As you can see, s/he has Dealer / Pimp windows. It's a 7 seater. Below is the crane thingy that gets Big Daniel in and out.
I am almost finished on three pairs of socks now. I am especially pleased with the 1 x 1 rib I decided to use on the gusset. It really looks and feels good. Hopefully I shall be able to get a decent enough photograph to show you.
Nechung is weird because of her senility. I brought her home from her blood test yesterday and let her out of the car. Instead of going str8 to the front door, she toddled off down the road. I called to her and she seemed to be startled by that and moved faster away from me. She tried to go into a different house and then she really seemed to freak and went off again. I can’t run and I was getting really worried that she would end up in the road. A teen boy was approaching and I asked him to head her off, explaining she would not hurt him. Nechung walked str8 into him and then ran off and into the field behind us. She was then trying to get into our garden from there. She has never been in that field. How did she know it was our garden behind the 7ft fence? Anyway, I realised what she was going to do when she couldn’t find a way in and I headed her off. Suddenly, she stopped dead still and stayed there until I got to her and out her lead on. She having a ‘vacant’ episode which enabled me to catch her. Taught me that even though it is but 12 feet from car to front door, I ought never let ANY of the dogs do it without a lead.
I am feeling a little low. Not miserable, just lowish. The trip to Edinburgh has shown that my disease has progressed again. It doesn’t seem to progress gradually but in steps. By that I mean I am not steadily declining but in plateaus and dips. I also found that when I am feeling very cold, from the inside, feel trembly and am confused, it is my disease and exhaustion. We took all day, 8 hours, to drive up, with regular stops. I didn’t feel tired at any point but did feel unwell when we got to the hotel. Now the trip home was the same length and we took regular breaks. I was cold, trembly and unsteady on my feet when we got home. That is how I knew it was exhaustion.
Now I have always been able to drive long distances and with no ill effects.No it seems not. I rested the following day, prepared for the dog show on the day after and went to the dog show the after. I was still very tired at the show and in much pain so clearly two days home before the show was not enough. I am used to the day after the show being a day I can’t function and need to sleep and do nothing. This time, I needed two days to recover.
All this makes us realise that our trips have to be organized differently. We had been thinking of cruising but looking is not it, it really is not for us. Quite apart from the fact John hates the sea and doesn’t relish the idea of being at sea at all. Now because he is he and he loves me, he didn’t tell me this until I told him I didn’t think a cruise was going to work.
We still want to visit Barcelona. It is a long drive. We will either have to take 3 days driving there OR decide to spend an extra day there so that the first day I can just sleep and hang about the hotel. I am sure it will all work out somehow.
We drive because there is Big Daniel to take, a suitcase, and other bags, ,camera equipment, drugs etc and whatever we might buy. Imagine trying to do all that on a train or plane. No, driving is much more convenient.
I have discovered something very useful. Ms Jeeves has cruise control. Also my new Garmin Zuma 660 sounds an alarm when a speed camera is coming up and also when I go over the speed limit even if no cameras. On my way TO places, I am usually anxious to get there and I tend to drive too fast. Also, on the way to dog shows, I can get engrossed in talking with Angie, (the lady I share the dog show trips with). Well, I now set the cruise control to whatever the limit is.
I have found that by doing this my drive is much less stressful, saves pain in my accelerator leg too. I also get to the show in just the SAME amount of time! I also of course save fuel.
Do keep your eye on Knitman’s Kitchen for coned yarns if you want any. I am planning on putting a load up this week. Don’t forget that I do combine postage so if you bought 2 for example, I would refund the postage difference. I can also sell my cones in large amounts because I know how to use a courier and it is cheaper that way. i.e I will have trouble sending a large box of yarn. I have not looked into this for sending outside UK.
I feel so much better about the wheelchair situation.
Much to my surprise, John said not to sell Big Daniel yet. He must have known what was going to transpire.
Even if Big Daniel had fitted into the new Ms Jeeves, I would NOT have been able to handle him on my own, not even with the ramps. That had not occurred to me. As it is, I was in serious trouble when I tried the first time and he didn’t fit, he toppled back and I could only keep my body still and yell for help. If he had fallen I hat to think what 80kg falling on my legs would have done. So taking Big Daniel anywhere on my own is a no no. He does fit in the car when the batteries are removed and he is then folded.
Little Daniel is very comfortable to sit in. The seat is very like a padded high backed office chair.Most importantly, he fits whole in Ms Jeeves. I find it easy to get him up and down the ramps. I have taken him to the supermarket and to the Spiritualist meeting in Littleport and I had no problems.
Ms Jeeves is a wonderful car. Easy to drive. Very comfortable. Economical to run. The bells and whistles are extraordinary. It controls my mobile phone through Bluetooth technology. My iPod plugs in via USB and audio cable. It has DAB Radio. The lights come on automatically according to how dark it is. The mirror automatically adjusts so no glare from lights behind at night. The Cruise Control is definitely a leg and fuel saver for me. It has an alarm. The steering wheel and the seats are fully adjustable in an out and up and down, like Octavia’s were.She looks very smart too.
I am very sore today. I feel really bruised to the touch. I assume because I have done a fair bit this last couple of days. Moving is like trying to walk in treacle and I am fatigued. However, crucially, I am well in my mind and feel content again.
I was somewhat taken aback by just how out of equilibrium I was when it looked as though I was going to be without the freedom I thought Ms Jeeves was going to bring me. I am lucky that it has all worked out and I have the new freedom I was after. It has shown me how important my attitude of gratitude is and how living each day the best I can and only dealing with today is. There will likely come a time when I can’t walk at all or generally find it very much harder to do what now can do. It is not definite and I continue to endeavour do what I can to keep mobile.
