Can Anybody Tell Me What Day It Is?

Up early to help my eight year old grandson spike up his hair for school.  I saved him from getting a buzz cut from his Mom last night.  The younger one got buzzed.  Lots of snuggles, kisses and hugs...

Drove from Beaumont to West Covina to see Dad.  Found him sitting near the window in the lunch room.  He was sitting in his wheel chair, swaying and bobbing his head to the music playing over head from  the speakers.  I could see he had a huge smile on his face and his eyes were closed.  I walked around, getting directly in front of him and just stood for a few minutes, enjoying watching him.  I tapped him on the shoulder and when he opened his eyes I was swaying and bobbing my head too.  He began to laugh,  "DONNA! You came!  You're here!  Oh!  You're dancing with me too!!"

I leaned in to kiss and hug him.  I told him it was so good to see him so happy. "I'm getting married very soon to my lovely lady... let's go outside and I will tell you about it.."  Dad fancies many of the lady staff and believes they love him as much as he loves them... he is always flirting and marrying someone.

As usual, as soon as we were outside, he forgot that subject and was moving on to another.  We sat at a table with another lady.  She began coughing loudly, and Dad explained she had Asthma.  I asked the woman if she would like a drink of water, which she politely accepted.  I returned with her water and she acted like I had just given her fresh, mountain spring water, thanking me profusely...

I had brought my camera to show Dad the pictures from the past few days.  Dad was mesmerized and enjoyed all the pictures I showed him.

The woman who was coughing needed help going back inside, so I helped her get her wheel chair over the door jam and returned to Dad...

Another patient wheeled outside and sat a couple tables over.  She would sporadically shout and yell.  She made loud noises, no actual words really.  Dad smiled at her and told me he loved her because she always spoke her mind.  "I tell her to let 'er rip, and get it off her chest.  God Bless her!"  I marveled at Dad's positive attitude, because there was a time when he would have been embarrassed with her outbursts...

As I listened to Dad bounce from topic to topic, from the vicious way the Japanese fought in the war to the sweet young women who run from the other end of the hallways to come help him. As I would open my mouth to comment or say some thing, he would keep on talking like he was on a time limit to speak...

The woman with the loud outbursts would also stomp her feet, and since I had my back to her, facing Dad, as he faced her, I would instinctively turn around to look, because she sounded like she was charging us.  Dad was preoccupied with her and would stop and start his conversations to comment or smile to her.  His compliments to her sailed away on the breeze, for she never responded to him.  She was in her own world.

There was another gentlemen sitting right by the door from the patio to the lunch room.  He kept calling to Dad, calling him Papa... when I would help one of the ladies get back inside, he would thrust his worn photo album at me and point to his son, his daughter, his nephews, his grand daughters.... I told him the boys were as handsome as him and the girls were all beautiful, which they were.  He has a very wonderful family.

The CNA brought Dad's lunch tray outside and set it in front of him.  Dad told her, he would rather eat inside with his friends.  She carried his tray back inside and I following, pushing Dad's wheel chair inside.  She set his tray down at the table by the door with the friendly gentleman, who greeted us both happily.

The room was pretty full and Dad and the gentleman were sitting at a table for two.  The gentleman held up a magazine with pictures of women dressed in evening gowns.  "Which one would you pick to go out?", he asked me.  I pointed to a strapless floor length back dress.  He looked up and smiled, "SEXY".

Dad smacked his lips as his hands hovered over his tray with cheeseburger, fries, pudding, coffee, milk, juice, water, roll and cake.  "I'll make this food disappear real quick!"  I laughed out loud... I wanted to sit down and visit longer, but sitting by the door, there was not any room for another chair.

I hugged Dad and told him I would let him enjoy his lunch with his friend, and I would see him later on. I will try visiting earlier on Sunday... He told me he loved me and to enjoy my lunch, as he bit into the cheeseburger, taking almost half of it in his mouth!

I stopped at the nursing station to chat with the nurses, updating myself on how Dad has been doing on his therapy and some upcoming events.

On my way back to Mom's, I called to see if she wanted me to pick her up some lunch.  All she wanted was a Frappe from Mc Donalds.  When I arrived, the termite guy was preparing to crawl under the house to finish his inspection.  He is a friend of the family.  He used to be married to the neighbor's daughter.  Very nice man.  He gave Mom an incredible quote to treat all the hot spots and even to repaint her patio cover.

We sat and talked as the floor fan sprayed cool air, which felt so good on such a warm day. My sister stopped in after she got off work and we all went out to dinner.

My daughter had called to ask if I would come to visit tomorrow.  I will get up early tomorrow to walk and meet my sister and girlfriend in Claremont.  I won't stay as long as I normally do, so I can leave about 9:30 am to drive down to Lake Elsinore.  It will be my first time seeing their home.  My daughter told me my oldest daughter and two grand sons are also coming to visit.  Should be another fun filled day.

I am beginning to feel I live in my car...