In my Easter holidays, a memory

28 March 2013

Today was the day when Hub and I were to get up and go to the village, via two busses. Well I had to go early as later I would  have time to get anxious. Hub said that we would never meet the next connection bus. I was adamant we would. So BB was given a treat and out the door, the two of us went with our two dark angels, LC and Waggatail.

Doggy doodle bags and treats in  pocket. Hub was ruck sacked up and off we went.

It was sunny, but blooming freezing.

Well, we kind of missed our crossing to the bus stop, but we went back on ourselves and Waggatail found the stop.

All of the traffic passed by and bin waggons lorry’s and cars went by, trying to differentiate the  difference between the waggons and busses, was awful, but, in the end, we found our buss.

Well, bus number one. Got off, and waited for the next one. Number 20. Oh my word, bus after bus after bus went by, stopped and we walked to them. They were every number but ours. Then thank God a lady came and told us our bus was up there, “Up where?” She then told us, it was the blue one. Helpful?  Well, in  the end,  she showed us, the blooming thing, had parked miles away as there were loads of busses in the way.

We got on and then began to pray. Ha. Well it  was the first time I had done it without a sighted help.

First time for the dogs and Hub.

Again thank God the driver remembered to tell us where to get off? Sometimes they forget, if he had, we would have ended up on a real mystery tour? Oh that was to come later?

We got off and went to the post office and butchers. Oh I was really proud. We did it, then we went to the coffee shop. God it was packed? Hub is more brave than me, so he went off to the counter to order whilst I was saved/rescued by a lovely man and sat next to him  and his Mother in law. They were the nicest couple you can imagine?

There was a coffee table in front of me and they fussed Waggatail.

Then Hub came a lady came with him and brought our food.

Oh,, Hub got me a cheese onion and tomato Panini and coffee also oh my word, I am salivating at this memory, a chocolate torte with walnuts. Mmmmmmmmmmm

It was warm and friendly. The coffee shop, not the torte?

We went  to leave for our bus and Hub was out the blooming door, whilst Waggatail,  Hoovered the floor, that was OK, but then she decided to clean the coffee table God it was mortifying?

We got out and headed to the bus stop. Found it, via the telephone box? Ha. We stood next to that for some minutes until I realised it was not a bus stop, but phone.

Five busses later, we caught our bus. A man came to us and started to tell us his wife was in hospital, his son had just lost their baby and then he quickly went away, crying, oh, I felt so very sorry for him? I just wanted to hug him  and take him home and give him a cup of tea, I just feel so sorry for old men, they are so lovely.

     Well bus number three was good, but number four? OMG?

On it we got, and  after a few moments, I realised we were on the wrong blooming bus? Oh God, I really had  had enough? I mean I was exhausted just with all of the stress on  whether or not we would be able to make it back home at all?

So we realised after about half an hour on the bus, we were going to the town. We kind of recognised where we were by the twists and turns. Hubs IPhone helped so much.

We  got off at our stop where we knew, and did some shopping, I was horrified when Waggatail, decided she wanted the toilet, in a big way?

Oh yes, the steam?

So out the bag came and down I went to pick it up. I struggled finding it, but I did, then the audacity of a woman, she shouted

“You’ve missed a bit love!”

Down I went again with a different bag. Found a small speck of pollution and started to walk off as another woman told me

“There’s some to your left dear?

By this point, I wanted to throw the bags at her.

I know   guide dog owners are exempt from picking up doggy doodles, but, I tried and had quite a lot, gross?

Then, where to put it? We were to go into the bank. Oh yack?

Well, on the ground it went, next to a wall, at least it was in a bag or two, and God forbid if anyone had said anything to me?

Chemist we headed towards and hand wipes were bought, just in case.

Thank God Hub knew where there was one?

My dog does not do the town. Not at all.

Too much for her, I was told this, but, really I just want to go with hub, so in future, I will have to link his arm, again, we have been told not to do that as guide dogs should not guide two blind people?

 So what do we do?

Anyway, Long  chops is amazing. The best guide dog I have ever seen.

We got home in the end, but a very long day, but if you think what we did on our own? I am still in shock. We covered some miles, going to a village we have never been to on our own before, Hub has never been at all and our dogs did not know it either.

Five busses too. The town and home again. Amazing, couldn’t have done it on my own, but Hub would  not have been able to do the village on his own, so a team again.

Again, two years ago, a day like this one, well, I would not have believed it.

That day was/is, for my super blind friends. Not for me.

Or, is it?