Wednesday, December 11, 2013


Do you know what day it is?

 
One of the countless things I miss since I lost my love is having a daily reminder of what day it is.  We did it for each other.  In retirement the days tend to merge - distinguished only by the days the gardener and home help come and our various appointments.  Diaries and calendars are religiously kept updated yet even with two moderately intelligent people errors still occurred.

 We had a jolly evening last night at the Wellington,  the two love birds seem happy and marriage has been mentioned; James kindly escorted me home, had a cuppa and I was in bed well before midnight.  This morning it was clearly Friday so I stripped the odd bed and changed my pyjamas.  Once showered and dressed I opened the sun room, unlocked the side gate and set Karen’s tray complete with her Christmas present.  She is due at 9am so when it got to 10am I felt a little concerned and checked this was her week – she comes alternate weeks – it was.

I phoned her mobile.

 

‘Hi Karen.  It is your week isn’t it?’

‘Yes Pat but its Wednesday today.’  Her day is Thursday.

 

You see what I mean?

 

To finish the sad story I have been bleating on about how my ordered Christmas cards haven’t turned up and as a consequence went and bought local ones.

Yesterday, in the post I received my original order plus cheque and a note from the card people requesting the charity to find my address and return the cheque to me.  Seems I filled everything in correctly but omitted to put my address.

 

And the name of the charity I hear you ask?

 

Alzheimer’s

37 comments:

Granny Annie said...

My dad used to rush out very early in the mornings despite the weather to retrieve his newspaper. When I ask him why, he said that was how he knew what day it was. It always got him off to a good start. My problem is I can look at the date and day but forget it by noon:) Should we start a club?

Daphne Wayne-Bough said...

I once got up, got showered and dressed, went to college, wondering why the campus seemed unusually quiet, and found my department building locked. Only then did I realize it was Sunday.

I was about 21 at the time.

Pat said...

Granny Annie: I suspect there already is one - of gigantic proportions.

Daphne: sober?

Mage said...

You are doing very well forgetting whole worlds. Yes, it get's worse when you don't have company in your forgetting.

kenju said...

I hate to laugh, but I am!! It happens here, too, Pat, so you are not alone....LOL

Kim Ayres said...

My digital watch has the day and the date on it, which has got me out of trouble on many occasions...

Pat said...

Mage: I really hope it doesn't get any worse - I'm dotty enough.
Speaking of which we had a stranger turned up at the bereavement club last night. She was quite old, dressed quite gaily in bright colours and a lifetime of rings on her fingers.
When I asked her when she had lost her husband she gave me a brilliant smile and said 'Twenty seven year ago.'

Pat said...

Judy: that's the problem - I am alone:)

Kim: now there's an idea.
Family take note please.

Unknown said...

I wouldn't worry too much hen, you can't be perfect in every way. I am told that alzheimer and dementia is now so common in younger people, that there is a very real fear the NHS will be unable to cope within the next 10 years.

There was something very poignant about memory loss that I was going to add to your topic of choice, Patricia, my dear, but I'm buggered if I can remember exactly what it was.

angryparsnip said...

Pat, I do that all the time.

Now I am forgetting words. As I am speaking I know what word I want to say but I can't say the word.
On the up side I am trying to learn Japanese and if I can't remember English it should be easier, right ?
hahahahahahah That's my story and I am sticking to it !

cheers, parsnip

Unknown said...

Dad's the same! Every Saturday is Sunday, etc!

Pat said...

Chef: don't panic. Just sit quietly and it will come to you.
The latest 'discovery' is that a Mediterranean diet guards against dementia so think more Spain than Glasgie when you are in the kitchen.

Pat said...

Parsnip: good for you. It does help to keep pushing your brain a little further but learning Japanese is asking a lot:)

John: just you wait young man!

Unknown said...

Patricia, dear lady. there is always room for you at our place. Stay as long as you like. Just don't hog the quilt. Let us not ever have this 'alone' conversation again, clear?

Pat said...

Chef: thanks dear.
Just time to pop up before Christmas.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Oh Yes Indeed! I can relate---BIGTIME!!! LOL! I laugh because it sounds so familiar---and I feel very 'dotty' these days....!
I have a couple of Calenders, and the one that is really helpful is the one that I have to change every day....Pull out the yesterday photo if an adorable cat and what appears is another photo of another adorable cat for TODAY!!! Hooray.
The possible problem? Not changing it.....lol! So, you re not alone my dear....!

rashbre said...

I sometimes think that weeks can move at different speeds. Sometimes a Monday can feel like it should be Wednesday already.

Another week, by Thursday I've only achieved my Monday objectives.

...it's probably just me.

Unknown said...

When an old friend of ours hit ninety he told me he would stay in bed until his wife brought him a cup of tea and the Daily Telegraph. He would imbibe the former, and search the obituary column of the latter. And if there was no mention of him in it, he would get up.

Pat said...

Naomi: I'd like a calendar like that although I wonder if anything is Pat proof:)

Rashbre: seems like every other day is Friday.

Mike and Ann: wise fellow - as long as he has his wife.

AndrewM said...

I try to enjoy my moments of confusion and bewilderment. In the old days it would have cost a fortune in fine ales to create the same effect; now it's free!

Pat said...

AndrewM; it goes on. Out to do my big shop and post cards.
Forgot cards and found at check out I didn't have my bank card.
God bless Mum and Al who both believed in lots of cash.

maurcheen said...

I constantly write notes & reminders to meself. And lose them. :¬)

xxx

Unknown said...

The little singing fella can write?

Pat said...

Chef: of course - he's Irish.

Unknown said...

I rest my case!

Pat said...

Chef: I think a certain lady - not a million miles away from yourself may - ever so gently - reprimand you for that utterance.

lom said...

Sorry Pat but I am laughing, I shouldn't because I am not much better, a couple of weeks ago I was having a fit because the dustbins hadn't been emptied. I had put them out two days early.

Pat said...

Lom: ha ha! my turn to laugh Smarty Pants:)

About Last Weekend said...

Hilarious! actually I have those addressing, letter sent back things too. And despite everything when someone asks me what I am doing, i am beggered if I can come up with an answer!

maurcheen said...

My bigger, younger brother can be such a pain, though he loves me really. :¬)

xxx

Pat said...

ALW: there's some comfort then considering you are but a girl:)

Maurcheen: that's what he's there for:)

savannah said...

sweet lady! i had a ready comment after reading your post, but, like many here before me, by the time i finished reading the others, it was gone! i swear, sugar, if it wasn't for the date and time on my computer, i wouldn't know day or time around here! xoxoxo

Anonymous said...

Alzheimer ... the prankster friend !

Pat said...

Crabbers: a curse of the 21st century.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Pat, I wonder what the people said when they saw you'd forgotten to write the name of the charity :-D

I once wrote the YEAR wrong on a cheque.

And another time, when I was just out of my teens, I wrote wrong year of birth on an immigration form.

To be honest, I think teenagers suffer from alz...oh dear, I can't remember how to spell this word!



Pat said...

GG: probably said something like 'Silly old cow!'
Darling Alastair used to write the year on my new cheque book for me.

LL Cool Joe said...

I tend to know which day of the week it is, but can't remember the year. My biggest issue is hiding stuff from the kids and then forgetting where I hid it. Damn frustrating!