Every cloud has a silver lining

True, mum is getting deafer, more forgetful and more easily confused by life but sometimes this combination can result in rather heartwarming moments of silent hilarity (on my part). Today has provided two such examples:

1. Whilst waiting in the doctor's surgery, mum announces loudly "I hope I don't have to strip off for the doctor - I'm not wearing a bra."
2. In a rather busy Boots....
Mum: Ooh! Two for the price of one!
Me: No, they wouldn't be any use to you, mum
Mum: What are they?
Me: Durex.
Mum: What are they used for?
Me: (chickening out) Don't you remember?!

And the nice thing is, thanks to Prozac, I can enjoy these little eccentricities without becoming totally self-conscious and embarrassed....as I was that time in the hospital when mum focused on a lady sitting on the opposite side of the room and in a stage whisper said to me "she's fat isn't she?"....(pause)....please don't say any more mum, she might not have heard.... "I'd rather be skinny than fat."

Messing about on the computer - 1, visiting old friend - 0

Sweet 'watercolour' portraits of young son and daughter - 2
Preliminary unsatisfactory attempts at above - double figures
Rather Vettriano-like treatment of clinch with husband in the days when I had a waist - 1
Equally unsatisfactory versions of same - you guessed it
Number of hours spent on all this ocular abuse - 6
OCD - me?

Are we downhearted?

Curiously, no.

I had today all planned out...lie in, tidy up a bit, relax, get ready to pootle down the motorway for a romantic evening and breakfast with husband, then straight to mum's tomorrow and await the lady bringing her new stick before taking mum for a mooch round Guisborough market.

And what has actually happened is....was up by 8.30, messed about on the computer for a while, couldn't get the photo-from-mobile-to-computer programme to work, washed up, washed clothes, ironed, put clothes away, had phone call confirming mum's new stick would be arriving tomorrow somewhere between 10 and 4 (?!) then had another phone call to say all change - they need her wrist to floor measurement before they can supply the stick, which means we have to go back to see the nurse at the surgery tomorrow. Then, when I texted husband to say I'd be setting off in an hour and expected to arrive around 6, he replied somewhat unenthusiastically that he would probably be in bed as he'd 'had a session' with workmates. He was quick to agree that tonight's rendevous was probably not a good idea, so that was that. Ah well, am having fun creating watercolours out of photos on the computer.

I think if it weren't for the Prozac, I'd be curled up in bed feeling sorry for myself by now. As it is, I plan on going out for tea with lovely daughter then dropping in on an old friend that I keep promising to visit but never get round to it.

Enjoy!

I've just discovered a brilliant, free download for a photo editor called PhotoScape that's way better than the old image editing programme that came with my computer about 8 years ago (it disappeared when we redecorated the back room). I've only scratched the surface so far with oil paint and watercolour versions of favourite snaps, but already the chances of an early night are rapidly decreasing! I downloaded PhotoScape quickly from the site in the link without any problems, although I would recommend saving it to computer and virus checking it first before opening it (I did, it was fine.) Here's a gorgeous colour engraving treatment to the original photo above....

Good day

I've had a lovely day today and I think I would not have organised/enjoyed it so well without the magic tablets. First I had a little lie-in then phoned the hairdresser who managed to fit me in at short notice, with the result that I now sport a very snazzy tapered bob that I didn't even have to fiddle with when I got home! (I have spent the past 2 hours attempting to put a photo of said masterpiece into this post but decided in the end, even having altered it to look a bit like a misty oil painting, it was still too personal to feel comfortable.)

Anyhoo, still in town, I managed to snaffle a few bargains - a great padded jacked from Boyes for winter/dog walks and a book about Philip and Elizabeth from the charity shop for my mum (she's mad for the monarchy, especially if there's scandal involved). Off to mum's after lunch and phoned a gardener for an estimate on some work she wants doing - he came round within an hour! (Although I doubt mum will go for it, at the very least he was quoting £300 for the front and back and she is very careful with her money.) Then took mum to Stokesley to see whether the Boyes there had a jacket to fit her (it didn't) and back home for tea. Escaped early as I'd left my penicillin tablets at home, but she didn't mind because I'd promised to go round tomorrow morning and help her with her washing.

Time for a change

I decided the old blog looked too depressing, too pre-Prozac so - to mark the demise of the nettle devils, the improved sleep, the coping with mum, the enjoyment of a lazy Sunday spent lying in, watching Countryfile and then daughter, dog and I having fun in the sun, sand and sea at Saltburn - welcome to a more cheerful layout! Also - I finally worked out how to upload photos from my phone!

brownie points to TK Max

Have just bought a snuggly pair of pyjamas, a bra and a blouse from TK's and carried them out the door in my arms like a really cool shoplifter. TK now have a policy of not giving you a carrier bag unless you pay 10p for it, to reduce consumption of plastic bags, and are quite happy for customers to take their purchases away, unwrapped. More of it I say!