Friday, July 03, 2009

That’s Life!

Just when I found my store of sugar free spearmint flavoured gum, having lost it and replaced it, I lost a filling so that’s the end of that. Want any gum chum?
I had a fright yesterday; MTL went to Taunton for a special dental appointment (as opposed to our local dentist). Normally I go with him but as we have our lovely handyman and joiner friend - who are replacing one of the kitchen windows - someone had to be here to make the tea.

Neither of us can bear to be unpunctual so he left in really good time. Ten minutes after he was due for his appointment the receptionist phoned to ask if he had left, as normally he was very punctual. Immediately I was beset with fears and she asked me if he had a mobile. He has - it’s always in the car and he hardly ever uses it. Our DIL gave it to him so we would both have one but we are both dilatory about using them.

The receptionist, sensing my angst promised to get him to phone as soon as he arrived. Meanwhile lovely handyman assured me that at this time of day the traffic to Taunton is all stop–start, interminably. Sure enough after another 10 minutes MTL phoned and all was well. I seem to have spent decades waiting anxiously at the gate for someone to come home. How those gallant wives and mothers of armed forces cope is a mystery to me.

MTL’s foot is better but he still doesn’t feel like trailing round a city so rather than cancel as we did with the ballet in Cardiff, he suggested I invite my pal Margaret to accompany me to a Peter Hall production of ‘The Browning Version and Swan song’ in Bath tomorrow. Margaret is delighted so it should be fun.

Sheila – my new help - comes today which has given me the energy to clean the balconies and do odd bits of spring cleaning. There’s a lot to be said for extra help; I always had it previously but during thirty years with MTL our privacy seemed too precious to squander, but if we stay here – and neither of us can face moving – it is pretty vital now.

Forgive my burbling on. And if you want a truly inspirational post you can’t do better than read Honey
For sheer courage she takes some beating.

Have a good week-end.

21 comments:

lom said...

You are not alone on this one, hubby only has to be a few minutes late to normal and I go into a panic, same with number one.

Ms Scarlet said...

Have a lovely weekend - I'm heading West on Monday!
Sx

Queenie said...

So glad YTL's foot is better, that's great news. I hope your lost filling isn't causing you discomfort and can be fixed quickly and easily. Have a great time in Bath, that does sound like fun.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

No thanks, no gum for me either. Not after it pulled out the filling from my tooth one night in '96.

You and YTL make a lovely true-to-life romantic story. Everybody should have a TL. Life is infinitely so much better.

Pat said...

LOM: I suppose it's pretty usual for loving families - some are braver than others.

Scarlet: anywhere near Minehead? Although i have a date with a consultant on Monday.

Queenie: I can't feel a thing - took me a while to decide which tooth so have an appointment fairly soon. Thank you:)

GG: the down side is one is hostage to fortune. But I wouldn't have it any different.

Momentary Madness said...

I have a cousin in north Somerset Clevedon, by name Terese Lee. Born and lived in Brighton most of her life.

kenju said...

Glad to know he is okay. I had some anxious moments like that in my life, but now I don't have to worry about that aspect, since mr. kenju doesn't drive since the stroke (yet).

I had help for 5-6 years and then I got a little too sharp with my criticism (it was a bad day) and they quit me. Since then (1 yr.) I have tried to do it all myself, but it is rapidly becoming apparent that I need help. This house it too big; we really need to move to a smaller place, but I can't blast you-know-who out of here with dynamite!

Leah said...

Gosh I hate that feeling of panic, I get it too. When Sarge worked nights especially.

As for help, I love help! I'm sposed to be an efficient housewife, but yesterday I crumbled when confronted with ring-around-the-collar.

savannah said...

xoxox you KNOW i totally understand that feeling! re: help, i am so ready to call and have the ladies come back here. i let them go because i thought i should be able to handle this house, but it seems that while i can, i'd rather not . . .

Eryl said...

I like your burbling, it's like sitting by a brook on a sunny afternoon: birds singing, the scent of mown grass, and the promise of supper in a favourite restaurant later.

Pat said...

Momo: I would love to be able to say I knew your cousin but although Clevedon is in the same county it is quite way from here. Thanks for telling me:)

Judy: I don't think I'll be getting sharp with Sheila. She presented me with a pile of handkerchieves covered in fluff which she had found behind a bedroom radiator where I had put them after ironing. I was so glad to we then again I forgot to feel ashamed:)
We have left it too late to move.

Leah: I'm puzzled buy 'ring around the collar.' We have a tide mark which is a ring around a child's neck where he hadn't washed.

Pat said...

Savannah; I think you should get the ladies back especially as you have the heat and humidity to cope with and also to look after Miss Daisy.

Eryl: you're such a romantic - I'm happy to say;)

Leah: by buy I meant by. Bye bye!

Kanani said...

Glad it was only the traffic. I know how it is to get those calls --I used to get them from the OR when David was late for surgery!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

It is amazing how sometimes just having help spurs you on to start doing things tha seemed overwhelming before!

So glad to know your MTL was safe and sound.....I know you had to be rather concerned--to say the least---till you heard from him! Good to hear his foor is better, too....
Have a GREAT time at The Theatre, my dear....I want to hear all about it...!

Mickle in NZ said...

Pleased you ended up with relief over where MTL was and that Sheila is such a help. How did things go with the new joinery?

All soggy still here. Is nice to be snuggly inside with old Zebbycat providing gentle background - snuffles and mild snores.

SpanishGoth said...

I used to turn off by Taunton on my way to Yeovil. Even with the best phone, sometimes you can't get a signal.

Sweet to read about your worrying though - I hope I can create that devotion in another person :-)

Shane said...

Well I suppose it's all well and good and with sound perspective, but this Margaret character, she's been plotting this for months. I do not trust her. She has a gameplan. I bet MTL nominates her this week.

You are not missing much with Big Brother. Even I've switched off this year - it's not so much that they're an exceptionally unpleasant bunch, in fact there's at least one very nice pair among 'em, it's just that, well, their collective is just a bit too dull. I'm not getting any sense of wit.

Summer sun be with you.

sablonneuse said...

It is nice to have some help about the house isn't it? I was a bit uncomfortable when my neighbour first came in to do a oouple of hours a week (an entitlement thanks to Whale's handicap) but i'm more than happy about it now.
Hope all went well at the dentist when YTL finally got there.

Pat said...

Kanani: not nice is it?

Naomi: theatre news? That'll be tomorrow DV after my hospital appointment.

Mickle: the window is fitted - I'm going to miss the gale that used to blow through it. When all the painting and making good is done we shall look much smarter . This window is the first you see when you enter the drive. Enjoy your snuggles:)

Pat said...

Spanish Goth: how are you? Round East Coker was where we started house hunting in '85.
Everything comes to he who waits. I know this to be true.

Shane: when you see Margaret's photo tomorrow you will know nothing could be further from the truth. Completely guileless.

I'm glad I haven't let you down by not watching BB. I wonder if 'you know who' had a TV in the holiday flat and secretly goggled?

Of course not - your suspicious mind is catching.

Pat said...

Sandy: happily all was well.