A Long But Interesting Day...
Yesterday started early...The buses ran like clockwork,the weather was kind by being warm and sunny and stopped outside the venue of the meeting I was attending about local services that the National Health Service provides but in hindsight, there was little if any substance. I left kind of thinking what have I been listening to for approx 90 minutes? I say 90 minutes but until you saw the plan of the event it looked as though it was scheduled to last 210 minutes in total.
However 30 minutes at the start was refreshments, later another 20 were given over to refreshments again and yes another 45 minutes at the end but everyone had virtually disappeared before that last session was over. That left approx 120 minutes for business...but not really because we again lost time by the time speakers introduced themselves and we had a kind of role play exercise which nearly everyone acted like sheep except for three(of which I was one)I don't role play and I think it shows that I have a mind of my own. So that shaved another 30 minutes off the event.
Some of the speakers represented organisations that cover a lot of the North East/nationally and the county that I live. But in reality the meeting was aimed at an area further North to where I live so probably was not appropriate to me...I wasn't the first to decide that. It appears where I live is neglected on this score and falls between two stools and does not have an equivalent way of involving the public by informing them what is happening or receiving input from those using the service.
At the end of the meeting a local school appeared and did a performance banging on a variety of drums and in the enclosed hall it was b***** loud. They all wore earplugs to protect their hearing but as for us the audience we had no such protection. Well, not strictly true because I happened to have my own plugs with me(I tend to have them with me at all times as they are in a little container and it has a key for my home attached.
Earlier when they did the role play exercise it resulted in a cacophony of sound with the chatter of everyone talking at once, you could not pick up any individual words just noise. I even put my plugs in for that. If I'd had my camera with me I would have taken some images for my blog.
Best speech of the day was a lady who was profoundly deaf and explained what it is like, how it affects her and those around her.How much support she receives or doesn't as the case may be.
When I came out I had the option of a round about way of coming home or being so close to Durham it was easier to go into the city and then get a more direct bus home and as I wanted some fruit, there is a pretty good greengrocer next to the bus station...so I purchased a Honeydew Melon, Blueberries and Strawberries. I popped into the shop that sells items cheaper than other places on cakes and biscuits finding some luxury biscuits from America and I am thinking of taking a packet to the bingo club on Sunday and/or perhaps offer them as a donated small prize in a raffle. Or as some small Birthday gifts and to also say thank you.
When in my town, the shops are near the bus stop so I found some Blackberries, I picked up a new batch of meds at the chemist and I convinced myself I was going to cook a kind of stew in the slow cooker and I decided to cheat and buy some Yorkshire Puddings that you just warm up, I haven't had them in ages. In the end I did not eat that meal...perhaps tomorrow.
I purchased some small soft drinks to take to the concert on Friday.
When I got home I had tea and a nice ice cream lolly covered in white Belgium chocolate. And not so long ago I made some tomato and spring onion rolls...also had some Southern Chicken Straws.
I have managed to sleep quite well since getting back here because the early start and long day for me tired me out. I use more energy and stamina to do what is probably easy for others. Though I will admit once again that sleeping was not easy because my joints were aching and hurting. And if you think that you have found a comfortable position when you know that you have to move, you know its going to really hurt. It takes a lot not to shout out when that happens. You try to lay your legs flat and they hurt so then you try to bring them into a kind of kneeling position and then that hurts. As does moving them into a position in the first place. They can lock too.
Today the plan is to take it easy.
However 30 minutes at the start was refreshments, later another 20 were given over to refreshments again and yes another 45 minutes at the end but everyone had virtually disappeared before that last session was over. That left approx 120 minutes for business...but not really because we again lost time by the time speakers introduced themselves and we had a kind of role play exercise which nearly everyone acted like sheep except for three(of which I was one)I don't role play and I think it shows that I have a mind of my own. So that shaved another 30 minutes off the event.
Some of the speakers represented organisations that cover a lot of the North East/nationally and the county that I live. But in reality the meeting was aimed at an area further North to where I live so probably was not appropriate to me...I wasn't the first to decide that. It appears where I live is neglected on this score and falls between two stools and does not have an equivalent way of involving the public by informing them what is happening or receiving input from those using the service.
At the end of the meeting a local school appeared and did a performance banging on a variety of drums and in the enclosed hall it was b***** loud. They all wore earplugs to protect their hearing but as for us the audience we had no such protection. Well, not strictly true because I happened to have my own plugs with me(I tend to have them with me at all times as they are in a little container and it has a key for my home attached.
Earlier when they did the role play exercise it resulted in a cacophony of sound with the chatter of everyone talking at once, you could not pick up any individual words just noise. I even put my plugs in for that. If I'd had my camera with me I would have taken some images for my blog.
Best speech of the day was a lady who was profoundly deaf and explained what it is like, how it affects her and those around her.How much support she receives or doesn't as the case may be.
When I came out I had the option of a round about way of coming home or being so close to Durham it was easier to go into the city and then get a more direct bus home and as I wanted some fruit, there is a pretty good greengrocer next to the bus station...so I purchased a Honeydew Melon, Blueberries and Strawberries. I popped into the shop that sells items cheaper than other places on cakes and biscuits finding some luxury biscuits from America and I am thinking of taking a packet to the bingo club on Sunday and/or perhaps offer them as a donated small prize in a raffle. Or as some small Birthday gifts and to also say thank you.
When in my town, the shops are near the bus stop so I found some Blackberries, I picked up a new batch of meds at the chemist and I convinced myself I was going to cook a kind of stew in the slow cooker and I decided to cheat and buy some Yorkshire Puddings that you just warm up, I haven't had them in ages. In the end I did not eat that meal...perhaps tomorrow.
I purchased some small soft drinks to take to the concert on Friday.
When I got home I had tea and a nice ice cream lolly covered in white Belgium chocolate. And not so long ago I made some tomato and spring onion rolls...also had some Southern Chicken Straws.
I have managed to sleep quite well since getting back here because the early start and long day for me tired me out. I use more energy and stamina to do what is probably easy for others. Though I will admit once again that sleeping was not easy because my joints were aching and hurting. And if you think that you have found a comfortable position when you know that you have to move, you know its going to really hurt. It takes a lot not to shout out when that happens. You try to lay your legs flat and they hurt so then you try to bring them into a kind of kneeling position and then that hurts. As does moving them into a position in the first place. They can lock too.
Today the plan is to take it easy.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 2:36 am
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