Well I have had a great time since my last blog and have so much to write down I'm not sure where to start.
Monday afternoon I decided to go to Tesco with Andrew to pick up some bits and pieces such as plasters, toothbrushes etc, etc. While we were there we spotted a twelve piece crockery set for £5 and deciding we were unlikely to find anything cheaper bought it, so that was one thing off the list. We also bought two huge bars of chocolate and some other yummies and then returned home to watch TV together and chat about arrangements for the coming weekend. It was a lovely 'Mother and Son' moment and likely to be one of the last as once he's left home things will never be quite the same again.
Yesterday Peter and I took a great big breath and set out for Milton Keynes convinced we'd be there all day and come home several hundreds of pounds poorer. First stop was the market and to our utter delight we managed to get a set of three saucepans, a frying pan, a colander and a set of kitchen knives for just under £30. We then got two sets of plastic hangers for £2 and a foot pump for his bike for £12.
Flush with success we then went around HMV, because a couple of new CD's are essential apparently and then had an unsuccessful foray in Waterstones looking for text books. To be honest we knew it was a long shot but sometimes you can find some surprising things in Waterstones if you look for them.
We broke for lunch and decided for speed to have a burger. I wasn't sure how I'd cope as I am still a bit 'touchy' with food but the fresh air must have made me hungry because I gobbled down a Whopper and fries in no time and even started pinching Peter's chips.
Next on the agenda was Costco to pick up some staples for Andrew to take with him. We bought some pasta, tinned tomatoes, tuna fish, olive oil which we will split as he doesn't need two bottles, porridge (the instant sachet things you do in the microwave), baked beans, again splitting, soup, apple juice and a tub of rice with mixed veg. At least I know he will have a decent breakfast and will be able to rustle up a quick tomato pasta or tuna and rice in the evening. We will nip him across to the nearest supermarket when we get to the uni to get things like milk, bread and fruit. We are told he will have a locking cupboard in the kitchen for food so hopefully storage won't be too bad. For midday meals he's decided to go to the refectory as it has a reputation for good food at cheap prices and from his schedule he won't have time to go back to his digs and cook himself.
It was while at Costco that I spotted the thing that is going to change my life and give me back some of my independence.
As regular readers will know I've longed for a mobility scooter for some time now. At the moment I can only get to our local shops by car, and parking can be a nightmare. If Peter needs the car for some reason I am totally stuck. I can just about make it to the post box at the end of the road but that really is my limit. However I also wanted a scooter that I could take with me to use when out shopping, or even getting from car to office on a bad day. Everything I've looked at, even the so called travel scooters, are big, heavy and have enormous batteries. Once in the boot, and I have a big boot, there would be very little room for anything else, that's if I could actually lift the thing.. Well now I have found my ideal scooter.
Whilst Peter was looking at something only a man can be interested in I saw someone cross one of the aisles on a machine that I can only describe as love at first sight. Unfortunately by the time Peter had finished the scooter had gone until we found it again by the baked beans. The man using it, and his wife, were more than helpful and even let me sit on the thing. I knew I'd found the one the minute I hit the seat, it was perfect. The man told me how he had been in a similar situation to me and that he missed being able to stroll around his village and chat to people along the way, which is exactly what I miss too. He had also seen the scooter being used by someone else and had done exactly the same thing I'd just done. He'd had his for two months and could not praise it enough, he said it had changed his life.
When I got home I looked up the website, link is below, and within an hour I'd bought one. So what is it like, well obviously the link gives the full specification but basically it is a three wheeled scooter that, once the battery has been removed, folds just like a baby buggy. When broken up it fits into a carry bag that will take up just a quarter of the boot space and is light enough for me to be able to lift it in and out myself. It even had a space under the seat where I can put my camera bag so I'll be able to go out and take pictures again. It sounds perfect and because of my height and weight they are sending me the junior version which is even lighter. Of course after one brief sit on I can't say how well it drives or whether there are any drawbacks but as soon as I've tested it out I'll let you know.
http://www.travelscoot.eu
And finally in the news the killing of two young female police officers in Manchester is a shocking event that all police personnel must feel deeply. The incident started with a call to say a burglary was taking place. The address was unknown to the police so two unarmed female officers were sent to check it out. They had barely got out of their car when they were met by a hail of bullets. As if that were not enough their attacker then threw a grenade at them which cause even more devastating injuries.
The attacker has been arrested and named as a man who was out on bail for the alleged murder of two other people a few months ago. I cannot believe that someone who is suspected of murdering two people and therefore must be assumed to be a danger to the public was on bail.
To add to the distress of the family, friends and colleagues of these two poor officers there have been several facebook pages set up praising the killer, one even calls for him to be given the OBE. How sickening.
There are times when I despair about the attitudes of some of my fellow countrymen and this it has to be said, is one of them. I hope the killer is never released and the scum, because that is what they are, praising him are also tracked down and put away for a long time.
Even better I wish our government would stop trying to dismantle and weaken our police force and instead give us more officers with greater powers. They should also step in and sort out the judges who all to often undermine the police by given too soft sentences, as for the judge that granted this killer bail, well he should share the same cell.
Monday afternoon I decided to go to Tesco with Andrew to pick up some bits and pieces such as plasters, toothbrushes etc, etc. While we were there we spotted a twelve piece crockery set for £5 and deciding we were unlikely to find anything cheaper bought it, so that was one thing off the list. We also bought two huge bars of chocolate and some other yummies and then returned home to watch TV together and chat about arrangements for the coming weekend. It was a lovely 'Mother and Son' moment and likely to be one of the last as once he's left home things will never be quite the same again.
Yesterday Peter and I took a great big breath and set out for Milton Keynes convinced we'd be there all day and come home several hundreds of pounds poorer. First stop was the market and to our utter delight we managed to get a set of three saucepans, a frying pan, a colander and a set of kitchen knives for just under £30. We then got two sets of plastic hangers for £2 and a foot pump for his bike for £12.
Flush with success we then went around HMV, because a couple of new CD's are essential apparently and then had an unsuccessful foray in Waterstones looking for text books. To be honest we knew it was a long shot but sometimes you can find some surprising things in Waterstones if you look for them.
We broke for lunch and decided for speed to have a burger. I wasn't sure how I'd cope as I am still a bit 'touchy' with food but the fresh air must have made me hungry because I gobbled down a Whopper and fries in no time and even started pinching Peter's chips.
Next on the agenda was Costco to pick up some staples for Andrew to take with him. We bought some pasta, tinned tomatoes, tuna fish, olive oil which we will split as he doesn't need two bottles, porridge (the instant sachet things you do in the microwave), baked beans, again splitting, soup, apple juice and a tub of rice with mixed veg. At least I know he will have a decent breakfast and will be able to rustle up a quick tomato pasta or tuna and rice in the evening. We will nip him across to the nearest supermarket when we get to the uni to get things like milk, bread and fruit. We are told he will have a locking cupboard in the kitchen for food so hopefully storage won't be too bad. For midday meals he's decided to go to the refectory as it has a reputation for good food at cheap prices and from his schedule he won't have time to go back to his digs and cook himself.
It was while at Costco that I spotted the thing that is going to change my life and give me back some of my independence.
As regular readers will know I've longed for a mobility scooter for some time now. At the moment I can only get to our local shops by car, and parking can be a nightmare. If Peter needs the car for some reason I am totally stuck. I can just about make it to the post box at the end of the road but that really is my limit. However I also wanted a scooter that I could take with me to use when out shopping, or even getting from car to office on a bad day. Everything I've looked at, even the so called travel scooters, are big, heavy and have enormous batteries. Once in the boot, and I have a big boot, there would be very little room for anything else, that's if I could actually lift the thing.. Well now I have found my ideal scooter.
Whilst Peter was looking at something only a man can be interested in I saw someone cross one of the aisles on a machine that I can only describe as love at first sight. Unfortunately by the time Peter had finished the scooter had gone until we found it again by the baked beans. The man using it, and his wife, were more than helpful and even let me sit on the thing. I knew I'd found the one the minute I hit the seat, it was perfect. The man told me how he had been in a similar situation to me and that he missed being able to stroll around his village and chat to people along the way, which is exactly what I miss too. He had also seen the scooter being used by someone else and had done exactly the same thing I'd just done. He'd had his for two months and could not praise it enough, he said it had changed his life.
When I got home I looked up the website, link is below, and within an hour I'd bought one. So what is it like, well obviously the link gives the full specification but basically it is a three wheeled scooter that, once the battery has been removed, folds just like a baby buggy. When broken up it fits into a carry bag that will take up just a quarter of the boot space and is light enough for me to be able to lift it in and out myself. It even had a space under the seat where I can put my camera bag so I'll be able to go out and take pictures again. It sounds perfect and because of my height and weight they are sending me the junior version which is even lighter. Of course after one brief sit on I can't say how well it drives or whether there are any drawbacks but as soon as I've tested it out I'll let you know.
http://www.travelscoot.eu
And finally in the news the killing of two young female police officers in Manchester is a shocking event that all police personnel must feel deeply. The incident started with a call to say a burglary was taking place. The address was unknown to the police so two unarmed female officers were sent to check it out. They had barely got out of their car when they were met by a hail of bullets. As if that were not enough their attacker then threw a grenade at them which cause even more devastating injuries.
The attacker has been arrested and named as a man who was out on bail for the alleged murder of two other people a few months ago. I cannot believe that someone who is suspected of murdering two people and therefore must be assumed to be a danger to the public was on bail.
To add to the distress of the family, friends and colleagues of these two poor officers there have been several facebook pages set up praising the killer, one even calls for him to be given the OBE. How sickening.
There are times when I despair about the attitudes of some of my fellow countrymen and this it has to be said, is one of them. I hope the killer is never released and the scum, because that is what they are, praising him are also tracked down and put away for a long time.
Even better I wish our government would stop trying to dismantle and weaken our police force and instead give us more officers with greater powers. They should also step in and sort out the judges who all to often undermine the police by given too soft sentences, as for the judge that granted this killer bail, well he should share the same cell.
Hazel I know Hatfield quite well and you will find a massive Asda within walking distance of the uni, they sell just about everything, so Andrew will not go short! The scooter sounds fab, I'm intersted to know how you get on with it.
ReplyDeleteFantastic, thank you so much for the tip, I will pass it on. And I will let you know how i get on with the scooter.
ReplyDelete