Thursday 28th January - A tourist in Limbo-Land

I feel as though I am in some kind of alternate universe. I keep going from one kind of limbo-land to another.

After my mother died on Saturday, and we had got over the initial reactions, there was nothing we could do until Monday. We entered a strange kind of "normal life" - going out for meals together, chatting. Other people were also at the pub, walking around, doing whatever, in their "normal lives". I wonder if any of them were like us, in a limbo-land?

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday were busy and empty by turns; collecting documents, making and going to appointments to register a death, make funeral arrangements, collecting her things from the Nursing Home... Moments of concentration and activity interspersed with... this and that.

I started teaching; a piano lesson on Monday, one of my classes  on Tuesday, more instrumental lessons yesterday and today.

And the emails! Oh, the emails! and the phone calls! oh, the phone calls! About half were all about family arrangements. The other half are work-related - dealing with the fall-out from cancelling lessons last week and this week, and confirming which lessons I will be teaching this week.

I'm in another limbo-land until Saturday, when we meet to decide the form the funeral service will take - what music, which readings and so on.

Then, I suppose, another week in a different limbo-land, when I go about normal life until the day of the funeral?

Part of the weird, dis-connected feeling I have must be due to the weird, dis-connected way I feel about my mother's death. When she had the major stroke, that was one "end-of-life-as-I-know-it" event. Everything changed, for all of the family in different ways. Then, when she became ill in November, everything changed again. Once she moved to the Nursing Home, it was always just a matter of time - days? weeks? months? sooner? later? who could tell? Her condition meant that aspiration pneumonia was always there in the background.

So. She was lively and "alive" all through the Christmas period, and then, quite suddenly, became ill, and sleepy, and drowsy, and asleep, and - gone., giving us all a few days to reconcile ourselves to the situation.

Here's a good poem: we may or may not use it at the funeral, but that doesn't matter. This kind of sums up how Friday and Saturday went.

     

Saturday 23rd January - Family

There is no easy way to write this -

Yesterday my husband took my father to visit my mother in the morning, and then took me again in the afternoon. My mother was asleep all the time, but maybe she was able to hear us? Who can tell. We took away the sad cyclamens and replaced them with fresh daffodil bulbs.

Last night I read the compline service to myself, as I often do, before turning out the light and going to sleep, and one of the prayers goes

"May the Lord Almighty grant me and those I love a peaceful night and a perfect end."

Well, whether you believe in the Lord Almighty or not, my mother did have a peaceful night, and, as far as we can tell, a perfect end. We were phoned by the nursing home at 9am to let us know that my mother had died quietly in her sleep, with no sign of disturbance and only a very short time before they had gone in to see if she would wake.

I think my main emotion at the moment is a sense of relief, as well as sadness. She had worked so hard, ever since her stroke, to make the very best of all things in all circumstances. Of course we shall all miss her sorely, but I'm glad that she can now rest. In peace.

(the tallest daffodil bud was just coming into flower this morning)

Friday 22nd January - Crazy crazy week

Oh Yeah!

You'll know from the previous post that it's been a hard week family-wise. I hated seeing my mother so "uncomfortable" - I think that's the usual euphemism - on Sunday. The cramps have eased thank God, but she's now properly unwell at the moment.

As the week progressed I became steadily more distracted - on Tuesday I taught the poor little cherubicocarina players how to read the ock-boxes (a form of schematic notation) up-side down "let's move on now to something else!" sez I glibly when I realised what I was doing.

http://www.ocarina.co.uk/how-to-teach-ocarina-playing/
How it OUGHT to have been done

On Wednesday I discovered that I had no idea how the samba hip-hop rhythms fitted together and just couldn't get the tamborim rhythm straight in my head at all. Probably because it isn't a straight rhythm but heavily syncopated. The children gamely tried to follow me - but - hey - I was lost!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/26421129
what my class SHOULD have looked like

On Thursday morning I just managed to catch myself  in time before I irrevocably chose the wrong turning, which would have taken me to the wrong school - haven't done that for quite a while now. In the afternoon I couldn't remember whether I was supposed to be teaching the children "Part A" or "Part B" for their music festival songs - they cheerfully rioted in the background while I wrangled the words and the music and then decided to just do something else instead.

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3233271593569839661#editor/target=post;postID=6611772994037078917
Year 6 Singing lesson?

On Friday morning - that's today - I've thrown in the towel, emailed and telephoned all the Friday and Saturday schools, and all my line managers (three of them). Much, much safer for the schools, the children, and anyone who might have encountered me thrashing up and down the dual carriageway. 



Thursday 21st January - Family Life

This has been a tough week for my mother. I haven't posted about it before, as I wanted to take time to see how things would turn out.

When my husband and I visited on Sunday morning, she started having very painful cramps in her legs - continuously writhing round her calves and ankles and thighs and feet in a random fashion. She had had cramps when she had her stroke back in 2012, but back then, a very short time spent massaging the place would dispel them. This time was different; there was nothing to be done. The nurses tried everything; repositioning her in the bed, massage, and even morphine, but nothing seemed to give full relief. These cramps and pains continued, on and off, although steadily easing, for several days.

On Tuesday the physiotherapist came, and massaged my mother's legs which improved some blue blotchy patches which had appeared. These were thought to perhaps be indications of a circulation problem.

She has been very drowsy all week, and unable to swallow the various pills and potions that she is still receiving, including the antibiotic, for a chest infection that started last week.

This morning, my father said that she eventually woke up enough to read a bit of the newspaper, and to slowly drink some hot chocolate, but did not speak. She later fell asleep again.

This evening, the doctor phoned to say that my mother's condition has deteriorated considerably. She is definitely unable to speak, although appears to understand what is said, and, as far as they can tell, is not in pain. They are not sure what has happened yet, but it may be another stroke.

We shall just have to see how things go from here. I am visiting tomorrow, and will post again afterwards.

Saturday 16th Saturday - Family Life

The Christmas Cactus on the left is one I bought for my mother on her arrival at the nursing home. It had a few flowers and plenty of buds. Unfortunately it immediately sulked and threw all its buds on the floor, so I brought it home. The cyclamens were also bought at the same time; I kept the one in the middle for myself, and took the other one to the nursing home. It, too, found the room uncongenial, so I brought it home. Too late, I suspect. It certainly doesn't like anything like its neighbour!

I'm wondering what will survive the warm, dry atmosphere at the nursing home - the daffodil bulbs did well...

Anyway. The first important thing to report is that the chocolate plate is empty.

I'll fix that later this evening by making some chocolate cake. And tidying the dining room table.



The second important thing to report is that I've been eating pickled gherkins. Out of the jar. With my fingers. I'm very partial to them.

Why? Oh well. It's kind of hard to explain.  

I think most of us have come to terms now with my mother's circumstances. When friends and family ring, or write, or email, they send kind, gentle, well-wishes, and snippets of news, and amusing comments. It's easier for all of us to just enjoy the moment, and not dwell too much on the unknowable future. Nothing can be pinned down, or known for sure.

Expressions of desperate and emotional hopes and wishes for a full return to health as soon as possible are hard for me to deal with. We all want the best. It goes without saying. In a way, it's the "not saying" that is hard, but it's the "not saying" that helps everything tick along. So, thank you, everyone, for your considerate and loving support to us all.

And if occasionally I have to resort to the pickled gherkin jar after receiving a "harder" phone call, so be it. This was just a three-gherkin call!

We (my husband and I - how can I put that without sounding like a parody of The Queen's Christmas Speech??) will be visiting my mother again on Sunday, hopefully taking some fruit smoothies, as requested, and some hardier plants to replace the three wilting cyclamens that are currently in her room.

Friday 15th January - Chocolate, Pannetone, Christmas - All Gone. (Nearly)

The Chocolate Dish is full of empty wrappers. They lasted quite well! I consider three days to be a monumental display of self-control by the pair of us.

Today also marks the end of the Pannetone. So I think we have truly finished all the Christmas Cakes and chocolates now.

(Apart from two small chocolate penguins in a tiny tin hidden on my bedside table. Beware, little birds, your time is coming!)

There's also half a jar of mince-meat in the fridge - that will need to be used up soon.

Friday 15th January 2016 - Family Life

 

 

Ornamental Cabbages by the front door. They make me smile every time I come home!

It's Friday again - how did that happen so fast? Each day seems to last forever, and then the weeks fly past so quickly. I'm doing extra teaching this term, did I say? I can't remember. But that means my days are fuller than usual, so it has been a week since we've been to visit my mother.

It was an opportunity for us to do a few small things for her, and catch up on news. The cards that arrive almost every day are hugely appreciated. She mentioned that she owed several people letters, but isn't ready yet to tackle writing yet. I suggested that we could bring some cards, and she could dictate and sign them - so maybe the post will become two-way soon! 

Last Wednesday my brother came down overnight so he was able to visit on Thursday with my father. My mother has picked up a chest infection; the staff asked a doctor to check her out, and so it has been caught early on. Hopefully the penicillin will do its job quickly. The chest infection has made her tired, and a bit breathless, but otherwise she's ok. I don't know if it is just "one of those things" or possibly caused by a couple of dysphagia incidents when drinking.

After a discussions with her doctor, it has become clear that she will have to stay at the nursing home for several months yet - and she is having to get used to the idea that going back to the flat is not going to happen any day soon. She needs to be a lot stronger, and the eating and swallowing issues sorted out before going home becomes a possibility.

One good consequence of this decision is that she has chosen a favourite painting from Holland to be brought in. It's a tough situation - up to now I think she's been reluctant to bring too many things into her room in the hope that she wouldn't be staying long. Now that it is clear that she will be there for a while longer, then - why not bring things in? We can always take them back, or change them. So I am glad that she has changed her mind about making the room look more lived-in.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Golden_Age_painting
Jacob van Ruisdael, The Windmill at Wijk (1670)

And no, this is not the picture we took to the nursing home! This one hangs in the Rijksmuseum! I'm sure she would love it if we could borrow it, for the amazing sky, and the light catching the tiled roof of the house.

Wednesday 13th January - Surprise

This came from Holland for me yesterday -

What a lovely surprise! How lovely! Thank you very much. I know exactly what to put on the dish - the last of my Christmas chocolates. Did I mention that one of my New Year's Resolutions is to eat chocolate at least once a week? I've done that for several years now and always kept it.

I've counted the chocolates, I mean MY chocolates. There are 16. And I will be counting them again when I get back from work this afternoon. Just saying. In case anyone has any ideas.

Sunday 10th January - Polesden Lacey

Today, we desperately need some fresh air. Not the stuff you get doing errands in the rain in town, but the sort that blows in off a hill, across green fields, through winter woodlands.

We checked the weather report -  cloudy, followed by rain, followed by cloud, followed by rain.

In other words, if you go out, you will get soaked, if you stay in, the weather will be fine.

We went out.

The weather stayed fine, but pretty cold.

The plan was to potter around the gardens near the house, especially the Winter Garden, to see if the early flowers were out, have a cup of tea and a snack lunch, come home.

I certainly didn't expect sunshine, and roses... just a few in the sheltered rose gardens.

The way to the winter garden goes through the vegetable gardens; if you've got a camera, it's easy to see what's going on inside the heated beds...

Although it took a few goes to get a photograph when you can't see what you are taking, or see the button to press:

Just look at those lettuces!

There weren't many flower in the winter garden - mainly cyclamen and aconites. I reckon it would be a good idea to plant these, and more snowdrops and other bulbs in the similarly dark and damp ground at the bottom of our the garden. Nothing else seems to like it there.

 

 

I wonder if the netting is there to stop the squirrels from digging up the bulbs? We've got a lot of squirrels here too. These are the thick yew hedges which protect the rose garden.

 

 



And here's who lives deep inside them! I was able to get quite close.

 







I wasn't the only one warmly wrapped up against the weather. At first I thought it was some new art installation, replacing the statuary with shiny white glazed pottery, or maybe plastic features.

 

 Closer inspection showed that all the urns and statues had been wrapped up in white plastic sheeting. It looked very striking.

As we left, the first few drops of rain fell. We took an "alternative route" through increasingly heavy rain along twisty single track lanes through the Surrey Hills. At one village the roads were covered with white - what? Some of the flowering cherry trees have been in full flower but it didn't look like blossom. It looked more like a strange bubbles.

We discovered the answer closer to home, when we were suddenly hit by a volley of hail and the roads became slippery from the ball-bearing sized bits of ice coating the everywhere.

 



 In a short pause between hail showers we made a cautious dash across the while pavement to the front door. At least, he did; I went straight into my car to get petrol ready for the week ahead. I knew that if I went inside the house first, I'd never manage to make myself go out again.

And when I got home, I managed to remember to leave it in gear, with the handbrake off. When it gets really cold, the handbrake cable freezes on causing all kinds of problems getting to work.
I've knitted a special "had and scarf" for the gear leaver and steering wheel, to remind me to sort everything out BEFORE I start the engine in the morning.



Sunday10th January 2016 - Family Life

I can't remember which flowers I have posted. These are a few brave nemesia flowers from the patio pots, just about surviving beside the back door. I haven't the heart to chuck them out while they are making a bit of a show.

And this is a delicate little nemesia plant which has self-seeded in a crack at the base of the front wall of the house. It's like a tiny miniature of the ones in the pots, which were looking "blooming lovely" either side of the front door all through the Summer.

The first week of the school term was a bit of a marathon. As well as the usual teaching, I am covering for a colleague which means contacting schools, arranging dates, meeting new pupils... with all this going on, we only managed one visit to my mother, although my father has been every day.

We went on Friday afternoon; she was looking a bit tired but still ready to receive an unexpected visit. We'd gone especially to replace the daffodils I took on Christmas day, which had gone from little shoots to huge long stalky flowers in the two weeks. They were over, and had made their feelings clear by over-balancing and throwing themselves all over the floor in the middle of the night. Here's hoping that the cyclamens, sat in a plastic trough weighted down with a layer of gravel, will behave themselves.

She's still not eating a lot ("I don't want to put all that weight back on") but is a long way off "too skinny". And when she does eat, infinite care is needed  to make sure that she is sitting up correctly, with her head tilted forward at the correct angle in order to minimize the dysphagia risk. As part of the dysphagia issue, she has her chest listened to weekly by the doctor on the routine visits. This week it is still clear - good news.

I think my mother would quite like to throw things; it must be very frustrating now that she feels so much better in better in herself to have to stay in the Nursing Home. She really has very little control over her life, and how she manages to stay so pleasant and uncomplaining (relatively speaking) is one of the wonders of the world.


 

Tuesday 5th January - One of those days

I had one of my most enjoyable teaching days for a long time (I was going to say "this year" but that's a bit unfair on the pupils!). Four classes in all, different ages, different musical topics, all fun.

And then

The light as I drove home from work today was just something very, very, special.

After days of rain, there were patches of sunshine, and I happened to step into the lane outside the school in just one of the moments. The low, evening sun lit up the poplars like feathers, and the way up the hill looked like a road to some golden paradise in years gone by (I cropped the cars out of the picture!).

The air was still, and heavy with rain not yet fallen. My car was pointing up the lane, and it was very tempting to keep going in that direction, but I would have ended up (eventually) eastwards in the Ashdown Forest rather than home - westwards.

So I did turn the car, and drive towards the setting sun. I picked a different route to usual, for the merely pragmatic reason that the usual road will be closed for repairs next week, but I was glad I did so. Once past the green and the cricket pitch, the narrow lane twisted between deep backs topped with trees or tall hedges, with the light catching stray evergreen leaves at random. Then the air gave up the trial of strength with the rain, and heavy drops of water began to fall.

There was a tall, arching rainbow glowing in the light against the dark clouds. I shouldn't really have looked for it, but there were a few stretches where the road was long enough and empty enough and going in the right direction for me to glance out across the glistening fields.

Yeah - waxing lyrical and all that, but it was something out of the ordinary, something to hold on to.

The rainbow (and the rain, and the sunshine) accompanied me all the way home.

More delights - BB had cleared the Christmas Tree and all the decorations, leaving just these; 

which number1Son had hung on my little fibre-optic tree. Apparently there had been nine; when I got home there were eight. Now there are only six.

And yet more - we went out for supper with my father - steak all round.

One of those days - the sort you want to hold on to for a long time.

Tuesday 5th January - Family Life

I lose track of which flowers I have posted. These are the "Christmas" snowdrops, a week after Christmas. Looking very cheerful and encouraging. (Here's a picture taken in the week before Christmas, so you can see how they have come along)

There's nothing much to say regarding any of the family; the offsprings and I have all "gone back to work", and my husband never stopped "working" over the "holiday". He really has been keeping the show on the road regarding the background tasks of meals, shopping, clearing up.

Things have stabilised to the point where my father is going to and from the Nursing Home every day under his own steam - he was originally advised NOT to drive himself, as the Nursing Home is on a dangerous blind bend, and the whole situation was far too stressful back then for him to be sure of being able to give it all the attention it requires for everyone's safety.

My mother has moved from "puree" to "mashed" food, which has made her meals more palatable. She is reading newspapers and books again, and generally taking much more of an interest in everything. The physiotherapist visited today, and has said that it is not realistic to do any standing, let along stepping, as my mother isn't strong enough. But she is showing more inclination to sit up in her electric wheelchair occasionally, which will help her chest and breathing. Small steps, small improvements.

   

Monday 4th January - A Tree

I'm back at work. Blessedly, my first two schools have inset days and so I had time to clear and re-Stock the Pink Bag.

Martha Stewart clearly didn't have me in mind when she created this for her "Beautiful Home and Office" collection. I still have to go through and sort the document wallets (pink for Piano, Blue, Green and others for various schools) but at least I can lift the bag now.

I don't think Martha Stewart had this in mind either:

(The Pink Bag hasn't changed colour; when I bought them they were "two for the price of one" AND half price, so at a tenner each they became worth the money. At the original price of £40 each they would have been  a steal. As in theft, from me.)

However I seemed to have transferred the paperwork to the dining room table, (and about 100 sheets or more of paper to recycling.) You know when term is in progress, because the dining room table suffers from what BB all-too-accurately calls "surface-filing".

Ah, what of The Tree. I saw it as I stopped in the car park for the school. Here it is;

Just look at it. Isn't beautiful? That pale streak all the way up the sheltered side of the nearest trunk? The way the branches appear like one of those sculpted celtic beasts, climbing and climbing - is it a dragon? A mythological insect?

 



And that artfully arranged ivy. The old leaves, caught in the crevice, a bright shining bronze.

I did really sit and stare for a while, before taking the pictures. Elemental. Ageless.

...   ...   ...   ...   ...   ...   ...   ...   ...   ...   ...   ...

Then it was onwards.

It began a bit "iffily"  with the "Ding dong, I've got a rhythm in my head" song. No, Listen. Wait. Watch. Pay attention. (It's a "challenging" class with a few "characters" in it.)

and continued in the same vein....

Stand still on BOTH FEET. I mean on your OWN FEET! STOP ANNOYING YOUR FRIEND!
 If you play your drum when I'm talking, I WILL take it away. Like this...

I'm counting down to five and you will all be quiet by the time I get there... 5,   4,   3,    2      1     well done.

Yeah - we got there  Teaching and Learning happened. Ding dong. Djabber Djabber Djembe. And they all smiled and said thank you at the end, so that was all right.

Home. Tea. One Piano Lesson (nice one). Sherry.

I'm glad I took the picture of the tree - otherwise all memory of it would have been wiped by the work of teaching the lesson.

Monday 4th January - reposting from 23rd November 2013

Here I was, at the end of my first day back at work, relaxing, (mine's the sherry, and ALL of those cheese straws)

and idly looking at the "stats" for my blog, and the following post came up as the most-read post today:

http://a-letter-from-home.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/friday-22nd-november-5-stages-of-change.html

Here's the opening section:

If you have anything to do with Change Management in your working life, then you will be familiar with the following summary of the 5 phases that people faced with CHANGE go through;

1. Shock (Denial)

2. Emotion (Anger)

3. Bargaining (If I do this then I achieve that - a kind of personal horse-trading)

4. Grief at loss (It isn't fair)

5. Acceptance (in two parts; Intellectual AND Emotional)

And it is worth a re-read, as we are basically going through the whole thing again.

Like I said. Mine's a sherry - I'm not keen on whisky. Hey - who ate all the cheese straws? Me? Really?

The dinky little jug is an Emma Bridgewater "Tree Decoration" - it holds exactly the right amount of water for His whisky.

Saturday January 2nd - The Tipping Point; Good Mood/Bad Mood

Neither.

I am in a Terrible Mood at the moment. I don't usually inflict myself on the populace at large when I am like this, but every so often, I have to give in to a Rant of Awesome Proportion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_volcanic_eruptions

Oh, it's all so tedious. I'm not going to go into details about all the stuff that has lifted the lid.

It's just that over the past few weeks I have spent SO MUCH TIME trying to accommodate everyone's needs (including my own) that I am now....

oh, it's all too tiring.

I have some cheese, some Chateauneuf du Pape,

A Châteauneuf-du-Pape with the embossed bottle of the papal regalia and insignia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teauneuf-du-Pape_AOC

some more cheese, some more Chateauneuf du Pape.

A view of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, from the southeast
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teauneuf-du-Pape

Now that looks a nice place to visit sometime. Sunny, too

I will watch the Hogfather DVD until my eyes close, and then I will go to bed. I've just read the plot so I can fill in the bits I miss. And I can always learn some quotes just in case.

According to my father, good wine doesn't give you hangovers. (Bilious, the "Oh God" of Hangovers will make his appearance in the Hogfather film later on).

I hope he's right, as I am down to play "I am a New Creation" tomorrow at church, which is a bit of a beast to play at anytime, and not a suitable thing to try and bring off if one is not in the pink of health. Plus I will be running the activity (that I'm not going to bother to explain) that was the final straw in tipping me over the edge this evening.

Well, the wine and the rant has done its work, and I can feel a merrier mood coming on.

I visited my mother this morning, and there's not much to say. We showed her Christmassy and other pictures of friends and family on her tv, and handed over the Daily Mail and a newsy email which were both much appreciated. She doesn't like the food at the moment; I offered to bring in something, but she said "no, best not mix the two systems, and that way I will know who is responsible for poisoning me". With a smile.

Hope I've cheered you up? I'm MUCH better now, thank you.

January 1st 2016 - Another Year

So, Another set of resolutions...

well, no, mostly the same as last year. They have served me well for several years now. One friend says she likes to "challenge" herself with the resolutions each year, (and then laments that it didn't work out as she had hoped).

I've kept these resolutions for several years now, so at the end of each year I can look back and feel very satisfied. Here they are...

1. Write up a diary entry each day. (Sometimes I get a few days behind, but providing something gets written on each page, that will count. Even blah blah blah, can't remember what I did, although I have never resorted to that yet.). Last Year was purple, this year is green



Reason - because the days and weeks and months and, in the end, whole years were flashing by and I felt as though I was not taking stock, remembering the way the rooks appeared in the tops of the trees when they were nesting, when the first daffodils/bluebells flowered in particular patches, driving through pale translucent arches of beech trees just come into leaf, and later through little whirlwinds of brown falling beech leaves. And how I felt when, and what happened when, and so on.


2. Eat chocolate every week.

Reason - I like chocolate. Some days require chocolate.

3. Take some stuff to a charity shop every month.  

Reason - we just have tooooooo much stuff in the house. I don't set quantities - just Something with do. One of my uncles, who lived in a small flat (so I'm told - I never visited him there) has a "one in means one out" rule. Acquire a book? Then another book has to go. Buy a shirt? Then retire a shirt.

I have added some items which are Not resolutions but Good Ideas. That means that if I don't keep them, it doesn't matter.

1. Pray every day, using a prayer book. Prayer has been about the only thing that has made last year survivable in any way whatsoever. So I would like to formalize the concept. I have bought "The Divine Hours" by Phyllis Tickle (what a great name!) and have been using it for a week.

2. Stretch every morning. Just for a minute or so, when I get out of bed. Loosen up. Pretend to do some exercises. I've got a book called "5-minute work-outs" and I just to the easy bits out of it.

3. Transfer money to savings every month. I sort of do that anyway; I'm going to do it more consciously this year. I read, in a book called "Flip-it" (thanks for the recommendation!) that one way of organising money is to have 3 month's worth of living expenses in the first (current) account, then aim for 6-12 month's worth of savings in the next (savings) account, and when that is achieved (hahaha) put the rest in a longer term savings account. As someone who counts their accumulations of lucre in hundreds rather than thousands of pounds, this will be an interesting project...

To keep me on track, I have made a really pretty chart for recording some of these resolutions, and some other tasks (like remembering to take my "lunchtime pill" - that's red) in glorious techno-colour.

Nice.

Which makes me  more likely to do the task so as not to spoil the pattern. Childish? Who cares, if it works.