Our Phili-Pam

Yabadabado! Once I've worked out how to get in it. This should blow a few cobwebs off at 144mph. Anyone for a raspberry ripple?

Petrol Head I assume you'll leap in like they did in the Dukes of Hazard. It's that or put the top down and borrow a small hoist. I like the cat hiding from the camera.

It's a cat-alogue Helen.

or Cat-nipped?

Nice Fiat 124 Spider, Philip! You know I love my cars - especially Italian!

Hi Neil, I've never been fascinated with motors, really. My dad, senior development engineer at Rootes, cars were ten a penny as I grew up under the shadow of development meetings at home. Mum hardly had a Sunday off from doing teas for pre-week meetings at home. Probably why I enjoyed trainspotting. I've still got my dad's leather helmet from when they were doing the two seater Sunbeam Alpine. That turned a few heads at the grammar school when I was dropped off one morning. I was a most ungrateful child, for if mum dropped me off in her Ford Pop anytime, I always asked her to drop me off in Davenport Road so no-one would see me!

Hi all, I love living in my care home. Other than the fact that my Pam suffers with a terminal illness of cancer, most of the time since she was written off in Nov 2018, I/you wouldn't know it. Today's dinner was hot mush, or mince and tatties. Pam steams the tatties, whilst separately cooking the mince, that has onions carrots and seasoning. When all cooked, the mince pot is emptied into the dry, fluffy mashed potatoes, then totally mixed. A bit of Worcester sauce, and I'm back to being ten years old. I'm going out to play now! Will be back for tea.

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Morning all, Pam and I are sat awaiting the start of our streamed church service, as I post this. As a currently redundant/isolated at home organist, I never ever thought that I would miss public performance playing so much. Some of you know that I have an extensive organ set-up here at home, that I'm constantly having a bash on, but nothing can replace the interaction between a choir and congregation in a bout of singing. Singing is very good lung exercise. In compliance with transmission rules, all singing is currently canned, not live. What an amazing technology. Some of you might know that I enjoy a visit to the races now and again, so yesterday's broadcast from Wincanton on ITV4 was a delight, except for one horse that fell, but no harm to horse or rider. We try to make the best of any fixed scenario, even Pam's oncologist report is a bit more positive. Best wishes all.

Hi all, Today's lunch was two pieces of pre-battered cod & oven chips. In our care home, fish is twice a week, including an oily fish. You see the lengths that this principal carer goes to. I've always taken Pam for granted, not deliberately, but Pam has always been the domestic master of all ceremonies at home. Nonetheless, I'm finding out just how she has cared for me for fifty years. People say some very nice & flattering things about my committed volunteer works, over three decades during my full business working life, an employee & employer, but that was only possible because Pam did everything at home.

Hi all, I'm very impressed with the ready-type meals that come with our grocery order. Such a help to L plate kitchen staff like me. We've tried the frozen ready meals that are advertised on tele with the late Ronnie Corbett, but whilst the Sunday-like roast dinners are very good, concoction meals I honestly believe are better from, in our case, Morrisons. Offers at present include three meals for £6. The chicken and mushroom pie with potato that we had yesterday was fantastic. We still enjoy meals from scratch, fish and oily fish I'm getting the hang of. Whoever your grocer is, I'm sure there are some delights just waiting for you to try them. Anyway, must go. Our steak and cheese potato meal is about ready.

PS. The steak and cheese meal just eaten was fab. Garnished with mushrooms. The single serve meals, Pam and I share. She's not eating huge amounts, but the meal I've just enjoyed, if I had walked into a pub and been served it, I would be going again. Some meals do serve two, our shepherds pie is a case in point, but Pam struggles to eat a full portion.

So that's where my chicken and mushroom pies, I ordered but didn't get for the last 2 weeks, went. Supermarket ready meals are much better value and nicer than most that are marketed as easy meals for the elderly. I usually buy a large pie and then chop them up, freeze the extra and use them as I fancy. Small pies have a higher pastry to filling ratio than I like. I also make pie fillings of my own and add a bit of ready roll pastry - yum. I only recently retried shortcrust pastry, which was horrible when it first came out, but is now very pleasant.

My Pam's at the hospital today, having a fluid drain procedure. She's staying overnight. She remains bright and very brave. I have a lot to live up to. Love to you all.