Very Little

I’m getting as bad as T because today I have done very little.
I had another disturbed night. It is always the same at this time of year until I am up to date with all my chores. Mainly wrapping presents nightmare. The ones I have yet to buy.

I presented T with brekkie and a hot drink and dashed off a couple of texts to Brenda and Val offering them lifts to our Carers’ Christmas Lunch tomorrow midday. So I won’t be at the local coffee morning and T won’t be at day care. He will be with me. The Yew Tree Garden Centre did an excellent lunch for us last year but served no alcohol. You could take your own. Does not bother me, of course. But now they do serve alcohol so I thought Brenda and Val might like a drink. Hence the offer to drive them, and they sort of live en wiggly route.

P (intensely annoying person) is arranging a taxi anyway. And the others – well there is not room.

T had turned off all my external lights long before we went to bed last night so we were the gloomy house again. A timer is now controlling them, so we shall see if that is left untampered with.

I had an early appointment at the surgery for someone to extract some blood. After I was so often punctured in Italy, I’ve had a nice month off medical investigation. I pondered the wisdom of wearing a mask in the surgery. Coughs and sneezes spread all manner of lurgies. But my specs kept steaming up so I carried the mask at the ready.

But these days, surgeries are no longer full of poorly people sharing their germs. Waiting rooms are empty soulless places with socially distanced chairs reminiscing to themselves about the good old days when they had a purpose in life. As seats.

The waiting room was empty apart from one other person. The reason became clear. The receptionist appeared clutching a box of masks, instructing all two of us that we must wear one. A new order had arrived because half their staff were off sick and they were anxious that no one else should be ill. I think we were both only there for blood tests, not because of illness. I think the ill people had been cancelled due to lack of staff.

H and I walked at Sheepcot which is another name for Goring Rec. It is another place where it is not too sloppy as the surface is grassy. Or even too slippy. There was more white and prettiness to admire and a few other humans and their dogs. I eyed up Lardon Chase in the far distance, where the frost/ snow had marked out the trails up it, much as summer crops highlight ancient features of our landscapes.

Or even the car.

It was cold underfoot. H went into a sulk at the end of the walk and sat and watched me wander into the distance towards the car. I even waved biscuits at her. She stayed put. But it was jealousy that moved her eventually- watching me give a biscuit to another dog. And then she was like a rocket! Daft creature.

I intended to go out and do Christmas shopping but I fell asleep and felt cold – or the other way round. By the time I was alert again the impetus had evaporated.
T remained in bed all day. I hung some baubles on the tree. The angel has been decapitated whilst in storage so she couldn’t grace the top of the tree. Well her body could! Perhaps I should tuck her head under her wing.
The alternative tree topper is a magnificent star that was so heavy it fell off. The top of the tree needs a lightweight ornament because at the moment the whole thing is a disaster. Half the baubles need something to hang them with.

The afternoon meandered on. I’ve achieved nothing much.

I stayed awake this evening and got myself involved with Traitors and its twists and turns. Its not on tomorrow! World Cup – be over!

Thought for the Day

With a decapitated angel and a wonky top