Oooh Jenny, a take away, how lovely is that after you've been slogging away all day.
LOL at the eggs in the freezer though.
Wonder if Malka's found the tea bags yet

at the eggs in the freezer.

Beds made bedrooms hoovered me showered and hair washed and washing in and put away and Dillon is fed.
Gorden is doing our tea rolls ham and salad.

The take away sounds good jenny.

Well you're pretty much on the ball too Jenny I read the bit about you returning with the dogs to the party, I liked that bit, really made me smile I have to go now and do something to do with the dreaded income tax I pay mine in the UK just like you but I can't help getting all hot and bothered when doing it

Evening all, and I hope that you had a good day whatever you were doing

A warning note here that I am going to write about my visit to Father, so skim over it if you don't want to know It might make me feel better though just to write it all down although I have done some of it already to H so apologies to you old bean.

When we arrived in Yorkshire we went straight to the nursing home in Northallerton to see Father, and actually the place is so sumptious and also cheerful that we immediately felt better........until we went in to his room that is. He was lying in one of those padded beds and looked like a skeleton with skin stretched over it; he seemed so tiny and frail that it nearly broke my heart. Then he opened his eyes and looked at us, and they were still the brightest blue imagineable and so clear but they were full of despair. He doesn't seem able to keep them open for long, and he claims that he cannot see very well at all. He thanked us for going to see him, and then said that he was no use to anyone anymore and just wanted it all to end. We talked to him about all his birthday cards, and he started to tell us about some of his great grandchildren then fell asleep. This is normal now apparently, and ten minutes is the absolute maximum for any visits. We spoke to one of his nurses, who said that he was absolutely charming, but that he was nowhere near as ill as he wants to be..........in other words, he is not dying just yet even though that is his greatest wish. In the evening I had a long talk with my sister, who said that up until a few weeks ago he was asking to be lifted out of bed into his chair every day, but then the physio went to see him and told him that his leg would never improve now. Since then he has refused to be moved from the bed, and does nothing but sleep.

We went back to see him the following morning, before driving home - and this time we only managed five minutes before he had had enough. He thanked us for going to see him as if we were just some passing people from the street. To say that I was tearful when we left is an understatement.

So, basically, he has totally given up mentally but there is nothing physically wrong about from the lack of feeling down his left side. I was talking to my sister and brothers about how he helped his own father leave this life peacefully (well, the doctor did really with both of their blessing) and how he must feel that we are all letting him down. My sister said that it is sids law that although he has some extremely painful pressure sores on his left heel and buttock, he cannot feel a thing so there is no need for morphine! The nurses are brilliant and turn him four times a night as well as during the day, but even so those sores are very nasty I gather. He is on no medication at all other than stuff for those sores. Who knows how long this situation will go on for, but I feel so so sorry for him.

On another note entirely, I was absolutely fuming today - some travellers have moved onto a small patch of land just outside Ledbury (they have already turned it into a cesspit) and part of Jimmi's walk went past them. I suddenly spotted some frantic flapping and just the other side of the fence from the footpath was a bird trap - similar to a magpie trap, but much much smaller, and in it was a goldfinch. There were three compartments, and the base was strewn with niger seed so there is no doubt what they were trying, and succeeding, to catch. Another man was coming up the path behind me so I grabbed him as an accomplice and we managed to free the goldfinch just before we saw some of the travellers returning in a van........we legged it obviously! Now, I wish with all my heart that we had taken that trap with us and smashed it up around the corner, too late now though.

Sally, I am so so sorry to hear about the visit to your father, I was really hoping that things wouldn't be as you expected, however it sounds as though he has decided to give up, unfortunately his body won't
I do not know what to say, there is nothing I can say that is going to make anything any different. Thank goodness he is in such a lovely place and being looked after so well.
Those bedsores sound dreadful, is there anything that can be done to help, they could get dreadfully infected as I am sure you are aware. Poor man, the price he has paid for leading such an active life is a very high one, makes you wonder if it is worth it long term in a situation such as this.
As regards the bird trap, why on earth would they want to trap goldfinch, I think they are protected nowadays aren't they. Is there anyway you could alert the relevant authorities as to the presence of this (and more than likely others)

I can only echo what TW said above. But can't help thinking it was a bit unfortunate that the physio took away all hope of him thinking his leg might improve. He might have agreed to be moved into the chair a bit more if that hadn't happened. And I'm sure that would have helped with bedsores?

Regarding the illegal bird trapping. I feel your fury - Cyprus is right at the top of the world list for illegal trapping. A better thing to do than smash the trap would be to take it along to the police should you be in that position again. Must say I am glad the travellers didn't catch you though. These poachers and trappers can be quite nasty and violent. Let's face it - if they were NICE people they wouldn't be doing it in the first place.

Sally I echo what TW has said. I'm so sorry to hear that your Dad is so bad. It must have been horrible for you to see him like that. Its not fair is it - if your dog was like that you would be straight to the vet for the final time

Sal I dropped my shower arm/head thingy, cleaning this morning and broke the b***dy thing!
Sally so sad to hear about your Father, heart breaking. It sounds as if he is in a super home and like they are on the ball. Thinking of you

Could you contact the police re the bird trap? Devon and Cornwall police have a wildlife officer who deals with just this type of thing.

TW, Tang, Taffsmum and Nippy - I really appreciate your thoughts, and it really does help. I agree about the physio - i.e. that he shouldn't have taken away all hope, but then again maybe my father asked him outright and perhaps honesty is the way to go. I don't know though.

Re the bird trap - I thought about the RSPCA then immediately discarded that idea!! I never thought of the plods - I will give them a call tomorrow morning. Mind you, the good old bobby is rather short on the ground around here, and whether they can spare anyone to go over there is doubtful. I will give it a good go though. Oh I do wish that I had picked that trap up.

Awww Sally I am so sorry to hear about your dad. Sounds like he has just given up. Its such a sad situation.
The nursing home sounds very caring so that is at least one thing you don't have to worry about. (((Hugs))).

As for the trapping of the small song birds I am sure it might be worth reporting it to the RSPB or someone similar.
Do take care when around there.