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Hi, Rusty!
As I didn't even know until today that shingles vaccinations existed, I am no help there!
I phoned the surgery, though, to organise my husband's flu jab?
Maybe you can ring the doctor to make an appointment, if you normally have a jab?
I was amused to see a clue (13d) in the 15 x 15 about a "hoist" !
I did manage to do it!
It didn't specify whether it was to do with "Hill's"!
How is Miss La Bamba - has she recovered from her cold?

Hello, Elle!
I think I know why they have not contacted me.
They are contacting folk by text message and do not have my mobile phone number.
I have been on the practice website and that is the info.
AND...one of the lady doctors is providing "tray bake"?
Whatever would that be, I wonder?
I do not think La Bamba had a cold.
She was sick, too. Some other bug, probably.

rusty, a tray bake is just that- a cake or biscuity type mix baked in a large flat tin and cut into slices afterwards. Quite often the bake is iced before cutting. I make one which has a sponge on the base, then a layer of plums or apricots and then something like a crumble on top of that. Well, I used to. Don't really bake much now.

I was pleased to have been offered a shingles vaccination as my mother-in-law was never the same again after getting it. I decided not to have a pneumonia one (not that one has been offered) because I remember how much my father wanted to die and welcomed pneumonia, hiding it from us.

Hello, Rosalind!
Thank you for the info!
The tray bake sounds smashing!
I had shingles about 40 years ago across my shoulder.
It was painful.
To this day the cold weather causes a painful reaction where it was.
A vaccination is a good idea.

aaargh rusty that does sound nasty. I had read about the vaccination and was going to ask if I could pay for one, when they began to offer them to certain ages of people and I got lucky.
My mother in law had a huge rash on her back and was hardly ever comfortable again. She winced every time she got up from a chair , for years.

Hello, Rosalind.
I can well understand your mother-in-law's pain.
Shingles are nasty.
Thankfully, i am only bothered in very cold weather.
But it put the kybosh on me going to see my local football team in a freezing January etc.
After twenty minutes, it got very painful.
Not pleasant, at all!

Hi, Rusty!
I am supposed to be gone to bed!
The aftermath of your Shingles does sound uncomfortable - it definitely would be worth your having a vaccination.
As I have had chicken pox three times ( !) and have been warned about the possibility of catching it again ( I know several fellow sufferers too ) it would be unwise for me to have a shingles jab.
The zoster vaccine is live and it is possible to get chicken pox from it.
I am obviously "prone" so it would be too much of a risk.
I also caught whooping cough each time I was vaccinated - so I was duly informed!
I've had measles twice, too!
I don't think my immune system is up to much!
Mind you, on the plus side, I have never had flu!!!!
...........And now, I really am going to bed!

Good morning, Elle!
I may have had the shingles jab, I have no idea!
I'll ask my nurse when I get 'flu jab.
My shingles pain happens rarely.
Just if I have been hanging about in very cold weather.
I mean, I can go out walking etc and it does not appear.
But, watching a football match is out.
So, I think I am very fortunate compared to others, like Rosalind's mother-in-law.
Especially if I can get a bit of "tray bake"!
Wonder if there is coffee on the go, too?
These "jabs" sound better and better!

Another tray bake I made was a shortbread, followed by a layer of caramel and chocolate on top! But , as I said, I rarely bake now. I make a gingerbread village with houses, a church and a "fire" in the middle, with trees and people at Christmas. The roofs are sometimes tiled with choc drops so everyone likes them, If I feel brave I make the church windows by putting crushed boiled sweets into cut-out shapes. I put those flickering pretend night lights from China inside the buldings and the fire!
I stay indoors when it's very cold too, rusty. Most days I don't feel the nerve damage to my face but cold winds are quite nasty.
Goodness elle, whooping cough once was quite enough. I thought I would never stop whooping!

Good morning, Rusty!
A dreich morning early on........although the rain has stopped now.
It is certainly cold though!
I am sure that I do not usually feel the need to have the heating on, nor "wrap up" as much, this soon in the Autumn/ Winter?
I am even wearing gloves at 8am!
I have been chatting on the phone for the past hour with my younger daughter - she rang just as I had returned from the park!
All is well and she is making plans for half-term next week.
Right, I have just printed out my crosswords, so I shall go and make a coffee to help me on my way to solving......
Do you have any plans for today?