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.