Saturday 17 May 2008

a visitor calls

i had a phone call early thursday morning on my mobile.  not a number i recgonised,  it turned out to be the lady organising the volunteer  visitor  for mum      she had found a lady  willing to come and see mum .  could she bring her at 2pm?    oh  yes   please lol.  they arrived  just  after 2      the  volunteer  is a charming lady   lives in the village,and is keen to come and  have a chat  to  mum  sometimes,she will ring me  monday   and  see when  we  can arrange a day  for her to come.  i  am  going to just  nip to Wells or somewhere          let  them  have a  talk         see how  they get  on.   it  is  supposed  to   help me,let  me get  out for an hour  or  so       but  also,i see it as  someone for  mum  to  see.   to  talk  to       she  gets  lonely,  never  sees anyone  but   me, apart  from  carer  for  few  minutes  each  morning.

see,i  feel  guilty.   poor  mum  goes  out once  a week        thats  all.  money  is tight     very        and  the price  of petrol  means  i just  cant afford to take  her out  more.  we  used  to go out  on a tuesday  as well one time,  but  petrol  has  now  gone up  so  much,i  just  can't  do it  any more.   she  understands.   says  it doesn't  matter,   but  how long  has  she got  to  go out?  so  it  hurts ok?   my  mum  never  complains      but  she  does  get   lonely,and  seeing  someone  new   just  for  hour  or  so every  now  and  then  may  help  that.    i can't rely on  either  of  my 2 neighbours,one  hasn't bothered to  visit  since  last  october.     and  i know  mum  is  hurt.  evry time i see her  its,"oh  i do feel guilty.i must  come round and see jean "          yeah     right. 

for  those  who  read  my journal  from  the  USA,  petrol here         thats  gas  to  you  lol         has  got  the ridiculous  price     ( at  least  at  my local garage)  of  £1.19 per litre       around £5.40 a gallon,  or        around  11 bucks a gallon.  and  you think  $3.75  is dear??    its  all right  if  you live  in a town  or city,  you don't need a car,  but  here  it is essential,       theres  just  the coast hopper  bus going through  the village,  one way  to sheringham,  and  then    you can  get  to cromer,norwich  etc.       other  to   hunstanton,  then  kings lynn  etc.      but  its  no  good  for  me.   mum  cant  get  on  a  bus.       i  really can't  afford to run a car,but i  have  to.  somehow.    as  do  many  more   in  rural  norfolk.       we  have  no  choice.  and  with  so many  post  offices  shutting      many  people  will be  without  village  shops,pubs,  etc.     

we  did go to fakenham  yesterday,   thats  friday     as  it   is now  after  midnight,    mum  went  and  saw  tracy  in  the charity  shop  and  then  we  went  to tescos.  went early    and  were  home  by  2.30          

today  i have  been  busy,   im  still coughing  by  the  way,though  not  so bad      i  did  something  i have  been wanting  to do for ages.  i cleaned  out  the  outhouse/shed.   out  our back way    we have a  sort  of conservatory    its  like  many  council houses   back  door        a   conservatory        which  used  to be  open   and  then  it  was  made into  another   "room"   by  adding  a  large  window  and  door,  and  then  an  outhouse.   with  its  own  door.         my  cat  sleeps  in  this,  its  carpeted      and  has  a double  kitchen  base  unot  with  worktop                  sooty  is  spoiled  lol.   she  loves  laying  on  the  worktop  looking  out  of window,   and  can  get  in  and  out  through  the  window.              well  today,evrything  came  out,  a load  of  junk  has  been  chucked  out,and  i painted  it  out.          another  one  done.  in  fact  that  was  the last.          why  did  i keep  that  motor??  was  from  a  washing  machine.   bits  from  old  cars,  a  load  of  junk  has  been  dumped.          and  my  cat  got  lot  more  room  all of a  sudden  lol.      

so  its  now  1.10, and  i ache  all over.   its  been  hard  today  for  me.  i  really  had  to  force  myself  to  finish  the  job.        take  care  all   

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Mort, thanks for your comment over at Nutwood Junction! I'm happy to have a visitor from Norfolk, UK!

I was shocked to read the price of gas where you're at. That's terrible. I hope things ease up for you, although it doesn't look good, does it? I don't see an end in sight to our prices rising.

I think it's a nice thing that you're doing, to bring someone in to visit with your mother. Seems to me like a win-win situation--she gets to chat with someone different, and you get a little time off. I hope it works out!

All my best,
Beth

Anonymous said...

OMG Mort.  $11.00 a gallon.  I guess I need to stop complaining about $3.79 a gallon.  Glad someone is coming to visit with your mum and you can get a break.  Try to do something relaxing with the time.  Hope your cough is gone soon.
Hugs, Joyce

Anonymous said...

WOW $11/gallon?? That's crazy! It would cost me well over $200 to fill my tank! As it is it's costing me about $60 to $65 to fill up. Man...I wouldn't go anywhere at all if it went up that high!

I'm glad your Mum will have some company even if it's just for a little while. Do you belong to a church? Seems that our old church used to visit people in their homes who couldn't get out.  I hope you do get a bit of a break to relax a bit.

Hope you're not too sore tomorrow. Take a hot bath and some pain meds...and rest!
Love, Pam xoxox

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the volunteer will be a cheer to Mum,  sure hope it works.  We kept my Mom here for a few years.  She saw family mostly, it was  joy to have someone different at times.

I just checked out Alberta Province and gas is about $1.25 per liter.  do you guys get any oil from Canada?  I would hope so,  I am sure we buy some.  Yes we are spoiled with gas prices in the US.  We have had cheap gas for years.  I remember in the fifties it was .25-.29 per gal here and in UK was near 1/2 pound.  No then the pound was $4 exchange and it was near 1/4 pound. Being ignorant of the coins maybe it was a Crown, or 5 shillings, anyway I remember it was close to a dollar american. Do I sound dumb?  you bet!  I think we will see more bikes and scooters here in a few years if this keeps up.  Have a good one.   Jack

Anonymous said...

Morning Morton,  I do hope the visitor for Mum works out well and that it LASTS..although she sounds like a nice lady. I am sure they will soon chat away for dear life.  Whilst they are doing that hopefully you can just spend time with yourslef doing just what you want..could be anything or nothing!! just sit there in the garden and enjoy looking at the fruits of your hard labour !!   I agree that the cost of petrol has really gone through the roof nowadays.  It is affecting everything all the prices naturally have to go up to compensate. Mary and I are not going as far either. We used to have a wee jaunt most weeks but I do think a second time about it now.  I am lucky I have a mobility car so I don't have to worry about replacing and as Mary has the mobility allowance she usually puts in the petrol..but it is still a thought.   Hiope today that your cough is a bit better.  Take Care...LOve  Sybil x

Anonymous said...

Morton, I understand the feeling guilty so well.  When my Dad lived with me( before he decided to go to a facility), & I worked so much, I felt terribly.  He'd even told me how lonely he was & I tried to include him in as much as he could handle & hired people to stop by the house.  But I still felt guilty.  You have a lot of love & compassion for your Mom, & that stirs those feelings, but you really are doing the very best you can.  I think this woman coming by will be just what your Mom needs.
Some people are left living alone, with only "once in a while" rushed visits from their children.  At least your Mom has you.
~Mary

Anonymous said...

Hey My fav other man. Petrol prices are shocking. Our government having a laugh at our expense!. Swines! lol. Anyway, try not to feel guilty. You sound like any mother's dream child. Goodness knows what I will have to put up with If I am left with my wee treasure looking after me!!! lol. I can picture me being In the shed! lol. On a serious note, Ihope this person turns out to be a diamond for your mum then that will help Immensly. You get a coffee somewhere or do your usual and exhaust yourself overdoing It In the gardening department! lol. If this visitor woman has a car, then that would help aswell. If she doesn't have one....persuade her gently that she needs one!! lol. Please take It easy. have a radox bath to soothe aches and pains. Right lecture over! ;-) Catch you soon. Love to you both. Love Pam xx

Anonymous said...

Hey Mort glat they finally may have someone to visit with your mum, it's important for both of youto have that break. Petrol is shocking and where you live you've just got to have a car. Now your working on the outhouse..very naughty you also need your rest, I read your still coughing but sounds like there is some improvement.

Regards to your mum

Take care

Yasmin
xx

Anonymous said...

Hi Mort, how great for your Mum to get a visitor at last.  I do hope they like one another and all goes well.  It sounds to me like you could do with a visitor as well....lol.....and someone to tell you not to overdo things - i am surprised you have the energy to do what you do !!!
Luv Jaynee X

Anonymous said...

Hello Mort,

I so sorry about you and your mother not being able to go out! The Gas price seems to effect us! I know one thing I will not grip about our gas being 3.69 a gallon here and it's $11 there that's is totally outrageous! Really glad your mother has someone to come visit her I know that really lifts your spirits! Sounds like you are still hard at work!

God Bless

Randy

Anonymous said...

I hope the volunteer came round and that your mum got on with her okay xx  It's a shame the petrol costs are going up, it's going to affect a lot of people, well all of us in some way or another which sucks.  Well done for cleaning the outhouse.  We used to have a cat called Sooty :o)

Jenny

http://journals.aol.co.uk/Jmoqueen/MyLife

Anonymous said...

I think I am back among the rest of you.  I feel out of touch.  I sure hope this person works out for your mum.  It would be good for her and you to duck out for a while.  I still j\have a straightening out to do on my computer I thiunk but see what happens.  Tried to lock me out of my own journal.  Lucy

Anonymous said...

Hey Mort ! What good news about Mum's visitor! She will enjoy having someone to talk girl talk with. lol
I seldom go out myself. Before i started journaling I was a recluse.I saw only my kids here at home! I had grown so used to it I would not relish being obligated to entertain company. Isnt that shocking?  lol
They way you described the conservatory it sounds lovely. I would love to have such a place to read or listen to music.Or even just soak up the sun like snotty does!
I have some epesodes, my favs, recorded on tivo which i enjoy everytime i want to look at "my man" . I can wait for the new ones this way. Oh they have been showing the ones with the old Dr. who. I liked him then but after i fell in love with David Tennat the  other just wont do!

Anonymous said...

Mort it will be good for your Mum to have a visitor ~ I do hope they got on well together ~ and I do hope you enjoyed your trip to Wells ~ have spent many happy hours there when Lyn was small ~ Don't go overdoing everything you work far to hard (but you know that don't you)  hope you are not aching too much now ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

I am so pleased,your Mum has her visitor,they can talk  all girly ,I hope they get on and become good friends ,Maurice took me to Wells next the sea ,last year I loved it there ,We were on our way back from Walsingham ,and I took pictures ...love  to you both Jan xx