Perfect Descriptions

Photo Copyright: Maggie May

Autumn is now here and the leaves are falling thick and fast and there's a chill in the air. Yes, its definitely the time to sweep up leaves and cut back the overgrown shrubs. I have been enjoying light work in the garden, while Audrey tackles the heavier tasks.

On the way back from school, Amber, my eldest granddaughter, was trying to explain to me the way a certain person, who talks nonstop at her rather than to her, makes her feel. She told me, "I feel as though I am buried in words." I can think of one or two people I know who bury me in words too. 

Millie, the youngest, was telling me how scared she was of going to sleep because she had experienced a nightmare the previous night and was worried that she might have a repeat performance when she was sleeping with us. I tucked her into bed and promised to leave the landing light on all night. After an uneventful night, I crept into her room in the morning to find her just rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. I asked her if she had dreamed or not and she replied, "It was total darkness." I was a bit perplexed as I'd left the light on as promised and I pointed this out to her. Then I realised that she meant that there were no dreams that she could remember. It was just as though she had turned the dream screen off (like a T.V set) and that the screen was blank or black.

I think these two interpretations of different situations were very descriptive.

I think only a child can come up with this type of imagination while describing........ or am I wrong?

Its Time For Sedum Again

Photo Copyright: Maggie May

The Sedum are out again, which means that Autumn is well under way. They really are beautiful plants and these ones derived from one plant that I bought many years ago, Sedum Autumn Joy. They tend to seed themselves around the garden but not in an invasive way and I quite like the way they grow in unexpected places and I usually let them grow where they choose.

Unfortunately the spent heads don't last very long after flowering, so I cut them off to avoid them ending up in a soggy mess when the winter rain and cold make them disintegrate. They don't last long in the house either as I tried that.

Usually on a Friday I go and collect Millie, my youngest granddaughter, from school, bring her back for tea and then the two of us set off for Brownies. I am still managing to help out there and know many of the children and parents. There is usually some form of craft involved as well as a few team games and activities. There are three older girls who are helping out regularly because they are taking their Duke Of Edinburgh Award, so all the energetic activities and moving of tables and chairs is left to them. I settle for helping with the crafts and talking to and encouraging the girls in their various activities.

I quite look forward to Fridays and after Brownies, Millie comes back to our house and stays the night. She is picked up after lunch the next day. This usually involves us helping with homework and letting Millie choose what she'd like to eat.

I asked her if she didn't miss her sister and her two newly acquired siblings and was fairly surprised that she answered *no* she enjoys being the centre of attraction in our house because she says that she is the one who is *left out* in her new position of sharing in her home as a *new* family with Sandy and her children. "I must get a room to myself" she says as I snuggle her up into our large bedroom that is kept purely for visits from family. I believe Sam and Sandy are going to make more rooms in their loft, but that will take time. In the meanwhile Millie enjoys *lying in* the next morning with no other sibling trying to tip her out of bed. She then has a long bubble-bath and hair wash. So she gets a bit spoilt at our house.

I am pleased to say that my friend, Audrey is now coming to our house weekly to do an hours gardening for me. I pay her, as then she can be asked to do specific things without me feeling awkward about it. This has inspired me to do some light work out there too. It is surprising how an hours work can make all the difference to an untidy garden. I find Fridays come round so fast and I really don't know how I used to fit in all the work and activities that I used to do. 

Winding Down

Photo Copyright: Maggie May

It seems that we have been waiting all summer for some sun but it has been an abominable spring and summer and we are still waiting for good weather, here in England. Now there is that hint of coldness in the early mornings and the evenings are drawing in. It will seem a long winter next time round after having no summer weather at all.

I am making slow progress, not so much pain now but pins and needles all down one leg and a really strange heavy feeling in it. I am definitely unable to do many of the tasks that I took for granted before.

I have had to arrange help for the gardening and that is quite frustrating.

I am beginning to appreciate the way my parents felt when they were winding down, but at the time it was happening, I didn't really understand how they felt about letting go and I used to get irritable with them. Maybe this is what happens throughout the generations. Maybe this is how its always been and always will be. Maybe everyone will know what it feels like when their turn comes and then they will remember how it was with their parents. Or maybe they won't.

I still cannot pick up the rabbits but am able to clean them out a bit better now. Makes me wonder if I should have them at all really if I can't see to all their needs. However, they do make us both laugh with their antics and the way they chase each other round their run and up the ramp into their sleeping quarters and back again. They like to trash their bedding and throw out all the hay. They seem to be laughing at me when I have to pick it up with my long handled grasper and put it all back in order, only to have them do the same thing all over again. Its a bit like when a baby chucks the rattle from out of its pram and realises there is a little game to be had when a grown up comes and pick it up again only for the same thing to happen repeatedly. The grown up gets fed up before too long. The rabbits don't seem to get fed up with this game though.

Hoping that readers will be enjoying the beginning of autumn or the beginning of spring, if you are in the southern hemisphere and that your weather is behaving in a way that is normal for where you are.

Coming Out of Hybernation

Photo Copyright: Maggie May

I feel as though I am awakening from a nightmare. Slowly, little by little, I am beginning to be able to sit for longer periods of time without one side of my body going into painful spasms. I have a slightly bigger range of movement and I can now lie in bed all night and get up by myself. Poor Harry has been to Hell and back because he has had to do everything for me even though he is far from well himself. He has been a wonderful help to me and has never lost patience when he had to get up to rescue me sometimes for the third time in the night. 

We take so much for granted. When I was really incapacitated, I used to watch other people bend down to retrieve something from the floor, scratch a foot, stroke an animal and all the other things that people do without a second thought and I really wondered if I'd ever be able to do those things again. If it wasn't for Harry, then I would have had to put my rabbits into care because I couldn't clean them out or do anything for them. I shed many tears over this and it is remarkable how they adapted to Harry's very different ways of doing things and how he grew to really love them while they bonded with each other.

 I think it will take a good while to be able to do all the things that I used to do and I will be lucky if I ever get back to *normal*.

Friends rallied round and made all sorts of offers and little gestures that helped when I was at my lowest ebb. I am so grateful to those people.

The Council have installed extra stair rails and all sorts of equipment to help me to keep in my own home. I think it is less costly for them to do this than having me in hospital and I'm still waiting for my physiotherapist appointment to come through.

I am waiting for an appliance to come through the post that will help me to put my socks on. Have you ever thought how house bound you'd be if you couldn't get shoes, socks/stockings on?

 I have been reading other peoples' blogs more over the last week or so and have even left the odd comment on some.

Hoping to be able to spend more time in the cyber world as I get stronger and if I haven't visited your blog yet, then I shall try to do so very soon.

Many thanks for your faithfulness and good wishes and your obvious relief and joy that my scan was clear of cancer.