CANTO III

Level-2 could move to level-1 soon. I'm not happy with either of these and would prefer we moved back to Level-3. The rush to shops, bars and entertainment spots when we moved to Level-2, and the assumption by people that it's OK to forget about the protocols that were in place, and observed, in the higher levels is worrying. If we don't watch out we'll be at death's door like the stupid Americans who've abandoned all sense and are congregating again.

When shopping I still wear disposable gloves, use hand sanitiser and have a mask in my bag or in the car so as to comply if asked. I was surprised yesterday that the hospital staff weren't wearing masks although they were actioning the distancing and sanitising rules.

COMMUNITY HUMOUR

This pic turned up on Parua Bay/Whangarei Heads Neighbourly site today.

It's great seeing people with a sense of humour to do this. I live in a nice area.

The background is that the Laundromat has been advertised as coming soon for may months and has been held up by some sort of council permit issue. It still hasn't opened.

ALAN

ALAN

I think our friend Alan is coming to visit soon from Scotland.

The Old Girl will call him to check if he will be here at New Year.

".... YOU UNDERSTAND NOW WHY YOU CAME THIS WAY".

CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH

After being dentisted by Mr Fang yesterday I was half expecting  that my cardio consultation would be with Dr Hart but no, it was Dr Lee. Dr Lee is also Chinese like Mr Fang. Both are very competent.

Dy Lee examined my ECG readings and history and suggested that continuation of the drug therapy is a good idea and that, to reset the continual arrhythmic heart beat (AF) an electric shock might work.
I asked him for a change in medication from beta blocker to calcium channel blocker which he agreed to. He said 'Good idea" and showed some surprise. I told him that my sister is a doctor and it was her suggestion.
I asked him about ablation which is a cardiac operation (by catheter) that corrects heart arrhythmia. He nodded and said that the waiting list is at least two years and that it was best to stick to the drug regimen. I then uttered the magic words: "What if I went Private?"

Dr Lee's eyes lit up and he said that he could recommend  a surgeon right now. I told him that we have southern Cross insurance and so he wrote down the name and number of the Auckland surgeon. He said that he would write a reference letter straight away and send it to him. The likelihood is an operation early next year.
He explained that the cardio ablation procedure costs over $50,000 and that the health service hasn't the funds to do many of them hence the long wait. Having waited seven months just to get this consultation I thought that his "at least two years" wait was probably an underestimation.

2:30 APPOINTMENT

Actually, I'm joking. It was a 10.30 appointment at the dentist but I thought that you readers would appreciate that old joke. You are old after all.


Now get this. It's true. My dentist who is Chinese has the surname PHANG. No kidding.
I've only just started going to this dental practice and know him by his first name but today read his surname.

I asked the receptionists how he pronounces his surname and they said 'FANG'
I said "Then becoming a dentist was a certainty then".

They laughed.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE CLOWNS GONE?*

* I don't mean blogging christians, politicians and those idiots who overtake without proper clearance - I know where they are.

No I mean these guys.

There used to be lots of fairs and circuses visiting Wellington when I was a kid something I assume was replicated all over New Zealand and the world. There must be thousands of sets of these sideshow ping-pong ball games in storage somewhere. I'd really like to have a set (although The Old Girl most likely has different ideas on the matter).

It's a shame to think that these are gathering dust somewhere in a dirty shed.

OOPS!

This will no doubt get Richard a bit worried:

And this:

He's obsessed with chairs tipping over on my deck. Maybe it'll take his mind off his guilt over drinking and upsetting Shelley or someone.


Actually it wasn't a wind-storm that blew the chairs over this time - it was me as I had to tip them over to get at wasp nests that the little bastard Asian paper wasps were building underneath them. I swear that ever since Richard got rid of his grapevines in Nuova Lazio that his wasps have made a waspline for the north.


Anyway, a big storm is coming so maybe I can report soon that the table has been upended.