Good morning Mick and all GN's from a slightly breezy , dry looking day in North Yorkshire. Friday the 13th started early for me i.e. yesterday and I am very weary and full of aches and pains.
Yesterday started in a busy but reasonable way. It had obviously rained previously but when I got up the day was bright but the wind was blowing a hooley, with a forecast of rain later. I determined to make the most of it and so before going out to my meeting ,managed to get the bedding off, washed and on the line. It was hard work getting the duvet cover on the line and got a few nasty flicks in the face as I struggled to peg it on with double pegs on everything, but managed it. I only had time to do the washing up before leaving, but looked forward to the cleaners coming, plus the gardening lady and things improving.
We had arranged to go to the department store cafe as I said, and there is an arcade at the side of the store, so mindful of the situation and trying to use my buggy more , I went on the yellow peril and was able to park it carefully down the arcade, so that if it rained it would stay dry. By the time I got there I must have looked like the wild woman of the west as the wind had increased as I went and my lovely clean hair which had looked quite good for once was sticking up in all sorts of ways.
Anyway I joined the group and settled down for a pleasant time catching up with news, playing two quizzes , which I did very well in and then thought I had better leave a bit early as I wanted to be there for the cleaners. Disaster! I checked my phone only to have a text saying the cleaner had an upset stomach and so couldnt come. I was sorry for her but of course that meant I now returned to nothing done.
As I struggled home through even wilder wind, the rain started lightly so it was a matter of unlocking the flat door, throwing my things in and grabbing the basket for the washing and going down to get that. Despite my double pegging everything the duvet cover was on the ground, but I hadnt lost anything and battled with the weather to get everything off the line and the rain got worse and worse and by the time I had got myself and washing in the flat and the yellow peril covered up I felt exhausted and soaked.
A rather sad thing also was a prunus tree in the garden had split down from the trunk, so that about 1/3rd to 1/2 was lying on the ground but still slightly attached to the main trunk. The wind was wild and as far as I could see from a safe distance, it hadnt caused any damage to any building but didnt look very safe. This is a leasehold flat and they deal with the main garden area where we have 5 silver birch trees and a copper birch, which are all older and stronger than this prunus, so they were being blown wildly about but no problems. So being a good citizen I rang the number I have for them to tell them about the situation and suggest that they send someone to deal with it, that they would probably need a saw to totally detach the broken bit before it ripped off and possibly rolled around and caused damage to people or building.
It took a long time for them to answer on the number I have and when they did answer , they promptly said that this was not the number for reporting such things and he gave me the right number and thanked me for letting them know. So I duly rang the given number where I was somewhat annoyed to be speaking to a man, whose whole attitude seemed to be to be as unhelpful as possible, try and get you to do his work and avoid any effort.
He firstly needed telling my address 3 times, despite my having a clear voice and no one else has problems understanding me! Then claimed that I was not the owner of this flat as they do not seem to have updated their paperwork in this maintenance department. He finally listened to what I had to say and my advice that they get someone there as soon as possible to avoid further problems - and hopefully might be able to save the tree or that would be another job to do to remove it. He twice asked me to hold while he went off to check something or other, then said it was a long way from his available people and could I take a photo of it and send it to him, with a tone that implied that I was not telling him the truth. By this time it was absolutely pouring with rain and the wind was even wilder and I said that I could not go out and take a picture , that it was not even near my flat and that I was simply trying to report the situation to them. He then said he didnt know if it was even their ground, which as I said rather shortly to him, that if not I wondered why they were paying staff to cut the grass and garden however badly.! I came off the phone and then had to get out of wet clothes and make a much needed coffee and redry my hair from its rainwater rinse and sit down somewhat exhausted for a while.
So it took me all afternoon to slowly get the bed made, the still wet washing put on the clothes horse and generally do all the jobs and couldnt turn the mattress or hoover so that had to wait. I did enjoy getting into my nice clean bed, but it didnt improve my night and got up today feeling awful, with little sleep, some extra aches and pains from fighting the washing and the weather and dont have any energy to start the day. Still sat around in my dressing gown , fortunately dont have an early appointment today but will have to stir my stumps and make an effort to get going. I want to get the local paper later so that at least will make me move eventually.
Today will be a day of hopefully catching up and I plan to watch the Cheltenham Gold cup this afternoon. Dont bet but enjoy choosing my horse and seeing how it does. Am often quite good at picking a winner, but like to see them , not just go on their past history and so forth. Have been involved with horses most of my life, from running a riding school part time for a farmer, riding out for a racing stable many years ago, doing dressage and teaching from beginners to more advanced for shows etc, and am so old , started watching things like the Puissance at white city from the days of Pat Smythe and Harvey Smith. How ancient that makes me!! But I have always loved the simple pleasure of hacking out and the joy of riding through wonderful countryside and seeing so much being on horseback of wild life as well as the growing crops etc. Ah cheering memories improving the day!
I have no idea of what to cook for dinner but feel I deserve something good after the day I had yesterday, so need to have a look in the freezer for something to tempt me , and then if I need any vegetables that I havent got in I can get those when I go for the paper. That is about as far as I have got with plans for today, but hoping that I shall feel a bit more rested and if the wind doesnt get going again may go to meet a friend for coffee at Neros. The forecast is for yet more cold weather and even possible snow for the weekend so think it might be best to do whatever today so that I batten down the hatches if need be tomorrow.
Oh just had a load of rooks cawing and flying round the tree and a blackbird sat on a branch sort of defying them and apparently being the winner. The rooks have all now flown off and the blackbird has just flown down to peck about under the tree so obviously intends to be the winner of this tree for nesting if ever we get any leaves on it!
Sorry you had a bad day grandMattie. It is sad when something comes to an end after all your efforts . Hope today proves to be better. RoseandLilac, how maddening and frustrating for you. Do you use the typetelephone at all? I used to take a deaf lady to hospital and she used this kind of phone. I think some of it was a direct type to each other but then she also used to type her message and I think the operator used to say the words to the other end and then type their replies to her. ? Or do you have any contact with the patient group at the hospital who might be able to help and support you . I have every sympathy with you and how maddening it is when you have got ready to cope with something and then have to go back to the beginning again. If things dont improve I think I might either get in touch with your local paper and write a letter which might be published and then get some action or actually possibly contact your mp explaining the situation and the length of your wait and see if you get any action from either of those. Baubles good news on your DH. Hope things continue to improve.
Well the day calls and I wont get anything done sat here so time to take a deep breath and begin. The wind has picked up again and it is now quite on the wild side again, so it will be hat coat and gloves this morning. Take care when you are out today folks and hope your day is a good one.
