“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
― Vivian Greene

We’ve had rain today, and plenty of it. Compared to yesterday, which was like a misplaced June day, we have had November come early.

I’ve churned out more paperwork, sent out more newsletters, pressed a small amount of juice as a demonstration (though the washing up afterwards was still full scale), added some apple pictures to our new webpage (I live on the edge, don’t I?) and arranged a refund from ASDA. I’ve also developed a hatred of internet shopping. Actually, that’s not true; I’ve reinforced my hatred of internet shopping.

Two weeks ago I ordered some air fresheners with the cafe shopping. I didn’t want them but some other centre-users appear to have more sensitive noses than I do. At no time did the internet site inform me that they came without refills. Last week I ten had to order refills – they fit all Air Wick fresheners according to the internet. All except mine…

Anyway, because I’d left it four days I couldn’t do it via the web and had to ring them. I spent 13 minutes waiting to be connected to someone who couldn’t hear me because we had a poor connection. The customer service desk at ASDA Newark failed to live up to its name when nobody picked up the phone. Finally I got someone at my third attempt. They proved to be efficient but overly friendly. I know it seems harsh, but I can do without it.

Group dynamics have been interesting today, with a new member of the group joining us from a local school. He doesn’t have learning difficulties, more family issues< and although he like the farm, having been here before, he was finding the group a bit wearing, particularly as he wants to get on and get some work done. The others mostly accepted him, but one of them didn’t like someone else being the centre of attention. Cue tears.

That’s how it goes. Most of the progress we make is by taking people out of their comfort zone and this is one way to do it.

At least it diverted attention from last week’s big news – that Social Services expects four of the others to share a taxi. When the original two were joined by a third last year they didn’t like it. Now that they’ve been joined by a fourth, they are all complaining about him. Well, they were last week. This week they were distracted by someone new.

So we’ve all had to adjust, as I’ve had to admit that internet shopping is here to stay, and it does beat going out after work to shop. I’m sure I can get used to it, and if it isn’t quite as romantic as dancing in the rain, I can still adapt to modern ways at my age.