GOT A NEW PONCHO.

In an attempt to keep warm this winter whilst riding my mobility scooter, or as I heard a commentator remark on the remembrance day parade this morning, my self propelled motorised wheelchair, not that I like that description much, I don`t want to be a wheelchair user, I much prefer to be a mobility scooter user! I know they are just words but to me its important, mobility scooter doesn't sound as reliant somehow, as wheelchair does. Wheelchair to me suggests someone pushing me around, which I certainly don't want, mobility scooter is more independent, I can get around myself with the use of my trusty scooter. I digress, I was telling you about trying to keep warm, because believe me sitting down whilst going along on a mobility scooter, wheelchair, or whatever you prefer to call it, can get very cold. Walking keeps you warm, you may only be walking slowly or you could be striding along at a fast pace, but whatever speed you walk at keeps you a darn sight warmer than just sitting, driving a mobility scooter along. So I bought a poncho, I do have coats, infact I have quite a few, I like coats rather like other women like shoes, come to think of it I really like shoes too ..........

I have noticed, just lately, that quite a few people can be seen around the places wearing ponchos, they seem to have come back into fashion. I remember the first time they were popular, as I remember them anyway, being the 1970`s, though I cant say I was too keen at that time, but right now in 2013 a poncho seems like a good idea.  You can wear several layers underneath a poncho, I have even got a woollen knitted poncho to wear underneath my outdoor poncho, and layers are meant to be warmer than one thick outfit, and I can attest to that, having gone out this morning wearing a jumper, a knitted poncho, and a poncho made from fleece material over the top, which kept me toasty warm all the way round whilst taking our dogs out. It was more comfortable to wear too, being loose they don`t pull across the stomach whilst sitting. All round a winner!!

I must admit I didn't think I could get so many words out of the title, got a new poncho!

SAD

My title is sad, because that's how I feel today, I doubt the wet, cold weather helps, but it's more than this, my health problems, with walking being so painful causing loss of independence and loss of confidence, tiredness I think caused by constant pain and inability to sleep, other problems caused by my health issues, internal problems resulting in stomach pain and toilet troubles certainly contribute to this misery which is my life. I fight hard to keep cheerful for the sake of my family, my husband understands how down I get but I think I keep it from my children and friends quite well, I don't want my kids to worry over me, they have busy lives and enough troubles of their own and I don't want them worrying over me. Hubby keeps telling me to visit the doctor but I don't want antidepressant drugs, I am on enough medication for arthritis pain, high blood pressure, ibs and hormones for breast cancer, I don't want yet another pill to take, I don't want to pour out my troubles to a doctor I don't know well, especially as my old doctor retired and so we changed our surgery as I wasn't keen on the other doctors in the practice. I've never been good about talking things over, British stiff upper lip firmly in place, I don't think I would know where to start. So I write, I've always found writing therapy, even if I write it all down then destroy the document, it gets things out of my system, gets it off my chest, then I destroy my ramblings hoping to destroy the bad feelings attached to them.
I do not want to feel sad, anxious, worried and depressed, I want to join in with life, but feel on the fringes sometimes, with a large black cloud sat on my shoulders.

It is cold on a scooter!

With any  it will get warmer, stop raining and the wind will drop! I am not holding my breath though!!
Normally  would have gone this morning on my scooter but its been so cold and windy I have not felt like it. just put your coat on, your gloves, maybe your hat and go sit on a chair in the garden for twenty minutes or so, you can move your arms but only as   are holding the handlebars of a bike. Don`t move.  cold?? Yes, thats how cold I feel sitting exposed in all weathers on my mobility scooter, freezing aren`t you? Me too.  Now you know why I am bored and fed up!!

Get out there.

With Spring on the horizon, at least we all hope so, its been a long winter, I thought I would share with you all the knowledge that just because you use a wheelchair or mobility scooter it does not mean you cannot get out and about and enjoy a country walk. Well technically I suppose the word is ride but you know what I mean! In our village we are fortunate to have several paths going through woods and alongside lakes which are just fine if you happen to be sitting on a mobility scooter or in a wheelchair and you can enjoy the fresh air, wildlife and countryside around. I have been wrapping up warm as often as I could for the past few months, even wearing two pairs of gloves, and enjoying getting out and about. I often arrive home frozen with numb fingers and very red ears but its worth it to blow away the cobwebs! Those "boot scooters", so called because they fold down and fit into the car boot, are very useful to take out and about and as well as nipping round the shops you can use them in the park, along the canal and in gardens open to the public. The National Trust, of which we are members, has some lovely gardens to visit, some parts accessible to scooter and wheelchair users, and at some stately homes you can actually hire mobility scooters which is a great incentive to go there, and very useful for getting around into the bargain! If you want to visit the houses, but your mobility is limited, they are normally very accommodating if you find walking difficult and will offer a chair to sit on for a rest in most rooms so that you can join in and get around the house with everybody else. You will need to tell somebody that you may need assistance, though if you are like me and what little walking you can do is leaning on a stick they will ofcourse notice for themselves and usually offer to help before they are asked. Enjoy :-)

Trapped in the house.

I actually left the house yesterday for the first time in a week. We had snow, more snow and even more snow over the weekend making the pavements like ice rinks and snow drifts on some roads many feet high! I use a mobility scooter, so even when the snow was clearing a little I still could not get out as I did not know how my scooter would handle going over patches of snow and I was worried I may even slide off the pavement onto the road! I must admit to feeling like I have been in prison for a week, it must be awful to be locked up for real. We went out yesterday afternoon, only to the local shops for a few bits and pieces, but even that short outing made me feel a lot better. This morning I have been to the Easter bonnet parade at the local nursery to see our Granddaughter take part, at the age of 2, in her first parade. It was lovely, and as she came in and saw everybody, recognised that not only was Daddy, Mommy and Grandma in the audience, she rushed over to Daddy crying with joy and flung her arms around his neck. It really was quite emotional! And now I cannot go out this afternoon, our daughter has had to borrow the car as her own is being serviced and some mechanical problem sorted out and also because we are waiting in for a repair man of our own to mend the door catch on the dishwasher! He rang to say he must come today as he is on holiday for the next 2 weeks so we would have to wait until he came back otherwise.  I did say we were willing to wait, the dishwasher does still work, it just doesn`t close properly but he said he would rather the work were done before he went off on his holidays so we are awaiting his arrival. The sun has come out now, and although cold it is nice and bright out there, but I still can`t go out on my scooter with the dogs as I am waiting for this repair man to come. Hopefully he will come sometime soon, maybe I will even get out into the sunshine!

So I`m sorry if this horrible weather is my fault!

I think this horrible weather must be my fault! In the latter part of 2012 I had a new mobility scooter, we sometimes have an "indian summer" in September/October but last year, as soon as my scooter was delivered by a man called Dave in a white van the weather turned and it has hardly improved since. It is now coming towards the end of March, which should by rights be the start of Spring, and what do I see outside my window? Snow!! I ask you snow, and not just a flurry, not just a sprinkling, but full blown, up to your ankles, snow! I know by the standards of 1963 (probably years before you were born) its not very deep, but it is bad enough to cause disruption, accidents, broken legs! I can remember trying to get to school in knee deep snow, arriving to find that hardly anyone had turned up and being sent home again, arriving weary and frozen having been walking for the best part of two hours! I have just seen on the news that in parts of Cumbria they have it deep, snow drifts in some parts of up to 14ft deep according to the news broadcaster, so in comparison it is not bad down here, but ankle deep is enough to keep me in doors. I don`t know how a mobility scooter would handle in the snow to be quite honest, having never tried, but I don`t really fancy finding out! So the upshot of all this is that I am, like many other I daresay, stuck in the house and feel like I am in prison.  I am afraid to walk incase I fall over, if I did fall I doubt I would get up. So I am pleading to the powers that be, whoever is in charge of the weather, please let Spring arrive soon and deliver us all from this dreadful weather then I would not feel so bad for having a mobility scooter and obviously changing the weather for the worst in the first place!!
So I`m sorry if this horrible weather is my fault!

MOBILITY SCOOTERS AND UMBRELLAS!

I had to have a bowl of soup to warm me up when I returned from my short outing on my mobility scooter this morning. I had to post a birthday card for my oldest friend Lynn, we met 52 years ago now when I had just turned 5 and Lynn was still 4 years old. There is 8 months between us but we did not end up in the same school year because of when our birthdays are, so I was in the year above her at school. Having been friends for so long, obviously I had to brave the cold to post her card! I did wish I had realised quite how cold it was outside, had I done so I would have added an extra layer and maybe even worn my hat! My fingers get very cold, as do my feet, so I had my knee length boots on, and I have been known to wear two pairs of gloves, one on top of the other, though unfortunately it was not the case this morning as I had worn a different coat and the thinner gloves were in the pockets of the coat I decided not to wear!! Walking around does keep you warm, but sitting on a mobility scooter does nothing whatsoever to keep you cosy, therefore this chilly weather can be rather uncomfortable. If you have arthritis, like me, the cold seems to seep into my body and makes me hurt even more than normal! As the old saying goes "chilled to the bone" seems very apt!
Just before I went out this morning a friend called round for a cuppa and she was telling me about an old gentleman she used to look after who used a mobility scooter. She said he took his life in his hands each time he crossed the road, as he would stop briefly at the kerb then shoot across, sometimes as a car was approaching causing it to stop quickly. If she was with him sometimes on the way to the shops to help him with his groceries she would try to stop him crossing unsafely but if he started across the road before she could stop him she would wave apologetically at the cars forced to stop, mouthing "thankyou" at them before scuttling across herself! She said when it was raining he even sometimes held an umbrella above himself whilst driving his mobility scooter with his other hand, quite how he managed that I don`t know! Needless to say I am very cautious when crossing over the road, and if it rains I get wet!!

Mobility scooter access.

I wanted to get a mobility scooter which was sturdy and okay to ride on the paths in the woods behind our house. We like to take the dogs for walks round there, its peaceful and you often meet other dog walkers who pass the time of day, and in May there is the added bonus of the bluebells which grow wild in the woods, beautiful. Our dogs love it, Barney has a great time playing ball or stick, there are plenty of smells to make the walk interesting and a good time is had by all. The only problem is with the little bridges which span the stream, they are just flat, wooden bridges but the end of the bridge, where you come on and off the path, is causing a bit of a problem with my scooter. At one time the paths were built up to the same level as the bridges but over the years the path is wearing a little and so the gap between bridge and path has altered and there is a couple of inches which you have to bump down. No problem on foot, a couple of inches to step down is neither here nor there, but on a mobility scooter it is a different problem. The bottom of the scooter grates on the wood of the bridge and so it has proved easier for me to get off the scooter, then Graham pushes it carefully off the bridge on to the path before I get back on again. To push the scooter off the bridge down the two inches to the path is not too bad, but going up two inches to get the scooter on to the bridge proves more tricky, especially as it is a big, sturdily built scooter which is heavy, and it is difficult to push over the ridge. It is easily fixed, the path just needs to be built up very slightly to match the bridge level and I doubt it would take long. It is slightly spoiling my enjoyment of our walks because I am thinking about reaching the bridge all the time, and having the problem of getting on and off.

USING WHEELS.

I thought I would share my thoughts with you about using a mobility scooter.  Obviously will hopefully be of interest, or make people smile, who use a wheelchair.
Sign seen on the ring road in Wolverhampton, "safe for wheelchair users", presumably to cross the road.  Maybe, Mr Signwriter, it would be better if the sign was not about 7 feet in the air, a wheelchair, scooter user may well get a crick in the neck trying to read it!
Sign in B & Q "wheelchairs are available to use for customers"  Don`t get me wrong, the thought is there, and it is a good one.  The sign, however, was in the wrong place, it was on the way out of the store!! Surely it should be put up in the foyer on the way in?
Jewellers please take note.  We went to H.Samuel in the city centre to ask about a watch repair. We had to wait ages while a phone call was made, then the lady could not remove the old strap from the watch in order to put on a new strap. I was rather stupidly walking with my stick, as I thought we would not be long, and it was not too far from the car. There was no chair to sit on whilst waiting, forcing me to walk back to the car and leave hubby to deal with his watch transaction on his own. He even mentioned to the lady that I was having problems, her only attempt to help was to ask if there was room outside on the bench! Ofcourse there was no room on the bench, and as she admitted, there never is! A chair please H.Samuels, some people need to sit!
Just to finish, and while I am moaning I may aswell carry on. On bin day please take your bins in if you are at home, its a hell of a job sometimes to drive round them on a mobility scooter, especially if left on the path right outside my house. I know its impossible if you are at work, so I would appeal to bin men to try and push them out of the way please.  The other, and last, moan goes to cars which park on the pavement. You have a road to park on, if you park on the pavement and take up the whole pavement I am forced to ride on the road on my mobility scooter which could well get me killed! Please think, it may be you on the mobility scooter one day. Thanks.

Shall I, no I, well I might, no I don`t want to!

I feel slightly guilty today, not that I have done anything wrong, I feel a bit guilty because I have not been out! Since I had my mobility scooter I have felt it my duty almost, to go out at any and every opportunity when the weather has been dry and pleasant to make sure I get my fair share of fresh air and it has done me good if I am honest, I come back feeling better for having got out of the house, for the wind on my face and the brisk breeze blowing my hair, making me look like I have been dragged through a hedge backwards. I knew my friend would call this morning, and sure enough I had not long eaten my breakfast when the door knocked. We had a coffee together, a chat and put the world to rights and I thought to myself that I would go out on my scooter and get some fresh air when she had gone off to work. When the time came it did not appeal one bit. It had rained a little this morning so the pavements were damp, I had washed my coat and it was hung on the line, so if I did venture out I would have to put on my other coat which, if it rained again, would result in me getting wet. So I decided not to bother, and if truth be told I really could not be bothered anyway, I just had no inclination to go out, and nowhere to go even if I had. My energy levels are not good today, my aches and pains are troubling me, and I am not feeling my best, so I decided to stay in, and sort out my photos on the laptop. The grey, dampish, cold day did not appeal and certainly did not tempt me to share it as it would have if it had been warm and sunny, or even cool and sunny, so I stayed where I was. I paid a lot of money for my scooter so I feel slight guilt at not using it whenever and wherever I can, but then if I did not possess a mobility scooter I would not be thinking of it and would only go out if I really wanted to, and if the opportunity arose. So I feel a bit guilty, but I really should not, should I?

Please snow, just go away.

I feel really trapped today. The snow is not going anywhere, and I cannot get my mobility scooter out. I`m not sure whether it would get through the snow on the ground which is several inches thick, and would I get it up my drive when it could be sliding about remains to be seen. The bins have been emptied today too, so they are the obstacles left in the way of my scooter at the edge of the pavement, or sometimes even in the middle. I also find that cars parked half on and half off the pavement are such a pain to get past, especially if you are met by an overgrown tree or bush at the other side in somebodys garden!
I am scared to go out incase I fall, I expect everyone will be saying "how pathetic" but I am frightened that I would fall over, and I know that if I did fall I would not be able to get up again! My knees are completely gone,I am unable to kneel, so quite how I would get to my feet I have no idea. I could also do myself some serious damage, my spine is so unstable that I have been told by doctors and physios at the back pain centre that if I had a fall I could easily paralyze myself so you can see my problem. I look through the window and wish I could go outside and join the world but the risks worry me. My problem is ofcourse that I am now fed up of staying in the house, I am going a bit stir crazy, Graham keeps clearing the driveway so I can get to the car but you don`t know how clear the paths are when you get to wherever you are going. He has now cleared the drive twice, and once again it is snowed over! Please snow, just go away, before I go mad! 

Thoughts of a Mom.

My kids may be in their 30`s now but I still worry about them!  I can`t help it, ofcourse I know they can look after themselves, they have been doing so for quite some time now, but once a mom always a mom, my kids mean everything to me.

Rach and Ste have been to Egypt on holiday for the past couple of weeks, we have been looking after Murphy and I have had to put Murphy updates on Facebook every day so that they could see he was getting on okay! Their plane landed at Manchester airport last night at around 10.45pm and the thought of them having to drive down the country to get home through all that snow got me worrying again! Gray was worried too, though he tries to pretend he is cool, but the weather had been so abysmal that the thought of driving in it was not good. We watched the website to see if the plane was due to land on time, and breathed a sigh of relief when we saw that it had landed safely. Not long afterwards Rach texted to say the plane was landed, they were waiting for their bags and would then be driving home. I asked her to text when they got back otherwise I would not be able to sleep and I was still awake, lying in the dark, when the text came through about 1am to say they were back home safe and sound. I still could not sleep as my mind would not then shut down!
So Murphy has gone home now, he gave them a rapturous welcome when they arrived and they were equally as pleased to see him, he certainly got loads of cuddles! He had started to get into the routine of our dogs, each night at about 9pm Polly will start to whimper and then she runs to the lounge door, looking back to get our attention. She has decided it is time for a biscuit! Murphy started to join in with the call for a treat so Rach and Ste, don`t be surprised if he suddenly gets up at about 9pm this evening and keeps staring at you until you get him what he wants! Our house feels a little bit empty without him but he is back where he belongs, no doubt playing a game of pull!

MURPHY.AND FRIENDS.

Murphy is here for his holidays while his Mom and Dad are on holiday in Egypt. He likes coming to visit as his friends Polly and Barney live here and Lily pops round to see him quite frequently.  Polly is his oldest friend, they were puppies together, Polly being a year old when Murphy came along and they have always got along wonderfully well, never a cross word between them, and considering Polly is now 12 years old and Murphy 11 that is not bad going. Barney gets slightly jealous, especially when Murphy wants to play a pull game with his Dad, not that there is any unpleasantness or anything, Barney just goes off in a huff and lies in the corner! His face is a picture sometimes! They are good friends and again, never a cross word between them. They all stand side by side in the kitchen eating dinner and none of them try to pinch the others meal, or growl or anything like that. They just get on with the serious business of eating and try to make sure there is none left in the bowl! If there are a few biscuits left in the bowl by Barney or Polly you can be sure that Murphy will kindly finish them off for them, not that they mind, they have usually left the kitchen by that point and Murphy hoovers up the remainder! I`m sure he thinks it is a doggie buffet! At the moment they are all fast asleep, Barney on one sofa, Polly on the other sofa, head on cushion (she likes her comfort) and Murphy on the floor by my feet just so he can make sure I cannot get up! He likes to position himself across your feet so that you are quite unable to move, on a cold day its quite nice as he keeps your feet warm with all that fur but when you need to answer the phone or rush to the toilet it can be a bit restricting and you have to be careful not to trip over him! Its really funny how he can be fast asleep but if you start eating a bag of crisps or a biscuit he is instantly awake and alert, watching you with those beautiful big brown eyes which say "I`m really really hungry" even though you know full well that he has only just had a doggie treat! You have to be careful what clothes you wear when Murphy is around, today my trousers are made of the kind of material his hairs don`t stick to which is fine, but to wear black trousers when Murphy is in the vicinity can be a mistake! You look down and you will be covered in blonde dog hairs hence the expression "oh, I`ve been Murphied"!! We keep a sticky clothes roller thing to deal with such an eventuality but I have been known to resort to selotape wrapped around my hand when we ran out of refills for our clothes roller and even, in the past, have tried to hoover my own clothing! All the dogs like a treat and they are very good, when I get a few biscuits or treat sticks out they will line up and sit in an eager line waiting their turn for their treat. Polly first ofcourse, as top dog and oldest, then Murphy (watch your fingers, he gets rather eager and won`t mean to but can grab your fingers along with the biscuit. I know, its happened to me and can be quite painful! Not that he means to do it, he just wants to eat!) Barney comes next and last but not least tiny Lily. They look so comical, sitting in a row, waiting their turn. Barney and Lily will give you a high 5 before being handed their biscuit but Polly could well fall over if she tried to lift her leg off the floor and Murphy has enough trouble sometimes just getting his bulk up, without having to lift his leg off the floor and high 5 you to get a biscuit! They are very sweet though, sitting side by side, waiting eagerly for their treat. They all like a walk, and get very excited when the leads are shook meaning that a walk is imminent, Murphy sometimes struggles to get himself up as he is such a big lad and he has arthritis but when a walk is on the cards its surprising how fast he can move! Its quite a treat to watch Gray being dragged up the street by three and sometimes 4 dogs! When all four are here he has started taking them in relay, the older two go together for a walk at a more leisurely pace then they come back for a long drink of water and a rest while the other two go off barking, excited to be going on an adventure! If the weather is dry they will all go to the woods at the back of our house to run around and play, Barney goes out of the front door with his ball in his mouth, ready for a game. He carries the ball all the way round bless him. Murphy is quite at home with us, he has been here enough times to be settled and happy and he certainly seems relaxed at the moment, lying across my feet! Excuse me Murphy, I want to get up now! x