Every so often there is a request for more blog-posts. Members say they lack inspiration, feel they have to reply, scared of being criticised. I am ‘inspired’ by another blog, some crazy event, often ‘What’s it all about, Alfie?’ This year has been moving, burocracy, learning to live among other old people and try and remain ‘alive’ in spirit. Also anecdotal; this one is true, and underlines a lot of what I have written about the awful drama/trauma when you have to give up your independence.

I have a ‘difficult’ friend. He phoned me Sunday evening (from UK,) in great distress. He had some falls, taken to hospital, and his driving licence was taken away. He lives in a huge house, down a long driveway, no neighbours. He asked ME what he should do! I presumed his daughters were away abroad. I suggested going to a hotel where he would be warm, safe and fed. He accepted the idea, then said he could not cope with organising. So I found two with vacancies, sent him details so he could get somebody to book one. I sent an 

e-mail to a daughter to tell her what I had done. She phoned the next day, furious. As far as she knew he was in hospital. She phoned them, he had discharged himself Friday and nobody knew where he was! I realised he was at home, daughter going there. He refuses to go into a care home, and they were organising a care package for him, then he ignores advice, and leaves everybody in deep **** two days before Christmas. They even thought he might have tried to get to me in France.

So, 25 blog posts, Box and Cox with Rowan on Sundays. ‘What’s the weather like today’ from the fact that the French talk more than the English about the weather. ‘My day’, turned out more like a week with several dramas thrown in. ‘First Term Report’. How am I coping? Not very well. But I am learning, and, I hope, being more tolerant (but not with management), possibly because the organisation made a huge loss last year.

‘Highs and Lows’ came from a blog suggesting re-hashing of previous blogs. It was apparent that many people did not take advantage of what I find so valuable, ‘Telling the Cards’. I looked back over the graph of the year, resembled mountains in Afghanistan, so I looked at where the Highs and Lows were, and why. ‘Is life one big puff?’ came from a Lex blog. He asked ‘Who am I when all I have is me?’ ‘Tourism snobs and Joe Public’ arose from mass tourism and bad behaviour spoiling so many beautiful places. (Rowan’s Dales). ‘Taxi!’ arose from no longer having a car. ‘Scary Places’ was a flash-back to experiences which one was lucky to escape from. ‘The Winner’ followed the Olympic Games, and how many athletes told of the experience causing mental health problems. Which is why we are all here. 

A Happy New Year  to you all. 

The Gardener signing off for 2024

A Moodscope member