Autumn joys

Whilst in hospital, yes that's where I ended up last week, I spent some time in childhood memories. Well, it seemed better than just watching the IV drip!

Autumn was such a lovely time. We walked several miles to our village school, and through the lanes there were carpets of scrunchy leaves to kick and scuffle around in. We threw them, we tried to get them to fly, but the best bit was making a pile and jumping in it.

Then came conker time, when the huge Horse Chestnut trees shed their shiny fruit. 

Dried, tied on a piece of string, we spent hours whacking each others' conkers to try to prove ours was the strongest.

I just like to hold them and polish their beautiful mahogany skins.

There were sloes to pick, rose hips for mother's flower arrangements, and hedges covered in Old Man's beard, which we loved to pull off and make streamers with.

Simple Autumn joys. No smart phones, no TV, just children having fun in Autumn.

Not such a good week.

Like Linus, I've been relying on comfort blankets this week, having been knocked sideways by a very nasty diverticular infection, with temperatures of over 39 degrees.

Two Drs visits, three antibiotics (really) and I am just beginning to feel mildly human again.

Blessed by my stepdaughter being on holiday here for a week, taking over lunches for her Dad.

I'll catch up with reading and visiting as soon as possible.

Praying.

Our prayers are with all our friends in North Carolina.

We get updates on British television and are horrified by the scenes of devastation.

We have had floods here in UK over the years and those have been life threatening, with many people still not back in their homes.

But I don't think we have the terrible force that these hurricanes bring.

We pray for your safety.

A lovely gift.

This delightful gift came winging its way from Gina in North Carolina this week.

Blog friends are so very kind.

I had admired her beautiful Gentlework on her blog, and she so kindly offered to send me one of her lovely journals.

 I love the rose covered card, and do you see the little 'Memories' centre? The Journal ties with a pretty ribbon. Lace trimmed, what could be prettier?

Inside there is a practical little pocket for all those reminder cards, so useful.

(this photo taken by artificial light so not very good)

Gina made this, and I feel blessed to be the recipient.

thank you Gina!

Carers

Thank you so much for your lovely comments on my last post, and for the emails I have had wishing us both well.

I thought I would write a little about Carers in the UK, not the entire Care system, which tends to be a minefield, but about the people who do the job.

I think if you looked at a map of England you would see blue clad figures scurrying across every county, running from client to client, putting on their aprons and gloves ready for the next one.

Most of the carers here are employed by Agencies, though there are Private carers also.

Social services recommends the amount of time and the type of care for the service user though of course one has a choice.

Our Carers are in general lovely people, both male and female.

They are rushed off their feet and are often paid the absolute minimum wage for a hugely responsible job. They get very little travelling time and the powers that be often have them on rotas which just are not viable. They work a half hour in one home, a quarter hour quick visit in another, an hour for a more needy person and so on.

Many of their clients live on their own, and it is a huge worry for the Carers when they go into a home of a very unwell person, not knowing what they might find. Some of our girls have had to call Ambulances, have found their client on the floor or worse.

It's a job for someone who can cope. There's no way one can go into it thinking it's all about making a nice cup of tea for an old lady.

They have a way of making my husband laugh, they are cheerful and reassuring, and one rarely sees their tiredness, though I know some of them do a ten hour shift.

Recently eight of our carers went to attend a funeral of one of their clients. I was touched to hear that. I know that most of our people try to go the extra mile, and I do respect that.

Yes, of course we have had some dire moments, but we are fortunate in that I am here to sort things out. And there have been sad reports in the media about Care and care homes that are, shall we say, less than perfect.( For that read, closed down in some cases).

It certainly is not cheap to have Care in the home, but if it's necessary then you make the best of it, appreciate their efforts and try to work with the carers to make their job a bit easier.

(stock photos used)

Such friendship.

I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed.

I received a totally unexpected parcel yesterday from a dear blog friend, Carolien.

We have corresponded for many years, whilst in France we exchanged cross stitch patterns and continued when we returned to England.

We share an interest in stitching, patchwork and others.

It is strange how a connection becomes a close friendship, without ever meeting. Yet this is what I feel about Carolien, (one day I'm determined that we will meet)

I speak very little about my sweet husband, though you probably realise that after nearly forty years of a lovely life, the last few years have been hard , so hard for him. After a stroke in France he has become more and more frail, and now needs my constant care as well as Carers from a local agency three times a day.

I am used to doing everything now, making decisions, finances, medications, appointments, dealing with the day to day planning of life. It's not hard.

But I do get tired, and battling with both pulmonary fibrosis and polymyalgia with steroids,(recent) hasnt been easy.

Anyway, to the point of all this.

In my parcel was a most beautiful shawl, lovely gentle colours, just what I would have chosen had I ever thought of having such a lovely thing. Carolien had made it and sent it to me as a comfort.

She also sent a card with such emotive words that I shed a tear, which is very unlike me.

She tells me that there is a Dutch word - Mantelzurger- that means someone who takes care of a beloved one. Someone who is like a mantle around that person.

I am still overwhelmed.

I'm not used to people reaching out and doing things for me.

Thank you more than I can say, dear Carolien.
I'm wearing it right now, soft and gentle on my shoulders.