We went up to Son's at the weekend and saw him and the UnBloggables, who're now 7 and 4 and delightful. This is the view from his garden. Ideally, I would live somewhere like this too, though it wouldn't be practical as an old person if one couldn't drive. In town, we can walk or get the bus. There, they drive everywhere. Anyway, with one child north and one south, we have to stay in Edinburgh, which is gettatable from both directions. But at heart, I'm not a city person. I would prefer to live in a small town in East Lothian, with views of the sea, and just visit the city from time to time.
Hey ho.
It's fully spring now, and we've had some very pleasant weather. This gorse by the riverside smells wonderfully coconutty.
And of course we went to the Botanics the other day, which always lifts the spirits.
Yesterday we visited friends in the west of Scotland. We walked along Loch Winnoch in the sunshine. it was lovely: good company, fresh air, sunshine, swans, delicious food.
So: nothing's happened. But this is all right.
I sat down beside another soprano in choir yesterday evening and said, "How are you?"
"Fine," she said, in an obviously not-fine way.
"Oh dear," I said, "what's the matter?"
"I've been told I've got dementia," she said.
It's what everyone our age dreads, isn't it? Hard to think of words of consolation - well, there aren't really any.
Those views are spectacular, especially along the loch. I can't imagine a better city to live in than Edinburgh; it doesn't feel big or overwhelming and it's SO beautiful. Your poor choir friend. Although no one in my family has had dementia, I'm still terrified of it. Watching John's mom's decline with it was heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful view from your son's garden, though probably a bit draughty at times.
ReplyDeleteYour poor friend - what a depressing diagnosis.
Beautiful views and walks.
ReplyDeleteAt least your friend is aware. My husband's cousin has been getting a little frail and has had dementia slowly developing over the past two years...but she is 93 or 94...she enjoys going to dementia exercise and talk and singing groups.
What a lovely view from your son's garden. I can only imagine the pull you must feel with the distances you have to visit your family. Fortunately our only child was insistent he bought in the suburb we live in - it has an excellent school and is very close to the centre of the city.
ReplyDeleteWe too have a friend who's sinking very quickly into dementia - a lot of the time he's perfectly lucid and his usual self, then unexpectedly he will repeat a section of conversation three or more times and need gently leading on. Tragic, and so very hard for his wife. Recently she needed to go away for a week, and he was put into a nearby Retirement Village which he was very resistant about, but once he got there he settled well and his wife was able to relax, and although he was happy to be home again afterwards, it is now possible for her to get away when she needs to. The sooner there's a medical breakthrough in its treatment the better!
So very sad for your friend. Sometimes I think we should go back to the way it was in the 60's - when my grandmother got cancer, they didn't tell her it was terminal. Why do they have to tell us if we get dementia? Just let us fade away happy.
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