Life to the full

Well my friends I have not been too good recently and for the last week, laid up most of the time. Unusual for me as I can often shake off a cold in a few days; however last Friday I went to see my Doctor (would he remember me)? more to the question could I find him? We have a new surgery with new systems and on entry you have to press the screen! It then asks if you are male or female, so far so good; then what month were you born, ok, so I pressed December, the next screen asked what day of the month - "still easy questions I thought" so I pressed first the 2 then went for the 1 and the screen threw me back to the first menu. This went on three times exactly the same. I walked to the nice lady at reception and quietly said "that machine does not like me and I have an appointment in 3-minutes". After she talked me through what I had just done, she said "you should have pressed the 21 not 2 and 1" evidently lots of people make that mistake! There were 31 keys on the touch screen and I was trying to use 0-9.

The doctor was very nice and gave me some Penicillin and we chatted for a while. I managed to press the right buttons to get me out of the surgery and on to the Chemist with my little prescription. "Friday's are always busy" said one to another, "frightened to be without medication over the weekend". I sat among children who were kept quiet with lollipops and a young man who could talk for England on his mobile phone; I thought they all used texts these days? Still, it sounded like he had a busy weekend planned. Back home, the thought of a couple of days laid up sounded inviting; I could write a little and ponder on a few more chapters, do a little research and maybe a Sudoko or two. Not a hope, this took me by surprise and I found it difficult to think anything at all and when I did, it scared me to think I could imagine such nonsense. Once the temperature went down things started to return to normality and it was nice to have support from the household.

We do not take kindly to illness as it often comes at a time we are most busy. I first laughed about the touch screen, at the same time I was annoyed with myself to think I could not see 31 keys in front of me. It is often the way when we are most intent on one thing; that we can't see the other options, particularly with myself, I get one thing into my head and can't see anything else - I need a pause key to hold, wait, check, before moving on - especially with the simple things I think I have already mastered.

Note to morning office: May I not presume to know anything but that I learn again each day.
.

The Cat Nap

The friary cat has just emerged from his long slumber, no doubt he sneaked into one of the rooms without detection. I am wondering how long I can keep typing this before he distracts me enough to go find his dish. Hmmm, perhaps I should go straight away then he will be off for a wander down the garden. This last couple of weeks seem to have been so full of busyness while at the same time there has been a strange feeling of "what next" and when it comes down to finding time on my own - there is a tiredness and lack of motivation. The book has not advanced one paragraph this week even though I set a target date to complete this chapter. It seems this part of my life is in suspension.

Sundays of my youth were, Sunday mass and home for a good roast dinner with Yorkshire puddings. Mum and Dad would rest in the easy chairs and Dad would say "I'm just having 40 winks". I would play quietly or read a comic such as Look and Learn, eventually Dad would wake and Mum would put the kettle on. It would often be a treat to run down to the local shop (The Kiosk) and buy a quarter of Riley's Chocolate Toffee Rolls (sadly no longer available). This time of year, the gas fire would be on and the lounge would be the cosiest room in the house; later on the trolley (table on wheels) would be pushed through to the lounge with sandwiches, cakes and biscuits. My parents were great at remenissing and it seems so am I; so where am I going with this? My parents were older than those of my peers and I guess needed their rest after dinner on a Sunday, but they were actually younger then than I am now and I have never taken a nap in the afternoon. Brother Cyril is often asleep and sometimes I need to wake him to tell him to go to bed, Brother Michael (it seems) never sleeps? however there are times when he says he is away to his room to study or write some letters. Perhaps there is something in this afternoon nap; in Spain they call it a siesta and I believe famous people do this too, so maybe mid-day office should be extended a little?

.