Today wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. I told her yesterday that I wanted to have lunch with her in the dining room. She happily agreed. Huh?? Am I going to make a little headway and get her to actually eat in the dining room?? What was I thinking. Of course not. The food there is awful according to her and she did not even let them put a plate in front of her. Not the soup, not the salad, not the diner and not even the piping hot peach and apple cobbler (yum)
Prior to lunch being served, there was a very small, but nice tribute to our military.
During this tribute Mom had to go back to her room. Then she came back, sat down for awhile. Long story short, she went home and came back 4 or 5 times all within an hour and a half.


I thought she would go off about her visit with Mike (Dick) but she didn't. Instead, she asked me if I knew that the T.V. doesn't belong to Corinthians, Mike bought it for her. I said yes, I do know. Then she asked me if I knew that Mike bought her the bed. I again said yes, I know that Mike bought her the bed.

Here we go; "How do you know Mike?" I tell her again, for the umpteenth time that he is my brother. I say " Mom, he's my brother, my only living brother." I added that fact thinking she might want to talk about Court with me as she had wanted to talk with Teresa about him yesterday. Guess not. She didn't even mention Court.

Today I brought a photo album with pics that are 20 plus years old. There were pics of Court, Lee and little Court, including shots of Mom with Court and little Court, Mike and Teresa's family, my ex-husband, me pregnant with my now 24 year old son , Linda, Scott and Tracy.

A couple of pics were of Mom at her job as the social director for the apt. complex she worked at and showed her with Jack. No, not Jack her ex, Jack the man she dated for a long time. In this case, there really are two Jack's. But, she did not remember him. I reminded her how she met him and how much she, and we liked him. She wasn't really interested. I don't think she remembers him at all. At least not today.

She wanted to know what I was going to do with the album. I said I'll leave it here for awhile because I thought Mike and Teresa might like to see some of the pics and I'll take it home later.
She wanted to know where to keep it. I suggested she just put it on the chair so she wouldn't forget to let Teresa see it. She did.

She talked again about the fact that she hates it there. She asks me what I think. I tell her, again, that I would love it. I say "Mom, are you kidding me. You don't have to plan meals, shop, cook or clean up afterwards. It's all done for you. You go to the dining room and they serve you, or if you prefer, you can let them know what you want and they will bring it to your apt. They come in and clean your room. What I wouldn't give." She goes back to hating the food. I remind her AGAIN that she can order whatever she wants and again, she knows. She just doesn't do it.
I'm beginning to think she's happier just to have something to bitch about. Kind of like a little kid telling mommy that he doesn't want to stay in school and needs to find a reason for mommy to let him stay home.

She again talks about where she will go when she does get out of here. She talks again about getting a job. She tells me that Mike told her yesterday that she can't get a job and I tell her that he is right. I remind her that I am looking for a job and that the job market sucks, the economy sucks and that at 53, I'm having a hard time. I remind her that at 83, nobody is going to hire her not only because of her age but that she has no way to get to a job. She understands, for now. I'm sure I will be going over this same subject with her again next week.

I keep hoping that this will all get better for her and while I am with her I continue to encourage her to get out and meet people.

Please, please, find some happiness and peace.

Goodnight Mom.
Love,
Cindy