This has been a good day. I've been eating up the leftovers of all the food I couldn't cope with yesterday, in a way which would have made my mother proud! (She lived through the War and could not abide to see food thrown away.)
The Ship's engineers are currently investigating designs for wheelchairs with caterpillar tracks for this very purpose. You won't mind a large diesel engine just behind your shoulders, will you?
You could at attach swords to the wheels like Boudicca the Iceni Queen did to her chariot when fighting the Romans (or so I'm led to believe - ancient history not being one of my better subjects), I' sure the Ship's engineers would know how it's done.
@Stercus Tauri I’m sure the diesel engine needs be closer to the ground for a really efficient all-terrain wheelchair. I hope you are emblazoning it with orneries.
I somehow doubt if the Felines would be happy with that. Their Ministry To The Sick is, I fancy, of a somewhat more sedentary - or even somnolent - kind...
The RTG approach is an elegant solution, but alone, it lacks the element of fear that a roaring diesel engenders in the opposition. Perhaps a similar effect might be achieved with a bagpipe synthesiser powered by the RTG? As the launch customer, I think we should let Rossweisse choose before the drawings are finalised.
Who was it who said that the best way of hearing bagpipes was whilst the sound was fading into the distance?
But yes - let Rossweisse have a free hand in the design...the Roaring Diesel engine is OK as far as it goes, as long as Rossweisse is supplied with effective ear-muffs.
Sadly, PPE is in short supply, globally, at the moment.
For now, at least, I am content to make do with the electric motor supplied with the chair. My hearing is far too acute for my own good (whilst encased in an MRI machine, at least; I require both earplugs and sound-blocking headphones inside those claustrophobic quarters) or to tolerate a roaring diesel engine or facsimile thereof.
A bagpipe soundtrack - with the speakers mounted in the lower rear quarter and faintly audible to me as I remove myself from the vicinity - would be an acceptable substitute. It still ought to give notice to the FMS and the orneries to MOVE out of the way.
You know I have always kind imagined you carried aloft on the chair by a flock of trained orneries.
Engines seem just a little too passe for you, even jet engines.
A bagpipe soundtrack - with the speakers mounted in the lower rear quarter and faintly audible to me as I remove myself from the vicinity - would be an acceptable substitute. It still ought to give notice to the FMS and the orneries to MOVE out of the way.
I always rather imagined the orneries sounding a bit like bagpipes, at least where they’re in attack mode.
The RTG approach is an elegant solution, but alone, it lacks the element of fear that a roaring diesel engenders in the opposition.
We could combine the best of both worlds and go diesel-electric. The museum where I volunteer has two Deltic engines in store. That would be a *wheelchair*...
You know I have always kind imagined you carried aloft on the chair by a flock of trained orneries.
Engines seem just a little too passe for you, even jet engines.
Nothing less than a flying horse is good enough for the Ship's Valkyrie!
I'm s'pozed to go to the Hospital on Thursday for an additional treatment (Zomera for the cognoscenti)) and thinking it's unnecessary - I'm down to alternate monthly treatments after nearly 2 years and it's ruining my teeth as well as B*ggering me for 2 days afterwards) ... and the last thing I need is corona/covid19 or anything else.
Seems a waste of a nice spring day that could be spent in the open countryside ... contemplating nature for hours on end
I was supposed to go to the Germ Farm the other day for a consultation with the radiation oncologist concerning my brain freckle. I had the bright idea of calling to see if we could do it via videoconferencing or plain old telephone; they said yes to the latter, but that they'd have to charge me/my insurance for a regular office visit. (I ended up hearing that routine a total of three times.) I stayed home, and had the added bonuses of not needing to have my aide load the wheelchair into the car or search for a parking space.
Thank you for asking, @cgichard. It's a bit better, but it still strikes without warning. My oncologist, whom I saw today, is prescribing something stronger.
(My Junior Child took me to today's appointment. My oncologist made a point of telling her how, when I was still in hospital in mid-February, he told me that I was unlikely to live into late April, and told me, "It's possible we could have a conversation on May 1, but I'd be surprised." I called him Friday morning, reminded him of that comment, and said, "Happy May Day!" He laughed long and heartily then, and again as he related the tale. I think he liked that I insisted on continuing treatment, that I lived long enough to call him on the day, and that I followed up with it - and he wanted her to know it. Bless him.)
Stronger medication is good news, and I hope it works without any untoward side-effects. How good it must feel to surprise your oncologist!
May that teach him to make unwarranted assumptions.
I'm sure I can speak for all on the Ship in joining him in wishing you not only Happy May, but Happy June and all the rest of 2020 and for as long as you choose to grace us with your presence.
My mother is now emerging into a world after chemotherapy. She faces another operation to remove things that need removing (I haven't quite got to the bottom yet of what needs removing, since nothing cancerous has been found by scans but there we are). This should be in about five weeks.
For the moment, I think she is looking forward to recovering an appetite for something other than porridge and mashed carrot, and to not being poisoned weekly.
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So happy for Robert and Rossweisse's good news!
Hmmm ... cheesecake for breakfast ...
Or to paraphrase - mmmmm cheesecake.
No surrender, for either one of us!
But yes - let Rossweisse have a free hand in the design...the Roaring Diesel engine is OK as far as it goes, as long as Rossweisse is supplied with effective ear-muffs.
Sadly, PPE is in short supply, globally, at the moment.
(See what I did there?)
A bagpipe soundtrack - with the speakers mounted in the lower rear quarter and faintly audible to me as I remove myself from the vicinity - would be an acceptable substitute. It still ought to give notice to the FMS and the orneries to MOVE out of the way.
Engines seem just a little too passe for you, even jet engines.
We could combine the best of both worlds and go diesel-electric. The museum where I volunteer has two Deltic engines in store. That would be a *wheelchair*...
No, that's a Hamish!
If you have 14min 33 secs spare and what to use it to look at something beautiful - here is your opportunity.
*runs from the room, in case anyone reading this is a bagpipe player
Nothing less than a flying horse is good enough for the Ship's Valkyrie!
(In case it wasn't obvious, yes of course it was a lovely thing to do!)
Seems a waste of a nice spring day that could be spent in the open countryside ... contemplating nature for hours on end
@LatchKeyKid , your loving kindness is beautiful.
Best wishes to all (Galilit)
I was supposed to go to the Germ Farm the other day for a consultation with the radiation oncologist concerning my brain freckle. I had the bright idea of calling to see if we could do it via videoconferencing or plain old telephone; they said yes to the latter, but that they'd have to charge me/my insurance for a regular office visit. (I ended up hearing that routine a total of three times.) I stayed home, and had the added bonuses of not needing to have my aide load the wheelchair into the car or search for a parking space.
Galilit, you do what seems best to you!
(My Junior Child took me to today's appointment. My oncologist made a point of telling her how, when I was still in hospital in mid-February, he told me that I was unlikely to live into late April, and told me, "It's possible we could have a conversation on May 1, but I'd be surprised." I called him Friday morning, reminded him of that comment, and said, "Happy May Day!" He laughed long and heartily then, and again as he related the tale. I think he liked that I insisted on continuing treatment, that I lived long enough to call him on the day, and that I followed up with it - and he wanted her to know it. Bless him.)
May that teach him to make unwarranted assumptions.
I'm sure I can speak for all on the Ship in joining him in wishing you not only Happy May, but Happy June and all the rest of 2020 and for as long as you choose to grace us with your presence.
My mother is now emerging into a world after chemotherapy. She faces another operation to remove things that need removing (I haven't quite got to the bottom yet of what needs removing, since nothing cancerous has been found by scans but there we are). This should be in about five weeks.
For the moment, I think she is looking forward to recovering an appetite for something other than porridge and mashed carrot, and to not being poisoned weekly.