Conversations With Ben #21: Christmas Accidents

Ben sends a picture of the top of his Christmas tree.

Rol: Does he cast his own purple glow or have you created that?

Ben: Did it by making sure the blue lights on the tree hit red tinsel.

Fire hazard.

Tinsel and Christmas tree lights? LEDs a fire hazard?

If tinsel gets hot, it'll go up like a supernova.

It won't by these lights.

I was amused tonight by the computer in Louise's brain hitting a glitch. She's had me spend most of my weekend putting up Christmas lights outside the house. Tonight she realised that when the curtains are closed she can't see them. So she's wasting electricity, which she hates. But... pretty Christmas lights. 

Wasting electricity... pretty lights...

Wasting... pretty...

It was like "open the bomb bay doors, Hal"...

I'm supposed to put Christ lights outside this coming weekend. I don't see the point. I like inside decorations. Not outside.

I don't see the point in any of it. 

You could get transparent curtains.

Or blinds.

But then the clowns would be able to look in.

They haven't been a thing in a few years.

They'll always be a thing in Louise's head.

You should hire a clown to stand out in your garden.

She hates me enough already

Sounds healthy.

Ben sends a photo of a large bump on his head.

Ben: Running is dangerous.

Rol: Head injury. A&E now.

Nah. I'm all good.

I put some frozen peas on it and had some Ibuprofen.

And I can't tell if you're joking.

I work in a hospital now.

Still can't tell if you're joking, but I just rang 111.

They don't sound super concerned. So I've got a call back from a clinician.

Not sure whether you're just trying to spook me or not.

Not intentionally. Louise always gets super worried about head injuries though. Better to be safe...

Tell me you ran into a lamppost.

Yeah. Kids were on the path so I ran on the grass to get around them and hit my head on a sign hanging off a lamppost.

Did anyone film it on their phone?

Nah. The kids were too busy riding microscooters. Apparently they're a thing again?

Spoken with my GP now too. Don't feel they need to see me. Just keep an eye.

You can thank me later for saving you from permanent brain damage.

I reckon I can afford to lose a few braincells.

Rol replies...

Are you?

Rol replies...

Maybe I do have concussion. That made me audibly chuckle.

Still not saying LOL, so you appear safe from brain damage.

Isn't it exclusively people over 40 who use that term now?

And Facey B huns?

I don't even want to know what they are.

Those women who spend all day on FB and end every post with "thx Hun XX".

Presumably sending lots of messages to Attila and his people.

Haha. That was well funni. Thx hunni xx.

 

Had my booster yesterday and feel like crap today. Currently waiting to see Father Christmas in the drizzle at the Kirklees Light Railway Santa Express.

Bragging much?

I had to book months ago. Sam and Louise are at home.

So you've got your anorak on and your trainspotting guide?

I can get my booster from Monday.

Working out whether to try and see if I can do a walk in or wait for my appointment.

There were loads of walk ins when I went for mine. Might be less capacity where you are thouh8=%#@!

Yeah, think I might just go tomorrow on lunch.

There's a walk in close by.

While writing that last message I walked into a low fence post, fell over and landed on another post and seriously hurt my leg.

Oh shit.

You all good?

Two massive bruises. One on my shin, one on my thigh. Hurt pride from the stupidity of walking and texting, which I never do.

Oh man, that sucks. Well, you're working in a hospital now. Get someone to check you over tomorrow.

Up there with your recent lamppost encounter.

I'd say yours is worse.

Walking upstairs really hurts now!

I think a positive thing is to realise that the injury hasn't made you wonder if you'd be able to call in sick tomorrow. Still enjoying the new job?

Yeah. Very much.

The first Christmas not there is an eye opener to how overly stressful that place is compared to other work places.

How's the shin and thigh today?

Still hurts but not as bad as yesterday. Can at least walk up and down stairs now, if rather slowly.

At your age, I'm unsure whether that's to do with the injury or not.

Also, are you now at the age where we say you "had a fall" rather than "fell over"?

Yes. I had a fall. That has already been made quite clear to me.

Haha! If a few people are saying it, then it must be true.

Louise was not very sympathetic, considering I did it while walking and texting you.

I'll return the present I bought you and get you a handrail for the bathtub for Christmas.

Can I have one of those winches that lower you into the bath?

Might just be easier to get a walk in bath.

But then the water will go everywhere.

They have these things where you walk in, the door seals and you sit on a chair and it fills up around you. Did you not watch daytime TV and ads when you were a student?

When I was a student, I was also working a full time job in the evenings so I didn't have much time to lounge around on my arse.

Maybe if you'd not overworked yourself to please business owners instead of taking care of yourself, you wouldn't be "having a fall" at your age.