Home again

Well, we’re back. We actually returned last Thursday, but since then there’s been a whirl of activity trying to catch up on things – the washing, the accumulated post, friends, family etc. Finally I’ve got time to sit down at the computer.

The holiday was, overall, a success. I’m not going to go into detail here. That can wait another day. Today is primarily to let you know we’re safely back home.

The weather on our holiday was varied, with temperatures varying from 1˚C to 26˚C – just as well we took all those layers! A couple of days it was non-stop rain, but this was mitigated by the enjoyable company we met there and the roaring log fire they lit in the bar/lounge area of the hotel. On the whole the few bad days of weather encouraged us to relax & put our feet up, which we were in dire need of doing. We could then appreciate getting out & exploring the area on the better days. The food at the hotel was above par. The hotel staff was very friendly & welcoming. It was very much a family run place, with all the personal care that implies.

The stay in Venice was not quite as good. We read in our guidebook that food in Venice isn’t very good & we can believe it. In the three evenings we stayed there we found only one half-decent restaurant, & even that was just OK. The hotel was conveniently placed both for the airport bus & the vaporetti (water buses) to get around Venice. Although I think we both are please to have seen some of the sights, we were also both rather overwhelmed by the sheer number of tourists. Despite all the access material we were sent, we still found large areas that we couldn’t go & ultimately Venice is a city for mooching round & finding unexpected corners.

I can’t see us wanting to return particularly to Venice. It’s been seen, an itch scratched. The numerous photos we took are almost more exciting than being there – too many crowds as I say. I even recognised some of the views that are the basis of jigsaws I’ve done! A few days were sufficient for us. Maybe it would have been better if we’d been in one of the more central hotels with a bit more atmosphere & comfort, with dinners included maybe, though it is dubious how easy it would have been to get to them dragging bags along behind us.

We came back to find mixed news awaiting us. First we noticed the answerphone flashing – a call from my cousin Pat. After several calls later to various family members, it seems pretty certain that Pat is the third cousin to go down with cancer at the moment. In her case it is breast cancer. She should hear this week what is proposed to be done. She’s resigned to an op. It’s just a question of how extensive an op it is. Still she did get on to the doc’s as soon as she found the lump so hopefully all will go well.

In the post pile I found yet another letter from the DWP (Department of Work & Pensions). My heart sank. Then I suddenly noticed that it was telling me that I no longer needed to attend interviews for getting a job. It didn’t actually tell me I had won my appeal but it did go on about me being in the Support group rather than the Job-related Activity group. That can only be if I have won. I hastily looked again at the letter from the DWP that arrived just before we went away. Again it referred incidentally to me being in the Support Group. That was clearly meant to tell me I had won & this second letter was confirming the implications as far as the Job Centre is concerned. I’ve re-read the letters several times since. I can’t believe it. I expected to have to go through the whole tribunal system.

Now I just have to get my DLA (Disability Living Allowance) form sorted, then hopefully I will have a bit of peace again from the DWP for a couple of years. At least now, after our holiday, I feel less stressed to cope with it.

Today we’re off to get some food in. We’d run down most of our stores before we went away. We couldn’t face the Bank Holiday crowds so we’ve left it until today to re-stock. We seem to have a long list of basics – loo paper, onions, potatoes, bleach, bread etc etc. It’s going to be a very big shop this week.