Time out

I woke at 7 to see the night sitter out, then went back to sleep until 8.45 which was a real treat.

When I did get up, I prepared a new spreadsheet for mum to follow, with timings, food and medication. She needs to get used to it, and stick to it in order to manage when I am not here. I filled the docket box so that it is clear if a tablet has been missed. By the end of the day though, it was only me who had ticked anything off, so perhaps it is only me who finds lists to follow a useful tool.

I was really lucky in the afternoon, as Manda came over to mums after she finished work at 1.30 and I went off to Van Hages, a very popular garden centre ( like Scotsdales in Cambridge - but i haven't found one yet in Norfolk). After a short queue of 15 minutes as they counted us in, i wandered around slowly for more than an hour. I bought myself a small bowl with a display of rock plants, which was in the reduced section, plus some birthday wrapping paper and some advent calendar cards. Of course, I now have the plants in my car boot. I will remove them tomorrow. They are just another thing to fit in my car when I go home next Thursday. What was I thinking? I haven't done any Christmas shopping, so have this chance to go out, i just got carried away, although i didnt buy anything Christmassy, it was just too expensive.

On the subject of Christmas, Mollie and Henry have got the new tree down from the loft, that I bought in the sales last year for just £15. They tell me it is very big, 7ft tall and 4ft wide. I didn't really think about where it would go in our small house!! They have shoved everything up a bit, and fitted it in, but are yet to decorate it. They will wait for December.

I am waiting up for a nurse from Isabel Hospice who is coming to night sit tonight. She should be here at 10. Then I will be off to bed.