It’s been a bit over a month since the last time we have been to see dad at the nursing home in Soda Springs due to the Big Trip East. We drove over to Soda Springs this afternoon and did a few things at the house for mother and then visited with dad at the nursing home. Some random thoughts:

1. The sprinkler people did a very good job putting in the sprinkler system for mother. We had B&B Sprinkler in Pocatello do the job and I’d recommend them to anyone. They did the job last Wednesday, were there when they said they’d be there and were finished by about 1 p.m.
2. Dad definitely isn’t acclimating to the nursing home. As we left he told me he wants me to take him to the house so he can measure the doors and verify that a scooter will work so he can go home. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen.
3. His hearing is definitely a problem. Most of the time he can’t hear what’s happening and what he does hear is often wrong.
4. His memory is getting much less reliable. Events that he used to be able to recall clearly are now quite mixed up in both names and places.
5. He enjoys playing in his drawer, however. The items there are still interesting to him. However, the DVD’s he enjoys watching seldom make it back into their cases and three of them are cracked and not playable. We’ll be seeing about buying replacements.

Meanwhile, our granddaughter Kendra has been here for several days. So far she’s dealing rather well with the very different lifestyle here at our house. Things move much more slowly and much more quietly here!

I’ve come down with a cold. I’m definitely looking forward to a day when colds are a thing of the past.