09/09/2024 - 'Out until midnight' by David

This week was all about Teddy!

Our latest addition to the Baker household is our gorgeous Savannah Tabby cat and he has settled in extremely well. He watched the Paralympics from his dark hidey hole under my record decks in the conservatory for the first three days, only emerging for food once the daylight had run out. By Wednesday though, Alice had enticed him out with catnip and treats and he rubbed himself up against her and was happy to wash himself in front of us, and by Friday they were cuddling on the sofa. A quick internet search informed me that Savannahs are known for their loyalty so he will be a companion to me over the coming months (and hopefully years) while I'm in the house alone and a good friend to Alice once I'm a tree. They also have tall, thin bodies, a small head, and big ears (a bit like Alice). He's a very handsome fellow and we've fallen in love with him. Apparently, they can be trained to walk on a leash and also to fetch. "Mines a coffee with two Bourbons Teddy".

We received a lovely package in the post  of premium vegan cheeses from La Fauxmargerie, which our friends Caroline and Neil had sent us. I was attempting to carry a plate of tomatoes, crackers, and spring onions in one hand and the cheeseboard in the other, but unfortunately my silly hands failed me. I just couldn't hold them and they crashed to the ground. Alice came to my rescue, and we managed to enjoy a lovely faux fromage feast, but it did upset me, and I was quiet for the rest of the evening. Apart from doing the bins, the only other task that I can just about still do is to prepare the evening meal, but cutting, stirring, and holding saucepans is becoming harder to do each week. I will soon be totally useless around the house, and Alice will have to take on these jobs, poor thing. 

In preparation for a weekend on the island meeting up with friends and to celebrate my mum's 85th birthday, I walked to the bus stop with my rollator on the way to catch the boat over. It's a five minute walk and I have been able to just about manage it with a little wobble or weakness for the last month or two, but this week I really struggled and very nearly fell. I sat on the bus, feeling very disappointed and I texted Alice to say that I'm not sure that I can do it any more. The next step will be Alice having to drive me down to the boat, another task for Alice. 

My first meet up on the island was with my ex-football manager and purveyor of good music Paul Sleep. I first met 'Sleepy' when he was putting a team together and he wanted my brother and I to play for him. It was the mid 80's and he enticed us both to sign by lending us some great records from his vast collection. It did the trick and we both went on to play for years in various teams for Paul, and he became a good friend. Rich and I popped around for a catch up and we went through and played some of his singles and albums. While drinking coffee, chomping on biscuits and reminiscing about nightclubs, gigs, and festivals, we listened to The Blue Nile, The Daintees, Microdisney, Aztec Camera, The Housemartins, The Go-betweens, The The, Prefab Sprout and The Kane Gang amongst other gems. 

Saturday was my mum's 85th birthday and she wanted to go to the donkey sanctuary to visit Eddie, who she has adopted.

My sister's family joined us for a lovely afternoon tea and mum even got a birthday card from the donkeys! 

In the evening, I met up with my old school mates to watch the football, share a beer and a meal, and laugh about all the things we got up to in our youth. We are all nearing 60 now, and it's always a hoot, and so special to still be able to meet up with them. A couple of us have had medical scares over the years, and after my diagnosis, we have made sure that we regularly get together and we count ourselves very lucky to have each other. When I text Alice goodnight, it was gone midnight, a bit different to my usual 7.30pm bedtime!

On Sunday, Alice, Fin and my daughter Anna, came over from Southampton to join us all for a big family meal to celebrate mum's birthday, but not before a domestic drama.

Alice phoned me to say that Teddy had escaped! She had searched the house from top to bottom with no sign of him and noticed that there was a window open in the conservatory. Fin and his dad came round to help look and after searching the house, they wandered the streets and paths around the house looking for our boy with no success. Alice was in tears, and we thought we had lost him forever when Fin noticed a tail from under the sofa and Teddy was found! Alice swears that she had looked under the sofa so maybe he was hiding inside it? It had been a morning of high emotions for sure, but one with a happy ending.

A lady from the council came to visit us this week to get some financial details from us in order to means test us to assess how the funding of the wet room and downstairs bedroom that I will soon need, will be decided. She assured me that I am a priority so hopefully we will hear something soon.  

As I'm writing this, Alice is at work, Fin is at school, and I can hear Teddy exploring his new home. Jumping up on windowsills, scrambling behind wardrobes, finding places to hide or sleep, and checking out every inch of the house. He's the Lord of the Manor, and he's making sure we know it.