Things that I care about.
Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2015 5:20 pm
I care about my wife of nearly 24 years. She is not my rock nor is she my soulmate. She is so much more.
I care about my sons. I am so proud of what they are achieving.
I care about my parents and in-laws. They have a collective age of 318 and remain independent despite health issues.
I care about my neighbour, Ernie. For 16 years he has waved to me every morning as I set off work, then waved me back in at home time followed by 10 minutes chat over the garden fence. Now aged 92 has been in a care home since March.
The dementia slowly progresses.
He knows me, but doesn't remember my name. He doesn't recall that we have ever been neighbours in our village.
The stories told to me, I now tell back to him. How he used to cycle along the Pinxton canal to work on the bacon counter at Burtons store. Built Sturmey Archer hubs at Raleigh in Nottingham. Drove a tank in the war and only survived because he had meningitis. He drove Midland General buses for the majority of his working life.
I visit him once a week after work. We talk about familiar things and sometimes play dominoes, he beats me most games.
He bangs his head with his fists when the memories don't surface,"it's bloody funny this, I can't remember" he says.
My eyes watered as I typed this just as they do as I leave after visiting. He's still my neighbour.
I care about the environment. I recycle, repair and re-use whenever possible. 5p for a carrier bag? Not a problem, we have used 'bags for life' for ages at home. The recycling bin always has more in it than the general waste bin. We took the Aldi challenge in January, after years of Morrisons and Sainsburys shopping. I didn't realise how cheap some of the products are, we are much better off as a result. There is very little food wasted at home, the wildlife gets the few scraps we leave.
In December 2014 I assisted at work with the delivery of food hampers that the company distributed annually.
My eyes were opened to food poverty so close to home.
At one house, a single mum with two small children answered the door, it was obvious they had very little. As the food was handed over, the smallest child said "I want to show you something" and went into the house. Expecting him to return with maybe a favourite toy to show us. He reappeared and handed over some of his sweets to us.
Another delivery later on, the lady was so moved she cried as she hugged me. My shoulder was wet with her tears.
I had heard a little about foodbanks and found out there was one in a nearby village. I added a few items to the weekly shop and since January I have dropped them in most weeks when passing by.
The people that distribute the food are very nice and they always offer me a cuppa. I notice people calling in to collect food, usually with a voucher from a support worker or charity.
They look just like you and I, but look closer and you see they are just a little worn down, a bit raggy at the edges, just getting by. The food they recieve will be the next thing they eat, maybe just in time. They are always grateful and sometimes a little overwhelmed when 3 or 4 bulging carrier bags are given to them.
Do someone a good turn sometime, not just at Christmas, but it's a good time to start.
John
I care about my sons. I am so proud of what they are achieving.
I care about my parents and in-laws. They have a collective age of 318 and remain independent despite health issues.
I care about my neighbour, Ernie. For 16 years he has waved to me every morning as I set off work, then waved me back in at home time followed by 10 minutes chat over the garden fence. Now aged 92 has been in a care home since March.
The dementia slowly progresses.
He knows me, but doesn't remember my name. He doesn't recall that we have ever been neighbours in our village.
The stories told to me, I now tell back to him. How he used to cycle along the Pinxton canal to work on the bacon counter at Burtons store. Built Sturmey Archer hubs at Raleigh in Nottingham. Drove a tank in the war and only survived because he had meningitis. He drove Midland General buses for the majority of his working life.
I visit him once a week after work. We talk about familiar things and sometimes play dominoes, he beats me most games.
He bangs his head with his fists when the memories don't surface,"it's bloody funny this, I can't remember" he says.
My eyes watered as I typed this just as they do as I leave after visiting. He's still my neighbour.
I care about the environment. I recycle, repair and re-use whenever possible. 5p for a carrier bag? Not a problem, we have used 'bags for life' for ages at home. The recycling bin always has more in it than the general waste bin. We took the Aldi challenge in January, after years of Morrisons and Sainsburys shopping. I didn't realise how cheap some of the products are, we are much better off as a result. There is very little food wasted at home, the wildlife gets the few scraps we leave.
In December 2014 I assisted at work with the delivery of food hampers that the company distributed annually.
My eyes were opened to food poverty so close to home.
At one house, a single mum with two small children answered the door, it was obvious they had very little. As the food was handed over, the smallest child said "I want to show you something" and went into the house. Expecting him to return with maybe a favourite toy to show us. He reappeared and handed over some of his sweets to us.
Another delivery later on, the lady was so moved she cried as she hugged me. My shoulder was wet with her tears.
I had heard a little about foodbanks and found out there was one in a nearby village. I added a few items to the weekly shop and since January I have dropped them in most weeks when passing by.
The people that distribute the food are very nice and they always offer me a cuppa. I notice people calling in to collect food, usually with a voucher from a support worker or charity.
They look just like you and I, but look closer and you see they are just a little worn down, a bit raggy at the edges, just getting by. The food they recieve will be the next thing they eat, maybe just in time. They are always grateful and sometimes a little overwhelmed when 3 or 4 bulging carrier bags are given to them.
Do someone a good turn sometime, not just at Christmas, but it's a good time to start.
John