Creature Discomforts

http://www.creaturediscomforts.org/

Finally a light hearted look at disability that might actually make people stop and think about the serious stuff..........

Cote Bistro

We both took a days holiday today so we could go and buy Mel a funky wheelchair but being new to this disabled lark we did not realise that we would have to book an appointment in advance. The next available slot is in 3 weeks!

We could therefore spend the day doing whatever we fancied , eating and drinking came to mind. We tried to get a table at Chez Bruce but mid-day seemed more brunch than lunch so we plumped for this new restaurant that had recently opened up in Wimbledon Village that had received some decent reviews. Cote Bistro is the brainchild of Andy Bassadone, formerly MD of Caprice Holdings (The Ivy, Le Caprice and J Sheekey), and Chris Benians, one of his chefs. In 1999 they cleverly created Strada, a chic, mid priced Italian restaurant specialising in wood-fired pizza and pasta. The company ended up with 26 outlets before being sold in 2004 to businessman Richard Caring for £56 million. They have now launched their first bistro, which upon visiting , is something poor old Cafe Rouge should have become when the local pub went all gastro.

The place was absolutely rammed and we were incredibly lucky to get the last table , however once seated it dawned on us how old the clientele was, still this was Wimbledon Village. There were good points and bad points , sadly our experience aired on bad, the old duffers next to us had a ball! Service was extremely slow and mildly confusing with the starters arriving before the wine , 20 minutes seemed a long time wait,we stuck it out but sadly during this time 2 couples vacated their tables food less. Had Mel been a little quicker with the old pins we may well have joined them.

The food to be honest was not bad. Mel's starter of Hock terrine with a yummy chutney was lovely, but my Rilettes was disappointing. It was a reverse of fortune for the mains, I had confit of duck on a bed of butter beans with some poncy jus that was to die for, being the pig I am , I also had a side of unnecessary frites. Mel had Moules that unfortunately seemed to come in a bowl of flavourless cream.

The restaurant was very nice and had the potential for an incredibly strong brand identity. They have done it with Italian food and trust me they will make it happen with French food. Within 24 months there will be a Cote Bistro on a high street near you!!!

Sadly, we would also like to point out that the Disabled access in this newly refurbished restaurant was appalling. Whilst it is appreciated the building is old it has been completely refurbished and no effort had been made to make the restaurant wheelchair accessible. No hand rails are provided on the high step to the restaurant from the pavement, and there was no sign of a ramp or a wheelchair call button. For those that are mobile enough to access via the one step into the building there are no ground floor toilets - these are in the basement accessed only via a steep stair case with a hand rail on only one side.

We are undecided as to whether we will go back.........

The clocks have chenged and winter is now officially here. Its cold, its wet and its really, really dark. On the plus this means it is now ok to stay in every night with red wine and a fire...........

Every cloud has a silver lining.......

After 13 weeks and six days we have finally got our little mitts on a Blue Badge. We spent this weekend cruising the streets of south London trying out the mutha and boy can I see why they are worth so much on the black market. The blurb informed us that it is " not a licence to park anywhere " but seeing as it is illegal to either clamp or tow a disabled persons car it got me wondering.........

Holiday

Oh my god,we have just booked a holiday for next year. July actually. Whats going on with the sudden organisation? We went round the world with only 4 weeks planning, our bills have to be on DD or we would never pay anyone, we can't plan a weekly shop......
Still lovely to have something to look forward to. Maybe we will yet categorise our CD collection alphabetically...

This is the second weekend in a row that I have actually been out - and actually feel I have enjoyed close to a normal weekend. Sure, I'm still tired but hopefully this is a turn of the tides. It is also a sign that 8 months down the line I am finally beginning to learn that things have to be done differently. Going into the office less conserves a lot of energy, I really am having to accept that I cant do it all. I'm also realising its not my fault I cant do things, I have been my own harshest critic and taken things very personally. Nobody else cares I have to get a cab from one end of Upper Street to the other because its too far for me to walk - my work mates pointed this out to me on Friday night when we did just that. In fact those of us that squeezed into the cab arrived at The Sampler a good 10 minutes before those that walked. Didn't miss out much there then did I!

Which brings me to The Sampler. An amazing wine shop that has 10 machines that are racked up with bottles that serve "sampling" measures. Its brilliant - you charge up a card with some cash and then off you go. Samples start at 30p and go right the way through the range - currently the most expensive sample is £15.17 for a taste of 1990 Chateau Ausone.The £20 on my card seemed to go a long way and I tried a huge range. The range of wines in the machines are apparently changed regularly. We then went to Le Mercury - still the cheapest place in N1 to eat. We ended up on the third floor - slightly challenging on the stairs for me. Still couldn't really complain seeing as it was me who booked it and forgot to mention that I would like a ground floor table!

Tonight we are going to the Cinema. Ratatouille! Love a good cartoon.

Been really quiet again on our blog...I would like to say there was a glam reason for this, been on holiday, been out every night at Champagne launch parties every night etc. etc....However that would be a big fat lie - we have been here all along but just too tired at the end of the day to contemplate much more than collapsing onto the sofa.......

We did go to Bestival - and had a great time. It was for me however also a very stark reality check. I could not walk on the hills nor in the crowds. I needed a wheelchair to get around and there was also a realisation that its always going to be that way, I have done a great job getting back on my feet but sometimes I am just to stubborn - I will try to walk to somewhere that I can be wheeled to in 5 minutes, walking takes me 40 and I arrive exhausted!!

This realisation has led to some changes this week as well. I have been going into work everyday now on the dreaded Northern Line. I enjoy the Independence this gives me and being in the office. It is however tiring, the accessibility of London's Victorian underground system for those with mobility issues is appalling. I arrive at my desk feeling like I have run a marathon, work all day and then run another to get home. Unsurprisingly I have begun to feel this week that I couldn't cope. But giving up is not really an option either. Finally yesterday I struck a deal to work from home 2 days a week. This should hopefully stop me being so tired all the time, and leave me a bit more time for the truly important things in life - like this blog!!!

6 months ago today .............

How time flies. 6 months ago to the day I was sat in the Mckissock ward on a Friday night watching Mel being wheeled into theatre. 2 hours later the consultant found me and had great pleasure in informing me that everything had gone sweet as. As the clock ticked away and minutes turned into hours I began to get a little worried when finally someone in scrubs found me. Patrick the Registrar began to tell me that Mel was having difficulty in regaining any movement beneath her neck and would be spending the weekend in intensive care. The yo yo of emotions is something I would like to remember and never have to live through again. My beautiful wife has slogged her guts out and has come a million miles. Back on her feet and heading up to work on the northern line every other day is an amazing achievement. Furthermore this coming weekend will see us head of to the lovely isle of wight with our dear friends Bert and Heidi to hit Bestival. Best thing is she has managed to blag us all wristbands for the viewing platform. And................ I hear a rumour that a certain set of robes maybe used as we re - new our vows in a stupid inflatable church. Happy days.

How to kill a chicken breast.

While I write Andrew is in the kitchen ruining some organic chicken breasts with a box of "Old El Paso". For some reason our latest Saino's shop seems to have contained rather a lot of things in Cardboard. Most of it yellow and red. I don't know what has happened, the Findus was a blast from the past but this? Curiosity? A wish to re-live student days? In the box there are some sad and flat looking wrap's (in plastic) some bright red powder (in plastic) and some Enchilada mix - in yep plastic. Much swearing and exclamation is coming from the kitchen, the latest being these look F*****g awful - I think he may have reached stage 3, "Spoon the meat mixture onto the middle of each warmed (microwaved) tortilla,place in the oven. Serve and enjoy."

I think I may have another glass of wine before dinner.

Findus Crispy Pancakes!

We spied these in Sainso's the other day, they bought back memories of childhood for both Andrew and I so we decided to buy a pack.

They are wrong on so many levels.....but god they tasted GREAT!!!

Oddbins RIP........

When the Castel group paid some £40 million for the Oddbins chain a lot of people felt they had paid over the odds for this " enfant terrible ". Subsequently, the chain began to lose money and some unwise french man decided the best thing to do was to either close them down or turn them into Nicolas. It is incredibly sad to see this pioneer of new world wines disappear from our high street. Some one told me yesterday that there would only be 4 left in London. 4! I run a Thresher in Southfields and was saddened to see my local Oddbins turn into a Nicolas over a three week period. Funny thing was, one of the shop fitters or members of staff decided to pour concrete down the drain which went off and caused this lovely new shop to flood . They are still closed to this day with a notice in their window blaming " environmental " issues! If some one from the Castel group had done their research they would have remembered when they opened a Nicolas in Southfields some 5 years ago that lasted only 6 months. That would be too easy. Raise a glass for all those scruffy Oddbins managers who now have to wear chinos and polo shirts. RIP Oddbins.

Le Champignon Sauvage

We decided to take a blog holiday for a week in a vain attempt to fool our readers that we were sunning ourselves in a villa in the hills and `avin it large at Pacha. However, in reality we have been in Cheltenham, Mitcham and Dorset. Last weekend saw us heading up to Cheltenham for my Auntie and Uncles 50'th wedding anniversary. We stayed at a fantastic place called Thirty Two which was a beautiful regency townhouse and a so called design statement, You know , one of those places where everything in the house seemed to be for sale but with no price tags. The location was fantastic and only just a short walk away from the lovely Montpellier district which was great for Mel to have a good old potter. As it had been a tough year for both of us we decided to go and treat ourselves and have lunch at " Le Champignon Sauvage " a 2 Michelin Star French restaurant. We rocked up 15 minutes late to what looked like the front of some old boozer with an old silent couple sat in the front window. This 45 seat restaurant was bursting at the seams this Friday lunch with just the 2 tables taken. Its was a shame as the lack of atmosphere was a real downer as the old couple said nothing to each other for two hours and we found ourselves whispering! Luckily for us a rather loud retired nouveau riche couple came in which gave us the opportunity to have a decent chat. It was a real shame the place lacked a spark as the food was absolutely amazing. What we both loved was David Everitt - Matthias the 2 star chef was guaranteed to be cooking your lunch as he has never missed a service since the place opened back in 1987 , beat that Mr Ramsay. Dexter beef, Squid and Gloucester old spot and split pea puree with a coconut foam were some of the highlights , yet a special mention must surely go to the toilets. I stepped through the small door and found myself in a curry house , the carpet was blue , the furniture from Argos and the wood chip walls full of erotic art, the bowl of tic tacs outside the loo must surely have pushed the Michelin inspectors to the limit and explain the award of two rather than three stars. Our bill for 3 courses , 1/2 bt of champagne, 1bt of white , 1/2 bt red and a bt of fizzy water came to £165. It was a shame the place was full of old duffers but an SW1 or W1 postcode would have doubled our bill. The food really was sublime.

Back behind the wheel

Today I have been for a driving assessment with The Queen Elizabeth Foundation, an organisation that assesses those with physical and cognitive disabilities for their ability to drive They are a approved by the DLA and are among the one of the only places to prove you are fit to drive for a fee without awaiting lengthy DLA assesment. They are a not for profit organisation. Unless, you have caused a crash and the person you have hit insurance decides you were not fit to drive, sends you there for a test and then charges your insurance company, LOOOOOOOAAADS!

Amazing place with amazing staff, static car unit to try, loads of adaptations etc, off road test site...it goes on......

The upshoot is I am good to drive and I need no adaptations other than to have an automatic car. I am amazed at the recovery this means my left hand has made in recent weeks.

By a very bizarre coincident Andrew has had a collection box on his counter at work for some 4-5 years for the Queen Elizabeth Foundation, one of his customers regularly fund raises for them. He had no idea who they were, or what they did, until they got me back in a car today. What comes around.............goes around.

Self sufficent?

Check out those spring onions! We grew them from scratch!! How excited was I to pull one. We have had potato salad for 2 nights in a row with our BBQ already and I am determined to eat them ALL week! ( BBQ? Carbon footprint? No, not us!)

Andrew has lost the pug dog challenge. The photo's never arrived and time defeated him......The cat's are victorious.

Pug Dog Challenge.....

Andrew loves Pug dogs. Had one as a kid, always wanted another. They have never really been my type of dog. I like big, what I perceive to be PROPER dogs. You know, like an Alsatian or something. It's never really been an issue though, we have both always been at work all day so a dog has been out of the question. Now however I work from home we can seriously think about a dog......What with my walking stick and crap balance my dreams of a BIIIG dog are clearly out the window. No way I could hang on to the lead......

We are in toy dog land now.

I wanted a miniature Daschund but have been shouted down - apparently they have spinal problems, and one SCI is enough in this household. So, the pug thing came back into focus. Still not convinced and after much badgering in a moment of madness I told Andrew last night that if he can get a pug puppy by Friday he can have one. I though this would be a tough call..Happy I went to bed...This morning I wake to the news he has located a pedigree litter through the power of the Internet - In Surrey - and had asked for photo's. ..... They must have all gone I think. He checks email, she's replied, no problem ,3 bitches , two dogs, photo's will follow.

Thing is I just know the minute those cute puppies photo's come I am going to want one.......

What am I to do?

Funky Monkey

Early start ...... early finish..........................

Doh !

I took our tenant out for lunch and got absolutely slaughtered!

Heroes

Oh, we have been quiet! Its just it just takes me so long to do anything these days. Really, it does. I am driving Andrew mad beacuse I am so slow. This really worrys me, I used to get mad, and I mean really mad, with Andrew because I always had to wait for him. How slow must I be?!!

So, basically with trying to work, do my exercises, get to physio, well to be fair just get out of bed and down the stairs in the morning I have NO time.........

Anyway, I'm very excited today. The week before I went into Hospital I watched the 1st episode of Heroes on Sci-Fi channel. I LOVED it and set Sky+ to record on series link for me - thinking I would be back in a few days to watch it..........Four months and a whole series later Andrew had no room on Sky+ for his beloved house programs. With him being such a great hubbie and bringing M&S food to my hospital room I tried not to be pissed off when he said he had deleted Heroes. ....................Imagine my joy when I find its coming to BBC2!

First episode tonight............Happy day's.

Can somebody make it stop please?

It's raining again. Not sure I can take it any more. Where is the off switch please?

When I was first laying in hospital completely unable to move I was calmer than you might have expected. Yes, I got upset when I needed help and I was frustrated. But, at that point I believed I would get better. Nobody told me I wouldn't. As the doubt crept in so did the fear. The first question I asked the physio, one I have heard others ask since, and one I expect they hear all the time was "will I walk again"? Well I can walk, just not well and not unaided. I hadn't really thought it through when I asked the question. Don't get me wrong, I am HUGELY grateful I can walk its just that I did not realise that it is possible to walk with so much still wrong and such limited function. I think that I assumed that if I would eventually be able to walk I would be, well, better. Maybe a small limp or something. I cannot walk without a stick, then I need a foot splint or an electric stimulator. I cant lift my left foot at the ankle properly. These basically stop me falling over my own foot. Then there are the problems I have with my core stability, my calf muscles, glute's, balance......etc...etc. If you lead me to the middle of a field and took away my splint and my stick and left me barefoot I would literally be rooted to the spot. Far from the "walking" I had a vision of in my head.

Yesterday I got very frustrated because my mum had to put a bench together for me - she bought it for me so I can sit just outside the backdoor with a cuppa. I cant help it. Lists of things that I will never be able to do again form in my head. Some things I was never going to do in the 1st place, climb Everest, skydive, run a marathon, but then I realised I will never run again. Not even a metre, not at all, not ever. Then I realise I will eventually forget what it feels like to run. I don't know if this will make it easier or worse. If I cant remember what it feels like, can I miss it?

The bench looks nice.