A better day

The sun was shining. Well, that was a good start. I wondered what the temperature was, and whether I’d be able to sit outside and have my breakfast. I stepped out of the patio door and thought, ‘Well, why not? It feels good to me,’ So I did. A great start to the day.

Our indoor/outdoor thermometer hadn’t been working however, and needed new batteries, so while I was out there I sorted it out. I think it might take its time to steady itself though, because the temperature reading suggested 15 degrees out in the back garden. The car told me it was 8 degrees in the front garden and still only 10 degrees when I was on my journey over to Coleshill to look at a care home for Mum. Whatever the actual temperature was, it didn’t matter. It felt lovely and warm to me.

The care home was taking every precaution in allowing anyone into the building. Take a lateral flow test, wait half an hour and, if you’re deemed clean you can come in. I took the opportunity to sit outside in their little garden while waiting for the test result to come back. It. Was. Bliss. The bench had been warmed by the sun and was pleasant to sit on. In front of me swarmed busy bees, their legs packed with pollen picked up from the mass of Camelia flowers. Perfect meditation material.

The care home was very pleasant and I thought it would suit Mum perfectly. The staff I spoke to were very friendly, and it didn’t feel as clinical as the other three I had looked at. It may be that I am doing the others an injustice as I only viewed them virtually, but this home was exactly as it looked on the virtual tour online, so I was happy. I said, ‘Yes, please, I’d like Mum to have the room’ to which the girl showing me round said she’d let the manager know and we’d go from there.

In my head, I thought I’d have to do a lot of arranging and phoning round and trundling Mum from the hospital to the care home, but it transpires not. The Care Home Service that I am using is sorting all of that and, once I’d let them know, they have arranged for Mum’s discharge and transfer to take place on Thursday. Keeping my fingers crossed that it still all goes ahead smoothly…..

Unexpectedly, I felt extremely emotional at having made the decision. I thought I was OK until I phoned the warden at the flats where Mum is now, to let her know, and I suddenly came over all wibbly-wobbly. Immediate thoughts of whether it’s the right thing to do; whether I have looked after Mum well enough; how she will feel going to a strange place, and so on. John, of course, was my ‘strength and stay’. Of course it’s the right thing to do; and yes, you have looked after your Mum well enough; and she’ll soon get used her new surroundings. I do hope so. I hope she’ll be happy there.

We had a cup of tea when I got back from my trip to Coleshill and sat in the lounge. John was playing poker and fiddling about on his laptop. I thought I might watch a bit of Bargain Hunt and the news….. crikey! It’s Groundhog Day……..I woke up an hour later….. but there is nothing wrong with me. I had a blood test and it’s all normal. What do you reckon folks? Old age? Regular afternoon naps now required?

John was still playing poker or having his afternoon nap when Harriet phoned. “Have you got any suitcases we can borrow, please?” They are moving house on Friday and need suitcases to pack all their belongings into ready for transporting across to their new house. “Yep. No worries – I’ll fish them out of the loft.”

Well, that little exercise got me going – clambering up and down two flights of stairs and navigating the various beams in the attic, ducking down to avoid bumping my head or climbing over them. The ‘fishing out’ of the suitcases necessitated four trips up and down those flights of stairs. Good for the waistline no doubt.

And, who’d have thought that suitcases could evoke such nostalgic thoughts? That’s the one we bought when we went to Florida…… oh, and those we inherited from Graham and Gail when they left for Australia…….ah…..and that one Mum and Dad bought me when I went to college…..and this one is the one we bought to transport your PJs, John, when you went to hospital….and that one was Aunty Flo and Uncle Albert’s cabin bag from the 1960s….. Oh, yes, we’ve got them all!

We took the suitcases over to Kenilworth and sat in the garden and drank a cup of tea. Another blissful interlude. Freddie was delighted to see us and we played together; and Harriet was pleased, I think, to have short break – she has such a lot to think about just now, so it was good to talk. We were delighted to see Lily who arrived home, having been to the bank to make ready for a trip into Birmingham tomorrow. And then, just as we were on the way home, we managed to snatch a word with Paul, whom we saw walking home from having had his hair cut. My cup was full.

My cup was even fuller when Michael phoned this evening. They were out on the patio, sitting on their new patio furniture, finishing their tea. William was very excited to be able to show us the new chairs and table. Wonderful.

So it’s been a much better day today, albeit a bit emotional and, as a non sequitur, here are today’s figures.

• 2,472 people tested positive for the virus today
• 23 people died with the virus in the community in the last 24 hours
• 10 people died in hospitals with the virus on 11 & 12 April
• And it’s Day 16 since the lifting of Lockdown 3 and Day 2 of our new, limited freedoms; Day 386 since Lockdown 1; Day 392 since our self-imposed Lockdown 1

Take care everyone. God bless. And thank you to everyone who has us on their prayer list – much needed, much appreciated.