Finds

I haven't had the conversational stamina to walk through Cordata Park with my mom lately, what with all the bare branches she so strongly objects to, but now that spring is springing, I thought we could try it again. She was happily distracted by this pink plant tie for much of the walk, only saying that the trees were ugly a few times, then surprising me by saying she'd like to build a house there.

I am interested in how caregivers must learn to follow the inflection of phrases--and read the context, and make a lot of guesses--to carry on "conversations" with their demented loved ones. For example, of the dogs walking on the trail ahead of us, we might be heard to say:
Mom: They don't seem to have trouble feeding.
Me: No, they get along really well. They like taking walks together.
Mom: It's good they can find out about it.
Me: I know! That's so true!