Home again

We’re safely home. In fact we got back on Saturday but we seem to be in a whirl ever since.

It started with sorting out all the washing. I’ve finally got the last load done today. The weather has not been conducive to putting it outside. It’s not been wet, just cold, very still & grey, threatening to turn to rain at any time.

Then of course there was the food shopping. After virtually emptying the place of fresh food before we went, it inevitably meant the place was fairly devoid of food when we got back. It is difficult to think of what to cook, when you are out of basics like onions, potatoes, garlic, other fresh veg. We picked up some milk on the way home on Saturday but that was it. By Monday we were feeling desperate to get to the supermarket.

Monday also saw the man come to service our gas fire & central heating boiler. We’re now already to face the winter ahead.

Today is hospital day. My July appointment with gastroenterology has finally come through. I’m hoping to be told a little alcohol is now possible. I admit I did slip a bit on holiday. At a restaurant we went to a few times we kept being given a free glass of champagne. I confess I had to at least taste it, but that was it. I can’t say I felt any immediate adverse repercussions. I confess I do still miss my glass of wine with dinner. In the afternoon/evening I’m happy enough on non-alcoholic drinks. Indeed I’ve never drunk alcohol much before dinner except if there is some special occasion or the communion wine at church.

We’ve also been catching up with local news. The big news is that our village pub was broken into & had its safe robbed. The manager has been sacked. A new man should be coming this weekend. We’ve also been getting on top of what’s been happening with all our neighbours & friends.

We’ve also been down to the local town hall. There is a local parking scheme enabling disabled people to park in residents’ only parking & in the pedestrianised areas of Lancaster. My permit had run out so I needed to renew that. We wanted to get that done before we went to the hospital today in case we wanted to stop in Lancaster itself.

All in all, this is the first time I’ve had chance to get onto the computer. It’s been all go.

As for the holiday. The weather was good. The sun shone every day, but there was a breeze most days to make it a pleasant temperature. The rain came at night when we didn’t want to be out anyway. In fact the weather was so good that we were tempted to try to do more than we are really able to physically cope with. Our worries evaporated. Eventually even the nasty taste the care agency gave me as a parting gift dissolved, though we have yet to sort out another agency for help. On the whole it was a good holiday. At present it seems to be a bit overshadowed by the horrendous journeys to & from France. It’s rather put us off the idea of travelling abroad again this year. We had been contemplating going away for Christmas. Now we’re definitely staying in this country, probably at home.

But more of the holiday another day. Sufficient to say for now, we’re home safe & sound.