That was the summer that was – Deux!

It’s part 2 of the That was the summer that was….

It’s been a week, and the summer is now a fading memory for most. Or is it? The sun is holding on just a bit longer and there are rumours of a hot day this week. Hurricane Helene might bring another hot wind!

Back at work, or back at school, life is returning to normal. I hope all of you have your new pencil cases and compasses ready?

I found this one on Pinterest.

Remember these drawing compasses, readers? They were a staple item of my school days back in the 1970s. Not only did going to big school as an eleven year old hold terrible fear because of the expected violent bullying from the 3rd year boys, we took these weapons into class providing the said bullies with the actual tools of their trade! Pure genius! And kids of today think their lives are stressful at school!

On a personal note, this hot summer has been pretty good for me. My muscles are in a different world, and I have managed to keep adapting well despite the inevitable progression of Motor Neurone Disease. Our dogs do, however, leave the occasional challenge for me, discarding their darn toys on the floor!

My walk through this mine field, with a stick or walker,  is quite precarious. It’s something, when fully able, I just took for granted, ie the ability to zig zag etc. I am getting even more precise in any moving. One of the toys got a nice neat tyre mark right across its face. Let that be an example. I can still be nasty!

Another thing that I am unable to do now, is move quick to see something of great and topical interest. A good example was when the red arrows recently flew low over our house on the way to Goodwood during the Festival of Speed.

Tim Field : CC BY 2.0

Jean shouted, excitedly, that they were only 100s of feet above our house. By the time I got to the back door, I think the pilots had landed, enjoyed a great lunch and lit up a pipe of Lord Bragg’s splendid Rough Cut Shag!

By now, the flies and wasps have receded into our memory, but weren’t they as annoying as an Ed Sheeran Live 4 CD Album! By the way there is no such thing as this album, but just in case he even contemplates it, I am thinking about starting a campaign to prevent such a travesty.

On the subject of campaigns, there are ain’t half some miserable human beings that inhabit this globe. A great example is a campaign to stop a cycle event that is happening very soon in Sussex.

This new cycle event is called Velo South.

Of course riders are doing it for charity, and although there are road closures, everything will be managed. But that doesn’t stop some people forming an alliance to stop the day! I am trying to understand their view, and perhaps it is the absence of never having been affected by something that requires charitable assistance.

Rather than publicise the protest, here is the event detail. Some riders are doing it in aid of the MNDA. Thank you heroes. I find it sad that some object, but fortunately they are in the minority. Click on the image below to learn about the event.

This is the sort of event, that many can participate in, obviously commercial, but with the huge side effect of raising a lot of money for good causes. It’s new this year, but I hope it is something that will grow and become a yearly event. This is how the London Marathon started. Hopefully the complainants will actually effectively advertise the event!! All publicity is good publicity folks as we know!

And no doubt Lord Bragg’s Bikes will get involved offering free saddle polishing (Bragg’s Bike Buff) and reasonably priced Sussex fresh air for their tyres!

Talking about fresh air, very soon readers we will all have to be wearing coats. Our coat rail has been desperately underused this summer.

As you can see, it is covered in cobwebs! Luckily for us I have a can of Lord Bragg’s Cobweb Remover Ultra Formula 5 available. This ingenious spray is an organic acid that gently dissipates and dissolves cobwebs. Lord Bragg has overcome all the issues of his first version of this product, the now notorious underwear reviver spray!

On a serious note, last week I was invited to attend the signing by West Sussex Country Council (WSCC) of the MND Charter. What is the charter?

At it’s heart, is an acknowledgment by local health services that people with MND need services rapidly when this disease strikes. This is a great step up by the Council, and now they are aware of the needs.

Thank you WSCC, and thank you Amanda Jupp. We all know there are challenges but your recognition and willingness to talk brings much reassurance to the MND community.

For those of you wondering what Lord Bragg was doing in that last hot summer back in 1976, here is a photo of him I found.

No, this is not a picture of him with a terribly fashionable beard back then. It’s just after a day at work at his Car Exhaust Cleaning business! In those days there was no worrying about pollution and it was thought nothing to simply blow exhausts clean!

What a guy!

Finally last Wednesday night I had a check up with my cardiac doctor. For those of you new readers, you may not be aware that I had to have a triple heart bypass at the end of last year. If you are interested in the sorry saga please enjoy my ramblings from last December.

Anyway, the whole event is history really and my heart will now probably

“See me out!”

That’s a great term, although rather depressing! My mum still uses it. She used to quote it with reference to things like a new washing machine or coat.

”That’ll see me out!”

I enjoyed meeting my doctor as we have detailed medical and scientific discussions. These doctors are quite smart you know!

Also I loved scaring the begeebers out of the next patient as I left the office, thanking the doctor for a great job, whilst at the same he proclaims I have been one of his most successful patients ever, as I hobbled out with my rollator bashing into the coffee machine!

“Next! Mr Jones! Come on now”

“Mr Jones? Mr Jones?“

Ok readers, I will return next week with a post intriguingly titled Get a Grip!