This is definitely not a holiday!

 

I'm staying with Holly again and this time it is definitely not a holiday! G (Holly's regular human) has gone to visit her family in South Africa so I am here for eighteen nights.

Holly lives about seven miles from my own home, so, when I am here I go home every couple of days to use my wet room and sort whatever needs sorting.  Just after I stepped out of the shower this morning G rang from South Africa (a Mermaid had rung her) to tell me that the header tank in her house had leaked and the house was flooded.  I dashed back and found water running down the walls and stairs and all the electrics had failed.  Oops.

But the response was amazing.  The other two Monday Mermaids were there in minutes with buckets mops and towels.  We got a plumber within the hour and an electrician within two.  Soon the plumbing was repaired and the electricity supply restored for most of the house.  We had even sorted emergency accommodation for Holly Dog if needed!   (If the electricity hadn''t been restored I would not have been able to stay here.)

But I can stay.  The hallway is still soaking wet but I can bypass that.  The central heating won't come on but I have a couple of electric heaters.  People have lent a dehumidifier and a carper shampooer to suck up the water.

But no way could this be called a holiday.

The Tuneless Choir

 

Debbie insists we must breathe!

I am sure that all Brits of a certain age will remember Eric Morecambe telling Andre Previn that he always played the right notes but not necessarily in the right order.  Apparently there are choirs full of Erics.

A Tuneless Choir director came to our Women's Institute today to talk about her singers.  They all come along saying they can't sing but somehow she has formed them into a choir.  Their motto is "Sing like no-one is listening".  I've added a link to their web site.

Debbie used to teach music in schools but since she retired she's been inspiring adults to have a go.  This morning we sang "I have a dream" and, while we won't be singing at The Albert Hall any time soon, we had great fun.  There were a few percussion instruments available and one of our members played her kazoo to add to the general cacophony.

And it was good to hear that their linked charity is Mind, the mental health charity, because choral singing is great for mental health.

Update on jigsaws

As I mentioned last month, Normanby Church will be having a jigsaw display as part of the West Lindsey Open Churches Weekend.  And jigsaws are being completed at an amazing rate.

A friend and I hard at work

Last month we had a jigsaw afternoon in a local village hall and about twenty people joined together to complete various puzzles.  It was a real success as quite a few people who live alone (and feel lonely) came along and had three hours puzzling and chatting.  So often older people (me included) can feel a little useless, but everyone knew they had made a valued contribution to a fundraiser for a much-loved village church as well as having a lovely afternoon being fed tea and cakes.  

People have also taken jigsaws home to complete.  I'm dog sitting this week and there's a puzzle which has been left half-done on the dining room table as well as the one I brought with me.

An unusually shaped jigsaw

I was very doubtful about having a jigsaw display as part of the festival as it seemed a very laborious way of raising a little money but I have to admit that it is very successful as a social activity.

The jigsaws will be displayed in the church on the boards we have done them on and most will be available for sale.  

Tea and yarns

 I went to my favourite tea room in Brigg today, Shipley's Curiositeas.  It's vaguely World War II themed but whatever the decor, the food and drink is delicious and home cooked.

There was a glorious hanging basket outside.  

There was a poster advertising the yarn bombing in the window but Curiositeas has itself been yarn bombed.  

And a knitted afternoon tea inside!

The (Indoor) tree in March

 It was still a bit parky at the beginning of February so I left the woolly hats from January on the tree.  We've recently had several lovely days here and, whilst I don't think winter is over, I am happy to redecorate the tree.

March is, for me, St Patrick's month, as his day is 17th March, so I have gone for a Irish theme. 

St Patrick famously used a shamrock to explain the Trinity so shamrock became his emblem.  Somehow, though, the shamrock has morphed into a four leaf clover!  It was quite hard to find trefoils to decorate my tree.  Anyway, I found some proper shamrock (not this aberration!) mixed in with leprechaun hats and pots of gold at the end of rainbows.  

Happy Birthday!

 

It's Jack's birthday.  He has come to visit me as he knows he will get one of his favourite breakfasts (bacon butties) if he comes here.

That might look like some sort of chocolate cake to you, but Jack had said he didn't want a cake.  Instead I made a batch of ducks and put birthday candles in them.  He was quite happy with that.

I also knitted him a new hat so he can proclaim himself to be a supporter of Lincoln City.  And that book he's holding is the history of Lincoln City Football Club.  They are doing rather well this season.

Happy Birthday, Jack.

(He's 83.  I was probably not supposed to tell you that.  Tee hee.)

Brigg's been yarn bombed again!

 Yesterday afternoon was the loveliest afternoon since last summer so I decided to run a few errands.  Including going to Brigg.  What a lovely surprise!

Royal Mail has taken on a Dalek to collect the post.

The pub is offering woolly hospitality.  (Non Brits: "Walkers" is a leading brand of crisps/chips.)

The snake seems to be thirsty too.

All season hanging baskets.

The last one is my favourite.  It might not look much to you but four elderly gentlemen sit on this bench each morning, sipping coffee and watching the world go by.  They are a bit of a local landmark.  Somebody has captured them perfectly in crochet.  

Alzheimer's disease

When I went to the COWs lunch yesterday I sat next to a lady who has Alzheimer's disease.  She is a wonderful woman: she has been a headteacher and a magistrate but that dreadful disease is robbing her of her dignity.    Another friend fetches her from home and we sit either side of her, making sure H doesn't wander off or purloin the cutlery.   The other ladies are glad she can still come but are also glad that someone else will sit next to her and take care of her.

Today I am going out to lunch with another friend who also has Alzheimer's.  J isn't as far advanced with the disease as is H but the conversation may become a little bizarre.

I have other friends whom I would like to visit but I just send cards or letters or make phone calls.  I wish I could do more, but the bottom line is that the person's for whose health I have most responsibility, is me.  

Please don't think I spend all my life as a ministering angel, but I have also been a carer myself for someone with dementia and I remember the gratitude and relief I felt when someone else visited and gave me a little time for myself.  It's just that two such meetings occurred on consecutive days and they have left me thinking.  I know my friend is slipping away and I want us to make the most of each other for as long as we can.  

I have to admit there is quite a bit of selfishness in this: I hope that if the time comes when I am housebound, others will remember and care about me.