Sunday, October 12, 2014

Through a glass darkly ...

Some of you will recall that my older brother is in aged-care, and has been so since November 2011, when he suffered a mentally debilitating stroke. He turns 70 next year. I used to visit every fortnight, but as my walking deteriorates, I now manage every three weeks. These shots were taken on the Monday of the recent long-weekemd.

I no longer worry about him absconding, or being lonely, or confused, He has another lady-friend, you see. Her name is Rosemary. She is as talkative as he is silent. They make a good couple. Seek each other out, and walk the corridors, hand-in-hand. Even the staff say he is a wonderful person. A good man. Not sure what that means. However, Rosemary is most definite that she loves him. He just smiles, and nods his head. I have taken to chatting with them for a while, and then walking down to the lily ponds with him. I think he enjoys the exercise, and the getting out. I try to discover a different pathway each time.

On the way back to his facility, we stopped at a picnic table and took a photo of each other. I put the camera on Auto for him and left my own settings. Don't worry about my eyes: I suffer increasingly from conjunctivitis which can close both eyes within minutes. Chlorsig will open them again within 24 hours.

Barry's aged-care facility (high care) is set within a Retirement Village with gorgeous gardens. We wander the lanes, and occasionally a sprig will fall into my bag! I think this one is called "Old Man's Beard". I don't have a sprig of it yet. But it intrigues Baz.

3 comments:

Joan Elizabeth said...

Baz got a great shot of you. I love that how clippings fall into your bag. I am getting interested in my garden again and spy sprigs I would like now and then.

Julie said...

I like old-fashioned plants, and these are in abundance in this Retirement Village, in the gardens of the individual units, not the common areas. I am getting quite a good collection of succulents, too.

I have stock (matthiola incana) in my back garden, and want to try for the double version when these go to seed.

MargaretP said...

So nice for you to know he is happy, content and well looked after, as you can't be there so often.