Today I've mostly bin...

[eirian]

I didn't need to but only because I had a -oscope through my belly button, which was good as it didn't leave a scar (Laparoscopic investigations - for the abdomen) and Sigur has had -oscopes up and down his digestive tract - now those were unpleasant! (wonder if I should have checked with him before revealing such info ).

I agree with the others - that sounds painful, hope it's worked.

[gill216]

So where does an oscope go in a hor...........................

Sorry, my odd sense of humour.

[SparkOut]

Hope it's very much better soon Kathlyn.

[Bunnylump]

Me too. That sounds SORE. Get well soon!

And yes, the ...oscopes they stick down your throat are absolutely hateful. I was told it'd be about the size of a pencil. No, more like a hose pipe, (the one they were using had a camera and grabby things) and I had to be awake to swallow the thing, whilst being restrained by clamps and several nurses.

Nowadays I have such a unique wiring system that whenever I go in the doctors ask if I mind having a whole group of medical students so that they can gasp in amazement. Positive freak show.

[katsmom]

I just got back from a factory tour in China! While that probably sounds pretty boring to all of you, it was one of the neatest things I've ever done! I got to see the molds, then the plastic melting bit, and the pieces coming out of the molds and how they make the puzzles. We watched packing and quality control and testing of other toys too.

The manufacturer of the puzzles is a friend of one of my friends so he gave us all a prototype and a new puzzle that hasn't hit the market yet. Now if that isn't cool, I don't know what is!

I think the best part of the whole trip though was the taxis. They were these little bike-like rickshaw looking things. We got to ride in them 3 times. Being more um compassionate people, we took the ones that had an engine in them instead of the ones run by the old men (they actually had pedal bikes ) Thinking back, they didn't seem to have much business and we probably should have taken them instead.

Another really neat part is that my friend is going to manufacture a puzzle there. When we all went to Macau to set up my exhibition, we discussed a puzzle that we thought would be neat, and he actually built it within 3 days! I got a chance to play with it, and absolutly loved it so it goes into production this fall! Woohoo! So I get to go back to the factory again and do the whole thing all over.

This is the third time I've discussed a prototype with the designer that subsequently went into mass production-I seem to be pretty good at thinking like a kid Last week I gave Meffert's puzzles of the pyraminx puzzle "my approval" to start production a new puzzle. I just love getting to play with these things before anyone else, and working through the bugs on them.

My friend got some transformers for his son and a few ultraman toys. I just got puzzles-the factory was only making things like cars and toy guns yesterday so nothing for girls to play with Maybe next time.

And the seas were very smooth. No sickness for me this time. That 45 minute bus ride was another story...you think your roads have potholes, try the roads on the mainland!

[Bunnylump]

I bet that was fascinating, KM. I love seeing how things are made and how things work. When I used to work as a building surveyor, I used to LOVE watching the tradesmen work (especially people like stone masons). When I worked as a civil servant I got to go to an adult training centre, and was fascinated by the engineering lathes and turning machines. I was the only one in the group who had to "have a go". Great fun! And when I'm in Resistant Materials lessons at work I usually get the teacher to let me have a go at making things along with the kids!

And getting to test those puzzles you love and suggest improvements - I'll be that's a dream come true! Lucky girl.

[LAT]

Sounds an amazing day katsmom And even the sea behaved.

[kathlyn]

That sounds interesting Katsmom, glad the seas were smooth this time. My daughter used to live in Zhuhai.

The arthroscopy is small a camera with various little instruments which were passed through 3 small holes that were made around my shoulder. This bit is graphic only look if your not squeamishthey scraped bits of bone away and tidied up the ligaments which had frayed, all of which were sucked up. Had a very uncomfortable night but started my exercises this morning to hopefully keep the joint mobile.

[LAT]

Of course a bit or spoilered text is just waiting to be read . That doesn't sound exactly pleasant kathlyn, but hopefully the pain and discomfort will have been worth it.

[kathlyn]

I'm hoping so. I had the op done with nerve blocks and that was the worst bit until the blocks wore off and the pain kicked in.

[Wulfruna]

Hope things are starting to improve Kathlyn. It sounds like one of those things which may well be ghastly to endure, but are well worth it in the end when it gives a long term solution to the problem. Keep smiling and do a puzzle to take your mind off it

[Bunnylump]

One of my friends had this operation earlier this year. It was painful, but it's been amazingly successful, and now it's almost completely better. So fingers crossed yours is too.

[kathlyn]

Thanks for your good wishes. This is the second time I've had this shoulder operated on so hoping that this time all goes well.

[Bunnylump]

... finishing for the summer!! WOO HOO!

My boss was on a course today, so I've been having a field day!! She moans like anything about the state of the office (can't find anything, it's a complete tip etc - it's her that leaves it like that and refuses to throw away even the most ridiculous irrelevant scrap of paper) but is so crap at organisation and delegation that things just build up and we always end up working in a complete shambles.

SO, instead of my ladies going to "lessons" which have now degenerated into the pupils watching dvds EVERY lesson, I decided to take action. I got the two who are arty and love making things set up making some fantastic displays for our teaching room. The three who are a bit OCD and obsessively tidy got sent to the office with the instruction to sort it out, and any paperwork which hadn't been looked at for the last 5 years (non-important stuff) to be SHREDDED. The two who are good at riot control and love quizzes got deployed to classrooms where this was occurring so that there was a token Learning Support Department presence in the school. And the one who enjoys repetitive simple tasks, I set on entering the boring data into the spreadsheets I finally got round to making.

We now have a tidy organised office, updated spreadsheets, lovely new displays and a whole bunch of happy staff. Guess what I did? I took myself off to Sainsbury's and bought them all lots of chocolate and made them up a party bag up each. Excellent day's work.

[katsmom]

If I got chocolate for working I might just do it too!

[gill216]

Now thats what I call delegation Bunylump!!

Today I've been riding my "new" secondhand bike. This being the one I got as a trade in for the bright, shiny brand new, folding "bike" I got in March for my birthday.

It looked like a bike, it had two wheels, handle bars pedals, in fact everything you'd expect from a bike. Except riding it was nigh on impossible. Do not buy a folding Apollo from a shop starting with HAL....

We actually got 2 bikes. OH traded in a bike he put together from spare parts at the same time and got one with all matching parts and in good condition.

Result.

[Bunnylump]

Well I'm impressed. My bike hasn't come out of the shed for about 3 years.

[giraffe]

......to the cinema.

Very amusing, very different to the book. Just after D died you could have heard a pin drop.

[Scurra]

Not that different to the book then

(Mind you, I didn't find it much of a surprise in the original, given the way the book is constructed, not to mention the requirements of the "hero's journey" anyway. Then again, maybe it's because I read too much...)

[LAT]

Just got back from the cinema. We thought it was good and truer to the book than the last one. And yes, you could have heard a pin drop in our cinema too.