Well. Today was a very long day for Mom!
I picked her up around 930, and, believe it or not, she actually made ready pretty darn quickly! We packed her bathing suit and cap, and a pair of sandals, to boot, as the weather was going to be in the 90's, and she was going to my brother's house for dinner (he has a very nice swimming pool).
Well, guess what?! The weatherman's forecast didn't hold water - because it dripped on us all day! With thunder, no less. The temps didn't get above 73!!
Oh well...we tried.
So, Mass went well, and Mom was in a pretty good mood. We left and went to Jean's house, where we were met by Connie and Jean's son, Terry. We arrived early as Father decided not to sermonize as long as usual...probably had something to do with the directive to contemplate over the message...
Well, usually, when we get to Jean's, we spend some time just chatting about this and that...Well, Jean decided we needed to start eating earlier than usual...So, I jumped in and fixed the nachos for us all, and Terry had shown up with doughnuts...<sigh> Yay!
WE ate. Mom couldn't finish hers, but kept picking at them after she said she was full. Hmmmm. We had a very enjoyable time, and some had doughnuts...Thanks Terry!
It had been arranged that I would bring Mom over to my brother's house around 2ish. Well, Mom was all ready to leave about 12ish. Nope. That wouldn't do. So, we stalled her. And we stalled her...It wasn't very easy. But we did it.
No, she didn't want ice cream. No, she couldn't eat another bite - WAIT!!! She DIDN'T want Ice Cream??????? Something is wrong!!!
She asked me whether her mother was in Michigan or Ohio or someplace like that. I told her yes, she was.
"When is she coming back?"
"In a month or two."
"Why is she staying away so long?"
"She's catching up with friends she's lost touch with through the years."
"Oh."
Of course, we know my grandmother died 30 years ago last April. But, this seemed to work, and Mom moved on.
We left the jovial conviviality of Jean's house when her one of her other sons, Tim, arrived to greet Mom. They had a short but pleasant chat, and then we left.
Where to go? The weather was rather wet and cool....Well, I needed gas, so I suppose we should go to CostCo!
WE did. We bought gas, and then went shopping.
We looked at the clothes. Mom seemed a bit too interested in the stretch jeans and other lycra-type products. I told her they would mold to her shape, and there would be little left to the imagination - that was enough for her. So we picked out two shirts whose colors she appreciated.
WE bought oranges, and she picked out two bottles of wine for herself, and then went to sit down as her back was hurting. I raced through the aisles - getting boxes of Hershey Bars with Almonds, Dried Cherries, Dried BlueBerries, and Chocolate Covered Almonds, and a 1.5 caset of Diet Pepsi. I want to say there was more...
We left CostCo, and I phoned my brother from the car - he was home and ready for her. So I drove her over and left her in his care for about 3.5 hours..
Upon my return, they were having a lovely time, watching "A Little Princess" with Shirley Temple. Mom talked about her Shirley Temple Doll, and how her mother used to buy her the same types of dresses, or make them for the doll and her. She talked about how the other kids used to say she looked a great deal like Ms. Temple, as well.
Eventually the sun came out, but Mom wasn't in the mood for swimming - a huge change for her.
My brother barbequed ribs, and we had a wonderful dinner. Mom was quite happy. After, she went to lie down in the guest room.
Eventually, Mom arose and we had to get going. It was after 8 pm, and I had told St. A's she would be back by then. Ooops!
She began asking my brother about some furniture she'd seen in his house while she was wandering about (did I ever mention she was a real snoop looooooong before she began having troubles?). She asked him, but didn't seem to know how to ask to get the answer she wanted. Another reason she still can't come to my house!!!
WE had a great chat on the way home. I asked her:
"What three things did you find the most enjoyable today?"
"Oh, I don't know. I guess making my bed."
"Really? Making your bed?" She laughed when I said this. "Okay, give me another one - maybe one you don't do every day."
She thought for a moment. "Jean's. I had a very good time at Jean's." Whew. I half expected brushing her teeth! This made me happy.
"And thirdly?"
"I don't know...."
"What about dinner with my brother, your son?"
"Oh, That's right! That was a very nice time, too. He's such a nice man with common sense!"
"I'm sure he'll be thrilled to know you said that!"
Thus ended the week. This week included a wonderful visit with Jean and Connie and a rousing game of Scrabble.
It also included BINGO, where Mom won a pack of Fig Newtons! She seems so pleased with that.
Perhaps with Dementia one begins to actually appreciate the simpler things....and that's not a terribly bad thing at all. Perhaps Dementia is remembering what we're all grateful for, without realizing it. That takes some of the sting out of it, doesn't it?!
I picked her up around 930, and, believe it or not, she actually made ready pretty darn quickly! We packed her bathing suit and cap, and a pair of sandals, to boot, as the weather was going to be in the 90's, and she was going to my brother's house for dinner (he has a very nice swimming pool).
Well, guess what?! The weatherman's forecast didn't hold water - because it dripped on us all day! With thunder, no less. The temps didn't get above 73!!
Oh well...we tried.
So, Mass went well, and Mom was in a pretty good mood. We left and went to Jean's house, where we were met by Connie and Jean's son, Terry. We arrived early as Father decided not to sermonize as long as usual...probably had something to do with the directive to contemplate over the message...
Well, usually, when we get to Jean's, we spend some time just chatting about this and that...Well, Jean decided we needed to start eating earlier than usual...So, I jumped in and fixed the nachos for us all, and Terry had shown up with doughnuts...<sigh> Yay!
WE ate. Mom couldn't finish hers, but kept picking at them after she said she was full. Hmmmm. We had a very enjoyable time, and some had doughnuts...Thanks Terry!
It had been arranged that I would bring Mom over to my brother's house around 2ish. Well, Mom was all ready to leave about 12ish. Nope. That wouldn't do. So, we stalled her. And we stalled her...It wasn't very easy. But we did it.
No, she didn't want ice cream. No, she couldn't eat another bite - WAIT!!! She DIDN'T want Ice Cream??????? Something is wrong!!!
Mom, Jean, Connie, and Terry have a lively chat over nachos.
Just a side note - This morning I noticed that Mom's tremors were more pronounced, and she seemed to be having troubles keeping a thought (let alone more) together. She seemed frail, but on the face she was raring to go. She asked me whether her mother was in Michigan or Ohio or someplace like that. I told her yes, she was.
"When is she coming back?"
"In a month or two."
"Why is she staying away so long?"
"She's catching up with friends she's lost touch with through the years."
"Oh."
Of course, we know my grandmother died 30 years ago last April. But, this seemed to work, and Mom moved on.
We left the jovial conviviality of Jean's house when her one of her other sons, Tim, arrived to greet Mom. They had a short but pleasant chat, and then we left.
Where to go? The weather was rather wet and cool....Well, I needed gas, so I suppose we should go to CostCo!
WE did. We bought gas, and then went shopping.
We looked at the clothes. Mom seemed a bit too interested in the stretch jeans and other lycra-type products. I told her they would mold to her shape, and there would be little left to the imagination - that was enough for her. So we picked out two shirts whose colors she appreciated.
WE bought oranges, and she picked out two bottles of wine for herself, and then went to sit down as her back was hurting. I raced through the aisles - getting boxes of Hershey Bars with Almonds, Dried Cherries, Dried BlueBerries, and Chocolate Covered Almonds, and a 1.5 caset of Diet Pepsi. I want to say there was more...
We left CostCo, and I phoned my brother from the car - he was home and ready for her. So I drove her over and left her in his care for about 3.5 hours..
Upon my return, they were having a lovely time, watching "A Little Princess" with Shirley Temple. Mom talked about her Shirley Temple Doll, and how her mother used to buy her the same types of dresses, or make them for the doll and her. She talked about how the other kids used to say she looked a great deal like Ms. Temple, as well.
Eventually the sun came out, but Mom wasn't in the mood for swimming - a huge change for her.
My brother barbequed ribs, and we had a wonderful dinner. Mom was quite happy. After, she went to lie down in the guest room.
Mom enjoys conversation at the brother's house...
My brother and I went outside to have a chat and to catch up. Eventually, Mom arose and we had to get going. It was after 8 pm, and I had told St. A's she would be back by then. Ooops!
She began asking my brother about some furniture she'd seen in his house while she was wandering about (did I ever mention she was a real snoop looooooong before she began having troubles?). She asked him, but didn't seem to know how to ask to get the answer she wanted. Another reason she still can't come to my house!!!
WE had a great chat on the way home. I asked her:
"What three things did you find the most enjoyable today?"
"Oh, I don't know. I guess making my bed."
"Really? Making your bed?" She laughed when I said this. "Okay, give me another one - maybe one you don't do every day."
She thought for a moment. "Jean's. I had a very good time at Jean's." Whew. I half expected brushing her teeth! This made me happy.
"And thirdly?"
"I don't know...."
"What about dinner with my brother, your son?"
"Oh, That's right! That was a very nice time, too. He's such a nice man with common sense!"
"I'm sure he'll be thrilled to know you said that!"
Thus ended the week. This week included a wonderful visit with Jean and Connie and a rousing game of Scrabble.
Connie and Mom in the Gazebo pondering words and/or rules...
It also included BINGO, where Mom won a pack of Fig Newtons! She seems so pleased with that.
Perhaps with Dementia one begins to actually appreciate the simpler things....and that's not a terribly bad thing at all. Perhaps Dementia is remembering what we're all grateful for, without realizing it. That takes some of the sting out of it, doesn't it?!
Mom says, "Good Night!"
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