In Hospital

Poor old Dad was admitted to hospital with breathing problems in the early hours of Sunday morning.  He's been waiting a while now for an operation for a new heart valve and it's getting more and more urgent. Now he's developed a urine infection so I suppose they'll have to wait until he's recovered from that before operating.  He's so confused and doesn't understand why he's in hospital.  My mom and brother spent the afternoon with him today and when they said they were leaving, he thought he could go home with them.  Lordy me, parents are a worry..... 

Hobos and Hippies



Mom and Dad used to be involved with the Solihull Amateur Winemakers Circle in the 1960s/70s.  I don't think it exists any more, which is a shame because it was a lot of fun! There were often fancy dress events and this was a Hobos and Hippies evening.  Dad is the chap in the denim jeans and waistcoat and that's my mom next to him in the red top and spotty skirt! I guess Dad would have been in his late 40s and he's now nearly 90!

 

I visited my parents on Thursday and Dad seemed a bit more confused.  He's got this habit now of walking around singing tuneless "pompy pom pom pomp pom pom" notes.  Goodness knows what that's all about!



 

                                                                                                  

1940s Remembered......

Today was a good day with my dad, Eric.  Just before Christmas I bought him a book about life in the 1940s.  When I mentioned the book, Dad had no recollection of me giving it to him but when my husband Trevor and I started showing him the pages, it conjured up many memories.

 

Dad knew immediately that the above picture was the work of British cartoonist, Fougasse (real name: Cyril Kenneth Bird).  I definitely recommend the book, available from Amazon.

 

 



My dad, Eric

My dad Eric, aged 89, was diagnosed with "mixed dementia" in June 2016. He has Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease.  If someone had told me a year ago this is what would happen to him, I would have been very surprised.  He's always been so incredibly fit and mentally alert. Something 'just happened' under a year ago.  He stopped joining in with conversation and responding to questions.  To be honest, I thought  he was going a bit deaf and am shocked by the results of memory tests.  It has been very hard on my mom, Pauline, aged 81.  Dad has always been in control of everything and now Mom is in the position of Carer, not Wife.
Dad is fine with routine things... he can wash, go to the toilet, eat and remember the immediate family....actually that's about it. He can no longer think, make decisions or help with household chores.  He cannot remember how to record programmes, use a mobile phone or sort out any kind of paperwork. My heart is breaking and if anyone can offer comfort or help, please do. I'm too emotional to write any more.....

PEA PRESSURE

 

Occasionally, my husband Trevor and I are called upon to cook breakfasts and lunches at the Coventry Methodist Central Hall. The regular chef, Steve, has super-human powers.... he must have, to cope with the pressure of the long line of orders. Due to a dodgy ankle, Steve was unable to work today so Trev and I responded to a cry for help and went to the front line to face the enemy... the army of customers with their orders of breakfasts, double breakfasts, fish and chips, jacket potatoes, baguettes, batches and everything with chips, chips, more chips and frigging peas. For some reason I have an aversion to frozen peas. I hate the fact that they are cold to the touch but when microwaved, they are so bloody hot, the bowls of them take the skin off my fingers. Burnt fingers I can cope with but my husband shouting "PEAS, HAVE YOU DONE THE PEAS!" every 2 bleeding minutes makes me want to stick every scalding pea down his underpants. I've so far managed to resist the temptation but how long before I succumb to this PEA..er pressure..?

Coventry Half-Marathon 2015

After a break from blogging for nearly 5 years, I'm back!

 

What better than to start with telling you about our race in the Coventry Half Marathon on 1st March?

 

Having nearly run ourselves to death in 2009, Trevor and I gave up distance running. We ain't exactly youngsters you know!  However, we recently took our running shoes out of retirement to help raise funds for Pawprints Dog Rescue (Rugby). (Just in case you have a few quid to spare, please visit our fundraising page here. I know I'm cheeky but it's worth asking!)

 



Trevor, just before the run.

....and little old me.  Brrrr, it was a chilly morning.

I finished the race in 2 hours 23 minutes and Trevor strolled in 14 minutes after me at 2 hours 37 mins. We stayed together until the 11-mile mark then Trevor took it more slowly.

The finishers medal is lovely!





Two Shakespeares and a Funeral

Is it really 3 months since my last blog post? Yes (she says sheepishly) I'm afraid it is!

I will start with the funeral (on 31st March) and the shock and sadness felt at the death of one of my fellow cast members from Rugby Theatre's "Gaslight". Barbara Finch who played the housekeeper, passed away just a month after our last performance in February. Aged 69 but looking much younger, Barbara appeared so full of life and zest. It feels such an honour that she spent her last few weeks of life within the happy family of the Gaslight cast and crew. RIP Barbara x

Barbara Finch as Elizabeth (left) in Gaslight

Following my guest appearance on BBC Radio Coventry & Warwickshire on 'National No Smoking Day' on 10th March I was invited back to the station's "Coffee Club" on 5th April, presented by the lovely Annie Othen. It is a bit like a radio version of ITV's "Loose Women", a very relaxed hour of chit-chat with three other women. On the agenda were finance, camping, football, cycling, holidays and skinny people. I returned to the station a couple of weeks later for "My Song", a 5-minute slot to tell listeners the story behind a significant song in my life, which was "Hello" by Lionel Richie".

In May, I attended an audition in Birmingham for an acting company. Following 3 hours of improvisation, fun and frolics (not cockney rhyming slang, I hasten to add) I made it into their books! Just waiting for the phone to ring.....

Also in May, I went, for the first time, to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London to see "Macbeth". It was a brilliant afternoon's entertainment and I can't remember having ever applauded so enthusiastically at the end of a performance. The whole cast was talented, but I particularly liked the 'Weird Sisters' and the 'Porter' (keeper of Macbeth's castle) skilfully and humorously played by Frank Scantori. He took great pleasure in throwing buckets of wee into the 'groundlings' who were the standing audience, many who stood under a large canopy with their heads peeping through.They represented the lost souls in Hell - utterly fantastic! Coincidentally, Frank Scantori was also one of the leading actors in the film 'Room 36' reviewed in my last blog post.

Outside Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London

Frank Scantori as the Porter

The following day I did something I vowed a few years ago I would never do again... I worked as a TV 'Extra'. I'm a really easy-going person but past experiences of being herded about like cattle truly put me off! However, the opportunity arose to work in 'Midsomer Murders' in Henley-on-Thames, and offered a lift by a fellow Equity member, I agreed. As it happened, I was grouped (as a garden party guest) with a couple of very funny guys who looked after me all day. If Tony and Pete ever read this, thank you! During lunch we got lumbered with another chap who I nicknamed 'Duracell' because he went on and on, talking incessantly about when he appeared in Robin Hood with Russell Crowe (yawn). He carried on talking about Russell whilst eating greasy tomato pasta and never once paused to chew properly. Looking into the depths of his orange glistening mouth, I struggled to eat my own lunch! We managed to escape Duracell thankfully but we were full of sympathy for his other victims, who no doubt were tempted to gnaw off their own fingers in boredom. There is a limit to how much time one is prepared to hear about Russell Crowe and Robin bl***y Hood! I bet Duracell's teeth are happy when he's asleep.

A couple of weeks later in June, one of the nice funny chaps, Tony and his very pretty wife, Helen performed in an outdoor production of Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night'. Trevor and I did a 180-mile round trip to see it and it was worth every mile to see this charming performance with a glorious backdrop in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.

Malvolio and Sir Toby Belch (Tony)

What else? Well, we've just returned from a pleasant 3 days in Devon, visiting family and friends in Torquay, Dartmoor, Plymouth and Teignmouth. Back to work... bye for now x

Taken on Teignmouth Pier