Back in the Northwich library!

Well here I am back in the Northwich Library after a hectic day of travelling. On Tuesday I received a phone call to say my mum had come out of hospital then another one later to say she had gone back in - could I come - so booked and off I went!

Thursday at 2.30 - Emirates flight to Dubai - arrived there 9.30 SA time (12.30 Dubai time) sat next to a very nice young couple (musicians) who were relocating to the Uk to try things out there. I had an aisle seat and to the left of me were some black men - obvioulsy very into SADC stuff. Spoke extremely loudly all the time - most upset when the bar closed and insisted on telling me that they fly at least 10 times a year, had paid to be business class but stuck in economy and if they had been put into Business class they could have drunk all night long. Made suitable ums and ah sounds. As we landed - the one nearest to me vomited all over himself, the cushions, the floor - UGH!!! They did not protray the image of black businessmen very well.

Dubai airport interesteting - kind of olympic flame things along the side, large concrete date palms and gold light fittings but once you've walked the length of it there's not much to do - and the shops are expensive!!! And Eastern loos are the most unhygenic things I can imagine! Yuck - always walking in what one hopes is water on the floor...

Left Dubai at 2.45 in the morning arrived at gatwick at 7.20. met another nice person - an artist who was on the way to Dublin to see whether she coudl reloacte there - will keep in touch with her when we both get back.

Collected bag to discover that the weheels had vanished in transit - just as well it wasn't heavy! Tried to get a flight to Manchester but because I was at Gatwick and not Heathrow only BA flies from there and they were fully booked until 6 that evening - so popped over to the car hire place and shopped around and got a really nice automatic Astra so off I went. Took me 4 hours to get to Cheshire - kept wondering what the speed limit was as I zoomed along - didn't see any signs anywhere! Waved a mental hello to Morse as I passed the Oxford off-ramp. Discovered it was 70 and my average was 100 - whoops! All the trees are getting those lovely lime green light new leaves and there are daffodils everywhere! Passed a field of 6 piebald shire horses - wuld make a lovey dary team. Stopped twice on the way -coffee and sushi!

Went straight to the hospital to visit mum. She was suprised to see me but a bit confused - the main problem is that she had her leg adjusted at Manchester hospital last week and they made it so tight that it has caused great sores - so she doesn't want to put it on properly so then she falls. She is very thin and her leg is covered in sores and her arms are all blue. Kept asking me to look for her handbag which she insisted she had had with her. Backchatted the nurses who took her to task.

So left her at 3'ish and went home - pounced upon by Sheila and Dorothy who told me their woes of having to sit with her until 2 in the morning until the ambulance came, the state of the bathroom etc. Seems they expect me to pack up the house, get her into a home and sell the house all in one week. Yikes!

Finally got over to the house and had a glass of wine some cumberland pie and long bubble bath. Nearly gassed myself to death by trying to get the heater on in the lounge which did not ignite but kept gassing - so opened windows and lived with it until I sorted it out in the morning. Phoned several people and set up my social calendar for the weekend!

Sat - trying day at the banks. Barclays do not have the forms for international accounts and HSBC had the most chaotic queing system I've ever seen - talkin about SA being 3rd world - in terms of banking we are streets ahead! Need proff of residence - why or why did I thow the latest rates account into the bin! Can't image why all English people aren't rolly pollies - lovely smells waft out as you walk along - howvere am trying to be good, the "muffin tops" over the top of my jeans is trying to keep me on track!

Anyway, am off now to look at an old age home and then pick up david to take him to see my mum - hope its not too fraught an encounter! Bye for now.

Phoned around, will take David to see her this (Sat)