The days are so fast…

Since I came home from hospital the days are so fast. I have had writing commitments and barely found the time. I had to set everything aside and make a positive decision to do it. Generally, I move from task to task, and my day has time for some relaxation.

I am no longer waking early, or if I do, I can sleep again until a reasonable time, say 7am to 8am. This is good as I am getting the sleep I need.

My body has been rid of some toxins now and I feel better for it. The very luxurious mattress topper is gone for now, and I am still very comfortable. Getting out of bed is less effort!

The third laptop has to go back. The charger is only 2′ long! and the power switch is almost impossible to use. Oh, the trials that are unforeseen when someone else cannot take responsibility for their carelessness. My writing is affected as I can’t get quick links, work out how to copy and paste, and use my photos.

It is sunny and cold, after some warmer days. I had hoped for milder weather. I want to do some light work in my garden, and prepare for tomato plants. It will all happen.

A lady who lives a short walk away wanted to come to help me with these small jobs as she misses having a garden. I felt blessed all through my hospital stay. Now, she tells me she is lucky to find someone who can’t manage their vegetable plot so will do that instead. That she has no integrity, or that doing both are possible, seems lost on her.

Someone will turn up. The right person at the right time.

I am writing this now as my days rush by. I am wanting to record what I can here.

Please click ‘like’ and comment. I appreciate it so much.

Today could have been so different…

Someone arranged to meet me today. I spent a while thinking about cancelling. Then I realised it would do me the world of good to get out in the sunshine, and I could get groceries afterwards.

We outside in the sunshine. It was so mild. We talked for ages. Then we parted company and I went to the market.

I felt good when I got home. My friend has plans for meeting again. I need this so much. Many of my friends are too afraid of the pandemic to go anywhere, which frustrates me.

I have been writing. I feel quite happy with my life. I may have someone staying here for a short while as they need to sort some issues out. If this happens, I shall enjoy it.

The autumn sun is good on my skin, even though less of it is exposed.

I picked all the unripened figs from the tree. I looked up what to do about them. When I came home, I found more flowers in bloom in the garden. I am pleased.

Rain and hip pain but still OK…

• 

It’s been an odd day, but productive. I did waken until noon, so I had fourteen hours sleep and I feel better for it.

A friend sent a text to say she was going to a store and I thought that she keeps doing far too much.

I was writing and making my dinner. My cell phone rang and a man said ”Is this Chrissie?”

I said I was and he told my friend had collapsed. Since I was her most frequently contacted name on her phone he called me. I told him her daughter’s name but he couldn’t find her number so I gave the name of her brother.

Then I dashed up to see if I could reassure my friend. The paramedic was about to close the ambulance door but I asked him to tell her I had come. it’s reassuring when you know someone gives a damn.

I came home. It was raining and I got plenty of strange looks as I was not dressed for rain. But I care more about my friends than I do about getting wet.

At 9pm she said she was home and had no milk. I put some milk in a jug and took it to her.

She didn’t look good but who does after that? Ordinarily she would have stayed in hospital overnight, but at this time it is a risk.

I had a brief chat with the guy who took my call at switch. They are undervalued and not thought of. He appreciated my thanks as they always do.

The rain! Great for my garden. Great for keeping people who gather in groups at home.

I’m so grateful for my garden. My friends and the local hospital. My daughter was fabulous while I was ill last week and has brought shopping again.

I am bucking the trend. I am drinking less alcohol since lockdown and not over eating. I am content with my very local friends, but I do miss the ones further afield who I see regularly.

A great day and thanks Danette…

It’s been a good day. I had breakfast with a friend al fresco and did some writing. The people next door printed a photo of the malicious letter from a previous neighbour as they had thrown the original into their fire. I have reported it.

They are upset by such interference in their lives. I am grateful that they told me as now I know that she sent one to my previous neighbours. I was so shocked that they turned against me overnight.

It doesn’t occur to me that someone could be so malicious and wicked. How sad that her life is filled with hate and she keeps checking to see if the house is available.

I gave her so many bottles of wine, a book, flowers. When she broke her back I sent flowers and they came back. I lent her a book, don’t know what happened to that. M. Ebsworth replaced it for me. She threw 12kg of kindling over the fence into my garden. A jar of wax and a food cover.

Anyway, I got writing done. Planted tomato plants, my cleaner came,, a friend came.

I am getting some colour on my legs and arms. I feel good. My hip is a problem as it gives way after biting. I need to meditate.

Danette came to medium through my link! God bless her. Anyone can find my articles in my web profile.

I just was named Productivity Wizard by my editing suite. A great end to my day.

A lovely Sunday…

I have had a great day. Sunny, warm and my garden full of bees and birds. The birdcover has recovered from my previous neighbours’ destruction.

My daughter came and we sat in the sun, and she helped me put heavy stuff in the garbage.

She knelt to tend some plants and it reminded me of when she was eight and loved to water the plants and sweep the path. We made pizzas but she felt a bit off colour so I had twice as much dinner as usual.

She is finding lockdown hard. I am writing, so am doing my passion. I suggested she choreograph some dance.

My hip was biting as we came in. I almost fell twice. It’s so haphazard.

I have an editor who is crushing me. Pulverizing me. Let him. I don’t listen to lies.

I have had an intruder in my garden. It’s a bit disturbing but I’m ok.

I thought about talking to my daughter about the hospice but decided to leave it today.

I must take my outdoor broom to a friend.

Welcome to my new followers. I realise I haven’t done this for far too long.

A strange sort of day…

It’s been an odd day. I slept a bit long..as I have every morning since sleep came my way. I looked at all my notifications, emails, etc.

A friend sent me a text inviting me for a cup of tea. She is only round the corner. She’s been sorting stuff out in her flat, and yesterday I urged her to clear up the mess before it gets her mood low.

It was just as bad, and I find it hard to feel at peace sitting in a mess. Her feet are much worse than yesterday. More swollen and the skin darker. I’m trying to persuade her to raise her feet. She does it for 5 minutes and starts doing things again.

I left within an hour. I need to write her information to tell her doctor. She told me very spontaneously that I’m so lovely.

This afternoon I’ve been writing. But not really in a relaxed way. I published something to a wrong publication. I republished it to the correct one, and then my phone rang and when I went to delete the erroneously published one, somene had responded to it and deleted it from the correct publication.

Oh, the frustration!!!

So it rained in the night which is great for the garden, but it’s been slightly muggy which affects my breathing.

Other than that I’m ok. A lady named Ginny over the road knocked to say that a parcel was outside my front door. She is very kind.

Still very low and no help in sight…

• 

So I still feel low. I haven’t got dressed for a week. I’ve stayed in bed as at the weekend I ran out of my prescriptions and was quite ill. Oh, I did dash out to get some food.

I writing on medium and still have some success. One publisher on there has barred me. There is a note system which I had not yet learned to use. I had submitted and they sent a note which I read as my piece needing to be published very soon as it was about rape law in the US in the light of the Weinstein conviction. So I expanded even though I didn’t want to expand. Another note., more please. So I reluctantly wrote more. Then I got told I was deleting notes. I was what? I replied that I didn’t know how to do that and I was sorry. Then I sat waiting and sent a note to say I was waiting for them. Bang! I was out on my ear. No cutting slack for newbies.

There isn’t another service that does what I had in my area. I’ve been without help since that woman shouted at me in my home. I’m struggling. In every sense I am struggling.

Please pray for me.

Recovery still ongoing…

I am still recovering from Thursday. Just some aches in my ribs from sitting for so long in the cold. I got cold. I have been much colder but that was another era in my health.

I have sent thank you cards. Sent texts of gratitude.

My gratitude for strangers who are so kind is boundless. I actually believe no one is a stranger, but a friend in waiting. I have always done my best to be kind. All over the world I have experienced kindness. I used to be quite a risk taker, although other risk takers might think me very tame.

Risks are better taken in warm climates. Then, if you have nowhere to sleep, you won’t freeze.

I have continued with napping. My daughter came yesterday and made me a hot dinner.

I made someone very happy today, just by sending a card. I was thrilled. I love making people feel happy.

I’ve been writing and now write for two publications on medium.com. It’s so rewarding, and I don’t mean money..

A day that was a write off…

Today someone spewed their anger all over me.

I’ve cried a lot. I haven’t planted my plants. The postman didn’t come today. I wanted to apologise to him.

I have been writing. It’s supposed to be healing and cathartic, but I only wish today was over and I could go to bed.

The wind from the incoming storm is gathering strength. I can hear it growling and then dying, repeatedly. The harbour looks very rough.

There has been no more work on the houses that are meant to go up. I heard the name plate on the house of the garden where these teeny weeny postage stamp houses are going, has been pulled off and smashed on the ground. There’s a lot of anger about these plans.

So I haven’t achieved much in my car wreck of a day. I feel an utter failure as I’ve found no joy today, no gratitude and yet I’m not confined in a cell with no window.

It’s not lost on me that today is Valentines Day. I wonder if a certain man has given a card to the woman he left for me. Twice.

I don’t miss him anymore. I just want to stop thinking about him a few times each week. It’s wasted thinking.

The weather…

It is pouring with rain and feels like 2C. That’s just above freezing.

I have wanted to visit neighbour. On Saturday evening there was a frenzied rapping at my door. It was a doctor looking for Amanda. Not here. As I resumed my sofa, it dawned on me that Amanda lives at 9. I went to the door and called out to the doctor to go to number 9.

I wanted to drop in today to see if she was ok, and if they need anything. It’s a bit too much to walk and if I use the trolley, I will get soaked. I hope the weather will be drier tomorrow.

I have met resistance again in the same locality with the campaign. I will not post there again. Everywhere else is on board, though some feel it’s too late. But this is to the PM, and I tell them I have written to him. This garners some signatures.

My writing is getting more read on medium. It feels good.

Feeling good and some success…

I went to Salisbury on Tuesday to read poetry. Poetika happens in an upstairs room at a rather nice pub. I had a vegan dinner with an Italian lady I met there. My Italian is virtually zilch, but she spoke enough English for us to get by.

Theme of the poetry was nonsense, so I read the piece about the pig and a version of a poem I had emailed to a friend to print for me, but he didn’t see the email. I quickly cobbled together some of the lines.

There was a guest poet who does a lot of comedy and cabaret in London. She grew up in Salisbury and did not fit in, as her Dad is, or was black. She then related through her poetry how hard it was to fit in in London because of the lightness of her skin. She has a lot of talent.

I stayed the night with a friend, whose wife I met for the first time. We walked home together, and she kind of assumed that I had never been able to drive. This did not offend me, she is lovely and very enjoyable to be with, but I need to reset something about me to alter some perceptions. I never proclaim my skills and accomplishments, they just come up in conversation. So what if that conversation never happens? I am not concerned. I just can start telling people what a novice I am with buses.

On medium.com my articles are being read, and I’ve got a thousand followers in just two weeks.

I find writing satisfying there. So many positive vibes.

The close of my birthday, and more writing news…

Well, Christmas and my birthday are done for a year, though I celebrate the twelve days of Christmas. I used to do this by giving my daughter small gifts each day of the twelve days. I felt it was less anti-climatic.

I hope all of you have enjoyed the festivities of your faith.

A number of years ago, I posted some of my essays on Medium.com. It was just a place I could keep them, and a number of people read them. A month or so ago, a poet acquaintance mentioned that she was posting on Medium and invited people to follow her. I checked out Medium.com again and found there was a greater diversity of subjects. I made public my essays and have put a few more there.

To my amazement, a couple of my essays have been listed as ‘Recommended Reading’. I can scarcely believe this. And some of my responses to other’s essays have been well received.

I can barely take this in. Yes, I have Ph.d, but I got it a long time ago. But people are interested in my views.

I’m really sorry that I haven’t visited as many blogs as I normally do in the last couple of weeks. I have been writing essays and Christmas shopping, and getting pneumonia.