Working together

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I am not sad to say goodbye to November. I know they say it was mild weather, but it started to rain. And it kept on raining. Our field pond in Oak Meadow has started to fill. It has been as dry until November. We need the water so it should be good news, but I like December better because it is full of festival lights, cost of electricity permitting.

Who is checking their energy bills and usage? I know I am, but not all my friends are as interested and some seem happy to leave it to the electricity company to sort out debits and credits. We are, however, all concerned about keeping warm. I have seen an advert for a café saying, ‘Come in and get warm.’ They offer a cup of tea over a board game. Those of you who listen to The Archers will know that they are doing something similar.

We are having some of old double-glazed glass replaced and hopefully our new bathroom window frame will be ready soon. Apparently, insulation is the thing to watch out for now and I am checking our blinds and curtains. It feels good to be sorting all this which we had ignored during the worst of the pandemic – we had something else to think about.

Something I had to think about last week in earnest was my hospital visit. It was results of tests day. We gave ourselves plenty of time to get there but when we arrived there was no parking space. We drove round and round and were joined by others doing the same. Every time we saw a gap someone appeared from nowhere and nipped in to park.

“I’ve missed my appointment,” shouted an anxious patient from his car window.

“Patients have parked in the staff car park,” a nurse told me. “And I need to be on duty.” It was a nightmare for us all.

Eventually we realised that I had to get out and make a dash for it. It was raining – well it would be. Then there was good news at last. A text came – Mr T had found a parking space and the wonderfully calm doctor said that my lump was nothing to worry about.

The robin was at home to greet us. That’s another good thing about December, the birds come and feed. The robin here is especially tame as they are in many gardens. It follows us around and sits with us when we have a snack outside (even in December), to catch the crumbs. Robins seem to have adapted to survive and realise the advantages of being together.



Sharing my sandwiches

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