Starting Part Two

Oof! The Covid ‘n Flu jab did me in yesterday! I set off to the surgery as merrily as you like and came back all hunky dory but, by the afternoon, I was beginning to feel like a soggy dishcloth inside and a prickly urchin on the outside. Ached all over and generally felt lousy. The night wasn’t much better and I creaked and groaned all night.

It didn’t stop me enjoying the visit from Paul, Harriet and Freddie though. They called in for a little while and it was a delight to sit with Freddie as he practised his keyboard skills and then potter up to the shops with him, both chattering all the way, to buy Halloween stuff in readiness for the great ‘porch decorating’ event at the end of the month.

This morning I started to feel a bit better and by the afternoon all symptoms – bar the sore arms – had passed. Phew! I wasn’t so keen on feeling unwell when I want to look after John. Still, all good now.

We have had a gentle day today and, in some ways, it has felt a bit long and drawn-out. John has particularly felt the clock hands ticking on slowly. We are not sure why, but he gets a rush of emotion and all of a sudden, he wants to see his kids, or the grandchildren, or his friends, or me (if I happen to be in another room). I suspect it’s a reaction to the last three weeks or so of hospital treatment and I am expecting it to improve as the days go on.

As a matter of fact, I think it is already improving. John joined in with me watching Songs of Praise this afternoon and we sang along to a few of the hymns just for a bit of fun. Afterwards, John hopped on his scooter and we toddled up to the shops to buy the Sunday Roast. It was good to get a bit of fresh air.

John was all for going out again immediately – this time for a bit of a walk. We didn’t quite manage it then because I was putting the dinner on and Paul called in to help me/us locate a squeak we can hear……. I am not sure what the squeak is and we haven’t yet located it, although Paul was hopeful that it was an electrical surge from John’s stair lift. Sadly, it isn’t, so we’re still hunting. Of course, I am convinced that it’s mice….. but do they squeak?

Anyway, after we’d eaten our dinner and watched the Australia vs Portugal match, we did venture out onto the street. “We’ll just go up as far as Burleigh Close,” we agreed. So John gathered up the new walking frame that had been delivered earlier in the week and we set off. He did a grand job and got within a stone’s throw of the Close before we turned round and came back again.

He had a rest when we got back to our drive and we spent a few moments outside just enjoying the dusk and the birds singing their evensong. Moments to savour and treasure. Here’s to Part Two of life.

Take care everyone. God bless.