My central heating is on the blink and the heating engineer is so busy it could be a while before it's mended. The newish mobile gas fire I keep as backup for power cuts failed today and I took it back to the supplier. My broadband still varies between non-existent and slower than dial-up.
I went into town this morning (to return the gas fire) and decided to treat myself to coffee and crossword in the Woodlands (to discover that their broadband which was to have been repaired in February will now have to await BT's incompetent pleasure in March). An acquaintance came in for coffee having just had two altercations with the ground which she had hit after falling off the bow of the 17' yacht she had been getting out of the water with the help of a friend. Whilst talking I managed to spill a large coffee all over my cellphone, crossword book and everything else that a large cup of coffee can cover. After they had left I discovered that the helping friend (whom I had treated as a stranger) was a former colleague in another department from my time as a bureaucrat (which, in my defence, was 20 years ago).
As mornings go it was not one of my best. Being thankful wasn't really at the forefront of my thought processes.
Then driving home I suddenly changed my mind. My central heating may not work but I can still heat my house one way or another quite adequately and the gas fire supplier lent me one whilst mine is being repaired. If BT don't raise their game I shall get satellite broadband. My cellphone survived the soaking. The staff who had been brilliant whilst I dried my phone as first priority brought me another cup of coffee. I had lots of things for which to be thankful and, in any case it was all small stuff and I learned many years ago not to sweat the small stuff (for very long anyway).
Most thankfully of all, though, is that I am here to have these problems. Think on that.
It's all a matter of priorities. I like the last one, "At least we're still here."
ReplyDeleteRed I think sorting priorities is my hardest problem. I often have priority list A for the day but what gets done bears little relation to it.
DeleteWhew. What a morning. What an exciting life you lead. That's another think to be pleased about. :-)
ReplyDeleteWell I certainly am fortunate Kate in living a busy life. I'm not sure it could accurately be described as exciting these days. Mind you I did build a big composter on Saturday!
DeleteComposting! Yay! The most exciting thing! The Circle Of Life! What it's All About!
DeleteYou are right, Graham - there is still plenty to be thankful for, last but not least the fact that you are there to have these problems.
ReplyDeleteYour mentioning of not to sweat the small stuff reminds me of the great book I've read (and, of course, reviewed on my blog) nearly a year ago, "An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth" by Chris Hadfield. One chapter is titled "Sweating the Small Stuff", and he explains why he actually DOES sweat the small stuff and how that helps him in nearly every situation not to have to sweat the big stuff, so to speak. Really good book, one I definitely will read again some time.
Meike I really must get around to reading that book (in fact I must get around to reading a book, any book!). I can see where he's coming from. A sort of look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves approach.
DeleteAt least you got the cup refilled and the phone works.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Adrian: the Glad Game writ large.
DeleteEvery dark cloud has a silver lining, and as you have realised no matter what you're going through, there is always so much to be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteHope you get your heater back working even better than before.
This sentence made me smile...."An acquaintance came in for coffee having just had two altercations with the ground which she had hit after falling off the bow of the 17' yacht she had been getting out of the water with the help of a friend"....even though I shouldn't smile at someone's misadventure I couldn't help doing so when I read the words "having just had two altercations with the ground!!".
Virginia I thought that my usually dull prose could do with a bit of levity in describing just the opposite. What is the opposite of levity? Fallingity?
DeleteIt sounds as if The Isle of Lewis is going back in time. Soon you'll be riding into town on the Sabbath aboard your trap pulled by faithful donkey Cameron - to attend fire and brimstone Presbyterian services. Mobile phones, the internet, blogging and ferries to the mainland will become distant memories.
ReplyDeleteYP I lived on this Island I came to this Island the year the Roll-on Roll-off ferries started and, of course, well before mobile phones, the internet and blogging. The world came to a stop on the Sabbath (it wasn't even called Sunday - too modern). As for riding into town aboard a trap pulled by a donkey that would have involved labour and would have been strictly forbidden.
DeleteIt sounds as if The Isle of Lewis is going back in time. Soon you'll be riding into town on the Sabbath aboard your trap pulled by faithful donkey Cameron - to attend fire and brimstone Presbyterian services. Mobile phones, the internet, blogging and ferries to the mainland will become distant memories.
ReplyDeleteYP I lived on this Island I came to this Island the year the Roll-on Roll-off ferries started and, of course, well before mobile phones, the internet and blogging. The world came to a stop on the Sabbath (it wasn't even called Sunday - too modern). As for riding into town aboard a trap pulled by a donkey that would have involved labour and would have been strictly forbidden. I've just had a distinct feeling of déjà vu.
DeleteGraham, I think we all have a kind of worry pyramid. The thing at the top might be quite trivial, but it's a worry, until, say, a serous health problem or sick friend takes its place, and it then topples down the side. It's the same with friends (or so I tell my lovely daughter, who is frequently hurt by hers). A friend may slide down the side of the pyramid to a lower position, but there's always another to tak her - or his - place.
ReplyDeleteFrances I'm not a worrier by nature and tend to the view that most household problems are solvable one way or another. The immediate effects of most of them are simply irritations to be lived with and overcome. When they are happening though I'm not always quite as sanguine and rational.
DeleteWell it was good to see you after my rapid unplanned descending. I shall try that trick myself to get a replacement coffee. :-)
ReplyDeleteI can't help laughing with / at you both, Andrea, and GB. It's not as though I can't picture some similar misfortune being mine (for one: the day I went into the car wash with the driver window open, and sat there too astonished at getting wet to think to close the window). I recall having been thankful more than once that I was not seen in my misfortune, an advantage neither of you evidently enjoyed. But adding to the humour of your descriptions is the fact that I was sure I could identify the descending goddess - Imagine my delight to discover I was right. Take care, McGregor
DeleteI hope that when we next meet for coffee (or whatever) Andrea you will have had a less eventful journey. McGregor I went through a car wash recently and asked my passenger to pull in the wing mirror. The electric window then had a fit and, for a moment, refused to go up. Fortunately it behaved itself just in time and my passenger only got a few splashes.
DeleteThere are days when little annoying s*^t just happens. On those days, one has to kinda' go with the flow and find the bright spots. For me, like you, I look around and am thankful to be here on my mountaintop and in relatively good health and good spirits. That's a happy day no matter the outside troubles.
ReplyDeletePeace there are indeed. Like the fact that my broadband is so slow this morning I've been doing these comments for 40 minutes so far. As you say, however, I'm able to type so wotthehellarchiewotthehell.
DeleteNot a good day but glad you can see the bright side - as always. See you tomorrow x
ReplyDeleteThere's no point in being miserable Carol. It was good to see you...as it always is.
DeleteI am thankful too that you are here (or there) to think on it... :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Monica.
DeleteMaybe you wouldn't have met up with that old friend had you not spilled your coffee. And you even got another cup of coffee! Lucky man. Stay warm!
ReplyDeleteKay life is full of wotifs and maybees. I think I like those. I wonder if I could find a cartoonist to draw me some wotifs. Kate could draw some maybees - she's good at bees. At the moment I'm warm. Thank you.
DeleteA great post. And you're right about not sweating the small stuff. But as someone once opined, "It's the elephants in life that get us down, it's the gnats!" I'm glad things don't look as gloomy as they did at the beginning. Hang tough, and take care. xoxox DeeDee
ReplyDeleteThat is so true DeeDee. And I had realised that the 'not' had been omitted. Up here the tiniest things - the midges - give the greatest annoyance. The elephants are less of a nuisance. I'm trying to think what our equivalent would be.
DeleteSorry. Left out the "not."
ReplyDeleteThat should have said, "It's not the elephants in life that get us down, it's the gnats."