He had chewed his tail, which was looking awful, but that seems to be looking better too.
Well earned treat and sofa time after a two hour stroll around the woods!
Anyway, last week a volunteer for Bedfordshire Sight Concern delivered me a new dab radio.
It looks the same as the old one, except it now has a memory stick component, which means I can now play my talking books while I am cooking dinner or doing housework.
The guy dropped it round on Friday morning and it hasn't been off since then really, tuned into my two favourite radio stations, Smooth Extra and kisstroy, I have been bopping my way around the house singing at the top of my voice (which is a nasty experience for anyone passing). I hadn't realised how much I had missed having the radio, I am going to try to find the RNIB radio channel later and get acquainted with that.
Last week was crazy busy, I was at the RNIB in London on Monday all day, I met some really lovely people and being in such a positive environment gave me the kick up the backside I needed.
The week before I had applied for four jobs, if I am honest I was a bit bored and fed up, so I did a little experiment, two of them I disclosed my disability to, and the other two I didn't..bet you cant guess which two I heard from on Tuesday morning asking if I would like to attend interviews, as it happened, one was a bit mis-leading in the advert, when the lady on the phone started to explain more about the role, I realised that it was more of a care assistant role, which i something I need to move away from and the other one, well, I just wanted to see if I could get a interview. The other two, the ones I disclosed to, I still haven't heard from. So, there we are, inclusion for everyone eh?
Wednesday found me on the train to Peterborough for my very first coffee social, with other visually impaired folks. Despite the crappy weather, it was a lovely morning, I met some people with some fascinating stories that ignited something in me which had been blown out months ago. The creative writer in me was exploding in my head and I was dying to get out pen and paper and start making notes I ate lemon drizzle cake instead and sat still while three guide dogs wiggled around my legs under the table, one of them, settling across my feet keeping my toes warm.
I spent the afternoon nosing around the RNIB offices, chatting to more lovely people, again, the atmosphere is so positive that you cant help feeling at home.
I left the RNIB at 2.30pm
to catch the 3 o'clock home as I needed to meet my daughter at 3.30. But the train had been cancelled as a train near London had broken down on the track and was causing chaos. The next train had been cancelled to, the next one was 4.18. So, I took myself off to Waitrose, used their loo and wondered around. I found the café and sat there for a while wondering how to waste more time, when my phone rings, daughter number two is worried where I have got to, I explain there is trouble on the tracks and she checks her 'app' and informs me that the 4.18 has been cancelled too.
The daughter starts to panic, insisting that I am going to be stuck there and someone needs to rescue me. I assured her that I did not need rescuing, and that I will go back to the station and ask someone what's going on. Three cancelled trains equals a s**t ton of people all crammed into the station, necks craned trying to get the first glimpse of a moving train on the departures board. My cane collided with a few ankles and suddenly the crowd parted like the dead sea and I made my way to the information desk.
A nice young lady let me through to the platform and said there should be a train at 5. As I stand there the platform gets more and more crowed and I
know there is no way I am going to get on this train safely with all these people, who frankly weren't very happy with the delays. So, I ring my partner just for a chat, a reassuring voice, but ohhhh noooo. He is in more of a panic than my daughter, and instructs me to go back to the information desk. I refuse and hang up.
The very next minute, there is a voice over the loud speaker telling me to go back to the information desk where I will pick up assisted travel.
Once again the crowd parted and I made my way back to the information desk. A elderly guy takes my arm and tells me that he will help me on the train when it arrives and get me a seat. NOTHING will go wrong and you will be much safer here with us as there is about 600 people on the platform waiting to board the train.
So, in rolls the train, a young man and his wheelchair and I are escorted to the disabled carriage and seated. I must admit I was relieved to be sat safely on the train, even though it wasn't moving. 5.20, and the guys who put me on the train was back, there is no driver for this train so we will all have to change trains. I say...'why cant the driver of the other train just drive this one?'...but no, this seemed to be a ridiculous idea, and so 600 people, me and my escort all barrel off to platform two. I go to use the stairs, but my escort says...health and safety my love, we will use the lift. Mate, there's F**K ALL WRONG WITH MY LEGS I JUST WANT TO GET HOME!!
In the lift I go and he faffs around with his radio, just as we get out of the lift I see the train on platform two pull away from the station. Honest to god, 600 bloody people...I have a guide and I still missed the bloody train.
I already knew the next two trains had already been cancelled, the station was disserted, not a single person in the whole place, except me, my cane and my escort. The poor bloke was mortified and took me back to....wait for it.....the information desk and got me a chair. I couldn't speak as I wasn't sure what was going to come out of my mouth so I thought it best not to say anything at all. I think at some point a little sob might have escaped me and when the escort approached me he looked so wary that I couldn't be cross.
'Don't worry my love, the railway have booked you a taxi to get you home'...all I could say was ..'but, I'm hungry 'so he gave me a card for a free coffee. I hate coffee, but I took it anyway, thanked him and was bundled into a taxi.
The taxi driver, really nice bloke, but had no idea how to get to my area of Bedfordshire and asked if he needed to get on the A14....no mate A1.
Two hours after leaving the station, five hours after leaving the RNIB offices, I get home to a bowl of soup and my bed.
Gotta love an adventure!
xx
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