So, here we are.

[Lindy50]

Life does, indeed, go on, doesn't it? Dau & I (and grandson) took mum out for a necessarily short walk on the seafront where dau lives, which is about 20 minutes away from me, this week. Then we had lunch in a seafront cafe. Mum had a wonderful time. As did we all.
When I called mum to say I'd collect her, and what we were going to do, she said "Oh, that has changed the whole colour of the day!" It must get very dull for her, being housebound so much. So, we will do this more often! Here are grandson and I, having the chats on the way to the cafe. View attachment 60082

Lovely pic @LadyA
Reminds me of me and my little grandson (who’s 21 months old). So important to keep doing these things, though I have to admit it’s sometimes quite an effort
Thank you xx

 

[LadyA]

Lovely pic @LadyA
Reminds me of me and my little grandson (who’s 21 months old). So important to keep doing these things, though I have to admit it’s sometimes quite an effort
Thank you xx

Mine is 21 months too, or thereabouts! Born on New Year's Eve, 2016. Poor little guy has been up vomiting through the night. Even on his "lovely jammas". Several pairs of lovely jammas, in fact, and sheets, and the mattress protector!

 

[love.dad.but..]

Omg @love.dad.but.. that brought tears to my eyes .
Don’t know what to say that makes any sense , other than I’ll try to follow your example. Thank you and hugs
Lindy xx

Thanks @Lindy50. The circumstances remain one of my saddest times...dad couldn't get help and was alone with mum overnight we found him sitting in the car...thank goodness he didn't try to drive...and the following few weeks were horrible...the funeral pretty much passed dad by...veering from tears to 'I feel sorry for whoever is in the box'! It still haunts me to think of poor confused dad overnight with mum laying in the hall.

Anyway...hence one of my mantras...do things today as tomorrow is promised to no one.

Mum and dad's parents all died fairly young so mum's mantra was 'who'd have thought we would get to our 80s'...yes mum but you could have managed more than one day

I don't have grandchildren @LadyA and @Lindy50 but imagine they bring such great joy.

 

[Lindy50]

Mine is 21 months too, or thereabouts! Born on New Year's Eve, 2016. Poor little guy has been up vomiting through the night. Even on his "lovely jammas". Several pairs of lovely jammas, in fact, and sheets, and the mattress protector!

Aw, poor little guy and poor you or his parents too! Our daughter a single parent ( relationship broke up earlier this year). She’s having a torrid time with the ‘terrible twos ‘ stage so we have the little one overnight tonight. Wish me luck!!
Lindy xx

 

[LadyA]

That was so sad, @love.dad.but.. and I'm sure it's something that does, if not worry, at least cross the mind, of elderly spouses caring for their partners.
Years ago, a friend had a call from her MIL , who lived down the farm lane from them, just a couple of hundred yards. Her MIL asked if my friend would mind dropping her down some milk, as she didn't feel like going out to the shops. My friend said she would, hung up, and went straight down. Couldn't get an answer, so went home and got the keys, and found her MIL sitting on a chair in the hall, with the phone still in her hand, dead! A brain haemorrhage.

 

[LadyA]

Aw, poor little guy and poor you or his parents too! Our daughter a single parent ( relationship broke up earlier this year). She’s having a torrid time with the ‘terrible twos ‘ stage so we have the little one overnight tonight. Wish me luck!!
Lindy xx

I've not had him overnight yet! He's still breastfeeding at bedtime. Tbh, I'm not anxious to have him overnight! He wakes several times a night still, seemingly for a chat!

 

[love.dad.but..]

That was so sad, @love.dad.but.. and I'm sure it's something that does, if not worry, at least cross the mind, of elderly spouses caring for their partners.
Years ago, a friend had a call from her MIL , who lived down the farm lane from them, just a couple of hundred yards. Her MIL asked if my friend would mind dropping her down some milk, as she didn't feel like going out to the shops. My friend said she would, hung up, and went straight down. Couldn't get an answer, so went home and got the keys, and found her MIL sitting on a chair in the hall, with the phone still in her hand, dead! A brain haemorrhage.

If something is going to happen ...swiftly is the way to go as with your friend's MIL. Mum and we always thought dad would go first with heart history...however we were relieved when the coroner rang to say it was a catastrophic stroke and instant as the thought mum needed help and dad couldn't get any was far worse. The shock and trauma accelerated dad's decline almost instantly and mum would have been devastated to see that.
Hope your little man is feeling better today

 

[Lindy50]

I've not had him overnight yet! He's still breastfeeding at bedtime. Tbh, I'm not anxious to have him overnight! He wakes several times a night still, seemingly for a chat!

Our little one has gone through various stages of sleeping / waking at night. Currently waking about every other night and demanding company! So we'll see......daughter is on her own so needs some support with him and we're it, basically....We (she and I) had a terrible time getting him to leave the park this afternoon....he has an iron will and is so strong! Love him to bits, though
You're right @love.dad.but.. , he does bring enormous joy. I was never someone who couldn't wait to be a granny, but now that I am, I have to admit it's exhausting but great.
Lindy xx

 

[LadyA]

Time to say "hello" here again!!
It's an absolutely miserable day here. Storming winds, and an orange rainfall warning. Oh well.

So, life here seems to get busier and busier!! Mum continues to be relatively well, but I can see a gentle decline. She's 82 later this week. Her mobility isn't good. She can get around the house fairly ok, but increasingly can't walk far at all, even with crutches. And while she doesn't have dementia, she is increasingly "vague" at times. Just that forgetfulness that likely stems from age, and her various health problems. Sharp as a tack about some things, but inclined to repeat things, etc. My sister is here visiting at the moment, and thankfully, has persuaded mum to have her many medications done in blister packs. I don't know how often I've suggested that, but, you know...I'm here all the time!
Grandson is now 27 months old, and can be a handful! He is very sweet, obsessed with "helping" his mum & dad with whatever they are doing! "Nanny, come! I show you the chainsaw! I show you the compressor! I show you the nail gun! bam bam bam!!" Um, maybe we'll just look from this safe distance!! And dau is expecting baby no. 2 in October! They've just moved house and are getting some necessary work done on the "new" (to them) house. But they are delighted to have moved. I'm going to be even busier from now on though, as dau has a problem with her hips, and has been told to do as little walking/standing as possible and try and go swimming regularly. So I will be on nanny duty, and I've been trying to help her out by making meals for them an odd time etc.
It's lovely to be busy, and I am very lucky to have family so close.

 

[LadyA]

Time whizzes by - my sister's visit has come to an end, and they leave early tomorrow morning. I took mum and my sister out for a goodbye coffee today, and we had a lovely time. Hate saying goodbye, but what can you do?
Meanwhile, my brother arrives for a flying visit tomorrow night, so tomorrow, I'll be in to mum's to change sheets etc. ready for him.

The weather is much better today, thankfully - well, it could hardly have got worse than it was over the weekend! I was looking out yesterday, and found myself thinking "what if it actually never stops raining? What if it just rains heavily and stays very cold like this, forever?" and today, it's a fabulous mild, sunny day!!

 

[love.dad.but..]

It has been lovely @LadyA to read your catch up news. Your family sound great.

 

[Cat27]

I can’t believe your grandson is 27 months old already! Lovely news about baby 2.

 

[LadyA]

It has been lovely @LadyA to read your catch up news. Your family sound great.

We are very fortunate, @love.dad.but.. that we are a fairly close family, and all get on - including the in-laws. We had a family meal out with my visiting sister (who had brought her daughter and two grandchildren with her!) and cousins etc all came along. Thirty of us in all. I imagine the hotel was pretty pleased to have a booking for thirty for dinner on a Tuesday night. And as there are two family birthdays over the weekend, just our immediate family are having another get together for lunch at daughter's on Sunday. I've a lot of cooking to do for that, including two birthday cakes!!

 

[Grannie G]

Lots of good news from you @LadyA I`m so pleased.

Congratulations to you all on the anticipated birth of baby number 2. It`s a pity your daughter has a problem with her hips and she`s very lucky to have you so willing and available to help.

! "Nanny, come! I show you the chainsaw! I show you the compressor! I show you the nail gun! bam bam bam!!"

Your grandson sounds a handful and I wouldn`t trust him as far as I could see him if that is his choice of toys.

 

[LadyA]

Lots of good news from you @LadyA I`m so pleased.

Congratulations to you all on the anticipated birth of baby number 2. It`s a pity your daughter has a problem with her hips and she`s very lucky to have you so willing and available to help.



Your grandson sounds a handful and I wouldn`t trust him as far as I could see him if that is his choice of toys.

No, he needs watching when his dad's working! He has assorted sticks, which become in turn vacuum cleaners, chainsaws, strimmers, leaf blowers, and power washers, and he can keep up his "brrrr-UMMMmmm brrrr-UMMMmmm" accompanying noises for literally hours!

 

[jugglingmum]

Thanks for updates. I did look at forecast over weekend after you posted and there was a lot of rain sitting over Ireland, barely any of it made it across the Irish sea, not quite on the coast but close and a couple of light showers today is all we've had for a good while.

Congratulations on grandchild no 2 on the way.

 

[Canadian Joanne]

Sounds like things are going so well for you. Your grandson reminds me of my younger granddaughter, who I lovingly refer to as 'Hell on Wheels'. A very determined and strong-minded little nugget she is!

 

[love.dad.but..]

We are very fortunate, @love.dad.but.. that we are a fairly close family, and all get on - including the in-laws. We had a family meal out with my visiting sister (who had brought her daughter and two grandchildren with her!) and cousins etc all came along. Thirty of us in all. I imagine the hotel was pretty pleased to have a booking for thirty for dinner on a Tuesday night. And as there are two family birthdays over the weekend, just our immediate family are having another get together for lunch at daughter's on Sunday. I've a lot of cooking to do for that, including two birthday cakes!!

I am about to experience being a 1st time grandma...due in the next 2 weeks...knitting all done

 

[LadyA]

I am about to experience being a 1st time grandma...due in the next 2 weeks...knitting all done

Oh, congratulations! It's way more fun than your own children! You can wind them up to ninety and then hand them back!!

 

[Grannie G]

I am about to experience being a 1st time grandma...due in the next 2 weeks...knitting all done

I hope all goes well @love.dad.but.. I`m sure you will be very excited.