Thursday 25 April 2024

Mother-Son trip

 


Nigel was taking his mum away for the weekend – they would stroll along Great Yarmouth prom and visit tea shops.

Pascoe and I were going hill walking in the Lakes.

Because the trips were so dissimilar it took a while to spot that they were parallel mother-son trips.

But then the trips developed another theme in common - knees.

Nigel and his Mum had an enjoyable first day but had to return early due to knee trouble. Pascoe and I set off up the Langdales and I was proud to climb Harrison's Stickle and Pavey Ark.  However, during the descent, my knees began to complain.

On the following two days we tackled much smaller hills.

 

Later, Nigel's Mum said how even though they'd had to leave early Nigel's cheerfulness and kindness made it a good weekend.

I certainly could not have climbed even one mountain without Pascoe who carried our rucksack and encouraged me.

 

I do my very best to keep my knees going by using knee supports and hiking poles. But if one day I lose the the battle, I'm sure Pascoe will also be kind and cheerful and take me to a tea shop.

 

In the meantime though, just let me at those hills!

Monday 15 April 2024

Somebody was taking care of me

I already told how my lost bag was returned to me intact. But there were two other things that same week which made me feel I was being taken care of. 
On Sunday I came down with a cold, probably caught in school. 
On Friday we were to attend the musical Hadestown. I had wanted to see this standout musical for ages so we had purchased the expensive non-refundable tickets months before. I HAD to be well in time
 In the mean time, I went to work, but when it came time to teach, I'd lost my voice. 
I found a quiet task for my pupils but was unsure whether it would work out.
In fact my lovely students were especially helpful, obeyed mimed instructions and answered each other's questions on my behalf.
I was delighted.
However. As Friday and Hadestown grew close, I'd developed an irritating cough. I have a horror of coughing during a live performance.  
'I do hope we're sitting on the end of a row so I can leave if I need to. '
'We won't,' said Nigel. 'I always try to book the middle of a row.'
But when we arrived we were actually at the very end of a row, bang next to an exit door. When a coughing fit came on I was able to withdraw discreetly and come back when done. 
All in all, it was a very much better week than I was expecting. I felt Somebody had been taking care of me.


Monday 1 April 2024

Lost property


The other week I had a crazy time where a lot of things were in play.

I was preoccupied.

I had just been doing a printing course with Carenza and it was the end of a long day and I was heading home.

As the train pulled out of St Pancras I looked out of the window and had the shock of recognition - that familiar backpack under the bench was mine.

I stood up and said ‘No’ and everybody in the coach looked at me.

I managed to refrain from pulling the emergency cord.

I patted myself down – purse phone and keys were in my pockets. 

Should I get off at the next stop and go back?

 But the trains were very sparse due to engineering works – I had already had a long wait.   I would just resign myself to the loss of the bag, now quite old and faded.

However, as soon as I passed the point of no return, I began to recall the things in the bag which I valued.

My Swiss army credit card (like a pen knife but cooler)

A compact backup phone battery Nigel had sourced

But the thing that had me saying ‘Oh’ (to the further alarm of my fellow passengers) was the gift Carenza had just given - a craft-market hairslide in my colours and a card she had made me herself.

Once home, I gloomily registered with lost property.

There were no matches.

A whole ten days later, I received an email saying the bag had been handed in. It didn't refer to the contents.  

Nigel would pick it up on his way back from work.   But when he got to Lost Property it was shut. 

Eventually, nearly two weeks after losing it, I could bear the suspense no longer, took the train and picked it up myself. I could barely wait to unzip it. 

Everything was still there. Including my lovely card and hairslide. 

I asked about the person who handed it in, but their details were not available. 

Whoever you are, thank you. You've restored my faith in human nature. X