Getting A Refund On A Thousand Dollar Pair Of Shoes And More Irish Memories....

Mom arrived at the nursing home a little after lunch.  She found Dad parked in his wheel chair, talking with Doctor-Doctor and another care giver.  Mom could tell, as she approached, Dad was very talkative and animated.  He was on entertainment mode and had a captivated audience...

After Mom pulled away from her hug, Dad asked her if she remembered when he, the Captain and her, went to the three big department stores (Bon Marche, Rhodes and Frederick & Nelson) in Seattle, trying to collect a refund on a $1,000 pair of shoes he had purchased...

Mom said she did not remember it and asked who the Captain was...

Dad told Mom it was not her fault she could not remember, because the Captain was the one who let Dad steer the boat in Puget Sound when they returned from Bremerton....  The reason the Captain allowed Dad to steer, was due to the fact, Dad had told the Captain he knew John Wayne, which gave Dad the potential to be a Captain himself.

Totally going with Dad's fantasy, Mom asked if he had to stop the ferry for the submarine nets to open (that was part of a ferry ride during World War II).  Not missing a beat, Dad said he went under the bridge in Chicago too.... He laughed and said he did a good job!!

Dad lived in Connecticut as a boy and did a lot of sailing.  He told me on several occasions how he would go sailing alone or take his four sisters.  One time in particular there was a big storm.  He was scared but knew he had to get his sisters back safely... which he did.  I would not be surprised if Dad is getting those memories mixed up with unfulfilled dreams.

The dining room was being painted, so Mom suggested they sit in the nook at the end of the hallway and talk. There were a bunch of students on the patio.  Dad wanted to discuss his maternal Grandfather, comparing his health to the healthiest state of his grand father...

Mom reminded Dad, his maternal grandfather was not his direct blood line.  His paternal grandfather died shortly after Dad and Mom were married. Dad laughed and told her she was right..

Dad told Mom he was fired from working for the shoe department of Frederick & Nelson, after only working there two weeks.  Dad had never explained to Mom why he was fired.  Today he told her he was fired for ordering  too many shoes because he did not realize someone else had ordered the same shoes.  Mom wondered if this was more fantasy, or finally, the truth coming out...

The wound care skin angel stopped by to tell her a visiting vascular surgeon continues to check on Dad's pinkie toe wound once a week.  She wanted Mom to be sure and let me know...  Mom promised she would, but I already knew this.

Dad skipped back into remembering his maternal grandfather, who was a Chemist in Belfast, Ireland.  He used to take ice cold baths to get his body used to the cold waters of the North Sea.  He was a champion swimmer and swam daily.  Dad remembered he also smoked a pipe.  Dad told Mom he is going to make a scrapbook about him.  His grandfather used to take Dad, his cousins and sisters up to Mt. Lowe in Southern California.  They would all take trips into town on the "red car" which was what they called the trolley...

Dad asked Mom to contact their nephew, who lives near the Hollywood sign and specializes in selling the older Craftsman style homes.  He has a lot of the family history in photo albums and scrapbooks... Dad told Mom he is very close with him, his wife and their cat, so he would give him pictures.  Realistically, this particular nephew has been estranged from the family and Mom and Dad have not spoken with him in years...Dad is remembering the earlier days, when they did...

Dad was bouncing from subject to subject, not making much sense to Mom.  She said her head was spinning from trying to keep up with him.  Dad talked of his friend who lived in the same building as Dad but he died 15 years ago... Mom had no clue who he was referring to...

He told Mom about some guy passing out "girlie" magazines and had tried to give Dad one.  Dad said he refused it, saying, "The bad lady makes no bones about not being nice."

Dad complained about having to stay awake all night because all the TVs were on and it was too noisy.

"They came over in the same boat and one guy shouted and his wife put on his t-shirt. "

"My third pick is number 5.  I made a mistake trying to choose".  We have no idea what Dad means, unless he is remembering bits and pieces when he used to go to Santa Anita Race Track and bet the ponies...


As if Dad was tired of talking, or changing the subject once again, he announced to Mom he was really for a nap.  Mom wheeled him back to his room, where his male care giver was there to take over.

Mom said he looked neat and tidy and in good spirits.  He told her he had a wonderful lunch and fruit plate, but could not remember what he ate.




She has a huge purple bruise on her thigh, but told me it did not hurt.  My niece, who is a nursing student, treated it and put an ice pack on her... She has a legion of angels protecting her...and thank you God for that...