Lowered Pavement Edges

Friday, 3 April 2009

Lowered Pavement Edges

Today, once again, the sun has been shining. I had to wait in for a Tesco delivery, but as soon as the man had left and I had unpacked and put away everything, off I went on a big adventure.

I had to go to the bank to deposit the cheque from staples (for the rejected desk) and wanted to go on to the doctor's surgery to time how long it would take to make an appointment.

Well! It was a bit of an eye opener.

Getting down the hill to the traffic lights I had difficulty with no properly lowered pavement at the first junction and no lowered pavement at the second junction which was across a busy road.

So, I carried on on the pavement to the next turning on the right and managed there. This new road also took me to the traffic lights at the roundabout. Here crossing was very easy and getting to the bank was perfectly straightforward.

To get to the surgery I used the traffic lights just up the road from the bank and from then on it all looked promising.

Then another crossing: I bumped down off the pavement and managed up onto the pavement opposite, then on and round the corner where I had to cross the road again. Not too bad, but what did I then find.

Some idiot car parked right on the pavement.

The only way past was to diverge onto the grass. Never been on grass before but it was ok.

Then on to the surgery where I parked Scoot in a disabled bay.

Well, why not? I do have a blue badge. Must remember to carry it with me....

Actually I did not go into the surgery, but into the attached pharmacy with a bag of medicines for disposal.

Then the reverse journey home. One of the junctions where I had bumped down off the pavement had a kerb that was too high to climb, so I had to resort to switching Scoot off and manhandling the poor dear up onto the pavement. Someone gave me a very welcome hand, which made a big difference.

I found a place to cross the busy road, but the next two were tricky.

When I was back in the car park, I decided that, since I was out anyway I would go back to the High Street and popped in to Marks for a couple of things and into Optical Express to collect my new reading glasses.

They are a great improvement even though they are plastic frames (which the sales person seemed to think inferior!)

Then back home.

I am very tired, but it is not that often we get such weather at this time of year, so felt I should make the most of it.

Another Expedition

I had a Tesco delivery this morning, which contained a substitute for Dry Martini of Tesco's own brand. Of course, that went back as I consider it disgusting.

So off in the buggy as the sun was shining (cold, stiff breeze, mind you) so off to Somerfields for the real McCoy.

After that to Williamsons for some artificial flowers to put in my bedroom window.

I had spotted Optical Express on my way in so returned there and asked if I could have my eyes tested as I had just had a reminder from their branch in big city as it is a year since my last test.

Needed new reading glasses as mine were damaged in one of my falls, so asked for "cheap and cheerful".

First pair, £199.

No, absolutely not.

£79.

No.

£59.

Why not £49 as advertised?

Oh, she was trying to get more flattering ones.

These are reading glasses, for goodness sake. I live on my own and no one else sees them. Even if they did, I wouldn't care.

So, at last, £49.

Result!

After having to ask someone to move his van, parked on the pavement and to move a signboard also blocking the way, home safe and Scoot safely parked. Getting better at this.

Making A Spectacle Of Myself

On Tuesday I got a card in the post telling me my new spectacles were ready.

So Wednesday morning I headed to collect them. On my way from the car park through M&S, I just happened to pick up a couple of items of clothing – funny, that.

While looking at trousers (pants) off its hanger and tucked my thumbs inside the waistband and pulled to see how much stretch there was.

A lady of much my years and girth was passing and turned to me with a sympathetic grin.

Every picture tells a story

Then when I got to the spectacle shop to collect my pair of varifocals and reading glasses, which I got as a buy one get one free offer, I asked about having my driving glasses tinted (as I experience glare). “No problem”, even though it was perfectly obvious from the case that I had bought them from a rival firm. So I chose the level of tint I wanted (half way between two samples).

She said it would take about an hour.

So I went to big chemist, book shop (long browse but bought nothing), to Body Shop and on to M&S for a cup of tea and a cheese scone.

So an hour’s wait cost about £41!.

How can that be?

Back home felt as though I had been put through a wringer, what with a lot of walking and carrying heavy shopping.

A Result!

I think I may have mentioned that I damaged my spectacles in my last (sort of) fall. Additionally my varifocal ones kept slipping down my nose, which made them rather difficult to use properly.

I haven't been into the town centre for some time now as there is no near by parking while the town centre is upgraded, so I decided to hang with the expense, I would take a taxi and went to one of the spectacle chains which pop up like mushrooms all over the place. I thought I would probably need new frames, but they managed to straighten them out. They also tightened the leg of my varifocals.

Sorted.

And the charge?

Nothing.

The taxi cost £5 return which was well worth it (especially as I nipped into Marks and Spencer....)