Hard times but soft water

This morning a very pleasant and knowledgeable service engineer/plumber came to replace our old water softener. He also cleaned out and tidied up the water pipes and hoses (resembling spaghetti junction)under our kitchen sink while he was doing the installation. 

I look forward to enjoying the luxury of showering in softened water again but that will have to wait a few days as I felt I should visit my Mum again. 

The blip is of her garden when I arrived. Fortunately the roads were all clear of snow and ice.

She is feeling very unsettled because although she accepts she needs to move and we have taken her to view a care home near me, which we all agree seems very suitable, we don't yet know when they can admit her. They need a room free and enough staff on duty for it to happen. It's bad timing with Christmas holidays. Nothing will happen now until the new year.

 We talked through the situation again, and I tried to distract her with decorating her little Christmas tree and arranging cards which had arrived. She is spending Christmas with us so I hope that will cheer her up!