The Black Cloud Again

This cloud came over this evening but it is not as black as the one last night.

I could imagine it being like an aeroplane or something similar.

Last night's cloud was really eerie. This one was a little bit tamer but still came over at some speed.

I wonder what other types of cloud I will see and shapes - who knows it may even inspire a story or two.

Best wishes to everyone.

Fee

A Black Cloud Overhead

Last night I was sitting in our living room and looking out of the window. All of a sudden a huge black sheet of cloud appeared and moved stealhily overhead.

It was really eerie and I felt that it was like an alien spaceship passing overhead. I wonder if this is where some sci-fi writers get there ideas from.

I called my husband to look at the cloud and he agreed it was spooky. It didn't rain while the cloud was passing over but the wind got up.

The black cloud merged into the darkness as quickly as it had first appeared.

I wonder if I will ever see the like again.

Best wishes

Fee

Body Language

Yesterday I spent the day at Telford Town Centre raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

I held a bucket on my lap and due to the rules for charities was not allowed to rattle or shake it.

I chose a spot between M&S and Primark as I did not want to block the entrances to the shops and cause a nuisance.

I was surprised at how many people actually stopped and put money in. Some people made me feel invisible and there seemed like a large area between myself and them.

Many young girls stopped and put money in the bucket.

One lady even apologised that she had no change and asked if a £5 note would do?!! I was really surprised at so many people wanting to support this charity.

It was a busy day in the centre with Breakthrough (a breast cancer charity) Cancer Research UK and various other charities collecting in the shopping centre.

When my husband told me breakthrough were collecting further up, I told him to put some money in for us.

As the bucket had been empty when we collected it I was surprised at the weight of it by midday. By 5pm it was nearly full and shoppers were dispersing so we decided to call it a day.

I enjoyed watching the body language, guessing who would give and who would ignore me. Sometimes I was right other times I was surprised.

A couple of times my husband and I not only were given donations but offers of coffees if we wanted them fetching. We accepted the donations but not the drinks. It was lovely to be asked and this got a conversation going along the lines of "we know how hard it is doing this sort of thing". "Aren't you bored yet?"

When we handed the bucket over I was surprised at how heavy it was. Every penny will be counted and every penny means so much to this charity.

Every minute I spent sat between the two shops meant so much knowing I was giving something back to a charity that has supported me and gave me a grant towards the deposit for our wedding. We returned the favour by donating our giftlist to Macmillan and a representative was invited to the wedding to help collect the donations of which we had many.

Macmillan not only provide nurses, they do the following:-

give benefit advice,
offer support and someone to talk to when having a bad day
solve problems many cancer patients face and if they can't solve them get the media involved to raise the issues.
They campaign via email and media to change things that have a huge financial impact on cancer patients e.g. prescription charges
currently they are campaigning on hospital car parking and help with fuel bills as some cancer patients require the heating on all year round and not just in the winter.
Macmillan have support centres throughout the UK where patients, relatives and carers can drop in for support and advice among other things.

I became involved with Macmillan at a conference for cancer patients, carers and professionals and since then I have become a patient cancer voice and my husband last year became a carer cancer voice.

This entails writing letters to MPs. Occasionally appearing on television if required and every cancer voice can say no if this is not an option for them.

I thought long and hard before becoming a cancer voice as I wasn't sure I was up to it. I then thought of those too weak to get the media involved in their lives but facing the same problems I have faced I knew it was the right thing for me to do.

Not everyday is a good day but with Macmillan Cancer Support's assistance I can cope and by being involved with the charity I know I am helping those that follow this horrid journey.

I still get days when I wish I had never been diagnosed with the "C" word I still can't bring myself to say it to myself or about myself. To me I have just had numerous operations for various things and unfortunately the "C" word came up as a diagnosis for a few of them.

If I hadn't had it would I be the person I am today? NO definitely not.

It has taught me not to be materialisitic. Value my friends and family and count my blessings everyday.

I am here for a reason and that is to help others.

Best wishes to everyone

Fee

Bureaucracy

There are so many people to inform when a move takes place. The various benefits departments which in total took four phone calls and being placed on hold listening to the various music to then being put in a queue on hold for a very very long time. It wouldn't be so bad if these numbers were 0800 but being 0845 still costs a bit.

Next was the dentist that was easy no change of practice so can stay on the books at the dentist we use.

Doctors is a bit unsure of catchment area so will telephone us back to see if we have to move practices.

Council Tax Department was informed as soon as we signed the tenancy agreement via the housing association so that saved a bit of time and a phone call.

I am determined to keep on top of informing people and aim to advise at least two a day.

Otherwise a whole day would be taken up with telephone calls.

Having gone to the old address yesterday evening to remove some smaller items from the house I returned to the new home to discover someone had tried to ring but the number was withheld. At present we have not got the answer service set up with our telephone provider (something they omitted to do) and we are waiting for this to happen within 48 hours. As the caller could not leave a message and we have no idea who telephoned as the number was withheld I have no idea which council department, housing association or other such body has tried to telephone us. I wish these departments would unblock the withheld number so that we know who has telephoned.

Friends of mine will not accept withheld numbers on their telephones and have informed the local authority departments of this. They still receive telephone calls from these departments and have access to their telephone numbers so why can the same not be done to help communicate with others.

I have managed to change my magazines subscriptions online via email so that no confusion arose over telephone calls with "S" and "F" getting muddled up and this also saved me time.

As for driving licences once production of ID issues have been sorted out with various departments requiring photographic identification then these will be sent off to the DVLA.

So on the whole I am up to date with the bureaucracy of moving.

Best wishes to everyone

Fee

The Impossible has been achieved

Well who would have thought despite recuperating from an operation I have also managed to move home.

Yes I have managed to help pack hump some furniture and even move the cat to a new home.

What? I hear you say Fee moving we had no idea she was planning this so soon. We found out last Friday we had been selected for a housing association bungalow. Only snag was tenancy had to be taken up and move started on Monday 12th July.

Yes I am now blogging from my new home with a working telephone and internet connection too.

As soon as a box came into the property it was promptly unpacked and sent back to the old property to be refilled and emptied yet again and again. I didn't want to be surrounded by boxes and mess.

Even the pictures are up on the walls as of Monday afternoon.

We are lucky as our neighbours are wonderful. I awoke on Tuesday afternoon to a card placed under the front door. This was from our immediate neighbours who I had only said hello and our names to while venturing out for yet another load of furniture.

Today another card was placed under the front door without any names on the front of the envelope.

This was from our other neighbours who we hadn't even met.

It is nice to have such wonderful community spirit.

At our previous address we have been told "You are not to leave the close without coming back for a proper goodbye".

We had wonderful community spirit with the close. If someone was digging up a tree we would lend our loppers and grit to help with whatever chores were needed to be done. If a barbecue was being held the neighbours would turn up with a little something to drink. If any problems we all knew we could rely on one lady in particular who acted like Neighbourhood Watch. Woe betide you if you upset this lady the whole close would turn on you.

Now with the final bits to clear and cleaning up of the old property the number of offers of help have been coming thick and fast.

Long live community spirit it means so much in this day and age.

Best wishes to everyone.

Fee