AWWW MONDAYS - WEEKEND AUGUST 3

 

Little cats out of my cat collection and the last picture of Rosie when (for once) she moved and played with one of her mouse collection !

Linking to AWWW MONDAYS

 

 

*******  

WEEKEND 

We are all suffering from this unhealthy weather, it is very warm but also very humid, it is almost like walking in a sauna. 

I got a phone call from Jacqueline, who informed me that her husband died on Wednesday. I felt very sorry for her, she came to visit him every day, he had Alzheimer's. We became friends a bit and she also has trimmed Rosie's claws. Now she lives the same situation as I did two years ago. We talked for quite a long time and the morning was already over. She will come and visit me, when the worst is over and also in the future we will keep contact. She lives in the same street as the "Castle".

In the afternoon I went to the others even though I didn't feel in my shoes at all, but as they had chosen me to solve misunderstandings between the residents who have a light dementia and the others who still are "normal", I felt a bit obliged to take part in the game. After all, it was funny too. Some had forgotten their hearing aids again and misunderstood everything. I couldn't help but laugh, sometimes it was so funny! So the afternoon went by pretty quickly. 

In the evening my son informed me that they are still stuck in Switzerland on their way to Italy to spend their holidays at the Garda Lake.  It is the weekend and everything is closed in Switzerland, so they have to wait until Monday.

I don't know if it's so funny to start holidays being stuck because the car is on strike, and they are three, son, wife and son plus a big dog and they had to look for a hotel which accepted dogs on top of all their problems. I wouldn't have the nerve to do it anymore although I went for 15 years to the Garda lake, but fortunately we never had problems with the different cars ! 

During the night was a terrible thunderstorm with a lot of rain and on Sunday morning everything was wet and it had cooled down.  

During the night the water was cut off, fortunately I didn't need any. When I got up  and opened the tap and the water splashed into my face, it was a brown liquid that came out. I let the water run until it ran clear and then I was able to give Rosie fresh water! Otherwise she would have had to drink sparkling water !

In the afternoon I visited Nicole in the other retirement home. It was at least a month I hadn't been there, because I was too busy  and then it was too hot. 

During this time her condition had deteriorated a lot, she lay in her bed and could no longer move at all. I tried to not show my feelings, because inside I was horrified. She now had that stare that almost cuts through you, with no expression.

She was thirsty and I gave her something to drink in a special cup, she couldn't do it alone anymore. Where was the pretty, funny and lively woman with whom I had so much fun  and such a nice companion on our travels. Her face was still smooth and pretty, but those lifeless eyes didn't fit her face at all. 

Two nurses came to look after her and I went out while they were there. I thought this was definitely the last time I would see her alive, if you can call that alive ! She couldn't carry on a conversation either, so I told her everything I could to make her laugh. She also made a face once, which probably meant a smile.

Somehow all the events of the last 4 years had hardened me and I came to terms with the fact that I had lost her too. She was the last person from my old life when Rick was still there. Now everything is just a matter of time. I wish she doesn't have to stay in this state for too long.

Nicole with her dog Charly 

and we together with Charly in Normandy she was 80 and I 5 years younger

The last chapter of a happy life is now closed.  I have to learn to live with memories, but not forget my future. Life goes on.