Christmas Comedy

If it wasn't Christmas Day it wouldn't have been such a drama.  The day started well.  The sun was up long before me and the weatherman promised it would  be warm to hot, but not too hot.  It is after all Perth in Australia and we are well into our first month of summer.

The night before I had prepared, cooked and arranged everything from table decorations to chocolate mousse.  This morning the list in my head had me vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom and toilets.  I showered and woke Merv and Mel.  Christmas greetings of kisses and hugs followed by breakfast and dressing before opening their presents.  The late John Lennon sang his famous Christmas tune.  Nothing unusual there.

Then the gremlins came out to play!  I opened the fridge and it was dark inside.  No welcoming light.  It's Christmas Day; a blown light globe is not a problem.  Not until I heard Merv calling out from the lounge.  The TV had stopped.  I knew what the problem was.  I ran out of the house to the meter box  to flip back the RCD switch.  It wouldn't budge!

Back inside the house I turned off switches and pulled plugs.  Back to the meter box but there was no joy.  I ran around the house pulling plugs in bedrooms and turning off the Wi-Fi.  I sigh, run back outside but still there is no joy.  My mind races to the last time this happened on a Saturday night.  I had rang a local electrician and he wanted $300 to come out and have a look!  I hung up on him and fixed it myself.  It it's $300 for a Saturday night I started to sweat at what a Christmas Day call out would be.  I take a grip of myself and figured I was missing a switch somewhere.  I tried the microwave which has its own cubby hole.  I stood on a chair with the large awkward appliance balancing against my shoulders while I use a wooden spoon as my extended arm to turn off the switch on the back wall.  I slide it back and run outside.  It's not the microwave. 

I stand still but my mind is racing.  'Cupboards,' my mind screams and I flung open the door which houses the dishwasher power point.  I sigh with relief.  There is water dripping from the bench above onto the power point.  I pull the plug.  I run to the meter box and flip the RCD.  Yes, I have power!

I then run around the house plugging in and turning on every power point, except of course the dishwasher.  Merv settles down and watches the TV again.  It's only 9:30am, too early to open a bottle of wine, I make coffee instead.  I have lost 15 minutes but it's OK.

My mobile buzzes and Dustin explains he will be late to pick up Mum.  He has left Grace's present at home.  I gulp my coffee and ask why he hadn't put the present next to his car keys.  He explains he had and he continues to give me a minute by minute account of his actions.  I don't have time to listen and cut him short.  I toy with the idea I can pick up Mum and then pick up Vicki while cooking the turkey, preparing morning tea (most of the preparation had been done last night and the presentation on plates was all that is needed).  I already sound flustered!

Mel is peeling, trimming and cutting up vegetables.  The potatoes are finished and the turkey is in the oven.  Hours later I realise I had forgotten to cover it with foil but by that time it is too late.  Needless to say the turkey was moist and tender.

I throw the morning tea onto plates and platters and arrange them on the table.  It looks OK.  I am ready to leave if necessary but I haven't yet swept the front path.  Our huge ponytail plant flowers prolifically just before Christmas. The bees encircle high above while the pollen loaded flower puffs flood the paving and cling to the doormat.  Yes a hazard for the elderly and disabled.  I get the broom.

I ring Dustin, a miracle has happened and he has made up 15 minutes.  I sigh again and finish my cold coffee.

I finish prettying the table and leave Mel in charge of Merv while I shoot out to pick up Vicki.  She is over 30 minutes away.  That is an hours round trip and however long it takes for her to be ready.  I arrive to pick her up and the staff are not expecting me!  I had rang the day before with specific instructions.  Vicki greets me and within 15 minutes she is in the car and we are heading home.  We chat as we drive.

It is now almost 11:30am and I remember the turkey is cooking (without the foil), the potatoes are prepared but not in the oven.  I sigh, almost time for wine.  As I enter the house to get the wheelchair for Vicki I hope everyone is enjoying morning tea but I find morning tea is untouched.  I lose my cool. Will nothing go right this morning?

Vicki is on the ground on the driveway.  Family  members had attempted to help her out of the car. Why didn't they wait?  I have transferred Vicki many times, I know what works for her.  Vicki is shaken and unhappy.  We get her into the wheelchair and in the house.  Everyone is rather sheepish after my outburst and make their way to the table.  Poor Merv is sitting in his Lift chair and can't move.  I had forgotten to turn on the power point for his chair.  I turn it on and leave him to get up by himself.  I grab the bottle of wine and a glass.  Better not drink straight from the bottle! While everyone makes coffee (I ask for one also) and eat cake, biscuits and cheese I busy myself, grabbing the turkey out of the oven and pushing in the potatoes and pumpkin. Done.  It will be awhile before lunch, which is OK, morning tea has finished just before 12pm!

We play 'Secret Santa.'  Everyone has fun, a giggle and will take home a present. Mum and Vicki swap their presents for someone else's which is more suitable for them.

I settle for another glass of wine but stop there, I will be back on the road in a couple of hours.  We finally have lunch at 1:30pm after chatting to family members on the phone and watching taped Christmas Carols on the TV.

Merv gives thanks for our food before we grab our neighbour’s bon-bon and together pulling and yanking as it explodes sending paper hat, joke and plastic trinket over the table and becoming lost on the floor.

The turkey is tender, the ham is moist.  Dinner goes ahead without a hitch.

We chat happily enjoying each other's company.  This is what Christmas is all about; family
enjoying time together.  It's not long before I am taking Vicki home.  Dustin and Grace take Mum home.

It has been a lovely Christmas celebration.

Precious Time

She lay on the mattress which was on the floor.   I know why Merv's sister has no bedframe, just a mattress.  A practice to prevent her from falling but it’s not so easy to get up! 

I sat down next to her and held her hand.  It was her 64th birthday and the day had been long for her.  She had many visitors and staff call in to celebrate with her today.  There were flowers, a white bunch and a purple bunch.  I smiled and presented her with an orange and yellow flower arrangement, specially made for her by my local florist. 

She held my hand.  I could tell she was tired and wanted to rest.  We chatted.  Mostly it was me who chatted while she listened to me nattering away.

She grabbled for a sheet of paper which balanced on her knees.  She gave it to me and said it was for me.  A large square of orange craft paper with the words, 'To Pam' scrawled on it.  I was as pleased as punch.  I could see she had carefully thought it out and with a little help from staff had glued on butterflies, angels and baubles.  It is beautiful.  I was very touched.

Each time I visit I bring her presents, feed her at Christmas and Easter never expecting anything in return other than her company and the joy of sharing time with her.  With HD, time is precious for her. We never know when she will be taken from us.

Today was a special day for both of us.

It was a day of significance.  I had promised to bring Grace my future daughter in law with me.  A promise she had remembered. 

I am so pleased they have met.

Techno Savvy

There was no mention of it on the TV news but it would have been a worthy good-news story. 
I had imagined the headline; 'Great Grandmother and Son in Law (with disability) embrace new life!  In the very same week my Mum of 84 years and Merv each received their own iPads.  Neither of them have used a computer or tablet before but both of them have excelled in such a short time.
After almost twelve months Merv's funding had been approved and his wheelchair, iPad and accessories were finally received.  Nothing is quite that simple!  It had involved months of training on the speech app, Proloqu2go.  To transfer the information from the iPad belonging to the speech pathologist to Merv's iPad we required two speech pathologists and two hours of time.  My wifi proved slow but it finally coughed and spluttered with encouragement from  iTunes on my home computer.  Finally the speech app was downloaded on Merv's spanking new iPad.  The speech pathologists said their goodbyes and we were left together in an empty house staring at the new addition to our family.

'Email,' I muttered wildly adding information which continued to be rejected.  A little Google research and after numerous false starts Merv had his email address up and running.  Another milestone. 

Music was next.  Merv is a fan of most 60's and 70's music.  We downloaded 30 Elvis songs, a Cher album (I didn't even know he liked Cher!) and we did a little iPad sharing, downloading  a couple of my albums.
Merv's hand is poised with his fluorescent green stylus.  He is a keen student.  I know it's going to take some time before he is confident to be independent with it. 

It was just coincident that Mum also received her iPad the same week.  There was no funding available for her and she paid for her own.  Mum has been using a typewriter for many years to send letters to relatives in the UK.  Each letter takes about 5 days to arrive overseas but firstly you have to put it in a mailbox!  Now she types out an email, presses the send button and it's almost there!  Not only is Mum sending emails to everyone she is surfing the net and playing all types of games including Candy Crush.  A modern day Great Granny!

I am very proud of both Merv and Mum, two very unexpected techno savvy everyday people of note.

Merv singing along with Elvis on his iPad