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Monday, March 15, 2010

Plan A did not work at all



















Ducks -Stadtpark - click to embigiate!

The Badger has been unwell with a bad back and a Migraine which lasted for a few days. The bad back came from attempting to construct a new Katzenschutznet.

There was a lot of bending and turning involved and during the process I injured my back to the extent that I had trouble walking – or even moving - as part of my right side was paralyzed.

At one stage I could only move around on all fours but managed to cook Cate’s dinner each night by using my ‘Outback Cooker’ in the middle of the kitchen floor and I was able to reach the cupboards by rigging up a hook on the end of one of our walking sticks.

I rigged myself a small sled on carpet runners so that I could drag myself around the house with my one good arm and in this manner was able to keep up with most of the chores – although the ironing was a bugger.

Of course when you are down that low it is easier to reach the Kitty Litter to clean it out so there were some advantages.

I started off applying a hot wheat pack – which has the decided disadvantage of smelling of scorched wheat - and then was able to get to see Irene the fabulous physiotherapist (who had been swanning about in South America).

Then I discovered a Heizkissen at Eduscho which I can plug in and apply to my back while I stare into space and plan the next assault on the Katzenschutznet.

I need to do this because plan A was a significant failure. It was excellent in concept and had some unique and potentially patentable features but it was not really much of a visual improvement after all – and during the course of construction had attracted Cate’s opprobrium – even in its formative stages.

But I am sure the Wright brothers had similar problems with their wives so I was no more discouraged than usual.

But I am moving on to plan B – and already have C in mind. Plan D is to strangle Sissi but I am sure it will not come to that.

The Migraine came from eating Chinese food in a restaurant in Dr Karl Lueger Platz. I don’t remember what the restaurant was called but they modestly described themselves as ‘the best Chinese restaurant in Austria’ – and I must say the food was very good.

But they may use MSG or some other gunk and it gave me a Migraine which lasted until Sunday night and required a number of heavy duty pills. These make me even stupider than I am usually (ask Kristin about this phenomenon) so is quite a burden for Cate as she has to lead me around (or in this case – drag the sled).

This added to my back problems and I was quite mournful during some stages during the weekend.

Eduscho is Cate’s new favorite shopping place – and indeed mine. I was able to pick up some very competitively priced bicycle shorts and tops and would even have bought some of their fine underwear but they did not have my colour (Black).

And I notice that I am not only capitalizing all Nouns – I am also using a combination of English and US spelling for various words which can be spelled in different ways. You will just have to bear with me on this as I no longer know which I should use – and indeed am tending to favor the US spelling for many words.

If you have trouble you can use Yahoo Babel Fish.

13 comments:

  1. Sorry you're still feeling under the weather. I spent my last vacation day in California flat on my back with a migraine, taking stupid pills instead of touring around San Francisco. My friend was very accomodating and sat and talked to me and fed me potatoes from Whole Foods, but still. Great duck picture.

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  2. Sorry to hear about the back & migraine combination Badger. It doesn't sound nice at all.

    I do prefer Eduscho to Tchibo. And seeing as they're the same company I really don't understand why Tchibo can't be more like Eduscho.

    Outback cooker = portable gas stove???

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  3. I hope that by the time you'll read this all your aches are but not so sweet memories!

    You must have been quite a sight, out there in Stadtpark, on your sled, shooting ducks in flight! Fantastic picture. Makes me wonder whether there are Olympics for Photographers on Sleds!

    I have been on a six countries, 9 cities, 5 dozen coffee places in six days tour and spent the day trying to orient myself in time and place. I know now that it is Monday and I am back in Vienna. Lucky me! ;-)

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  4. Cooking dinner on all fours is quite a gift. You could make money from that. I'd steer clear of kitty litter a l'orange, though.

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  5. The fact that you cook and clean for your love (and the cat) is great, and in spite of the pain is fantastic. I perform simular feats but the only sled I would get pulled on is funeral in nature.

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  6. @Parsifal: I thought Eduscho and Tchibo both sold exactly the same stuff?

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  7. @ Viennesewaltz & Parsifal:
    I am also curious about the Eduscho - Tchibo connection.
    I was under the impression that Eduscho is the Austrian name of the Tchibo company I know from Germany, but have since discovered a Tchibo store in Vienna. Not that I can see a difference in merchandise (maybe the coffee? I wouldn't know, not buying any there).

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  8. Dauntless, but nevertheless intrepid and a little anguished, I clicked on the duck photo, hoping to embigiate as quickly and painlessly as possible. There was a slight tingling in my lower members, but nothing more. I'm disappointed, frustrated. Is there a user manual on this process?

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  9. Hmm..Eduscho and Tchibo look the same to me - perhaps I need to examine them more closely. And yes and Outback Cooker is a gas stove. And thanks for the nice words about the Duck Pics. And William - the user manual is in German.

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  10. @viennesewaltz, @Merisi, @Badger (how I hate using this @ sign!):

    As I mentioned, and as I'm sure doubtless you know, Tchico & Eduscho are one in the same (in terms of corporate ownership), and to the casual observer, the various Tchibo & Eduscho shops in Wien sell the same type of products.

    However... I have found that when a Tchibo/Eduscho prominently labelled 'Tchibo' is concerned, their product selection is not as extensive as those Tchibo/Eduscho stores labelled 'Eduscho'. Admittedly, 'tis a subtle difference; but an Unterschied nonetheless.

    Of course, I should have emphasised that this is a personal theory, based on the difference between the Innenstadt & Landstrasse Hauptstrasse Tchibos and the Invalidenstrasse Eduscho. So, in short, an extensive and scientific survey that the most gifted of intellectual minds - aka Sarah Palin! - could be confident in trusting! Please don't take my word for it, and feel free to refute (two things that SP definitely *would not* say!).

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  11. @ Parsifal:
    to spare you the Klammeraffe, I offer you to write "Dear Merisi" instead. ;-)

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