Monday, June 26, 2006
Brain Age has arrived.
Mom's down for her nap. The UPS guy rang while she was in the bathroom on the way to the bed. I brought the package in and let her try to open it, even though I knew she wouldn't be able to get into it. It's hers after all. Let her enjoy as much of the initial excitement as she can and invite me to get involved as she needs me. So, of course, I ended up ripping the envelope (it comes in an 8 x 10 padded envelope) open. She looked it over. Noticed it was "hot. I hope this didn't ruin it."
I hope not, too.
She's excited, but not enough to eschew a nap. What was I thinking?!?
So, we'll be trying it out tonight, after her lunch, before her dinner. I'm, hmmm...less than expectant...very curious, I guess. Each time I've talked about the game since we saw the segment about it, she's had to ask what I'm talking about. When it arrived I had to retell the entire Brain Age story to her.
I got her out on the driveway. She was fighting it, though. It looks as though we're going to have a couple of days of volatile weather, including, of course, atmospheric pressure. Mom was pretty sure, after breakfast, which was over by 1300, that she wasn't interested in a walkering, but gave in. I think she was right. She ached the whole way out and the whole way back, although nothing specific. I asked her several times if her back or knee (right one) were bothering her. They never did. When we got to the outer end of the driveway, she sat down on her walker and told me I could wheel her back.
I laughed. "Well, I can in the wheel chair. But, you'll have to get up, with my help, to get back down in it, and you'll need to get up to get in the house."
I was blocking her sun. She squinted up at me. "Too much trouble."
She made it back to the house and sighed, long and hard, when she was seated, once again, in her rocker. She wasn't gasping for breath. I think her body just wasn't interested, today. She looked good and ruddy, though. Stood tall during her bathing. Resisted well.
So, we'll wait until she gets up. Despite her body's reaction to the stormy weather, her mind seems to be doing well, today. She was up three hours and forty-five minutes before she felt like she needed a nap.
I'm a little under the weather, too, but nicely so. It's been cloudy on and off, today. Humidity and dew point are high. Not monsoon high, but afternoon thunderstorm high. The air is thick. Temperature up here cooler than expected. The cats got out again today and I decided, I'm not freaking at all. Mr. Man came in as soon as he noticed me noticing him. The Little Girl was out for about forty-five minutes before she turned up on the back deck, signaling that she was ready to be let in. All I can say is I'm glad her appointment is tomorrow. I'm resigned that, one way or another, they're both Outward Bound, now. I'm going to keep them in as much as possible, but they need to be protected when they're out.
I'm concerned that my mother will become so used to seeing them out that she'll forget that they are indoor cats. The Little Girl has already gotten in the habit of letting us know when she wishes to go out, whether she finds a way out or not, as though she is due these special privileges. I'm afraid Mom will automatically open the door for her, instead of making her stealthly work for it.
Ah, well. If they get out again, well, they'll be protected, as much as is possible. If they become really used to it, I suppose I should consider a kitty door.
We don't have bears but we have mountain lions; aggressive little foxes; blind, charging javalina; a number of desert predatory birds; not to mention the lesser problem of skunks, large, beautiful, woolly, brave rodents. Makes me shudder.
I'll check back...
...later.
I hope not, too.
She's excited, but not enough to eschew a nap. What was I thinking?!?
So, we'll be trying it out tonight, after her lunch, before her dinner. I'm, hmmm...less than expectant...very curious, I guess. Each time I've talked about the game since we saw the segment about it, she's had to ask what I'm talking about. When it arrived I had to retell the entire Brain Age story to her.
I got her out on the driveway. She was fighting it, though. It looks as though we're going to have a couple of days of volatile weather, including, of course, atmospheric pressure. Mom was pretty sure, after breakfast, which was over by 1300, that she wasn't interested in a walkering, but gave in. I think she was right. She ached the whole way out and the whole way back, although nothing specific. I asked her several times if her back or knee (right one) were bothering her. They never did. When we got to the outer end of the driveway, she sat down on her walker and told me I could wheel her back.
I laughed. "Well, I can in the wheel chair. But, you'll have to get up, with my help, to get back down in it, and you'll need to get up to get in the house."
I was blocking her sun. She squinted up at me. "Too much trouble."
She made it back to the house and sighed, long and hard, when she was seated, once again, in her rocker. She wasn't gasping for breath. I think her body just wasn't interested, today. She looked good and ruddy, though. Stood tall during her bathing. Resisted well.
So, we'll wait until she gets up. Despite her body's reaction to the stormy weather, her mind seems to be doing well, today. She was up three hours and forty-five minutes before she felt like she needed a nap.
I'm a little under the weather, too, but nicely so. It's been cloudy on and off, today. Humidity and dew point are high. Not monsoon high, but afternoon thunderstorm high. The air is thick. Temperature up here cooler than expected. The cats got out again today and I decided, I'm not freaking at all. Mr. Man came in as soon as he noticed me noticing him. The Little Girl was out for about forty-five minutes before she turned up on the back deck, signaling that she was ready to be let in. All I can say is I'm glad her appointment is tomorrow. I'm resigned that, one way or another, they're both Outward Bound, now. I'm going to keep them in as much as possible, but they need to be protected when they're out.
I'm concerned that my mother will become so used to seeing them out that she'll forget that they are indoor cats. The Little Girl has already gotten in the habit of letting us know when she wishes to go out, whether she finds a way out or not, as though she is due these special privileges. I'm afraid Mom will automatically open the door for her, instead of making her stealthly work for it.
Ah, well. If they get out again, well, they'll be protected, as much as is possible. If they become really used to it, I suppose I should consider a kitty door.
We don't have bears but we have mountain lions; aggressive little foxes; blind, charging javalina; a number of desert predatory birds; not to mention the lesser problem of skunks, large, beautiful, woolly, brave rodents. Makes me shudder.
I'll check back...
...later.
