Extra Time

Before visiting Mum at Woodpeckers this morning, Jackie drove us to

Ober Water where I photographed the stream and its reflections as I clambered among

the roots and grasses.

The acute sunlight etched shadows across the land and the water.

Acorns, like Pooh sticks, floated gently down the stream.

At first we had the woodland to ourselves

and the ponies, ignoring their flies. The occasional equine snort was the only sound we heard

until the gentle voices of walkers and the occasional bark of a dog announced the gradually filtering humanity.

On our departure the moorland opposite was rich in green/gold bracken and purple heather.

We settled ourselves behind the screen in the dedicated visiting room at Woodpeckers awaiting the delivery of my wheelchair-bound mother when a loud blast rent the air and the door to the room slammed shut. This, it transpired, was a fire alarm test. Clearly the system was built for instant isolation of each room.

A few minutes later Mum, with a section of peeled skin on her arm, was wheeled in. She had been being pushed out of her room at the crucial moment and the closing door hit her arm. A nurse would soon arrive to dress the wound and order pain relief.

She did this efficiently. Mum was untroubled by the event and was on good enough form to point out that this warranted extra time for the visit. In fact we were given an additional twenty minutes which our mother considered a result.

This evening we dined on succulent sirloin steaks; fried onions; oven chips; fat grilled tomatoes; and baked beans with added tomato purée. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Bordeaux.

82 comments

  1. Sorry about your Mum, but thank goodness she took it with her usual humor.
    You are surely a magnet for the ponies (a plus for me!!) and still jealous of your outstanding menu items!
    (psst – Jackie, come move to Florida!!)

  2. Your visit to Ober Water looks very refreshing — and your mom looks great, though I would definitely agree that the accident definitely warranted extra time!

  3. I’m so sorry about your Mum’s arm, Derrick.That’s good the staff tended to the wound immediately.The skin gets so thin as we age, it doesn’t take much to cause a terrible bruise or bleeding. Beautiful reflection shots!

  4. Oh, your poor Mum! 🙁 That had to hurt so much! 🙁 I hope they won’t let that happen again to anyone!

    Love the reflections photos, the light and shadow photos, and the horses photos…splendid, Derrick!!! 🙂

    Love the two horses checking out the car! 😉 🙂

    OOH! I love grilled tomatoes, especially fat ones! We grill some fruit and veggies and enjoy them so much!!! 🙂
    ((HUGS))) 🙂

    1. Thank you so much, Carolyn. Mum wasn’t really in any pain – surprisingly enough. She was given more pain relief than usual. Staff simply need to be told to stay in the rooms when the test alarms go off – I am confident this will happen.

  5. Your poor Mum! She is such a stoic as it must have hurt a lot. I also think a review is due with regard to this incident. I hope her arm gets better soon.
    I love the reflections and shadows in your photos; is that Jackie drinking tea/coffee super-imposed on your Mum?

    1. I’ll be very surprised if they don’t have an in house review. Once you asked about the coffee drinking we both immediately saw what you meant. In fact the image is a reflection of me taking the picture. The coffee cup is my camera lens 🙂 Thanks very much, Clare.

  6. Restrictions are the same here for nursing homes. With Dad being close to the “hot spots” in Sydney, We’re limited to travel restrictions. Although we’ll be only driving through, those in higher power still consider it a risk.

    Your mum looks well and happy; just as Dad is. They are well looked after that’s for sure but I think in Dad’s case, he’s also spoiled rotten. 🙂

  7. Those reflections are hypnotic. I reckon the dynamic range in the photo where roots of the tree are captured is beyond the sensor of the camera. Your Mum looks as tranquil as ever, bruises or not!

  8. your Mom is in very good spirits despite the incident. i hope she heals soon. beautiful gallery as always and the ponies are always a delight!

  9. She’s a good old brick, your mum. I remember my mil’s skin got so thin she was always covered in scratches and bruises just from the slightest (self-inflicted) bump. Hope it heals quickly.

  10. Reflections are both beautiful and thought-provoking. I find them very peaceful to contemplate and so have enjoyed each of the ones you have shown us. Despite this mishap – someone has to be caught short in an emergency – it must have thrilled your Mom no end to see you both, even with a screen in place.

  11. Not a particularly impressive accident to happen to an old lady. They should have a warning first, a couple of minutes before the doors close. Perhaps something from the war would be effective, whatever they used to do to get people in their air-raid shelters.

  12. hope your Mother’s fragile skin heals fast – but I too would want to review the “alarm drill”. As for the woodland space and the ponies, that’s magic.

  13. It is sad to know about your mother trauma. For senior people to heal it takes much more time. Hopefully she will recover and you can see each other again. Lucky you and her to have each other for so long time. God bless you!

    I love peaceful set of pictures where the evidences of Autumn are obvious. It is coming!

  14. I’m sorry to hear you mother had a slight injury but I am pleased that precautions are being taken to protect her from the virus (and protect you of course).

  15. Your mum is such a good sport! I’m glad she wrangled a reward for her injuries! I saw glimpses of autumn in your garden on yesterday’s post. Today the fall season was in full swing in the Ober Water area, wasn’t it? I am ready for the rains that I hope will come with the changing season to put out all the fires that are ravaging the western USA.

  16. Nice water photos. Hope your Mum gets better soon. I dropped several things an my feet and legs this week (and have several dressings in place) so I sympathise. It’s lucky she’s tougher than me, I’m sitting round moaning about it…

  17. I’m sorry to see your mother’s injury but many a football team would be delighted to have her skill at negotiating injury time. Happy to see the heather in flower.

  18. Hope your Mother’s injury has healed. The moorland with heather and bracken seems straight out of a book, now you just need a Bronte type character walking through it.

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