This morning we did our usual jaunt down to the lobby to get the gazette and our mail...usual that is for the past few days as today marks two weeks of living in our new apartment. As we walked to our mail box that was Mac's remark - lots of oldies, i said, well guess that's where we kind of belong, right, we're old too. "hmmm" hummed Mac, looking around...'well maybe - I don't know" At times it seems that the oldest and the most ill are down there, other times, there are staff and visitors and a little group of about 3 or 4 not too advanced Alzheimer ladies, these ladies - i privately call 'the paranoias" as they all agree that they are either being ripped off, someone is stealing their items, or the people that run the place are all crooks....i'm thinking of writing a book called "stories from the lobby"
We are only in the lobby for short spells, either to go out for our walk, (impossible today, too much snow) - pick up mail, or meet friends that come to visit. But, even in such short times, it's not hard to hear these stories as the little group walk around and very busily talk about their latest problems in kind of loud whispers. Altogether very amusing at times, but they seem to manage their lives and are able to dress and function on their own - i guess in time they too will have to be looked after more closely. In mac's case since we were always together his feeling of security is great, he knows he has his wallet, his bank statement, and his finances looked after by me...and he confirms this with me periodically every day...so doesn't have to check with others.
A first for us was to have dinner in the dining room, this i felt would be a good event,since no walk and no visitors so a good change. I contacted a friend of a friend who lives here to make sure of the protocol i.e. who sits with whom...she invited us to sit with her and her friend.. which she plans to leave for another table as she finds she has to do too much for this friend. Well that was an eye opener, as her friend is going blind, in a wheelchair, and is extremely hard of hearing...so dinner was quite an experience, this lfriend of a friend is full of beans age 94, sticks out her tongue at her friends at other tables, sends kisses to others, and generally full of confidence and quite cheeky....her poor friend in the wheelchair says...so when are you leaving me for the other table. The answer, oh i'll leave when i feel like it....This must be kind of disheartening for the wheelchair lady, but then we are johnny come lately's and don't really know what's what, so we just stayed out of their discussion.
Quite an experience altogether there, as we yelled our informatiion about our lives to each other...as in HOW MANY CHILDREN DO YOU HAVE...me FIVE... then for general consumption, comes out of the spry little lady SHE HAS FIVE CHILDREN CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT...
Throughout all this, Mac was sitting there quite happily eating away, not noticing anything other than saying when we left...wow, the people there sure are a lot of oldies....- hmmmm g'nite
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