Mudgee

Visiting mum and dad has been an eye opener. I have learned a lot about my mum her patience and endurance amazes me. Now I can’t go into the challenges and failures of a 92 year old frail body that dad has without him loosing his dignity. What I can say is mum just stoically gets on with it, challenge after challenge.
I also can relate some funny stories
We did have a couple of funny moments that I am sure I can share.
The only thing that dad seems to be able to enjoy is a drive, so mum and I tried every day to take him out, on more than one occasion I gave up trying to get him to the car but mum kept persevering. On every second or third day I would be chauffeuring them around the country, dad in front and mum in the rear seat. On one such occasion we decided to take a drive to Rylstone, where we could stop for a coffee if dad was up to getting out of the car.
On the dash in front of dad was a shadow a small round shadow made by a spot on the wind screen. Dad with his failing eyesight was convinced it was a fly, so he slapped it numerous times and he could not understand why it kept moving, he also was confused as to why he could not feel any thing under his hand. Mum and I had to explain repeatedly that it was a shadow, we suggested he placed his hand back on the dash and look at the top of his hand where the shadow now was. Finally after many kilometres he realised it was a shadow and gave up. Within three minutes he started all over again mum and I just burst out laughing, dad wanted to know what we were laughing at, we could not tell him and made some thing up, realising we were not good at fibbing as dad was not convinced.

Mudgee had a new Aldi store open up, lots of hype in the local rag and opening day specials. Dad wanted to go but he can hardly manage five steps let alone walking in a crowded store. I suggested we use the wheel chair that a relative sent up, well that was an insult to him. No amount of cajoling would convince him to get in, so I got in and went for a spin in the front yard acting like a child all to the amusement of neighbouring units. Dad then decided he would get in but he would not be pushed by me. The wheel chair is an old one and heavy so it was not very far when he gave up and let me push him. Pushing a wheelchair is more difficult than you would expect especially when a pair of 92 year old hands, work against you. Mercifully we got to Aldi’s and loaded the chair up with groceries ( no not on dad) dad got to hold some cherries. As we were walking back dad started to eat the cherries and flicked the pips onto parked cars or over fences like a little child, then he decided to share some with me, passing them over his head, but my hands were not free. I attempted to take one but steering with one hand proved a little dangerous and a lot difficult, I almost ran dad off the footpath. All further offers I had to stop. Pushing dad felt like pushing an overgrown mischievous baby. I miss my folks but am very pleased I had the time with them they are so beautiful.