Friday 11th October 2013

One thing I have not mentioned this week has been the death of one of my Mum’s neighbours, David. David was diagnosed with MS in about 1999, just when I was going back to hers more often (due to another marriage break-up). I remember looking out at him after hearing the news, the and his wife had been given a mobility cart, but at this early stage he looked absolutely fine. Of course, as the years came by, the disease took ever increasing amounts of his life. He coped and remained cheerful enough. More cheerful that I would be knowing they it was only going to get worse as his limbs failed to obey what he wanted.

Many times he got an infection, and the doctor said to prepare for the worse. And every time he bounced back. This year he moved into a nursing home, and so moved into the final days. He passed away last Friday and is now pain free at last. Seeing someone you know and like as a fiend slowly fall to pieces is much harder than to lose someone without warning. Despite smiling and making the most of things, you know he must be distraught with what was happening.

There really is not much more to say, really.

This week, as I said, has seen the arrival of autumn with wind, rain and all the other stuff we love the season for. Daytime temperatures have dropped ten degrees, and now a coat is needed if you go outside, and the thermostat is checked to see if it really is that cold.

It is.

But we are treated to glorious sunrises and sunsets, misty scenery as I drive to work of a morning, Thursday morning I woke up to find that the badgers had really outdone themselves during the night. Last week they had found the chicken carcass in it, and so each night they would try to get inside it, they always managed it, just to see if there was any more chicken about. So I placed bungee cords around the bin and so for a week they had not got in. However, Wednesday night they dragged the bin onto the lawn, got the bungee cords off and threw the bin and rubbish all over the lawn.

Sigh.

Also they have been digging for worms, and so the back lawn is beginning to resemble the Somme. No really, but you know. Last night as I watched The Sky at Night, 5 badgers and a fox came to eat in the front garden, clearing anything up the birds failed to eat during the day. Depite what they do in the back garden, it is wonderful to be so close to them as they eat in the front garden, and as well as them the fox seemed to be braver this evening too, staying for a good two minutes to clear all the old cat food up from a bowl.



And so, to the weekend. Steak and chips tonight, and then watch England play in a world cup qualifier later.

Woop!