The shortest day of the year. Or the longest night, if you're a vampire. And as the BBC liked to remind us, that after today, the mornings will not begin to get lighter earlier, nor until the end of the year anyway. The changes will be so slight in the length of daylight, we may not even notice it for a while, but the days will get longer, a bit at a time, so the rush towards spring and summer has begun.
As it is another day of rest, we lay in bed until nearly seven, at that point the complaints from Mulder had got so loud, we really had to give in. First cup of coffee of the day whilst MOTD plays on TV, whilst outside the birds are scrambling for seeds and mealworms which we have already put out.
Jools decides to walk to the cliffs. My back says I can't. SO I agree to collect her in an hour from the monument. I tidy up, prepare something for lunch. And off I go, arriving at the cliffs a few minutes before Jools. It really is a wonderful feeling, being on the edge of the sheer drop, the wind in your hair, and France just visible amongst the clouds in the distance. I walk along the cliffs for a bit, taking snaps of the cliffs with the waves lapping the foot of them down below.
We drive back home, make another cup of coffee and decide to take an early lunch of Scotch Eggs.
And then, the serious business of the day: going to see Nan. I have not seen Nan since her birthday. The reason for this was her stroke, and the possibility that she may not last long, and Jools said it would have been better to remember her the way she was. But, some ten weeks since her birthday, and I really had to go. THere is a smell about the home, not pleasant, and it feels like a prison every time I go. In fact it really is a prison for Nan now, as they have insisted that the sides of the bed are up and locked in position, so she cannot get out of bed, or reach anything she might need, even a glass of water, without calling for help.
If help ever were to come, of course.
Nan is now very frail, she is not wearing her teeth, and so looks like a child. It really is a pitiful sight, and she knows it too. It seems that all the people who live here, are now being forced to wear pads as the staff cannot respond in time to take them to their en suit facilities. Which is a shame as these will not now be used. Thing is, we cannot move her, as the move would probably finish her off. The home is now under investigation by the local council. The food is crap, the care is minimal, and for this she is charged just shy of three grand a month. Most of her savings have now gone, and she is miserable and just wants the end to come. Very sad to see, and we have no words to make it better, as there are none.
We stay for 90 minutes, and she is happy with that. She is lucid, and knows how crap it all is, which makes things just worse. We talk to the daughter of the lady in the next room, and she is as frustrated and powerless as we are. But it is good to know that she feels the same way about the lack of care.
We bid Nan goodbye at four, and go home for a brew and a slice of cake, because it is nearly Christmas.
Darkness falls, we put the heating up a notch and feel toasty warm. Lovely.
Monday.
On paper, my final working day of the year, although I have only a little to do. Should take a couple of hours.
Jools still had a day and a half to do, so I lay in bed stretching as she got ready for work, nice bloke that I am.
She leaves at seven, I make a second coffee, put the birdseed out, and settle down to watch the recording of the previous day's football. Only to discover the TV had decided it should record Have I Got News for You instead. Oh well. So I watch that, and begin to get the schores done I have planned. The rain outside meant I postponed my walk until after lunch, but it then became clear that my back was not going to be happy about a walk, and so I thought a session on the Crosstrainer would be better. I do half an hour, and feel OK, and my back is not too bad.
I prepared breaded chicken and lentil dahl for dinner, which is just ready as Jools walks in the door. Perfect.
The evening moves on, we watch QI, listen to some music. The evening passes.
But, it is nearly Christmas. Even if it does not feel like it.
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