Winding down

On Thursday my friend Thea collected mom and took her to Eddis's house for tea and cake, where they were joined by Christine. I was working this week so I was grateful to Eddis for providing mom with some entertainment. This is an interesting group of women, so mom really enjoyed herself.

Thursday night we went to see Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino's homage to L.A. in the late 60s. I thought he did an incredible job of creating a moment in time, one not so distant in the future that it is part of my childhood memories. Mom was taken aback by the blood-and-gore scene, textbook Tarantino. "Worse film I ever saw!" she declared. She said the same thing the last time I took her to a film--The Shape of Water. I should probably stop taking her to see movies. I do read reviews beforehand but they don't prepare you for the worst bits, focusing instead on the craft of the film and the other films it references.

Friday my friend Marshall called in and had a nice visit with mom while I was working upstairs. At lunch time, mom and I visited three charity shops for some last minute shopping. Friday evening we went to Streamvale Farm, which was having a fundraiser for a Habitat for Humanity trip to Cambodia. Mom got to meet a lot of my neighbourhood buddies.

I didn't sleep hardly at all Friday night, worried my phone wouldn't wake me up at 5 am Saturday and mom would miss her plane. The phone did wake me up and we made it to Dublin Airport with plenty of time to spare. I got mom checked in and left her with the wheelchair driver then I drove back to Belfast and walked my patient pup. Then a nap, then took Paddy to the last of his scent classes. It was a long day, capping a busy two weeks. But the good news is all my planning paid off. We had no logistical hitches and mom enjoyed her fifth visit to Northern Ireland since I moved here in 2014.

August 29 & 30 & 31