Yoker String Ensemble

Today has been a good news day! My string group has been given the go-ahead to start again and I can now get on with doing it!
I had notification of our financial award back at the beginning of September but as always it was not straightforward. There were problems with were the money should be downloaded to and how it should be spent. In my original bid I allocated a large proportion for transport. I then had a kind offer from Knightswood Sec school of use of their mini-bus which meant less money spent on transport and more on repairing and aquiring new instruments. Simple you would think but NO! As ever in this world now, everything has to be passed and passed again before a decision can be made. I have learned  though that if you by-pass the unnecessary and go right to the heart of the organisation you can get results. So it was. I have to thank the councillors of Glasgow's North-West Area committee for their common sense and trust. This has resulted in me being able to change the use of the award accordingly and start to get everything into place.
It has been preying on my mind for about a month now and the sense of relief at getting it sorted is huge. My thanks again the the wise and practical councillors! Not often you hear that being said!

Looking for a Care Home

Which is it? A Care Home or a Nursing Home? That is the question that nobody, bar myself and Caroline, can agree on. The consultant says a Care Home, the Sister says Nursing, the Administrator says " I don't know, it's all to do with funding but but maybe ERC (Enhanced Residential Care)". How are you suppose to know or choose!?
Filling in the financial forms alone are a nightmare. When it asks what your Mother-in-Laws income is a week where are you supposed to start? Who works their income out per week anymore?

We are now in the position of being bolshie! I, for people who know me, do not like that attitude but when you get mis-information at every turn you have take hold of the situation rather than let it drift totally out of control. I told the social worker we were not filling out the 15 page financial form as Joy will be self-funding they don't need to know. "That's fine" was the answer! We've now chosen a home and have told the hospital, the Social worker and the Care Home we want Nursing Care and to put the free personal and nursing care allowance in place. Great! No problem. We can move Joy next Tuesday and if funding's not in place by then it can be back dated.
That elation lasted for 2 hours until the Social Worker phoned back to say, "the funding needs to be in place before she can be moved and you will have to wait until we can get a discharge date from the Hospital". When?! "IDon't know, could take about 2 weeks." Why was I told different?" I hadn't checked with my "supervisor" and so they have overruled everything I said earlier!" WTF! Why such bureaucracy? This a woman willing to pay £700 a week from her own savings to move into a care home while she languishes in a grotty hospital. There is a room available and the home are willing and want her to move BUT NO! We have to wait for it to be debated by a bunch of faceless people in order for a stamp to be put in place to say OK!
It typifies Society today where workers are not allowed to make decisions for fear of either a mistake or the fact that "supervisors" might not be able to justify their position.
My plea is: please let people on the ground make decisions and if there is a mistake then it can be corrected. If there is not then everybody is a winner and a whole load of people can get on with their lives!

Sarteano- Journey home

Was up at 5.00am this morning. Caroline got up too but we left Kate sleeping for the time being. It was surprisingly cold at that time of the morning but the sun started to come up at about 5.15am. We managed to away by 6.00am and getting to Pisa by 9.00am felt comfortable. Indeed it proved to be and we got to the car-hire by 8.50am. After the usual queuing at every step we eventually got on board our flight Glasgow. Sitting on the flight now we have been told to expect a temperature of 17 degrees and rain!!! Welcome home!!!

Sarteano Day 17 final day

Today we are a little bit in Limbo. We are not wanting to leave; know we have to and are still trying enjoy the day while also getting packed. I'm sure many people have felt the same as their holidays end. Not wanting to do too much, not spending too much money (as you don't want to take any more Euros out just to convert them back to pounds the day after). Ends of holidays are Horrible! I wish there was service you could call. Where they would turn up, do all the packing and magically transport you home without having to go to an airport and guiltily make your way through customs. It is however, what it is. Tomorrow afternoon we will be back in Glasgow (probably raining) and we will moan at how unfair our holiday was so short. In a couple of days we will back in the old routine. Ahh! C'est la vie!

Sarteano Day 15

After our efforts yesterday we decided to stay on Camp today. Kate had kids club, Caroline had sunbathing and I have a book I want to finish before going home. That was our day! We whiled it away being lazy.
In the evening we decided to go out for a meal and to try somewhere new. We decided on a restaurant, Daniela, in San Casciano die Bangni which is only 14K from here. Always the worry when we eat out with Kate is that she will not try anything new and that is sometimes impossible in foreign restaurant. Last night she had deep-fried Lamb Chops with chips, which she loved (I enjoyed bits as well!), Caroline had a House salad followed by pork with ratatouille and I had Tuscan vegetable soup (a meal on its own!) followed by a wild boar stew with plums and cherries. The meal was fantastic and while it was not cheap it was worth it if only see Kate eat some different food. Tomorrow is our 2nd last day and I think a trip to a new town is on the cards.

Sarteano Day 14

See the full gallery on Posterous

Today was our most tiring, exciting and hottest day all in one. We took the train from Chiusi to Firenze. The journey out was quite uneventful and the train was thankfully air-conditioned. When we got to Firenze the heat was already searing and that was just before 11.00am! We made our way to the Duomo through the massive crowds but found it no problem. The crowd to go up to the top of the Duomo was huge so we decided to go up Campanile instead which is just as tall and gives a magnificent view over the City. After climbing approximately 500 steps we reached the top soaked in sweat! It was worth it but it was midday now and the temperature had soared to over 100 degrees!
When we got back down we drank water by the gallons and then on to visit; Uffizi,
Ponte Vecchio,The Statues in Piazza della Signoria,Ammannati's Neptune Fountain and Loggia della Signora.
We took the Roma train back as it was quicker but it has to said was filthy and very hot with no air-conditioning. We survived but were very hot and sweaty by the time we reached Chiusi at 5.00pm. It was a great day and well worth putting up with some dis- comfort to see such a magnificent City.
A special mention goes to my wonderful 7 year old daughter, Kate, who did not complain once in all the stifling heat. She is a wonderful little girl who appreciated what she saw today.

Sarteano Day 13

See the full gallery on Posterous

The day started slowly again (I think we have slowed down with heat!) as Kate went off to Kids Club, I went to Supermarket and Caroline read her book outside the caravan. Today was very hot and 42 degrees was recorded by lunchtime. In that sort of heat you really can't do anything quickly and so it was 3.00pm by the time we left for another visit to Citta della Pieve, this time in the sunshine!
Citta della Pieve is interesting in so much as it is in Umbria and looks different from it's neighbouring Tuscan towns. The buildings are all brick as opposed to the Tuscan stone building. I think it gives the place a more austere look but nevertheless interesting. We did discover the narrowest street in Europe Vicolo Baciadonne. After we had seen what we wanted we went back to Sarteano via Lidl! Kate has been having withdrawal symptoms from her apple juice and the only place that sells it is Lidl.
In the evening after dinner we went down to dancing were Kate jogged away for 45 mins! Such energy! Early night as tomorrow we are taking an early train to Firenze. Excited!!

Sarteano Day 12

See the full gallery on Posterous

Today is hot! 32 degrees by 9.00am. We have decided to have a quiet morning by the pool where Kare can play with her new pals. Monica, Anna and Sarah are her main friends but they mix with other slightly older ones, especially in the pool.

This afternoon we have made another visit to Montipulciano. One because we love the town and two because Caroline wants to buy a beautiful leather hand bag for which the Italians are so famous. I have a look for one too but don't find anything to replace the one I bought last year in Pienza. Apart from this most important task the rest of the afternoon and early evening are spent in cafes and restaurants. A very easy way to while away a day! We leave Montipulciano just after sunset, which stunning.

Back at the site we go down to the bar where some holiday friends are having their last night. Kate has a great time with the children and we all talk till nearly midnight before we go our separate ways. Holiday friends you might never see again but they will always be part of your holiday memories.

Sarteano Day 10

See the full gallery on Posterous

The day started off with Kate going off to the first day of the Kid's Club, something she enjoyed last year. It meant Caroline and I could go off to the weekly Market that comes to Sarteano every Friday.

Caroline managed to find a nice pair of sandals and we also bought a roast chicken (delicious!), some fruit and veg plus the smelliest cheese in the world called Peceroni. It really does stink but tastes surprisingly mild.

We decided the rest of the day should be a pool day and we had a lovely picnic down by the tables laid out under the vines beside one of the pools.

The rest of the day has been quiet and finished off with Kate going to the kids dancing which has also just started tonight.