Clarification: my scooter parking 'ticket'

You can't park here!

I have had a few messages commiserating me for the parking ticket for my scooter that I mentioned in a recent blogpost.

It was a joke that misfired...

I was not out on my scooter but in Sunrise and the parking  warden was carer Lyn dressed up for a fun day.

Beside her is John, the catering head, as Pavarotti.

I thought I had included the photograph explaining the true story. Sorry!

Politics and personalities

Luck, or fortune, is important in life. Being in the right place at the right time or making the right decision can have a massive influence. Some people just seem more fortunate than others.

Prime Minister Johnson is one of them. He can scarcely believe that after so much turmoil and criticism, initially over his handling of the pandemic and lately, personal problems, that it now seems plain sailing. 

The elections could not have been better timed for him. His saviour - vaccination and the near prospect of a normal life after all these months of tribulation

Other prime ministers whose fortunes changed dramatically include Mrs Thatcher, thanks to the Falklands war, and Winston Churchill who earned historic fame in World War Two.

It was the war against the pandemic that changed the tide for Mr Johnson.

But the election with its long drawn out poll counting is cause for concern, not just for him but for the UK.

The public’s muddled thinking and irrational polling pattern suggests that there is real danger ahead for the country, with Mr Johnson leader of England with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland pondering on their future.

Despite the importance of efficient governance and a long promised but never achieved equality - ‘levelling up’ - under half the electorate bothered to turn out. 

When you look back at the ages-old struggle to achieve votes for all - now including sixteen and seventeen year olds - it is a sad reflection on democracy in the UK.

Another unusual feature of the election was the impact of personalities.

Millions of voters are happy with Mr Johnson’s  bonhomie, his jack-the-lad profile. He is a larger than life character, like the blow up version exhibited after his election victory - I wonder who paid for that.

There is the forceful, strident femininity of Mrs Sturgeon and the quiet confidence of Mark Drakeford. I found his comment about the warmth of feeling he experienced when out and about before the poll quite moving.

It is not all about politics all the time.

Travelling again - at Sunrise

Just as I as beginning to think my travelling days were over, Sunrise is again widening my horizons.We old folk are  enjoying new experiences with the Sunrise Around the World programme..

Every week we are enjoying a different country, their people, climate, history - all from our armchairs. Best of all, we can sample their distinctive food and drink.

So far we have tasted the culinary delights of France, Italy and Greece, with the chefs excelling themselves with national dishes accompanied by drinks I last tasted years ago.

The Sunrise team ingeniously transform themselves with home made national costumes - yesterday they were Greek goddesses.

We are learning a lot, too. I have done quite a bit of globe trotting but realise how much I have missed, thanks to the quizzes, films and other special activities 

I can’t wait to be whisked around the world, learning more about other countries, climes and cultures. And it is cheaper than cruising.

An outing down memory lane

An interesting morning trip yesterday, to the Llanedeyrn Health Centre. It took me back over 30 years to the time when Owy (Rosemary) was a part-time receptionist there. I also saw the Powerhouse community hub that Carmen and Rosie helped to found - a spectacular multi coloured building.

The health centre, part of the University Hospital of Wales, is not the bustling place it used to be. Busy, no doubt, but strictly controlled with patients allowed in one by one. No crowded waiting room and everyone wearing masks. 

My visit had been arranged by the doctor at Sunrise last week. who had noticed a mark on my leg. She took some pictures and said it would be looked into. After a pleasant taxi ride, accompanied by carer Helena, I went for the check up. It did not take long. Nothing to worry about. I was back home in no time.

More good news: my recent blood tests are the best for a year, I have just been told.  I think that is worth a celebration, perhaps, one of these days, a pint at the Discovery, if they serve outdoors.

Voting day

With Rosemary at the Senedd, May 2006

Election Day. And probably one of the most important ones for years. So much uncertainty about the future, and so many important decisions to make to put us on the road to recovery from the pandemic.

Almost certainly how the governments and their leaders have dealt with the crisis will be a deciding faction. Voters will weigh up the decisions, ponder on the errors.

Another uncertainty is how many will bother to go to the poll.

It is easy to criticise and harangue governments for their performance in a unique situation but could we have done better?

I doubt it, yet past experience suggests too many will not bother to turn out today. Britain’s performance at the polls, national and local over many years has been miserable, a disgrace.

I am not convinced that it will be better this time, when there is a much wider range, including the devolved governments, mayors and police commissioners.

In Wales we have sixteen and seventeen year olds getting the vote.

I was involved in and enjoyed elections for many years. I found them exciting and important but was always disappointed to be in the minority.

In local elections turn out could sink to 30 percent or even less with 50 percent, almost laudable, for a national poll.

The Senedd has never attracted more than 50 percent.. Maybe this time will be different. I hope so.

Bank holiday - brighter times ahead

Bank holiday and, on cue, comes the wind and the rain:  barbeques unlit, a pint in a pub garden only for the hardy.

But there is much warmer feeling, generated by the consistently more cheerful news on the apparent muzzling of Covid.

Hospital admissions have dwindled to the lowest for many months, the death toll is down, some days to just double figures. There is relief and anticipation.

We may be just over a month away from the kickstart of near normal life.

But it does not pay to be carried away. Looking back to last August the omens were just as encouraging but it all felt apart.

We have learned a lot since then and seen the huge difference made by the vaccines with the government’s deserved success in the massive, well organised programme.

Even the care homes are able to indulge in moderate celebration. England today welcomed the belated decision that residents can venture out into a new world.

Yesterday I had a second visit in a month from Robert who spent a day, driving 290 miles, to spend an hour solving my problems.

We are on the last lap of editing my year-long diary into a book describing the heroics of carers. 

I have been struggling to find a title but at last think I have found a suitable one - A World Apart ... A Covid Care Home Diary.

The valiant carers - Sunrise of Cardiff

We elderly and vulnerable in care homes have been set apart from ours families, friends and all that was natural and comforting. We have relied on our carers  to see us through a dark, sad chapter in our lives.

My book is a tribute to them..Now is a time for tears - and cheers. 

Carers - everywhere - have transformed an everyday job into a service; a calm commitment to us that we will never forget.

The tears are of sadness yet relief, the cheers for those who have been with us all the way in what was our world apart.