h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Scary. A speedy recovery to Liam.

Yikes, what a couple of situations...

It is scary about people on the sides of the roads - I was once at lights when I saw a man running up to cars randomly, luckily not armed, just being silly, but it was very intimidating, and I was glad of central locking, so I just avoided looking at him and carefully went past as soon as the lights changed...

That is just terrible about what Liam went through - no words to say anything about how people could do that... Very glad he's mending...

Look after yourself, too

Thank you all.

Laura & Liam are both doing well I'm pleased to report. I don't know if Laura worries about her son as much as I do, she tends to bottle things up, and doesn't like to worry me.

Liam has broken multiple bones over the years, he seems to be plastered up every year for some mishap.but he always mends and I'm grateful he has a thick skull like his grandma

TC, I put shopping lists in the kitchen for us to add to (me & the carers) as and when Mum runs out of stuff. It's there to be picked up, unless she just forgot or wanted me to text items required so she could just access it while she's in the supermarket.

The blessed lunch carer gave me a lift home today as there was nothing for her to do and it was raining and I'd left this morning with no coat as the weather forecast said it was going to be fine all day

I'm now going to put my feet up and enjoy Andy Murray's match

Sorry that happened to Liam, I hope they checked him out for a possible concussion. I hope you enjoy your matches! Take care of yourself, sweetie. You are so good about caring for everyone else remember Benjamin's advise to carers to take care of themselves as well!

1- I hope he can give the a good description of all
2- sadly, it doesn't look like "anyone" will come forward as witnesses
3- If they get who's done it - and I hate writing this - any punishment = slap on hand, that's naughty

bring back the stocks in the market place

hope he recovers well and speedily, physically and (mentally from the trauma)

Thanks very much

Laura popped round last night with a huge punnet of freshly picked for me and we had a good long girlie chat. She's starting a new job this week and may be going on a training course next week - in which case she'll need me to mind her and lend me her car again

I don't know when I'll next see Liam as he's at his Dad's home, and yes, he had a full medical check-up in A&E

The tennis is very welcome indeed as a distraction from RL. Andy Murray continues to progress and last night Novak Djokovic (current Wimbledon champion) had a real scare going two sets down to Kevin Anderson. It was 2-2 when play was suspended due to bad light so they're going to have a one-set shoot-out today.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/22713811


I'm going to the cinema this morning with Ian and then we're having after lunch

GB, what a terrible time you have had. Glad all is well now and hope all the low lives et caught.

for delay but I have been offline for a few days and didn't see your messages. Small adjustment needed to router, but I don't touch anything unless I know what I am doing Thank goodness for sons

Take care,

Websailor

No problem Webby, good to have you back

I'm looking forward to the final between Djokovic and Federer in a few minutes. Unless it's over super-quickly, I'll be missing some due to taking Laura to the train station ready for her training course commencing tomorrow and I have the car until Friday

Liam continues to recoverthank you

It's been a while... Mum continues to live on although I can tell by her eyes that she's had enough. On Saturday she failed to remember how old she was and couldn't recall her date of birth - having guessed it incorrectly she asked me for confirmation. When I left with my sister for a lift home, she asked me to give her love to my little doggy (I have a cat which she has met and even had as a house guest whom we discuss regularly)

She will be 96 on 1st October. My sister wants us to have a fundraiser - asking people to drop in between 5-6pm for birthday cake and a cup of tea and leave a donation for the hospice rather than buy a birthday gift. I'm still wondering whether it's a good idea.

Sounds a good idea to me, something positive as she is unlikely to take much note of presents and that can upset some people. Unless you can join together and get something which she needs and would really help.

It is sad but 96 is an amazing age, I just wish everyone could stay as healthy and fit as the Queen and Duke. Don't let anyone say it is because they are rich and spoilt because that has no bearing whatever on the condition of the brain!

Take care,

Websailor

I don't think that lady is spoilt. (Queen, I mean.) I think she's very energetic.

And best to your mum, GB.

my mam hits 89 yrs this Thursday

remember this! look after your mam. Because no matter HOW old YOU are - to mam! your still not too old to be given a clout round the ear...I know!!!!!

I have no doubt that you are still her little boy, however troublesome

Websailor

We (my sister, her daughter and me) ended up taking Mum out for in her favourite fish & chips restaurant, she had baked salmon and banoffee cheesecake with but got a complementary brandy as it was her birthday

She got lots of cards and flowers

Since then she hasn't been very well, I ended up calling out her GP last Friday who diagnosed a chest infection so she's back on antibiotics.

After her usual bath, when she hadn't joined in with the "Splish-splash" song we always sing, and instead of saying she felt like a new woman afterwards, she told me she didn't know what she'd do without me.

I feel like things are changing and my sister feels it too, she was sent home from work on Monday due to a problem with the building, and instead of going home, came to spend the day with me & Mum at Mum's house instead, and gave me a lift home.

My younger brother is away on holiday but my older brother is visiting this Saturday and will take me & Mum out for lunch with him and his wife. It's only a month since their last visit, I shouldn't be surprised to hear from him (and it was a long phone call, for him) but I was. He also told me how much they appreciate all I am doing for Mum.

"taking Mum out [for] in her favourite fish & chips restaurant" how do you drive a restaurant ??


you had a good day out

Thanks for keeping us up to date as always. Good luck on Saturday

Wow, 11 months have passed since I wrote here?!?

I am still looking after the little girl in an old woman's body. 4 days a week I cancel the morning & lunch carers and go get her up, washed, dried, creamed, teeth brushed, hair brushed, dressed, breakfasted, then either housework or laundry until lunch, prepare lunch & pots washed, shopping gets done as and when. Except for Friday when she gets a bath. (This week the bath chair conked out so I had to wash her myself while she was seated above the bath). Covering the carer calls manages to save Mum £55 out of £165 (I think, my brother deals with the actual finances) otherwise her outgoings would be more than her income. We stopped receiving help from Social Services/the council some time ago. Luckily I was given a car by my partner Ian's son-in-law who bought himself a van and no longer required his 2002 motor. I couldn't have been more overjoyed and how serendipitous it was, considering I am now helping to care for very poorly Ian

The journal about Ian's illness is here: F43348?thread=8316489 please comment there about him and keep this journal for Mum, thank you everyone

Yesterday we celebrated Mum's 97th birthday at the Ocean Fish Bar, Mum's favourite restaurant. Ten of my family were there, including my prodigal son Andrew and it was the first time his older brother had seen him in years. I have photos on Facebook, but as always, I think you have to have an account to see them, although I have made them public for interested parties:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154140990516185&set=a.10150329718346185.337183.655656184&type=3&theater (Mum & myself)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154141001896185&set=a.10150329718346185.337183.655656184&type=3&theater (family group, shy Harrison is hiding behind Andrew)

I must tell you what happened earlier in the day, my Mum still has a younger brother very much alive and kicking at 94, my Uncle Eddie who lives in Whitby ("it's the sea air") he's such a livewire and fantastic personality, still fully compus mentus and active, doesn't own any walking sticks or other aids. He phoned before we left for the restaurant. Here goes the conversation:

"Hello? It's our Eddie here, can I speak to our Violet? Oh wait a minute, is that our Ann?"
(Me: Hello Uncle Eddie, yes, it's Ann)
"Oh good, before you pass me to our Vi, can I have a chat with you when we're finished? Don't put the phone down, will you remember?"
(Me: Yes, OK, here's Mum now)
I left them to chat and share some birthday memories and then I hear her saying bye, so I took the phone off her and spoke to Eddie.
He said: "I saw you on the teevee last night, you did well our lass (I could hear my cousin Fiona giggling in the background) but I am going to let you in on a family secret now, 8 weeks ago I went to audition for Britain's Got Talent so you might be seeing me on the teevee next!"
(I had to pick myself up off the floor...)
He said he went along to the auditions and when he said his name and age, they asked him to sit and wait. They kept him until the end and everyone else had gone home, then they turned the camera on him and asked him to tell them his life story, which he did (he's a war veteran). He then went on stage and told a few jokes. It must have been like it was raining gold dust to the tv crew & researchers. I'll be watching the BGT auditions for my Uncle Eddie he had me laughing out loud which is very rare and fleeting these days

Oh GB, you had me laughing and crying at the same time thwre! Good luck to Uncle Eddie. You are a family of great personalities!