A distant sun seems to be doing its best this morning and I even saw the alps from the garden, although they are not showing on the photo. Talking of photos, I am afraid they are few and far between at the moment. With all the stress I have had this week buying a new car and keeping my normal life together, going on photo safaris with my wheelchair was the last thing I was thinking about. I even gave up on one day with my writing as I no longer had the strength and concentration. However, life seems to be getting slowly back to normal, and now I just have to pay the bills.

Yesterday afternoon I visited the garage to pick up my substitute car which I can use until I get the new one next week. It is in an industrial area in a neighbouring village. One car dealer after the other has its building there. Yesterday it was of course raining, only once, but all day and later in the afternoon it decided to mix some snow flakes in with it, although it was so wet they did not have a chance to survive.  The village itself is on the other side of our town, so no big deal, but I had to do it all with public transport and my walker for support. First of all I got the local train, which was the first problem. No real free seats for me to just sit and get comfortable. The train began its journey with a jolt and were it not for a kind gentleman who caught me in his ams as I was starting my fall to the floor, I would have been down. He afterwards organised a comfortable seat for me and apart from the not very smooth movements of the train I eventually got to our main station in town.

The next part of the adventure was getting a connecting bus and that was not easy with a walker and I had to stand and wait to get to the driver to purchase my ticket. I am not used to travelling by bus, but another kind gentlemen took my walker and deposited it in a place for me next to a seat. When I arrived at my stop a lady helped me to leave the bus with the walker. Without the various people that helped, I would definitely not arrived in one piece. Now I had a 5 minute walk and eventually arrived. One of the guys that was helping me to organise my car purchase gave me a welcome at the door, saw my state of confusion and made me a coffee and organised a nice comfortable table where I could drink it in peace and quiet and compose myself.

I had a few formalities to complete and my car will be ready for me on 27th December, the day after Christmas – what a present that will be. In the meanwhile I was given a car that I can used until I get the new car.  We bought our last car 6 years ago and a lot has changed in the cars since. To start the car you no longer turn a key,  there is no car key, but you press a button and it starts. You press it again to stop the car. Of course many of you probably know this, but I am a beginner is such things. I had a few short instructions on driving the substitute model and then I drove off. It was dark, it was raining and not exactly perfect conditions to drive a car you do not know, but it was an automatic, and the same manufacturer as our last car, although a little bigger, but I managed quite well.

I had to drive from this village across town to another village where our supermarket is. Yes, we were down to the last fragments of food at home as I could go nowhere without a car, but I managed quite well. It is strange really. I was never a lover of driving a car, although I drove to work for almost 30 years, 10 of which was a monster Volvo S90 which I loved, but that was some years ago. Since Mr. Swiss was driving mainly. Now and again I took the steering wheel, just to see if I could still do it. Now I have to do it. Mr. Swiss no longer drives and somehow I am enjoying driving like I never have. Perhaps is it because I have to. I realise that with a handicapp (MS) I must rely on a car to get from A to B and after my experience with public transport and walker, I discovered that is really not the solution. So now I am having a day at home today. I have done enough travelling in the last couple of days and I must prepare myself for the Christmas food shopping over the week-end.

After writing this account from my soul, I now feel a little more relaxed.

My 3 month supply of MS medicine also arrived today at last and the guy at the dealers who has sold me the car is also coming around this morning as he needs urgently the signature of Mr. Swiss for the insurance people for official purposes, as it is now all running in my name and no longer his.

Have a good day everyone. I got one photo this week to brighten the day up of some amaryllis they were selling in the store. I am not sure if I will be partaking in any photo challenges this week, as I just do not have any new photos, but who knows. I might get out for a wheelie if the weather stays OK and I do not have any other appointments. So see you on the flip side somewhere and make the most of what you have.