You can just right-click on the Documents icon and choose Make Link. Then just
drag and drop your new link to the desktop. You can right-click on your new link
and rename it, removing the Link to part. This just takes a few seconds. I did
the same for my music folder because I listen to music quite a bit.
As far as editing the menus, you can right-click on the menu and edit the menu.
The problem with that is you can only edit the System and Applications menus. I
don't know why they didn't include the Places menu in the editor.
You could try to rename the Documents 2 folder and call it Documents.

I guess I cannot get documents back to
the places drop down menu unless I risk dragging the original
documents folder from waste bin. It was put there because it did not
work and I do not know why, so that does not seem an option. I may
have done something else wrong.

Not wanting to risk the new documents2 folder I created a new folder,
documents and used that to make link. I dragged to desktop per your
recommendation. I have somehow managed to get two link to documents
icons on the main toolbar plus a link to documents icon on my screen
wallpaper. I have renamed as suggested but the folder type remains
link to document.

So the tool bar shows the expected Accessories, Places, System, a
couple of personal items (calculator, sound, battery) and two orange
folder icon link to document.

Places has lost documents but shows everything else ie home folder,
desktop, music, pictures,video, computer, cd, etc

The original documents is in the waste bin, because I do not know why
it greys out and goes static

and home folder now drops down to
documents (newly created so I do not risk losing my files now residing
in documents 2)
documents 2 (the folder I made last week to be able to carry on working)
link to documents (because I clicked make link)
plus the usual examples, music, pictures, video, templates etc

This is a real pain whenever I want to save everything I have to
scroll down the complete list of files to get it into the documents
folder.

Errr to add to my bewilderment I do not know what my new link to
document icon does. Do I delete one or both?

Did you try restoring the folder from the trash bin? It may be rebuilt when
you do that. Then your folder documents folder would be back.

In case anyone else has the same problem what you do is go into
scribus, set up a document and save it. (that is what I did, I do not
say I understand it!)

Doing it in open systems does not work. When I accidently tried to
save on the first option panel, the screen reminded me it could not
find the folder.

I could not restore from wastebasket because I could not find a
restore button (perhaps its me!)

If you have not got scribus it is free.