Bob's Blog 20 - Right said Fred
Kate saw me on Tuesday and asked about a blog. I said ‘Probably not this time’, until ….
Does anyone remember the Bernard Cribbens’ song, ‘Right Said Fred’? I had a laugh this morning whilst people watching in my usual place, and this song instantly sprung to mind. Colin was pushing a huge reclining sofa into the lift with Lisa guiding it. Colin couldn’t see over the sofa and I could see Lisa being squashed against the other side. We all know Lisa’s fear of lifts breaking down but she survived the ordeal and vowed never to work with Colin again. It was good entertainment while it lasted!
Pippa, a therapy cockapoo brought her boss Katie into work and was petted and ruffled up to an inch of her life. She was given treats and was supposed to do tricks (after all, it was Halloween) but the best she could do was look adorable so I asked Katy that by next holiday she would give a paw, do an impression of a dead dog and do roll overs. However, she was seriously upstaged by Martin, a yellow and white robot dog, who literally scampered up the stairs, to everyone’s amazement. It is Doctor Adrian Smale ‘s 'pet'. He is from Herriot Watt University’s Robotarium. Adrian has visited Leuchie a few times with various robotic health projects and Martin was just a bit of fun to show the guests and scare the staff! Adrian also talked about Chat GPT and asked guests to give him a subject. Kurt asked for a weekend tour of curry restaurants in his home town, Wolverhampton. A click of a button and up popped ten restaurants describing cuisine, with their location and distance from one to the next. Kurt was impressed, having eaten in some of them, and agreed with the Chat GPT’s results. It also gave a suggested location for an overnight stay. This is a powerful piece of software which can be downloaded for free. It also will write a letter for you if you feed it just a few key points of what you’d like to say.
I went to see The Book of Mormon at The Playhouse in Edinburgh during my stay. It is a very, very, very irreverent take on the work of the Mormons spreading the gospel according to their interpretation of the Bible. The new graduates are sent all over the world, but this story follows two that were sent to Uganda. Superb dancing, great singing, two and a half hours of pure entertainment. Not for the easily offended! Thanks again to guest Jackie, who has already booked Moulin Rouge for May 2025.
Victoria introduced guests to a group from the Brown Shipley investment bank who were at Leuchie to see the work the charity does and to talk to guests and volunteer. The activity was to make apple, cranberry & ginger chutney and raspberry vodka for the Christmas Fayre. Whist we were coring, peeling and cutting the apples I was hoping for some drama whilst watching Marion very closely who was multitasking, talking to one of the bankers and chopping the apples with a sharp knife but no, she managed it no problem! However one of the bankers came a cropper. No gushings of blood from his finger – it was just a small nick. No need for the ministrations of a nurse, just a smallest of Elastoplast from the First Aid box. Panic over and no need to separate the red apples from the green ones!
The bankers not actively involved came around and talked to us. An excellent interaction but my net worth is insufficient for me to avail myself of their services. I’ll keep my pound notes under the mattress!
In the afternoon the bankers joined Dorothy’s Music Therapy session and afterwards thanked everybody for the welcome they received. Marion replied on behalf of all the guests. She said they were more than welcome to come back, even giving them the date of her next visit! I was pleased to hear that Brown Shipley is to become one of Leuchie’s charity partners.
I’m delighted that there is now a projector which allows us to do a crossword on a big screen. It is complicated but Terry soon set it up and we had a good morning’s brain workout, together.
I spent time in the sensory room which is a very soothing experience with a waft of essential oils floating round you and with Classic FM playing in the background on volume two. There are even fish swimming in a sea of bubbles of every changing colour! I should’ve asked Anna how you could dim the lights. Alexa didn’t respond to me otherwise I might’ve had a snooze.
I mixed up the care assistants this holiday. Georgia, Isla May and Abbie are all the same height with the same colour hair. I suggested to Isla May she might consider highlights to change the colour. She didn’t think that was a great idea on cost grounds! She suggested changing the style. That’s fine as long as they keep it for the whole holiday!
We had a magician in one evening. I was speaking to Linda W and said that I noticed her beaming smile, from ear to ear, when the magician took photographs for his facebook page. I said to her ‘What a wonderful smile you have’. She said I was sweet – I have never ever, ever been given that descriptor!
I always participate in exercise and relaxation and breathing classes, given by the physiotherapy team. This holiday we were given a kazoo. This is a first for me (See Bob's blog, 13 'First, First, First'. I gave a demonstration to Kate when she was typing this and it caused great amusement and it reminded her of a cover of Monty Python's 'Always look on the bright side of life' on kazoo.
Siri gives its own interpretation of what I dictate into my digital notes, so thanks to everyone who edited out all the rubbish!
Cast: Kate, Digital Marketing Officer; Colin, Facilities Manager; Lisa, Receptionist; Katie, Occupational Therapist; Kurt, Guest; Victoria, Guest Engagement Manager; Marion, Guest; Anna; Physiotherapy Assistant; Georgia, Isla-May and Abbie, Care Assistants; Linda, Guest.
