Birthday Flowers – still blooming away – giving pleasure. And some photos of Hannah at nine days old. Granddaughter #8
What a wonderful day it was when we went to visit. This was an exceptional Birthday Month treat.
This jumped out at me from Sacred Space today; if only each person could think for the common good, the world would be a better place.
Have I grasped the heart of my religion.
Do I concentrate on loving God and my neighbour?
Is there more love in the world because of me being around?
In the evening of my life I will be examined in love,
not the outer aspects of religion.
Son #3 uses a special splint on his left leg – this is as the result of an injury in a car accident in 1995. The splint is moulded to fit his calf and foot and is kept in place with special bindings. Today I went with him for an appointment to check out why it was causing trouble. In actual fact an ordinary NHS appointment turned into a good outing.
The technician was a young woman who was obviously well skilled in the details of her profession; as she examined his gammy leg and foot she was able to assess areas of poor circulation and swelling. Indeed she quickly worked out that he needed a new appliance, in particular he needed a bit more support and a bit less flexing in the foot, so she decided that he needed a new splint, which meant she would need a plaster cast.
I was fascinated by now, and impressed at the best that our Health Service can deliver. Fortunately, Son #3 was her last appointment of the day, so she had time to do the mould then and there. After a bit of a flurry to collect all the materials she spread out a paper sheeting on the floor – she was keeping up a flurry of chatter and comments to which beloved son was responding as only he can to a pretty woman. I was expecting him to have to put his foot in a bucket – how antiquated are the workings of my mind. Instead, she first produced a slip-on tubular stocking. Inside that there was a long, channeled plastic tubing. I was puzzling out whether a liquid was to be poured in, but no, it was the same principle I suppose as a plaster cast for a broken bone. (I hadn’t had one for my broken ankle last year, so that’s my excuse for not knowing what was to happen.)
The next step was to run hot water – by the by she had to use a plate as a basin stopper, apparently Oban Hospital just doesn’t have sink-plugs. My guess is that it might be to do with germs and cross infection? Anyway, a large roll of pre-prepared bandage was duly soaked, then she ran across the room to wind it onto Son’s leg, smoothing down the emerging liquid plaster as she went. Another big roll sufficed for the foot, and she finished off by smoothing the whole leg down. As a finishing touch, she made a series of mysterious markings which looked like outlines of either bones or muscles.
The whole process only took about fifteen minutes, by which time the cast was set and ready to be removed. Then the blue channelling came into its own, it was the base for her to use as a guide for her blunt scissors to allow remove the cast, leaving a perfect impression for the lab to work on. She wielded the special scissors with skill and there was no point where I even wondered if she was going to slip. Son #3 was grinning throughout, making jokes and thoroughly enjoying himself. To top it all, the technician asked what colour he would like the new one to be. He asked for red, of course, as he is an Aberdeen supporter. She told him that some of the children had football stickers on their appliances, and he even looked disappointed when she said he was a bit old for that.
So – a perfectly ordinary appointment turned into a happy occasion. We’ve even another to go to, when the new splint will be checked and fitted. And I was pleased to be able to feel proud of our NHS – there are too many times when I hear of things going wrong.
Back home from almost a week away – and it has been a sunny, cold, windy, beautiful day. I even managed to hang out a washing to dry. There is something special about clothes dried outside – they smell and feel better than tumbled or those dried indoors.
It set me off remembering the clothes whirlie I had in the Western Isles. If you look closely at the photograph you will see the device folded up on itself for winter. This wild view shows how great a position it was for drying, at least as long as clothes were pegged on securely. We even used to buy special pegs.
It also gives an idea of the siting of the house – on a hill overlooking The Minch.
Last of the Birthday treats with Son #1 and family was a take-in (Pizza) and a film on a big screen. I had been wanting to see Sunshine on Leith ever since the first reviews came out. I love The Proclaimers and the film is a musical to their songs so it couldn’t lose for me. It is very much in the genre of Mamma Mia but set in Edinburgh. The photography of the city is stunning, but then the capital has an iconic landscape anyway.
There was no main star, though I couldn’t take my eyes off George Mackay because he seemed to enjoy the singing numbers even more than the others. It is a film to watch with friends and family and provides laughter, pathos and a definite feel-good factor. I am not sure how well it translates into the rest of the UK though or even abroad and would be very interested to hear.
Oh yes – I give it a 9 out of 10
For the last few days I have been away visiting Son #1 and his family. We have been busy doing all sorts of things and at some stage each day I have gone online using an ancient laptop. It is slow and quirky and prone to diverting itself onto another page at the brush of a key. Consequently there has been much grumbling and huffing- from me as well as the laptop, and I have been making noises about needing a new one, particularly to do a blog post. Said Son expressed surprise and asked why I didn’t use my iPad. So this is my first attempt. I’m not sure why, but I had been resistant before.
This evening the decks are being cleared for pizza and a movie. And you know what- it works. Thanks for the encouragement, S. It is always good to learn new things. maybe a keyboard would help – something else to think about.
How do you describe the feeling you get at the end of a perfect day? So many things contribute to the sense of it being special. I’ve indulged in more retail therapy – with easy access to a favourite store, (Lakeland in case you are interested) a lazy afternoon with my feet up and a glossy magazine and finally a concert, which featured area orchestras of an amazing standard. Lovely to be able to go to something involving one of the grandchildren for once.
An article in the glossy put forward the theory that it is important to spoil oneself on a regular basis. Contributors suggested things like eating a favourite food, (without guilt,) having a morning in bed, going to a film, buying something special. So that vindicates the idea of The Birthday Month. . . . . . . Come to think of it I did think of a Birthday Year in honour of becoming 70. The journalist suggested that women in particular, spend a disproportionate amount of their time looking after others. That may have some truth, though I believe it is more to do with character. Anyway, there are still ten days left in TBM so I’m going to continue the tradition for a while longer.
What’s your favourite treat?
Today is going to be an expedition to the big city and the world of shops. It’s not something that we do all that often, but is a Birthday Month therapy to look for a new fridge. And yes, a new fridge-freezer that dispenses ice and cold water counts as a birthday treat. In actual fact it is also our present to ourselves for another special anniversary due next year. As Granny would say, “If we are spared and well. . . . . . We don’t have to be well, though that would be a bonus – just spared. (How much fuss can I indulge in over our 50th Anniversary year?)
I also get to go to an Art shop today – the kind that has artist’s materials. As far as I remember from past visits long ago, it is a veritable Aladdin’s cave. I have checked on the internet to make sure it is still up and running.
Will hopefully report on the adventure either later today or tomorrow.
There are many advantages in having a Birthday Month rather than the usual Birth-Day. For example, there is a whole month in which to consider the implications of time rushing past – time to adjust as it were. Then of course there are many extra treats along the way. This week, for instance there have been the cairns and the sugar mice, and today as well as visiting new granddaughter, Hannah there was the surprise of a lovely basket of flowers, a birthday cake with candle (one, thankfully,) a present of a guardian angel and the singing of the Happy Birthday song.
Tears weren’t far away, as were memories of birthdays in the past. 70 is a significant marker, even if it is meant to be the new 50. When I was a child I couldn’t fathom what old age would be like. It was like another country to which there was no entry. As the years have gone by ever faster, I have tended to push real old age into a position at least 10 years away from where I am now. Perhaps now is to be the real growing in elderhood, and being able to see that, is part of growing towards wisdom.
Of one thing I am sure – in recent years I have felt closer to my ancestors, indeed to all the older people I have known. I owe them a debt of thanks for forging the way and helping me towards to unknown adventure of life.
One of our favourite walks . . . . . .
