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Wednesday, 31 October 2018

DIARY OF A HOOT AT HALLOWEEN BY FIONA CUMMINGS


I hope you all had a safe Halloween. I felt so bad I didn’t do much for the spooky cookie night and I felt like I let my Son down. He’s 6 feet 3 or four, is all muscles but still Mummy’s baby. When he asked yesterday, was I not even making pumpkin soup, and saying he couldn’t eat treats anymore and finally does this mean we don’t celebrate it anymore? Oh, the guilt I felt. Bad Mamma!

 

But I did have fun with the children at the door. When telling my Son, he cringed. Well, actually, when I was relating my stories to Boy Wonder, I, cringed… I just sporadically get into the mood and well, I go for it.

 

So, the doorbell rang. I opened it in my best witch’s voice. I really get into the character which would be fine my Son said, if I actually was dressed as a witch. Hahaha.

as far as I’m concerned, also as long as the children at the door know I’m putting on the voice. Well it didn’t take me long before I realised that they weren’t at all sure my voice was just how I spoke. I said it when I moved here, people from this area just don’t have the same sense of humour as good old Geordies from Newcastle.

 

But it got even more weird. The next group of children came. I opened the door. Now if you are blind, you never know if there are two children or five. As two can make as much noise as five. Because as I discovered last night, most of the kids just didn’t interact or even say a word!

 

I started to ask how many are there of you? They must have thought I was mad. As why would I ask that question, if they are all stood in front of me? Hahaha.

 

So, this group came. How many are there of you scary lot?

“Five”” They answered.

Then they started to put buckets baskets whatever in front of me. I proudly got my bucket give it a little wiggle as a witch would do just before she was about to dish out her potion, just to make sure the ingredients are all mixed up properly… and I scooped a big handful out held my hand out and as the sweets were about to fall from my hand, gentle little hands picked one. Bless them, they were tiny little chocolate pumpkins in orange foil. So, I said take more please. And then I had to slip into my normal voice which is totally different to my witches one, I had to then say I’m blind, so can’t see to put them in your basket.  At this point I’m sure the parents thought they were knocking at the door of a person with a split personality… one little boy replied.

“You’re blind?”” oh, heck I thought, what can of worms have I opened here? Yes, I replied. And then he continued.

“Coo’oo’ool.

How do you know where the sweets are?”” I replied. I’m clever… well what other answer does one give on her doorstep knowing the parents were freezing and hoping the kids would just collect and pass by to the next door so they can return home to their warm houses… he continued. Oh, yes, he didn’t stop there. It got more surreal.

“I wish I was blind; how do you get blind?””

Oh, my, God. What is wrong with kids these days?

I closed the door to this odd child and his scary group of ghouls, and thought, right. O.K. jog on…

 

The bucket/basket I held proudly at the door showing the children that I was trying to join in with their Halloween fun, I learned later on that night, much later on, like after the event, that the basket/bucket wasn’t one with a pumpkins face on, but, oh, gosh, I’m red writing this… it only had piggin chickens on… it was an Easter basket… Hahahahaha.  Well, how was I to know? It’s been a long time since Easter.

 

So, am I becoming one of those women who are a bit mad? Like an embarrassing Aunty? Or worse one of those ladies who wear a red dress with a purple hat?

 

Then my Son text me to tell me he was going to be late from work, as he quote. (Was taking Jemima home, because she had a pumpkin.)

Right, Son.

Well my first thought was he’s so kind. Second thought, what was Jemima doing at work with a pumpkin? And you wouldn’t want to know my third thought… actually or forth.

 

Well Hub came home and The Little Fella was so happy to be back. He was wild. Hub said for the past two days he was so good. The dog of course. Though I’m sure Hub was good too. And it was weird. LF kept barking. I waited with excitement to see who was coming to the door next though I was a little wary as it was now late. But no one came. There were no cars outside or we would have heard them. At one point, Hub turned the TV down so we could hear better. No voices outside. And when BW came home, he said Mum, why is LF barking? He looked out of the window, a privilege that has long passed my ability, and confirmed no one was there. I just said. Must be the Halloween ghosties…

 

© Fiona Cummings 2018

 

 

 

 

 

HALLOWEEN #PoetryByFionaCummings


HALLOWEEN

BY FIONA CUMMINGS

 You think I’m the little old lady from down the street?

Well on Halloween I’m a frail old woman you don’t want to meet

Smells from my kitchen

A magic potion

 Boiled bones

My oven groans

What’s inside?

Let’s say people cried

Why not come to mine?

Don’t slip on the slime

If you do

Expect the worst to happen to you

Cat’s tails

And dogs poo

Unshelled garden snails

And soup from my loo

A glass of punch

For a grizzly lunch

Where is my hat

And my broom   

My cape and special bag

I’m coming to see you soon

Down your garden path

 On your door a rat a tat tat

Open with care

My treats I will share

Dip in if you dare?

Copyright Fiona Cummings

Tuesday, 30 October 2018

A WITCHES RECIPE #PoetryByFionaCummings


A WITCHES RECIPE

BY FIONA CUMMINGS

A pie of mud

Some vampires blood

A slimy worm

Does this make you squirm?

Some doggy drool

And donkey poo

The oven’s on

To bake your scone

Don’t turn around

To hear a boo

You are the host

For the ghost

He’s extra hungry

And more than angry

So, bake your best

He’s putting you to the test

If you fail

Your face so pale

What will happen to you?

Pastry of choux

Or should that be shoe?

A soul on the base

With a wraparound lace

But who wore that last?

Is cooking a task?

Have you lost your appetite?

Turn on your light

As you never know

A sheet so white

Like winters snow

May visit you at home

As somewhere out there they roam

For their food

Where do they go?

Well tonight they are dining with you

Isn’t that good?

Take a bite

Don’t get a fright

Just make sure it’s cooked right

This recipe has been passed down

Most ingredients you get from the ground

Cooked by hundreds of witches

Served up in huge dishes

No need for salt and pepper

Mop it all up with Uncles sweater

Now you feel better

Enjoy your meal

All that’s left is the cheal

You have your potion

Open wide

Don’t be scared of those who have died

Turn off your oven

Don’t let it smoke

Or you may choke

Stop cooking

Listen

Did you hear a croak?

I almost forgot the topping

A witches frog

Just for decoration

Don’t kill it

Make sure it will fit

Get it to sit

On its bottom

You are doing well

People will be full of admiration

Sounds of chopping

Plopping

Hopping

Slopping

Is it time to go to the table?

I hope you have enjoyed

This spooky fable

 

© Fiona Cummings

 

BOOGIE DIARY BY FIONA CUMMINGS



 

So still can’t get through to the hotel. I have now been trying on and off for two hours plus. I have even emailed them but still no call from them. There is time I guess as we are not due to go there for a few weeks. It’s just to arrange our lunch for one vegetarian and one vegan.  Still having a nightmare sorting out transport to get there. It’s my Nieces wedding. I have the lovely dress, shoes and bag. My Son has his suit. Hub has many suits and Shamrock has loads of clothes.

 

Our dogs don’t need an outfit, how easy are they? Mind you, they will shed their clothing over our clothes for sure, though it’s winter, so their hair may stick to them for that day, I hope.

 

My Son had a meeting today so he’s late from work. Hub left the house at seven this morning ready for an overnight stay three hours away from home. He will be back late tomorrow night.

 

United Arab Emirates you have been busy today, 132 views from you.

Hello to the US, UK, Ukraine, Germany, South Africa, Belgium, India and Poland.

 

So, tomorrow is Halloween. The evening before All St Day. Will we get any spooky cookies? This is the first year I haven’t made a really big thing of it. I do have treats for the little monsters though. Chocolate pumpkins. Normally I make pumpkin soup. I just can’t be bothered these days. My Son after all is 21, having said that, I am making a bomb fire supper as always. Though I’m sure BW will be going out, well I hope he is and not having a dreadful home display like he did last year at Shams. It’s too dangerous. Trouble is, now days a lot of fireworks are over the weekend rather than on the actual day of November 5th. That is when we have Guy Fawkes, in 1605 He was a Catholic who tried to blow up our Government place of office. The Houses of Parliament.

I think we celebrate it because he got caught, so we have a huge fire and set off fireworks. I normally make pumpkin soup for both Halloween and November the 5th. We also on bonfire night have hot dogs with onions in bread rolls and baked potatoes.

 

I asked Alexa to give me some prank ideas. I don’t like them but they did make me smile. So, ask someone if they would like a Brownie? Then offer them a brown bit of paper in the shape of a letter E.

Alexa, that’s cruel. Hahahaha.

 

I was reading about how in the olden days a bell was fitted to coffins as so many people used to be buried alive. Imagine that?

 

Alexa told me today that a British artist created false eyelashes out of the legs of flies.

Could be worse, could be the hair from the legs of your old Aunty!

 

It’s so cold here today. 7 degrees and a low of 2.

We had snow a few days ago, and the coldest October in thirty years.

 

Well back to the kitchen to create a meal for Boy Wonders dinner. I just had to take a break to get emails sent phone calls to do and I am glad to say the lady from the hotel called me back on a mobile. She sounds so lovely. Bless her. Thank goodness I can stop worrying about that now, and just left to  wonder how we will get there. Haha. BW wants to take his car, but it’s tiny and there are four of us, and BW is tall but slim, the other three of us? Not so slim… and then there are the two dogs, all dressed up squashed. It’s fine in the front, but not in the back-Poor Hub and Shamrock will be creased when they get out.

 

It will be lovely to see our family and nice to get dressed up.

I’m rather excited.

 

  Just before I came downstairs this morning. The bathroom door was half open. I always try to either close doors properly or leave them wide open. Half and half isn’t good for blindies…whack. One lump or two.

 

As I got to the bottom of the stairs, arms full of washing, I almost broke my ankle on someone’s shoes at the bottom of the stairs. I swore. And then again, same foot, this time, a dog toy. Haha. Good morning to you too Fifi.

 Deposited the washing and went to my kitchen work tops. Oh, my goodness. Did someone have a party and forget to invite me? No, Boy Wonder had the midnight munchies. I made the biggest pan of soup yesterday it was enough for 9 people. There’s an empty pan there now. I’m glad he enjoyed it. I just didn’t fancy it. BW said it was 10 out of 10. Glad to accommodate Son.

 

The sink was full of dishes too. The cooker hob you know the one I cleaned yesterday, well it’s still clean, but full of trays and pans. I spent hours in the kitchen yesterday, you would never know it. All the door handles were polished so nice, oh, now you should see them?

 

So, it took me about an hour to clean it all again. As I emptied the dishwasher, I smashed a plate. So, out with the vacuum. But it didn’t get all of it up so hand and knees job. Then whilst down there, thought it could actually do with a clean. Again. So rather than the mop like I used yesterday, I used a bucket and cloth along with some elbow grease. Sparkling. For today.

 

I’m going to make a dinner tonight homely creamy mash potato. I have to separate mine with BW’s as he has vegan butter me, not so vegan. I’m making carrots and my least favourite veg, broccoli. But I’m doing mashed turnip with butter. And we are having pie. It’s vegan pie. Thick onion gravy too. It’s so cold and there is nothing on a bitter cold night than a mash potato dinner.

 

I wonder what Hub will have? I guess a curry as he’s out with colleagues tonight when he finishes at his conference. Or meeting not sure what he is going for.

 

Remember the poor shivering birds. Please. Fresh water and some food. Even if it’s gone over apples.

 

Talk later I’m sure. I have loads of time on my hands tonight. And tomorrow I’m going to a garden centre. I need some slate for my garden and I’m looking for a Christmas tree.  I have a gardener coming next week. I’m going to try to make a rockery so cutting out more of my grass. This time I hope my neighbour won’t kill my tree. Haha. Or I may have to kill him… bless him.

 

Stay safe. Hang onto your metal… watch out for the Boogieman.

Hey, I’m surprised we can say boogieman now days? Shouldn’t it be boogiewoman? Or boogie person?

Monday, 29 October 2018

DIARY OF GET WELL SOON AND BIRTHDAY BALLOONS BY FIONA CUMMINGS


Good day Bloggets. It’s 4 p.m. and this is the first time I have had chance to come to my lap top. I have written seven Christmas poems for people today. Before that I made some leek and potato soup. I tried a small dish of it and to be honest, I’m really disappointed, so much so, not sure I will give it to the family. Regretfully I used vegan / dairy free butter to soften the leeks. Hmm. I do believe that is what has spoiled it. I have made that kind of soup so many times and it’s always delicious. Today it’s awful in my opinion. The last soup I made was the best I have ever done it was carrot and coriander and I used an alternative to dairy cream and wow, it was amazing. But the butter? No… not keen at all. I have tried some on a small bit of toast and it was horrid but I thought it would be an alternative to dairy butter to fry with.

 Wrong.

 

I made Boy Wonder a funny dish yesterday, it started off where it was going to be vegan chilli. Then I realised that the chilli sauce I had in the fridge, in a jar, was vegetarian, not vegan. Oh. Now what? I had all the ingredients ready.

 

Well I’m not quite sure what I would have called it as I have never cooked such a meal and I certainly have never tasted anything like it. But it was truly delicious. Don’t even ask what went in it… but it ended up quite sweet almost with a Thai flavour. I used loads of mushrooms grated, red pepper grated. Onions the same and vegan mince. I have to say that is disgusting unless it’s in something. I made a sauce with vegan cream tomatoes garlic and so many herbs. What kind of herbs? Your guess is as good as mine. I would love to be an organised blind person who has all their herbs labelled. But I’m not. I could use my Pen friend. But it’s just too much hassle. I would have to know what they were firstly, so use my iPhone to open the app seeing i.a. then wait until it read loads of numbers out codes and ingredients and then if that fails to help or tell me what the jar read, open another app Tap Tap See. Then talk into my special pen and stick it on the jar. Making sure I used those same jars for the same herbs. I do have glass jars which are meant to be for herbs… em, they look good on my work tops. Haha. So, I just open my cupboard where I store the herbs and do the sniff, chuck and hope technique.

 

Thank you to Dear Tracey for letting me know where to look for vegan cheese.

So according to the vegan society, here are the best cheeses

Vegusto  no-moo mild aromatic

 cheezly white cheddar style

follow your heart mozzarella shred. And you can get mayonnaise and salad dressing in the same make.

Sheese melty smoked cheddar

The link to these cheses and more are here.


  

I have filled my dishwasher. Cleaned all the work tops down in my kitchen. Washed the dog dish out and washed the floors. Put in a load of washing and cleaned the floors upstairs. I have also taken my gas hob to bits to clean. Putting it back together?

Oh

Heck

Well it is, kind of. It’s a huge gas hob so wide I love it, but this means more to clean but moreover, more to take off and putting it back together should be a test for all engineers.

 

My Son has a day off work today and has took Waggatail to the forest. She will be exhausted. He has walked for over two hours. After washing my floors, I’m hoping she’s clean. He did promise not to let her off her leash. I felt so sorry seeing him go there alone. I wish he had friends who were interested in moving further than bar to bar.

 

Hub and I had a fantastic weekend. Yesterday was so special. But sadly, he is in agony today and was all night. He didn’t have one per cent of sleep during the night. He has a dreadful condition called Trigeminal Neuralgia. I think I have spelled that correctly. Don’t ask me to say it. He normally gets it when he is stressed, but he isn’t though I’m sure deep down he has thoughts of concern as his workload has quadrupled. He’s away every week now overnight too and I know he hates that. But I kind of like him doing something different and I think he will be going for a curry or something with his colleagues at night, but I know he doesn’t like being away from home, I guess once again back to boarding school days. They never leave us. We miss each other too, but maybe we will win the lotto this week. Hmm. And there goes a pink pig flying past my porch.

   

Today in the UK is budget day. Where our Government decide where our money goes and where theirs end up. It looks a really good one. Wine is going up in price as are smokes. Money given to the NHS and schools. So now the NHS are getting money, put people in charge who know what they are doing with it….

 

Our Son is going to Ireland in a few days. Oh, another few days when I wish they were over. A load of awful drinking will be involved. I hate that. And sadly he will just go with the flow and join in.

 

He’s getting a bus to the train station, then getting a train to near where Shamrock works, then she is driving them both to the airport. I wish I could be like any other parent and drive him there. The other day it was hailstoning and he went to work. My heart broke. I really wanted to say get in my car and I will drive you and drop you off. But obviously that couldn’t happen so he drove parked up and did his fifteen minute walk to wrok and same back at ten in the evening. Everyone who I tell the route he does say it’s a bad place to be walking in the dark. Great. I really wish he was out of there now especially after the other night when he had bother with drunks again. Thankfully he handles them really well. But one day, he may not be so lucky.

 

He and I were talking yesterday about chemicals in the brain, as you do… he is so clever I just don’t understand where he learns about such subjects. He watches so many documentaries I guess it’s from there.

 

He has a meeting tomorrow with his boss. Something to do with change overs and paperwork she wants him to do before he leaves for his break. She has been so nice to him of late. I think the holiday he took  made her realise how much he does.

 

OK, must dash now there is an ironing board with my name on. I have to get Hubs shirts ready to pack. He’s away tomorrow and the day after. Take care of yourself and thank you Jack for answering my email. Get well soon please George. You are needed. Di’s Dad, hurry out of hospital. All the best to Keith’s Mum and Dave’s Dad. So many people are not well this week. Sending love and finally Janis thinking of you today, it’s a tough ask for you. Happy birthday to Sergei and Granny Rich.

 

Saturday, 27 October 2018

BLIND VISION BY FIONA CUMMINGS


I have written about how my Husband who has been blind from birth has really helped me to live in the sighted world as a person who lost their vision overnight twenty years ago.

 

Hub has taught me so much and life with him, I’m complete. We just understand each other. But there are still days times like today when I completely forget he’s blind.

 

I got a jar from the fridge today and he asked me if I wanted him to tell me what it was. I answered yes please. I held the jar up and got frustrated as he said hand it to me so I can tell you what it is? I tutted as if to say for goodness sake, can’t you see the label from there? He was a few feet in front of me. Bless him, I believed for a few seconds that he could see… I do that from time to time, if there is something I can’t see, I will hold it up to him and ask him what it looks like or what is it if it’s some kind of letter. How crazy is that?

 

Hub has never had his blindness labelled. We don’t know why or how he can’t see. Poor love had his first operation when he was a tiny child I think he said he was a year old. When he was about two or three, the Drs requested for him to have glasses thinking that would encourage him to see.  He can stand in front of a window with the sun shining in and he doesn’t see anything at all his eyes don’t even hurt. He can stand under a light and again, nothing. With me, my eyes hurt in the sun. sometimes I can see a white sheet in front of me when it’s sunny, but then when it’s pitch black with no lights on at night at home, I still see a white sheet. So, do I see sun from my window as in a white cloth over my eyes, or is it my brain telling me it’s sunny and tricking me at nights?  But with Hub, he says it’s like looking from your elbow. So, imagine that. What can you see from your elbow? Go on, have a look?

 

My heart breaks for Hub, not to have ever seen colours, or what a face looks like. Even thinking of him as a child, something like a teddy bear, I remember them being so cute. What is cute to Hub? A voice of a sweet child I guess.

 

We often talk about our sight or lack of it. We ask each other what is best. Never to have seen or to have seen and had it taken from you.

 

We both agree that never to have had vision is better than the hell I went through. Thankfully Hub didn’t have to ever go through that. It was torture. Excruciating and the most terrifying time of my life.

 

But then I think to myself, but don’t speak my next thoughts to Hub. I know what it is like to fall in love by sight, looking at someone across a room and looking into his eyes feeling that electric between us. Seeing a really handsome man and beautiful colours. Looking in the mirror and having memories of colours still and what things look like.

 

As I said a few blogs back. If a miracle took place and Hub was given sight. He was put in a room with only one chair in the middle of the room, he wasn’t allowed to touch the chair, and asked what the object was, he wouldn’t know. Obviously now as a blind person if he feels a chair he knows. He would have to learn everything, where as I would know what everything was. But Hub can do so much as a professional blind person as I call him that I have had to learn and he has been my teacher.

 

So, what have I been able to teach him? This is what this blog is about as I wrote some time ago what he has taught me as in walking how I walk and how I can hear things now that I never knew were there before. I feel things now I didn’t know how to feel.

 

When I was reunited with Hub after too many years, too many mistakes and wrong paths in life, I naively thought I could tell him a colour by describing it. Red for example. A warm colour. Like soft thick velvet. Like a glass of something nice to drink at Christmas. Blue, the colour of the sky. A soft colour, one you may wish to put a baby boy in. Yellow, the sun, a yolk of an egg. A colour that makes you smile and makes you happy.

 

Well how stupid am I? I mean, saying red is a velvet colour. So, what is that? Blue the colour of the sky or what you would put a baby in, they are all words, they don’t make a blind person understand or see a colour in their head. Yellow well, so it’s the colour of an egg yolk, and, what colour is that? Words, that is all I used. It means nothing. I thought.

 

This year for the first time I has noticed a huge change in Hub. When I got together with him all those years ago, I slowly threw out his clothes and replaced them with more modern clothes. I quickly learned that wasn’t a good idea, as something that looks modern doesn’t feel nice to him. He didn’t care how fashionable he was or wasn’t. he wanted clothes to feel good as in material. So, I firstly learned how to meet in the middle. Buying nice clothes that felt nice. There is no good buying him a designer belt if it feels flat and boring with an ordinary buckle. Or a shirt with a pattern on but it feels just like a very plain shirt. Give it texture, lines, nice buttons anything. Give the belt a nice buckle, pick a belt where the leather smells really good. Pick a jacket that feels really nice, good quality but practical with pockets he can put things in and know they are going to be safe on Tubes/trains/busses etc.

 

Matching colours was a must for me when I had sight. When I lost my vision, I panicked. I was ashamed how I would look if something didn’t match. For Hub, matching wasn’t on his to do list.

 

Now? oh, yes, he asks will this go with that and so on. Trouble is, he doesn’t know what colours he’s handing to me and I don’t either. Now if he was to say something do these grey trousers go with that brown shirt, I would say no, not at all. Does that orange wallpaper match with that pink paint, absolutely not? But to hold two items of clothing up to me and ask do they match? Em… so when we get clothes, I have to remember what matches and what they feel like and where in our robe I have placed them.

 

Now we have received those buttons I told you about some weeks ago, I must use them. You use them with your iPhone. Sew the buttons on the clothes and  your iPhone remembers the colour. So to start with, you do need the help of a sighted person.

 

Right now though, I have to use my iPhone either Be My Eyes App or Tap Tap See. And even then, some weeks ago we bought a jacket for Hub. Our friend was with us. She said it was black. When we got home, Hub took his phone and saw what the labels said. It read the jacket was brown. Shock horror as he doesn’t own brown shoes and knows I wouldn’t put black with brown. Also grey with brown and the jacket was to wear for work, he has a few pairs of trousers that are grey. Our Son came home. I asked him to see what colour the jacket was. He said black. I called Be My Eyes where you talk to a live person. But it was sunny in our room. With the sunlight, she thought it was grey. Remember it was over the phone too. So, we learned it was brown, but it must be so dark it to most people will look black.

We hope.

 

Even Hubs casual clothes now he confirms what he is wearing matches. He used to show no interest in what colours I was putting on the  walls, or hanging curtains. Now, he wants to know and I have even caught him on websites checking out colours. He said to me last week for the first time he is getting pride in what he wears. I’m so pleased for him but know there is a fine line between being keen to pick out an outfit and getting so stressed about it. I get frustrated and I know colours. And sometimes by the time you get out your iPhone, download or open the application and get it to read the colour, you have lost the will to go anywhere in your nice outfit. Especially when the applications are sometimes wrong or, can take three goes before you get it right.

 

He has an Apple watch. He likes to change the picture on it. One time he wouldn’t have even thought of that. He now wants to style his hair. At one time, anything went.

 

My Husband is super brainy, charming, beautiful and so kind, but now has signs of a sighted person. He wants to look his best. He wants his house to look nice. He wants his garden to have items in that match and don’t clash. Like the seat in our front garden, it’s the same colour as our front door and some markings in our drive. He bought an item of clothing last week on line that he would never have worn. And a colour that is really daring. I am so interested in this change. Our boy has noticed too and his response to it is funny.

 

 Even things like I have my towels folded in a certain way, I found him last week putting the towels away and when I went to check after him, expecting to rearrange them, they were perfectly folded.

 

Now I need to get him to keep my sofa and chair cushions nice in order. And when he learns that, he can teach our Son. Haha. That isn’t a blind sighted thing, that is a man thing.

 

Sometimes when I am writing out a birthday or whatever card for family or friends, I can tell he’s a little tense. Believe me, as am I. I wonder firstly does the pen still work? Am I writing over already written words? But if my pen works, and I manage to write where there is normally no words, then how good is that? As for the address and stamp? Well, bottom lip syndrome… I can breathe when I get a call to say thank you… or some recognition that it’s got to them.

 

When people call or text to say they got the card and thank you for the nice message or whatever, I’m really pleased and Hub smiles, I can tell he’s slightly proud of me.

 

So, I’m not too sure I can really teach him anything that will make his life easier. But I hope to give him pride knowing he blends in with the sighted world and is made to feel less of a different person. He feels confident that he has a lovely house. When we are in a shop, I can get him out of it as when I enter that shop, I try to go into my minds eye, memory whatever. I see things in my head like watching the TV. Things we pass, I see them so when it’s time to get out of the shop, then I can get us out, once on the streets, over to him and his guide dog. Outside he is brilliant, inside is my kind of task.

 

We are a team. A penny that was sliced in half many years ago and has since been fixed and now we pass through the hands, pockets and purses of life and we are complete.

 

© Fiona Cummings

 

THE INDIAN LADIES STORY BY FIONA CUMMINGS


I was talking with my friend from India yesterday about a film she was watching. It’s a true story about a man in India who was shocked to see his wife washing a dirty rag and using it for when she had her lady moments. He tried to make her a pad like ladies use across the world. It failed. So, he tried time and time again and failed. At last he ran out of people to trial his pads as menstruation is a Taboo subject in India.

 

He filled a balloon with goats’ blood and wore it. The villagers where he lived called him a pervert and disowned him his wife’s brothers came and took his wife away. Long story short, he ended up living with a professor who told him about machines that make such things. He ended up designing the perfect pad and going to America. He’s now a millionaire and of course… his wife has come back to him.

 

Unfortunately, he’s now known as The Pad Man

But bless him I mean, why on earth does it matter to him if women are comfortable? I think he deserves every Rupee he gets.

 

We also spoke about toilets in India. Oh, yes, we keep it real… how there is a part of India where there is a block of luxury flats with at least two toilets each and just outside there are people having to take a small bucket of water and a stone to toilet outside.

Of course, I did have to ask the question that will be on some peoples minds right now…. what do you do with the stone once used?

Our other friend asked where do people find such stones, surely, they will have to be smoothe ones? Haha.

 

It just made me realise how lucky we are but how lovely people in India are, well most of them with the odd exception. In general, people are so friendly and so hospitable. Moreover, so grateful, humble for what they have or in some cases, what they don’t have.

 

That took us onto another conversation about another movie a man and woman married but she came from a family where by they wouldn’t have a toilet in the house it’s considered unhygienic. The husband built an outside loo for his new wife. The father of the new wife refused to have such a toilet but one day his wife the mother of the bride fell as she was about to go to the field to defecate and fell on the doorstep. So, long story short the father decided to allow the toilet to be built and the villagers then all got toilets built, well in the film. In real life, I think that village are still waiting for an indoor loo. Come on India, please give your people toilets?

 

Here is a brilliant read. I did laugh especially at the end.

 


 

 

 

Friday, 26 October 2018

SCIENTIFIC DIARY BY FIONA CUMMINGS


Well different subjects at the bottom of my blog, that is for sure.

Hub in my hometown today two hours from my now home. But before that, he and the Little Fella had what we call Aftercare today. This is where our dogs are tested and how our partnership is doing, between in Hubs case him, and his dog. Thank goodness he passed. As did the dog. Haha.

 

We weren’t worried as they must be doing something right, as they are working so well. He’s a lovely dog, so loyal and loving as well as a great worker.

 

We are positive they know when they are being tested. It’s like taking your driving test. But at least our lovely lady who comes out is a sweetheart and so very real. I like her a lot and wish she was ten years younger and not close to retirement as I personally really don’t like aftercare but knowing that lady is coming out makes me feel at ease. She’s so lovely and knows her stuff as well as being straight, what you see is what you get and I respect her.

 

In my fridge I have enough carrots to provide enough food for Bugs Bunny and his family and enough to help with vision across England. So, it’s carrot and coriander soup for tonight’s menu.

I have bought vegan cream to put in it, goodness knows what that will be like, I may just make a small amount.

 

Going out with two ladies later so looking forward to that. And then it’s our pub quiz.

 

Received two really odd phone calls today. First one I missed and I’m waiting for an important call so without thinking, I just called it back an elderly lady answered. She spoke Russian. Haha. So, I asked her had she called me by mistake, in Russian obviously.   afterwards I checked out her number. It said she was calling from the Maldives

Sadly because of global warming, that part of the world is sinking fast.

Just thought I would throw that in…

And two hours later, another really odd number different to the other but I blocked the other because the lady called me back and I was afraid she was running up a huge bill. So, was the other number from the same place?  This time it didn’t say but it wasn’t a number I ever get in the UK.

And when the other number called, it only rang once. Hmm.

 

I have a friend in India, is he on holiday there and using his family’s phone? Are his family calling my number for him? But if so, why doesn’t he speak? Apart from my neighbours, that is the only connection I have with India.

 

My Darling Son came home from work and told me it sounds as if I have been conned. Why? The old trick I used to tell people about and may have fell for it myself today. When you see on your phone a missed call or you phone someone back, you get charged a fortune. And with it being a Russian speaking person but calling from the Maldives?

 

I think I’m going to have to call my phone provider.

 

Thank you for your comments about the blog I wrote about love. It’s so interesting to hear all about your experiences of falling in love and simply love for others. How different everyone’s opinion was. Karen, I loved your answer and Terry, I didn’t expect that from you. But V, I did. B, interesting and for all the rest of you, it’s so lovely to hear your stories.

 

So, this is for C. remember this, broken crayons still colour. And please don’t take everything so serious because most times you are right, people are awful, but sometimes, we come across angels’ good genuine people, it just doesn’t happen enough where we meet kind people who are prepared to give to you what you give to them. And sometimes we can get disillusioned by how others treat us. We have to learn to walk away from them and hope they can do the same. If people hurt you, you don’t need that in your life. it’s normally because they are not happy in their own lives. So, they feel they have to treat you badly too. Well walk and hope they won’t follow. On your journey, you will meet people you really can trust. To C, again, I will try to listen to your music and give you my review. Smile, you did ask for advice. Here it comes the Fifi style.

 

Remember. A ship is always safe a shore, but that is not what it’s built for.

If you are going through hell, keep going because if you stand still, you will stay in hell. You have to come to the end eventually. And you don’t need to see a complete set of ladders, just take the first step in life.  

 

This blog may seem quite cryptic, I’m trying to answer some media messages and comments and the people I’m writing to connect with, will know what I mean, and I hope that at least one of the messages in my blog will get to those who need it.

 

That was all written yesterday. So, today. More news on my phone calls. I called my provider and they say yes, I have been tricked. They kindly gave me my money back but told me that they can’t do anything abut it. Today I received another three calls. I just keep blocking them but make sure I don’t call them back I don’t even want to answer their calls.

 

I have been out this morning but now in for the day. Hub working from home so it was good to get out. I had my meeting and it was lovely went well and had a morning of chatting and catching up with girlfriends.

 

 My Son has just come home from work. I expect he will be catching up on sleep. He’s had one late night and two early mornings. He was up at silly hour this morning making Hub look like he was sleeping in. and Hub is up every morning really really early.

 

I was asked today if I wanted to do a ghost walk. Haha. Em, not sure. My friends are going, but I don’t know yet.  Let’s see. I guess the stories will be interesting as obviously someone walks around with you and you get the history and stories behind the ghosts and where they frequent. But it’s very touristy, so not real.

 

I’m exhausted this week. Mentally. Tomorrow we have some people coming and the day after I’m hoping to get out just for a couple of hours. Then the week starts again where I have a person coming on Monday afternoon but apart from that nothing all week so I can catch up with you all.

 

I have some really deep writing to do inside of my head. How it finds itself to paper is another matter.

 

Right now, I have my dogs by my feet for some reason, this week they have both been really clingy. Pushing themselves on me. Following me like shadows. I think they are detecting something dogs are so clever.

 

OK, todays subjects. I had to look into this headline when I read about it. (birth canals are different all the world over)

Really? Surely ladies are all the same?

The shape of a mother’s birth canal has to be wide enough to allow a baby through but narrow enough to let the lady walk properly.

That was what was always believed. But a new study the researchers measured the pelvis’s of 348 skeletons from all over the world and the pelvis’s were not carbon copies of each other.

 

Some women from Asia and parts of Africa, were narrow from side to side and deep from back to front. Native American women had wider canals. European ladies had the most oval shaped canals. Colder climates favour wider bodies, which which are better at holding in heat so that could have an impact on canal shapes. There are different ways ladies go through labour as well when the baby turns etc. so this could design our insides.  

 

I guess it’s all the same result. Which brings me onto my next blog. I am not sure my gentlemen readers will want to read what I will try to write about tomorrow, though it’s inspired totally by a man. And what a story.

And finally, a question was asked.

(Have you ever had sex with someone of the same sex?)

Researchers identified those who said yes and those who answered that question no. 450,939 who said their sexual relationships had been exclusively heterosexual and 26,890 who reported at at least one homosexual experience.

 

At the annual American society of human genetics, it was written that the researchers were cautious, about exploring sexual behaviour that is still illegal in many countries, and that they tried to frame their questions carefully. The researchers performed a genome-wide association study in which they looked for specific variations in DNA that were more common in people reported at least one same-sex sexual experience. They identified four such variants   on chromosomes. Two variants were specific to men who reported same sex relationships. One chromosome has been reported   to have a pattern to cause baldness. Another chromosome is rich in olfactory receptors.  This plays a large role in sexual attraction. A large stretch on the X chromosome linked to inherited homosexuality.

 

The same chromosome that identifies homosexuality, showed signs of depression too, but rightly so, the scientists said that could be linked with their lifestyle and how the general public except or not except them. So, I doubt that connection between depression and homosexuality, can be linked.

 

Well the findings reinforce the idea that human sexual behaviour is complex and can’t be pinned on any simple constellation of DNA. In other words, there is no gay gene. I’m just not too sure where this study will take us to? Why need such a study unless future scientists are thinking about deleting certain chromosomes? I mean, what could be the other reason for such a study? But I think they have been looking into this since 1993.

 

And now it’s the weekend, I hope you have a great one. I’m going to have a lovely evening with the Hubster and our dogs. We may be blessed with Boy Wonder, who knows, I think he may be going to Shams house though. Right now, he’s still in bed. So, he won’t sleep tonight and he has to work early tomorrow again. The faster he can get a job where he is working 9 till 5, the better, though not sure any more if such jobs exist.

 

Look after yourselves but please watch out for those who mayneed you. Remember no one really knows what goes on behind closed doors. You could be that person who is able to open that door for someone. I believe in Karma.

 

 

Wednesday, 24 October 2018

RESEARCH THE AGE BY FIONA CUMMINGS


The sun is shining, it’s a beautiful day. I have just got in, I met with my dear friend and we had a wonderful afternoon. She’s my tonic. I love her. I just feel so sad when I get back home as I know it will be six weeks before I see her again. Gosh her life is so full of business. So, I have an hour before I start again. Housework this week has had to take a part time burner. The essentials have been done. And I’m so bored with it. My brain is screaming for something to occupy those cells. I really did want to volunteer for Age concern. But I know I would get too involved and feel so sad for those who are on their own, as well as angry. I hear of people saying how lonely they are and they have children, obviously grown up, but obviously again, never give their elderly parent a second thought. And the older person says things like well, they are busy with their own life. they have all the rest of their own life to live when their parents are long gone. We really do live in a selfish world. Hub suggested that I may visit elderly people, but I would want to cheer them up, and how can I do that if I am too concerned about their mental health. As in depression. If people live on their own, and can’t get out of the house, obviously they will end up suffering. And the last lot of words I have written say a lot of obvious and obviously in, but it’s just that. Obvious.

 

I think my age, with the odd exception, are the last generation to really care. So, what will happen to us when we are that age? And worse, our kids. I do wonder if there will be any old people’s homes left too by the time we are older. Our Son says no way we are going in a home… Hub says he will be there in a flash. Me, not on your Nelly. Why? At the moment, we just can’t get them right. If I win so much money, after I have given money to the elephant charities and trying to find treatments for RP, then my money is to open affordable care for older people. Places where we would want to go if we were of a particular age. Sunny and cheerful places, not Gods waiting rooms. Some places are like going into hospital for the rest of your life. who wants to do that. And even if you can’t participate in some activities, or any, then to see people around you smiling, feeling better, surely makes those people who are mainly spectators, smile and everyone will have more to talk about to each other because their lives are full.

 

The TV program Hub and I are watching is a group of four-year olds are going every day to a so-called old people’s village. One man has not left his room in over a year. A guy lived a couple of doors from him and they had never even met until this program. Now they are talking and are becoming friends. The man who hadn’t been out, had fitted a camera so he could see who was coming and going from his building. How sad is that? These children are doing activities with the elderly people and to see the relationships developing is so lovely, what worries me is how those elderly people will be when the TV cameras are gone along with the children. The children are learning old fashioned manners. And patience. It’s a heart-warming program to which I find myself crying buckets in fact seriously sobbing, Hub asks do I want the TV turned off, I say no, because I know there will be a happy moment coming up. I just don’t understand why these lovely people are not seeing their families? They look to be good people.

 

Hub due back late tonight. About 10 pm unless he gets an earlier train. And tomorrow he’s off again.

And guess what he’s getting for his supper?

Pasta.

If you read yesterdays blog, that will make sense to you.

 

In our news, you will never believe what is being auctioned? Oh, my, I have heard of everything now. Professor Stephen Hawking’s wheelchair.

In the UK, two babies’ spines are to be repaired whilst still in the womb.

Wow, that is amazing.

 

For those who are interested in research for RP, my eye disease, this is such an interesting link to information. Wonderful news just needs it to happen faster, but to me, this is a breakthrough


 

And on that note, I shall go for now.