Woohoo!

Categories: life-in-general

Tags: stuff

Date: 17 August 2012 08:38:05

I'm home again!

The last week at Summer School was harder than expected - several of my closest friends there had left, and those remaining were tireder than we'd expected (should that be "more tired"? I think so.) but we struggled through. The final evening was exhausting though as we had to pack everything up into boxes, and take them down to the storage area. Most of the female teachers were right pissed off as two of the guys had disappeared off the face of the earth just when heavy boxes needed to be lugged about.

"Oh, I thought we were doing it after dinner" one of them said, when challenged. Funny that, nobody else had that idea...

Anyway, it was done and dusted by about 9 pm so we hauled our weary bodies down the 20 minute walk to the pub...but we were really too knackered to celebrate very much. The pub landlord, bless his cotton socks, gave us four free pizzas to share - that shows how much business we must have brought in over the five weeks!! - but by 11.00 I was dropping, so I walked back to fall into bed by midnight.

On Saturday morning, I was being given a lift to Milton Keynes, so I was able to chill. Others were hurrying to get trains, but I was ready packed by 10.00, and just waiting for Chris. He took me to MK where I stayed overnight with friends: it was Gary's 50th birthday party on Sunday, but unfortunately I'd booked my bus up to Liverpool...the party was just starting as I left for the Coach station. I'm sorry I couldn't stay, but there you go!

Mum is doing very well, and healing nicely. She and Judy (my sister, who'd been staying with her) had done lots of things, and she is now getting fairly dextrous. Obviously there's still lots she can't do yet, but it's looking hopeful that she'll get much of the previous strength and movement back. Chopping and cooking are still too difficult, so I was on cooking duty, and we also ordered some food from this great site which is all in pouches and can be easily microwaved. A kettle that she could manipulate was also unearthed from somewhere, which has helped too.

I felt guilty leaving so early, having only stayed a few days, when Judy was there for three weeks, but mum insisted. She was going out yesterday evening, and going to stay with a friend at the weekend, so I probably wouldn't have been much use, but even so... Maybe I can go back again later, I don't know. She did point out that she's doing most things for herself, and that she is learning to accept the help of others.

It's interesting that it is this she's had a lot of problems with - and I can see it in myself too. She has not been able to accept that when people have offered lifts, or to go shopping with her, or to cook, that they really want to help. " I don't want to impose" she says. Judy pointed out (psychologically clever) that, in accepting their help, Mum will help them to feel useful and good about themselves... I'm the same when laid low with backache: I really don't like asking for help, even if it's only asking Mr D to make me a cup of coffee. I don't like to impose...

I also drove her about a bit - shopping, to physiotherapy, to Southport etc. I took my tablet into Currys, which is where we'd bought it. It was declared DOA, but unfortunately it would take too long to send it away in the UK. We have a French number to ring, so that will be a job for me to put off for I don't know how long!!

And then yesterday, it was an early get up to take a taxi to Manchester airport...I decided that with my heavy suitcase and handluggage I really couldn't face trains. Which probably wouldn't have been much cheaper in the end. The flights were short and I was home by about 3.30, as we stopped off to get shopping on the way home.

The kitties were pleased to see me and Bib sat on my lap all yesterday evening. Today I'm tidying up my bits, deleting 124 emails (mostly unwanted rubbish) , blogging (though I'm having a few problems readjusting to my French AZERTY keyboard!), and settling into being here again. I don't start work until the week after next, so I can chill. Maybe make some cards and maybe not. I should try to get some walking in too, though my feet aren't really behaving very well at the moment.

View IMG_20120725_221304.jpg in slide show

Here is a photo of Bib that MrD sent me while I was away. She has lost her kitten-y bundle-of-fur look, and is now a "catlet" (a small cat) as opposed to a kitten. She's still very cute though - _ç_ç_ç_ç_ç_ç_ç(that's her, agreeing by standing on the keyboard!)

Ah well, on with the tidying. And ironing. I washed my clothes at mum's but didn't bother ironing them, as I knew i'd be packing them and they'd get creased. So now I need to think about ironing. Boo, hiss, sucks.