Sunday, July 08, 2012

Life's ups and downs (well, downs, but let's put a positive slant on things)


Britain, as British people will know only too well, has just experienced its wettest June since records began and July looks as if it might be much the same. I think England has been getting more precipitation, by the pint, than Scotland, but we've had frequent steady drizzle or smirr (rain in the mist) with the occasional downpour just to ring the changes. Yesterday we had very heavy rain for a few hours and this is what the flowerbed about a yard from our front door looked like. Rather alarming, though I trust that the slugs which have been eating my pansies and lilies got a bit of a shock. I don't think they're good swimmers, though frankly I'm not sure that pansies and lilies are either. (You may be able to see pink stuff looming through the deluge round these nibbled plants - this is cat litter which I've put round them, on advice from a bloggy friend, and it does seem to discourage the little horrors. But I think it's a bit late for the lilies, which have been gravely chewed.)

 The cats do not approve of rain. Here they are yesterday, sitting on the crossword.  

Thank you for all your kind sympathy re my mum. She varies a lot from day to day. Yesterday she was sure that my dad (who died in 2007) was trying to phone her, she saw words written on the ceiling (there were none) and she tried to drink a cup of tea which wasn't there and got very upset when she couldn't bring it to her lips. Today she was less confused but was hopeful of getting to Son's wedding next Saturday. This is in a way worse since she isn't going to be able to go but doesn't see why not. And she's forgotten that it's been decided that she should go into a hospice, and is talking about coming home.

Yes, Son's wedding... . The timing isn't great. But life must go on.

9 comments:

  1. Oh dear. Dealing with confusion must be so hard.
    I hope there is a near to perfect hospice that is near to you..

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  2. Well.....any plants that survive your deluge will be hardy, that's for sure! When my husband's mother didn't know him any more that really saddened him - when she asked him "who are you" and he answered "I'm Kevin, Mum" she replied "I had a little boy called Kevin once". It is upsetting.

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  3. That just might do for your slugs and snails - I hope so.
    If son and bride can fit in a visit to your Mum wearing their wedding gear that may be all she needs?
    I remember visiting R's Grandfather who could not attend our wedding. He said to R, "Now you've been and gone and done it boy!( meaning there was no turning back.)

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  4. Your poor mother. It is difficult when things fall apart so suddenly. I do hope the transfer to the hospice happens soon and goes smoothly. Have a good time at the wedding.

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  5. I do hope that she finds some sort of peace and doesn't feel anxious and that you and your son and family enjoy the wedding..life does indeed have to go on.

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  6. The wedding gear idea sounds like a possible plan? Love to you all. It was dry on the west coast this weekend, a little rain on Mull but not much. Having nice lentil soup in Crianlarich and WT in touch with the States, ie working then home to Cheshire. Thank you, Scotland, a lovely time, shame about Andy.

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  7. Oh, the unfairness of it all. I cannot bear to think of the important, yet sad things (though you know I am very sympathetic) so I'll just hide my head in the sand and turn to the weather. We probably had one of the driest Junes on record -- apparently you have your rain plus ours. And they said on the radio today that within the next week or two they'll mandate watering bans. I hope that won't include vegetable gardens. ;-(

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  8. Oh goodness, you have your hands full and I'm sorry. The final stage of life is so very difficult for everyone, not just the patient. Keep on keeping on, as the saying goes, and I hope you'll be able to enjoy the wedding. Your Mum would want you to do just that.

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  9. Oh, I have just seen this. Big, big hugs to you and yours!

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