Sunday 24 July 2022

Sleepless in Staffordshire



 It was such a relief when the temperature began to cool down on Wednesday although the house stayed superheated for another couple of days after that. It was only by throwing open the windows and doors to the cool morning and evening air that the thermometer fell from 30 C to 24C by Friday inside the bungalow. We have not done an awful lot with ourselves this week just allotment visits to water and weed the plot.

The highlight of the week for me was having a ticket for the theatre to see Talon in concert last night (or is it still tonight?) Saturday anyway.  It's an annual event for me and I loved it but on the drive home I was suddenly filled with an overwhelming feeling of sadness when I realised that it would be the last time I would go to see them.  The drive only takes 25 minutes but in the dark I realised how my eyesight has deteriorated since the start of the pandemic. Oncoming headlights dazzle me to a frightening degree so that I can't see the kerb. I was so relieved to get home safely. Its the end of an era and now I am unable to sleep for feeling sad about it 😢

Over the last 4 years our lives have changed in ways that G and I could never have envisaged. We've gone from tootling off in the caravan every month touring around the UK free as birds, to moving home twice in 2 years and then staying home with no chance of holidays because we can no longer afford them. What a miserable witch I am 😳

In these wee small hours of 2am I am grateful for :

Hearing the welcome sound of light rain

Knowing I can get up when I feel like it as G has Sunday off work 

The prospect of a cool damp day to come. 

Stay safe x


15 comments:

  1. I had to give up driving this year. It left me very isolated.

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    1. Oh Hester, I can so understand how not driving has left you feeling isolated. I'm so sorry to hear that. You don't realise how deteriorating eyesight and mobility creeps up on you. Sending hugs x

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  2. Lovely photo of the flowers! I'm glad that the temperatures have cooled off over there! I'm sorry that night driving is no longer comfortable for you - I stopped driving at night a few years ago, because I can't see that well at night. Maybe you can continue your annual tradition of attending the concert if you can find someone to drive you or give you a ride? I'm sorry, too, that you can no longer afford holidays, but, maybe you can manage some short, inexpensive getaways. Those are all wonderful things to be grateful for, especially the rain! :)

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    1. Thank you Bless. I really didn't mean to come across in such a miserable manner but it was the hour my post was written! I know I'm not alone in having a problem with night driving and I'm very lucky that I have no problem in the daylight. You have some wonderful suggestions there. Thank you so much 🤗

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  3. Apparently there are some dazzle free glasses you can get to help with night time driving. If you wear glasses it may be worth asking about a special finish on your prescription glasses 'anti glare'.

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    1. Thank you, Tania, but I do have a special coating on my glasses for driving. I think it's my developing cataracts which are causing the problem :(

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  4. Night time driving is always so much more difficult. I find my first few outings on dark Winters nights quite terrifying, then it's as though you learn to do it all over again each year, so my only advice would be if there's somewhere safe and quiet that you know the way to in daylight do it for a few nights running and see if things improve, if they don't you will at least have tried to prolong your night driving.

    The freedom that driving gives us is one of the hardest things to lose isn't it. xx

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    1. It definitely is, Sue, and that is a jolly good idea to do as you suggest and practise a bit more locally. It's been a long time since I completed that journey in the dark. Thank you for suggesting it 👍

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  5. I dont drive at night ever. It's too frightening. In fact my driving is very much less nowadays. Gone are the days when I used to drive from one end of France to the other!

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    1. I'm quite happy doing short daytime journeys, Elizabeth, it's awful how you suddenly realise that you can no longer do certain things isn't it :(

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  6. Harvey had decided after our trip to the mountains (my favourite place) that the distance even with a stop at our sons, is just too far for him to drive anymore. I will miss the cabin and the quiet. But we are getting older and driving will become more and more difficult. At least for long distances.

    God bless.

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  7. It does creep up on us, doesn't it Jackie, the fact that certain things like driving are becoming difficult. A shame that you will not be visiting the cabin again :(

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  8. I am glad that the temperatures have dropped back down to more 'normal' weather for us. I'm not good with very hot weather.
    I'm sorry to hear about the night time driving. Sight is such a precious thing isn't it. I do hope you are able to continue driving during the day though.
    Sending hugs with love and blogging friendship x

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    1. Oh thank you, Beverley, I do so appreciate the hugs and friendship you offer, that is such a kind thing to say 🤗 At the moment I don't have a problem with driving during the day although driving anywhere unfamiliar is quite daunting. I'll keep going until I feel I'm a danger to others!

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    2. PS so glad it's much cooler too 👍☔xx

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It's OK.....

  Angie 💓 xx