Chapter 40 - Attempts to Escape
She wanted to go to church and a market this morning. Neither are likely at this time. I helped her back into bed a little while ago as she said "I've got to have more sleep". Earlier she woke at 6:30am in need of help to get up for the loo. On returning from there "Don't wake me at 8" as she took her early morning meds a little ahead of time. She told me that she had come to bed around 3:30am. As I came out of the shower at 8:30am she woke again for the toilet then returned to bed. Anyway, back to the present in a little while.
She says that if she cannot make it to church at 9:30am then I should go on my own at 8, otherwise people will be concerned, wanting to phone or visit to check on us. I try to explain that is not a reason to attend church. I fail. I fear the thin end of the wedge of leaving her at home. Although I did on Thursday to attend a men's dinner to hear a retiring polly speak. A good speaker who, in my view, has a short sighted view of history, believing that the stability & benevolence of our culture is due to our Christian heritage. I am sure it is, except that it is a brief 20th century phenomenon in our remote dusty part of the world, and then only paper thin.
We seem unable to break her debilitating sleep cycle as advised by our Bowen friend. Chicken & egg Catch 22 problem. I forwarded that "Open Letter" I posted in Chapter 38 to her. (I suppose you think us strange sending emails to one another & calling for attention on CB radios.) Anyway her reaction was that "hating anything is bad"! Now there is the result of a conservative Evangelical upbringing for you. And hate can be such a motivating emotion when compared to passive "love". Aha! I hear you say "love is not passive."
She has had several episodes of a strange sensation that she describes as her head being "jammed" into her shoulders, pain up the back of her head and across her shoulders. Early one morning in the dark I stood behind her, arms around her chest and gradually straightened & lifted her until she said "that's better".
In attempts to alleviate neck pains she has been using her little red seed pillow after heating it in the microwave. She fears using that pillow now because a few days ago, as I helped her into the bathroom, her nose began to bleed. Drops across the tile floor. Attempts to stem the flow and pull down clothing as she seated herself. A packet of frozen vegetables on her forehead. Bright red tissues everywhere. After 5 minutes or so the dripping ceased. Then hassles rising & adjusting clothing. She blames the heated seed pillow, but something for the doctor's visit next week.
Last weekend I decided we were slowly becoming hermits. A neighbour had mentioned a road across the back blocks to a country town we have often driven through without stopping. Beautiful blue skies together with frosty mornings had initiated restless yearnings to be gone. So on Wednesday around "tennish" we, with two friends, headed bush. If we push things, our public day begins about 10am. As we pulled into the town a little after 1pm a friend yelled "There's a pub with counter lunches." Good timing, an hour after her midday meds. Roaring wood fire and battered fish lunch in the presence of a few locals at the bar. They were friendly. Then in exploring the town we found a craft shop offering Devonshire teas. The small tidy caravan park may be a suitable close one to test her caravanning legs, although I fear her van bed will be less enticing than her one at home. And what can one do for entertainment at 3am on a frosty night in a caravan park? We returned home at dusk. She had a good day she said.
Friday evening I popped in next door for a merlot with our neighbour whose partner has been in hospital suffering a disability problem for some 7 months. Surprise, surprise the partner was home after all that time. I rushed back home to break the news & take her in. It seems my friend next door has not been attending too closely to house cleaning during the partner's absence. Such small details are much larger in a woman's eyes. Fortunately the bout of frosty mornings can be blamed for the damage done by his lack of attention to pot plants (no not THAT type) on their back patio. Anyway, mid-Saturday she made a batch of apple muffins for the neighbour as a welcome home.
After inviting 3 friends to a local production of "My Fair Lady" yesterday morning I rushed down to the Information Center where the tickets are sold. No need. The theatre at the disused mental asylum was only half full on a dark & frosty night. Although I suspect that if the friends had not been invited & the tickets not bought we may have lacked the will power to go on our own to see our GP perform in the Professor Higgins role. She did not have an evening meal because that would have clashed with her 6pm meds & preparations to go out at 7pm. As it was, the meds failed to kick in until well after 8pm. She did well to sit in a plastic stackable chair for some 4 hours.
And back to the present. She sleeps soundly at "tennish". I should attempt to break the cycle by waking her, but I won't.
She says that if she cannot make it to church at 9:30am then I should go on my own at 8, otherwise people will be concerned, wanting to phone or visit to check on us. I try to explain that is not a reason to attend church. I fail. I fear the thin end of the wedge of leaving her at home. Although I did on Thursday to attend a men's dinner to hear a retiring polly speak. A good speaker who, in my view, has a short sighted view of history, believing that the stability & benevolence of our culture is due to our Christian heritage. I am sure it is, except that it is a brief 20th century phenomenon in our remote dusty part of the world, and then only paper thin.
We seem unable to break her debilitating sleep cycle as advised by our Bowen friend. Chicken & egg Catch 22 problem. I forwarded that "Open Letter" I posted in Chapter 38 to her. (I suppose you think us strange sending emails to one another & calling for attention on CB radios.) Anyway her reaction was that "hating anything is bad"! Now there is the result of a conservative Evangelical upbringing for you. And hate can be such a motivating emotion when compared to passive "love". Aha! I hear you say "love is not passive."
She has had several episodes of a strange sensation that she describes as her head being "jammed" into her shoulders, pain up the back of her head and across her shoulders. Early one morning in the dark I stood behind her, arms around her chest and gradually straightened & lifted her until she said "that's better".
In attempts to alleviate neck pains she has been using her little red seed pillow after heating it in the microwave. She fears using that pillow now because a few days ago, as I helped her into the bathroom, her nose began to bleed. Drops across the tile floor. Attempts to stem the flow and pull down clothing as she seated herself. A packet of frozen vegetables on her forehead. Bright red tissues everywhere. After 5 minutes or so the dripping ceased. Then hassles rising & adjusting clothing. She blames the heated seed pillow, but something for the doctor's visit next week.
Last weekend I decided we were slowly becoming hermits. A neighbour had mentioned a road across the back blocks to a country town we have often driven through without stopping. Beautiful blue skies together with frosty mornings had initiated restless yearnings to be gone. So on Wednesday around "tennish" we, with two friends, headed bush. If we push things, our public day begins about 10am. As we pulled into the town a little after 1pm a friend yelled "There's a pub with counter lunches." Good timing, an hour after her midday meds. Roaring wood fire and battered fish lunch in the presence of a few locals at the bar. They were friendly. Then in exploring the town we found a craft shop offering Devonshire teas. The small tidy caravan park may be a suitable close one to test her caravanning legs, although I fear her van bed will be less enticing than her one at home. And what can one do for entertainment at 3am on a frosty night in a caravan park? We returned home at dusk. She had a good day she said.
Friday evening I popped in next door for a merlot with our neighbour whose partner has been in hospital suffering a disability problem for some 7 months. Surprise, surprise the partner was home after all that time. I rushed back home to break the news & take her in. It seems my friend next door has not been attending too closely to house cleaning during the partner's absence. Such small details are much larger in a woman's eyes. Fortunately the bout of frosty mornings can be blamed for the damage done by his lack of attention to pot plants (no not THAT type) on their back patio. Anyway, mid-Saturday she made a batch of apple muffins for the neighbour as a welcome home.
After inviting 3 friends to a local production of "My Fair Lady" yesterday morning I rushed down to the Information Center where the tickets are sold. No need. The theatre at the disused mental asylum was only half full on a dark & frosty night. Although I suspect that if the friends had not been invited & the tickets not bought we may have lacked the will power to go on our own to see our GP perform in the Professor Higgins role. She did not have an evening meal because that would have clashed with her 6pm meds & preparations to go out at 7pm. As it was, the meds failed to kick in until well after 8pm. She did well to sit in a plastic stackable chair for some 4 hours.
And back to the present. She sleeps soundly at "tennish". I should attempt to break the cycle by waking her, but I won't.
posted by Kilpike | 8:55 am
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