A favour to ask.
 

I am not putting this in Questions and Answers, mainly because I don't really want an answer, and also because I feel it will be read by more folk if it is in General chat.

I know there are a lot of very good folk on Accyweb, and it is because of this, that I ask this favour of members......

please, will you check on any elderly neighbours that you may have?

Check that they are Ok in this current cold snap......and if you are able bodied enough to get out and about, please will you ask them if there is anything they need.....bread, milk, eggs......the daily staples that they may have not been able to get out and buy for themselves.

I know that a lot of old folk are very afraid of walking in these very bad conditions.......so offer your help if you can.

And for those of you who are already doing it.......Thank you, and well done......you deserve a putty medal :D

Re: A favour to ask.
 

My sister is doing it as we speak.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Thank's Mag's, if you hadn't posted that I wouldn't have thought about my 86 year old neighbour, as it was although she won't sign up to accyweb, she does take a look now and then on her gas powered amiga to see what's going on.

This stimulated her to just nip over the fence & check that I'm o.k.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Glad to hear that someone is looking after you Less....she didn't run to the railway with a pint jug for your beer did she?? :)

Re: A favour to ask.
 

She offered, but expected paying for it, huh, the old of today, self, self, self.
:mad:

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Anyone struggling to get to the shops due to these weather conditions. I can go for you.Just let me know.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

I might struggle to get to work tomorrow, you up for doing my shift :rolleyes:

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You did guilt me into ringing my friend's mum who has been poorly lately, just to check she's ok and remind her to ring me if she needed anything.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

I was going to ask if you needed anything but did not want to offend you any more than usual :p

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Now you're at my side of 40 you'll have to start reviewing those nursing home brochures and checking out meals on wheels yourself.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

While I am not against humour in posts......I really started this thread with the view to making people aware that some of our elderly neighbours may need a helping hand.
I was trying to foster some community spirit.
It appears that I have failed.
I am sorry to have troubled you.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

No you haven't failed ... everything and anything that is challenging and worthwhile goes along better with a little humour.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Eric, there is humour, and there is silliness.......there is a difference.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Sorry Margaret, i was trying to agree with you and your thread did prompt me to contact someone who i know to be vulnerable at the moment.

Personally, I blame Neil for lowering the tone.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Have to think about this:confused:

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Gayle I appreciate your reply and it is good that you contacted someone you felt may be vulnerable.

My Mum is in her 80's and is finding this bad weather something of a trial......she has me to check on her...and I do, regularly.
It got me thinking that there must be many older folk, who in normal circumstances are quite active and able, but in the current conditions might need some help.
People, who perhaps, have no family living close by to check on them......that was my motive....and the reason I asked the good folk on Accyweb to consider their elderly neighbours.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

It had worked, it did remind us all, but do you want a happy smiling, I've just come to see you're o.k. type person, or a miserable I'm only doing this because Margaret made me feel guilty, sod calling on their neighbour?
If it's the latter, I'm your man but I must warn you, the suicide rate amongst my neighbours could go up with this approach!
;)

Re: A favour to ask.
 

we checked on a lady at t-time funnily enough, but good to remind folk.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

No less, the older folk who see you coming up their path will probably hide behind the sofa until you have gone:)....they might think you are the 'tally man'....or worse......a 'God botherer'.

And I hoped not to have made anyone feel guilty,(though Gayle admits to this emotion.....note, you can only feel guilty if you feel that there is something you haven't done right) but to raise the awareness of being a good neighbour.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

good on you Cashy.

We have a very feisty old lady near us, and a few years ago she broke her hip falling in the snow......since then she has not ventured over her doorstep when it has snowed....so we did a bit of shopping for her today......normally we wouldn't be allowed to help out,she is very independent and likes to keep active and do things for herself......we noted that since the snow came down that we hadn't seen her.
This set alarm bells ringing....she was out of bread and has been drinking milkless tea for the last few days.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Your welcome, by the way if you think that is lowering the tone you must have had a sheltered life ( which I know you haven't :p:rolleyes: )

Margaret, every time someone posts in this thread it fires it back to the top of the list. If someone who has not seen it before does because it is at the top then they will see your original kind request in post 1 first.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Thank you Neil........I never doubted you had a good heart.:)

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So all in all, can we keep the humour coming so long as we promise that deep down we really do understand it is an important subject?
:cool:

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Of course Less......I didn't make you feel guilty, did I? (grins wickedly).

And yes, the subject is important....and I know only too well that sometimes, humour is a good way to get the message across.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Thought about it .... no, I don't think there is a real difference, merely a question of perception (accidental rhyme) ... but some of you might want to consider that being a good neighbour could be a full time thing ... not just something that happens in times of crisis. My neighbours and I often get together after a snowstorm to help one another out. Four shovels and a snowblower can clean driveways out in short order. And this neighbourliness continues throughout the year ... when a neighbour is away for a few days, or even weeks, all of us at this end of the street keep an eye on the vacant house ... pick up mail and flyers etc. My neighbour across the street leaves me his house key so that I can go in and feed his cats and change their litter. This is what community is all about. I know it may sound optimistic, but this kind of behaviour is one way in which adults can show good examples to the young.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Hooray Eric, my sentiments exactly......but if you start off little then you have a chance to 'grow'.
And you are right about the example it sets for the younger folk too.
Good neighbourliness is something to cultivate and leads to the feeling of 'community'.

I am aware that some of our community may have reservations about trusting people, and this has to be overcome by building gradually.......and that there is a difference between helping out in times of need and fostering a dependence.......so it is something that has to be done with caution, and of course kindness.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Sounds like where I live mate.

A couple of days ago I got some shopping for our neighbour so she did not have to push the pram in the snow. We have keys for a couple of people and they have ours for when needed.

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This is reciprocal neighbourliness though Eric; neighbours who are fit and healthy ... Margaret is talking about elderly people who cannot give anything back to the community ... do you help them? That is the question.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Kate, I would bet that they do help those who cannot reciprocate, because the kind of reciprocal neighbourliness fosters care about others in the area....it is almost a mindset.....thinking of others. Not that I'm saying it doesn't happen here too.....but I know that some older folk are fiercely independent and will not ask for help.....but would take it in certain circumstances, if offered.(My ma is of this genus)

Re: A favour to ask.
 

But does true neighbourliness require a quid pro quo? And, of course you help. I think it is a distinctly negative way of thinking to suggest that the elderly have nothing to give to the community, that they are somehow used up and useless. We could all learn from other cultures, First Nations are a good example, in which elders are respected for their experience and the wisdom which often comes with age. And there are rewards for helping, not the least of which is feeling good about doing something useful for someone else ... as long as it is done with spontaneity, and not out of a sense of obligation.

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I need some bread any offers LOL

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Would you like some fish with that? 4,999 members and I will have a whip round.
:)

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I often enjoy talking to the older members of the community.

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So do i, well i talk to Less and Peter :D
and yes i have checked my neighbors are ok and phone my mum to check on her too

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Well I was thinking of checking on my elderly neighbor, then I realised I am that elderly neighbor now:eek::rolleyes:

Re: A favour to ask.
 

We'll send mick around to adjust your oxygen supply.

http://www.tiptopglobe.com/skin/smile/s3284.gif

Re: A favour to ask.
 

You shouldn't have used that smilie Less, made me panic:do-one:

Re: A favour to ask.
 

Just shovelled my neighbour's driveway ... they are in Thunder Bay visiting family ... shovelled mine too .... I'm on a roll here .... have shovel will travel:mosher:

Re: A favour to ask.
 

You could always have a go at Broadway in Accrington....now that would be travelling :D.

Re: A favour to ask.
 

i checked on my neighbour today

my suspicions were raised when the milk that i had been stealing for the last week suddenly stopped been left by the milk man and it dawned on me that she musnt have paid the bill so i made enquiries

turns out shes on holiday:)

Re: A favour to ask.
 

The lady next door to me and her in-laws come every day with her meals but well the snow as it is ive been makeing her a cup of tea and warming her meals in the microwave