Strangely comforting

I was touched to receive a call from a senior partner at my GP's surgery who I do not get on with at all, asking about my health.

It was genuine concern and she's called again since. Extraordinary.

She did something similar last year. I had a severe allergic reaction to a mystery trigger and although I managed to stagger to the surgery (it's very close to my home) I must have looked terrible because she took me straight into her consulting room and put me on a nebuliser, whilst she called for an ambulance.

2 weeks later, she called me (and at the weekend) to ask how I was feeling. I was amazed. The staff later told me that I was the last patient she saw before going on holiday so she must have called me as soon as she got back.

I have had very little to do with this doctor and that has generally been aggressive - we seem to rub each other up the wrong way but I cannot fault her for her care.

Wish there were more like her!

I find the affection from the dog strangely comforting. As I said I'm ambivalent to dogs but the reaction of this one affects me.

Alison, I do not live in the UK, Doctors here are all self-employed even Surgeons so good customer care is very important.
When I moved into the Granny flat here I went to 5 different GPs before I found one I liked.
As an aside my health insurance is only 6.45€ a month as is the rest of the family.

I too understand VQ's post about the little dog too

I feel comforted when I've just put away a home delivery. With freezer and cupboard full I feel safe knowing I have not got to bother family to shop for us and put themselves at risk, and we can manage to stay indoors and safe.
And for a touchy feely comfort, when I get into bed at night and I feel the old but soft pillow slip and top sheet round my face I feel relaxed and comforted. Silly maybe but I look forward to that each night.

I could well imagine the little dog bringing comfort too,btw

greengran, so do you not adhere to the government's guidelines for over 70s?

Cambia ... wonderful idea, completely agree !

Grandtante, I thought your story about the children helping their friend with a broken leg was just lovely! It struck me though, that it would probably not be here in UK as children are still confined to barracks.

Felice How did you get an email address for a GP. There are four partners at my rural surgery and this has never been available. I always assumed because it might be abused. Here, if we ring before 11.00a.m. a doctor will phone you at lunchtime if it's urgent. Getting through on the phone is another matter.... In the past, I found that joining the queue before the surgery opened at 0800 was the only way to get an appointment that day. At least 20 prospective patients could be outside by about 0745. Now that I no longer drive, this no longer possible. However, I am not rushing to work either.

kittylester. I'm 80, but if anyone calls me 'old' they are risking a punch on the nose!

My son's Aussie MIL posted on Facebook that she had managed to find her husband's favourite hand-wash in the shops, at last. She was ecstatic, as he has been moaning constantly about using one he doesn't like.
right now it's the little things of life that can make us happy. Reading her post certainly made me laugh!

The community spirit I have noticed here in a group of 150 houses relates to Fairy doors. Woodland park on doorstep and someone suggested the children make Fairy doors to help keep them occupied, great idea. That was until someone decided to remove the masses of them nailed or screwed into the trees in the parkNow whilst I liked seeing the tiny ones placed at the bottom I do admit the 8" x 10" ones nailed up and down the trees did annoy me. And no, I am not the one who did the removing. Not only were some ridiculously big they were varnished, had glitter and goodness knows what else on them all stuff harmful to wildlife. Whole place was in uproar about these lumps of wood being removed and placed in a public bin. Where is the community spirit in damaging trees and littering the woodland all for the sake of giving children something to do. So community spirit just doesn't exist where I live unless you get your own way on everything. Today VE Day invite to all in area for a picnic by one of the residents. Has lockdown ended and I've missed the announcement! I have lived in towns and cities, some very deprived violent areas but the selfishness demonstrated in this supposed to be well educated, affluent area I am in now is unbelievable. Quicker I move the better. Sorry for rant.

busy all day .then watching tele in bed.love it .

DD1 (21) messages me nearly every day often sending little video clips of funny things like a parakeet shaking the nut feeder in the garden to the delight of a squirrel sitting underneath! She knows we're missing them all like mad and she's such a sweet and thoughtful girl.

Looking out of her bedroom window this morning she noticed the care home opposite was having a small party in the garden. Apparently one of the residents is 75 today.

She filmed them singing Land of Hope and Glory - some local musicians were playing outside the gates for them. As she ended the film I could hear her quietly sobbing.

That finished me off as well.

I used to tutor a religious cleric some years ago. He always greeted me by saying ‘I pray you are in good health’

I am not religious but I found it a beautiful way to start a conversation.

I’m restricted to bedroom. My son and family in rest of house. Little conversation. My comforting time is reading a bedtime story to granddaughter via Echo device. I always start with “If you’re snuggled down comfortably then I’ll begin”. We are enjoying Enid Blyton’s Wishing Chair. New memories and old memories. Need I say more?

The "stay safe" phrase is going to be my abiding memory of lockdown days
And rambling threads, where a word triggers a memory for someone else I find particularly comforting. It's the nearest thing to normality there is for me atm.

kittylester's question was 'Is there something that strange that makes you feel good?' If vampirequeen doesn't usually take to dogs, surely she answered that question exactly. My 'happy' playlist brings me comfort but it's not that strange!

I find baking and making soup comforting also listening to music and doing my tapestry

I found it comforting to see five school children aged about nine waiting for the bus I was a passenger in. Standing well apart.

When the bus pulled up, one boy said politely to the bus driver, "Please wait for my friend." The friend was limping on crutches so the two other boys made sure he got on the bus.

When the children got off, the girls jumped off first, then one of them called to the boy with the broken leg, "I've got your bag." and right enough, there she was doggedly trudging down the road carrying two heavy school-bags.

My garden is my comfort and joy. I heard my first swifts of the year yesterday, and my local blackbird sings to me every morning and evening.

Possibly because of the need to concentrate, but I find untangling a pile of yarn, or threads, or wires (anything that can get tangled) and rolling into a neat ball or skein to be comforting and satisfying.

I think vampirequeen finds the little dog comforting.

I find Gransnet comforting especially when I read that there are others out there who have the same random thoughts, ideas and fears as me.

Just people I've spoken to on the phone, not family or friends, just banks and business, they all end with a 'Stay safe'.