September 19, 2010

Family reunion day.  It is also the first day back for me to see mom.  I didn't see mom at breakfast since I had to run to Walmart to get the chicken for the reunion as well as macaroni salad.  That took care of what mom and I would bring.  I ran into Tony there picking up his stuff.  He always gets a sandwich tray and brings the soda and ice.  So I told him I'd meet him at mom's but I wasn't going to wait for him.  I had to give mom a couple of presents that I brought back for her.

I made it to the nursing home in good time and went into mom's room.  I figured I had a couple of minutes before going back to the car and getting the food out.  She was laying down and told me she was being punished.  Being over 90 and being punished was interesting so I asked her why.  She couldn't remember.  I asked a nurses aide who was coming into her room and it appeared that mom had tried to get in and out of her wheel chair by herself again.  That is when she is most vulnerable to falling so they don't want her to do it by herself.  Mom appeared to like the stuffed Northern Cardinal that I brought back for her from the Bird Refuge in Utah.  If you press it's stomach and back it will chirp.  I don't think she has enough strength to make it chirp but she also can't hear it chirp so that is a minor point.  I'm not sure if her hearing aids need new batteries or what.  She doesn't like anybody else to touch them besides Kerm and Kerm won't be seeing her for a bit.

I rolled mom down to the room which was reserved for us.  She couldn't remember being there before even though it was the same room as last year.  Her memory is fading fast and she does not have much interest in things lately.  Tony arrived shortly after that so there was somebody else to talk to.  MaryAnn, Ken and Betty Lou arrived about 10 minutes later.  It was a nice surprise to see Ken.  He doesn't come to our gatherings very often so that was a special treat.  No sooner had everybody said Hi to mom, then Matthew, Julie, and Gwen.

Notice that mom is actually smiling in that picture.  I also took a picture of Ken.  He was watching a slideshow of my pictures from Utah.  I had a nice conversation with him about Utah.  He had been to Salt Lake City and the Salt Lake.  A place one does not want to roll down the windows at.  :)

I think that everybody had a good time.  Mom got tired and didn't want to eat anything so I took her back to her room around 1:30.  She also had some of the food on a plate for when she wanted it later.  Just some cheese and fruit but it will be good.  I went back to the others after making sure she got to lay down.  I will see her on Wednesday again and back to the normal schedule.

I had plenty of left overs.  Chicken strips and fruit mostly.  We split up the food so everybody took some stuff home.  That means I won't have to cook for the next day or two.  Tomorrow is the September breakfast gathering at work so I don't need to eat breakfast before work.  I already have my contribution at work so I don't have to worry about it.  I am furnishing diet syrup for the waffles that might be made.  Normally I bring more but after the vacation it is all that I have.

It's time to stop writing and get to bed.  Until next time....