Busman's Holiday

After an early trip to return an in-patient friend to a local hospital (after a week-end of freedom)I set off on a one and a half day's 'break' to visit my mother aged 82. The primary goal was to take her to the dentist and have impressions made for a new set of dentures. This accomplished, we returned to her flat via Tesco, (shopping and coffee) for my next challenge of the day. This was to dust the living room.
Using the vacuum cleaner to take off the worst, I set to. Vacuum, wipe, polish and wash the ornaments. Go through manifold heaps of envelopes and papers.Accumulate six bags of paper to recycle! Decide to redisplay newer photographs and put old ones in an album. This was a work in process over several hours in the afternoon and evening. Washed my very grubby hands several times - didn't like to hazard a guess as to how long since the last 'dust' was attempted.
Make a very important decision. Do not accumulate circular letters, catalogues or the like, saying you will deal with it later! You won't and then your relatives have to be ruthless for you. So now I must throw away lots more of my own paper at home.
Down with circulars!
I'm sure I always tick the box to say I don't want any news of further offers etc. I also keep sending unopened catalogues back with a 'Return to Sender' direction. A major irritation of buying by post is getting one's name and address on some list somewheres.
Slept like a log at my Mother's on Monday night and then, after more dusting on Tuesday morning we managed to drive her back to Camberwell in time to have her hair done. Relinquished my charge into the capable hands of youngest sister who was now responsible for getting Mother home later.
And then I went to work... meeting up with a social worker, a nonagenarian wife with an 89 year old,ill husband and tried to ensure that they get the best possible help at home before his hospital discharge.
The lovely thing was that a nurse on this hospital ward recognised me as 'going to that church at the Elephant & Castle' not because she'd been there, but because she had seen me taking care of various elderly friends and was impressed not only with that but the fact that the 89 year old gentleman who she had been working with that day, always gives thanks to God for his meals. What a lovely testimony - still evergreen at 89 - in failing health and the indignities of old age yet bright for Jesus still. There are some wonderful trophies of grace amongst the elderly.

Today's Grandparent and CTF

The Government has arranged CTF (Child Trust Funds) for the encouragement of saving for one's offspring. God willing, they may reach the ripe old age of 18 and hopefully enter tertiary education methinks. Fine. Let's add some first birthday money to the grandson's account. Should be easy. First: obtain details of account. Done. Second: log on to the familyfinanceonline and read all about it. OK. Third: make a one off payment. Tricksy. Not easy to see how. Can't find instructions online. Will it be safe? Perhaps I should send a cheque to Family Investments Brighton... or to daughter .. (but then she has to do it) .. I know!..I will walk to the bank and pay a cheque into the account. That's very old fashioned, I know, but seems safe. So, got organised one morning before work. However, the cashier told me I couldn't do it because although I had all the details of accounts, sort code etc and although the instructions said anyone can make payments by direct credit at their bank, she said that I needed a special paying in slip! I was defeated! That is, until today, when I was asked, all innocent-like, how much had we put in?... so's a Thank you could be given! Confessed how early attempts had been thwarted and attacked task with renewed vigour.
Retired from my on-line banking site confused as to which account number to enter.. was it the grandchild's or the Family Investments Account Number? Finally returned to the familyfinanceonline and with some daughter telephone prompting FOUND the right window with instructions. I nearly cheered when the baby's name appeared on screen!
Being a grandparent isn't easy in this modern technical banking age. In the old days relatives used to put money in a Post Office account via the parents........