Friday, December 21

First day of winter, shortest day of the year, end of the Mayan calendar.  Shouldn't be hard to remember this date.  But the reason I will remember is because this is the day that Cowboy was checked into a home.

Yesterday we slept in a little, had breakfast and then went to Best Buy and Cowboy picked out a TV.  It is a 32 inch LG.  Should be a dependable one.  The rest of the day I spent getting his things gathered up and all his clothes labeled and things in the car ready to go.

We got up this morning at 7AM and started over at 8:45.  That gave him lots of time to eat and get ready.  When we got out to the car, he walked out to the driveway and looked all around and then he came got in the car.  After we had been on the road a few minutes I noticed tears in his eyes.  I took his hand and held it as we drove down the highway at 75 MPH but after a few minutes he was OK.

I dropped by the furniture store and paid to have the recliner delivered and they will do that today.

We spent about 1 and 1/2 hours with the business manager and the social worker.  There was lots of paperwork plus going over the rules and expectations, etc.  He had to sign some of the papers but since I have a power of attorney I signed most of them.

We then went to the memory unit just in time for lunch.  They sat him down with 3 other fellows and I hung out at the nurses station talking to the staff.  When he was through he came over and said "That was pretty good catfish".

We spent some time putting his things away and then I told him I was going to get some lunch and I left and went to Target and bought him a cheap watch and a shelving unit for the bathroom.

When I got back the recliner was in place, the TV was hooked up and he was watching an episode of "Walker, Texas Ranger".  He seemed fine.  I stayed and watched TV with him for a period of time and then told him I was going home after I went by the business office and set up his little petty cash account and paid for December.  He said OK, kissed me goodbye and I left.

The expressway was very crowded, what with this being the beginning of the Christmas holiday for lots of people.

Am home now and very tired.  While I was driving home my daughter called and she and two of her grown sons are coming down tomorrow in the afternoon.  I am going to spend the morning tidying up, doing a little laundry and putting some things together for Cowboy.  This will include a quilt, a fluffy pillow, some hangers, a TV tray,  his walker.  I am forgetting some things right this minute but hopefully will remember them before in the morning.