WHO DAT?

 

Talking to my friend and next-door neighbour a couple of days ago I told her I was having problems with my mobile phone.

She offered to get her 21 year old daughter to have a look at it for me.

Having done so she (the daughter) explained that I needed a new Sim and that she waould get it sorted for me.

Since it is only a very basic phone and I only use it for calling emergency taxis if needed I agreed to get it up-dated.  She kindly did this for me but it is now no longer a Vodaphone but has a much simpler and easier to renew Tesco Sim.

Having put a new number on it (irrelevant since I never leave it switched on) it is now ready for use.

At midnight that night I was startled out of a deep early sleep by a loud ring-tone and still half asleep staggered into the next room to find my phone illuminating the whole room and making enough  noise to wake the whole County.

I must have left it switched on so immediately turned it off and went back to bed.

The next  night (tonight), exactly the same thing happened again.  This time I put a light on to make sure I turned it off properly.

Unable to go back to sleep and now a bit nervous as to why or even how a phone which is turned off can turn itself back on, and also why midnight is its chosen time to do so, I wonder if anyhone can throw anhy light on my mystery?

If it happens toorrow night I might just decide to answer it.  Or maybe not, what do you think? 

Freedom is in view at last

 Yesterday I had my 2nd jab of the Pfizer vaccine and at last the gates into the world outside are opening. 

Getting into a taxi there and back felt very strange after all  this time but the sense of things beginning to be possible again is real and positive.

Since March 18th 2020 I haven't set foot in the town or on public transport so the anticipation of doing so in the next few days or weeks seems like a dream.

Early in the pandemic I couldn't wait for life to return to  normal but now it feels very adventurous even to consider a first tentative foot in that direction.

I hope this doesn't mean I've lost my nerve for all time and become a timid old lady, but the next couple of weeks will prove it, one way or the other.

It is lovely to feel a sense of hope and that there is something to look forward to again it's just a question of gathering up my nerve and making the first move. 

At present I feel very lucky not to have had a close encounter with the virus and to be among those who have been vaccinated against it. 

My thoughts and prayers are with all those around the world who have not been so fortunate.

How Bizarre

One of the more interesting affects of the year-long isolation since Covid struck has, for me, been the change in my deaming habits.

A life-long insomniac used to sleeping in short snatches, often filled with quite odd dreams, this last year has made an unexpected impact on my sleeping patterns.

On several occasions recently I have half-woken and found myself laughing hysterically at something I found so funny that I would get up and still only half awake write down what I had heard. 

In the morning fully awake there would be a scribbled half joke which didn't even raise a smile.

A few days ago I once again woke up but this time I remembered the entire joke/funny story complete with all the punctuation. 

I got up and wrote it out in full, exactly as it was heard, or dictated or read to me.

The next  morning I got up full of anticipation and this is what I read

Customs officer to old lady immigrant

"Are you carrying any firearms madam?"

Old lady "Yes of course I am"

Customs offical

What weapons are you carrying?"

Old lady "10 Kalashnikovs and a water pistol"

Customs offical

What is the water pistol for?"

Old lady "To drown anyone who tries to steal my Kalashnikovs"

As jokes go, I think it could be described as 'alternative', but I still find it funny and wonder just where it came from.

I await the next one with interest.

Farewell (we hope) to the orange one

 As we welcome a new regime across the pond many of us will be heartened by the early signs from the Whie House.

Today's images of a busy and determined Joe Biden swiftly undoing with a signature many of his predecessor's worst decisions, it is natural, though perhaps unwise to imagine that all is set to change. 

From what I have read over recent months of Biden's history there can be little doubt of his integrity, however, the opposition he will face will be formidable and it is unlikely that swords will be laid down without further bloodshed.

Trump's supporters are  not in general among the more rational of the USA's population, nor are they likely to respond to appeal to reasoned argument.

This, in addition to the terrible damage wreaked by Covid and the deeply divided opinions everywhere other than the North East means democracy is going to have a fight on its hands such as never seen before.

The rest of the world will no doubt be holding its breath as the next month or two unfolds.

Good luck Joe and may God go with you.