Hubby and I were in the mall the other day and came across an Apple store, so of course we had to go in and brave the crowds. I couldn’t believe how many people were there – mostly teenagers and young adults who were looking at the latest iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch or whatever (what’s with all this “i”, “i”, “i”, by the way?) for their coming school/university year.

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As mentioned in my previous blog, there have been slow but sure changes in Mumsie lately.

I guess I didn’t really realize how stressful it was until, after one particularly tiring day mostly spent bickering with Mumsie, I snapped poor Hubby’s head off after he made an innocuous statement. He didn’t say a word at the time, bless him, but he did bring it up again that night when Mumsie had gone upstairs to her room. (more…)

Taking care of my mother, as she becomes less independent, has made me realize how precious life is. She used to be the mother and I the child. Now, as she ages, I am witnessing our positions begin to reverse – am I now her “mother” and she my “child”?

It’s hard to watch Mumsie, who’s always been a vibrant, warm and loving woman, slowly but inevitably become more forgetful, confused and frustrated. Everyone says how wonderfully alert and healthy she is at 93 – and that’s undoubtedly so – but they are not with her 24/7 like I am, so they don’t notice all the inevitable changes that are happening to her. (more…)

Last week, my yoga-passionate cousin and her husband came for a visit. It was lovely to spend time with them and we all enjoyed ourselves, especially Mumsie, who is very close to her God-daughter.

One night, after everyone else had gone to bed, my cousin Jo and I had a wonderful chat about yoga – the whole mind, spirit and body aspect of it and how it has helped both of us so much. “I make it a point to find time to practice my yoga every day”, she said, “because I know how beneficial it is for me”. Then came her big question: “How often do you practice”? (more…)

Summer’s here, which means our “bed & breakfast” is up and running again, with various relatives and friends visiting from far and near.

A good friend of mine, who comes to visit once every few years but stays no longer than three days each time, says we should have a sign put up on our front door: “Welcome: please remember that guests are like fish – after three days, they begin to smell”. Love it, but we haven’t been driven to that extent – yet. (more…)

I’d like to start this blog by thanking Gaby, who responded to my “Right Fit” blog that I posted a couple of months ago.

To recap that post, Mumsie is at the stage where she’s becoming more forgetful and more dependent on me. Since I cannot leave her on her own anymore, it has put quite a strain on me and so, following a heart-to-heart discussion with her, we agreed that we would have a companion come in once a week. Unfortunately, the agency we went through sent a young girl who had nothing in common with Mumsie, which was disappointing. This was the gist of my “Right Fit” blog. (more…)

Okay, I’ll admit – I am an unabashed fan (fanatic?) of the Sound of Music. I’ve seen the movie at least a dozen times, know all the songs and lyrics, have read the biographies written by the actual Von Trapp mother and eldest daughter – and even performed the famous “Do-Ri-Mi” on the steps of Mirabel Gardens when Hubby and I visited Salzburg a few years ago (Hubby filmed this from a safe distance)! (more…)

I know I haven’t been blogging lately…has anybody missed me (ever the optimist, that’s me!)?

My sister was here for five weeks and it was the usual go, go, go with family and friends wanting to see her. During her visit, however, we carved some time out to have a heart-to-heart with Mumsie about her care. While Mumsie is still mentally sharp and alert, her physical balance is not what it used to be, although she continues to stay active and thoroughly enjoys her twice-weekly exercise classes with “the girls” at the nearby senior centre, which provides both mental and physical stimulation. (more…)

Stop the planet, I want to get off! Well, not really – I’m kind of enjoying myself at the moment, even though I feel like I’m caught in a vortex and would appreciate having a bit of time to come up for air…

My sister is visiting and we’re having a lovely time catching up on our lives and spending quality time with Mumsie, who’s absolutely thrilled to have her two daughters with her. Of course, when we gang up on her to try and get her not to do something she shouldn’t, she’s somewhat less thrilled! (more…)

As I mentioned in my last blog, last year was a tough one.

I’ve decided, however, that this year is going to be one of joy and laughter. I’m going to celebrate life. I’m going to get rid of all the negativity that’s inside me. I’m going to lighten up and have fun!

So are you with me? (more…)