Home from a few days break

We’re just back from a couple of days in Chester, a city we hadn’t visited for about 35 years. As it was we stayed in a hotel just on the outskirts & spent our one full day at the zoo, a place the Fox had never visited & I last went it must be nearer 45 years ago.

It’s certainly changed.

The animals have plenty of space to move around in, so much in some cases you were hard push to find the animals as they hid around corners. We nearly missed something as big as a group of giraffes!

Our problem was that we had difficulty coping with the hordes of school parties. I suppose we should have realised that the post-exam period is the time when school trips tend to take place. And I certainly remember going to Chester Zoo often enough when I was a child at school in Cheshire.

The paths round the zoo seem to be quite hilly these days, making a difficult push for the Fox. We had seen mobility scooters were available & hot paced to hire a couple. (These days even the Fox is finding walking far is hard on his hip.) We were told we had to reserve them 2 weeks in advance. We commented that was ridiculous as two weeks ago we never even knew we were going to Chester then. The Fox ended up pushing me around.

Just before we went away the Fox had seen the triage physiotherapist about his hip. She reckons they should be able to work out some exercises that will ease his hip. The sooner the better we thought. As soon as we got home yesterday I rang the hospital to sort out an appointment with physiotherapy there. He’s now on that waiting list. His one consolation is that the pain is not being caused by the arthritis – yes there is some wear & tear there as there would be on any 65 year old – but by the inflamed fluid cushion attached to the hip, so no op will be necessary.

We also came back to find 3 letters from the council. They’ve finally got around to sending me the payment card, with the various security numbers so I can pay for Linda & the help she gives us – not before time. We note the card is valid for 2 years so hopefully we won’t have this delay next year.  

It’s amazing how the world seems to have changed in the couple of days. We’re once more back to cooler, fresher weather, after horrific thunderstorms last night. The huge white delphinium in our garden, was downed by onslaught of rain & wind. It hadn’t even opened up when we left & now there was a spike of a couple of feet of navy centred white flowers. I’ve tried to stake it up but the stem keeps flopping over. The workmen are gone. The care bill can be paid. Most have our pre-break worries & stresses have evaporated.