I woke up this morning with a pain in my back – it’s still there, since I wrenched it on Tuesday.  The sunshine this week made me do silly things – like mowing the lawn, cutting the brambles back, scrubbing the ramp outside the church – midsummer madness, and it’s only May! My back is letting me know that I’m not as young as I used to be – but never mind, I have pain killers and it will get better!

I WAS feeling sorry for myself though – whinge, whinge, the sun has gone, it’s drizzling, it’s cold and a bit windy, I have a bad back, I have to be in work bright and cheery for 9am and it’s Friday the 13th.  Nothing daunted, I made my way to work, passing others on the way who were equally glum about the change in the weather.  The first group in this morning were a group from the local JET (jobs, education, training) – they work with the BME community and have a small group of young mothers who come in on Friday mornings.  There was lots of laughter (as well as babies crying) coming through the walls into my office and I guessed they were having a really interesting session.

While they were busy, the scout leader came in to sort the scout cupboard and fill his car with camping equipment ready for taking the cubs to camp this weekend.  We had a lovely chat about the increased numbers in scouts and how well it’s all going – thanks in no small part to the enthusiastic leadership.

And then it was lunchtime, and the place was empty, I felt lonely and my back was hurting and I thought I’d just go home and have some painkillers and be ready for scouts at 5.30.

“Just a quick visit to the loo before I go” (I talk to myself regularly when the building is empty!) – and there they were – 3 empty toilet rolls – gah – not a scrap left anywhere.  So I knew what was coming – I’m either going to have to leave the new rolls on the back of the cistern, or I’m going to have to fight with those blummin toilet roll holders again.  I almost went with the former – but then I remembered that a couple of weeks ago someone had removed the old toilet rolls (possibly they had run out at home?) and left the holders open so I replaced the rolls and got some kind of clue how the mechanism works.  I have to say, I wasn’t confident, but I set to with a will.  and it worked!!!!!! I did it – after 7 years of NOT being able to work the flipping toilet roll holders – I did it – not just the once, but 3 times!!!  I was moved to take photographic evidence in case you doubt my prowess:

They don’t teach you how to do this at Northern College, though possibly they should – and it always seemed to be such a complicated thing – or maybe I wasn’t doing it properly?  In my defence, there are very few people in church who can do it – only the caretaker’s husband seems proficient in toilet roll changing.  But today, I did it – after 7 long years of not being able to, I did it – yaay!  Only goes to show that given time, and patience, everything is possible 🙂

Chow for now!