Snap!

Wednesday 21st October, 2020

I am getting to dislike my obsessions. At times I can control then but occasionally they seem to take me over. This morning at 9.35am I walked to our local small church, in the sun. It was lovely. I passed the usual houses, scowled at the usual apples lying unwanted, unused on the ground in various gardens. I hate the waste. Yes, some little creatures have a right to them and enjoy them. But many just rot...they may become fertilisers for the ground but I know many people who are hungry. I know many people who would love to have the apples. Once or twice I have knocked on a door to ask for them but usually get a rebuttal and sometimes nastily. So I wander by and call upon the gods and fate. 

I arrived at the church and was surprised that it was not open as yet. So I wandered on. There on a forecourt of a nearby house with the gates open were apples galore. Without registering I walked on to the forecourt picked up three apples and moved on munching one immediately. I then noticed a movement in the window of a block of flats overlooking the forecourt. A woman on a telephone looking out laughed, looked at me and did a thumbs up. I walked around the block returning to the church. On the way was a little boy on the pavement, his Mother opposite unloading her car. He looked at me intently as only a child can do. He looked at my apple munching. His Mother noticed. I asked her if I could offer him an apple, she smiled and said 'of course'. I turned to him and asked it he would like one. He nodded in that enthusiastic way only a child can. "You will have to catch it" I said as I lobbed it to him. He caught it, smiled hugely and took as big a bite as possible. 

I was sharing stolen goods and it felt marvellous.

Sadly the priest was ill so no service. However the church unlocker and I sat there for a half hour. It was lovely to share the quiet. As we left she asked if I would like some apples as her tree was so well laden. She handed me a dozen.

We came across, suitably distanced, another parishioner who is a Consultant at the local major hospital. Somehow we got to talking of the waiting lists for operations and the position of hospitals re Covid. He told us how furious he was with various authorities in the NHS locally  and nationally. They were, he felt, hysterical, inefficient, over cautious and ' at times downright lazy and incompetent'. He had to fight to get his operations allowed. He had an excellent team of theatre staff, nurses and ward systems. But the 'Management' were obstructive and ..... I was a little non plussed. You can imagine how I felt when later on I was on the telephone to a sick friend whose son is a high powered Consultant in an English hospital. In the course of conversation I asked after him. She told me he was having to fight to get his patients cared for. "The obstructions put in his way" she said were infuriating him. I nearly said 'Snap'. 

Back home I peeled and stewed the apples and froze them. I made two loaves of soda bread with some milk which had gone sour last Monday. 

Finally I phoned a friend in hospital. She is in her 90s and had fallen and broken her pelvis. She was in bubbly mood saying how wonderful the NHS staff were and her surgeon. 

I do not enjoy using the telephone but today I used it thrice. Each call was for a person without access to emails and who was 'in extremis' as they say. 

I had an afternoon walk. The swans had gone from the lake but the cygnets remained looking as if ready to fly. The beech trees were especially colourful but out gunned by the Virginia creepers. A carpet of large yellowed tulip tree leaves was a sight to behold. 

Golly what a world.  I need the time to sit and be still. I need to walk and absorb the beauty. I need to pray for all of us. I need to remain adjusted. All shall be well, all manner of thing shall be well.