STILL GOT IT GOING ON

Colombia, Germany US UK Portugal Ukraine, Singapore, Indonesia, Canada and South Africa are the first top ten countries to visit today so a huu’uuge hello to you all.

 

Its Bank holiday Monday in England today. The biggest holiday I would say for most workers. And for sure the last part of what we can call our summer holidays with our children who attend school. Well, summer? A laugh, we haven’t had one. And today is absolutely pouring with rain here. Teen will pack up the tent at the festival and come home with mud in and out of his car with the lads too. I want to make him stand under the hose pipe in the garden clean him before allowing him in. hehehe. I can’t imagine what a mess he will be in.

 

I just looked at the TV stupidly thinking there would be something good on for this holiday. Nope. Its dreadful trash.

 

Chicken in the oven for dinner and Hub and I are going to get domesticated. What a holiday for us.

 

  I’m in agony. I don’t know what I did but through the night, I woke up with a pain in my neck, no, not my Husband, haha haha. And the pain went right down my arm and back. It kept locking. Serves me right, I was making fun of my sister in law yesterday as she too had a pain, not in her neck though….

 

May attempt to make a quiche today. But my Husband has two amazing bakers as our friends who do the best quiche in the world. So scared? Mwa? Naha.

 Okay, yep.

 

Going now to clean the guest room for our friend coming to stay. Really looking forward to seeing her.

 

Before I go, yesterday on our way back from the train station, an old guy picked us up. No not just any old guy we decided randomly to get into his car, haha... Though that wouldn’t be a first. Anyway he started to talk to us. Oh my word. Bless him. I didn’t feel safe at all. He sounded one hundred and two. His hands were shaking on the wheel. Well, as ever I got his life story. This is why when I was studying counselling the students liked me as they felt for some reason they could discuss their problems with me. I guess I genuinely care for people and I am interested. Well, this old guy told me he was married 58 years

Whaa’aat?

He’s driving us? He really is one hundred and two.

 

Well, me being me, I asked him after he told me his wife had died a year and a half ago, how old was he when he married? Are you Bloggets with me? I wanted to know how old this guy was who was driving a taxi?

His answer was eighteen. So Seventy eight. Wow.

 

Oh I said all the right things about him losing his wife. I felt so sad for this man. I wanted to know if he had anyone in his family who visited him. He said, and I quote.

“Oh, I’m great. A while ago, I visited a friend and when I went into his kitchen, a (little) Chinese (girl) was sitting there drinking tea. We realised that (GOD) put us together as she too lost her Husband. So she lives with me now and I’m getting more and more religious every day!”

Hahahahahahahaha

Bet you are?

 

Well we got home safely into the house kettle on and in front of the TV. Ate some supper and then I had a relaxing bath. An early night too and shame didn’t sleep for long before I was up and writing with a cup of tea, pain killers and a slice of toast. That was about four this morning.

 

I hope your day will be one full of joy, if not, there is always tomorrow and remember, there is always another person having a worse day than you, or at least, the same you aren’t alone.

 

With love.

CONTINUED CONFUSION BY FIONA CUMMINGS

CONTINUED CONFUSION

BY FIONA CUMMINGS

A troubled mind

Treat so unkind

No one can find

Any empathy

Not wanting sympathy

Just a hand, to say

I understand, your way

Constantly searching

To find a place for this person

To just fit in

Right now thrown away in the bin

Thought of as trash

A lost soul

Blackened eyes like coal

Grey vision

A car crash

 A collision

No memory is had

But this persons not bad

Just needs a hand

Kindness

It’s not madness

Just an illness

Forgotten words

Flighty birds

Wings without destination

Intrigue without fascination

Just give this person some compassion

It’s not a phase

Nor is it fashion

It’s a life of confusion

An intrusion

Something is invading

Voices are debating

The poor mind is waiting

For the next instruction

Absolute eruption

The mind battles with destruction

No one knows what’s best

The medics just keep running test after test

Without conclusion

Continued confusion

 

Copyright Fiona Cummings 2015

ANGEL WITH FOUR PAWS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

ANGEL WITH FOUR PAWS

BY FIONA CUMMINGS

 My angel without wings

How you help me to find things

Because of you

I can do

What everyone else can

You’re guiding my hand

Keeping me safe

Getting me to the correct place

People say you have such a beautiful face

And doting eyes

Well I wouldn’t know

Because I’m blind

But my heart melts when you work

You are so kind

Ask for nothing in return

You were born to learn

Never complain

In fact you would work over and over again

What goes through your head?

When you are walking outside

Avoiding obstacles low and high

When I tell you to go to bed

You just do

But you’re so awake when you see me putting on my shoes

I get stressed out

Want to shout

People really annoy me

But you feel this and if you could talk

You would say “Let’s go for a walk

Along the river and find a seat

You never know who you will meet

See when you’re with me

For you I will see

Together we are free

So don’t let others make you feel bad

If you are stuck in the house

Don’t be sad

Put on your coat

I will safely cross you over the road

Let you know when there are steps up or down

Make sure you are safe over undulating ground

See I know how you feel

You don’t need to make a sound

For my soul was born

To connect with your heart

People say I’m smart

Well, hmm. I don’t agree

I’m quite simply an angel

To set you free

Come on walk with me

Put your trust in me

If you like

You can give me a treat

Then when we get home

It’s time for me to eat

If you feel kind

You will give me extra dinner

For you and I together

Are absolutely the winners

See, you love me and that is all I need

And when I’m too old to safely care for you

This I plead

For another four paws to hold your hand

And understand

How you feel

But this is the deal

You never forget me

My legacy lives on for real

And it can only do that

If those people who made you sad

Will support our cause

So we can do our chores

And help to take children to school

And others to work

We go to the shop

And give you hope

Remove the chains and rope

In life people like you will have more scope

I’m here though for now because I want to be

I love it most when you walk next to me

And put your trust in me

For there is one thing for sure

I believe in you

We were meant to be together

And I will love you forever”

 

Copyright Fiona Cummings 2015

 

TOP TIPS TONIGHT

Its late Friday evening, where has this day gone? We had a late dinner as Hub was working later this evening from home. Dinner was delicious though threads of guilt found them through the needle of my mind. What would my boy be eating? I so wanted to serve him a plate of the food we were enjoying as he would have loved it. I made lovely potatoes I washed them, left their skin on sliced them boiled them in a pan with some fresh herbs in drained then put them in the oven in a tray with some olive oil over the top, salt and pepper. I did our favourite Mediterranean vegetables roasted them, and we had enchiladas. Even though I say so myself, it was rather tasty. But so badly I wanted my baby to be with us at the dinner table. Three more sleeps until he is home. The weather so far has been cold a bit of rain but not half as much as was expected.

 

I got thinking today, what is it about a cup of tea? We have it if we have had a shock, we serve it at funerals and it is an all-rounder feel good drink in the UK. Humans have been steeping leaves in boiling water for five hundred thousand years. Not sure about English, but Americans last year drank around seventy nine billion servings of the hot stuff!

 

Research into the relationship between us humans and tea intrigues me. As you may have experienced, caffeine has strong effects on people. Most famously, acting as a stimulant and reducing drowsiness. Caffeine increases alertness because it prevents the sedative adenosine from working as a receptor.

    

Adenosine has sedative effects, so by blocking those effects of adenosine you are increasing central stimulation. Hence increasing activity of the central nervous system.

So we are blocking the parts of our brain which tells us we are tired. Don’t be mislead though caffeine gives you the effect of an afternoon sleep, but doesn’t give you the restoration or consolidation of memory that sleep provides. Tea is full of antioxidants, which I believe protect our cells. So each time you read my blog why not sit with a cupper? I do.

 

When teens car comes back from the festival, it will need a good clean. Here are Fifi’s tips for car cleaning. Haha.

 

To clean milky headlights, use toothpaste. Why? The salt in it, if you used paste with salt in it, acts as a rubbing compound.   Whilst there, use a toothbrush to get to those areas you can’t normally reach. Just don’t forget to keep these two tools with your car care and not back in the bathroom. Remember when cleaning windows to roll them down a little when you have cleaned them to clean the top or you will have a dirty strip running along the top. Nothing worse than a dirty strip? Talking of which, my Romeo Son hasn’t text me tonight.

 

I also heard by the way olive oil for the leather in your car is great to condition it then buff it off with a soft cloth. WD40, spray a little on your engine while with clean cloth and wow, when you come to selling your car, its gleaming.

 

Well you could do all of that, or you could do what most of our neighbours do and that is to pay £15 to the Polish people down the road. Polish as in origin, not as in scrubbing your car……

 

Why do we have Polish and polish? Oh, it’s too late, that I’m sure even doesn’t have an answer….    

OK, going to close the curtains now turn off the lights kick off my shoes and listen to the blues. Smile. No, not quite, I hate that kind of music. I love however, Reggae. Nighty night sleep tight mind the bed bugs don’t bite. X

THE ROBBING DUCK

Happy Friday Bloggets. Gosh where to start? Well I will write my diary in a moment but first lots to chat about what is making our news in the UK. Firstly, its bank holiday weekend in England. This is the biggest holiday weekend of the year. Almost all working will be off and it is said that our roads will see thirteen million travellers so hours of congestions hitting the tarmac. Dare we visit our town tomorrow? Hmm.

 

UK net migration has hit an all-time high. Reaching a record 330,000. And that is who we know of. How many have slipped by security?

 

This is outrageous a disposable coffee cup used by An MP for Labour,   Jeremy Corbin has been sold for £51. “Gross””

 

Researchers from the Birmingham University have discovered if you drink a 500 ml bottle of water before each meal, you will lose weight… “Or drowned””

 

 Yesterday I heard on the radio that there is a blood test that will detect cancer immediately. I hope we can all have that once a year even if we payed for it. Studies say that medically we are all living longer but with disease’s and illnesses. It is awful; we can’t see our heart so how do we know when it is diseased? I guess most of us put up with niggles of pains and don’t do anything about it. My dream would be to have private medical health, trying to get that when blind? Is really a challenge. I give up now but when we could afford it, they wanted three times as much for us as they did for a sighted person.

 

So my diary so far. Teen text today he is still OK but OK just I think. He’s really cold at nights and he says the ground is really hard. I did by him one of those foam mats but if you could have seen the thickness of it? Or should that be thinness. Is there such a word? Haha.

 

Just learned that some of our friends are coming in a few weeks so can’t wait for that. As for this weekend?

 On the train to visit my brother and family. Teen due home Monday if he can stand the rest of the mud, cold rain and volume of people. Expected 70,000 people are to go to the festival.

 

Finally two things firstly apparently people are saying that my blog page is not possible to leave a comment anymore. Thank you Luke for pointing this out, well, now how to fix that? Hmm. And secondly, thank you so much for the amazing response to you all who are now after yesterday’s blog, going to collect your paw boxes to distribute in your local shops. Once again these boxes are small and contain tiny paws on a pin every £1 that is handed over you receive this badge and your kind donations, then gets sent to your local Guide Dog team, if you call your local team that is. Its coming up to Guide Dog week so this is something you can all do and as I said so many of you are doing this you don’t even have to leave your home to help. Phone calls to your local shop and ask if they will have one of these boxes on their counter just for a week or so, it’s not permanent. Then if they say yes, a call to your local team and connect the two. As a lovely lady I was communicating with yesterday told me she was having a stall this weekend and she was going to put a box on there. Amazing you all are. With new rules in the UK with regards to charities, Guide Dogs will lose millions of pounds with the new rules that already are in place, so we need more than ever your help. How powerful you are.

 

Okay, all of you do something today that will make you smile? If you are finding it difficult, here goes.

Oldies but goodies. Sorry if you have read these before on here, but I have too and still smiled…

I used to drink all brands of beer. Now, I am older Budweiser!

Did you hear about the elephant who was always left out of things and thus felt irrelephant?

Tolkien enjoyed writing fairy tales so much it became a Hobbit.

Q: What do you call a duck that steals?
A: A Robber Duck.

OK I will leave you with that thought of that thieving little duck. With his tiny water pistol and bala clava

 

Have a lovely weekend.

 

 

 

IN MY MAMMAS ARMS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

IN MY MAMMAS ARMS

BY FIONA CUMMINGS

 I saw you, I knew it was you

I could smell your perfume

As I entered the room

I could feel your presence

So let the experience commence

You stood in front of me

That much I know

But I could only see

A faint silver glow

I saw you, I promise I did

I wanted to shout, but you forbid  

Frozen stiff to the floor I stood

Beneath me was the cold hard wood

I missed you so much so this would be good

At last I could tell you how I felt

But I was cold like ice and no signs I would melt

So still I stood,

Looking down to your feet but nothing there

Who could I tell, when could I share

I wasn’t afraid though I knew you were there

Why didn’t you talk I thought that was unfair

To come all this way from wherever you now belong

No words were spoken

Was this really happening?

  I wanted to tell you of my news

I wanted your views

No sound at all

I couldn’t touch you

As if a thick wall

But I could see you, though no features

I simply felt you in my heart

I wanted to ask you why we had to part

At such a time when I needed you most

Who were you now? A ghost?

What was the reason for your appearance to me?

 I’m blinded by fait but you I could see

A sudden inner piece is what I felt

Your fragrance I smelt

Your love I bathed in

Just a feeling deep within

Then you left

As fast as you came

But no grief no pain

I was so happy that you came that day

Wished we could have had longer before you went away

But I know you live on in a land I don’t know

I only hope when it’s my turn I will be shown where to go

For I wish to hold your hand again

Listen to your song

For in my Mamma’s arms again

Is where I do belong

 

Copyright Fiona Cummings 2015  

BADGE OF HONOR

Good day Bloggets. Well my Son text to let me know he was there OK yesterday, and this morning early text to say he is awake and fine! He said that the walk was really difficult uphill with his four heavy bags, but he did it, put his tent up he is sharing with another and he sounded in good spirit. So first 24 hours done.

 

The second bag of dog food came early this morning so I was free to go. Put Waggs in the dog run to do her business now then that is a funny one. We have a section at the bottom of the garden fenced and gated off with drainage so the dogs can pollute in there. When we let the dogs out, they go straight there and stand waiting until I catch up to open the gate. How clever are they? They are dogs at the end of the day and could just do it anywhere. No, they go to the toilet block like a human.

 

Talking of toilets, when I went to town the other day with our daughter, she wanted the loo. Guess how much she had to pay for it? 40p. and they were not even clean. There is an English saying which goes like this, spend a penny. Well, I’m not old and when I was younger it was a penny to go to the toilet. Now forty? And she said they were not clean. Awful.

So, everything ready, harness, leash, treats for Waggs

 Dog bag just in case, and my card and some cash will tell you why in a mo. Jo.

 

Locked all of the windows doors and on our way, would Waggatail be a good girl today? Always apprehensive when I go out, as she isn’t consecutive and neither am I.  She started off badly as wanted to cross the road at the top of our drive. This way means she is going on the field. So always have to be aware. I corrected her and she pulled towards the field but luckily I was on her case and kept her in the side I wanted. Down the first step she did that fine but then again chanced her luck by trying to pull me towards the other side of the road so we would find ourselves on the field, no, it wasn’t happening. Past the overhanging tree and around the corner we went towards the dreaded road which is like a motorway.

 

Hub is fighting to get the traffic speed lowered or at least monitored on that road. It’s lethal.

 

Thankfully the council seems to have cut back most of the overhanging thorns on that pathway; anyway, we got to where we needed to be. Posted the letter, after crossing only three roads and loads of long paths then went to the chemist and that is where I felt so pleased, why? For all of you Bloggets reading this in the UK, please ask your local Guide Dog association about the badge boxes for Guide Dog week? I like this idea as we are not asking shops to commit, we are just asking for one box to be placed on the counter in the shops. Public kindly pay £1 and receive a cute badge of a dog paw. This is a fantastic way you can help us please? By helping Guide Dogs UK, you are helping yourself by providing a service that may help you in the future, remember in the UK alone, one hundred people go blind per day. I asked the lady in the chemist if she would be so obliged to place one of these non-obtrusive boxes on her counter and she said she would. Fantastic. Each box has forty badges so £40 raised would really really help. If you can ask your local shop, chemist, garage, pub, restaurant how much we could raise and that would be all down to you.

 

So out of there and into my lovely Louis restaurant. A quick take away only £3 this is why I needed cash, as under £5, you have to use cash, rather than a card. Then on my way home.

 

Waggs was doing so well, bless her we were almost home then

“Ouch.

My ankle bent as I misplaced the step as Wagga bless her tried to avoided the stupid over hanging tree from someone’s garden taking me too far to the right and off the kerb. Well I was shocked. I hate it when I think I am going fully on the ground.

 

I became disoriented and really didn’t know where I was. So I stopped and retraced my steps. As I went past the tree, I got a hold of it, it wasn’t a prickly one, and I told Waggs to watch for it, it was mainly to let the people if they were in, and watching, that I was holding a branch from their tree, so hopefully they would come and cut. But I am sure they would be at work.

 

Well, I still hands shaking, heart pounding, the traffic sounded like it was all around me. I was dizzy. I wanted to walk forward, I told Waggs forward correcting her as she was pulling to the left. Then I remembered what my friend JB told me at the weekend. “Trust your dog!” I simply said find home. And you know she did. Even though I was sure we were on the next street, and if you are blind and the next street or door is a mile away.

 

She got me to the front door and I was so in love with her. As for at least four minutes, which seemed like half an hour to me, I was sure we were so very lost.  When I heard my wind chimes I was delighted.

 

Ate my dinner after feeding Waggs as that is one fine way I can be assured I get home, I tell her to find home and she will get her dinner.

She is a Labrador.

 

I washed my hands and enjoyed lunch very happy with myself. More so with Waggatail. But now exhausted. I have to talk to Wagga all the way there and back, trying to remember where we were, and where we need to go, but because of my sweet little girl, I was able to go to the post box, then pick up some pain killers for Hub at the chemist as well as getting a yes for a box for Guide Dogs, get my lunch and give Wagga some work to do but as equally important, I went out from my four walls and I feel so much better for it.

 

Off to groom Waggatail now and then the delights of cleaning the dog run. Oh I may let my lunch settle first. Hehehe. Later gators. X

KEY TO THE DOOR BY FIONA CUMMINGS

The key to the door

By Fiona Cummings

 

I was given a key to a door I had never been through.

The house I was living in received a letter telling me to collect the key and gave me an address to look at the property.

 

I felt sick. I was terrified. This was all too fast too much. The office I collected the key from even felt hostile to me.

 

I was told they were doing me an enormous favour. To be grateful. I was so young. I was incredibly vulnerable. I was in shock. My life was full of pain, sadness and without my knowledge at that time, I was depressed.

 

From the womb till then, I was someone who shouldn’t have been there.

 

Where is there? On this earth, that is where.

 

A cold calculating hard hearted so called woman got pregnant with me and after trying to abort more than once, and failing, she threw me away like dirty, torn laundry. Even if she knew of the scars she impacted upon me, it wouldn’t have made a bit of difference.

 

I was seventeen and ready to give up on life. Obviously I was strong in the womb but so many kicks punches and little did I know, more to come in my future, but a cruel life behind and a head.

 

I was saved by my adopted parents who were my heroes. Two people I loved when they were alive and now worship that they sadly are gone. How I long for my Mum to cook for me her special dinners, my Dad to sing to me as he held my hand. How I miss them. But my life has changed so much since I received that key.

 

So, the key, where would it open? Well, as I opened the crooked gate, which led me up a broken path way to a dirty painted cream high step where by the paint was peeling off as was the seventies yellow paint on the door. Seventies paint as that was the last time it had been painted, and by this point, it was the late eighties.

 

The key was even rusty. The key whole was black with age. What would I find through this door?

 

Deep and forever pain. Wood rot damp and almost poverty. This is where I was to live.

 

The area was OK. The people were really nice and my neighbours at one side were wonderful.

 

But the house. More so, what it meant to me, what it represented for the next however many years.

 

My heart sunk as realisation hit me. This was my destiny.

 

So, my kitchen was a horrid old cast iron sink painted by hand frog green. No kitchen units or work tops. An old dirty pantry. Not one you can walk into but one with enormous shelves so deep that you had to climb on a chair to get to the back but if you put your food too far back, it would fall off the open space at the back of the cupboard. It was there where a filthy window was where the damp got in and black gunge filled the frame and nothing, no, nothing could get rid of that mess.

 

My bedroom had tiny what looked like lockers in it for robes. There was an old fire place without a fire so the birds used to throw their bread leaves and twigs on my bedroom floor down the chimney.

 

The house had no heating apart from a gas fire which I loved. The bath? Oh my word. Don’t start me on that. You cut yourself every time you got in. And if you had a bath, there was no hot water left. So, why did I cut myself? Because the bath was so old it was sprayed and like the paint on the front door, that was flaking too! The toilet looked like something from the fifties. Oh I hated it.

 

The garden was nice though, it was a funny shape. Full hedges all around apart from the section next to the so called back door, though it was more of a side door.

 

A gap had been left there deliberately so that the person who lived in my house before me could chat to our neighbours over the fence. Typically English.

 

Outside of the side door was the worst, well, lamp, light? Not sure what to call it. It was an enormous ball on a rusty black arm. The light had a sign under it…… Now then, stop it? By the way, the light wasn’t red either…. The sign was because the lady who lived in the house before me was a nurse. In the old days way before I moved in, nurses used to treat people from their homes, she just didn’t bother taking the sign down.

 

So this was to be my prison almost for seven years at least, but when you are a kid, seven years is a lo’o’ong time. And when you don’t know that it will be seven years before you will move in life again, it’s even longer. The forever rainbow with the pot of gold at the end. But, when will my rainbow be able to guide me to the gold? Well, that was to come some years later, a lot in between before then.

 

 

Copyright Fiona Cummings 2015

NO ONE KNOWS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

NO ONE KNOWS

BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Who made the sky blue?

Who said it was a beautiful view

Whose decision was it to make the sun bright?

And say when its night?

Why is grass green

And why is rain wet

That shape is a  bean

Why?

And why do humans love to have a pet?

The jungle in summer is so dry

Do we need snow?

Why should a map tell us which way to go?

You don’t see birds

With a paper in their beaks?

Who said we must work during the week?

Who is right in the way we all speak?

Why do we need words?

Can’t we just squeak?

Who says that would be absurd?

Why do we walk on our feet

And not on our hands?

Who made us wear clothes?

I don’t understand

No other animal does

Answers please?

No one knows

 

 

Copyright Fiona Cummings 2015

REMEMBER ME?

Well, I had a very different friend on one of my social groups I’m in. She was a person my Hub thought was deranged. As for me?

Em, cheeky chops, I know I’m deranged, but what did I think of this lady? Well, she intrigued me. She thought out of the box and I like that.  She kind of was a bit of what some would call a hippy. But she called herself a spiritualist. What would I call her? A lovely lady for three years but year four? Hmm. Allow me to tell you about her please.

 

I agreed with most of what she said, wrote and so on. But sometimes to keep the relationship going, I had to bite my tongue.

 

Some would say she was sponging from society and there is a huge part of me that would agree.

 

She didn’t work I don’t think she ever has. She isn’t disabled she does have children, so a full time Mother. Huge respect to her. But, the kids were old enough for her to get a part time job; now then, she would say that if she did do part time, financially she would be worse off. I can see her point, so fair enough, but, then she stopped paying her utility bills. And the last bill she refused to pay was her water bill. It’s perfectly Okay not to pay your water bill in the UK if, one, you don’t use it, and two you are not receiving any benefits. But she had a house with two kids and spoke of her showers she would have, even though she said that she would have a cold shower. So because our country say it’s a human right not to stop anyone having water, she continued to have it and without paying. So, is she not paying because she doesn’t have enough money to feed her kids if she were to pay her water bills? No. You should have seen what she used to cook? She would make her home made food which was all organic, and sounded delicious and post photographs about it.

 

Who does she expect to pay for her water to be cleaned? To get to her house which is paid for by the state? As for her gas and electric? Well her kids all had computers though she cared for the environment, so much so she didn’t pay her TV licence. She would say that she used to watch television online so no need for a licence.

 

Anyway most of what she said was great, I really liked the lady, thought she was a great Mum. But one day I got talking about religion and a blind friend of mine joined in. She posted a picture. We said that we can’t see the picture and asked what it was of? She replied that it was writing and explained how the universe was created. Great, so what do the words say? As our computers only read word, not picture of words or any description of photographs. Her answer was?

“Oh, it would take far too long to re write it out.”

 

So in other words her kids at school, she wasn’t working but she couldn’t be bothered to let us know what she posted. That explained so much. All front. All talk and no action. And this comes from the lady who writes on her post. “I don't like it when I hear people saying they are too busy to care, one day they might just need that care!”

And care also involves inclusion. I was ashamed of her. All that I looked up to her towards in her views on animal care and her brilliant way of bringing up her children, all out of the window, I deleted her from my friend list. Sad, as I really liked her, as I said I had to bite my tongue many times, as my Husband as a tax payer pays for her electric, gas water benefits as does everyone who works. But that was her gone.

 

I have a friend called Terry who also has my eye condition, but she can see quite a lot. Every picture she posts and even other friends who post on line, in groups, who forget to say what the picture is of, she always says what it is, whether it be a video, or just a picture, I love people like her. I mean, how long does it take for you to say next to your photographs.

“Duckling sitting on a pile of leaves next to a pond?

Just anode to ask for you to remember those who are not as fortunate as yourselves for what goes around comes around. It may be you one day who feels very left out!

 

 

THE DAY SO FAR

Good day Bloggets. Well boy wonder is on his way. Oh. My. Goodness?

His little car is packed and he has to get another two lads in with all of their stuff. Their buying all of their food though, Teen is cooking his own for the first two days. So he is armed with his mini BBQ’s and as for tools to cook with? Em….. He said he would improvise. I sneaked a few things in his bag. Question is, which bag will he find them in? He has I think four. And the weight of them? Oh he gets there and has to walk up hill for an hour. That is what he is getting told anyway. It’s not raining yet, but it’s very windy and rain is forecast.

 

I just hope he will get there safely. His life has a new chapter and I will write about it in a few weeks. Is it for the good? Hmm. I’m very apprehensive but that’s me, I always play safe. I’m boring. If you don’t take chances you always remain sail. Like a slice of old bread, I just hope there is enough dough to keep him going.

 

I need to go to the post box and its blooming twelve minute walk. I’m rather cross as kind of rightly so, my guide dog instructor wouldn’t teach me the way to the nearby box, which is about one minute walk from hear, so I have to keep going to the far away one. I know why she did it, because she wants Wagga to get more walks. I agree, but, when you need something delivered urgently, and you are waiting in for parcels like yesterday and the day before, I was waiting in for Teens mat for his tent and a plug for his phone. Also some very exciting things for me…. Hoover bags and air fresheners for the bags. Oh yes, I know how to live it up. Today? And if they don’t come today, I’m waiting for two big sacks of dog food. So I can’t go to the post box. I could have asked Teen but I would worry they went to Leeds with him and not the post box. Also its work for the Wagga girl.

 

So once again here I wait and I bet I get one box today, and the other won’t come tomorrow even, though I will wait for it, but it will arrive I bet on Friday. One company they tell you when its coming and they said today, the other one don’t tell you.

 

Why two companies? One is for German shepherds. Longchops food. The other is for normal dogs. Hehehe. Mind you, I’m not too sure there is much normal about my Waggs. She is the funniest little girl in town.  Her tiny teddy bear face and her forever wagging tail. She doesn’t bark when anyone comes to the door, but she runs like mad, and the sound on the floor with her paws is wild. She doesn’t pant or cry, just runs back and forward. My darling Black Beauty used to do three barks only, and cry until the person was there, you know, the person or people who only came to the house to specifically visit her? I mean, why else would they come?  

 

It’s almost been a year now since we lost our BB. Oh my word. How I so miss her still and I think I always will. I loved her so much. She was my first guide dog. She was like a little old lady from the start. They say they match the dogs with the owners…

 

Well I have just received a text to remind me that my gas engineer is due. I forgot so off I go now to be all domesticated as teen left bags and goodness knows what else laying around. I know half of my crockery is upstairs in his bedroom. And when workmen come, they are all over the blooming house; I really really dislike it immensely.

 

So later gators with love peace and all that festival stuff…..

THE NIGHT BEFORE

 Well the night before. Teen getting ready to go to Leeds Festival. He has a dreadful cough has had it for a week now. But now he is packing for this week away. Oh it’s forecast for the worst weather as well.  So a week of worry for me. He went to buy all the things he needs. He has spent a fortune. Got paid today and half of his money gone. Its pouring with rain and cold and the weather is to get worse.

There are twenty of them going and he is so excited.

 

I made him a dinner like the last supper. Haha. He will eat bacon and sausages for the next few days but bless him; he has bought all sorts of healthy nutritious bars too.

 

If you could see what our son is taking with him, oh my word you would think he was going away for a month. Bless his doubled layered thick hiking socks; I’m so going to miss him.  Oh and get this, he just told   me that if you need the toilet whilst there, it’s a hole in the ground? Whaa’aat? Noo’oo’o waa’aa’aay

What on earth is he thinking of? Oh I couldn’t not ever not even if my hero was there. Mind, you, who is my hero musically? When a child I had plenty, now? I can honestly say they are all the same.

I have had a busy day today working but tomorrow I will only work half the day then be back with you all, nerves and bitten fingernails.

 

I made a shepherd’s pie with a difference today. Fried mushrooms then leaks and finally the mince steak, put that all with some salt and pepper in the casserole dish then made the mash potatoes with a difference for the top. Why different? Well, in the large pan, went lots of chopped obviously uncooked potatoes then in the same pan, Squash, now that is a vegetable not to be messing about with. What a waste of time that is? Anyway then sweet potatoes and when that was all boiled I mashed it up adding butter and put it on the top of the minced beef, mushrooms and leaks. Put it in the oven until the top was crispy. The boys loved it so that made me happy. I did add some gravy before the potatoes went on and my secret ingredients that I add to everything, brown sauce.  A real winters meal, well, seriously if you could see the weather here? As for tomorrow it will be just Hub and myself for dinner. I’m just going to do a homemade soup, see, another winter’s meal….  

 

I’m going to bed now as this will be my last decent sleep until our boy is back. Our eldest daughter got her keys today for her house. It’s a cottage in the grounds of the Cathedral where she has a scholarship for a year. Oh, the big world awaits her.

 

Right taking the dogs out now been putting it off for a while as the rain is heavy, but no time like the present. Where does that great English proverb originate from? Well as far as I can gather, around 1562  “No time better than even now.” Was logged and after then, it was about 1696 when the proverb was written in its now form. There’s no time like the present. Its written that it’s actually said more now than ever. I guess that is the now culture? Anyway, before my dogs eyes begin to water, I will kiss you goodnight and beg you to have sweet dreams.

LEEDS FEST

Dearest Bloggets, it’s late in the evening but I’m determined to write to my Bloggets before the clock strikes the pumpkin hour. Where has today gone? I spoke with my friend on the phone, and I did one of my interviews. I love the writing up but the interview today was a little challenging as the man was rather shy. Then I was asked to write a poem last minute for a birthday well, this request came in just after I had finished writing a case study which was quite serious and if you could read what was required of the poem? Hahaha. Oh my word. Talk about multi-tasking, well, good job my brain is of such that I can think about ten things at once. I can have thoughts of happiness depression and futuristic fortunes as well as backgrounds which should remain buried.

 

My Fault when studying was always that my mind would wonder. Wonder what? Hmm. No, wonder all over the place.

 

Well in this situation, it’s a bonus to be like that.

 

I spoke with my brother on the phone, we booked tickets to go and see him and my family next weekend.  Then we have our dear friend coming to stay for a couple of nights then I think financially we should hibernate. Having said that, we are due to see our friends again Trix and like, they don’t live too far but far enough. That is the trouble with boarding school. Friends end up scattered all over the country. It’s funny you know, but all of the friends I have from school, not the ones on line, but the physical friends, are all from my junior school. I wonder how that is? The friends we were with at the weekend, we have known for at least forty years. Now I know what you are all saying.

“Fiona how can this be? You are only 32!” Well, I did only get a C in maths.

 

Two more sleeps then my Son is off. He is away for almost a week. Oh God help us all. I’m dreading it. But he is looking forward to being with his friends. They are sleeping in a tent. Well, that’s me gone already. They have to wear wellies, hmm. So’o out of there. They will be drinking a lot of nastiness. No way for me. No clean toilets or anywhere to wash. Oh dear me. What do they like about festivals?

 

The dreaded one will be there pouring her poison. Trying to encourage my Son to go back out with her. It’s a game for her. Well, she is a game. And in her box there are pieces missing so it can’t be complete. I wonder how the little snake will climb the ladder in those heels. And how will she do without her Ralph Lauren, Stradivarius by Zara, and DKNY       clothes. How on earth will she manage to eat without her Jamie Oliver cookery book?

We shall see I’m sure if she develops a tiny ping of hunger, a click of the wiry fingers shall bring Giles with fetching Dicky bow tie to her well-manicured feet. Or at least, fly her helicopter to her very own landing pad on the vast field where the festival will commence, only after she is satisfied though.

 

I just hope teen will have a great time and be safe. He is going with about twenty friends so a real good time I hope. As for me? Not such a good time. I think I may be doing a lot of writing over the next few days.

 

ON TRACK TO PERFECT FRIENDS

 So Saturday morning. Taxi’s trains booked. Assistance too. Half way assistance, anyway. Dogs let out and bottles packed with Doggy doodle bags. Our dogs were so hyper. Even though they didn’t have a clue where they were going. I think because Wagga was going, Long Chops thought we were off to a walk or to visit Hubs Dad again, like last week. She was wild. Oh boy, these dogs had some work to do today.

 

We knew the taxi driver. He is a pal of Hubs. He is the owner of the company we use. So a lovely drive to the town.

 

We were told once again that this day was the worst of the year to travel. OH great. But I was excited as we were meeting with our best friends.

 

As we got out of the taxi, my Wagga, head to the ground as ever, stood still to allow me to put on her harness. Once again into the noise of the station a place we were, only fourteen hours earlier.

 

Oh the people? The drunks? The gypsies? Haha. We were warned to watch out for them. They come once a year for this horse racing meeting and they are awful.

 

All of the staff were dreading this day. Well we got on the train, and sat together. A good start, right? Unlike yesterday. I knew this part of travel would be fine, as we had assistance booked, but coming home? Different. So I was shaking with that thought.

 

We went to the door of the train to get off and I put Waggs on a long leash so she could have a clear jump off and hopefully miss the gap.

 

I tell you I’m like a new born foal. My brain tells me to go one way; my legs do something entirely different.

 

Few we were off. Someone was there to meet with us from the station. He showed us a seat to wait for our connection. It was there we were to meet with our Trix and like.

 

They were on the next train, it was funny as Trix phoned me and asked as we pulled into her station, were we on that train pulling out of her hometown? We said yes, where was she? She answered on the platform. They were to catch the next train, so she asked if we would wave. Haha haha. Of course we didn’t as they would have as much chance of seeing us doing that out from the window as we had seeing them.

 

So, we were in Newcastle. Now, how would Trix and like find us? Well, the person who met us from the train also met with them and coupled us together….

 

On the next train and after twenty minutes time to get off again. Heart pounding. Hopeless me.

 

Got off and to hear the voice of Emma, our hosts daughter. Oh bless her. She asked who wanted her arm. Well before she could say Jack Robinson, or anyone else had the chance to answer, I said me please.

 

Well, poor Trix and Like had only their white cane. Me with guide dog?  Oh, they are so professional at being blind, me?

Well, I’m simply me.

 

So lift and a set of steps later, and then in Emma’s car!

 We arrived at our friends JB’s house. Oh it’s been three years plus since we were there, at JB’s house. At other gatherings, other houses. An yet as soon as I walked through the door, I was at home.

 

Our lovely friends from school were having a gathering. There were seven of us. And JB’s two daughters and a really friendly guy who is the boyfriend of Emma.

 

We ate, and had a drink. Trix and I were on the pop as both of us are non-drinkers get drunk on milk. The weather was lovely. We sat in JB’s garden which overlooks the cricket field. There was a game on at the time and it was typically English. Emma and her bf went as Em had to work. Her bf is great. It was lovely to hear the old Northumberland accent from him, brought back memories of my darling Dad. Mr. Clock took JB’s young daughter to the shops for pancakes and school items.

 

We were all there just time to reflect. My perfect environment of our blind friends. No one to judge no one to stare or act all awkward just us being us. A small group of relatively intelligent individuals. Having conversations as quotes normal people would. Then laughter that filled the air with a rainbow of colourful memories!

 

JB went to her local shop and bought some sweeties. Bless her she brought them back for me and I was like a child. The biggest smile upon my face. They were from an old fashioned shop. Selling sweets from yesteryear.

 

Mr. Clock returned with gifts. He is the most generous person. He too went to the old fashioned shop and brought us all a bag of delights. We ate gorgeous food home made by JB. A real thought provoking afternoon. Home from home. With our wonderful forever friends. Genuine and full of inspiration. Each friend has a story of loss sadness grief and yet, Absolute positivity.

 

 All of my friends either work or have had, great jobs and don’t work now because they made good financial decisions some years ago. My friends who do work, and that is all but one. Have really good jobs. One in particular can do so much better as this person is really really intelligent. But for a blind person to get work is so much more challenging than it is for a sighted person to find employment. Then it was time for Hub to be silly with the little girl of JB. He asked her to paint his toe nails as he had them done when we went on holiday by our youngest daughter. Really, we came right through France London and so on with a man in glittery toes popping through his sandals. Oh, off came the glitter and new toes. Oh how embarrassing. Well, she thought it was hilarious to paint some pink. Some lilac and some red. Then she said he had hairy feet next thing he knew, out came a razor. Oh my word? I must say, little Sarah with a razor blade was rather frightening.

 And when she finished, she said it looked like a dog had shed its fur. Hahahahhahahahehehehehehe.

 

Oh sad, it was time to catch our mini bus.

 

Said goodbyes and we got in the bus with Trix and like who also were going to the same station as we were.

 

Oh the fun continued. Well, the driver took down a ramp for us to climb in the bus. I must say, it did make it easier. Well as hub climbed in with his toes, it was apparent that the driver saw them, who was an elderly typical strong minded Northerner. I’m sure he was thinking one of two things, either this man is gay, or, poor soul, he’s blind and doesn’t know he has different coloured nails going on.

 

Well, off we went, to the station. Out from the bus and to find the platform. I was so nervous. Like bless him picked this up and so kindly reassured me that I would be Okay. He is so loving and caring.

 

Honestly, if you had seen us all? If there were any CCTV cameras, I wonder what they would make of us. No one was at the station. It is unmanned. Quite scary if you can see, let alone if you can’t.

 

 Oh I was so proud of my little group. They were amazing. They found where we needed to be, and Hub wondered off. Heck, don’t do this to me? Oh there were the tracks. The trains were coming in and where was Hub? Well he only went a little way up the platform as it was all open. He called for us, he had found a shelter as it looked or in our case felt as though it was going to rain.

 

And then the fun and hilarity continued. Hub was in the shelter, we were trying to get to him. “How did you get in?” we all asked. He said he just did. Helpful? Well how? There were bars and gates preventing us. There were no people, at least no voices. Oh the three of us who were on the outside of the shelter were just laughing as we battled with bars and regalia to find the dry place as the heavens opened.

 

I was asking Wagga to find the way, but of course the fence like bars were our waist level so Waggs could find forward and she did, only trouble was, I wasn’t with her. Haha. Don’t panic, I had her leash at all times and harness. I had to pull her out and say, no, find forward. At last she did and the three musketeers got to where Hub was, but if you could have seen us? We must have looked comical. Then, as we all stood, I told the guys to stop making me laugh, or I would wet myself. I was out of control which is great as it removed for a while the nerves. Then, oh boy, then. Voices all occurred. Well. Suddenly where from? I mean no footsteps. Were they there all of the time? Oh my Goodness. Please. No? Haha haha.  Seriously, I mean, oh no. as you know if you are blind or partially sighted, we enter a room and it’s all noisy, then everyone stops to stare. Groping at the blind folk. How do they do it? How will they get over here? How do they even get out of their houses in fact, do they have houses? Or are they from a home? Are they out on day care?  SO on and so for the Well, had they all seen us, Hub and I with dogs, Trix and Like with white canes? Had they seen us battling with trying to get into where was I’m sure to a sighted person a very easy place to enter. Had they heard us shouting to Hub, how you got in here and worse? Had they heard me telling our friends I was going to wet myself? Oh no……

 

Well then our train pulled. In. Time to be serious. Oh my heart. How big would the gap be? How on earth would we find the door? Close your eyes and hear the train. The engine and now imagine yourself trying to find the door on a train that wasn’t there for your pleasure. It had to move after seconds. Hub Trix and Like were amazing. Like was so helpful and Trix bless her kept asking if I was OK now bear in mind, they are also blind. But that is the best thing about having blind friends. We all stick together and we all know what we are all feeling. Well. Onto the train. It was the same price for us to travel home first class. Why?

 Not sure. Sometimes it just is.

 

Well Trix and Like went to the right, us the left. I was gutted. I wanted them to be with us? I said to Hub as I looked behind to them, “oh no, can’t they come with us?” Well, the state of me. I was shaking, since I fell earlier this year on the track, I am scared of trains. And as I said just to find the door to me was an impossibility. So the elderly gent, who was a Gard on the train, put his hand on my shoulder and reassured me that he would get our friends and bring them to us. I then tried to find Hub. Oh I’m so pathetic. Really I hate myself for it. I panic so much when I can’t find him. And what really makes me cross is he is so good that he forgets sometimes how I’m not like him. So he has his seat. I’m calling his name. He is not answering for a few seconds to me seems like thirty or more. At last, I hear his voice. I get into the seat. I can’t even imagine how afraid I looked. Then a voice who was sitting in front of me asked if I was OK and did I want a drink of tea or coffee? Well, the way she asked me I felt as though a Mum had given me a cuddle. Yes I needed so badly a drink of hot coffee. We were quite wet and it would help in so many ways. Well then I heard our friends coming and oh my fear turned to relief.

 

All four of us had a coffee. They laughed as I asked for a sugar. I don’t take it but on this occasion? Spoo’oo’oon it in please? We were also given biscuits and then like took out his bag of treats that Mr. Clock gave him and we shared sweeties like little children.

 

To travel first class was such an honour. A pleasure. No swearing, no drunks, clean and cosy. Safe and most enjoyable.

 

Mind you, it’s a good job we couldn’t see out from our window. Apparently the lightning struck the overhead cables/wires. Time for our dearest friends to leave the train, a couple of stops before us. Said farewell and time to reflect our beautiful day. A day with our family. Our friends are that for sure. We have known one another since we were at school. So since we were six. Trix was my best friend at school. She was the one I first spoke to in the nasty dormitory of our boarding school. And now she has a wonderful Husband, who is so alike my Husband in many ways. They are both charismatic and highly intelligent. They could almost be brothers.

 

I just wish we could have more days like that. But I guess they perhaps wouldn’t be so special? Hmm. Second thoughts they would always be special.