Out and about ...

... well, sort of *LOL* Had another bad night last night. I'm fed up of waking after an hours sleep and then not being able to get off again for another 3 or 4 hours. Felt really tired this morning but I had to go to Dad's today as he was having a 'financial assessment' towards his care costs. Trouble is Dad doesn't do finance in any way, shape or form. Never has and never will. That was always Mum's domain so I took it over when she died. He's never had a bank account and wouldn't know how to write a cheque, let alone sign one. Anyway, assessment done so now we wait until we hear what he's to pay. While there I managed to have a good chat to one of his regular carers. He thinks Dad is starting to settle down a bit - at least better than he did before. He also says that he doesn't think that he is incontinent. He feels the problem is that he just can't get to the toilet as quickly as he needs to. Anyway, he's going to be checked out for needs on that score so we'll have to see. This carer may feel he's settling in now but to me Dad has changed so much. I can't really have a conversation with him any more and he pays no heed to whether anyone's there or not - he just interrupts if he wants to say anything as if there wasn't anyone else there. I spent a lot of time apologising to the finance guy because Dad kept interrupting for all different random reasons - none of which made sense.

We've cancelled Meals on Wheels. Dad was hardly eating any of the main course although he was managing the dessert - *LOL* When I read the carer's notes he's not having his breakfast until around 10am and his dinner is being delivered around mid-day or just before. Far too soon after breakfast and he's not hungry enough to want to eat it. The meals were just being thrown away so they've been cancelled and he's going back to what he was having before - his main meal at teatime. Anyway, I left him today, a little happier about his situation than I've been of late, but still not convinced he'll stay there and not convinced the man I knew will ever come back.

I decided to go home along the seafront and via Ovingdean - as I regularly do. I'd planned to stop at a car park that overlooks the Marina and the 2 piers in one direction and towards Rottingdean in the other. I've not stopped there before so don't really know what the camera will see but thought it worth a try except .... blooming roadworks have blocked the access off! Continued on homewards and stopped in Ovingdean instead of driving through as usual ..... and here's why!

Ovingdean village green leading to ...




... 11c Norman church - St Wulfran's
mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086










Bulstrode Farm ...
...from the churchyard across the field that used to be the settlement, with the northern part of my home village in far distance.


One of the beautiful properties fronting the village green.


The northern part of my home village from the top of Ovingdean.
The dirt track is called Old Parish Lane. The son of a popular Brighton band leader was murdered on this lane as he walked from his home in Ovingdean to the shops in my home village back in 1967. His murderer has never been found and the case remains open.

Ovingdean is a beautiful, ancient village just a mile from my front door and I love driving home this way. Many's a time that I've thought I should stop and take photos and today I did, after all the years of driving through it. There are quite often horses in the field next to the church (the field that used to be the ancient settlement) but today there were none! St Wulfran's is such a pretty church and it is also the church where my youngest son was christened. Unfortunately, as with a lot of churches nowadays, I couldn't actually go into it as the doors were firmly locked so the interior will have to remain a mystery .....

Thanks for dropping by .....