New Year Resolutions

New Year Resolutions

I have decided my first resolution for 2018 is to be more consistent in writing this blog1

At home, just going from day to day, there is always a lot to do. Without exception, there are things that have to be done every day; Mum has to be got up by the carers, and they wash and dress her. We then take over, washing Mum's face and hands, and helping her to brush her teeth - those she has left, anyway! Then we make Mum's breakfast, lunch and tea.  This involves one of us always being present, to prepare the food, and then make sure Mum eats and drinks properly.  In itself, this isn't a problem; we try to consider mealtimes as positive times of day, and make them as enjoyable as possible.  When Mum is happy and in a good mood, it really makes it so easy; we can chat - even if it a bit repetitive - watch children's television, or I'll read items out of the newspaper that might interest her.

Sometimes, I'll do some mending; that's when Mum usually says, "Oh, I can do that for you!" and I reply, "Oh that's lovely - I'll bring in a needle and some thread for you!"

"I can't see to thread the needle," says Mum.

"Don't worry about that - I'll thread it for you."

A couple of minutes later, she will have forgotten about it, and so we carry on as before.

Spending so many hours a day with Mum one on one is fine, but it leaves little time for other things that also need doing; the washing, ironing, shopping and - for me - writing.  All the days seem to blend into one, and that's how the days, weeks and months fly by. There are times when I am so tired at the end of the day, I just cannot keep going for any longer, and need to sleep; the idea of settling down for a while to do something creative flies out of the window and, as we all know, creativity is not a patient beast. If I can't just find that short time to give rein to my ideas when they are fresh in my head, by the morning, like the days, they have flown.

Since well before Christmas (a couple of months before, in fact), there was so much else going on - (not least having to make sure the "infinity" DNR instruction was lifted from Mum's medical records, which, thank goodness. was resolved - and  also arranging Mum's birthday trip to the Ritz, and then writing enough Christmas cards to keep the Royal Mail going for another year) - that writing posts for the blog fell by the wayside.

It wasn't the only thing I fell behind with, either.  I am still adrift with dozens of Christmas cards - all written, with envelopes stamped but, alas, without the letters I like to enclose with them.

I realise we need days that are 25 hours long, and weeks of 8 days each! and so Wendy came up with the brilliant idea that, for this year, as it is still part of the Christmas-Epiphany season, we shall aim for Candlemas - 2 February - to send out the rest of our Christmas cards. Even if it is later than usual, they will all be sent; I think (and hope!) everyone will understand it wasn't from lack of will they may not have heard from me in December, but the New Year will bring my good wishes, and resolution to do better in future!

Taking a cue from old school reports, that might have contained remarks like:  "Must try harder!" and "Could do better!"  - I shall! I shall!!