November 21, 2010

Simon got our computer up and running this afternoon. I have had a really busy weekend. Zeb came home for the weekend and brought several friends from App with him. They were all racing in Hendersonville on Saturday and Sunday. I cooked dinner for everyone Friday and Saturday night. I feel like I've been cooking all weekend! We had a really good time and it was great to get to spend time with Zeb and his friends. Dad pretty much just hung out all weekend. He didn't interact much with everyone. He would respond to people but he usually sat in his chair. He said the Lord's Prayer for everyone last night. At the end, he said as usual, "Forever and ever and ever and ever... Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen.... It was great. I went to church after all the kids left. When I got home, Van had cleaned the kitchen - bless his heart! Right after I got home, I was putting clothes in the wash and heard Van yelling. Dad had gotten out of his chair and had walked to the front door and was peeing on the floor. I got him to the bathroom and helped Van clean it up. I fed Dad lunch and then he sat outside in the sun. After I finished a few chores, I went outside to sit with him. I've been so busy this weekend that I felt like I had not been able to spend much time with Dad. I clipped my nails and then his. While I was filing my nails, Dad asked, "Whose house is this?" I told him it was mine and Van's. He asked, "Who lives in that house?" I told him he and Van and Simon and I lived in the house. He said, "It's a nice house, how long have you had it?" He kept asking those same questions over and over. After supper, I got Dad in the shower. I have learned that I do much better when he knows nothing about it. I guess I almost trick him. I took him back to the bathroom and had him undress piece at a time. He seems to be so focused on what I'm asking him to do that he doesn't realize I'm getting him undressed for the shower. Once he's naked, I have him step in to the tub. He doesn't want to, but I have him feel the warm water and he ends up being okay with it! He took a good long shower and I washed his hair. I got him back in his chair and he's been saying some unusual things. He asked me to get him some ginger ale. He hasn't asked for ginger ale in ages. He kept asking Van about the football game, like who was playing. Then he would say, "Well, it doesn't matter anyway." Once he called out "Ann." He hasn't done that in quite a while either. I'm ready to get him in the bed. Thank heavens I only work two days this week. I'm looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday!........ Susie