Lips

The funeral of Prince Philip has just ended. Precision and Majesty, set in an outstanding example of ancient architecture. RIP Sir, duty well and truly done. 


Due to gunfire and helicopters my hearing is somewhat tarnished. Add in tinnitus and Menieres disease I’m not surprised that I now no longer enjoy the mellow strains of AC/DC or Meatloaf.

Last week I sent my hearing aids to the Audiologist for adjustment. Since my last hearing test 3 years ago my lugs have become, in line with the rest of me, slightly dull. 

Consequently without my communication devices, these past days I have been a pain in the nether regions, unhappily that’s normal for people with hearing deficiencies. We cannot hear bird song, telephones, conversation, or if we do hear then it’s distorted. For my loved ones and the Garden Fairy that is a real nuisance because repetition of a comment is frustrating for both sides.

It may surprise those of you who have no hearing loss that we, the eternally confounded, use lip-reading techniques, learned over a long period of time. Without this skill most conversations would bypass my lugs. Thankfully the Garden Fairy has learned to speak ‘at’ me directly and use her lips to elaborate a word or sentence. Placing her head in a kitchen cupboard while talking to me once caused me tantrums. Now with a new kitchen paid for I am loathe to rip the doors off in a fit of pique.