Okay, the hose held, just so the washing is done for the moment.
I decided to go to bed early and pass out.
The usual routine of teeth cleaning is usually routine but not when I bend down to fill the glass and I'm face to face with a freeking skink.
I'm beginning to believe that an alternate universe is leaking into my house.
How would a skink get into my bathroom? I haven't been able to open the window since the screen fell off outside.
Perhaps it was friends with the spider swinging in the air from the lounge room down light. I watched him climb up into the light well and I told him not to do it, very quietly, but he did. Fried himself like the Greek kid with the wax wings and will be swinging for eternity.
I barely survive life, wild life could do me in.
Saturday, January 10, 2015
Friday, January 09, 2015
I'm still here.
I've really started the year well by writing in my diary a day behind myself or a day in front of what I did. It's like Daylight saving, I can never figure that out either.
Mother is still with us.
I haven't pushed the on button for the treadmill.
I did vac 4 square feet of the carpet but only for the newly upholstered chair.
The chair looks great but it's killing me. The cushion is heavy duty so I feel as though I'm a pimple on a pumpkin but given that I was sitting on a broken spring practically on the floor then I should stop whinging.
The cat loves the chair because it's high enough for him to see out of the window.
South East Water had to repair a water main in the street yesterday but forgot to tell us.
Today the laundry is awash because the pressure of returning water did in the hose for the washing machine. I have washing to do and a bucket under the tap hose which I've tightened as much as possible. Wish me luck.
The BOH has just had his fourth plaster put on his arm. The cracks were spreading but a scan showed he didn't need surgery. Craperlink have been such a help, sending a letter on the 31st telling him to reply by the 31st which didn't arrive until January.
My sister has bought a new ritzy couch with a recliner at one end and a chaise at the other.
It's good news for me, I get her coffee table with the leadlight glass inserts and the toe breaking legs.
Mother is still with us.
Damn!
Mother is still with us.
I haven't pushed the on button for the treadmill.
I did vac 4 square feet of the carpet but only for the newly upholstered chair.
The chair looks great but it's killing me. The cushion is heavy duty so I feel as though I'm a pimple on a pumpkin but given that I was sitting on a broken spring practically on the floor then I should stop whinging.
The cat loves the chair because it's high enough for him to see out of the window.
South East Water had to repair a water main in the street yesterday but forgot to tell us.
Today the laundry is awash because the pressure of returning water did in the hose for the washing machine. I have washing to do and a bucket under the tap hose which I've tightened as much as possible. Wish me luck.
The BOH has just had his fourth plaster put on his arm. The cracks were spreading but a scan showed he didn't need surgery. Craperlink have been such a help, sending a letter on the 31st telling him to reply by the 31st which didn't arrive until January.
My sister has bought a new ritzy couch with a recliner at one end and a chaise at the other.
It's good news for me, I get her coffee table with the leadlight glass inserts and the toe breaking legs.
Mother is still with us.
Damn!
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Today is Sunday, I must remember tomorrow is Monday
I've completely lost track of days and time but that's what diaries are for except if they come from England. Now I have to go through and mark all the Australian holidays and unlike my old diary doesn't have the moon phases or times in cities all over the world. I've been using the same brand of diary for 12 years and I hate change but I managed to buy one that has plenty of writing room. Now to cover it because I hate writing in a naked book and I always put extra fabric on the back for the pens so I never have to look for them.
I did not have one iota of guilt for staying home on Christmas Day. I rang mother and my duty was done. It felt so great not having to get up, shower, dress, do hair, grab presents and get out the door. I almost broke my fingers getting the plastic cork out of the 'champagne' only to find it was too vile to drink and I tipped it down the sink. The BOH didn't make last year's mistake and rang to ask what kind of alcohol would I like and I had four bottles of Black Ice vodka in the fridge. I bought two slices of ham off the bone and sourdough bread for the Christmas sandwich and set everything up within reach and put my feet up. I planned on reading parts of my book and watching episodes of the dvd equally. That was the plan but the cat foiled part of it by gently withdrawing the ham from the middle of the sandwich. He never eats this kind of meat but there he was, on the carpet, chewing his way through my treat. It was the only moment in an otherwise pleasant and peaceful day.
Then came the night. I remembered the days when I'd feel so full I couldn't move but now I looked forward to a mince tart and a cup of coffee and enjoyed it. Now for a week or so the cat has been tiptoeing down the drive, around the Acer tree and past Vinnie's car (the last in the row of the Arthur Daley car yard I'm hosting) and then making a rush for the front door. This time I decided to find out what was making him so antsy. Big mistake. The drunken bogans 3 doors up let off illegal fireworks and they didn't have enough power to go up but went sideways down the street past my place. The explosions were explosive even if the stars looked good going fastly past me. The cat took off and I went for the cat, right into the orb web he'd been avoiding all week. Man, I have no idea where that spider ended up but the way I threw it out of my hair, he's probably still in orbit. I backtracked and just put on all the outside lights and opened the doors and stupid came in about 15 minutes later with his eyes still spinning.
And for all the cat lovers who think I should have gone up and had words with the idiots, forget it. Never go near drunks or explosives especially if they are in charge of the explosives. It was re-inforced yesterday when I saw one of them, built like a brick outhouse wearing torn denim and a haircut I last saw on Travis Frimmel in Vikings.
No guilt Boxing Day as mother had accidentally turned her phone off completely. I went down to see her the next day. There had been muffled fireworks a long way off but the cat decided he'd sleep on the bed until the nudge nudge feed me started way too early in the morning. I staggered out, opened the back door, decided a pee was more needed than his breakfast, came back, grabbed his bowl and a can of food, opened that, washed the bowl and had the feeling I was being watched. Now remember this was two days after Christmas so no hangover and the bird sitting on my toaster was real. It watched me, I watched it, stupid sat on the floor still demanding breakfast. A short chase over the counter (not as fast as the mouse) and I had it in a tea towel and out the door. By this time even the dumbest of cats worked out that something was up but he was late as usual so sat by the back door and watched the dumbest of birds fly off. I just hoped when I put the toast in that it hadn't pooped in the toaster.
Three more days until New Year's Eve which I hate with a passion. The cat and I will be in bed early and won't hear any fireworks at all.
I did not have one iota of guilt for staying home on Christmas Day. I rang mother and my duty was done. It felt so great not having to get up, shower, dress, do hair, grab presents and get out the door. I almost broke my fingers getting the plastic cork out of the 'champagne' only to find it was too vile to drink and I tipped it down the sink. The BOH didn't make last year's mistake and rang to ask what kind of alcohol would I like and I had four bottles of Black Ice vodka in the fridge. I bought two slices of ham off the bone and sourdough bread for the Christmas sandwich and set everything up within reach and put my feet up. I planned on reading parts of my book and watching episodes of the dvd equally. That was the plan but the cat foiled part of it by gently withdrawing the ham from the middle of the sandwich. He never eats this kind of meat but there he was, on the carpet, chewing his way through my treat. It was the only moment in an otherwise pleasant and peaceful day.
Then came the night. I remembered the days when I'd feel so full I couldn't move but now I looked forward to a mince tart and a cup of coffee and enjoyed it. Now for a week or so the cat has been tiptoeing down the drive, around the Acer tree and past Vinnie's car (the last in the row of the Arthur Daley car yard I'm hosting) and then making a rush for the front door. This time I decided to find out what was making him so antsy. Big mistake. The drunken bogans 3 doors up let off illegal fireworks and they didn't have enough power to go up but went sideways down the street past my place. The explosions were explosive even if the stars looked good going fastly past me. The cat took off and I went for the cat, right into the orb web he'd been avoiding all week. Man, I have no idea where that spider ended up but the way I threw it out of my hair, he's probably still in orbit. I backtracked and just put on all the outside lights and opened the doors and stupid came in about 15 minutes later with his eyes still spinning.
And for all the cat lovers who think I should have gone up and had words with the idiots, forget it. Never go near drunks or explosives especially if they are in charge of the explosives. It was re-inforced yesterday when I saw one of them, built like a brick outhouse wearing torn denim and a haircut I last saw on Travis Frimmel in Vikings.
No guilt Boxing Day as mother had accidentally turned her phone off completely. I went down to see her the next day. There had been muffled fireworks a long way off but the cat decided he'd sleep on the bed until the nudge nudge feed me started way too early in the morning. I staggered out, opened the back door, decided a pee was more needed than his breakfast, came back, grabbed his bowl and a can of food, opened that, washed the bowl and had the feeling I was being watched. Now remember this was two days after Christmas so no hangover and the bird sitting on my toaster was real. It watched me, I watched it, stupid sat on the floor still demanding breakfast. A short chase over the counter (not as fast as the mouse) and I had it in a tea towel and out the door. By this time even the dumbest of cats worked out that something was up but he was late as usual so sat by the back door and watched the dumbest of birds fly off. I just hoped when I put the toast in that it hadn't pooped in the toaster.
Three more days until New Year's Eve which I hate with a passion. The cat and I will be in bed early and won't hear any fireworks at all.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Christmas run
I arrived at Southland at 10.22 and left at 11.36 and didn't retrace my footsteps once. Only forgot the most important thing, two bottles of Black Ice Vodka.
No child was harmed in the gallop through the shopping centre.
Best comment to whining children: "I want, I want, I want," Mother, "Put in on your dream list". Brilliant, see that, not "Christmas list" but dream list so in other words maybe in 20 years you'll get it.
Most embarrassing moment: Woman trying to get her purse into shoulder bag, puts blue chill bag on floor and yells "sit". Man behind her says, "well trained". It was sheer coincidence that she was extremely fat and had red hair.
Grab taxi to see mother. Am pleasantly surprised that I've almost lost the desire to hit her with a brick.
Lunch arrives and I do my usual rant about the food and Bible basher roomie tells me to shut up. I don't tell her to take a cross and stand in line, I'm mellowing.
Every Carer that came in asked if I was having lunch with mother tomorrow. They all got told I was staying home to get pissed. In the absence of vodka, I have Bombay Sapphire gin and Peach Champagne.
I have a book I've kept for the day and must get out a violent movie to offset the sugar crapola of Christmas carols on every channel.
I bought a sparkly ball for the cat who batted it once and walked off. Apparently cats of his superior intelligence don't do balls. It's okay, I washed it off and wrapped it for the kid across the street.
For the first Christmas in many years, I will not be looking back.
No child was harmed in the gallop through the shopping centre.
Best comment to whining children: "I want, I want, I want," Mother, "Put in on your dream list". Brilliant, see that, not "Christmas list" but dream list so in other words maybe in 20 years you'll get it.
Most embarrassing moment: Woman trying to get her purse into shoulder bag, puts blue chill bag on floor and yells "sit". Man behind her says, "well trained". It was sheer coincidence that she was extremely fat and had red hair.
Grab taxi to see mother. Am pleasantly surprised that I've almost lost the desire to hit her with a brick.
Lunch arrives and I do my usual rant about the food and Bible basher roomie tells me to shut up. I don't tell her to take a cross and stand in line, I'm mellowing.
Every Carer that came in asked if I was having lunch with mother tomorrow. They all got told I was staying home to get pissed. In the absence of vodka, I have Bombay Sapphire gin and Peach Champagne.
I have a book I've kept for the day and must get out a violent movie to offset the sugar crapola of Christmas carols on every channel.
I bought a sparkly ball for the cat who batted it once and walked off. Apparently cats of his superior intelligence don't do balls. It's okay, I washed it off and wrapped it for the kid across the street.
For the first Christmas in many years, I will not be looking back.
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Try again
I wrote a very long post yesterday which was read by Elephant's Child before it disappeared. I think I pressed a wrong button somewhere and I keep getting error notices from Blogger that also disappear before I can grab the error number to email them about the error.
Nov 30, see mother, very ill. Home at 6 and phone call, mother much worse, needs us.
I sit from 6 til 8 next morning in a chair designed by the Spanish Inquisition and cripple myself.
She really was dying, nothing fake about that. Oxygen, morphine, anti-psychotic drugs for the terrors, struggling to breathe, eyes fallen back in her head and red in a pale face.
By the next Friday, she is sitting up in bed after a shower and eating breakfast.
Saturday morning, deep in the only sleep I've had since the last Saturday, the phone rings. After I calm the heart beat down to non heart attack, I realize it's mother. She's rung my number but can't remember how to talk into the phone. I hang up.
Sunday, she is off the morphine by injection, no oxygen, other drugs gone just some ventilin to clear the lungs.
I don't ring, take her calls or go to see her for 4 days. Something has snapped inside me. After sitting for so long with half my mind watching her die and the other half preparing a funeral, I've lost it completely. I cannot get my mind to reboot to normal and I'm dealing with the fact that I am filled with anger that even dying, she managed to manipulate me into being with her because she was frightened.
I refuse to go to the Christmas Party. I go down the next day and she has more visitors than she can handle. Tells me off for not getting them out. Afternoon tea is party leftovers, which I don't get so I can't tell her not to eat it. I do tell her to put the bed up but she's in charge and doesn't so she shoves the chocolate crackle slice into her mouth, doesn't chew it and chokes. As in purple in the face, no breath choking but manages to bring up most of it with much coughing and more choking.
In between coughs and flying crackles she points to the Kleenex box so I move it closer to her and she looks in and says, "Wash my teeth, there's chocolate on them". The carers are hovering around by this time so I pick up my bags and leave.
Only been back once, yesterday and only because she needed her DVD viewer because she was tired of looking at the ceiling. I didn't intend to take it, the BOH was going to do it and called in on Monday night to pick it up. By the way did I have any painkillers, his hand was hurting from using it to break his 8 foot fall onto a concrete floor. I take one look, tell him to get to the hospital as it was broken, no it's not, he just needs painkillers. Tuesday night I get a call, do I have anything stronger than the pills I handed out the night before because they don't give out painkillers at the hospital where he is having his arm plastered from wrist to elbow.
My sister asked mother if she saw anyone from the other side when she was dying. By the way mother wasn't dying, just a little ill for a day or so. Yes, she saw her mother and my father and sister asked why didn't you go with him? Mother said he told her to go back. I swear if he wasn't already dead, I'd kill him.
Nov 30, see mother, very ill. Home at 6 and phone call, mother much worse, needs us.
I sit from 6 til 8 next morning in a chair designed by the Spanish Inquisition and cripple myself.
She really was dying, nothing fake about that. Oxygen, morphine, anti-psychotic drugs for the terrors, struggling to breathe, eyes fallen back in her head and red in a pale face.
By the next Friday, she is sitting up in bed after a shower and eating breakfast.
Saturday morning, deep in the only sleep I've had since the last Saturday, the phone rings. After I calm the heart beat down to non heart attack, I realize it's mother. She's rung my number but can't remember how to talk into the phone. I hang up.
Sunday, she is off the morphine by injection, no oxygen, other drugs gone just some ventilin to clear the lungs.
I don't ring, take her calls or go to see her for 4 days. Something has snapped inside me. After sitting for so long with half my mind watching her die and the other half preparing a funeral, I've lost it completely. I cannot get my mind to reboot to normal and I'm dealing with the fact that I am filled with anger that even dying, she managed to manipulate me into being with her because she was frightened.
I refuse to go to the Christmas Party. I go down the next day and she has more visitors than she can handle. Tells me off for not getting them out. Afternoon tea is party leftovers, which I don't get so I can't tell her not to eat it. I do tell her to put the bed up but she's in charge and doesn't so she shoves the chocolate crackle slice into her mouth, doesn't chew it and chokes. As in purple in the face, no breath choking but manages to bring up most of it with much coughing and more choking.
In between coughs and flying crackles she points to the Kleenex box so I move it closer to her and she looks in and says, "Wash my teeth, there's chocolate on them". The carers are hovering around by this time so I pick up my bags and leave.
Only been back once, yesterday and only because she needed her DVD viewer because she was tired of looking at the ceiling. I didn't intend to take it, the BOH was going to do it and called in on Monday night to pick it up. By the way did I have any painkillers, his hand was hurting from using it to break his 8 foot fall onto a concrete floor. I take one look, tell him to get to the hospital as it was broken, no it's not, he just needs painkillers. Tuesday night I get a call, do I have anything stronger than the pills I handed out the night before because they don't give out painkillers at the hospital where he is having his arm plastered from wrist to elbow.
My sister asked mother if she saw anyone from the other side when she was dying. By the way mother wasn't dying, just a little ill for a day or so. Yes, she saw her mother and my father and sister asked why didn't you go with him? Mother said he told her to go back. I swear if he wasn't already dead, I'd kill him.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Tuesday, December 02, 2014
The curtain is almost down
After more farewells than Nellie Melba, Mum has finally taken the stage for the last time.
It is now a matter of days then hours. I stayed all night, Sunday and almost crippled myself in a monster of a chair. So now we are staggering the visits until she drifts into a coma and will be moved to the Lavender Room, with comfy chairs and a soothing fish tank to watch.
Doc Marvin has been wonderful. To clear away the monsters she has been so frightened of, he's ordered special meds and morphine has taken away any pain.
She has gone downhill in a matter of days and the staff have come in from their days off to say goodbye although not in so many words.
I will be back at some stage.
It is now a matter of days then hours. I stayed all night, Sunday and almost crippled myself in a monster of a chair. So now we are staggering the visits until she drifts into a coma and will be moved to the Lavender Room, with comfy chairs and a soothing fish tank to watch.
Doc Marvin has been wonderful. To clear away the monsters she has been so frightened of, he's ordered special meds and morphine has taken away any pain.
She has gone downhill in a matter of days and the staff have come in from their days off to say goodbye although not in so many words.
I will be back at some stage.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Quick update
Mother not good again. Lots of morphine but don't count her out yet. Friday out of bed for a shower then straight back. Saturday and Sunday no shower just a wash in bed. If it's the same today I'll really worry.
I have my treadmill, $250 and the seller helped the BOH bring it to the house and set it up. It's the size of the Monash Freeway so my chair won't fit and I'm typing this with one arm around the left upright. This will be fixed by taking apart the very old and huge desk on the other side of the room.
The only way to move it out of here is through the window which I've done twice but now that's where the computer family lives and I'm not moving that. We'll just hack it to pieces and if the top is in one piece, I'll put it across the 2 tables I've got here and presto, more room.
The treadmill has more buttons on it than the computer, all I need is the one that says "walk".
I will return soon.
I have my treadmill, $250 and the seller helped the BOH bring it to the house and set it up. It's the size of the Monash Freeway so my chair won't fit and I'm typing this with one arm around the left upright. This will be fixed by taking apart the very old and huge desk on the other side of the room.
The only way to move it out of here is through the window which I've done twice but now that's where the computer family lives and I'm not moving that. We'll just hack it to pieces and if the top is in one piece, I'll put it across the 2 tables I've got here and presto, more room.
The treadmill has more buttons on it than the computer, all I need is the one that says "walk".
I will return soon.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Stress...I haz it
Warning, I may become a little hysterical through this post. There may be errors because my eye won't stop the nervous twitch it's developed.
Where do I start....
The BOH, he'll do. Heard from his father who wanted to know his birthday and year he was born because he was making out his will. That was a laugh, we all wanted to know if he was leaving him the back child support he never paid. Turns out he had 3 blocked arteries to the heart and typical of men had walked around with pains down his left arm for 2 months. I think he's okay, we can't find out because very concerned sister (ha!) lost his mobile number and couldn't remember which hospital he was in. BOH wondered how anyone could make a will leaving nothing.
Then he came in with that look I know so well, a favour is about to be asked, the kind that turns my life upside down. His stupid boss had let the lease on the factory lapse and it wasn't going to be renewed, could I take all the stuff he had stored there. This was all the stuff that was moved out of the tiny bungalow when the baby was born. 16 plastic wheelie boxes of scrapbooking arrived followed by a huge stereo with giant speakers. Fortunately I'd taken my life in my hands and up the ladder I went in the morning and moved what he already had into a smaller more compact pile. I put boxes on top of the bookcases and his tv and his cuckoo clock which I'd clearly labelled "do not lie down" upright. My empty boxes came down although I did get my dress pattern box and a load of lovely tinsel which came from mother. His clothes and doona covers are now in the bottom of my wardrobe. He opened another bag full of brand new towels and decided to take one for the gym, he was told to take the lot and use them.
Now I still have a vw in the drive in front of the vintage classic 64 Falcon. In his usual fashion he had started from the inside out, the door panels and seats have all been upholstered in black suede (faux) and no, they can't come in the house so they are in the Falcon shell covered up in case of possums. He is now worried that someone will see them from the front gate so he's getting a tarp to hide the windows. My hallway is now jammed to the ceiling and just ends at the wall where I can hang a cloth to hide the lot. One good thing, not a mouse was found and I managed to toss all old videos and cases out.
Next clean up and on the same day was the study because he'd found the perfect treadmill for me on ebay. He went off with the ute to offer cash and bring it straight back. At least this was something I could do sitting down as I whizzed the chair on wheels from one end of the room to the other. If I remember, this room is about 10 feet by 12 feet with a built in wardrobe. I have a huge desk on one side but I couldn't leave the computer there because it reminded me of the ex and I shuddered every time I passed the door so I have a table, chest of drawers and small bookcase set up in front of the window. The new desktop sits on the table but I still have the old desktop on the bookcase as I try to figure out the instructions from Microsoft about importing files. 2 large bookcases and one small line the wall to the left, 2 large, 1 small and a cd tower line the wall to the right. There is a bookcase inside the wardrobe, there is a cupboard in front of one bookcase, with a record player on top. There is a cupboard on wheels which I can't put in the front room until the blinds go up. Forgot the two chairs, fan, filing baskets on wheels and a tall cupboard behind the door which I hauled in from the laundry. That was a beast, who knew it was nailed to the walls with 6 inch nails. Anyhoo, the sellers wouldn't take the money on the spot, hoping to make more but he's watching the auction like a hawk and if he finds a better one, the space is ready.
Mother rings, a bit distressed. One of her roomies died but because she can't turn her head very well, she couldn't work out which one. What I found out yesterday was the roomie died about 3 a.m. Saturday morning and was not moved from her room until late Saturday afternoon. Of course they pulled the curtain around but mum was still sitting in her room with a dead body all day. They have a room for residents who have passed or are on the way but she was not taken there. Distress for my mother and no dignity for an old lady. Today her belongings were still by the bed in black garbage bags. Yesterday they had washed and ironed underwear, t shirt and pants for the burial, a tiny pile of what looked like op shop rejects. Surely in those bags was a nice dress of some kind that could have been used. I'm getting to hysterical here. I've rung the Elder Rights Advocacy who are already working on another matter involving mum and told them. Also made a complaint to Elder Rights complaints who won't take action unless I say so in case it fucks up the other matter. I also told Doc Marvin. Now I've told all of you.
So, Monday in Mentone, looney capital of Oz. I have a coffee, wander up to the newsagent to cash in a Scratchie and I heard someone yell, didn't think it could be me but next thing I have a woman clinging to me and asking for help. She had been drinking but wasn't drunk, the help she wanted was about her mother who was clearly on the way to dementia. So I'm trying to uncling myself, calm her down and listen at the same time. I mean, I've been through this so I know this kind of mother induced distraught. So she's telling me that her mother sits in the house and screams and has been doing so for 4 months and then proceeds to demonstrate the scream in the middle of Mentone. She has a job as she had a security lanyard around her neck but had just reached breaking point. I found her handbag, sat her down for a coffee and said I was on my way to my mother's nursing home so must leave her. I get another clinging hug and thank-you's and I make a break for freedom. And, yes I did check that my purse hadn't been pick-pocketed. What really surprised me were the people who said I should have pushed her away and walked off.
I walked into mum's room and burst into tears.
It brought everything back that I thought I had dealt with and then I turn round to find the garbage bags sitting by the vacant bed, something my mother has been looking at for two days, three days now.
I tell you blog mates, from now on I'll be getting the taxi to the other end of Mentone and peering round corners for the next 6 months.
Where do I start....
The BOH, he'll do. Heard from his father who wanted to know his birthday and year he was born because he was making out his will. That was a laugh, we all wanted to know if he was leaving him the back child support he never paid. Turns out he had 3 blocked arteries to the heart and typical of men had walked around with pains down his left arm for 2 months. I think he's okay, we can't find out because very concerned sister (ha!) lost his mobile number and couldn't remember which hospital he was in. BOH wondered how anyone could make a will leaving nothing.
Then he came in with that look I know so well, a favour is about to be asked, the kind that turns my life upside down. His stupid boss had let the lease on the factory lapse and it wasn't going to be renewed, could I take all the stuff he had stored there. This was all the stuff that was moved out of the tiny bungalow when the baby was born. 16 plastic wheelie boxes of scrapbooking arrived followed by a huge stereo with giant speakers. Fortunately I'd taken my life in my hands and up the ladder I went in the morning and moved what he already had into a smaller more compact pile. I put boxes on top of the bookcases and his tv and his cuckoo clock which I'd clearly labelled "do not lie down" upright. My empty boxes came down although I did get my dress pattern box and a load of lovely tinsel which came from mother. His clothes and doona covers are now in the bottom of my wardrobe. He opened another bag full of brand new towels and decided to take one for the gym, he was told to take the lot and use them.
Now I still have a vw in the drive in front of the vintage classic 64 Falcon. In his usual fashion he had started from the inside out, the door panels and seats have all been upholstered in black suede (faux) and no, they can't come in the house so they are in the Falcon shell covered up in case of possums. He is now worried that someone will see them from the front gate so he's getting a tarp to hide the windows. My hallway is now jammed to the ceiling and just ends at the wall where I can hang a cloth to hide the lot. One good thing, not a mouse was found and I managed to toss all old videos and cases out.
Next clean up and on the same day was the study because he'd found the perfect treadmill for me on ebay. He went off with the ute to offer cash and bring it straight back. At least this was something I could do sitting down as I whizzed the chair on wheels from one end of the room to the other. If I remember, this room is about 10 feet by 12 feet with a built in wardrobe. I have a huge desk on one side but I couldn't leave the computer there because it reminded me of the ex and I shuddered every time I passed the door so I have a table, chest of drawers and small bookcase set up in front of the window. The new desktop sits on the table but I still have the old desktop on the bookcase as I try to figure out the instructions from Microsoft about importing files. 2 large bookcases and one small line the wall to the left, 2 large, 1 small and a cd tower line the wall to the right. There is a bookcase inside the wardrobe, there is a cupboard in front of one bookcase, with a record player on top. There is a cupboard on wheels which I can't put in the front room until the blinds go up. Forgot the two chairs, fan, filing baskets on wheels and a tall cupboard behind the door which I hauled in from the laundry. That was a beast, who knew it was nailed to the walls with 6 inch nails. Anyhoo, the sellers wouldn't take the money on the spot, hoping to make more but he's watching the auction like a hawk and if he finds a better one, the space is ready.
Mother rings, a bit distressed. One of her roomies died but because she can't turn her head very well, she couldn't work out which one. What I found out yesterday was the roomie died about 3 a.m. Saturday morning and was not moved from her room until late Saturday afternoon. Of course they pulled the curtain around but mum was still sitting in her room with a dead body all day. They have a room for residents who have passed or are on the way but she was not taken there. Distress for my mother and no dignity for an old lady. Today her belongings were still by the bed in black garbage bags. Yesterday they had washed and ironed underwear, t shirt and pants for the burial, a tiny pile of what looked like op shop rejects. Surely in those bags was a nice dress of some kind that could have been used. I'm getting to hysterical here. I've rung the Elder Rights Advocacy who are already working on another matter involving mum and told them. Also made a complaint to Elder Rights complaints who won't take action unless I say so in case it fucks up the other matter. I also told Doc Marvin. Now I've told all of you.
So, Monday in Mentone, looney capital of Oz. I have a coffee, wander up to the newsagent to cash in a Scratchie and I heard someone yell, didn't think it could be me but next thing I have a woman clinging to me and asking for help. She had been drinking but wasn't drunk, the help she wanted was about her mother who was clearly on the way to dementia. So I'm trying to uncling myself, calm her down and listen at the same time. I mean, I've been through this so I know this kind of mother induced distraught. So she's telling me that her mother sits in the house and screams and has been doing so for 4 months and then proceeds to demonstrate the scream in the middle of Mentone. She has a job as she had a security lanyard around her neck but had just reached breaking point. I found her handbag, sat her down for a coffee and said I was on my way to my mother's nursing home so must leave her. I get another clinging hug and thank-you's and I make a break for freedom. And, yes I did check that my purse hadn't been pick-pocketed. What really surprised me were the people who said I should have pushed her away and walked off.
I walked into mum's room and burst into tears.
It brought everything back that I thought I had dealt with and then I turn round to find the garbage bags sitting by the vacant bed, something my mother has been looking at for two days, three days now.
I tell you blog mates, from now on I'll be getting the taxi to the other end of Mentone and peering round corners for the next 6 months.
Wednesday, November 05, 2014
Full Moon
Right, well my Christmas present is taken care of. It's so gorgeous but if you all chip in, I'll probably have enough for a plastic replica. I know how cheap bloggers are.
Now it's a full moon tomorrow night so be careful out there. We've had too many big full moons and eclipses and the heavens are in upheaval. I've fallen down, sister has smashed and broken a toe on her coffee table and now the infallible Doc Marvin has fallen off his bicycle. Looks like I'll get no sympathy when I show my lonely bruise as compared to his grazed leg.
So stay home, stay away from coffee tables and hide until Saturday when the moon stops being stroppy.
Sunday, November 02, 2014
Just testing.
In honour of elephant's child's new bathroom, I tried uploading a photo. All this new information is doing nothing to my brain cells. But EC I hope you walk in one day and find a shower full of penguins, a gift from me.
Mother rang this morning, she's okay but there are a few braincells that didn't make it. I've just paid the pharmacy account and I say Doc Marvin is not afraid to throw everything at bacterial chest infection. I do agree with no antibiotics for viral infections but a bacterial one in an older person needs the works.
Bad luck is still dogging the family. Sister broke the middle toe by crunching it into the very heavy leg of the coffee table. I think she'll be using up some of the sick leave before she retires. Murphy's law, of course, this is the second time she's broken that toe but she was younger and managed to hobble around the ward from patient to patient.
I found out why there was only a pamphlet with the desktop, in the fine print were the instructions to go to the site and download a PDF with every thing I need to know. At the moment all I need to know is how to get rid of adchoice and why can't I use everybody's blog list. A little hand comes up and goes snap at me. And I still can't find my CD with all the fonts I'd backed up. I'm still moving bookmarks but I have to do it one at a time in case pr0n has snaffled some of the older sites.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
The Terminator lives, again
She made it. I've paid for it.
Never bottle up anger, punch something.
But don't get up in the middle of the night without your glasses, things happen.
I have no idea how I slipped, fell flat on my back ending up with my feet in the clothes basket. Clothes were clean, I just couldn't be bothered folding them.
I wasn't hurt, it was just a gentle slip to the floor in the dark.
I sit up ready for the usual sobbing and cringing as I kneel and throw myself on the bed. Didn't happen, both leg muscles went into instant spasm and I lay back on the floor.
Try the sitting up thing, throw washing basket out of the way and start bum-walking to the front door to see if I could open it. Thank the Goddess, yes.
Head for the nearest chair but I can't turn over, muscle spasms, lie flat again.
Head for the phone after I contemplate lowering the ironing board to a height to sit then throwing myself onto the couch behind it. Muscle spasms twist feet in opposite directions to where they should be.
Okay, phone and 000 it is. Crap, no light to find 0 but mobile phone is on charge, press that and I have light to use landline. Very crisp young lady is right on the ball even understanding the old tart who sleeps without her teeth. Had to be very careful with "sitting" on the floor. Yes, I am very big, please send someone without a hernia problem, no I'm not bleeding or unconscious or going unconscious (I only do that when there's an apple tree handy). The front door is open.
So I wait for the ambos, filling in time by using my walking stick to turn on the lamp, pull my reading glasses off the side table and drag my cloak out of my bag to stay warm. Meanwhile the cat wakes up, real lot of help he was, wouldn't take a note for help before breakfast.
I hear boots up the drive, tell them the door is open. OMG, two youngish girls walk in and I immediately look for the portable crane. I remember not to toothlessly smile at them. They congratulate me on my bum-walking ability.
Now for the good part, one grabs a chair from the kitchen, lolly knows how she navigated that hell hole and I'm thinking I'll never get on my knees without swearing. No, this is for balance because they have this wonderful, brilliant woman designed (it had to be a woman) square plastic/rubber thing. One pushed it under me while the other dragged it. I unfartunately let go a very small Kath Lockett which considering I was on my way to the toilet when I slipped, they were lucky. This square has four compartments, each one is inflated until (this is where the balance came in) it is the height of a chair and I just stood up and walked away. No pain, the joy of no pain. I was lucky, the battery gave out with the last poof of inflate.
They were gone before the gossiping neighbours were starting for work.
I sat in the chair, fire going, tv news on, damn Chinese news, flick to get rid of that, flat batteries. I had to get up and turn it off by hand. Life can be hard sometimes.
Cat was fed, I went to sleep in the chair.
I woke up and went to sleep in the bed.
Right arm hurts so I must have kept hold of the bed post which is why I didn't crash to the floor.
Memo to self, no more lavender foot cream for the walking parts.
Never bottle up anger, punch something.
But don't get up in the middle of the night without your glasses, things happen.
I have no idea how I slipped, fell flat on my back ending up with my feet in the clothes basket. Clothes were clean, I just couldn't be bothered folding them.
I wasn't hurt, it was just a gentle slip to the floor in the dark.
I sit up ready for the usual sobbing and cringing as I kneel and throw myself on the bed. Didn't happen, both leg muscles went into instant spasm and I lay back on the floor.
Try the sitting up thing, throw washing basket out of the way and start bum-walking to the front door to see if I could open it. Thank the Goddess, yes.
Head for the nearest chair but I can't turn over, muscle spasms, lie flat again.
Head for the phone after I contemplate lowering the ironing board to a height to sit then throwing myself onto the couch behind it. Muscle spasms twist feet in opposite directions to where they should be.
Okay, phone and 000 it is. Crap, no light to find 0 but mobile phone is on charge, press that and I have light to use landline. Very crisp young lady is right on the ball even understanding the old tart who sleeps without her teeth. Had to be very careful with "sitting" on the floor. Yes, I am very big, please send someone without a hernia problem, no I'm not bleeding or unconscious or going unconscious (I only do that when there's an apple tree handy). The front door is open.
So I wait for the ambos, filling in time by using my walking stick to turn on the lamp, pull my reading glasses off the side table and drag my cloak out of my bag to stay warm. Meanwhile the cat wakes up, real lot of help he was, wouldn't take a note for help before breakfast.
I hear boots up the drive, tell them the door is open. OMG, two youngish girls walk in and I immediately look for the portable crane. I remember not to toothlessly smile at them. They congratulate me on my bum-walking ability.
Now for the good part, one grabs a chair from the kitchen, lolly knows how she navigated that hell hole and I'm thinking I'll never get on my knees without swearing. No, this is for balance because they have this wonderful, brilliant woman designed (it had to be a woman) square plastic/rubber thing. One pushed it under me while the other dragged it. I unfartunately let go a very small Kath Lockett which considering I was on my way to the toilet when I slipped, they were lucky. This square has four compartments, each one is inflated until (this is where the balance came in) it is the height of a chair and I just stood up and walked away. No pain, the joy of no pain. I was lucky, the battery gave out with the last poof of inflate.
They were gone before the gossiping neighbours were starting for work.
I sat in the chair, fire going, tv news on, damn Chinese news, flick to get rid of that, flat batteries. I had to get up and turn it off by hand. Life can be hard sometimes.
Cat was fed, I went to sleep in the chair.
I woke up and went to sleep in the bed.
Right arm hurts so I must have kept hold of the bed post which is why I didn't crash to the floor.
Memo to self, no more lavender foot cream for the walking parts.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Don't count your mothers before they despatch
The happy clappy time didn't last very long.
She's going but very slowly. Congestive heart failure and morphine to help.
But this morning she insisted on getting up and having a shower.
I'm so tired I by-passed a chocolate shop because I couldn't be bothered trying to decide what to buy.
I hit Mentone by cab this morning to find my sister waiting for a cab after her shift at the Home.
Tart had scratched the scratchie she'd bought for me and used it to buy a pizza. Karma's a bitch while she spoke to me, a little old man took her cab.
So if you don't see me again for a while, you know where I am. I'm starting to feel like a Deathwatch beetle. If mother has any idea of what's happening, she's not saying, total denial has always been her strength.
I have had to explain to a few of the newer nurses that our family is strange and than when I say we will have to drop her in a vat of molten metal to knock her off, we are just joking. The oldies know we're not joking, they've seen her come back from the brink too many times, even they refer to her as The Terminator.
I can only say that Doc Marvin is a wonder, I wish we could clone him.
She's going but very slowly. Congestive heart failure and morphine to help.
But this morning she insisted on getting up and having a shower.
I'm so tired I by-passed a chocolate shop because I couldn't be bothered trying to decide what to buy.
I hit Mentone by cab this morning to find my sister waiting for a cab after her shift at the Home.
Tart had scratched the scratchie she'd bought for me and used it to buy a pizza. Karma's a bitch while she spoke to me, a little old man took her cab.
So if you don't see me again for a while, you know where I am. I'm starting to feel like a Deathwatch beetle. If mother has any idea of what's happening, she's not saying, total denial has always been her strength.
I have had to explain to a few of the newer nurses that our family is strange and than when I say we will have to drop her in a vat of molten metal to knock her off, we are just joking. The oldies know we're not joking, they've seen her come back from the brink too many times, even they refer to her as The Terminator.
I can only say that Doc Marvin is a wonder, I wish we could clone him.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
It's been a blood moon mess
Virus, breakdown, Home saved for the moment, new desktop installed and not understood.
I've kept IE for the moment while I work out what is what and 8.1 has the start button back.
After sitting in front of the old machine wondering how my brain was going to fix anything, I picked up the keyboard to shake the crumbs out and underneath was a card from Chris advertising his expertise in all things computer. I remember getting this in the mail box ages ago and kept it in case. He charges $100 an hour but stayed much longer than two hours fixing up what I wanted to keep and explaining what not to touch then he put the screen back to XP instead of buttons everywhere.
No, I still don't know what I'm doing but I am doing it faster. And why didn't anyone mention that the dongle thing should be moved around to get a better and fast reception? He also checked on who was using what around me to see if that would interfere with reception.
He asked what I did with my bookmarks and I showed him the email I'd sent to myself and that's when he gave up. I can understand that, when I printed it out it was 15 pages long. I'll go through and get rid of a few/lot but I have an ebay button on the desktop and internet banking is a go.
I'm still dealing with the colours, ghastly yellow on the header had to go and the scanner needs a new driver for 8.1 so I have to check with Canon for that. The printer was not a problem, my dear old keyboard is still going but I might change it for the new one but the keys look so tiny. And that's another thing, the desktop is a quarter of the size of the old one.
One more thing out of the way are the new vertical blinds. Fortunately the colour that I really wanted was one of only 3 on special. See how cunning they are, advertise big sale but only 3 colours. The first words of that man's mouth was, "I see you have a cat." as stupid was sitting on the tv unit with his head through another new hole.
Computer bloke said he'd get rid of the box for me, too late the Ice Bear was already in it. Obviously not a cat person. He's bored with it now unless I put a hole in the top which will confuse him no end.
Hopefully I'm back for a while until the drugs stop working but at the moment I am zen calm.
I've kept IE for the moment while I work out what is what and 8.1 has the start button back.
After sitting in front of the old machine wondering how my brain was going to fix anything, I picked up the keyboard to shake the crumbs out and underneath was a card from Chris advertising his expertise in all things computer. I remember getting this in the mail box ages ago and kept it in case. He charges $100 an hour but stayed much longer than two hours fixing up what I wanted to keep and explaining what not to touch then he put the screen back to XP instead of buttons everywhere.
No, I still don't know what I'm doing but I am doing it faster. And why didn't anyone mention that the dongle thing should be moved around to get a better and fast reception? He also checked on who was using what around me to see if that would interfere with reception.
He asked what I did with my bookmarks and I showed him the email I'd sent to myself and that's when he gave up. I can understand that, when I printed it out it was 15 pages long. I'll go through and get rid of a few/lot but I have an ebay button on the desktop and internet banking is a go.
I'm still dealing with the colours, ghastly yellow on the header had to go and the scanner needs a new driver for 8.1 so I have to check with Canon for that. The printer was not a problem, my dear old keyboard is still going but I might change it for the new one but the keys look so tiny. And that's another thing, the desktop is a quarter of the size of the old one.
One more thing out of the way are the new vertical blinds. Fortunately the colour that I really wanted was one of only 3 on special. See how cunning they are, advertise big sale but only 3 colours. The first words of that man's mouth was, "I see you have a cat." as stupid was sitting on the tv unit with his head through another new hole.
Computer bloke said he'd get rid of the box for me, too late the Ice Bear was already in it. Obviously not a cat person. He's bored with it now unless I put a hole in the top which will confuse him no end.
Hopefully I'm back for a while until the drugs stop working but at the moment I am zen calm.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Breakdown approaching at the speed of light
It has come to pass that I don't have the energy to tell you everything that has happened since the last post. Suffice to say that I am single handedly to blame for frustrating the efforts to keep the nursing home open, according to the poisonous little toad D.O.N. All I wanted was to put Mum's name down on the ACAS list and with the placement officer so that when the time came I was ready to move her to a nursing home where she could have Doc Marvin. I wasn't moving her the next day, that rumour went round like wildfire and then we have the lickspittle carers (not the good ones) telling Mum what a terrible place I was taking her to. As though I wasn't acting under instructions from the old bag that I had to make sure she could have Doc Marvin. As of this morning she's been told she can end up in a tent in Shitter's Ditch and I won't be visiting. I think it might have been the stress that caused me to black out down the back steps, coming too, to find myself hanging on the branches of the apple tree. Funny feeling watching the sky turn purple then disappear into black but self preservation must have made me go for the tree instead of falling on my face. After the last week, I'm calling that good luck.
This is me at the moment. Volcanic rage encased in glass, hopefully for all concerned, not to be broken. I've seen a lot of paperweights but never with a volcano inside.
More good news. I have a new desktop which is so much more powerful than the dear old 2005 unit I'm using now. Does anybody know a 10 year old kid who will set it up for me? First take all images off the old one and go through emails and save all passwords. It comes with IE 8.1 version. Anybody know if this is okay? And I don't think that using the back up from 2005 will be enough for 2014. Instead of working with 1G of RAM, I'll have 4 and 1 Terrabyte of HDD, haven't a clue what that means. I like a desktop because if the flat screen monitor goes, I can get a new one and I have two keyboards which I change around to help the arthritis, seems to work. I may need a new mouse considering the beating this one has had lately. Nothing like smashing a mouse up and down to make a page load faster. And where I have it all set up I can cloud watch or moon watch through the window. When I shut down, I walk away and with a laptop I don't think I could do that. I'll be right as soon as I open the box, haven't had time to even read the instructions or look at the nice black shineyness of it.
And the Queen of Fonts will reign again, I can put them all back. I've been working with 10 only, very frustrating.
More good news. I have a new desktop which is so much more powerful than the dear old 2005 unit I'm using now. Does anybody know a 10 year old kid who will set it up for me? First take all images off the old one and go through emails and save all passwords. It comes with IE 8.1 version. Anybody know if this is okay? And I don't think that using the back up from 2005 will be enough for 2014. Instead of working with 1G of RAM, I'll have 4 and 1 Terrabyte of HDD, haven't a clue what that means. I like a desktop because if the flat screen monitor goes, I can get a new one and I have two keyboards which I change around to help the arthritis, seems to work. I may need a new mouse considering the beating this one has had lately. Nothing like smashing a mouse up and down to make a page load faster. And where I have it all set up I can cloud watch or moon watch through the window. When I shut down, I walk away and with a laptop I don't think I could do that. I'll be right as soon as I open the box, haven't had time to even read the instructions or look at the nice black shineyness of it.
And the Queen of Fonts will reign again, I can put them all back. I've been working with 10 only, very frustrating.
Sunday, September 07, 2014
If I had the energy I'd re-invent myself as an Anarchist
I didn't think I could hate any politician as much as John Winston Howard but consider him as a pink marshmallow compared to the mouldy vicious lot that holds power now. $800,000 for a bomb proof car? Why bother, Abbott's mouth is so big any one with good aim could chuck a bomb straight down his gullet. As for Hockey, I hope his gastric band corrodes and he explodes and does an "Aunt Marge", disappearing over the horizon never to be seen again.
This government has taken the subsidy from pensioners in nursing homes and forced all homes to require a bond. This bond can be anything from $300,000 to $400,00 and then residents have to find the daily cost of care. If you're a large company running a large nursing home then you get more money from the government and this is forcing small places to close. This is what is happening to my mother's nursing home.
The Kingston Council owns the land and the building. The Comm. of Management owns the bed licences. The Council has given us enough funds to the end of October and it won't matter how many petitions we collect or public anger raises a voice, we're more or less stuffed. Suddenly talk of helping us look for suitable places and offers of assistance in moving has gone quiet. According to Doc Marvin, who has experience, they will already have a plan to shove the oldies into anywhere they can get them. The idea is that then the partners or relatives can try to get them into a home near where they used to be, as long as they are out of Mentone after October.
I am 'persona non grata' because I was asked after the meeting what I thought by the cheery Com of Man. lady who is all gung ho and we won't go. I told her all it was were weasel words, meaning nothing and the Home was doomed. Funnily enough she looked right through me when we met the next day.
Oh woe is me, did I hit the nail on the head? The residents who came to the Home from the 1st of July have had to pay a bond but we were never informed of this. High level care homes never had bonds. After 5 years my mother doesn't have a lot of money left, plenty if this place stayed open but not enough to front up a bond if she goes to another place. And why should we after paying over nearly 280,000 dollars less pension for the last five years. I was too tired to do all the sums properly like add up the pension and take that off the Home accounts and then add up the clothes, books, dvds and such.
Fortunately with sister being in the geriatric health system we have a head start on placements and should know how we stand next week. By the way, there will be no meeting next week at the Home.
We'll leave mum where she is for the moment, just in case miracles happen. All the residents are very upset even the dementia ones, they can sense things are not right. Sister says the odds of 50% being alive 2 months after they're moved is about right. It has come to this, old people in need are big business but old pensioners are also the new bludgers according to our great leader.
Now I have to go and phone the BOH and tee him up to remove the huge bird bath we bought for mum so she could watch the birds from her bed. That's ours and we're moving it now.
This government has taken the subsidy from pensioners in nursing homes and forced all homes to require a bond. This bond can be anything from $300,000 to $400,00 and then residents have to find the daily cost of care. If you're a large company running a large nursing home then you get more money from the government and this is forcing small places to close. This is what is happening to my mother's nursing home.
The Kingston Council owns the land and the building. The Comm. of Management owns the bed licences. The Council has given us enough funds to the end of October and it won't matter how many petitions we collect or public anger raises a voice, we're more or less stuffed. Suddenly talk of helping us look for suitable places and offers of assistance in moving has gone quiet. According to Doc Marvin, who has experience, they will already have a plan to shove the oldies into anywhere they can get them. The idea is that then the partners or relatives can try to get them into a home near where they used to be, as long as they are out of Mentone after October.
I am 'persona non grata' because I was asked after the meeting what I thought by the cheery Com of Man. lady who is all gung ho and we won't go. I told her all it was were weasel words, meaning nothing and the Home was doomed. Funnily enough she looked right through me when we met the next day.
Oh woe is me, did I hit the nail on the head? The residents who came to the Home from the 1st of July have had to pay a bond but we were never informed of this. High level care homes never had bonds. After 5 years my mother doesn't have a lot of money left, plenty if this place stayed open but not enough to front up a bond if she goes to another place. And why should we after paying over nearly 280,000 dollars less pension for the last five years. I was too tired to do all the sums properly like add up the pension and take that off the Home accounts and then add up the clothes, books, dvds and such.
Fortunately with sister being in the geriatric health system we have a head start on placements and should know how we stand next week. By the way, there will be no meeting next week at the Home.
We'll leave mum where she is for the moment, just in case miracles happen. All the residents are very upset even the dementia ones, they can sense things are not right. Sister says the odds of 50% being alive 2 months after they're moved is about right. It has come to this, old people in need are big business but old pensioners are also the new bludgers according to our great leader.
Now I have to go and phone the BOH and tee him up to remove the huge bird bath we bought for mum so she could watch the birds from her bed. That's ours and we're moving it now.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Sunday Sundae
And a big Happy Birthday to Anne O'Dyne.
And this is her present which she won't have because I didn't win Powerball on Thursday night but nothing says Happy Birthday like a faux French chateau cottage in the country or an image of.
I'd still like the splashy one in my fish pond in my manicured garden.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Wanted. One rock, large, for hiding under.
Just one moment more while I stare into those eyes and drink in a dose of calm and try to remember all the things I haven't blogged lately.
Five years Mother has been in the Home.
In that time I have put on 20kgs.
Taken on 6 more tablets a day.
Been diagnosed with Diabetes.
Been annoyed constantly by Diabetes Educator because they keep changing the rules.
Agoraphobia has been upgraded from mild nuisance to outright hysteria where my head whirls in LSD colours and I hang on to fences to make it home.
I have nerve damage to both feet which makes me fall over if I wear slippers but on the other hand (foot) since there's not much feeling, cold and frostbite hasn't worried me this winter. Circulation is still good, should have seen the blood when I stood on the broken glass.
Both legs look like I stole them from a passing elephant, too much fluid.
I have no friends in real life, I have only you precious lot who wander here to leave a comment every so often.
And I am Mother's slave.
But Doc Marvin has bravely taken on my crappy health.
Pathetic, non?
Well there's more (as they say on those hideous commercials), the Home is going to be closed. Oh, they are trying to save it but at 90 seconds to shut down, saving it is not really on the cards. They should have looked into it 12 months ago. Kingston Council would love the land for high density housing so why should they care about 30 residents. Those fucking bastards of the Liberal party in Canberra who have labelled all pensioners as a drain on the country, sucking it dry of money forgetting that all pensioners worked and paid taxes, have decided as of July 1 that all nursing homes must charge a bond. They have also dropped the amount of subsidy for each resident. There are beds empty when, in the past, there was always a waiting list. So people coming through with Bonds in mind, are looking for single rooms with ensuites and ritzy furnishings instead of looking at the quality of nursing.
One of Mother's roomies has a wealthy husband who went through all those ritzy homes and chose this one because of the view to the garden and Ma's friendly face and pretty space in the opposite corner.
They say 6 weeks before they know but I think it will be much sooner than that. Are they going to help us find new places, no. Will they help the poor of us that don't have a bond, no. Will they pack up and move the residents, no. Will they make sure the new place is somewhere easy to get to by bus or train, no. Will they make sure that the residents won't leave Kingston and lose their doctor, no. Goodbye Doc Marvin.
After 5 years I thought I would have a life that didn't involve anyone but me, the cat, the possums and a passing mouse. It seems I must go through the whole process again. I have one, no, two bright lights. Doc Marvin likes the old girl and will help re-settle her if he can. And the bitch cook who has constantly tried to poison then entire Home will never get another job. That goes a long way to making up for everything else.
Now about that large rock, make it big enough for me and blues eyes up there. You may now sob in your coffee and send truckloads of sympathy.
Monday, August 04, 2014
Just a short blog
Make that last month and this month. I can hardly type, see or move. I fell out of the taxi (SOBER) yesterday and I am hurting. I even managed to blacken my eye a bit so it's twitching like crazy. The driver is probably still in shock and since he was knee high to a grasshopper, he had no chance of hauling me up. The grass was wet with dew so I couldn't get any purchase with the feet and the kneeling on the scar tissue was really a hurt I could do without. Fortunately my neighbour came over and grabbed a patio chair, so with both holding the back of the chair steady, I managed to crawl up and sit. After I sit I can stand up and walk away, no problems until the brain starts getting "attention! Pain" from everywhere. I always ask the drivers to park away from the gutter edge so I can put my feet down flat then get out but hernextdoor's daughter was giving violin lessons so parking anywhere was a problem especially anywhere near my drive not her's. It was as I turned to get my things from the back seat that I went splat. It just added to the hurts from trying to get into a jeep in the pouring rain last Thursday. I didn't have a choice, it was that or stay with mother. The taxi website crashed and so did the phone site. I should have left sooner but since it was my birthday I thought I should stay with the old girl. Wrong, she rang on Friday terribly sorry because she didn't say Happy Birthday and she had an awful night because she couldn't remember how old I was or where I was born. And I arrived home freezing cold and soaking wet and hurting. Now hurting more and still shaking. I'll pick myself up and be back soon.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Ducks are back
The ducks were back on the nature strip last night and the BOH couldn't believe they were so tame. It was too cold to go out and get a photo so I searched and found these. They are Australian Wood Ducks and if you search, make sure you search for Victorian live ducks otherwise you get lovely photos of dead ducks swinging off the back of bogan utes during duck hunting season. The brown ducks called black ducks are the Pacific Black Ducks. They all have artsyfartsy Latin names.
There has also been another confirmed sighting of the filligree hamster in my kitchen. Ever had the feeling you were being watched? Two beady eyes, two little ears peeping out from under the toaster oven. It was only about 6cm long and took off across the bench which in my kitchen is like an obstacle course. I think he is coming in through where the dishwasher used to be and if he's living off my kitchen floor then he probably only has days to live or he's bacteria resistant and will live a mutant existance forever.
Behold the household mouse catcher in his usual position in front of the fire. The only time he's going to catch it is if it runs straight into his mouth. I don't have the heart to put a trap down even the humane catcher. If I let it loose in the backyard, the ravens or magpies will yell 'Banquet' and chomp it.
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