Doing it myself

I've never liked things that go buzz in my hands. You may laugh, people usually do...but it's not funny when I need to make holes in wood or walls and my hands can no longer manage an old fashioned hand drill. A couple of years ago I gave thanks for finding the daintiest little electric one I could find... and even more so for a few times finding someone else to operate it for me. But a situation has now occurred where I reckon I'm going to have to do it myself and I give thanks for starting this process by finally managing to wrestle the power back off the base to charge. Never mind brute strength, the problem is that requires a slightly longer span than I possess between finger and thumb to operate the release buttons and is so frustratingly mancentric... But I did give thanks for it reminding me of the time I had a plasterer in, and he (and other males) thought I ought to be told it changed colour when it dried.

I give thanks for possibly the best Turkish Delight ever, thoughtfully provided by Bob in my treats parcel. What I love about it is that, though pleasantly sweet, it tastes of other things, not sugar, which is not my favourite flavour and the reason I don't often eat 'sweets'...

Today I gave in and had a flu jab, which I've resisted for many years against many dire warnings. I think I give thanks for this. I've had flu two or three times in my life and reckon I'm probably due for another dose sometime soon... Especially as I'm having to spend so much more time where ill people are. The thing that did it for me though was reading that at my stage of renal failure I'm 11 times more likely to die from influenza than a healthy person. When your kidneys fail you're basically dead anyway, dialysis being life support rather than cure, so I guess that statistic kind of brought my fragility home to me quite starkly... You can get a bit blasé if you live in the valley of the shadow of for too long.

I give thanks for resisting offers of further vaccinations against all manner of other ills known to man, woman and mucky duck while my arm was out and waiting, and enjoying the mild mayhem as an unaccompanied golden retriever joined the lines of people entering and emerging from the surgery and gambolled up the stairs. I give thanks for dodging the showers and taking time to appreciate the quiet sea beneath the glowering clouds before coming home again after. For having done the domestic chores before I left so there was a nice 'afternoon off' feeling as I caught up with TV, creative pursuits and cooking...