The week that was

It’s been some time again since my last excursion into the great outdoors, (ok anyplace that involves leaving home,. That is unless you can count two trips to the doctors to have bloods done,. This is always a fun time,,On the first attempt, a poor young nurse smiled a warm greeting as I walked into the tiny, but cool neat office, . I sat down, we passed the usual pleasantries back and forth, like name, date of birth, the weather anything to put you at ease…..which arm I preferred to be stuck in?😁, I smiled back and then I had to go and spoil things with the words “erm we may have a slight issue here “, . I go on to ruin her day with explanations of how badly my veins like to hide (just because they can!!!!!😁,

I have to give her her due though she tried her best bless her, moving the needle about, but alas she would have had more luck mining for gold, 😁, . She shook her head sadly and said “I think this is a job for Debbie”, . Well I didn’t know who Debbie was?, but apparently she’s a whiz with veins, I was just hoping for another nurse and not someone they randomly dragged in off the street, ” here come have a go at this” , kind of thing😁, So before I get out of the reception, my phone pings, there’s a short text with an appointment for Wednesday next.. Only this one was later, an afternoon, brilliant ! .my thinking being,at least I can drink plenty of water, which I’ve been informed reliably before plumps up the veins,

I get up early, that gloriously sunny morning, very early though,ok 4:30am to be precise, And try as I may, do you think I can get any water drank?, Nope ….it took until just half an hour before leaving time, (my appointment was 2:40pm) so by two o’clock I’ve drank nearly 2litres of water, …it’s by now fairly warm outside, but I console myself with the fact it’s only a ten minute walk…….Ten minutes though with two litres of water sloshing about inside my stomach, like some over filled paddling pool, . This time on arrival I remember to type my date of birth into the computer thingy, so my presence is at least noted, ….the surgery wasn’t busy and there fore I hadn’t long to wait thank goodness, because all that water by now was indeed making itself known……a quite soft voice calls me through.

Nurse Debbie it turns out is 5ft of nothing…(shorter than myself if that’s at all possible) She’s not wearing a cape, or in fact her undies over her tights as I expected this diminutive blood taking wonder woman to be attired., I was somewhat mollified to see her infact in uniform, She again introduces herself, we talk about the weather, we love the weather 😁, state of the economy, meaning of life, as she is opening and shutting drawers, dragging out all manner of implementation for torture, blood letting, (I mean taking blood, …(I’m impressed, there’s needles of all sizes being brought out and lined up, if my veins were ever going to retreat forever now was the time for that, as my unconscious brain sends down panic smoke signals ….I look away trying to fool them, ewww look at that picture, it’s twenty four things you always wanted to know about Diabetes,(is there 24 I wondered, I just don’t want it, that’s all I know?, but I’ve no clue) the other sides pictures of lung disease or IBS, I’m not sure either is going to fool these veins into cooperation, so I look out the window, I’m asked do I have a favourite arm ? Suddenly bringing me back down to planet earth with a jolt…..being me I reply, no their both pretty nice as a rule, besides I don’t want to give them a complex😁…..The poor nurse Smiled slightly confused but polite……we decide the right arms the way to go, And with in minutes super nurse has located a nice plump vein to play with,no sooner than its started I’m done shuffled back out the door and walking home as fast as me and my cane can muster, by now I need the bathroom and fastttttt.

After that there really wasn’t any occasion for me to force myself outside again, Shopping arrived at my door via Morrison’s for groceries or Amazon for my myriad of other needs, ..I water the garden, pass the time of day with some poor unsuspecting neighbour or other, before they make good their escape, (I’ve seen them hide behind hedges, cars or lampposts, 😁, but I find there’s weeks at a time pass me by before, I realise I’ve not been out…..

Yesterday however was not to be one of these days, it was a saturday and I had woken up feeling somewhat withdrawn and bored, .. I tried keeping busy, watching ‘re runs on Prime, all ceased to amuse,or amaze, if anything only it increased my need for joining the outside world, …by 8:30pm I couldn’t stand it a moment longer, my nerves were taught to the point of near snapping, putting on socks and shoes(a rarity in itself) Grabbing up my phone, my trusty Cane, shoving keys hastily in my pocket, as I pass the table, I set out.

It was indeed a beautiful summers evening, the sun has by now begun to set behind the trees, it’s cool, one of those perfect soft calm nights where you find yourself matching its pace, I walked slowing down the alley way behind two blocks of houses, it’s tree lined with shrubs in its borders, the airs filled with the sweet warm aromas, of Roses, white waxy star like flowers of the climbing Jasmine, Honey suckles, the deep purple or white Buddelia bracks waving in the evening air,.distance voices and that even song of birds before they settle down to roost…..

As I walk further one thing troubled my ease now, it was the increasing number of trees shedding their leaves through lack of rainfall, it’s not like the Autumnal drop of when leaves have steadily altered there hue before tumbling in the misty chilled air…..no gorgeous colours, oranges,reds, corals and golds, these are all crisp and brown….I worry about the birds that shelter from the Sun’s hot rays under canopies, squirrels, insects….I feel an unease ..it’s not just the odd tree either, it’s happening to far to many, I feel at odds with my world, what is mother nature trying to tell us?, But I think we already by now.

By the time I reach the park bench I like to sit upon and rest a while, the Sun’s dropped way down, The sky is magnificent, streaked with every shade of orange, lilac,purple, that dramatic scarlet blazing a trail across one side to the other, I sit silently alone for now the parks empty, I enjoy the solitude, retrieving my phone from its home in the depths of my pocket, I capture picture upon picture, knowing already that the phone camera cannot, indeed will not capture the sheer beauty, intensity of colour , ……

I walk further on after a short while, the grass under my feet hasn’t been green for weeks now, it’s burnt dry,a burnished gold, it has infact turned to hay….my thoughts go out to the Rabbits,Hares, large grazing animals all who depend on this very same grass for sustenance, although I’m perturbed by the thoughts, I cannot help but enjoy walking there in this quiet wonder that is nature, I feel a small part of it, I move humbly, silently deliberately slowing up my footfall, trees have become silhouetted swaying black shapes, open to catch any evening air, windows from the surrounding houses reflect the sky’s brilliance,

I realise my walks nearing its completion, I’m in no hurry to find myself held captive back behind the four walls, I long prolong the evening(which of course is impossible), walk on longer and remain part of all my surroundings, it’s fluidity, beauty, as I sadly make my way back, I note how calm I feel, that anxiety, edgy sensation of earlier has long gone, depleted, I feel tired, but it’s a good tired, an at ease with not only my self tired, but with my world…..if you get chance go visit with nature a while, let her carry you along with her, open your mind and become one…….take care my friends 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛