Mum and Hardwick - decking out the tinsel ..

I feel as though you’re taking me for a ride – my mother’s comment as I appraised the Christmas decorations I’d packed away two years ago – not able to remember what I’d kept. This year my Ma has decided she’d like some decorations in her room .. so I must still go to work. I tipped the box out and spread the tinsel out around her and over Hardwick .. this was when she said “I feel as though I’m being taken for a ride”!

I feel as though you're taking me for a ride?!

Hardwick is a very special life like dog – he goes everywhere now with Mum ... either in her mind, or to the hospital .. and amuses everyone, as he’s so real and often mistaken as such!

Below: Hardwick - the favoured one! & "I'm not posing"!

The Christmas tree (below right) was given to Ma a few years ago by Elizabeth, her great friend in Cornwall, it plays a few tunes with the lights on, or just has the lights on twinkling away – she loves it! I rather hope she’d say she didn’t want it .. the tunes are ‘chippy’!! Good thing I didn’t give it away 2 years ago - isn’t it.. this is now its third year by her bedside?!

The flowers, which weren’t at their best, are anemones from Cornwall – they are jewel like colours and we all love them, pink freesias, then on the tv table – that we don’t watch – are narcissi and chrysanthemums – all replaced today – pink tulips instead, and a mass of narcissi, from Cornwall again. The jewels weren’t available – sad: Mum loves them.

Please spot the snowman on the made-up frieze above the window - Mum likes the dark curtains they keep out the light.

These pictures are all taken with an Apple iphone on a December afternoon in England! I'm impressed - just emailed and transferred across?!

A Christmas poem read to us recently .. appropriate for today as there’s snow around and it hasn’t melted during the day:

My Snowman Friend

I call him Mr Frosty-Face!
He brings us so much fun,
With black coal eyes, and carrot nose,
with a smile for everyone!

If we play Ring-a-Roses,
Then all our friends join in!
But, when the game is “Statues”,
He always knows he’ll win!

When I talk, I know he’ll listen
To every word I say.
I can shout, or knock his hat off,
And he’ll never run away!

But, when the weather’s warmer,
Then Frosty-Face must go –
Until the next time that he comes
with winter’s ice and snow.

Too right Mr Frosty you’re here to stay with us I suspect, at this unseasonal snow fell before Christmas, with more threatened.

Some lights from the harbour at Newlyn – my Ma’s Care Home overlooked this harbour, with views across Penzance, St Michael Mount’s Bay to The Lizard .. wonderful at all times of the year for the patients – as there was always lots going on out of their rooms or from the large window fronted sitting room.

Now the corner of the room that my Ma can see is decorated .. so more pictures .. up above the window (see above) – sit two Mr Frosties – mirror images ..

This small amount of area (only a corner and round the window) of taking down previous cards, putting up Christmas cards – making some “whizzy” of the decorations .. and even though I say it myself – I think it’s pretty good - & my mother is amazed – she wakes up to decorations ..

The first thing she said to me was – thank you .. and aren’t they wonderful, and how clever I’d been – she is truly a star!

Dear Mr Postman .. these pictures may not be very large – we shall have to see and then I need to learn what to do ... this took me a mere 12 hours .. and it’s tiny! Oh well .. it’s bringing huge pleasure. Mum think Hardwick’s outfit is very special. In fact emailed iphone pics have turned up trumps!!

Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories