As once was said by a message poster,
Life can be like a roller coaster.
The peaks get higher, but the troughs go deeper,
And that's where lurks that old Grim Reaper.
But friends are here to help you up,
And to a brighter future look.
So grit your teeth when you go down,
Find a smile to replace that frown.
Cos you've still got a full half cup,
And very soon you'll be coming back up.
Very well written Don. Thank you for that. You have lots of friends on here to lift you back up.
Love to you and Puss. Xxx❤️💕😘
Thank you Don, you have such a special and unique talent for portraying all our human emotions in your empathetic poems. xx
A message of hope Don. Thank you for that. The thing I find difficult is intractable pain and the worry of becoming a codiene addict. I have cut my codiene intake by half but the result is pain! I seem to smile more and frown less on a full dose of codiene 
Oh well, up and on . Love to you and puss xxx
🤣😂🤣🥰🤗🤗🤗
Love this Donald.Very wise,helpful words.you do a great job at cheering us up+ onwards.U are a gem 👋💕xxx
Thank you Don 🥰
Love that photo of the lady hanging onto her hat for dear life with a huge grin on her face!Thanks Don for brightening up my morning-oh the joys of old fashioned rollercoasters!
Me too,cloudancer x
Love it Don along with the photo of the ladies having fun x
That reminds me of my mum, quite a long time ago.
We were visiting and at the time she lived with my sister in a fantastic 11th century priory. High ceilings and long staircase. my daughter had followed her up the stairs just to make sure she was OK and at the top asked her Granny if she was out of breath. She reply, as sharp as ever, "Yes a bit, bur don`t worry I`ll catch it back on my way down". My mum had an answer for everything and her positive outlook on life as well as a very caring family enabled her to live at home until she died peacefully at 103.
I’m glad your mother was able to die peacefully at home 103. My mother died age 111, at home. Before in October she had her annual check up and flu jab, doctor said she was fine could go on indefinitely, mother answered she had few years left. She was only 4 feet 5 inches tall, that night she fell getting back into bed. She lived on her own, and my husband and I were near by and when she pressed her panic button we would get phone call to go pick her up. As my husband had had back surgery, I went on my own and paramedics had been asked to go help me. They were supposed to be phoned second, but that night I didn’t get the call first, when go there Mother was in ambulance, saying she didn’t want to go hospital. I also said didn’t want her to go, but they refused to get her off. Mother was put into big general ward, caught chest infection. She was then moved to ward under Liverpool Care Plan, which meant she got no treatment or medication, no help in eating or getting to bathroom, etc. My younger daughter went to see her every day (I couldn’t because of PCD born with). When it was clear that she so bad she wouldn’t recover. she was sent home to die. This Care Plan is appalling and I’m told has been stopped. I tried to have mother transferred to private hospital but they didn’t have room for her. She died peacefully at her home. The NHS are bad in some respects, and are backwards. After her 100 birthday I got frequent requests from other countries to send them a blood sample so that could see her DNA. I asked here, not interested. She was one of 15 centenarians to be invited to St Paul’s for Queen Mother’s 100 birthday celebrations, followed by lunch with London Lord Mayor at Mansion House, I was also invited, it’s day I remember well. Jean x
The older generations had a completely different outlook on life. Working was not a problem, caring for family was a priority. How things have changed. On one of her visits to the optician and being told the price for Dior sunglasses, she asked for a 50% discount bearing in mind she only had one eye, the other being glass. They don`t make them like they used to do.
That's a lovely positive ,heartwarming tale thank you so much for sharing and brightening up my day.
Whenever you want/need more stories from the past, let me know and I`ll be happy to oblige. Enjoy what`s left of Sunday afternoon, Chris.
Great poem and photo Don. Thank you. Hope you’re well as can be 🤗
Well said Don. As usual, such words of wisdom.
😊Thank you Don. So true - the troughs do get deeper but also simple things are more pleasurable e.g. eating yet another square of my favourite chocolate, that is a real peak for me now (as is reading your poetry). Brilliant photo too 🤣. Love to Puss xxxx
Love it.!
Great thanks, so good. I remember going on roller coaster years ago, hope you do.! and are ok, enjoying life with Puss. Best regards, Jean x
I’ve read that several times, very good thanks. Hope you’re ok and Puss. Morrison is lying near me whilst I Nebulise. Best regards, Jean x
Good morning Don, your picture with the poem reminded me of my younger days at Blackpool Pleasure Beach with a kiss me quick hat. Your poem today says it all in a few lines . Thank you for reminding us how we need to keep up its much more fun.
😂Thankyou Don! ❤️
Thanks Donald. 😊 Always be positive and cup "half full " is good for me! 😉 Happy memories of roller coaster at White City, Whitley Bay..great fun and happy days. Hope you and Puss are keeping well. Dawn. xx 🥰
Adore the picture of the gals along with your poem, Don, and the stories told by Morrison10 and LissacFrance. Great way to start the day!
brilliant. So true. Xxxx
What a great ode, Don! One of your best, I think.
I hope you're on the 'up' at the moment. xx Moy
Lovely to see you posting Moy when you are so busy I’m on a bit of a down right now which is why I’m recycling some of my stuff to try to lift me back up. But it’s the responses that do that, like your great poem. My fridge gave up the ghost and made me realise I can no longer just drive to the tip with it picking up a new one from the supermarket on the way back. Mind you it’s a long time since I could do that! Don & Puss (On their way up) 😀xxx
Lovely to hear from you, too, Don.
Yes, I understand your feelings about the fridge! We used to move all sorts of stuff ourselves. Not any more!
Driving has been the thing I've missed most as used to be the lift giver once I retired from work. Since giving up for health reasons (the spontaneous vertigo attacks) I've been the one always asking for lifts or asking Reg to take me hither and thither. Since I got my mobility scooter last year, I've been able to be more independent, although haven't been able to use it so much through the winter.
I don't see me tying a fridge on the back of it though!
Your poems are greatly apreciated on here, Don! I've missed out on quite a few lately as had problems with the computer (now resolved on it's own - who knows what or why?!) and then everything else going on. Your poems were the first thing I looked for when I got back on.
You brighten up the day with them and I often read them out to Reg. We particularly like the twist at the end. Very clever!
I miss Skis as he often responded with a poem of his own and the banter between you two used to make me chuckle!
Anyway, it's good to hear from you. Keep on the 'up' now! Get someone else to sort your fridge out then fill it up with goodies. I'd go for chocolate bars and Bailey's myself! I wonder what you'd fill yours with from choice?
By the way, I forgot to mention the picture you put with your ode. It reminded me of my gran who used to come to Barry Island with us when my brother and I were kids. She'd be all dressed up in her Sunday best, having gone to church first, and her hats were the stuff of legend! At the end of a day of sea and sandcastles, Gran's treat was to take me and my brother on the 'Figure 8' roller coaster. She loved it and so did we, but the outfit really made us laugh as she showed her bloomers climbing into the cart and used to have to hang on to her hat for dear life. Never would she consider removing it!
Thanks for the laugh and the memory.
Take care,
xx Moy
Well that's that done.
Where? That's miles away 
Life is full of surprises
Probably the greatest dilemma of my life.
