RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33778, 26 February 1975, Page 9

RANDOM REMINDER

HERE’S HEALTH

The festive season has come and gone. During it, within family circles in particular, many noisy — and sometimes silent — toasts were drunk with the theme uppermost in mind of goodwill, happiness and good health. No-one in the present set of economic circumstances, can be entirely accurate in his or her assessment of what the year 1975 holds in store. There will always be prophets of gloom or the more exuberant type to whom adversity can be taken in its stride. A Christchurch woman blessed with the triple virtues of personal happiness, a great degree of

concern for others and unselfishness, deserves a mention in despatches. Throughout her married life she has been the epitome of all that is gracious and good. It was unfortuante that in August last year she suffered a slight stoke, which affected not only her right hand but also her speech. But by dint of application and perserverance both have shown a marked improvement. Housework has been invaluable therapy — for the hand — and relearning the alphabet has been of inestimable value when it came down to a case of ordering groceries and telephoning it through.

But she has had to coach herself. For example when she put through an order in the early part of Christmas week she called them out to the girl on the phone, repeating each item clearly and slowly. But she had impressed it on her mind that at the end of the transaction shp should say “Thank you.” The order was relayed back to her one item at a time. She crossed each off the carefully compiled list in front of her. The piece de resistance came when the girl at the other end of the line said “Is that all?” “Now say thanks very much”- was the answer.