Monday 7th of December 2020 - Daily Trials with Mother, Christmas and her Visitors !!

 Monday 7th of December 2020 - Daily Trials with Mother, Christmas and her Visitors !!

        Well I know I haven't been on my blog for over a week but I am sure you will not be surprized when I say I don't seem as wound up with Mum now as our main contact is through the phone.  However I still worry that my sister is actually still visiting shops to pick up items that Mum has forgotten each week on her Morrison's shop, such as her 'Snack a Jack Toffee flavoured Rice Cakes', which of course are essential items!!  I have never known anyone eat as many, apparently she has chomped through twenty packets since last Saturday and that's without her teeth in!! So goodness knows how she manages to eat them, I despair, because if you suggest it might be those that are making her gums sore, her reply is "Well what do you expect me to eat as a snack?"  After she has told me that she simply had to get up at four o'clock in the morning to have some soup as she couldn't sleep due to the pain in her mouth! I mention that maybe just a warm drink would help, but Mum humphs and tells me that she can only get back to sleep by eating something!

        As it happens I have been round to see Mum as my sister took her electricity reading so I could register it, but when it was approximately 170,000 more than the previous reading, I began to get really worried!! Thankfully as it happens Michelle had taken the reading off the Solar Panel unit, which I didn't even realise was in the same cupboard but you learn something new everyday.  So thankfully Mum will not be receiving an enormous electric bill or I would definitely know about it!!

        We have managed to put our Christmas Tree up inside and also put the lights on the outside Tree, although when I told Mum that was all we had done this year, she said "Oh dear, are you not putting out any of your snow scenes?" I replied "No Mum because we simply haven't the energy to get all the boxes down from the loft and nobody would see them anyway as we won't be able to have any visitors like we normally do." Mum - "Well I want to get some decorations up and I need my card hangers putting up, so maybe you could help me when you are next round as your sister said I would have to wait until the weekend as it was too early.  I don't know what's happened to you all this year, you normally like Christmas"  My reply when we had this conversation was "Well we are still in November Mum and I have already told you we haven't much energy still. Besides this Christmas isn't really going to be the same as usual." Mum "Well when I went to the Dentist the other day I bought some bottles of booze." Me "What for Mum? We must have moved thirty plus bottles of wine and mainly spirits when you moved last Christmas so why did you need any more?" Mum - "Well I only bought cheap booze ready for the visitors." I can feel my blood pressure starting to rise as I try to reply calmly "But you can't have any visitors Mum, have you forgotten about the Coronavirus and the Tier 3 restrictions that don't allow visitors to other houses?" Mum - "Yes but Christmas week three households can meet up." Me - "Well I think that is meant to be the same three families or groups not three different ones each day!"  Mum - "Well I don't know I feel like a prisoner, I am sure I would have more company if I was in hospital!"  (Little does she know, as the only time I saw anyone was to do observations or bring water or food and even then they were in and out as soon as possible)  I put the phone down before I say something I shouldn't and simply bury my head in my hands as I know Mum would be a nightmare if she caught the virus.

        When we pop round on Sunday 6th of December, to check the electric reading, Mum tells us that she has already tried to book her Covid vaccination at the Doctors and is indignant that they wouldn't let her book an appointment!  I mention that they said on TV that everyone that would be given a vaccination in the first wave would receive a letter directly from their surgery.  Humph says Mum, well I don't know (in that silly little girl voice of hers!) but I hope they don't forget me!  I glance at Gary and roll my eyes and think well how could anyone do that?!  We remark on the decorations and card holders that Mum has up on the walls, as it does look lovely, Mum tells us that her friend Tracy came round to put them up, I shake my head at Gary as I know he is tempted to say Tracy should not have been visiting but I know that would set Mum off.  I have to say that I am grateful that it is my sister's turn to have Mother round for Christmas Dinner this year, I really don't think Gary and I could cope if she was at ours for Christmas Dinner.  Hopefully providing we are well enough we are supposed to be having dinner with our sons, who we haven't seen properly since we all fell ill, so it will be a lovely to see each other but no doubt Mum will be expecting a visit whether we feel up to it or not......