Cocoa

A couple days ago we found out that mom likes hot chocolate. She had a large mug of it that evening and finished the whole thing. Yesterday I gave her another but I think it was too much on top of her dinner and she asked me to put it in the refrigerator. She said I could warm it up for later. I'll see if she wants it for lunch.
When we were young we called it cocoa. I knew other families that called it hot chocolate. I remember wondering about different names for things like that. Maybe it had to do with my parents being from the Midwest. I know sometimes they would call a Coke a bottle of pop.
Mom is having breakfast finishing her coffee. In a little, I'll ask her if she remembers having a bottle of pop when she was young.

Content

Tonight mom is a little more disoriented than she has been lately. Now that I think about it I could have guessed that it would happen pretty soon, part of the up and down pattern we have noticed.
After dinner mom usually asks to go back to her place which is her bedroom down the hall. We've known for a while that she is a little confused about where she lives and sometimes thinks that her room is in another place. Usually though, when we start walking down the hall, she knows where we are and can even give directions.
Tonight when Jan wheeled her down the hall mom didn't recognize her room and wondered how she would get home. Before long she got in bed and is now resting peacefully.
A little later as we talked about what all this meant, Jan said, "All we want is for her to be content." And you know what, that is exactly it.

Is that Geordie?

Growing up, my nickname was Geordie. My dad was George Rutherford the fifth and I am the sixth so up everyone called me Geordie. Mom always said my dad's mother gave me the nickname because in Scotland it is diminutive for George. It is part of my Scottish heritage. This morning I heard mom ask Jan, "Is that Geordie?"
It goes along with a pattern that we thought we had noticed. Some days mom seems stronger physically and others she's stronger mentally. Today must be a mental day. It looks like she is going to sleep most of the day.
Some days mom has been up most of the time and moving around pretty well. It's funny but days like today are a little more worrisome. I guess it's because when she sleeps a lot we feel like she is getting weaker, but if the pattern holds in a day or two she will perk up again.
Part of me will be Geordie then too.

Fried Eggs

Mom (She moved in with us last summer.) and I are sitting in the living room. She is having a breakfast of two fried eggs, two slices of bacon, a half slice of toast and a cup of Taster's Choice instant coffee. She likes it better than brewed.
As I was making her breakfast I wondered how many years ago it was that she taught me to fry an egg. I remember it was on an electric stove (Seems like it was a Hot Point.) with push buttons instead of knobs. Number three was the right button to push.
Mom always kept a pint fruit jar of bacon grease in the door of the fridge (a Cold Spot) to cook with and showed me how to use a little when frying an egg. I think it is cool that for the last few weeks, we have kept a little jar of bacon grease that I use to fry her eggs with now. Mom's doctor wants her to gain weight so the bacon and grease seem like a good idea.
As I'm remembering, it strikes me that once in a while mom seems to remember a little too.
It's a great morning.

Happy New Year

Eden and Elly are spending the night with us tonight. In fact when Anna and Ken get done with the church high school group New Year's Eve activities they are staying the night too. They think it will be a little much waking up the girls to take them home. So we have a full house. With Rebekah that makes seven of us here to see in the new year.

I bought a used bicycle and blogged about it over here.

Luckiest Grandpa

This afternoon I am watching all three grand daughters, Georgia, Eden, and Elly, while Anna has lunch with MT. Before Anna left about 1:00, I was sitting with Elly thinking about how good it feels to have them around. Then I realized that what really feels good is that our kids like coming over and bringing their families.

Georgia's Birthday Party