The Visit

A lady who lives near elder son (who introduced us) had been promising to visit for quite some time, especially with free bus travel using her bus pass, phoned last week and arranged to come today.

Son says it is funny to watch us: she is older than me (in her eighties) and so I like to be solicitous of her, while I am disabled and she likes to be solicitous of me!

She arrived this morning and, after a quick drink, we headed off to see a near by historical site. Of course, because I live near it I have never visited it before. This has been true of me all my life – you visit places of interest only when you are showing it to a visitor.

We had an excellent conducted tour of about an hour, I learned so much that I forgot I had forgotten (if that makes sense) and also things that I had never learned.

(One observation: I found it quite difficult when she was trying to help, particularly on stairs where I use my stick for support, she would clutch the arm holding the stick, thus reducing the support it was giving me, instead of supporting on the “free” side.)

We then made our way for a lunch of delicious soup and a roll and then came home to Earl Gray tea and shortbread – very welcome.

After a short chat she left to catch the bus home – hope she does not fall asleep and go on past her stop; this has happened before!

In retrospect, I realise I have sounded somewhat ungracious. This was not intended, but was used only to point out that many able-bodied people offer help that is not wanted or that is inappropriate. She is a lovely lady and I so much enjoyed her visit.