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.