h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Dear Strangely strange,

You asked for the name of the documentary about the English coast. It is called just that. I think it was on either BBC 1 or 2. My son and I watched it and we were both completely entranced, I must admit it is not only the presenters but the quite outstanding photography.

We have magnificent coast lines in South Africa as well. Ranging from the ones in Namibia right up the Mocambique coast. In between is the coastline of South Africa. That also is magnificent. I talk al little bit about it in my entry on the Birthing of whales
.
Unfortunately I am not very good at directing people to things but I think that if you look up on my entries and look thrugh my journal entries then you will find it.

It has turned out to be a fine weekend, and now I am going to go on getting no sleep because I am trying to wake up in the middle of the night in order to watch the Olympic Games.
Best wishes

Christiane
AlsoRan80

Thank you Alsoran , but it was someone else who asked the name of the series. It is a fantastic series though and very informative!

My apologies!!

AR80

Not all all!
Anyone is welcome to come to my personal space!

Hi Also ran,
just popping by to see how you are?

Hi Strangely strange,

I am fine, but do you know that I have absolutely no recollection at all about writing that on Coast! Which makes me think that perhaps I had a stroke before I had the one I remember having at the beginning of November, !! The one in November has left me with a short term memory loss. !!


This is quite extraordinary and really is a very pleasant thing to suffer from.!! I never get cross because I can never remember for more than a few minutes what I was cross about.!! It means that I am actually always happy. !! Great When I think that I could have been left unablwe to speak, or paralysed or something like that I think I really am blessed.
Thank you for asking. !1

Go well,

Christiane
Ar80

Well, what ever happened you still seem to have your sense of humour, lol!
I am glad you don't seem too bad at moment.

Saturday 16th May, 2009 7.00

Hi strangely strange,

Good sensible plain food. No smoking - haven't for years, sadly no drinking - or any other kind of wine.

And as I said s-t.m.l. seems to be a distinct advantage because I seem to "automatically" forget anything which is disagreeable - except politics!! - and am a really happy bunny all day. !!


And I still watch and enjoy COAST every time it is being screened although I do hotice that the presenters seem to have become
much younger-looking. !! I wonder why?

Are they re-runs I am watching?

Also Ran80 - 81 next Saturday

Hi Also ran,
I don't always watch Coast, however somtimes do and have noticed some are repeats, however there is so much to see that watching it twice is still ok as so much that might have been missed first viewing. As to presenters being young, I think as we mature everyone seems younger, lol!

Saturday 16th May, 2009

Dear Strangely strange,

I have been looking at my space and I see that you first wrote to me last year. It was so kind of you to bother.

I can assure you that it is very difficult to get volunteers to come and care for one. I am quite upset because the carer who took me for that wonderful walk to the garden yesterday has not appeared today!.I have just phoned him and he has disappeared into thin air. !! I had advanced him some cash so that he could go and follow a course next week. His son was supposed to come in and help me. so here I am, minus kind carer, minus contact and with no-one all weekend. !! and the new firm of official carers that are due to start on Monday phoned this morning to say that they are not going to be coming until Tuesday.

I really think that I must write about my experiences with the caring companies while I at least have some of my wits still about me. !! They receive so much from the NHS, but if one is either old or suffers from a mental illness one does not stand a chance.

I have no wish to go into an old age home - even if I will be 81 next Saturday, but there is very little that one can do when one does not have family round one and knows absolutely noone in the huge block of flats.

Well now. I must pull myself together - stop feeling sorry for myself and order some groceries on line. !!

I am sorry to have "let go" like that, but the volunteers- whom I pay handsomely i.e. £15.00 per hour - do not seem very reliable!1 Ah well. c'est la vie.

I totally agree with you about COAST being totally absorbing and one never seeing everything the first time. Also the comment about as one grows older others seem so young is very true.

We had a saying in Zimbabwe - Southern Rhodesia when I lived there.

As one gets older it is

1. the teachers who seem so much younger
2. then the police seem so much younger and finally when
3. It is when doctors who seem like youngsters that one realises that one has crossed the line into veritable decrepitude (if there is such a word.)

My weak and feeble joke is that I am long past my sell -by date. But fortunately, somehow still able to be interested in others and in life.


With many thanks to you for your kindness

Christiane
AR80

Also Ran, I am going to have to be honest here, I really don't think you shoud be giving advances to people you really don't know well.
Perhaps, also you should only use staff from Care Agencies (numbers in telephone Book) as they will have been veted and may also have had Police checks.
.
What I meant before is there are lots of people who like to volunteer, perhaps retired people, and visit people for a chap or do a bit of shopping for them.
Age Concern are a good organisation who might be able to help with a volunteer or give you advice about anything really. Age Concern also do a subsidised handy man service for small jobs. Age Concerns number is in the book.
.
You have every right to rant, rant away, and I feel Social Services should be doing more for you, have you contacted them, again Age Concern could help?
.
I just don't like to think of you there all alone this weekend and don't think it is right!
I don't know if it happens where you are but around here there is a volunteer van that takes groups of older people for shopping trips, to luncheon clubs, etc in their van adapted for wheelchairs, again Age Concern can help as that is what they are there for.
.
Also Ran, please ring Age Concern, they are very nice people!

Saturday 16th May 2009 19.10

Dear Strangely strange,

I think that you are totally right.

I shall read your reply to me again on Monday and will phone Age Concern immediately. I have been meaning to do it ever since I arrived, but procrastinator is my second name.
Or in other words.
Always put of till tomorrow what you should do today. !!

Thank you so much for being bothered to write. I am perfedtly safe in this flat. No one can get in. that was the problem in my other flat I had two very unwelcome visitors who just came in.

Here I am way up, and that is one of the reasons why my son no longer stays with me because he suffers from vertigo. Here there is a very safe intercom system with pictures of who is ringing the bell etc.

the only thing is it is difficult to get out, and I have no bread for the weekend.
Not serious as hopefully I shall make some scones or something.

Anyway bless you for thinking of me. I really do NOT want to go into an OLd Age GHome and know that I must get help[ if I want to stay here.

I hope I am still sensible about that.

Very sincerely,

Christiane
Also Ran 80

AR80, I am so glad you are going to ring Age Concern and I am sure they will be able to help you. If you do use a care agency and need the name of a reliable company then 'Social Care' is a good company who do checks on staff they employ, if they aren't in your area, I think then Age Concern will be able to help you.
I would like to be able to think of you getting out a bit more and being in the position of making choices about what you do in that lovely seaside town of yours.
.
I know it is difficult to sometimes contact people but I am in a position a little like yours at moment as have Mental Health problems and didn't know where to turn over claiming a disability allowance as had worked for so long so contacted an advice centre who advises people with mental health problems, like Age Concern does for older people. My advice centre was fantastic and even filled in the form with me as so complicated. They had some leaflets left there by care companies who hire out care staff.
.
I hope the weather isn't too bad where you are today, a mix of cloud and rain in morning here thay said on weatherforcast for today, but sunny later so I might go out later.

Sunday 17th May 2009 14.40

Dear Strangely Strangem

Thank you so much for you care and concerb.

I am assured by my carer that I am not "losing" it although I know for certain that my memory is not what it used to be. I look forward to contacting Age Concern tomorrow and seeing what they can offer.
I think that is the thing that has changed the most. I really do not have the motivation that I had before. I just sit around, and gaze at the sea and gaze at television, and whether my children contact me or not I certainly do not worry the way I used to before.!! that is why I said that I was in a state of perpetual happiness. !!

I had someone from one of the agencies some to see me and she has become a real friend - which apparently they are not supposed to do. I find that very strange. !! Anyway, she assures me that I have not "lost" it. She also filled out my form. which was wonderful.

I hope you have had a nice day out.

I am now going to watch the finals of the mens tennis in Rome I think it is, and also the opening of the new roof over Centre court at Wimbledon. !!

With affection

Christiane
AlsoRan80