My sister did the driving today – we go every day to Mum’s nursing home which is about 30 minutes away.  I am not feeling all that brilliant after my covid booster so it was nice to have a rest today.

We drive through Berkshire on our scenic route which is looking particularly beautiful this Autumn.

The trees make us think of a beautiful natural cathedral.  It is breathtaking.

Things are not good. We just wait. It’s all we can do now, counting our blessings that Mum is relaxed, peaceful and pain free in a wonderful caring environment.

It has taken me three attempts to get my third and last covid booster injection.

A few days ago, based on the government website, I pitched up at a walk-in centre in Bracknell, only to be told it was not walk-in and I had to get an appointment. So I stood in a long queue and was eventually told my appointment was November 30th!  I said no thanks.  It was too far away.

The second attempt was today. First I phoned 911 and was told there was a walk-in place 20 minutes away from the nursing home, so my sister and I drove over only to be told it was appointments-only and no, they wouldn’t have any spare despite some folk not turning up. FFS!  They sent us on.

And off we drove north, ever north, to Stoke Mandeville (now an hour from home) and huzzah, I got my third booster injection.

What a performance.  The misinformation is massive and it made a tricky day even trickier but I have ticked my covid booster off my to-do list.  Phew.

Anywho, here are some calming black and white photos from my walk today.

Darling Ted was very pleased to see us when we came home rather later than usual.

He had been a very good boy ❤️

It’s been a rough day for my sister and I so I will leave this here.  Keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We need them.  This is very tough.

According to folklore an abundancy of holly berries was a sign that a hard winter was to come.

I am now getting a bit nervous.

There is a holly tree on the golf course that, as a family, we always used to visit.  At Christmas, we would cut off small branches of leaves with the berries, lug them home and decorate the house (a sprig over each picture, mostly). It was very pretty.  Anything left over would be used in elaborate and large table decorations created by mother.  One such decoration was placed on top of the family television whereupon it duly keeled over pouring water straight down the back of the TV set!  I remember we had to dry the tv out with hair-dryers so it would work on Christmas Day.  I don’t remember any explosions.

I must ask my sister if she remembers this too.

One of my jobs, while I am living at Mum’s house, is to empty the chest freezer in the garage.

Possibly around 10 years old (even more – I just don’t know), there are lots of unknown little containers of food that need to be thrown out.  Mum saved everything. I am not allowed to say hoarder but being brought up after the war, she wasted nothing.

So every day, I take six items, defrost them, and then put them out for the fox family, who are not looking bad on it.  In fact, I would go as far as saying one of them is very FAT!