my very impatient Dad

[Rod Paradise]

Please do!  I really am enjoying your posts.

+1

[david3103]

http://blackcablondon.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/view-from-mirror.html

A short piece which shows how well respected these guys are in London.

One of the more established guys told us that whenever he flies he turns up at the airport in his Scarlet and has been upgraded more often than not.
Dad's off to Canada later this year to visit my sister - he's already made the decision to play that card.

[david3103]

Well, Monday is the big day. I'm off to Northampton in the morning to load up the stuff he's taking with him before heading up to DTD for what I hope will be a full 15 levels plus breaks before driving back and grabbing what sleep I can on an airbed.
Then it's up and away with a planned arrival at The Royal Hospital Chelsea some time between 10.30 and 11.30. I loathe driving in London, but the route is pretty simple and I guess the traffic will be such that decisions can be made slowly.
Dad has been allocated a berth and we'll be met by Clive, the Intake Sergeant at the gates on Hospital Road. Porters will be present to assist with the move in and I suspect that I will be encouraged to leave pretty much as soon as the car has been emptied. A bit like when you take your child to school for their first day.
It's all rather surreal in it's way, the idea that Dad would do this only cropped up about 10 weeks ago and here we are making it happen.

[smashedagain]

Well, Monday is the big day. I'm off to Northampton in the morning to load up the stuff he's taking with him before heading up to DTD for what I hope will be a full 15 levels plus breaks before driving back and grabbing what sleep I can on an airbed.
Then it's up and away with a planned arrival at The Royal Hospital Chelsea some time between 10.30 and 11.30. I loathe driving in London, but the route is pretty simple and I guess the traffic will be such that decisions can be made slowly.
Dad has been allocated a berth and we'll be met by Clive, the Intake Sergeant at the gates on Hospital Road. Porters will be present to assist with the move in and I suspect that I will be encouraged to leave pretty much as soon as the car has been emptied. A bit like when you take your child to school for their first day.
It's all rather surreal in it's way, the idea that Dad would do this only cropped up about 10 weeks ago and here we are making it happen.

Good luck today and monday

[david3103]

Well, Monday is the big day. I'm off to Northampton in the morning to load up the stuff he's taking with him before heading up to DTD for what I hope will be a full 15 levels plus breaks before driving back and grabbing what sleep I can on an airbed.
Then it's up and away with a planned arrival at The Royal Hospital Chelsea some time between 10.30 and 11.30. I loathe driving in London, but the route is pretty simple and I guess the traffic will be such that decisions can be made slowly.
Dad has been allocated a berth and we'll be met by Clive, the Intake Sergeant at the gates on Hospital Road. Porters will be present to assist with the move in and I suspect that I will be encouraged to leave pretty much as soon as the car has been emptied. A bit like when you take your child to school for their first day.
It's all rather surreal in it's way, the idea that Dad would do this only cropped up about 10 weeks ago and here we are making it happen.

Good luck today and monday

tomorrow and monday, but thanks Jase. See you at DTD tomorrow?

[smashedagain]

Well, Monday is the big day. I'm off to Northampton in the morning to load up the stuff he's taking with him before heading up to DTD for what I hope will be a full 15 levels plus breaks before driving back and grabbing what sleep I can on an airbed.
Then it's up and away with a planned arrival at The Royal Hospital Chelsea some time between 10.30 and 11.30. I loathe driving in London, but the route is pretty simple and I guess the traffic will be such that decisions can be made slowly.
Dad has been allocated a berth and we'll be met by Clive, the Intake Sergeant at the gates on Hospital Road. Porters will be present to assist with the move in and I suspect that I will be encouraged to leave pretty much as soon as the car has been emptied. A bit like when you take your child to school for their first day.
It's all rather surreal in it's way, the idea that Dad would do this only cropped up about 10 weeks ago and here we are making it happen.

Good luck today and monday

tomorrow and monday, but thanks Jase. See you at DTD tomorrow?

I am playing weds n Thursday mate. Have commitments for the next 4 days

[david3103]

Well, Monday is the big day. I'm off to Northampton in the morning to load up the stuff he's taking with him before heading up to DTD for what I hope will be a full 15 levels plus breaks before driving back and grabbing what sleep I can on an airbed.
Then it's up and away with a planned arrival at The Royal Hospital Chelsea some time between 10.30 and 11.30. I loathe driving in London, but the route is pretty simple and I guess the traffic will be such that decisions can be made slowly.
Dad has been allocated a berth and we'll be met by Clive, the Intake Sergeant at the gates on Hospital Road. Porters will be present to assist with the move in and I suspect that I will be encouraged to leave pretty much as soon as the car has been emptied. A bit like when you take your child to school for their first day.
It's all rather surreal in it's way, the idea that Dad would do this only cropped up about 10 weeks ago and here we are making it happen.

Good luck today and monday

tomorrow and monday, but thanks Jase. See you at DTD tomorrow?

I am playing weds n Thursday mate. Have commitments for the next 4 days

See you next Saturday then

[david3103]

He's in!
Already has a 'Scarlet', but just as an interim because every In-Pensioner gets one made to measure for them.

I've taken a few pictures, but no time to upload them since I've spent today clearing his house and rushing up to DTD to have a third bullet at the GP.

I'll post more tomorrow, but in the meantime ....

As we were packing stuff into boxes ready to be put into the car Dad attempted to get some of the framed pictures from the top of the bookshelf.
He caught his foot on one of the boxes on the floor and slowly allowed gravity to take it's course as I and my daughter watched on in horror.
His head struck the side of the bookcase a glancing blow and, to add just a soupçon of amusement one of the photo's fell, seemingly in slow motion onto the top of his head.

I wasn't looking forward to having to call the Royal Hospital to tell them he was going to be delayed and need a berth in the MTI, but luckily he was unhurt. Other than a bruising to his pride.

[smashedagain]

You wrote this whilst playing. Gl saturday

[david3103]

You wrote this whilst playing. Gl saturday

I had a lot of free time last night in between being dealt hands worth playing. Total ABC stuff, get a hand, find a way to get paid for the most part.

[smashedagain]

You wrote this whilst playing. Gl saturday

I had a lot of free time last night in between being dealt hands worth playing. Total ABC stuff, get a hand, find a way to get paid for the most part.

Lol now you are rubbing my nose in it. Mr never behind and still makes a royal flush and flop AJJ with AJ v KJ and had to somehow find a way of getting paid. You make me sick. Pleasure to be in your company tho

[david3103]

Dad has a berth in West Wing, the berths have no windows, but were it not for the tree you'd be able to see the window opposite his berth on the third floor.

Click to see full-size image.

The berths on the third floor are marginally smaller than the 9' x 9' of most, this is the view from as close as I could get to the wall

Click to see full-size image.

and this is how full the back of the car was..

Click to see full-size image.

all of that found a home in the berth

This is the view from that window I mentioned

Click to see full-size image.

Apologies for the picture quality - all taken on the phone due to me being the forgetful one.

Monday was a long day for Dad so he'd gone to bed fairly early having set his new alarm clock for 0630. Note, his new alarm clock.
The alarm duly went off and Dad rose and wandered down the corridor to have his shave and wash. He was a touch surprised that the water wasn't particularly hot, but carried on like the old soldier he is.
Returning to his berth he noticed that the clock that used to sit on the mantel piece at home had obviously been knocked in transit since it showed the time as being 1125...
It was only then that he realised that it was rather dark for 0630 in mid-July and checked his wrtistwatch...

Needless to say he slept fitfully after that since on that specific morning he was required to be up and ready by 0650.

I understand he slept very well last night 

Today he's off to 'have a roll up' with the Bowls Team. They play home and away matches with civvy clubs around the country and beyond. Apparently they tend to come second in head to head matches, but have a thoroughly enjoyable time doing so. Dad's already got his name down for an away trip to Seaford Bowling Club in Eastbourne next week.

[flushthemout]

hope he settles in well Dave

[david3103]

hope he settles in well Dave

he's settling in really well Mike thanks. See you Saturday..

Yesterday he was out on Royal Hospital Road watching one of his fellow In-Pensioners carrying the Olympic Torch. A first chance to be out in his Scarlet which he was proud to take.

He popped along to have a look at the gym and is now signed up there and was given a chitty to take to the QM for a tracksuit. 2 t-shirts and a pair of trainers to be issued. The level of care and support is unbelievable.

They have an onsite chiropodist too, who gave him a thorough check up (extra care due to his diabetes).

On top of all of this we managed to achieve an absolute first on Wednesday when I rang his mobile phone and not only was it switched on, but he actually answered it!
He's had a mobile for 10 yrs, but only ever switched it on when he wanted to call someone on it.

[hector62]

I bet it was on because he was texting some of the 6 women in there.