadow of a cyclist passing over a bridge

 Sleep was destroyed during the night, the reason is not clear. There was a long waking period and then there was a solid round of sleep until eight in the morning. This was annoying, an early rising would have been better.

But so what, there is nobody else being critical. Breakfast shower and tidy things as always, and then take the walk up to the castle. Climb up the "Ochsenklavier" as the steep path is called. There are no steps in the brick-paved path, but there are regular ridges to provide grip. At the top, gasp for breath, but carry on past the castle into the park. At the top of the park sit down on a park bench and watch a worker occupied with the complex task of draining the water out of the small fountain. The fountain needs to be drained before the first of the winter's frost to save the pipes from bursting. The man descents into a manhole in the centre of the path once the water is sufficiently drained. It is strange to see him emerge from the hole, for a short while it looks as if there is a torso and head alone without legs in the middle of the path.

In the mulberry tree garden the artist rings up to say that the insurance company has finally agreed to pay up. That is good news. It would still be sensible for him to obtain legal advice. 

Go on down to the cafe at the primary school at the bottom of the hill. Have a roll and a cup of coffee. The woman behind the counter is friendly today, more so than yesterday.

On the way home, try to take a picture of the shadow of a passing cyclist as it falls upon a graffiti-covered wall. This requires patience, for it is windy and the sun is obscured by a shadow every time that a cyclist passes over the bridge.

Shop, then go home.

The work for the day is done.

The animal eats more than her owner

 A walk today, around the castle, skirting the park and then down to the river and back up through town. There was a break in the caveat the bottom of the hill. A telephone call was made, and at some stage the artist promises to deliver the remaining small wooden pieces to be photographed. Then that work can continue.

The cold weather is not a good thing. It is a time of constant slight headaches and strange feelings of chill. Perhaps it is the aftermath of that infection that the doctor diagnosed, the infection which was so upsetting two weeks ago.

At home, use the vacuum cleaner on the room. The wife is silent, she does not wish to speak with her husband at all. Well now, that is just too bad.

In the evening, feed the cat. 

More cat food will have to be purchased. The animal eats more than her owner.

So it seems, anyway.

all that life is made of now

 The morning is almost done now and there has been very little done. This is a cause for a feeling of some shame, for there is a lot to be done. Breakfast and shower and clothing sorting is not a lot. The rooms need sweeping again, for example. The clothing needs to be washed. And the bloody project needs to be continued to the point at which it is done.

These things are all that life is made of now, now that there is no paid work to attend to any more.

This was a complaint from a friend a week ago. She had finished working at the job she did not like to start her retirement. She complained of a lack of something and a feeling of guilt, in fact she had to force herself to remain in her flat and to deal with the housework first.

Oh that is an aside. The weather outside is grey and there is not much to be done there. The next thing to be done is to bring the clothing down to the washing machine and to start it. Hopefully the clothing will all survive.

Perhaps the room should be tidied too. There is no great wish to do that though.

And the artist will need to be spoken too, so that the work on the project may continue.

Or it is a combination of both.

 The bells outside are sounding for the Sunday's religious celebrations, it is ten to eleven and they are being beaten continuously. It is a steady clamour.

Now they have stopped.

It was a long sleep-filled night, there was just one disturbance at a quarter to four in the morning. That was all.

Breakfast at eight on this Sunday, this is a softly lit cold day. The light is reminiscent of places by the sea, despite the fact that Landshut is nowhere near any sea. Still, the boat hanging from the overhanging roof's beams outside the window looks at home as it turns from side to side. It has two soft toys in it , a tiger and a mouse. They are the discarded toys of the son, discarded as he grew out of them and started to play with more technical things.

It is cold, the warm clothes are welcome. Breakfast has left a feeling of inner warmth, which makes it all easier. Reading the news a short while ago illustrates the speed at which the prospective rulers of the United States of America intend to alter the fabric of that nation. They believe that it will be an improvement, a return to the religious fundamentalism attitudes that fled from Europe two centuries ago. There will be plenty of underpaid workers for industry and plenty of underpaid cannon fodder for the military. The wealth of the country will be shared by a small percentage and the rest will be left with their dreams. This may be a flaw in democracy or perhaps it is a flaw inherent in humans.

Or it is a combination of both.

It will be necessary to have a conversation with the artist who made the small statues of those who were to die at Auschwitz. There was a personal record made of so many before they were murdered like beasts in a battery. His pieces are good, there is something to be learnt from them. Why is there a personal shyness on the part of this photographer to approach them?

a warm welcome from the cat

 It is becoming difficult to wake up early, and it is harder to get out of bed. The alarm at seven served as a final reminder to get out of the bed or else be late for the appointment for breakfast in Munich.

It all works smoothly enough, then there is ice on the car window. This needs to be removed with a scraper, which takes time. Then the vehicle will not start, it takes an alarming amount of time for the engine to start firing. There is fear that the battery will be exhausted before the vehicle will start. A short inspection under the bonnet to check for possible vermin that may have chewed at cables or something. Martens like to do that, for whatever reason. There are no signs of any infestation. Drop the lid on the engine, this makes a loud sudden noise which causes a group of policemen on the opposite side of the street to go on alert. They calm down soon enough.

The car starts, but the delay is done. The delay is made worse by heavy fog on the route, which makes it necessary to drive at a reduced speed.

Arrive at the address in Munich, and find the breakfast there waiting. The host is impatient, but there is no help for it. The alternative would have been to be too early, and this would have been a waste of time too.

Listen to the host talk. That is the way he is. He is an incessant talker, a man with a great memory for dates and events, and a constant drive to pass these informations on to the people around him.

We take his car to the centre of Munich, to the old food market. He loves this place dearly, we walk around for several hours. He speaks about the times fifty years ago, and of course much has changed. There used to be a stall selling only eggs, this was no longer able to stay in business with just this one product. The market used to supply the local people and the local hotels, and the nobility too. All of those markets have changed, or gone away.

Return to the host's house and finish off his coffee. He is now an older man, and will need his rest.

Take the long route back to landshut, return home to the cold room to receive a warm welcome from the cat.

flogged to death for advertising

 Downstairs there is  a quick greeting for the cat. A short visit to the bathroom, and then the feeding of the cat. The animal is hungry. She normally sniffs at the proffered food and then acts as if she is not that hungry.
This time she just pushes her jaws into the food and eats.

Make breakfast, the usual stuff, but no avocado today. The one hanging in the green net appears to be too hard. In this cooler weather they take longer to soften. The cat wants to be let out now, no, it wants to go into the living room, the animal seems to have a hard time making up its mind as to what its desires are.

Take the breakfast upstairs and read the news on the computer. There is a composite picture of the cabinet of secretaries desired by the new president of the US, this makes the politicians look like the cast of a horror show. Perhaps they are, perhaps this is all about the truth hiding in plain sight.

Succumb to flicking through the offerings on social media. These things all seem rather silly, there are very few offerings that show any great development. They are all things that are being flogged to death for advertising income.

Go downstairs and have a shower and shave. It is light outside, and the sky is grey.

sleep was a joy

 Sleep was a joy last night, it was almost strange to waken again. It was dark outside this morning, much like every morning at this time of year. Later on it was foggy too. Stay at home and try to organise small things, somehow the body is cold and unhappy. This icy weather will not get better.

There was a long peal on the telephone this morning, and let it ring on until it stops. It will be for the wife, so why interfere?

Take a really short walk about town today, and buy a new watch strap, for the old one is falling apart. The jeweller is friendly, and he cleans the exterior of the watch so that it looks much like new. All the patina is gone, but it will be back.

Have a cup of coffee and a roll. It is probable that the sniffing and sneezing is the sign of some infection, it is unpleasant. The coffee tastes of nothing in particular, it is not really at all good.

The evening task is to make a table of the pictures. Take the computer to the artists studio and compare each file to each sculpture and note the number and the fitting file number. There are fifty of the tiny pieces, and superficially some are similar. A tag with a number is the solution. The names of the picture files are then put into the same Numbers file and that is it. Now the searches should be easier, and there will be less handling of the pieces.

There is time for a quick drink in the pub this evening.

before the 'phone died

Awake to the  sound of the brother working on the ground floor of his Franconian house, and start the day just getting dressed, just like that. It is still quite dark outside, it is in fact pitch black outside the streetlights of the small village. Finish dressing, make the bed and pack the stuff into the rucksack. That is all done, then just head out for the car.

The brother has a futuristic car on here for a day or two. It is partly electrical, and it makes the drive down to Stuttgart seem easy. 

There is a very pleasant garden there of his design. It is pleasant to relax in, and it is pleasant even now at the onset of winter. He has done a good job. He takes photographs of his garden and so take a picture of him doing this.

It is a very posh firm, it is a publishing house. They have a large restaurant and café on their ground floor. This is all very pleasant, just the coffee is not up to standard at all. Drive back to Würzburg with the brother, and get out at the station. He goes on to realise his dentist appointment.

There is time for a cup of coffee in a café some distance from the railway station, and a buttered roll to go with it. It is much more pleasant here than at the station, and it is generally just very much more pleasant. Return to the station in time to get the train to Furth, to meet up there with an old friend. There is just time for a cup of coffee and a chat, then it is back to the trains again. This time take an city underground railway in to Nuremberg city centre. Buy a roll with a couple of Nuremberger Bratwurst in it. Walk through the pedestrian zone in the steadily increasing rain, by the time the entrance to the station has been passed it is a veritable downpour. 

Waste time taking a few snapshots around the station, and then the train for Regensburg comes in. Once in the train has left, start to relax. Then, at the next station a man with a bicycle boards the train. He is together with another man. The cyclist talks continuously, almost non stop. When he pauses for air, his partner lets off a comment, and then he is off again.

Change again in Regensburg, show the ticket and the identity document to the very charming red headed train attendant. 

Finally, arrive back in Landshut, where it is snowing. The mobile 'phones battery is almost empty, there is just enough to flash the image of the ticket, a Qcode at the driver before the phone died.

Wish the wife a pleasant evening, there is a grunt in reply.

Retire to the garret room, at least there is self-respect in that

railway

 The early morning vanishes in a blurry rush, there is a train to catch. pack all the final things into the rucksack bag and leave for the bus stop At the station have roll and a cup of coffee whilst waiting for the train which has a ten minute delay.

In regensburg, run four hundred metres to catch the train waiting at the other end of the platform.

in Nurembsrg, the train is delayed again, all of ten minutes.

And finally, in Würzburg, the railway station toilet is a stinking

putrid 

mess

This is not right.

Everything is in order. That is what it felt like, upon awakening. After about an hour, after having done all the morning routines, the post-awakening things, there occurred the inward collapse, that state were the mind could no longer concentrate on anything much, and it was only sensible to lie down again. There is a blanket to cover up with, and set an alarm. Hey Siri, set an alarm for half an hour. Siri replies her usual Irish reply. 

Afterwards go to a small café, but everything is cold and miserable and the coffee tastes like sawdust might. They are putting up the Christmas tree in front of the town hall, and there are three people in some fancy red uniform hanging about signalling the beginning of Fasching. The uniforms have "Narhalla Landshut" embroidered upon them.

Go home, realise that there is something still wrong, whatever this might be. Something is not as healthy as it should be. 

At home, feed the cat and see that there are few tins of cat food left. There is now a new chore, which is to get cat food. Oh this is fantastic.

Upstairs again, and the phone rings. There is a conversation with a friend from a long time back, make a date for the next few days sometime to meet and catch up. After the call, go to the super market and get cat food and pretzels, and a bag of apples. At home again, it becomes impossible to stay awake. Put out the bag for the journey tomorrow.

And so nearly fall asleep standing. This is not right.

carcass of the day

 It is now twenty-one past one on Sunday and last nights visit to the blues concert has been recovered from. It was a so much better concert than the one of the day before. 

But it was late, and one of the artists in attendance got drunk enough to be unsteady and so he was walked home to his flat by this humble self. He was too unsteady to wheel his bicycle. But the result of this was that by the time home was reached it was two in the morning.

The body collected its due sleep and cashed it in straight away.

The pictures of the tiny statues were well received yesterday, pictures of naked people modelled in wood. The concert was good, they were all good musicians.

The day started at eight today, a message on the phone. The munich photographer has informed of his awakening and his trivial activities . That is so nice of him. He is one of the people who can use his personal pronoun very many times in a sentence and countless times in a paragraph. Fell back to sleep promptly.

Now that breakfast is done and the pills taken, the body washed of all the smoke and kitchen smells from yesterday it is time to proceed to scratch at what is left of the carcass of the day.

a decent drink

  Yesterdays performance kin the Portuguese place opposite to home was loud, everyone swaying to Bavarian versions of rock classics. They used the melody of Stairway to Heaven for a love song.

It is becoming enjoyable to be the curmudgeon in the corner. It was a concert for donations only, and the modest donation placed in the collection was refused on account of its being too modest. Thus the show was for free. The meeting at the gallery today with some of the same people spoke of such a lovely evening.

Then the discussion turned to politics.

In the evening there was a show at the local place favoured by all the local culture vultures. The music was really good and the atmosphere was really bad.

Now in a pub having a decent drink.

yet another neoliberal egomaniac

 Things are not as they should be. This morning, this is to be felt in the bones and the snivels. These things make getting out of bed an unpleasant chore. Downstairs, make breakfast and see that there is a large carton of pizza on the cooker. This is where the wife left it yesterday. The cat has already investigated, removing a slice and eating the meaty bits. That is on the floor now.

The question is whether it is possible to carry on with the day normally, as planned, or simply not to do so. Take the finished breakfast upstairs, and enjoy it whilst reading the news. The American newspapers are all being smart after the case and are dissecting the failure of the minority to win an election. They will be doing that until it is all desiccated and dusty.

The German government has collapsed after its long struggle with yet another neoliberal egomaniac. Such people are simply inhuman and should have their intelligence put to use where it will do nobody harm.

The cat is attentive this morning, as always. It inspects everything, and then it has had enough and wants to go elsewhere.

The body is complaining now, drowsiness is setting in. Lie down and cover up for an hour, until the spasm goes.

This is all not really normal, let us hope it does not stay.

round in circles

Made an early appointment at the doctor's practice today upon the recommendation of a friend, a friend who had experienced heart attacks in the past. He said an abundance of caution was better in a case such as this. It is a damp and rainy day, after breakfast take the car to the practice. The practice is busy, as the doctor had had a few days off, and her practice was catching up on the backlog. Wait over an hour and a half. During this time skim through a boring magazine, then start to play with the mobile 'phone. The chat program offers itself, so practice what is to be reported to the doctor, and see what the program says.

The following is the input and then the programs reply:

a burning sensation above the sternum, shortly afterwards moving down to the sternum itself. Breathing is painful. Afterwards itmoves down to below the sternum, it is painful, breathing is difficult. Then there is nausea, a glass of eater is vomited shortly after being drunk. Balance and walking become difficult. The pain moves down to the stomach. There is a strong sense of fear. what is this?

Chat GPT replied:

"The symptoms you’re describing — a burning sensation above and around the sternum, painful and difficult breathing, nausea with vomiting, difficulty with balance and walking, pain spreading to the stomach, and a strong sense of fear — could be indicative of a serious medical condition. These symptoms could align with a range of possibilities, including:

1. Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)

• A heart attack can cause chest pain that radiates down, often felt as a burning or pressure in the chest and upper abdomen. Nausea, vomiting, and a sense of impending doom or fear are common symptoms.

• Pain or discomfort may spread to areas like the stomach, shoulders, or arms.

2. Acid Reflux or GERD with Esophageal Spasms

• GERD can cause burning pain around the sternum (heartburn), but it is less likely to cause significant balance issues. However, in severe cases, acid reflux can mimic heart attack-like symptoms.

3. Panic Attack

• Panic attacks can cause chest discomfort, difficulty breathing, a strong sense of fear, and sometimes nausea. However, they don’t typically lead to vomiting or balance issues directly.

4. Gastrointestinal Issue (e.g., Gastritis, Ulcer)

• Intense gastritis or an ulcer can cause pain in the upper abdomen or chest that worsens with breathing, but this is less likely to cause severe breathing issues or balance problems.

Given the combination of these symptoms, particularly chest pain, breathing difficulty, and nausea with a sense of fear, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. A medical professional can help determine the exact cause through physical examination, blood tests, and imaging if necessary."

This was all moderately frightening, and later the doctor did the tests much as described. The result was that it was some form of  gastrointestinal issue, Nothing really serious, but there was a cyst on a kidney that would need checking on in a few months time.

Afterwards, went to the cafe at the highway roundabout, and admired the cars driving in circles.

the rich and the destitute

 The last day and the last night were spent in bed, in the warmth of the covers, to recover from whatever that incredible heartburn and severe ache in the stomach was. It was relaxing, once the guilty feeling that really there were better things to do had gone. The day turned to night, and there was music on the radio until two in the morning. 
The neighbours American election party fizzled out, they had nothing to celebrate. The United states will develop from a two party society to a two class society with just the the rich and the destitute. The difference between the rich and the very rich is immaterial, for both have enough tor comfort.
The destitute will have none, and will be told that they only have themselves to blame. A form of manifest destiny.

Breakfast was nice today, and the digestive tract seems to be functioning once more. It was frightening, but seems to be in order now. The bluffs beyond the town are not visible, due to the fog Let there be some hope that it will be possible to get some work done later today.

medical twists.

 It was strange, yesterday. After clearing things up and placing the plants, had a slice of bread and butter.

Shortly after there was a pain in the stomach. just behind the breastbone. This worsened quickly, to the point where every intake of breath hurt.  The painful pressure increased. Went downstairs and drank a large glass of water, and then another. It turned out that it was impossible to hold the water, and it was good that the bath was nearby.

The pain got steadily worse, sat down on a chair to wait and see if it would be possible to move again in a while.

Wearing a jacket walk down to the bus stop. That bus goes directly to the clinic.

The emergency services there said that there was nothing they could do and made a reference to some other service at the other end of the town. 

Took the bus back home, and lay down carefully in bed. Whatever had occurred, it would go awayy soon.

This morning the pain had spread all over the torso, it was hard to get up, movement was not easy. Telephone the doctor, but that is just too bad. An answering machine explains that they are on holiday and that the practice is closed.

Stay in bed, the pain will surely go.

It is a strange thing, but it is now clear how helpless things can become when you are alone and immobile.

It will be possible to visit that other emergency medical service later.

There is no appetite for breakfast today.

furniture dogs

 Took out the car today for the first time in a long time. It was simply to drive to the home hardware store to buy two small platforms with rollers. They translate as furniture dogs, why the Germans call them so is unknown right now. Have a cup of coffee there and a plain pretzel.

Return home and clear the space off the balcony for the plants. Put the plant pots onto the furniture dogs and roll them along the long balcony until they reach the shelter. The balcony is now clear of plants. The plants are indoors, until the frosty season has past. The furniture dogs make the plants mobile.

The strange feeling will not let go now. Realise that  the only exchange of words today has been to specify the order at the café near the hardware place. That is all. It is now four in the afternoon, and the chores are all done. The cardboard boxes from the store room have been dismantled and are now in the paper bin.

A chore for tomorrow will be to carry the biological waste to the compost bin at the end of the street.

And later this evening the lights are due to be set up at the artist's place.

short rest

 The meal in the guesthouse yesterday was satisfying, and it was tasty too. It drove away the hunger, realised then that this same hunger made the meal tastier. The landlords offer of an espresso afterwards was a nice gesture. It was a worthwhile expenditure.

The breakfast is done this morning, and realise that the pills have not been taken. Those are necessary to keep the blood pressure down to an acceptable level. According to the doctor these are important.
Now they have been taken

There is the sound of several helicopters outside, these are probably fresh deliveries for the hospital. That may be a rough Sunday for somebody.

As winter progresses things are getting colder, the weather is getting harder to bear. There will be a serious attempt to set up the camera to try and take pictures of the fifty tiny sculptures by the artist. He may easily be happy with the pictures as they are, but they are just not sharp enough. to make the grade. There are also problems with the colours.

It is still early, there will be time after another short rest.

The short rest turned into a long rest, why do things like this happen?

will need to be done again

 The bells are ringing for six in the evening, this is now the twelfth hour. This morning everything worked well, it was peaceful. There were still eggs in the fridge and there was still bread enough left for breakfast. The first thing in the morning was to go out and get more supplies.

The rest of the morning was spent working on the pictures, it is not so easy. It would have been better to take the pictures using another lens. 

At midday go to the stationery store, but find that they have no paper tags on sale. Have a quick cup of coffee in the place that sells clothes and coffee and coffee making accessories.

Then go to the midday meeting at the gallery. It is all very pleasant, and after drinking one cup of coffee in the steak house, and listen to people talking American politics, return home.

Spend the afternoon testing a Hasselblad lens with an adapter for a view camera. The pictures are promising, the lens is better for that purpose than the lens by Schneider. The Symmar is an older lens and it is not built for macro applications. It is a nice lens for landscapes. The Zeiss lens does a good job, the only drawback is that it is in a Hasselblad mount and needs an adapter. It is a little bit awkward.

But it works noticeably better. This means that all of the pictures will need to be done again.

off-centre

 Last night's Halloween celebrations in the town were noisy, with children running about in more or less gruesome costumes. After starting to work at the artists studio, took a break to go to a garden plot near Landshut where a few people were celebrating a sort of grown-up Halloween party. It all took place in the dark around a kind of patented stove that kept the body up to the midriff hot, and the rest of the body warm. The stove was in the centre of a round table, and its chimney extended through a hole in the centre of this table. It was pleasant, but after two hours it was time to go and to return to taking pictures of wooden statues. The walk through town in the dark is pleasant.

After two more hours of work the artist arrives. He is in good humour, and proceeds to chisel at one of his works, one of the pieces at which he has been working for several years now. There are always a few flakes more on the floor, flakes of valuable wood. The wooden flakes are only useful to light a fire with now.

At one in the morning the job is done. Spend some time talking to the artist, and then pack up the things and leave.
At home realise that the phone has been left at the studio. Go back at this early hour and call loudly" Hey Siri, where are you?" A voice comes from the corner and says "Uh huh. I'm here".  The telephone has an Irish accent. Back at home put all of these things to charge.

Then go to bed, that is the first thing today after recovering the 'phone.

Later on, get up and make breakfast. Since today is a All Hallows, all of the shops are shut. Stay at home and and correct the color casts on all of the pictures. Make sure that all of the contents are straight. Many of the tiny sculptures where carved from sticks, and it was difficult to mount them properly in front of the camera, and some are just a bit crooked and off-centre.

And the old legs are tired today with all of the activity yesterday.