Snow

Day 17 of 100 days of writing

I had thought last night that I'd probably end up writing something about numbers today. The number 17 has always been if not my favourite number one I've got a thing about. As a teenager playing bingo or other number games at school I'd almost always pick 17. And I longed to be 17 because in my mind that was a great age. That was the age when it would all come together for me.

Anyway... I didn't end up writing about numbers. Mostly because The White Stuff is falling and I wrote about that.

Snow

Crisp
White
Cold
Beautiful

Snow is falling
All around
The world
disappears
Just whiteness
Remains

Fun
Freezing
Simple
Wet

Snowmen
spring up
Sledges
appear
Fights are
A good thing
Just once a year.

Freeing
Wonderful
Magical
Happiness

For some
Accidents happen
For others
Independence
Disappears

Desolate
Limiting
Dangerous
Disabling

Wheels and
Snow are
Not a good
Mix
Leaving the house
Is too
Much to
Risk


♥ Emma

I'm A Cripple, Get Me Out Of Here

Today is the 9th day running I've been stuck in the house and all being well.... I'm GOING OUT TOMORROW!!

So long as the weather doesn't take a turn for the worse my friend is going to pick me up tomorrow night as we're going to see The Hairy Bikers.  She reckons if I take my manual and she picks me up between us we'll be fine.  I hope she's right!

9 days since I've

• worn shoes
• sat in my powerchair
• left the house
• done any of my own errands or shopping
• seen random people on the street
• seen anyone unexpectedly
• spent any cash.

I've coped a lot better than I expected I would with being stuck in.  Although I did resort to ordering Domino's for lunch today because I wanted a bit of comfort food and also because if I ordered a pizza I could also get them to bring some of my favourite sweet brown fizzy stuff.  Being stuck in lasted a hell of a lot longer than I thought it would too.

I am looking forward to getting out again but something tells me it's gonna be a bit strange.

But for the past six weeks or so I've needed to sew buttons back on my coat but haven't gotten round to it.  You would have thought given how long I've been home I would have found the time but no....

Snowbound 2010 Day Five

(Geordie accent, male voice) 

"It's Day Five of Snowbound, 2010. Emma, usually out and about all the time has had a good day but is slowly starting to go insane"

I have had a pretty good day today I cleaned out the fridge (yuck) and gathered up all the rubbish and recycling in the house which my sister than chucked out for me (snow is so bad I couldn't get to my food waste or non-recycling bin even though they live by the front door although I might have got to the recycling bin which is literally right next to the door).  She also put a fresh sheet on my bed.  I did some washing too and tidied the bathroom a little.

Soph stayed round for about an hour and a half or so chatting. She had a go on my Wii too (Molly wanted to know what games I have - Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort with Just Dance on order from Amazon too).  It was good fun and we were discussing whether Sophie should get one as well.  It was almost as much fun watching Soph do canoeing and sword fighting and table tennis as it is doing it myself.

 My parents went to Tesco and got me some stuff but didn't call to see what I wanted as it was "so early" which amuses me because my sister rang me at 10.15 and I thought she said they had just left.  They didn't have their mobile on but they thought of the most important things.  My Dad brought it round this evening and also took my washing back with him as my dryer is not working at all right and although I can use it my mum was worrying there would be a fire.

Not long after Sophie left a really good friend called me to say she was at Sainsburys and would be coming round after what did I need?  To which I went "I haven't got any money in the house" and she said we'd sort it later.  She got me a few more bits too including a big thing of bacon and some very yummy looking crusty bread - mmmm gonna have me a lovely lunch tomorrow!  She just stayed for five minutes or so but it was very nice to see her and chat a bit.  Hugs too are always appreciated.

I really appreciate how much people are doing for me although the independent streak in me does make it hard.  I think the thing that probably meant the most was a CAB e-mail that went round about during the snow and when I e-mailed to say "sure you've figured this out but I can't do anything, can't get out." I got an e-mail back to ask if I was ok for supplies as she (manager) was sure something could be figured out if I needed anything.  I was really touched and a little bit choked up reading that.

The snow does seem to be melting a lot today so that's promising but I think the forecast is still terrible.  It did try to snow a little more today but I don't think it settled.  Hard to tell, if I'm honest.

Snowbound

The snow means I haven't left the house since I walked home as it was falling Tuesday night.  And there is no chance in hell that I'm getting out of the house tomorrow either.  Realistically at the moment I can't see Sunday being a day out either but who knows for definite.

I was supposed to go see the nurse on Thursday; that got rescheduled to Tuesday but the pessimist in me now sees it getting rescheduled AGAIN.

The "I've been stuck in the house for three days with no end in sight blues" AKA Cabin Fever has just struck within the last hour or so.  I've actually done much better than I did last February when I was stuck in the house for four days straight (I think) and was a sobbing tearful mess by the end of day two - Thank you PROZAC!!  Of course it helps that I twigged on this was likely to happen so was able to get a good stock up of food and what have you.  Supplies were just beginning to run low tonight but would have been OK for a few days for me but my Mum called and said she was heading to the supermarket so she got me some bits as well.

I think actually other people having had to do things like get my prescription and do my shopping is the bit I find hardest.  I'm too independent for my own good sometimes.

Good news is that a courier made it to my front door this afternoon and I'm now the proud owner of a Nintendo Wii.  And even though I've not left the house in days I still managed to spend an absolute fortune this morning on theatre tickets... most of which will be paid for by others but it's still all on my switch card for now.

Oh The Weather Outside is Frightful

I suspect that the weather will mean I can't go to the bureau tomorrow or indeed out of the house at all.  Blah.  In fact, I would say the odds are currently not down to zero because it ain't over till the fat lady sings and I'm not singing... yet but that they are pretty damn close to zero.

In fact having just gone and openned the front door and peaked outside between writing that paragraph and this one I'm thinking that a miracle would be needed to get me out of the house tomorrow morning because I sure as hell would struggle to go out now.

I popped into Sainsburys yesterday afternoon to get some stuff in case I was snowed in (usually I would go today) but managed to do that very clever thing where you get home and realise you're nearly out of something vital, in this case sandwich fillings and margarine.  So when I went out to meet my friend this afternoon I popped back in to get those things and some freezer stuff.  And remembering the five days running when I couldn't leave the house last February due to the snow I got some treats too.  It was snowing a little and just beginning to settle as I walked home.

I have a lot more perspective on that possibility now.  Partially from having had the experience previously so knowing what to expect.  But also because when I spoke to my mum earlier she told me the weather has meant that my Great Aunt hasn't left the house since Christmas Day and is going stir crazy.  She's in her 80s and lives a while away and quite out in the sticks.  Her more local family (she doesn't have children) are further away than my family are from me too I think although I know she sees them regularly and they'll be helping her out.  She probably won't get out of the house for a few more days either.

That's practically two weeks she's been stuck inside... puts my probably only a few days or so stuck in the house (I hope!) into perspective.

In many ways when I talk to The Great Aunt (as she sometimes signs cards; she isn't my only Great Aunt) I can see a lot of similarities between her and me in terms of likes and dislikes and both of us being very independently minded.  But something tells me she probably copes with being stuck in due to snow much better than I will ever do!