Performance reliability alert

 

Bloods

Went for blood tests on Friday, I am very bad with these, and invariably faint. I didn't disappoint the lovely nurses - I make sure to pre-warn, and ask to be laid down. I take full fat coke with me to give me a boost afterwards too.

It went as expected, got through giving the sample but drifted off while holding some water they gave me afterwards. I didn't spill too much on myself though.  

They got the fan out, and tempted me with a biscuit, but I declined and had the coke instead.  Once I was sure I could walk, I told them I would sit out in the waiting area for a bit. They checked on me a few times, and I made sure to let them know I was OK to go. They were all fantastic, I had 4 in the room at one point 🤣

I had been pacing the streets of Barnsley as I was an hour early getting there, and had spied a greasy spoon with a good breakfast deal, so I decided to go there and have a fry up before driving anywhere. It was a fasting blood test, so I hadn't had breakfast.  It wasn't a bad one, had a tea and another coke with it too.

I had pre-planned to go to my parents afterwards - but not told them in case I wasn't up to it. I had bought them gifts at Whitby a few weeks ago, some assorted liquorice sweets, and dried root for my dad, and some hand made soap for my mum. I also had some lemon sherbets, and a book on Barnsley trains to give to my dad as well.  I had popped into the market to buy some fresh pork pies for them as well.

Got there fine - the cotton wool swab over my needle mark was a good way for me to update them on the fact I was on hormones. The boobs got a mention, my mum had noticed 'changes'.  My dad said nothing, but they were all still friendly with me. Hugged my mum , and shook my dad's hand as I left - didn't feel like any issues had been caused. It felt good that they were now fairly UpToDate with my plans. 

My dads health issues had meant I had not been wanting to tell them, and their line of questioning on 'trans things' was fairly limited as it would seem not much research has been done !

I am not sure when I will get the tests, I think my doctor's will upload them to their patient portal, then I can forward to GenderGP. Well after frantically checking what the Liver Function Results likely mean. My frequent over consumption does worry me.

Anyway it was a productive morning, in the afternoon I did some adulting, then headed off to Wakefield to visit a friend, described later.

Blog title inspired by - The Murderbot Diaries  a fab series of Sci-Fi books, which I binge listened to on Audible a while ago. The bot gets reliability alerts when not doing so well due to emotional or physical damage. 

Adventures 

Leeds First Friday

I was in the mood to blow off some steam. I had a very pleasant afternoon. I sought food at '5 Guys' as Pie minster wasn't open yet. 

Then met up with Lexi and Ann. We tried  'The Tetley' first which was originally the brewery head office, then recently an art gallery, and has now been re-opened as a pub run by Kirkstall brewery.  

Then headed off to do our Pints and Straws event. We did Friends of Ham, Head of Steam, and Tapped after this.  

I was in pentagram fishnets, and my new boots - this was a silly idea, and my heels blistered badly. I swapped to some different boots for the evening but the damage was done.   

I had a pizza in Tapped, then headed back to my room to change for the evening.  In keeping with the goth look, I changed into a black dress with a star print on it.  

I did Blayd's with Oliva , then we headed to the Bridge End Social for the main event.

Did some schmoozing in there, and was introduced to a new girl - Charlotte, who was at her first LFF. We ended up back at the Tetley after this, with a group of perhaps 8-10 of us. It was getting towards midnight when we left there.

It went a bit downhill after this, I said I was going to 'The End'  first, and a Charlotte and a few others came with me.  Ended up consuming far too many 'two for £12' cocktails, did some dancing for a while. I have a vague memory of going to the Smokestack after this, apparently I was having trouble paying for things in there, and my friend Alex bought some drinks for me - while attempting to get me to have water instead.

I got Charlotte back to her hotel safely apparently - and managed to get back to my own room (no memory of this).  

I was still tipsy first thing, so Bella my room mate got me some coffee and croissants, and set my phone to go off at 11am so I could get dressed before checkout time, and headed off. 

Spent a painfully long time wandering around Leeds waiting to feel human enough to drive. I nipped to boots for some blisters plasters, then visited a park, witnessed a trade union march near the art gallery, and drank a pot of tea in the Tetley. 

I think it was about 3pm before I was home - the drive was fine, I didn't feel impaired in any way. I was pretty tired though, so went straight to bed when I got home !

 

Chams 

This was the night before the bloods - I didn't go, I knew I would be up early to take the kids to school, then head into Barnsley for the blood tests, so I told Ann it was unlikely I would go. Sounds like I missed out on some antics, and Jaffa Cakes.

Leeds Second Friday 

This was in the afternoon/evening after the blood tests.

My friend Benni was up in Wakefield to sort some things on her house, she would normally have been
at LFF, but things had not gone to plan.  We decided to meet up and have a few drinks while she was up here.  We were originally going to head into Wakefield, but I had got to her house quite early, and there was a train heading into Leeds in 15 minutes , and we were able to get a taxi to the station very quickly.

It was a really warm day, high humidity too, I had chosen to wear a summery dress with sandals and  was very glad.  The train was quite oppressive inside, was most glad to get off it ! 

We had a drink in Friends of Ham, then headed off to Las Iguanas for food. I had a Mexican tasting
platter. It was a bit hot, but I enjoyed it. We had a fairly tame cocktail - only because we could share the 2 for 1 offer.

Then we did Tapped, before heading out of our normal area to the north of the city centre.

First to the Belgrave Music hall & Canteen, which made us feel ancient, the average age must have been sub 20 !  Then to a little place next door, which I can't find the name for. Really nice décor in there. 

Then onwards to 'Howl Bar'  (A goth/rock place) where I felt totally out of place, much rather be a goth in a normal pub, than in a floral dress in a rock place ! This place had lots of pro-trans graffiti in the ladies loo's which was fab, and almost made up for standing in pee in sandals 😂 

It was getting late, and we didn't want to miss the train, so headed back towards the station. We did have a bit of time to spare in the end though so popped into the Brewery Tap for a final half, then to the Sainsburys in the station to buy a sandwich and water to finish the evening off with.

The last train back was lively, but not as mad as it can be apparently, it was quite a good atmosphere. We got a taxi the short distance back to my friends, and I was in bed by midnight.

Canal Side Walks

In the morning we decided to go for a walk along the canal to a pub for brunch.  It was a really sunny morning, so made sure to put plenty of sun cream on - I have laser in a few weeks, can't get any sun really. 

Took about an hour for us to walk there, lots of friendly people about, one boat captain pointed out a mink that was moving her young. 

We had a nice brunch at the pub, then walked back to my friends where we said goodbye. She has 12,000 steps on her watch, and she's a bit taller than me, so I may have got more.

I was back home early afternoon.  Unfortunately I've added to my blister collection, not bad ones, but on the bottom of my heels - sandals were a bad idea.

In the afternoon I didn't really do much.  Set up my 360 camera to try and get some footage of the northern lights later, but having reviewed the footage today it was too bright here to see anything.

If there is another chance I may drive out to the woods and do it from there. 

Going swimming later hopefully, although a bit sniffly at the moment, on some cold pills.