Wheelchair!

On Thursday night, a couple that we know came round to check that all was ok as they had not seen us for a while which was nice. The conversation then developed along the lines of Belgium or Belgians, a wedding, cats and wheelchairs. I have not idea where the Belgians (or Belgium) came into it – or indeed the wedding, but the cats might have referred to the bar Gato, where we had a poster asking for wheelchairs. Anyway – it was all a little confusing and Ian wondered if we may have said yes to a Belgium cat – or any variation of cat/wedding/Belgians ,but the next morning the doorbell went and there they were with a wheelchair – Hoorah!

Within the first 20 seconds I drew the first blood – mine unfortunately as I wheeled myself into broom handle. Not too bad – but enough for me to spend the day looking as if I had dribbled tomato ketchup – not the sophisticated look I was aiming for. I then managed to wedge myself into a corner and unable to reverse out and needed rescuing. As I was randomly bumping off walls and doors, Ian told me I looked like I was playing solo “coches locos” (bumper cars) and that it might be easier to ‘drive’ if I imagined I was a tractor reversing a trailer. Excellent advice - shame I've never driven a tractor with or without a trailer....

We then took our first trip out into the village with the wheelchair. Because it is such a hassle to get the car out for such short journey’s I’ve not been out much – however it was great to be able to get to the health centre without messing around with the car. Ian pushed part of the way and I self –propelled the rest. However we did stop for a small ‘debate’ as to whether he thought pushing me with one hand over cobbles at what appeared to be 50 miles an hour, seemingly out of control, was a responsible way to push ones already slightly damaged wife, and he, in turn, wondered whether my screaming ‘watch the car/house/curb’ was completely justified (which it was).

Yesterday we took the chair out again and went to one of the bars. The ‘quick drink’ developed and we spent a pleasant afternoon – there was quite a group of us around a table and people stood around the table. I hopped off to use the loo (we took the crutches as well as the chair) and my almost-worse nightmare was realised. I didn’t pull anything off the wall, but I wobbled as I hopped around, grabbed the flush chain, it came away in my hand and I could not reach up to put it back. So I hopped back to the table with the chain discretely in hand to give to Ian to sort out, who was unfortunately choosing this moment to be particularly dim and thought I was giving him a present. Quite why I would give him something resembling a toilet chain as a present, I have no idea, but whilst Ian was waving it around wondering why I had given it to him, he gave everyone the opportunity to see what I had done – and as he went off to fix it, the bar erupted into more laughter. So much for trying to be discrete.

However – all in all the wheelchair is a Great Success!