Down On The Farm

[poliphilo]

Before there was Wikipedia there was Everyman's Encyclopaedia.  My mother has a copy. It doesn't continuously update itself but otherwise it's perfectly serviceable. if you want to know- say- whether Malaga is a city or a province it'll tell you.

The answer, by the way, is "both".

i used to wonder how we managed before there was an Internet. Now I remember.

My mother is bright and cheerful. It's just her legs that don't work.  We could hire professionals to live in and look after her at enormous expense or do the job ourselves. We've opted for the latter.

Life's a bit slow down on the farm. My mother has a routine that is not our routine but we'll adapt to it- or die trying. Since we're going to be living with her most of the time we need to import some home comforts. The rabbits for starters. My mother has several sheds she doesn't use and I've cleared one to house them. Also- in spite of the excellence of Everyman's Encyclopaedia- we're arranging Internet access.

Comments

[idahoswede.livejournal.com]

I wish we could work something out like that with Ray's mother. We don't want her in a home, but she's becoming increasingly do-lally and she only has a very tiny one-bedroom. Our place has 2 bedrooms, but is up 2 flights of stairs, no lift, and she couldn't deal with that either.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

We have two mothers to balance- one who is now physically disabled and the other who is emotionally needy- and they live 200 miles apart. :(

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

I think you both will find yourselves quickly at home there. Perhaps you could get the other mother to come and live with this one? *wry smile*

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't think they'd get on. :)

[artkouros.livejournal.com]

When I was about 5 my parents bought a set of World Book encyclopedias. That's where I learned to read. I still remember the big double page color illustrations of the history of cars. And the science fair experiments with electricity, light and ion propulsion, If I was a kid these days I'd probably waste all my time on video games.

I think it's great you're looking after your mom. I wish that was a viable option for me and my parents.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'm Ailz's carer- which means I don't go out to work-so I'm flexible- and moving between homes isn't too big a deal.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Ditto on the World Book. Once we got it (when I was four), my father replied to just about every question with, "We don't say we don't know. We look it up." And out would come the proper volume.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

My grandfather had a set of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. I inherited it- and eventually passed it on to Oxfam.

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

Wow - big decision. I hope it works out ok.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I think we'll be OK. There are positives as well as negatives.

[glitzfrau.livejournal.com]

Gosh. So are you selling up in Oldham?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

No. I don't want to leave Oldham. My mother's house is lovely in itself- but miles from anywhere. I'd hate to find myself stranded there in my old age. We're planning to make regular trips home.

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

I hope it all works out and the journey to and fro doesn't become too tiring.

Unfortunately neither I nor my brother are in a position to move in with Dad and neither of us have room for him to move to live with one of us. Also our house is almost entirely stairs (built on a slope, so 3 levels) and so totally unsuitable for someone who can barely walk. We're therefore trying to get him to move into a care home near to one or other of us.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

We only plan to return home once a month. I think it's doable. Besides Ailz loves driving. Also we're quite looking forward to living in Kent- and only 30 miles from London.

My sister has the problem you have vis-a-vis stairs. She and I were talking the other day about how our mother may never be able to visit her house again.