Sleep comes our way.

Ho Ho Ho.

What do you think? Mr. and Mrs. Claus? It isn't my best Santa beard, but it works. Playing the part of Santa is one of my favorite character impersonation of the year. I love to see the little ones as their eyes get big, and the smiles. These are the times I love. 

Sweetie has always loved to see little ones when we do our walk abouts. If I don't think she is noticing one, I'll point it out to her, and she will just smile. These are the little Easter Eggs that we find on our daily outings. 

In a couple of days, we will turn the corner of the length of daylight. I think that this will mean a change in Sweetie's sundowners. We'll see how summer is this year. 

Just an observation about the CBD I'm giving her. One is how it keeps her calm. At the beginning of the year, we could go a good 3 maybe 4 hours inbetween doses, now we are at 2 to 3 hours between doses. I know it is the evening that is when it is needed the most. It does seem to help her sleep, if I can manage to give it to her before bedtime. At bedtime, it seems not to work as well. 

One of the things I'm noticing is I can't give her more than one dish at a time. She is starting to pour her drink into a different plate or bowl, or into her other food dish. She sometimes holds her spoon upside down, and can't put any food on it. If I take it away from her, I can prime the pump by giving her a bit of food on the spoon, the right way, and she will take it from there. 

She will put her biscuit in her bowl, and try to cut it up with her spoon. It seems her confusion is getting greater now a days. 

Sunday

Shower day. Excuse me ladies, it is my time to get naked with my wife. There is still something about being naked with her in the shower. Memories of fun showers are still there, at least for me they are. 

Before the shower, I put her on the scales to find she has gained weight, I must be feeding her too well. Weight gain is surly better than weight loss.

The showers are about the same as they were at the beginning of the year.  In the shower, she still lets me shampoo her hair, and wash her down. She seems to understand that what we are doing is good for her.

After breakfast and my morning chores, we head for the mall. As you can imagine, it is busy. That is good for commerce, and a sign that people want to get back to "normal". 

As we are gong in, a lady asks me, "Do you know you look like Santa?" With a twinkle in my eye, and a "Merry Christmas" she knows. 

It is like driving on the freeway at rush hour in the mall today. With carols playing over head, we watch shopper rush home with their treasures in their hands. The line to get pictures with Santa is long, and it seems that the Spirit of Christmas has captured the hearts of many. 

As we head home, Sweetie is trying to sing along with the music on the radio. She used to have a beautiful voice, and could sing knowing all the words, now I listen with a sad heart. I know what she wants, and what we get isn't anywhere near that. I will take what I can, and enjoy the effort behind the action. 

Home, pop a bag of popcorn, and we watch movies until dinner time. 

After dinner, I see a Bill Murry Christmas show on Netflix. I'm not a big fan of Murry, but we give it a shot. When the skits get too long, and dry, hit the advance button to where it is over, and see whats next. After his attempt of humor is done, and the singing begins, it turns out to be fun to watch. 

As we head for the bedroom, I'm hoping for a good nights sleep. It didn't seem to start that way, Sweetie moving about, and then when I hold her hand, she relaxes, and sleep comes our way. 

What a good day on the Road to Dementia Town it was. With gentle bends in the road, yet we did incounter some heavy traffic early on. Once through the congestion, it was easy to Keep Our Shiny Side Up. C'ya Luv Ya, and God Bless.   Arthur. 

  

 

We managed...

I just like this picture of her.

As I was looking for a picture for this post, I spied this one. It just caught my eye. The colors, her smile, and it just felt right. 

There are times when it seems that all is well, and that life is going in the right direction. This picture of Sweetie gives me that feeling. 

The past couple of evenings, she has been having difficulties in going to sleep. We will go to bed at our normal time, and then she will toss and turn for hours, which of course keeps me up. 

I try to keep her busy during the day, in the idea that she will be tired out at the end of the day, and sleep will come easily. When it doesn't, she wakes up not in a good mood. It is more difficult for us. 

I'm going to attempt to get her out today. Not sure what that means, it is just the idea that we won't be spending all day on the couch. 

Saturday

It is the day my caregiver will come and I will be off. I was thinking of leaving Sweetie in bed until she arrives. But seeing that she is moving, I feel she needs to get up. 

Sweetie isn't sweet this morning. I have to work to get her to take her dose of CBD. After some effort, she does take it. 

This is the morning that I'm going to leave her on the potty, to see if she can get her body to work on elimination. Now that she is starting to understand why she is there, it seems to be working. 

Before we are done, her caregiver has arrived and she takes over from there. I never seem to take off just when my helpers show up. There is my report on how she is doing, and just chit-chat a bit. 

Switch the clubs from the family car to the Corvette, and off I go. It doesn't seem like much, only about a ten minute drive to the course, but for me, it is pure joy to be behind the wheel and driving this awsome car. 

It is a beautiful day today. High blue skies, sun shining, and few people on the course. Of course the cold temperatures are helping to keep fair weather golfer off the course. 

Have plenty of time to warm up before I hit my first shot. Golf is best played relaxed, and at the same time, concentrating on hitting the ball. It would appear that to do both is a contradictions of terms. 

It seems that I get it together for my tee shot. I hit the ball further then I've ever hit on this hole. Love/hate that shot. Love it, because what a great shot it was, and hate it because of what a great shot it was and I will want to do it again and agiain. 

Had a number of oppertunities for birdies, and missed them. Ended up with a good round, over all, and am pleased. 

Back home, Sweetie is still sitting at the table, and from what the caregiver tells me, she has been there all the time. Sweetie is in a mood, and that is about how I would describe it. Like a child poutting about not getting her way, and that just about describes how she is acting. 

We talk about how she is, and she understands. Sweetie is happy to see me, as we re-connect with each other. 

Alone, I make a sandwich and then share it with her. After lunch, we head for the mall. 

Sweetie is loosing some of the understanding on why we are here. With a reminder, we are out of the car, and in the mall. 

People are everywhere. We have to do some weaving in and out of traffic. Santa is very busy, and people are lined up to see him. Children dressed up in their Christmas special clothes, and the Christmas spirit is well and good this year. 

Wearing my Santa hat, and tee shirt to match, I'm greeting anyone that looks my way with a "Merry Christmas." and recieve a greeting back. Maybe it is because I look like I could be Santa, there is a twinkle in their eyes as they return the greeting. What fun we are having this year. 

Have to stop and get gas on the way home. Even at the gas pump, people notice me, and wave. I'm having a great time imatating Santa. 

Back home, we become couch potatoes again as we wait for the end of the day to arrive. We again go through the big change in attitude with her. Loving on the couch, and by the time we are in the bedroom, she is a crouching tiger. Snapping at me, and won't let me help her at all. 

When I get into bed, the moving around begins. For the next two hours, she is moving, as cat like, trying to find a comfortable spot to lay it. One of the nice things is, she is cuddling up to me, and I like it. 

It was a good day, on the Road to Dementia Town. We did have our good times, and enjoyed them. Because of the good, we managed the long night better than if it was a bad day and a bad night. Which makes more sense out of it, because we were able to Keep Our Shiny Side Up through it all. C'ya, Luv Ya, and God Bless.   Arthur. 

 

Book of life.

Sweetie and the tree.

I never know when it will happen, and when it does, I'm surprised by it. She is a helper, and tries to still be that. It is the small things that make the difference. It is her uncanny ability to see the light turn green, and signal me to get going before I can react to the change. 

She can still make me smile, make me laugh, and share with me how she feel with those wonderful eyes. The joy of life is still present when we both just sit and hold hands. Watching our shows, seeing her smile, knowing that she caught the joke, makes it all worth while.

Friday

There isn't anything special on the schedule today, so I'm not in a big hurry to get her up. Let her sleep, and see how she is. 

When I go in, she is awake and smiling. Give her a morning hello, and we talk about what we have going today. 

I know it is all one sided, our conversation, because I'm the one setting the agenda. She rambles on, and I smile and nod. 

With our morning duties done, we head out for the course. It is a clear, cold morning and the course has few other golfers on it. The cold is thining out the golfers to only the diehards come out. 

In the pro shop, the person that was there Thursday, asked if we even played that day. We didn't because Sweetie was too cold. He gave us our cart without having to pay for it. He saw us come back in, and in essence, gave us credit for yesterday's mishap. That was nice. 

The round was a good round, just keep working at it. I misplaced my Golf Buddy, and miss it. With it, I was knew the distances between shots, now it is a guessing game. If I don't find it soon, I'll have to buy onther one. It is the price I pay for not putting it away each and everytime I'm done with my game. 

By the 8th hole, we catch up with a group of 5 playing infront of us. The breeze has kicked up and Sweetie is cold. We finish the hole and head home. I wasn't going to wait for those in front of us to finish, for Sweetie is more important to me than golf. 

Home, lunch, and then we head for the grocery store. A quick trip, just need bread and milk, and a few treets. 

When we get home, it is our scripted ending of the day. TV, dinner, meeting and back home and to bed. Get to close the book of life for that day. 

We had our warm and cool times today, on the Road to Dementia Town. Sun and wind did their best of make the day special. And it was, as we were able to Keep Our Shiny Side Up. C'ya, Luv Ya, and God Bless.