Autumn colour

I`d always thought of spring as my favourite time of year, with the new growth and fresh green everywhere, but this year the wonderful colours of the autumn trees is making me really appreciate and enjoy the autumn too.

Just take a closer look at some of those leaves - what a variety of colour there is in them



Both on the trees and on the ground!

A Different Sunday

Today, for the first time in weeks and weeks - no longer than that, months and months, I didn`t go to church. Yet, today I experienced a time of worship, that was very touching.

Let me expand on that.

I didn`t even get up until later than normal this morning, because I`d agreed to go over and have Sunday Lunch with my Mum in the care place she is at, because they were having a visit this afternoon by a visiting Young Peoples Salvation Army band.

Knowing that our morning service wouldn`t finish in time to enable me to do that, I decided not to go. So I spent a bit of time at home, trying out playing a few hymns on the piano before setting out for Mums. The Sunday Lunch, (served in her room) was very good - roast pork and all the trimmings, followed by a delicious chocolate trifle.

I then pushed her into the Communial Room where the Band were to play. There was a few other residents there when we arrived, and Mum soon transferred from her wheelchair into one of the easy chairs, and I had one beside her. As we sat there, more and more residents gradually made their way into the room, and all the seats began to be taken. I then gave my seat up to another lady, and sat the other side of the room to the side of where the band were to be.

The local Salvation Army captain, (who I knew) and one or two other officers from the local corps came with the youngsters of the band, and the afternoon started. Hymn sheets were given out to everyone, so that we could join in singing. We sang about 6 or 7 different hymns, listened to a reading and a very good short talk on the reading and the afternoon concluded with a prayer.

That may not sound `out of the ordinary`, but to me, from where I was sitting, I could see all the residents, and just to see the way they knew the hymns and were joining in singing along with them, and the look on the faces of some of them as they did so, was so moving, somehow. And so inspiring to see the youngsters aged from 9 upwards, really committed to the band.

And, in that room with that group of people, I really felt a sense of God`s presence there with us. It was a unique time. During the prayer, I for some unknown reason, felt tears come to my eyes. Not tears of sadness or distress, but of being somehow deeply moved by just being there.

So, although I didn`t go to church today, I found a real place and time of worship.

Christmas already?

Today IS the 15th. November, isn`t it? Or have I lost a month somewhere?

Why do I ask?.......

...........Because......

...opening my mail, brought by the postman a few hours ago, I find my first Christmas card! I couldn`t believe it.

And, no, it didn`t come from abroad, it came from someone in a village about 6 miles away from here!

I`ve not even had my birthday yet, that`s still 9 days away. I definitely don`t expect to receive Christmas cards, before I`ve received Birthday cards. (That`s of course assuming I`ll get some birthday cards!)

So, what am I going to do with the Christmas card? - stick it in a drawer until a lot nearer the time, I`m certainly not going to stand it on the mantlepiece yet, it would look ridiculous so early.

An Orange Scene

It was such a beautiful sunset this evening, that even the water at this beauty spot turned orange! Isn`t it a beautiful world we live in.

Tinkling the Ivories

So, what was it I was doing the other evening?..... here`s the answer.....



I felt strongly urged somehow to rekindle my efforts of piano playing.

My earliest memories of first touching the keys on a piano, the same one as still stands in my room, go back many years to when I must have been about 5 or 6. My Mum used to sit and play hymns on the piano, and as a little child I wanted to have a go too, so she used to show me one note on the keyboard and each time she had to play that note, would say "now", and I would hit the note my finger was on (an octave higher than she was playing). I realise now how hard it must have been for her to play and keep saying "now" every time it was that note. And then as I got a bit older she would show me the one note on the line of music and I began to recognise it and so, when to hit it.

Anyway, from there I went on later, I suppose from the age of about 8 - 10 or round about then to have piano lessons at the home of one of my school teachers after school. How well I remember that house - it always smelt strongly of boiled fish! (The teacher had lots of cats, and cooked fish for them.)

As I got older, I did less and less practice and playing and eventually none. How I wish now that I had kept it up.

Sitting down at the piano the other day, I found that I can still read to some degree the right hand music, and so long as I know, in my mind, how it should go, I can make a fair stab at playing an easy hymn tune or two. As for the base notes of the left hand.... that will need a great lot of practice! But now that I`ve the house to myself, I really think I will try and master playing it again and particularly getting the left hand for the base notes working again. There`ll be no one to hear all the awful discordant sounds that come from the instrument whilst I do so, so I shan`t feel self-conscious trying them out.

I`ll report in due course how things progress....if they do!

Magnetically drawn

I`ve been magnetically drawn over the last few days, towards something in this room, something that I`ve not touched for years (other than to dust it)! But, since having the room decorated and decluttered of furniture, so that I don`t need to move anything to get to it, it`s been beckoning me for days.

I`ve sat here tonight, with work I should be doing, but the thing I can see out of the corner of my eye, keeps somehow trying to draw me to it. Could I still do it, I wondered? Dare I try? At least there`s no-one else in the house to know if I make a mess of it and fail.

I got up, and went over to it. Lifted the lid. Picked a book up. Sat down. Thumbed through the book. Set the book on the stand. Then, tentatively with my right hand touched it.

In fact, I became so engrossed in it, that looking at the clock expecting to see I`d been there about 10 minutes, I discovered that over an hour passed! And, I`d actually enjoyed it.

So, I`m feeling quite pleased with myself this evening.

What was I doing?.... if you can`t guess, I`ll tell you tomorrow... or the next day!

Autumn time

Well, I found out the mystery of my clock...... we`d had a power cut in the night, so that explains everything. Yet, now having put all the other flashing clocks right yesterday, I realise I`ll have to change them all again tonight when summer-time ends.

Never mind, the sun`s shining and it`s a nice autumn day. I spotted these beautiful berries on a tree the other day and just had to take a picture of them. Not sure what they are, but I just liked the colour against the blue sky.

The Problem with Time

I laid in bed a short time ago, listening to the clock radio which had woken me up at the usual time. The young (?) lady doing the programme went on to a regular feature which is included in the format. That`s early this morning, I thought glancing at the time, strange. Still I`ve a bit longer before I need put my feet out and get up.

Very, very shortly after that feature she said, now to the news - but it can`t be I thought looking at the clock part of my clock radio, it only says 6.20, not 6.30. I hurridly put on a light and looked at my watch. Yes it was 6.30. Very strange, I looked back at the clock radio, which had come on at the normal time, but it still said 6.20. I sprang out of bed still trying to puzzle it out.

I`ve reset the clock, so will watch and see what it does today.

Amusing shots

Enjoy another couple of photos from the other day!

A new breed of Crane?? two heads and three legs!

Balancing act!

(and, it`s not camera or editting trickery, the duck really was up there.)

Beautiful !

"Follow the leader"

I went to one of my favourite places yesterday afternoon for a leisurely stroll round in the autumn sunshine, and ofcourse took my camera with me. It seemed to be bath day for a lot of the birds as they were all splashing away cleaning and preening their feathers. And, as you`ll see in the last photo, one in particular seemed to want to show himself (or herself!) off, as, as I stood there he/she extended its wings to the full extent - beautiful.

"Having a splashing time!"

"Is the water cold?"

"Aren`t I beautiful?"

Flying time

It`s Saturday already, I`m sure the hours and days of this week have been shorter than normal! It seems almost impossible that I`m at the last day of my weeks holiday. I`ve still got so much that I wanted to do, places I wanted to go, that I`ve not got done.

Apart from one day, which was drizzly rain, I`ve been lucky and had a week of sunshine - yes, sunshine and warmth (by day at least) in October. I don`t normally holiday in October, but circumstances made me cancel a week last month and have this week instead, I`m glad I did.

Have I really had 5 days holiday - let`s see......

• On Monday, I went shopping with a friend (1 day gone)
• On Tuesday, I took my mother out (2 days gone)
• On Wednesday, I emptied a cupboard, spring cleaned my bedroom (3 days gone)
• On Thursday, I had a friend here for the day (4 days gone)
• On Friday, I collected my Mum, cooked fish & chips for our dinner, then took her shopping (5 days gone)
• Today....... ??????

What shall I do today, to make the most of my last day of "freedom"? No, I shouldn`t really say that, I enjoy my work now and it`s not a drudge or a tie. I`ve got a few things locally that I just must do today, like a church flower arrangement, so I can`t go out for the day. Maybe this afternoon I`ll have an afternoon out.


In the meantime, enjoy another photo the sunset.

Holiday time

I`m on holiday this week, and enjoying it The weekend was very good for weather - sunny and really warm, so I made the most of it, by trying to be outdoors as much as possible. On Saturday, I wandered round a local market and bought myself a couple of skirts. Then returning home, I still felt it was too nice to be indoors, so I got to work setting some heather plants and tulips and daffodil bulbs in pots, before in the afternoon, going to a National Trust property - Felbrigg Hall, which, although fairly close to where I live, I`ve never been to before. I first went on the tour round the house - plenty of old paintings filling all the walls, which I don`t find particularly interesting, I prefer in these old houses/halls to see how people lived and especially love visiting the kitchens. This building was ok, but not very exceptional. I still prefer Blickling Hall.


It was nice though wandering round the walled garden when I came out of the house, and seeing all the unusual plants - like a 100 year old "headache tree" (can`t remember its proper name), and seeing a huge cactus and other plants, whilst enjoying the feel of the sun warm upon me. Yes, warm in October - no coats needed!


I spotted this beautiful waterlily in a small pond set the middle of the formal beds, which were all surrounded by neat box hedging.
One amusing feature of the garden was this seat which had been made to look like a barrow.


Chickens and a couple of cockerels were wandering freely around the garden. The only problem about that, said the person I`d met who was showing me round, was that they eat the plants, especially the vegetable ones before they can grow.

The Orange Sky

The sun began to go down yesterday as we sat in the car at a local beauty spot, and we soon realised that it was going to be a fantastic sunset, so out came my camera!


As the sun sank further down, the sky turned more and more orange, and the clouds shone around their edges as if they were really aglow. It was a stunning scene. We just sat and watched and watched.






(The answer to the church picture, of the last post, is that it is Sandringham church, where the Queen and Royal Family go on Christmas Day)

Day Out

My friend didn`t bring very good weather with her for her holiday - it rained and the wind blew, but this is where we went on Friday. Anyone recognise where it is? It`s quite well known for one particular reason!

And walking up the path to it, we spotted these plants, which we didn`t know either, does anyone know what they are?

Holiday guest

All my rushing around was worth while. My friend arrived as planned and we have a very enjoyable 4 days together - except that the weather decided to change from the nice sunny days of the previous week into cold wind and rain. The gas fires had to be put on for the first time this year. But the weather didn`t stop us going out.

On the first morning we went to a nearby small town where she`d also previously lived (as well as having lived in the same town as I`m in year`s ago), then from there we went on to another largish town, where wandering round the large store there, I saw a Coffee table which I liked. and it had the bonus of two drawers in it - ideal for concealing all the clutter that at times builds up on surfaces in the room I thought. I`d been feeling that my newly decorated lounge just needed something in the middle as when one person sat in the armchair anyone sitting on the settee looked a mile away! So, we measured the table and brought the measurements home.

Next day we went back to purchase the table, as it was the ideal size. Whilst doing so my friend spotted that there was also a small square table in the same design - your tv would look good on that she said! I agreed with her, so have ordered both - they`re coming on Friday.

So we enjoyed our first two days. More about what we did the next day, tomorrow

Rushing around

I`ve had a busy few days. I`ve been trying to catch up with all the jobs that haven`t got done in the last few weeks -

- like filing papers,
- catching up on housework, not the routine, but things one only does occasionally!
- sorting out my parents bedroom now that she`s no longer needing it. What a lot of items I binned from there!
- Shopping
- thinking of menu`s
- making things I`d promised people that I would
- posting off cheques etc...

Why the sudden rush to do all this?......

I`ve got a friend coming to stay from tomorrow for a few days. The first time in my life that I`ve ever had anyone to stay. I`ve not been able to, for various reasons, so now that I`ve the house to myself I can. I`m looking forward to seeing her. No doubt it will call for some late nights as we sit and chat and catch up on all each others news!

It`s a great feeling today too, to be on top of all the jobs.

Last Saturday

After a good day on that Friday, we had a shock and upset on the Saturday evening. My Mum`s man-friend (can`t say boy friend at that age) didn`t go to see her as she epected on the Saturday afternoon. So after she`d made numerous phone calls to his and got no answer, I went round to see if there were any lights on at his in the evening. There weren`t.

Thankfully I didn`t have a key. So I rang the bell of the person the in flat above as I knew them, and luckily they were there (their`s is only a holiday type flat), they came down, but they didn`t have a key either. So he went and got a big torch from his garage to look through the windows. Looking through he could see that Mum`s friend was lying dead on the floor. So that was a shock. Then I had to go and phone my parent and tell her. Surprisingly she seemed as is she expected to hear that and didn`t burst into tears at the time.

In a way, it`s a relief to me that it happened the way it did for him. It would have been so much worse if he`d had had an accident on the way to or from Mum`s, or been at hers. And, to be honest it`s something I`ve always dreaded would happen if he was here or with me in the car, as he was quite elderly.

Although I liked him as a person, I have always resented the way Mum seemed to be putting him in my Dad`s place. And no-one could replace my Dad. So I`ve not shed any tears over this, at the moment, and I don`t think I will.

A Sunny day off

It was my day off work yesterday, and surprisingly the sun shone all day.

I went to get myself a piece of fresh fish from the fishmonger to cook for my dinner. Looking at the display of fish in the fishmongers window I spotted that they had got some of my favourites - Dover Soles, they looked very fresh and enticing. Knowing that my Mother also enjoyed them, I bought two, then rang her up to say I would pick her up and bring her home for lunch. That pleased her!

I had intended taking her shopping in the afternoon to a supermarket, but the sun was so inviting to be outside that it seemed that it would be a waste of a beautiful day to do that, so instead, driving to a car-park in our town, I got out the wheelchair and pushed her round some of the older narrow streets and to sit and look out at the sea. We couldn`t get down onto the promenade because there were far too many steep hills and slopes to tackle. But at least we could sit on the top and look down. And, have an ice-cream!

Later in the afternoon we then went back into the town and did her shopping in some of the shops there before I took her back to her home for tea.

A really good day - unplanned. I think things done on the spur of the moment are often more enjoyable than the planned!

Rescue mission!

As I may have said on my blog before, I don`t like creepy-crawlies, and especially not spiders. This is the time of year when there seem a lot of webs on the shrubs and bushes in the garden. I appreciate the beauty of them, especially when the dew is on them first thing in the morning and they shine in the sunlight, but I don`t like the creatures that make them.

There is one particularly large one across the outside (thankfully the outside, and not the inside!!) of the window near my dining table. Whist I was having my lunch today I became aware of something large flapping near the window. At first i thought it was a leaf blown into the web, then I realised it was a butterfly.

After watching it for a while, I saw that it wasn`t managing to get out of the web, and the spider hadn`t appeared. I couldn`t bear to see it struggling there any longer, so knew I had to go on rescue mission! Not that I`m particularly fond of being near butterflies either but I couldn`t bear seeing it suffer, so out I went with a small piece of stick and managed to get it out of the web and onto the stick... but then, I couldn`t get it off the stick. It still seemed to be stuck by some of the stickiness from the web, although it was vigorously flapping its wings, so with the aid of a second twig I eventually managed to get it off onto the grass.

As it sat(?) laid(?) there on the grass I saw how beautiful it was, so came and got my camera to take these photos to share with you all. What kind of butterfly is it, I don`t know..... but perhaps someone does.

Modern art?

Driving back the other evening after visiting my parent I was enchanted by the view of the full moon. It was so huge and bright in the sky ahead of my all of my journey. So arriving home I dashed in doors to grab my camera before it disappered from view behind a cloud.

Here are the results of my pictures, they aren`t as good as I hoped, but on looking at the one above, I thought it looked almost as if it could be a painting and I quite liked the fuzzy effect so thought I`d share it.

A Special Moment

I was sitting in our church service on Sunday evening for a special service, when the Town Mayor got up to speak to welcome a new Minister.

He (the Mayor) started by saying that he was going to tell us a little of his background. Not very interesting I thought!! but how wrong could I be!

He went on to say that he had very strong memories of being taught by Mr.Xxxx xxxx in the boys class in the old chapel (the one before the current church was built). And how the influence of the nature and teaching of that gentleman had stayed with him all his life.

That teacher, was my Dad.

It was so lovely to hear someone remember and speak about my Dad, someone that I didn`t even know had known my Dad, and even more so because of the sincere way he thought of and spoke of him.

It was a truly Special Moment

Changing Rooms 2

And... here it is.... the finished look.



I don`t know what my decorator friend did - he seems to have pushed the walls out somehow! The room seems and feels twice as big as it did before.

I`ve just got one thing left to do, and that is to decide what, if anything, to hang on the wall above the fire place. We used to have a mirror there. I`m not hanging that one back, as it`s beginning to look `worse for wear`, but can`t decide whether to go for another mirror, or a picture, or to have one of my photo`s blown up to picture size, or to leave the wall blank! Decisions... decisions!!
And, I think I`ll in a few months or so change the carpet too, I`ve never been really keen on it ever since we had it years ago.

Changing Rooms

On Monday my lounge looked like this......




On Tuesday it looked like this.....



Now it looks.....

....... you`ll have to wait till tomorrow to find out!!!!

Clever Creatures

I know some people might call them rodents and nuisances, but I love to see them... what am I talking about - squirrels.

Outside my parents window is a tree, so we decided to hang some peanuts, fat balls and seeds out for the birds. They hadn`t been hanging there long, when a squirrel appeared.


.
Now, how people can call animals dumb creatures, I don`t know. This little chap (or maybe chapess!!) soon worked out a way to get to the fare it wanted. We watched with interest as it climbed the tree, then seemed to look and think out which way to go about getting into the container of peanuts. Very quickly it decided that the only way was to reach out, hanging on by the very tips of its rear legs and it`s tail, while it stretched across to feed.



Then, getting a nut out of the wire container, it hung there upside down to eat it. before repeating the operation many more times.



It wasn`t long before another one joined him, this one though decided to go for the wild bird seed,



After a short while of trying to find out how to eat what he could see, but which was behind plastic, he found the small hole at the bottom where the seed comes out, and put his two front paws (are they paws in a squirrel?) pulled the container to him and got his head into the hole and ate the seed.


What wonderful clever creatures!

Surprising flower

I promised a few days ago that I would show you a view from my window. Well, here it it....

Not exactly a view, but something I spotted from the window and then went out to have a closer look at. How this plant came to be there I do not know. It it growing completely out of the paving in my drive.

What plant it is, I do not know either, but it is so dainty and pretty that I just had to try and take a photo of it. So opening the front door a crack I peered out to see if anyone was around, and seeing no-one was I took out my camera, walked to the edge of the drive by the pavement and got down almost on my hands and knees to try and capture a picture of this beautiful little flower. If anyone had seen me I`m sure they`d think what a mad woman I must be!

And, it`s still flowering even after about 4 or 5 weeks. And, as wonderful is the fact that no-one has trodden on it, postmen, dustmen (sorry - waste disposal operatives, I suppose I should call them?) and anyone else who has been to the house.

What an emblem of delicate strength.


(if you click on the picture it will come up larger)

Off...

By this time today there should have been a flurry of activity going on in the house, of last minute jobs as we (or I should say I!) packed the car with cases, coats, bags and all the paraphernalia for going off on holiday, checked that windows were shut, rubbish put out and all the hundred and one jobs one does before such an event.

The sun`s shining and it looks the perfect morning for a long drive to the South Coast.

But... it`s cancelled.

For as long as I can remember from a child, we`ve always gone on holiday the first week in September/or first week after the Bank Holiday Monday. And we`d booked to go that week again this year. But, having got my Mum into a place of Housing with Care, because of the way she has become unsteady on her feet, I just dare`t take the risk of taking her away on holiday on my own. So, I cancelled the holiday. I know I could perhaps have gone on my own, but it didn`t seem fair to do that. So, I`ve cancelled it at work too, and will take a week later in the year.

But seeing the sun and beautiful morning that it is today....... no, I must stop thinking along those lines....

I have, however, "treated" myself to something else.... but more about that next week!

3,333

If three thousand, three hundred and thirty three is the answer, what was the question?

I remember as a youngster looking at our canary and asking my parent "How many feathers does it have?" and that was her answer. Now, whether that was the true answer of just her guess at it, or her answer to stop me asking more questions, I don`t know.

But, having just had our newest canary go through his first moult, I seem to think she might have been right! There have been feathers flying for weeks. From the large long wing and tail feathers (yes, he looked quite cute even without a tail for a few days until it quickly grew again) to cute tiny soft curly ones. As soon as I`d hoovered them up, there were more on the carpet. And, ofcourse he stopped singing while he was moulting. And it has gone on for weeks.

Now, yesterday evening, after having a flap of wings and little fly round in his cage, he started tweeting in a different tone, as if finding his voice, and then started to give a few little trills. I was thrilled to hear that again, I`d begun to think he wasn`t going to sing again. Hopefully now he`ll soon be back to full song - a beautiful sound.

What wonderful creatures birds are.

Bank Holiday

It`s Bank Holiday Monday..... and.... the sun`s shining! Quite unusual isn`t it?! And this year for the first time ever, I`ve not had to work on the last three bank holiday Mondays. So, I`m off out for a while shortly, and then will probably enjoy the luxury of sitting in the garden with a good book this afternoon for an hour or so.

What a lovely feeling to have a whole free day stretching ahead of me. So I`m not going to spend any more time at the lap-top now, I`m off!!!!

Games waste money

So, Team GB has won some gold medals at the 2008 Olympics - what good really is that to any of us? Or to the starving, homeless and sick people of the world?

It makes me so mad, to hear of the millions of pounds being spent on training a few individuals so that they can run, swim, cycle or whatever just to get a medal for themselves, ok, so it`s for their country you might say - but what actual good does it do their country?

And that`s without the millions, about £900m I`ve just read, that this country is planning it will cost to host the 2012 games. Just think how much suffering in the world that could alleviate. And, why suddenly can a government find this sort of money to waste on this, yet not find money to support the Health service, education and basis necessities of people.

It`s certainly a mad, crazy world and times that we are living in.

Back - but for how long?

I can`t work this out. My connection which had been down for several days suddenly came back on again on Friday. Well, I say normally - I`d unplugged everything (as instructed when I rang the ISP provider the previous week) dozens of time, left it unplugged, reconnected all the leads into their various sockets at least once, and usually more times than that, every day all with nothing happening.

Then having unplugged it and left it unplugged all Thursday night, on Friday morning I plugged it in yet again..... and it worked. I`m still waiting though for the MAC code which I requested from my supplier last Monday Three to five working days they said. I make it over that now. So I think another phone call is called for tonight.

I haven`t had time to blog though until this morning. I had a guest to entertain on Sunday, so Saturday was spent trying to get the house a bit tidier. Having moved furniture out to my parent`s new place the other week, I`ve still got piles of items that came out of the drawers, desk etc.... all stood about waiting to be found homes.
Then last night I had a lovely suprise visit from another friend who`s moved nearer to here. So, it`s been a good weekend for me.

Gone again

Well, I can`t after all show you what`s out of my window - that will have to wait for another day. My connection at home went down again yesterday. I think maybe I should change Provider? I`m getting fed up with it constantanly cutting out on me.

And, Yes, I have paid my bill each month!!

What can I see?

I came across this while trying to think what to write....

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

I might show you what I saw from the window, tomorrow!

A cautious Yippeee!

After receiving the new plug and lead, to try and get me back on line, I dutifully plugged it all in and waited expectantly...... nothing.

So, another phone call to the ISP company. After a half hour on the phone, unplugging USB lead, ethenet lead, connecting them the opposite way to what they had been (not that they were wrong because they`d worked that way for years!), pressing this key and that key and still nothing working, the phone cut me off! (I looked at the time I`d been on it for 30 minutes and got nowhere)

I dialled the number again, went through all the "Press 1 for...." "press 4 for...." "press....." "press...." until I got a human being!. Then had to give all the details again. Got told to do exactly the same things as the previous person had told me..... I said I`ve already done that several times before I got cut off a few minutes ago. Just do it again, so that we can go through the whole process... I was told. So I obeyed. Still the red light flashed quickly and nothing happened. "I`ll have to go and ask someone else" said the voice at the other end. The phone went quiet.

Whilst waiting for her, I noticed that the light had now changed and become steady on the Livebox, so I thought I`ll just try clicking to open my emails..... and..... it worked. I tried one or two other web sites, all ok. So, waiting another few minutes and the `Voice` hadn`t come back, I put the phone down. That was another 20 minute phone call.

So, at the moment I`m back online..... hurrah!

Still Here

Incase anyone wonders where I`ve got to.... I`m still here, but, I lost my internet connection on Friday night and still haven`t got it back.

It just cut off suddenly about 9 p.m, and I thought, oh, well it will be back in the morning - but Saturday it wasn`t. I had a lot to do that day, so didn`t bother, just thinking there was a problem with the ISP provider or that they were updating systems or whatever they say they do from time to time. But, when by Sunday evening it wasn`t back, I began to get both annoyed and frustrated. So, I rang them. They told me to do, what I`d already tried doing (but I didn`t tell them that, I dutifully did as I was told), unplugged the Livebox and then reconnected it... but nothing except still the quick flashing red light, which shouldn`t be quickly flashing.

So, he said, it must be to do with (and I can`t remember what he called it - not being techincally minded in that way). I`ll send you a new one out. The plug thing arrived today, and at lunch time I quickly plugged it in..... and waited expectantly.......and......... still the red light flashed quickly and nothing connected. I hadn`t time then to fiddle around with it, but will tonight. But I suspect that it`s going to mean another phone call, because I don`t think that`s going to solve the problem. grrrrrrrrr.

I got permission from one of my bosses to use the work computer after I finished my work, so that I could so some church work that I needed, and so as I`ve time to spare I`m updating you on what`s happened.

I didn`t realise how much I used the Internet, until I hadn`t got it!

Moving Day

The moving day wasn`t without one or two hiccups!

It started well. The moving van and men to move the two big chairs arrived 10 minutes early, so that was a really good start to the day, and meant that I had time to go over to let them in and still be back here for the time I needed to be.

I`d left the staff to see the bed in when it arrived. On going over after an early lunch I found - yes the bed had arrived, but it was still all wrapped in its protective polythene coverings with no legs on it and not assembled up. Normally when this firm deliver to us they unpack everything, take the packaging away and see that items are installed in place. I stood there for a few minute beginning to panic as to what to do, as shortly my parent would be expecting to be collected and see a bed ready for the night. I knew I couldn`t get it in place on my own. I went looking for a member of staff and they quickly found a male member of staff to help me.

Problem solved.

Now just to wait for the man with the van with the fridge, tv and maybe the cooker. He arrived on time. I was impressed. I directed him to the best place to unload and he efficiently got the fridge out of the van, unpacked it outside, and carried the fridge in. It fitted into the allocated space, was plugged in and that was fine. Next he did the same with the cooker, it again fitted the space. He plugged it in to try in, and nothing happened. He tried various controls on it, but no sign (or feel) of life to it. Maybe its the socket, so he tried the plug in a different socket. Still nothing. Then I noticed that the light had gone off of the clock radio in the bedroom. A fuse had gone. So, whilst I went off the find a member of staff to sort that out (and anyone knowing me, will know that I don`t like having to do things like that and bother people and especially that day as they had a party going on), he went to get the tv in and unpacked.

Having done that he plugged the tv in and it worked. So, trying also the clock radio again we found that the power was back on. He tried the cooker again, yes, the light came on and one of the plates started to heat. Trying the switch for the other plate on it, the tv went off! so too did the clock radio! and the cooker!

Something to do with the cooker was blowing the fuses!! He said "I`ll go and phone my boss, while you find someone to put the power back on". I didn`t relish having to do that at all ! Anyway I found a different person this time and again, without any trouble, she found the key and did the necessary to reinstate the power.

Now we`ve to wait for an engineer to come out from the cooker manufacturers this week to sort it out. We could have ordered a replacement cooker from the shop (which could take a couple of weeks) or else have the engineer. I opted for the engineer, incase it did the same again with a replacement one, at least with the engineer he would see what happened with his product and could then if necessary replace it.

So, something that should have taken about half an hour to get done had ended up taking about three times that long. And although Mum would have a fridge and tv, she`d not have a cooker yet. And a BT telephone line will take another couple of weeks - but that`s another long story!!

Still, she moved in later that afternoon, and seems happy with the flatlet, which is a great relief.

Today`s the Day

Yes, today`s the day we`ve been waiting for. A bed arrives and my parent can move into her new home.

But, why, or why does it always fall that everything happens on the same day?

To start the day, I`ve some removal men coming to move Mum`s two big electric chairs (no not to electrocute her!) from here to there. That was ok, because I can still get back here for something I want to go to later this morning. But then I`m told the bed will be delivered between 9 a.m. and 12 noon. - now that`s the problem - we desperately want the bed, but I also want to be able to attend the service I attend on a Friday, because its a special one today in a way. The fridge and tv and the little cooker (if its arrived at the shop), will be delivered this afternoon. I was going to get Mum to move her mid afternoon - but the place she`s going to has a big retirement party on for a member of staff from 2 p.m., so will be packed and there won`t be much likelihood of parking there. Then there`s event at our church in the evening which I need to be at, as I`ve partly been responsible for arranging it. -

What a day it`s going to be. I feel tired before I start!

I`ve (I hope), worked out solutions......The Care place is kindly going to let the furniture delivery men in. I`m getting them to let the chairs in too, because if I go to let them in and the bed arrives before I get away, I could be stuck for getting back here for the service. Then I`ll go over there after that, take myself a picnic lunch and stay until the fridge and tv arrive. Then collect my parent, but not take her there till about 4.30-5p.m. Then either stop and have tea there, or go back and collect her for the evening event and take her back after. She doesn`t have to be in by a certain time, I have checked that out.

Wish me luck that all goes to plan.

Ten Tons Lighter

I feel ten tons lighter.

No, I`ve not been on a slimming diet, I got some keys yesterday.
The keys to my mothers new flatlet in the Care accommodation she`s moving into. What a weight that feels to be lifted off me. In fact, two separate people this week have said to me "you look so much better" "really different", "a different person". And I feel it.

Yesterday I went into the flatlet and (you`ll laugh at this) took lots of strips of white paper, two tape-measures and measurements of some furniture from here. Getting down on my knees on the floor, I carefully measured and then made outlines of the white paper strips to see how things would fit in. One of the staff came in to speak to me as I was doing it, looked at what I was doing and said "I`ve never seen that done before! What a good idea!, what an organised person you are". I`ve never moved house (as I think I`ve said before on here), but it seemed a logical thing to me to do.

Now, the test comes this morning, when shortly I`ve two men and a van coming to move some of the lighter furniture items over to there for me. But, Mum can`t move in yet, because the bed we`ve ordered won`t come until next week. Still, it will give me time to get everything else in place for her. I hope!

Him or Her

Looking at this lovely picture on this Blog, and a comment I made, set me thinking....

Why is it that when watching birds, or sometimes animals at a distance (unless the distinction is obvious), we tend to always refer to them as "he"? They could just as well be a "she" but we never tend to think of that, and I`ll guess it`s not only me that does it, is it?

Good News

I heard at last this week that my parent has been allocated a place in a care housing complex just a short way from where I live. It`s a lovely light, bright, purpose built modern building where she will have her own flatlet - sitting room with kitchenette, bedroom and beautiful big bathroom. I quite envy her the bathroom!

My mother seems happy about it. I think she feels a lot easier knowing that at the press of a button or pull on a cord there will be someone there 24/7 for anything she needs.

So now it`s thinking of what furniture and household items she can take from here, what will fit in, and what she needs to buy. I`ve been out this week and bought curtain material and an aunt is kindly going to make them up for her.

What a relief it all is, I feel that a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

Fruits of labour

The first fruits of my labour! You may remember that earlier this year I showed you a picture of my tiny seedlings just starting to grow in the new vegetable patch I`d planted this year....

.....well, today I reaped the first harvest from them. Ok, I know they`re small, but I like small carrots, and oh they tasted so sweet.

Jugs of Wine

Enjoy these jugs of wine today.
No time to write anything else!

Roller Coaster day

What a roller-coaster of a day yesterday was for us. I`ve not been on a roller-coaster in my life, but I understood yesterday how people can describe feelings and emotions as being on one. Up and down and up and down and up and......

Meeting the Social Services worker yesterday, she was pushing for Mum to come home again after the 2 weeks respite care. I know that I can`t cope with her needs if she was at home, and she is worried about being here particularly at nights. (Infact, having spoken to a church friend, who had been to visit her in the home, before I went to the home, she said that Mum was accepting the fact that she needed care.) I said that she needed to be cared for, and Mum herself agreed, but No, said the S.S.Worker, that`s the last resort, I can`t put her forward to the committee for that until we`ve tried everything else.

So, (to cut a long story short), I had to say to the S.S.Person, that I`m not having Mum home. It was hard. I wept. Tears came I think from a mixture of emotions, because I felt so hard having to say that; I felt inadequate that I couldn`t care for her; that I wanted the best for her..... and that they didn`t seem to be willing to give me the help we both needed.

Then the S.S.Worker said after the fortnight Mum might be moved to a home in a town even further away and Mum got upset at that. And I don`t blame her. Whilst friends might at a pinch drive a 30 minute drive to see her, I can`t imagine them doing a 40-50 minute one just to visit. She`d feel so cut off.

Eventually, S.S.Person suggested another idea, that we look at a place where they each have an individual "flatlet" and look after themselves as much or little as they can and help is always on hand to do the things they can`t. This place being about 5-10 minutes away from home. That was a better suggestion. So in the afternoon I took Mum to see it. She fell in love with it at first sight!, its a good modern purpose built building, with everything on site. Nice size living/kitchen room, bedroom and bathroom. It would mean she could take her own furniture, have her own phone... etc., be as independent as she wanted yet within a caring community.

But, it`s not cut and dried, because although we`ve said Yes it would be ideal and we`d like it, it now has to go to a panel of people to decide on Friday. Talking to the person who showed us around, there are 3 free flatlets - but we don`t know how many are on the waiting list for them.

We just wait in hope.



Tomorrow, I`ll try and give you a more cheerful and bright blog entry!

So far, so good

I got Mum safely to the Care home on Friday and she`s got a nice size bright room on the ground floor, and, surprisingly, she didn`t protest when we went to leave. Even she, when I visited on Sunday afternoon, said it`s nice and level in here. (At home we`ve ridges and slightly different levels from the carpet edging to kitchen tiled floor, bathroom etc). So maybe she`ll come to see that it is for the best.

The "telling point" as to the future will be today. I`ve to meet the Social Services person there this morning when she comes to do an Assessment on Mum.

I feel very blessed to have such a good church family. I`ve had countless inquiries as to how Mum is, and a number of them are either going to write to her, send her a card, give her a ring (she`s got her mobile phone with her), and go and see her. One has even offered to (if she can), go and fetch her and bring her to see a flower festival, and take her back again. As well as all those offers, there have been those who have offered me support, both practical, and someone to talk to.

Result

After serveral more phone calls yesterday, and stressing the urgency of the need, I got a phone call back from the Social Services at tea time to say, they`d found a place for Mum for respite care for a fortnight (to start with).

But.... it`s in a small village about a half-hours drive away. Now, Mum I know wanted somewhere in the town where she lives, which is understandable, but on asking they said they`d tried over 12 different places. I accepted what they offered.
So the difficulty was how to tell her! Evenutally, I think she accepted it.

The difficult bit could now well be when it comes to take her there this afternoon. I`m getting quite knotted up inside already with the thoughts that she might change her mind and not decide to go when it comes down to it. Yet, she (and I) need her to, and after all the work they`ve done to find somewhere, we must take it up.

Ring......

Following on from what happened yesterday, I feel I just can`t take any more. So in a way it was quite a traumatic day, as first we waited for the doctor to come to see my parent, sometime between 12 and 3 I was told when I rang up. So, as I wanted to be there when they came I took time off work.

What time did the doctor arrive 5 to 3. She asked us both lots of questions, asked Mum to show her how she did walk... so up gets Mum, and walks better and quicker (well quicker for her) than she has for weeks!... Was I mad! Anyway on insistence on my part that I felt Mum should go into a home for respite care, she (yes, it was a lady doctor) told me to ring Social services, which I did.

A very nice person answered the phone, asked a lot more questions tried to connect me to the right departments, was unable to, so said they`d ring me back. It got to 5p.m - no phone call, so thinking they would be finishing work about then, I rang again, but was assured that no, someone would definitely ring me.

About 7p.m. the phone call came. More questions. And, the outcome.... they`re going to pass it today to District Assessment and someone is going to ring me!

I await developments.

Did I hear a voice?

It was just gone 5 a.m. and I awoke from a deep sleep thinking am I dreaming or did I hear a voice.

I got out of bed to investigate.... and there`s my mother on the floor in her bedroom, she`d fallen again. Well, I say on the floor she was on her knees on the floor having fell that way and unable to get up. Again I couldn`t lift her. So again I had to make a 999 call. Thankfully the crew arrived in very quick time, and eventually between them they got her up.

It really worries me, having her living with me like that and likely to fall at any time. I feel that the time has come when she ought to be in a home where she can be cared for and have trained people on call. But, can I convince her of that, for her safety and good as well as for mine and my peace of mind?

A Stoney Fish

A fishy work of art!
I saw this while I was on holiday recently, and was captivated to stand and look at it to take in all the details. It was, as you`ll see below, part of a much larger piece of artwork, the whole thing really fascinating. So detailed and intricate.



How I`d love to have something like it in my garden (albeit on a smaller scale)!

Catching up

Gosh, where has this week gone to? It`s Friday already and I`ve only found time to write one post this week. And, I`ve not had time to read many blogs either, so will catch up on them next week (hopefully) after an event I`m working for at the weekend is over.

Isn`t it strange how throughout the years, you can go weeks with no special events to work for and plan for, yet when they do come they come within weeks of each other. Bad planning I suppose you might say, but when they`re things that have to be on certain dates there`s no way of getting around it.

Still, at the moment I`m feeling quite calm about it all.

One "strange" coincidence happened this week. I was talking to some friends who were helping me with a job and seeing a name of a lady on some paperwork we were doing asked if she was the wife of a man they knew. On further discussion it turned out that she wasn`t, although she had the same hobby as the other lady.

Later that evening I had a phone call from another lady who was going to take part in the event next month for us, to say she was very sorry but she had been in hospital and been told that she mustn`t do anything. Now, at this stage I could have panicked - but on putting the phone down I recalled the conversation in the afternoon with my friends, so I rang them to ask if they could ask the lady they knew if she would like to take part. And... the result was - Yes, she would like to.

It somehow seemed as if it was "meant to be". Was it a coincidence? or what?!

Home

I`m home again, having had a wonderfully relaxing holiday. Now it`s back to - no, I`m not going to say reality - I`ll say back to routine, to not being my own person. Last week, I was ME. An adult with other adults, doing things at normal speed, going out, walking at normal speed, untied. Now, its back to being a "mother and child" feeling, somehow not a person in my own right (at home anyway, not at work, that`s different again). How I wish I`d moved out years ago and become my own person.

Last week seemed more like reality than this does. I felt more at home there than I do in my own home with my parent being here all the while. I just felt so accepted as I was.

It`s very hard to put into words exactly what I mean, and this might read as a load of senseless words, but I know what I mean!

A Walk in the Park

Enjoying a walk round a large lake in a park today, we came across these beautiful swans with their two cygnets. The (I assume) male one on the left was very protective of his family, and as we went to go down some steps on to the path, he got up and started walking towards us, as if to say you`re not to come any further, I`ve got babies here. And, so, knowing how strong such a bird could be, we retreated and joined the path a bit further on where I managed to turn around to capture this photo after he`d settled down beside his family having seen the "danger" off.

An Evening Stroll

The sun shone all day yesterday, and what more perfect way of ending the day than enjoying an evening stroll along the promenade with a friend. How beautiful the sun beginning to go down over the sea was. The silver path it was creating across the water and the rivulets of water on the sand.

But, what a sad sight too was this beautiful ship that had run aground earlier in the year and was lying on its side stuck in the sand.



It is hard to show how huge it is, and it really does make one stand in awe and wonder at the strengh and power of waves and water.

Today`s the Day

In under an hours time, I should be on my way. The start of my holiday. I think I finally got things sorted so that my mother cannot put any more obstacles in the way. My aunt is kindly coming up to sleep here, so Mum`s not on her own at night.

The only problem getting away this morning, is that it`s a bit of a misty, foggy morning here - so... you can imagine what my parent goings to say about me driving with it like that! The weathermen say it will brighten up, so I`m not over bothered about it.

I had a day full of "nervous energy" yesterday, doing this and that, and all sorts of bits. I couldn`t settle down. I`m a bit that way this morning too. I always hate the day before a holiday because, for some reason, I think I must do this, I must do that, I must get that ready,.....etc....etc..... Yet, a lot of those things could be left until I come back. Why, I wonder is it that I do that, or are others the same? Yet, too I think keeping busy stops me thinking and getting nervous myself about the holiday.

Party Time

I`m not really very much of a party person. No, that`s wrong.. I should say I`m not a party person at all. I don`t enjoy them at all. But the other week I received an invitation to a relatives Golden Wedding Party. Not having many relations, I felt that I really couldn`t say no.

Opening the invitation envelope and unfolding the sheet, I read it, and then read it again to see if I`d read it right. A very unusual venue for an big Celebration like a 50th. Wedding Anniversary I thought.

No, it wasn`t a large hotel,

nor even a small hotel.

Not a big posh restaurant,

not Chinese, Indian, Thai, nor any other kind of weird foreign food that I won`t eat.

So, last Saturday night, off we went, there were about thirty people there, ok, not a large party, but I still felt very much, as always, an odd one out. The place had not made any attempt to put tables together and a lot of us sat (me included) with our backs to each other. All I could face was a wall and an elderly person I didn`t know opposite me. We were a table of six people and of the other at least 4 of them were well over 80, well, nearer 90 than 80! So that made for a really scintillating evening! (I don`t think). As soon as I could decently make a get-away I did.

The food was nice.

Where were we?......

.......in the local fish and chip shop down a side road!

Torn

Sorry to anyone who`s come here for a cheerful bright read, but today I`m not feeling in the mood to do that, infact that`s why I haven`t posted much lately. I`ve just got such a problem on my mind that`s making me feel torn in two that I`m going to have to write about it here.

This time next week, I should be off on a week`s holiday on my own to some friends - a break that I can badly do with. But the great problem is my parent. It`s not just the holiday situation that is the issue, but it has enlarged it.

My parent is becoming increasingly less mobile and less able to do things, even everyday things for living, like lifting a kettle, getting plates etc off even the low shelf in the cupboard etc..etc. She is very unsteady on her feet and losing her confidence in even walking a few steps, indoors as well as out.

I am feeling it too much of a responsibility on my own, and hard as this may sound I`d like to get her into a home to be looked after. But...having tried to mention it to her..... well, you can imagine the reaction, can`t you?! It`s "you don`t want me" *you want to get rid of me" ^you wish I was dead".

I`m just feeling so torn - torn between wanting a life of my own, before I`m old and decrepit to enjoy it and to make some friends and the responsibility of her. It`s getting me down and I feel so alone.

Hunt the.........

.... no not Hunt the Thimble, but we`ve been doing something similiar to that old children`s party game this afternoon and evening....

....I`ve been playing "hunt the mobile phone"!

I went to take my phone out of my handbag when I got to work this morning, and it wasn`t there. It must be at home, I thought, not unduly worried. Going home at lunch time, I went to the obvious places where I sometimes put it, but it wasn`t there either.

I couldn`t remember when I last had it. I knew I`d definitely had it on Friday, and think I`d had it Saturday or Sunday evening, but wasn`t sure. So we started to look for it. We searched high and low in the house, even in the most unlikely of places too, including the paper recycling bin outside; the summerhouse and garden shed; the laundy basket.... and so on. Perhaps it fell out in the car, so the car was turned inside out too, but to no avail. I began to think I must have lost it out at one of the Flower Festivals which I went to at the weekend, so rang up people we knew connected with both the churches, and they said they`d have a look round and ask for me. I rang the shop I went to yesterday morning to get a loaf of bread, but no luck there.

I thought, ah!..I know, if I dial the number it will ring and I can locate it from that if its in the house - so I dialled the number..... but..... I`d, as usual, turned the phone off, so that idea didn`t work.

It`s not that I use it a lot, I seldom ring anyone from it but I do like to have one when I`m out and when in the car, so I began looking on the web at prices and ideas for getting a new one as I thought that was what I`d have to do.

Now, a few minutes ago I went into my bedroom, for the umpteenth time..... and.... moving a chair, which I`d moved before, there on the chair sat my mobile phone!

One of the activities I enjoy is visiting flower festivals, and this weekend I found two churches to visit.
So here are some pictures from one of them for you to enjoy too.

'Red sky at night, shepherds delight`..



`Birds of a feather flock together'

Favourite beauty

Having posted a photo of a beautiful flower in our garden last week, I just have to follow that up with a picture of my favourite flower. Also in the garden.

Of all the flowers there are, the Lily of the Valley is my favourite. It`s so dainty, its bells all so perfect and so pettily shaped. It looks so fragile, yet is so strong.


And, it has a wonderful perfume. So amazing for the size of the flowers is the strength of perfume which exudes from it. I put just 6 stems of it in a vase and it has perfumed the room, and it`s not a perfume that quickly fades, it lasts for several days.

Lily of the Valley is top of my favourite flower list. Wonder what tops others lists?

Brill

I`m going to tell you about the brill meal I had today.....

It started by taking some large red potatoes, peeling them, carefully cutting them with a knife into slices and then into strips before plunging them into hot fat, where they sizzled away nicely for several minutes until they came out like this.






Next, I took the lovely fresh whole fish, washed it, dried it and put it to drain. Flour was mixed with water and a little bicarbonate of soda to make a batter. The fish was then immersed in the batter to get thoroughly coated and dropped into the deep fat fryer, and cooked until the fish was succulent and the batter light and crispy.



Result - a plate of beautiful Brill and chips.
A Brill Meal !

Beauty

I just had to take a photo of these flowers in our garden today and share them with you. They looked so beautiful with the sun shining on it. What an intricate work of nature they are.

Red or White?

This jug and the colour of the curtain behind it, got me thinking about the first miracle of Jesus when he turned water into wine.

Whenever that miracle it portrayed in film, or in illustrations, the wine is always shown as red wine. But, I got to thinking - was it red wine, would it have been red wine or white wine? In the Bible story, afer Jesus told the disciples to fill the jars with water and take them to the master of the banquet to taste (John 2: 7-9) the water had been turned into wine.

It seems more logical to me to think that the when they poured the water out for the master of the banquet to taste, that it still looked clear like water, and that the water had actually became white wine. After all, wouldn`t there have been more written about the servants reaction if they`s poured the wine out for the master to taste and it had come out as red, and not as white?

I know that for film/illustrations it`s more dramatic to show red as the contrast - but which would it really have been?