Friday, January 25, 2013

Out at last!


Our newish little hospital on the edge of town

Today's dawn.  Happy Burns Day!

Yesterday we rose early and MTL inspected the lane; he pronounced it ice-free so we could get out.  At first enforced skulking indoors is quite pleasant and then it becomes stultifying.  Supplies were gettting low - especially milk and staples like shower and bath cream, mouth wash, shampoo and skin freshener and I was pining for soft fruit and yoghourt.

The roads were quiet - people heeding the warnings which - here at any rate turned out to be a false alarm.  In Wiltshire it toook son # 2 four and a half hours to drive home.  We were early at the Warfarin clinic and MTL's results meant he doesn't have to attend for 6 weeks but I must watch his propensity for eating greens.

At the super market,with two trolleys bulging we had a sweet check- out girl who spotted that the wrong item was spoiling a special offer and got it changed, mopped up a faulty shower creaam bottle and got it changed and offered to help with the packing.  I have now got things organised so I can't forget to take my spare bags and glow with pride when asked do I want bags.  Of course in the end we do need them but at least I have made the effort.

Back home the postman delivered a small parcel and handed over £1 he had found by the garage door.  Only yesterday I read that workmen had found a woman's handbag missing for seven years   and containing  £250.  Honesty survives.

A sad story of a young woman found dead in her sister's garden.  She had lost her key, her sister was out and scantily dressed and without shoes she died of exposure.  I understand Joanna Lumley when she criticises 'laddish young women who drink so much they end up being 'sick in the gutter' and put themselves at risk of being 'robbed or raped'  She says:
'I promise you it is better to look after yourself properly, which means behave properly, be polite, be on time, dress properly- I don't mean dully- but don't be sick in the gutter at midnight in a silly dress with no money to get a taxi home, because someone will take advantage of you.

And how often do we hear of a young girl coming to grief and her friends saying 'She just wandered off.  We lost track of her.'
Friends are supposed to take care of each other and particularly if you are a male you should make sure your girl friends get home safely.  That's what men do IMO.

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18 comments:

The Unbearable Banishment said...

That a very un-Joanna Lumley thing to read! Are you sure that came from her pen? I saw her with Mark Rylance in La Bete on Broadway. She's delicious.

Unknown said...

Hello Pat. If IMO is short for 'in my opinion', then it's my opinion too. It's why blokes are (generally speaking) made that bit heftier - so that we can protect and assist you more delicately nurtured females. I can imagine some of my daughters and granddaughters will disagree with the necessity of this view, but I shall continue to hold it.

P.s. SO THERE!!!

mapstew said...

I have to say there are some very helpful staff members in our local Tesco. Recently I had an 8-pack of beer in my shopping and the check-out lassie told me I could have a 12-pack for the same price. As the beer section was at the back of the supermarket I told her that it was ok and I would be quite happy with the 8. She wasn't having it. She made her apologies to the queue of people behind me, ran off to the back of the store and returned smiling with the better offer for me. Even the waiting queue smiled at her!

My girls have some good male friends who always make sure they're safe and sound at the end of a night. These lads are always welcome at our house!

I'm glad Chef is on his holliers, he would have had a field-day with today's post title! :¬)

xxx

Unknown said...

Glad you could get out. We still have 7" of snow here, although the lanes are clear. Another 4/5" is forecast tonight! :-(

Pat said...

UB: Ah I think you are confusing Joanna's many personas's with the real Joanna. They are her words and what I would expect from someone of her background, upbringing and age.
You are quite right - she is delicious.

Mike and Ann: yes I do mean that.
And I am glad you agree.
MTL blames Women's Lib:)

Map: How funny - it's not just a Tesco thing because mine was Morrisons.
I didn't have daughters and I don't think Joanna did but it must be a relief to know they have decent friends.
I bought the ingredients for one of Chef's recipes and blessed him whilst I was painstakingly copying it out because he doesn't allow copying and pasting. Just as well he doesn'tknow I'm adapting it.
I'm now wondering about the title.

SDC said...

I agree with the part about dressing better, so as to avoid dying of exposure. But the directives she gives about telling women how to behave? Smacks of victim blaming. Maybe the problem really is the men and their choice to behave badly?

Pat said...

SDC: cleartly the directives should have come from their parents. She is trying to save them from becoming victims and I wholeheartedly agree.

angryparsnip said...

I love Joanna Lumley she is indeed delicious !
I agree with the dress better, dress for the seasons !
But also no one has the right to abuse anyone.
That was a very sad story.
I need to believe there are more good people out in the world.

Glad to know you are safe and warm.
Will there be Haggis and Scotch tonight ?

cheers, parsnip

kenju said...

Amen!! My mom always asked if I had "mad money" when I was going out on a date (at least 10 cents for the pay phone....lol) It is very important.
Glad you are out of the house; we got snow and ice today, so we will be here for a few days. I don't mind at all.

Pat said...

John: doesn't sound too good for the weekend. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Parsnip: there are more good people in the world- they are just not so newsworthy.
No Haggis I'm afraid and we made do with a hot toddy.

Judy: aa long as it dooesn't go on too long - an enforced rest can be enjoyable.

mapstew said...

Ah Patricia, you know the way he gives me stick about my showbiz lifestyle, and my 'LOUD' shirts! The 'Out At Last' post title would have been TOO MUCH for him to resist! I'm glad he's relaxing by the pool in his tight white Speedo sipping a Baily's shake! :¬)

xxx

OldLady Of The Hills said...

So glad you were able to finally get out...and to stock up,too! What a lovely checkout person, so happy to read how kind and caring she was....Those days seem to be over,here...with some-few-and-far between exceptions, from what I here...
Joanna L.is so right...friends should watch out for each other...!

Granny Annie said...

My cousin checked on his mother during a snow storm and made sure she was safely inside and warm and had plenty of food. Feeling secure in his efforts, he went to his home across the road. The next morning he found my aunt, his mother, frozen on her steps holding the newspaper. She had gone out after he left and fell and hit her head and died. He never forgave himself.

Pat said...

Granny Annie: what more could he have done? Both the young and the old can both behave irresponsibly - myself included.
She would know she shouldn't go out but she took a risk.
I hope he comes to terms with it.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

The sad truth is, there are wolves out there. And we gals should understand that we must learn to take responsibility for ourselves in these modern times.

I don't agree that women are raped because of skimpy clothing. A rapist will attack a woman even if she's covered.

But to dress in skimpy clothes and go out in cold weather? That's irresponsible.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

I've just read Granny's comment. I deeply sympathise with her cousin. Like you say Pat, I hope he comes to terms with it.

Even without a snowstorm, an elderly parent can fall and hit her / his head. A friend of mine went to work, and her mother fell and hit her head. Fortunately, her mother's fine.

Vagabonde said...

It sounds like you had some cold weather. She died in his sister’s garden because her sister was out? Couldn’t she have gone to the neighbors? This is terrible. It is still very mild here, I don’t know if we’ll get some snow in February.

Marjolein said...

Your last comment reminds me of my clubbing days at university. After the club closed at 4am the boys who were with our group would divide the group of girls into 'I'll take these three home and you'll take those four home'. It would always mean a long walk at night for them, but they always made sure all of us girls got home safely.