Rather impressive up in Shetland at the moment, so all our friends keep telling us, add on White's Thrush today. Plus Wales has had a bumper crop of avian visitors. sadly we have mum with dementia to care for, and a neighbour in hospital so OH is looking after livestock. So no birdwatching for us at the moment
Thanks, it's just one of those things you have to deal with. Just hard watching a parent deteriorate, and go from placid to violent.
No sign of the neighbour coming home, it's getting to the point where her next of kin should start making decisions regarding her livestock, as how long does one go on caring for animals that don't belong to them, we are talking about hens which are fine once OH gave them a good clean out, they are easy. Geese, cows, sheep and 3 dogs
How far away do the next-of-kin live & do they have any idea about livestock? I guess that on the one hand they're hoping that she'll be home soon but on the other hand it's a bit much to just leave everything to Mrs BYM to take care of...
They live about 40mins away, and both have a car, and farm themselves.
She is now on her 13th week in hospital still not walking. As OH, and two other people who have helped out pointed out at 81 she is not going to get fit enough to carry buckets of feed and walk over rough muddy ground, and if you can't muck animals out regularly, they should realistically think about rehoming. To be told " she wants to buy in some lambs next spring to raise" talk about la la land
Plus just after Christmas, we are off to Norfolk for 6 days, and the other two people are also away, watch this space.
They also seem to think that if she comes home with a care package that the carers will help out, and only ones who like dogs will visit. They don't believe us when we say you are lucky if the carer gets 20 mins with your relative or you. And you don't get a dedicated carer.
Two other local farmers said to OH once she comes home you want to keep away or she will have you doing for her as well
I hate to say it, but if she's been in a hospital bed for 13 weeks, deconditioning, then it's highly unlikely that she'll walk again. My stepfather was moved from Bournemouth hospital to another in Wimborne, Dorset, supposedly while he got strong enough to go home. They wouldn't allow him to get up & walk around, so his body deconditioned to the point that he couldn't even transfer to a commode on his own. He never went home again. ?
Your neighbour's family are going to need to rehome her animals & start looking for a nursing home, I'm afraid.
We said that as we have gone through it with my mother, and a neighbouring farmer with his mum. OH was talking to him at the weekend and he said they are all living in cloud cuckoo land. Jean that is her name reckons everyone doesn't have faith in her, we said "no we are being realistic, what happens if you fall over at home and no-one is at hand to pick you up, or you really can't cope" To which she replied "well I have a gun I would shoot myself". Believe me she is that pig headed she would do it.
Apart from the fact that OH knows where the ammo is and has taken it away, not found the gun yet.
We are going to Norfolk after Christmas so we won't be around, the other neighbour she tends to call will also be away, so that will be interesting, watch this space.
Yes BYM. The aging process is no fun. I recently went to a doctor at our local hospital to see if I was losing my marbles. Fortunately all was well. But can’t deny some degree of physical decline. My husband has worked like a dog on all sorts of DIY Including a camera he can access on his phone when he’s away. But I think it’s so he can see if I’m tucking into Braised Oxtail which is my favourite. I mentioned elsewhere the new rams. Mine is only a lamb but one of the others is 5yo with a mean look in his eye. I wouldn’t trust him further than I could spit. I certainly couldn’t outrun him. A breed I’d never heard of, a Bowmont. I’m sure it’s half pit bull terrier.
It certainly isn't fun, glad your tests went well.
Watching my mum become incontinent, get dementia, and become increasing violent has not been pleasant.
Braised oxtail, lovely, the joy of a good local butcher attached to an abattoir, the only place you can get oxtail these days, apart from your own animals.
OH hadn't heard of Bowmont either, certainly sounds a character