On its way

The recent days of blue skies has definitely brought the onrush of spring. Whenever we go out, we stop to look at the front garden. We wonder at the clusters of purples, golds and whites that are the crocuses opened up to greet the sunshine. The snowdrops are still in full flower, too. They all close up again as the evening chill arrives. The first fresh green fronds are appearing on the fennel. Soon it will be covered in fluffy green fronds.

The back garden is dominated by the spring time activities of the birds. Once more the blue tits are hanging around the hedge outside the kitchen window. The hedge, a series of leylandia kept at shoulder height, dead in some parts – drowned in the part that is flooded more often than not – is the tits’ last stopping place before the dash to the nest box on the laundry room wall.

The blackbirds are becoming much more territorial once again, filling the dawn & twilight hours with mellifluous song. Skirmishes arise when birds encounter one another, especially when there’s a lady around.

Winter’s not entirely gone. We still have heavy frosts at night, whitening cars, roofs and gardens, but during the day it seems much milder. I’ve even turned the central heating off during the day. You still definitely need it on at night!

I always find spring uplifting. I think it is to do with all the signs of new life, helped by the longer, milder, hours of daylight. Possibly, too, that some heavier garments can be discarded, no longer the need for boots & woolly hats. Life itself seems lighter, brighter, more optimistic.

Today is once more overcast but it remains dry. I half-expect to hear we’re into drought conditions once more! It’s not rained for over a week! I’ve had to regularly fill the bird bath with water for our avian friends. I didn’t do that often last year.

Under way

We're off to Italy! The money has finally gone out of our account, so it all looks set. As a result yesterday, we toodled along to the travel agents yesterday for a brochure featuring Venice hotels. We also went along to the library & found some guidebooks to give us some ideas of places to see if we should feel inclined to venture out of our hotel beyond the nearby lakeside walk & the village it is set in.

But first I’ve decided to appeal the DWP’s (Department of Works & Pensions) latest decision on my claim for Employment Support Allowance. I don’t trust them to automatically change the later decision in accord with the tribunal’s findings. For that matter the first tribunal may not decide in my favour so a second tribunal is a second chance of success. I did change the form the second time round. I don’t get the impression the DWP did anything more than check the list of medical conditions were the same as previously, then confirmed the previous decision. A second tribunal, with different people, will look thoroughly at the statements in the second form & that may tip things in my favour. I’m working on the theory if they do agree with me first time round then I can always back out of the second tribunal; if not, I have that second chance of winning. If I leave it until I get the first decision, or the DWP doesn’t do as it says it will, it would be too late to put in an appeal. It’s a case of a belt & braces job.

Then I’m going to look at Venice hotels, to decide which one is the most appealing. One thing has already struck me. Most of the hotels suggest you can get a water taxi to San Marco’s Piazza from the airport, then walk to the hotel, over bridges etc. Even a short distance would be difficult with me in a wheelchair & suitcases to drag along. Even a private water taxi doesn’t look that easy. Could I get into one? Would the landing stage at the hotel be such that I could disembark at it & push up slope/steps? Would any bridges be such I could cross? There seems to be a lot to consider.

But none of that distracts from the relief & joy that we now know we’re off to Italy in May.

Once we’ve sorted the Venice hotel & flights out, the next task will be the travel insurance. I might as well at least get some quotations, whether we go ahead with them or not, And I don’t see any point in not admitting pre-existing conditions & so invalidating any insurance bought.

Here we go!?

Well we think we’ve booked a hotel in Italy. I say think as we’ve had no message of confirmation either by post or e-mail. Despite the fact we paid with a card there is no sign of any moneys being taken out. This has left us feeling a little uncertain, especially when we’ve had so many difficulties with Saga so far.

Saga is only able to book the hotel, as we want to go from a northern airport, not Gatwick as they do. We’re reluctant to book the flights until we have had confirmation about the hotel.

The flights from Manchester only go to Verona on Sundays & Wednesdays, not the Monday the hotel booking starts from. Now we’re contemplating whether it would be better to fly to Venice, even though it is a bit further to the lake area, and maybe having a couple of nights in Venice itself. That way we could fly on the Monday to Italy. The flight back would mean setting off at some pre-dawn hour. If we stayed a night or two in Venice itself it would mean we could have the long drive on the Monday, see a bit of Venice, somewhere I’ve never been but always dreamed of going, leave that hotel at a more reasonable hour as it would only be a short distance to go to the airport on the Wednesday, or whatever day we chose.

Now we’re looking into hotels in Venice. There prices are a bit off-putting – exorbitantly high but that’s the price of staying somewhere as unique & such a tourist attraction as Venice.

But first we await the confirmation of the Saga booking. That could be cancelled & money refunded, unlike flights.

Meanwhile we’ve also got to face the dilemma of travel insurance. Saga insists we must have insurance. After last year’s difficulties, especially when we know I’ve had yet more health issues this last year, makes us wonder what to do. If we declare our pre-existing conditions, the premiums are likely to shoot sky high. If we don’t, we will get an inexpensive insurance, sufficient to satisfy the holiday company, but which is invalidated by or pre-existing conditions. In other words we would be paying for nothing except to keep the travel company happy. Much as I appreciate the company feels the need to advise that travel insurance is desirable, I don’t think they should make it a condition of the holiday. Admittedly Saga doesn’t ask to see your insurance document or even ask for the policy number, so I don’t see how they will know whether we’ve got some or not.

It’s the principle that gets to me. We had decided that, as we are covered medically by our EHIC card, we were prepared to take the risk of going without insurance. We don’t expect any accident to happen & if they did we would just pay for it at the time.

This policy regarding insurance is not just the case with Saga. We were also thinking of going to France later in the year. That company also has the same policy & even demand insurance details; otherwise you must buy insurance from them.

Ooh it gets to me! We’ll think further on this one.

A lift to the spirits

I love days like this. The sky is pure blue. The light gleams on everything. The whites of the snowdrops & golds & purples of the crocuses shine out, heralding the spring to come.  It’s very cold but then that’s what winter is about. The frost has now melted wherever the sun reaches it. The cold you can wrap up against. We’re in the fortunate position of not having to worry unduly about the cost of having the heating on. The birds are busily diving to & from the bird table and feeders. All in all, it’s the sort of day, when joy springs to my soul. It feels good to be alive.

Maybe it’s partially things are starting to sort themselves out. The Fox has made a breakthrough with Saga. It finally looks as though we’re managing to get somewhere on arranging the Italian holiday. You never know we might even get there in May as we’d hoped.

Meanwhile I’ve been looking at a few other holiday destinations for later in the year. We’re working on the theory that if we’ve booked, we may actually go and not be deterred by the problems at home. It may be a case of taking it quiet while we’re away, but at least we should get away from home pressures for a bit.

I’m also reading a book which lifts my spirits. It’s set in wine-making country in the north of Italy. I’ve not read far but it definitely looks hopeful of being a good read. I can’t help being struck again that a vineyard is one thing I would hate. The stress of timing the harvest when the fruit is at optimum ripeness, then all the stress of transforming the grapes into a palatable wine is quite something, more than I could cope with. And that’s not to mention all the worry with weather etc as the fruit grow through the summer months. No, I have no aspiration to grow my own vines, though the idea of drinking the results does appeal.

Still at the moment I’m still off the wine, and any other alcohol, for a few months at least. The only way I’m consuming is in the cooking providing I am confident the alcohol is burnt off. So, for example, the Fox is making a Beef Stroganoff for dinner tonight & I’ve authorised him to use some brandy. The stroganoff is cooking for 6 hours or so in Big Ears, our slow cooker. I cannot believe much alcohol will be left after that length of time, though hopefully a boost should have been given to the flavour of the meal. I’m looking forward to it.

A few days away

We’re home again after our brief stay in Kendal. We feel surprisingly refreshed. We didn’t do much. We actually went up to Kendal on Thursday for a meeting in the afternoon. After the meeting we made our way up to the hotel.

Having checked in, we popped along to the pub on site for a while, before dinner in the hotel. We dined both days in the hotel. It just seemed too much bother to go out to look for somewhere else, especially when it felt freezing cold outside.

On Friday, after a substantial breakfast, we ventured over to Windermere to Lakeland, the kitchen equipment suppliers. We needed a few things we prefer from there. We found the shop disappointing. It seems to have grown over the years. When it first opened we were excited, like kids in a sweet shop, but these days we just feel overwhelmed. We hastily got what we were looking for & returned back to the hotel. Most of the rest of the day was spent napping, reading, chuntering. In other words we did nothing much, just relaxed in the comfort of having nothing much to worry about.

Saturday saw us homeward bound. As we headed south sleet began to fall. We couldn’t help thinking we were glad to be heading home. It’s amazing what a couple of days away can do for you. We had contemplated staying an extra night but decided against the idea, especially when we saw they were clearly preparing for a big wedding on the Saturday. For us, a couple of nights were enough. We resolved to do this sort of thing more often.

I wasn’t even too put out when we got home to find another incomprehensible letter from the Department of Works & Pensions (DWP). I rang them yesterday to get an explanation. It seems the letter was the decision on the second application form I filled in in January. Again they’ve put me in the Work Related Group. As far as I can see they just checked I hadn’t gained any new problems & rubber-stamped the previous decision. They didn’t even give me a medical this time. I do not have to appeal this one. They reckon if I get the decision on the first application changed in the way I think it should be, this later decision will be amended accordingly. We’ll see.

Meanwhile we’re getting back to our daily lives & routines with a greater will, even relish. As I say, amazing what a few days away can do.  

Loose end

I’m feeling at something of a loose end. The Fox is doing dinner tonight – a lasagne with Parma ham instead of minced beef. He’s made it in Big Ears, our slow cooker, the first time either of us has tried cooking pasta in it. My jigsaw is finished, but I always like the Fox to see it complete before I take it apart & start a new one. If the sun was shining & the temperature a bit higher, I might be tempted to tidy the front garden ready for the spring, but we’re back to grey skies. It’s been lovely to see the first snowdrops & crocuses opening up in the recent sunshine. I don’t want to read much as otherwise I’ll be bookless when we go away. So what to do? I’ve finally decided to come on-line.

The meeting yesterday went well. I wish the interviews with ATOS & other benefit agencies, could be as relaxed as those with Social Services. It seems we will probably get an increase in the number of respite vouchers we’ll be getting this year, rather than less.

Meanwhile we wait to hear from Italy….

An unexpected call

I’d just got the curry to the plop – it’s Chicken & Cranberry Curry for dinner tonight – when the phone rings. It’s Social Services.

Every Monday, Angie, comes to clean for us, along with generally chatting to boost my sometimes waning morale. She is paid for with respite vouchers from Social Services. It’s renewal time yet again. This time Social Services have decided they need to visit before re-issuing vouchers. They didn’t bother last year but I suppose it’s not surprising they should feel the need to check how we’re managing.

So this afternoon, before we do the food shop, we’ll be seeing this lady from Social Services, let her know my health has only deteriorated since they last saw me nearly two years ago & that the Fox’s health since his stroke has not miraculously improved.

I just hope we get the vouchers. I know Social Services are trying to make cut-backs to save money. I was surprised we managed to get our vouchers renewed as easily as we did last year.

We would be loathe to manage without Angie. I suspect we would have to find a cleaner at least, probably cheaper than a care worker as Angie is, & pay for her out of our own pockets. I suspect the day the Fox had to go to Kendal to do his Speed Awareness course last summer, we should have arranged a care worker to come to be with me at least some of the time. I was certainly very relieved when the Fox got back home.

 It’s an expensive business being disabled! As it is we have to pay for a gardener. Keeping that tidy is way beyond our abilities. I’m hard-pushed to even get to the far end of the garden, let alone do any work when I've got there. The Fox isn’t much better.

We’ll just have to see how it goes. At least it will be a quick dinner when we get back from the shopping. That's something.