Castleford and York

Storm Ashley arrived with us quite late on yesterday. More wind than rain. The level in the pound had come up and our fenders weren’t doing their job, but after a bit of adjustment we could settle down to sleep through the night.

Back in February at my last eye test, my optician referred me for some further tests. I’d chosen for this to happen at York Hospital as the waiting list was meant to be 12 weeks and York would be easier and cheaper to get to from anywhere in the country. Today was my deferred appointment from two weeks ago, just so happening to coincide with Huddersfield Station being closed for the Pennine improvements. I had a train planned, but trains were being held up here there and everywhere. Castleford has a direct train once every two hours to York, Mick spotted that it hadn’t arrived at it’s previous destination, so could end up being quite late. Time to make a dash for the station and try to catch the next available train via Leeds.

I made it, Mick having bought me a ticket and emailing it to me for use. No boats moored above Office Lock in Leeds and only a few in Granary Wharf, apparently the pontoons are currently taped off, so you can only moor against the bank.

The next train was very busy. I was very willing to use my walking stick card, but luckily there was an older lady sat with her bag on a seat next to her who moved it for me. She was an interesting lady. Lived abroad for much of her life, now lives in Elgin, Scotland and had just had five weeks away from her 80 something year old husband who is ‘enjoying having Long Covid too much!’ as she put it. We had quite a chat, when her family were young they did the Cheshire Ring in a week on a hire boat.

Just enough time to get something for lunch and find somewhere to eat it, a bench over looking the River Ouse. Three cruisers were moored on the high bit at the end of Marygate as the normal moorings were under water. Trip boats were still cruising along with a narrowboat heading down stream. Then I took the direct route up to Bootham, through the grounds of Bootham Hospital arriving with five minutes spare for my appointment.

Checked in I was sent to Area C. General eye test done, followed by colour blind test. Area A next and the periphery vision test. This is why I’d been referred as I’d had to redo the test back in February. Back to C for scans. I had a short wait before I got to see a doctor. Time to research diet and Glaucoma, the lady on the train this morning had suggested it could be controlled by what you eat. Leafy greens, carrots, avacados, nuts and seeds, then it mentioned that chocolate was very good. Who’d have thunk it!

I thought I’d got away without having any of the horrible eye drops, but the doctor did them herself. Talk about stinging! She could have warned me! Pressure tests, a very good look and more dribbly stuff in each eye. Verdict no signs of Glaucoma, but my periphery vision has changed in the last four years. They’ll see me again in a few months to see if anything has changed, if not I’ll be discharged, just like they did four years ago. I’ll just need to keep an eye on my slight blind spot.

With very blurry eyes I made it back to the station, pausing to purchase some precautionary Whole Nut, if I hadn’t got glaucoma I need to make sure I don’t get it, best start right away!

Onto a train back to Leeds, another back to Castleford. I returned to Oleanna via the curved bridge over the weir with the sun glinting on the rushing water, making my eyes even blurrier. I called into the Premier Store to see if they’d have anything for lunches. Todays special sandwich looked interesting, think I’d have asked for beans with it! Nothing for homemade lunches though.

Back at the boat it had been a busy day. Two loads of washing hung out to dry and Tilly had been busy in the friendly cover. There was a new neighbour too, a very familiar boat, but I don’t think the new owners originate from Scarborough.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 trains, 6 miles walked, 1 salad by the Ouse, 2 sheets of lies, 1 eye patch, 2 stingy drops, 1 numbing drops, 2 sinks worth of water, 0 spam sandwiches, 1 small bar of whole nut, pair 44 finished.