Mixed morning

Yesterday started up as another one of those days. I spent another hour trying to get through to the surgery to sort out this appointment with the nurse for the Fox. The result? There's only two nurses in the practice that deal with ears & neither were working this week. They should be in on Monday & will contact us then. Grr.... Why didn't the woman tell me that when I rang on Wednesday, instead of telling me to ring back on Friday? At least that way I wouldn't have wasted another hour trying to get through on Friday. Now I must wait & have another go on Monday afternoon or Tuesday, if they don't get around to ringing us first. I'm not holding out much for the latter. 

I suggested that maybe I should make an appointment for me too, not so urgently. I've been putting drops in for 3 weeks now & my ears are still blocked. I was assured just keep putting drops in twice a day. They will clear eventually. I must wait a full 4 weeks before making any appointments for ear syringing. And presumably that appointment will be another 4-6 weeks after that. Am I never to hear properly again? 

After that it was something of a relief to do the RSPB bird count. It was a pleasure to see the goldfinch visit with its clown face & brilliant yellow wing flashes. I chuckled over the behaviour of the juvenile blackbirds. Thrilled when a family unit of sparrows flew in. Struggled to see the dunnocks rootling around in the lawn with daisies almost bigger than them. Awe struck by the sheer size of the lesser black-backed gull that landed on the shed roof. Was pleased to see the greenfinch once more visiting us. A very pleasant, relaxing, hour.

After that I ventured off to the library on my Mean Machine, electric scooter - despite the horrific storms in so much of Britain yesterday we remained predominantly dry. There I met an old friend, one of those people who first welcomed us when we moved here nearly 12 years ago. She's recently retired & finding life without work takes a lot of filling. She seems to have got involved with so many committees & yet still feels she has time on her hands. This must be the dilemma of so many people when they have to adjust from a busy fulfilling life in work to life in retirement, living on your own in her case, without the social aspects or the sense of purpose & of a job well done that the world of employment supplies.