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!!