Awake at 9am, in the single bed in the boxroom. Surprisingly comfortable nights sleep. Immediately made amends and apologized for the previous evening's un called for pop and kissed and made up with me Mum. A good start to the day and thou shalt not criticize anyone today Nicholas Edward.
Looked outside at the beautiful May sunshine, heard the seagulls gulling and thought to myself 'what a beautiful day for a run on the beach'. I immediately decided not to, on the account that i cannot be arsed. (3 weeks ago today was the marathon and haven't run since)
Then it was downstairs for a nice cup of Tea with me Nan. She was in bed in her hairnet, which matched the peach dressing gown, peach sheets and peach wallpaper. It was like stepping into a massive pack of peach Kleenex. Sweet.
We discussed the night's sleep in detail and then crucially as one does in Llanelli, discussed the plans for eating that day, Breakfast and the Sunday Lunch. Obviously she cannot join in, however it doesn't stop her from planning everyone Else's Sunday eating plan. Breakfast is important but really just the precursor to the week's pivotal moment. Sunday Lunch.
Looks like it will be me and Mum, will take her out for lunch, as she is desperate for a break, so it looks like the golf club again for the roast and all the trimmings.
The morning was spent, doing the traditional welsh thing of going to Asda for Sunday things, and then for a sunbed. Asda was decidedly quiet and free from Leopard Print leggins, which i have to say was a major disappointment. However the Sunbed place didn't let me down and had a mobility scooter parked out the front and a heavily tattooed woman patrolling inside. I felt at home.
Then it was back to Brymoor Road for one of life's sweet moments.
My nan hasn't been outside for months. Her daily routine is wake up, carer, bathe, living room ,breakfast, morning TV, lunch, sleep in afternoon, up early eve, small dinner, evening TV and bed at 9pm. She eats the same every day and does the same and is starting to get a little bored and very frustrated. So today, it was sunny and we decided to take her out (not in a Sopranos hit type way but in a back garden type of way)
The beach was deemed too far, so we put her in the wheelchair and went out into the garden. Sat at the bottom and had a nice cup of tea. It was definately one of those moments you savour. She loved it. Looking at the plants, smelling the flowers and letting the sun shine on her face. Too see her and my Mum sat together was a lovely classic moment. Ones that in my daily life i miss so much, always thinking about me, the future, the past or whatever. This was a simple here and now moment. Of family, of life, of peace, of gratitude, of contentment. Truly loving the simple pleasures. It was beautiful;
After it was out for lunch with Mum at the Golf club for Welsh Cywl, welsh beef in lovely surroundings, especially as around the restaurant were welsh tarts in leopard print heels treating their mothers to lunch. It really is an ace town!
Then back to Brymoor Road for the rest of Sunday. In no particular order there followed World Championship snooker with Damian Hirst in the crowd, Nazi concentration camp films, 4 litres of tea, discussion about a huge turd my brother did that refused to flush, dwarf throwing in Chelsea Theatre, Butter Mints, Nazi barbie dolls and me having money shoved in my hand for petrol. It was a genuine classic. Again.
I left Llanelli to the waves of my brother and Mum. it is a remarkable turnaround. They were at war. He was off the scale. Years of hurt and pain. And now they have teamed up, unselfishly to be there for nan for the rest of her days. Mum constantly fussing and doing things for nan, Mark taking back seat and singing, watching films, making jokes, talking to her about the past and playing the Morecombe to Mum's Wise. They are a great double act and sad as it is to see a loved one lose their independence and effectively die slowly. it is with love, and grace and dignity.
She is well loved and that really is the only thing that matters in this life. Everything else is just noise
x,
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