Sunday - chicken and curling

We started to watch a film last night which we finished this morning whilst snuggled up on the sofa bed (not intentionally it is really a bit too small for both John and I and 3 cats!!!).  The film was "The Duke" starring Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent and was a belter.  Based on a true story set in the 1960s it recounts the story of Kempton Bunton (played by Jim Broadbent) and his involvement in the theft of Goya's painting The Duke.  Funny, sad and thought provoking when you realise the motive behind the theft.  Can thoroughly recommend and Jim Broadbent is an absolute national treasure.

It was another bright start to the day but it clouded over mid morning and looked like it might rain.  It didn't but made it much cooler.  We are never sure whether Mum finds the temperature comfortable in our house.  John has all the heaters on but as she feels the cold all the time I think sometimes it isn't enough.  If the sun has been shining the conservatory is a good place for us to sit when she arrives but the dining area is much cooler.  

I don't know how much longer she will be safe to drive up to us on a Sunday.  Today she said that her eyesight is deteriorating which is a worry.  Apparently she has a cataract which will need attention at some point.  I think when this happens she will give up driving which will have a dramatic impact on her life and ours as we will need to go down to Emba on Sundays for lunch and I don't think I can manage to cook in her kitchen so would need to take food with us to be warmed up.  I try not to think about it but the reality is that she will be 87 this birthday so things are going to get worse not better.  We currently have issues with her pension because the provider has been changed.  HMRC have given her some massive tax code although she pays tax here and has done so for 30 odd years and the first payment hasn't hit her bank account as promised.  I have to try and sort this out which isn't easy as the companies won't always talk to me but mum can't hear or always understand if she rings.  I have to remember not to get stressed otherwise I will come out in hives.

On a positive note we hit the jackpot with lunch today.  I don't think I have seen mum eat such a big meal in ages.  Mind you she didn't have a lot of choice as I dished up rather than allowing her to choose!!!  We had roast chicken - done in a roasting bag which meant it was full of flavour and super moist.  I had made sausage meat stuffing balls and sage and onion stuffing and we had roasted hasselback potatoes, carrots, roast cabbage and mange-tout peas with proper gravy made from the giblets (sorry John - I know the giblets freak you out) and for afters we had the home-made oatmeal muffins with cream, or in Mum's case cream with a touch of oatmeal muffin!!!

We spent the remainder of mum's time with us this afternoon watching the Olympics.  We are all curling converts!!!

There was a very exciting match between the GB men and Danish men which Mum wanted to see to its conclusion.  If they had played all the ends I think we would have had to make her up a bed for the night but the GB men took an unassailable lead and the match was completed at just the right time for mum to drive home safe and sound. 

We didn't do much else after she had gone - John wanted to watch a couple of football matches which was fine by me as it was the end of the current lockdown challenge so I had the albums of entries to sort out and the results from the previously challenge.

We were sleeping in our own bed tonight - I am not too upset save for the fact that it was super cosy warm in the lounge and bracing in the bedroom but at least I wont turn over and get woken by the metal frame of the sofa bed which came as something of a surprise last night!