Point of contact

Yesterday wasn't my favourite day ever. The bit when I stayed in bed was OK but then I got up and found a message from a friend cancelling meeting up for a picnic today. Then I went down to see if there was any Mother's Day post and there wasn't... What there was, however, was water dripping down the stairwell again. It's been flowing from the overflow upstairs for a few days but I thought the mended flat roof was containing it. It's not.

I haven't tried to contact the freeholder as I just wasn't in the mood for the kind of things he'd say even if he did actually answer the phone. So I emailed the various authorities who have been assisting me (and who already know I'm due for surgery next week) with an update and a reminder that if they can force action I'd prefer the water not be redirected through my kitchen again...

And then I heard that dear Carole had died...and cried. You might say I didn't really know her as she was just a virtual friend but sometimes you feel you have a better connection with people you haven't met than those you have. It was the second death I'd heard of this week. The friend's mother I visited in hospital in the summer had died as well. This was some time ago but I hadn't been told which made me rather sad too though she was 90 and frail so it wasn't really unexpected.

These are times when it's hard to feel grateful. These are times when I wish for things I haven't got and even the things that please me have a 'but' clause like 'I give thanks for a beautiful sunny day but I wish I didn't have to spend it alone'. It's only 'natural' and 'human' to feel heavy hearted sometimes but I prefer to keep those sort of thoughts out of my head and certainly off here as far as possible so moan over.

I'm grateful I managed to mend my merchant's chest alone and unaided (apart from my Wonder Woman suit - the chest is another sort of heavy!)
I'm grateful to Nat who paid for it on his credit card as didn't have one at the time.
I'm grateful for a mindless TV fest last night and left over spinach and feta pie.
I'm grateful for a beautiful sunny morning.
I'm grateful that it's quiet.
I'm grateful for pain killers and pillows and mugs of tea and the printed portals to other worlds we call books.

Alan Bennett's lines about reading about things you thought maybe only you thought ended 'it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours'. I'm grateful for the contact.

Finally a query...has anyone heard of or used justvisiting.com? Seems like a good idea but a customer review would be appreciated!