Good news.
No more accidents this week so it would appear that the doctor was right. Just need confirmation from the sample.
Mum has well and truly settled into her little house now. Any guests get the full guided tour, including the lovely view of her Jag out of the window. Still a few teething problems with the wardrobe doors but will persevere for a bit longer as things do seem to be getting a little easier.
She loves the walk in shower so we are trying to get a bit of a routine going, Dinner, shower, pyjamas,TV then bed. This will hopefully help us to put out clothes for the following day so we can have a little control over some of the outfits.
Good week in general this week. Fabia swimming with Mum on Tuesday then doing a bit of gardening. While we had the chance Sarah and I popped out for a cheeky pint or two in the evening. Trying to make the effort to sneak as much time alone together as possible.
Up to Rutland Water for a walk on Friday,beautiful scenery but a little breezy as you can see.
Hot coffee and cakes soon had us back to normal.
Mothers Day.
Joined by two of Sarahs three, Sarahs Mum and her Partner, Sarahs Nan and the lovely Gentleman. Sarahs Nan has reached the age of 98 and looks like she has another 98 to go. Mum does enjoy a bit of a do. Flowers, chocolates and wine, as you can see she was carried away with the excitement,
An absolutely amazing bit of beef with all the trimmings followed by Sarahs fruit pies was thoroughly enjoyed by the nine of us.All in all a really good day was had by all.
Americans.
If you get a few minutes spare pop over to this blog, have a read and congratulate them on getting 10,000 views. It offers another perspective on dementia and its care, it is one of the best written blogs I have found on the subject and pulls no punches about the illness.
Beer and Books
Got an email from my local Waterstones this week to see if I am still accepting members for my book club as there is a lot of interest apparently? I think it may be more the beer than the books. I have dropped off as flyer anyway to see how much interest there actually is. If there's enough I think I will start another night. Don't really want to increase the the size of the present one as it feels so comfortable now. We will see.
Flu
Well I seem to have made a recovery from the flu, all that is left is a lingering cough and the snuffles. It really did knock me for six for a full seven days, which probably hasnt helped with mum...
Grans Designs
The bed and blind arrived as scheduled, both looking lovely in the room, a fact that Mum fully agreed with as we put the bed together. Then, in conversation about making plans for the move at the weekend she has dug her heels in..She doesnt want to be in the room, she never did want to be in the room and she doesnt even like the room. Compound this with a long long speech about how she has no money and she will have no food and lots of references to "the thing".
Slightly taken aback we have left her in front of the telly with a g&t to calm down a little. I think/hope there was just a litle confusion about us talking about "the move" She seems to think that once she moves into her new room the rest of the house will have gone elsewhere and she will be on her own. I am just guessing at that but it seems to make sense, maybe linking the word moving to all the house moves in the past?
I will pop out with her tomorrow to buy a new quilt and pillows and a net curtain, then make up the bed and maybe move a few pictures downstairs, this may do the trick. Failing that it may just be a case of biting the bullet at the weekend and moving stuff. could be an interesting couple of days. Thank god Sarah's here to help.
Beer and Books.
In other matters, the second meeting of the book club was held on Tuesday night and was , I think, a great success. Two new members which is always a good thing, two no shows which isnt. Turns out one person who shall remain nameless (Elinor) turned up on the wrong night. The other , George, will return for the next meeting I hope.
The book discussed was "At Home" by Bill Bryson, where he takes a room at a time in his house and discusses the history of how these rooms developed and facts connected to each room. Only two of us actually managed to finish the book but most of the others will finish it given time. We all agreed it is a very verbose volume, sometimes a little too so for all of our liking, and maybe better suited as a a "toilet book" to be dipped in to every now and then rather than read cover to cover.
We discussed the fact that the facts in the book sometimes had very tenuous connections to the rooms they were linked with, maybe the book was cobbled together from older research for his other books? All present scored the book out of 10, giving an average score of just under 7.
The book for discussion at the next meeting will be "Daphne" by Justine Picardie, selected by the name out of a hat method. There is a good synopsis Here if you fancy joining in.
Flu.
All the times through my life that I thought I had flu I was so so wrong. Boy, when you do get the real thing you know about it. Not wanting to let a little thing like flu get me down I, like the trooper I am, went to bed, for 36 hours. Luckily Fabia was here for Mum allowing me to be completely pathetic for a decent amount of time.
You will all be glad to know it would seem I will pull through and given time and care should make a full recovery.
Grans Designs.
As usual I have totally failed to keep a photographic record of the building work. Suffice to say everything is now complete except for a couple of minor snags. The bed and blind arrive next Thursday then its d-day, trying to get mum to actually move in. Sarah and I will try to orchestrate a two pronged attack over the weekend, see how it goes. Very hard to be sure if mum is looking forward to it or not, she seems to be dreading the actual moving of stuff. She has spent a long time laying out her room in a way that makes sense to her, so it must be quite a daunting thought to start from square one again. Hopefully we can negotiate a sensible amount of outfits/scarves/shoes etc. Once she is in and settled I am sure she will feel the benefit of the ensuite wetroom. and no more stairs.
Beer and Books
In a conscious effort to get out of the house and meet people I have started a book club to be held monthly in my local "The Cherry Tree". I managed to get it mentioned on the local radio and in the Local Newspaper so had a decent turn out for the first meeting, securing a pic of the group in said paper.
Also managed to get a discount on the book club books for members of the club from the local Waterstones. The first book, as you may be able to make out in the pic is the excellent "Home" by Bill Bryson.
