Monday in October

So until this summer I've never heard of Wagyu beef before, so recently I picked up some of this for a dinner.  I was out there grilling it on the back deck while Mom was making fries, slicing up the potatoes and filling the house with a delicious smell.  

It was an okay day today - we weren't exactly thrilled with events earlier on, but Maddie was in school so she missed out on that part.  But we're moving forward with certain issues related to finances and so on.  We had a two-hour meeting with a lawyer just to figure out what's going on with money and how to best take care of Nana.  There were no papers to sign and no official decisions to be made, but nevertheless during the meeting Nana expressed her distrust for Mom with making decisions, and that was that.  One of the symptoms Nana may have is suspicions of everyone, especially those that are helping you, so we were doing our best not to take it personally.  But that's difficult.  How cruel dementia is, that the very people taking care of you are the ones you think are out to get you.  Of course, there are memory issues galore.  And this rabbit hole that we walk on egg shells to avoid where gasping, tears and loud mournful muttering change the atmosphere completely.  We answer repetitive questions over and over again, doing so with strained patience.  Maddie is not so patient, but she says she's working on that.  The point is, after today, the lawyer privately told us that there is a social worker he recommends that could help us professionally.  The goal is for Nana to be happy, or at least happier.  That's a lot of work here, and a lot of strain.  Again, Mom and I have only been on one date over the last two and a half years or so.  Some professional advice is probably long overdue.  Mom talked on the phone with someone at length, and we may be having a visitor soon enough, a social worker coming to talk with us and Nana.  Obviously there may be some initial suspicion and so forth on the part of Nana, but apparently this individual is accustomed to that.  We'll see how things go, but ultimately the goal is for Nana to be happier, and of course for us to be happier too. 

Anyway, today we were also out shopping afterwards, already looking for Christmas lights and also picking up the medications that I'm still on.  I take about nine pills a day still, but the blood pressure has been largely kept in check, which is good.  

Tonight we watched another one of our October movies - the month is going by quickly.  There was no taekwondo as Hall County has a Fall Break at the first part of the week.  So Maddie did some homework, and then we all sat down to watch a bit of television, getting caught up on some of our favorite streaming shows, and then a movie.  

The movie "Box Trolls" has been one of our favorites - Ben Kingsley is so great as that villain.  We find ourselves imitating him this time of year calling out in the house, "Miss Portley Wiiiiiiine?"  If you've seen it, you know the character.  He's awful, of course.  Which is what's so great about him.  Anyway, the movie is really good, and it's really grown on me over the years.  Each of the villain's henchmen are fantastic characters, and all the trolls are wonderful too of course.  And then there's the White Hats, the guys obsessed with cheese throughout the movie.  It's one of our favorites, at least Mom and I.  

ANYWAY, we're off to bed now.  We're getting closer to discovering the treasure's location in our book, and the story is really pulling us along.  It's a real page-turner at this point, difficult to put down.  If it weren't the fact that we have to go to bed and get up early tomorrow, we'd just keep going!  Afterwards, we said our prayers like always.  We drag the plush entourage down the hall back to Maddie's bedroom, as they've all just sat to enjoy story time together.  Putnam, Chuck, and Wong are just a few of the regulars that won't miss out on story time!  After tucking in Maddie for another good night's rest, we said goodnight - and Maddie calls out to me one last time.  I turn back sweetly and quietly to open the door... and get hit in the face with an abominable snowman.  This happens every night of course.  Many times, I'm able to get out of the way in time or block it.  But her aim is getting better!