Just sad ...

This afternoon I took Maisie into the care home to see mum.

She looked completely blankly at me as I went into the lounge, and equally blankly as I introduced myself as her daughter Maggie. I'd taken in a chocolate bunny for her .. and went off to the kitchen to get a bowl so I could smash it up and offer everyone a piece. When I came back I found the woman next to her trying to explain to her who I was.

Predictably I am lost to her. We will no longer play word games, she will no longer break into a verse of 'Follow, follow, follow the merry, merry pipes of Pan' when I ask her to follow me, we will no longer sing (rather inappropriately) 'Stand up, stand up for Jesus' when I help her up out of her chair in the morning. No more A.A. Milne recitals, no more singing ' 'ave a banana' at breakfast time, no more rhythm games ..

No more 'what a lovely girl' I am, and no more asking for a hug.

She has no idea who I am.


A curlew.