A Mixed Bag

I wasn’t altogether looking forward to this morning. It was to be a re-run of the vaccine trip, and I anticipated a struggle in more ways than one. But, in reality, it wasn’t too bad after all.

I had expected a bit of a tussle with Mum, winkling her out of her front door, but despite the fact that she turned her nose up at the idea of going for a jab, and turned a baleful eye to me, saying, “I’d really rather not,” she got her outdoor clothes on with very little fuss, got in the car willingly, and placidly waited in the wheelchair until she was called in.

The surgery was well-organised again, and so was the car park. I sailed into the car park, no bother, and slotted into a disabled spot before running in to see if there was a wheelchair available. Two minutes and a wheelchair was produced. And then, when we presented ourselves at the entrance, we were shown down to a treatment room straight away and the job was done before you could say, ‘Bob’s your uncle’.

Mum was happy to be back in her flat, but she had behaved impeccably, much to my relief. I settled her into her reclining chair, made her a cup of tea, gave her a couple of paracetamol (just in case) and gathered up her washing to bring home. Her lunch was delivered, so I left saying, “Someone will be coming shortly to serve you your lunch, Mum.”

When I got back home, I had a cuppa and then checked on the app that tells me whether the carer has been to Mum or not. There hadn’t been a visit. I fretted about it and so thought I’d better go back and make sure Mum had had her lunch. When I arrived, it was clear someone had been. The plate and cutlery were all ready, but the food was still in its foil containers, untouched. Mum couldn’t remember anyone having been in. It transpires that Mum had said she wasn’t hungry so the carer had simply left it at that. Anyway, she tucked into the food once I set it out for her and then I went on my merry way.

We briefly saw Michael and Danielle at lunchtime as they called to collect some wallpapering materials. They had been to Abbey Fields to look after Freddie for an hour while Paul and Harriet were out, and so called in on their way home. It was such a fleeting visit that I felt exceedingly dissatisfied, not having had a good ‘fix’ of family time. I was thrilled later on, though, when they sent pictures of William’s new bedroom decorated so far…roar!

This afternoon we pottered about with this and that; John making a great big batch of sandwich rolls which will hopefully see him through for a week or more; and I toddled off for a little walk across the fields. John’s back is still twinging so he thought a walk might be detrimental rather than beneficial today.

By the time I set off, however, it was nearing twilight. I love a twilight walk. The afternoon has paused; it is hushed and waiting for nighttime to fall. Nighttime is stealthily creeping in and the birds are all a-twitter, raucously screaming ‘night-night’ to each other. It’s always a special feeling at twilight for me. Loved it.

Once I got back, we prepared and ate our evening meal and then set ourselves up for a lovely Skype session with Pete and Dawn. I am not sure why, but I started the evening feeling a bit grumpy. It soon wore off, however, as we chatted away with our dear friends. In fact, there were moments when we were giggling so much that our sides ached. It is just such a blessing to have friends who know us so well that we can let our hair down. Great fun.

We mulled over the current state of affairs and generally commiserated with each other on the restrictions. We nodded our agreement with each other that it was necessary though – torture, but necessary – and hoped that people would be sensible taking all the relevant precautions so that we can have some relaxation to meet up soon, even if it’s outside.

We have had an ‘allsorts’ day today – a mixed bag of activities and sensations going on: feeling up, then down, then back up again; raring to go one minute and feeling ‘flop’ the next; happy one minute then irritable the next. Life would be very boring though, if we operated on the same wavelength the whole time, wouldn’t it?

We haven’t watched the news avidly today, but we do know how things are on the COVID front. Still not good, and lots of very worried scientists wondering how the NHS is going to cope with ever more people going into hospitals with the effects of the virus.

• 59,937 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours
• 1,035 people died in the community in the last 24 hours having tested positive for the virus
• 380 people died in hospitals on 7 & 8 January having tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 28 days
• 4,051 people were admitted to hospital with COVID-19 on Tuesday 5 January

So, while our day was pretty good, there are lots of families who are suffering badly today. I say a prayer for each and every one of them, that they might find solace among friends and family, and strength to brave the world.

Stay safe everyone. God bless.