Getting on with it

As I couldn't get to the shops yesterday because it was too slippery, I had to get there today because I was running out of milk and the elderly gentleman round the corner had not had his bread and milk delivered by his care worker yesterday. I had given him some to keep him going as he didn't know when she would be able to get down with the roads being so bad.
There are a lot of able bodied younger people living around here but not one of them has offered any help to the older people who are unable to get out and about to see if they needed any basic shopping. Even those that usually work who stayed at home yesterday didn't even jump into action to clear the snow from the pavements so that people could walk freely, but when I was a lot younger, this is something we did automatically. We nearly aways had snow each winter and we were sent out to clear snow from our paths and from the paths of any older people, we also did their shopping but that doesn't happen nowadays.
So, after my porridge, I put on my boots and funny hat and went out with my backpack. As I cannot carry or lift anything, I usually take my shopping trolley but because it was pretty bad outside I thought I would be better off having both hands free.
Luckily, when I had gone a very careful half mile, I noticed the buses were running on the main road so caught one into the shopping centre which saved me struggling on the ice. Although the snow was packed and frozen, it wasn't as hard to walk today just as long as you were careful where you put your feet.
In the centre there was a pathway cleared and gritted all along the front of the shops in the main shopping area and there were not too many people about so it didn't take me too long to get what we needed in Tesco Metro. Now I usually do a big shop in the main Tesco early on a Saturday morning twice a month, but I will not be taking the car out while there is ice and slush on the roads and Tesco don't clear their car park. This Saturday, I will be taking my big trolley into the Metro and also getting a few bits in Wilkinsons. The weather forecast is more of this to come at the week end so this time I will make sure that I am well stocked up then it won't matter if I can't get out until next Wednesday when I'll go to the farmers' market.
When I got home today, I had just put the shopping away then went out to feed the birds with some more seeds and cheese. I was delighted to see a wren picking insects off the wall and a couple of fat blackbirds, who have obviously paired up already, enjoying the seeds. I knew the robin was around because I could hear him close by and I know he likes the cheese so I must put that on the list for Saturday!
As long as I can get out and about and make sure that the squirrels, birds and little woodmouse all have their food and my fridge freezer has enough for me, then I'm quite content.