Purple Petunia...

The heavy rain the other day severed two petunia heads from one of our hanging baskets but they are surviving well sitting in a glass of water on our kitchen island.   

John and Norma were supposed to be visiting today and staying the night (a belated celebration of Norma's birthday on Sunday) but Norma phoned this morning to say John's been laid low with food poisoning!  She thinks he caught it after they'd been out for a meal on Saturday night and by all accounts, it's been pretty awful.  He was determined he would be well enough for today's visit but he was being over ambitious.   Hoping he will be over the worst by tomorrow.

So, the slight change of plan meant we got other things done instead.  

I seem to have spent a chunk of time on the phone chasing things; Alan's new wheelchair, the engineer to service the hoists, arranging deliveries and confirming a visit from a new Speech & Language therapist to see Alan on Saturday.

I have also turned my attention to organising Alan's 21st birthday celebrations and I am well aware that with just over two week to the celebration date (celebrating on Sat 12th August but his birthday isn't until the 15th) I am cutting it fine!

If it was left to Alan there would be no formal celebration as he hates being the centre of attention and large numbers of people fussing over him.  Part of me wants to defy convention and just have a family day with the three of  us and whichever support worker is on shift, but I know he does enjoy music and dancing (as witnessed at our recent 50th birthday celebrations) so I've been trying to persuade him to have a small party.

In a chat the other evening he finally agreed to a party, the problem being he only wants three friends there and wants to exclude close family and friends!  I have now persuaded him that we need Uncle Kenny to sort the disco lights, Auntie Ele and Auntie Agnes as dance partners when Georgie, Rachel and Lucy have had enough, Uncle Adrian as DJ (harks back to a past life for him) and Grandpa and Norma will bring the party poppers.  His cousins and a few others will also be allowed to come as they might be his swim buddies on the Sunday.  Honestly, it's been like pulling teeth getting him on board with this!

Of course now that I have, I need to let these people know!  Here's hoping they are all available on 12th August!  I can feel my stress levels rising.

Oh, just remembered, discovered that friends we don't get the chance to see very often are in the area on Thursday so are popping in on Thursday morning at 10.30 for coffee and bacon rolls.  

I love impromptu catch ups :-)))