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Monday, 23 May 2016

DIARY OF LOST BY FIONA CUMMINGS

 
Good afternoon dear Bloggets. I don’t have a clue of the time I’m sitting on my sofa with a shattered guide dog on her bed not too far from me. My house is peaceful, Teen out right now at the gym, so time to chill. Me time, when I love to chat to you all.

 

Well, today I was dreading this morning and I had every right to do so… An early start, Wagga had a big job to do getting me to where I needed to be safely. I couldn’t afford for her to make any mistakes I was so grateful for her as would not be able to go to the places I needed to today without her. And she didn’t let me down. After I left the house she did try to head to the other side of the road to go towards the park. Once I corrected her, all was fine. Gosh our busy road today was ridiculous.  Weekends it’s not as bad but during the week is dreadful. There was a car every half of a second passing me either one way or an other and most of the time, two cars going each way. So loud, I get so disoriented. But praying no one would talk to me and there would be no distractions, I kept calm. She was great didn’t hit me into anything she stopped at each road and weaved me in and out of narrow lanes and avoided overhanging greenery.

 

I had to force myself to do this journey today I have found myself having to do at least one thing per week that is totally out of my comfort zone. Not enjoying it, but it’s essential.

 

 Well my meeting went well and then off to a couple more places. Wags still doing perfect. Half way to my next stop, I did stop in my head that is, not my legs, and think, what am I doing? Putting trust in my dog? I still get like that even after having two guide dogs. At the end of the day, they are animals.

 

All my jobs done but have to go back tomorrow to one place that should be OK. We popped into the shops and then got home. All fine, then I remembered that I had to post a letter, so as soon as I got in, I picked up the letter, turned around on my heal a headed out again to the post box. Normally I go to the one which is miles away, this one is no more than a two minute walk. Well, firstly Wagga didn’t stop at the road, it was a very slight ramp, so I had not realised that I had gone down the step.

 

A car came around the corner fast, but luckily I pulled Waggatail back to the kerb. It wasn’t close but she should have stopped at the kerb. I corrected her and we crossed. Gosh, this road was a forever road, one of those where I think to myself. Are we crossing this straight, or on an angle?

 

A car purred not far from me waiting with kindness until I got to the kerb. I felt such pressure. I was probably twenty seconds crossing this road, but it felt like one hundred!

 

It’s difficult to explain, but where I was to cross, there is a road behind me, one to the right, one slightly angled to the left, one to the left and straight ahead. So if Wagg took me on an angle, it would have been very easy to go down the wrong way.

 

Well if we had of gone the wrong way and Wags walked me along the road, that would have been terrifying. But she found a kerb. I turned right and she wanted to head to our church. Perhaps she has some confessions to make?

 

I turned to my right asked her to find the way and thankfully she got me to where I needed to be. But where was the post box?

 

She was sniffing the grass like crazy. I was saying to her find the post. She took no notice. As I lent down to her to lift her head as correcting through the lead wasn’t doing any good, I wacked my eye right into the top of the post box. It was so rusty. At least she had found the box.  She was sniffing as she knew she had found it, bless her, it was all my fault. I thought she was being naughty sniffing. Oh the pain. Anyway I tried to wipe my eye with the back of my hand. It was bleeding and the lid of the post box went right into my eyeball.

 

Long story short, that was enough to get me in a fluster to get home. We got lost. It was ridiculous we were not more than two minutes from home.

 

I stopped and listened. What could I hear? I walked forward to try to find the main road so I could start again, but what if I had crossed without knowing? Or if I had not gone across the road where I needed to be and was heading towards the other side then I would get even more lost.

 

Then Waggs thankfully stopped at the step. I put my foot forward and found a kerb. Did not dare step down it.

 

Turned around again, I did not recognise anything at all. No smells, sounds nothing, I felt something above my head. Oh as I put my hand up to feel what it was, it was someone’s porch… No, I was in someone’s blooming garden. I went to leave and walked across grass to try to find a path or drive. Oh it was dreadful.

 

My heart was pounding, I felt sick. Bless Waggatail she avoided obstacles just her satellite navigation was broken, smile.

 

I called my Son who was at home in bed… Phone rang and rang. Then I phoned Hub. What could he do at work? Nothing. But it was just a voice to try to calm me down. Bless one of the girls in the office, she answered as Hub was in a meeting. She was sweet she is a lovely lady. Hubs office is miles away an hour so obviously she couldn’t do anything and I knew this I as I said just wanted a familiar voice. Well, I got to a path and just waited for someone to pass.

 

At last a bike went by. I shouted excuse me. They continued riding by. I shouted again and she stopped answering. “Fiona, are you OK?”

 

Few, oh thankfully one of my neighbours. Well, I felt such a fool. I was right at the top of our street. How stupid of me. I was so embarrassed. I had been out for two hours walking different places doing fine, and got lost in my own street. It’s days like this I totally hate myself.

 

Once I knew where I was I was fine to get back. Waggs is just very unpredictable she can be fantastic one moment then rubbish the next. She had crossed a wrong road; it was the road to the park.

 

She stopped me from bumping into anything though though we did tour around someone’s front garden. Can you imagine, you are sitting in your lounge minding your own business when this woman with her dog comes walking down your drive, walks across the grass and then starts to reach up to your porch roof? Haha. Nutter…

 

    Anyway, all safe waiting for the next adventure… A quiet life would be OK. X

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