worries about Mum

September 6 2013

I am upset about being cut off from contact with my mother now that she is in a nursing home. No one is reading the letters I write to her and phone access is difficult as there is a shared line available to residents that cuts out after a few minutes and is bugged by interruptions. When my mother was in her old house I phoned her for a long talk every weekend and wrote her a long letter with photos once a month. Liz would read her the letters and Olivier would read her extracts from my blog. I do not think Mum is seeing these people so much now. I have started a new blog just in case Olivia is willing to pass on news.

There is not much I can do to help my elderly relatives in the UK but they have all said that they enjoy my letters and blog and they beg me to keep on writing and excuse them for being unable to reply.  I am wondering if I could learn how to read my own letters onto a CD and send that over. Al is also frustrated with the restrictions in communication and he is planning to send over a jar of marmalade. I suppose we are all searching for ways to let my mother know that we have not forgotten her.

Actually we did get a brief telephone conversation this week. It was difficult to hear anything but Mum said that at last a doctor has found a painkiller that has helped. She describes it as an epilepsy drug and on the Internet I have discovered that anti convulsant drugs can help stroke victims with pain and are relatively safe. She says now that she is in less pain she can sleep better and has more energy to try and sort out problems with her new life style. She wants me to ring Beatrix to check that the phone problem is being sorted. I am fighting an infection this week and have a fever and sore throat so I have not tackled this yet. I find my sister is very defensive and I have to be careful how I say things; I certainly don’t mean to sound unappreciative of her efforts.

Tomorrow we have an election and the general feeling is that the Abbott government will get in. I am sad about this because I think the Rudd government did a good job of managing the economy over difficult times. I will never forget that Howard committed this county into the war with Iraq without Parliament of the peoples backing. With the trouble in Syria very careful diplomacy is necessary. I fail to see how military intervention can help the people there be any safer.

On a happier not the rug we ordered in Turkey has arrived and it looks great in Edd’s room. I always worry when I have to guess the size and colour needed but in this case everything worked out OK.

LAST DAYS OF WINTER

Aug 29 2013

Last night we gathered at Bo’s place to celebrate Wayne’s birthday. The green-eyed monsters have changed a lot recently and were extremely civilised. Morgan played his ukulele and sang a song perfectly, which impressed us all. The boys are now at a new school and already Morgan is a different kid. Beth has him on a zero dairy and low gluten diet and she thinks that is really helping.

The sad thing was that Wayne looked so down. He has just helped his team get into the footy finals and is off on holiday next week but his life is bounding out of control again. He is cleaning out his last apartment but the guy he shared with will not come and move his stuff, his new house mate has an alcohol problem and his girl friend has reorganised his holiday into something he has no control over.

We just wish he would ask for help. Bo and I could have easily gone and cleaned out the old place for him. We all need help, but with a big group of us we usually cope.

Today Stevo came and helped Edd put up the doors Edd has made. It took ages because they are made of heavy recycled Oregon but they look great now they are up and replacing the cloth we had stapled up. 

There was a drying wind so I went out on the mower and cut down all the cape weed that takes over from grass at this time of year. If I keep it under control the grass grows and gets dominance soon.

I have also started cleaning up in the garden. It always amazes me how much dead and weedy growth there is to be moved every year.