Day 80 > MONDAY 11th JANUARY
It’s my last full day at Deweyland. Yikes.
I only confirmed this to Bob yesterday, & have left it till today to give Mum the definite date, as although between a rock & a hard place I didn’t want to risk her repeatedly getting depressed with the news that I’m leaving every single day. She was sad when I confirmed tomorrow was D-Day over a fresh brew of coffee, although acknowledged it had to happen at some point, & ultimately took it surprisingly well. I reassured her it was au revoir & not goodbye, as I shall be back & she will be visiting me – the only question is who visits who first?!
Mum & I walk Abel & have a lovely chat. Mum shows off her cow whispering skills & once again she confirms that she doesn’t want to end her days at Deweyland – so once again I remind her to talk all through with Bob – as both of them are in this marriage & after all; ‘Bob wants to live a long & happy life with you Mum, so he will clearly want to to ensure you ’re happy ’ I truly hope she recalls this nugget & uses it wisely 🙏
And repeatedly . . .
Then we go grocery shopping 🙄 Bob has decreed it necessary that on my last full day we must go to t’shops. I just don’t get Bob. I truly don’t. Oh well, I can have a last-minute look around for any gifts or bargains I suppose. True to form, I find some essential BBQ tongs going for a song, but nothing else, & help with the loading & unloading of the car.
Apple pie & ice cream for lunch. Mum had siesta then, so I started to actually pack . . . 😳🙄
Back downstairs at 5.15pm for the weekly family chatty with Jane – which went well.
What didn’t go well however, was Bob trying to light another fire. Because once again Bob smoked us out. Sigh. Lovely – my last night! The log burner’s in the lounge with is directly below my bedroom, & well, let’s just say I think there’s a leak somewhere . . .
Bob’s sitting in the smoke-ridden lounge firmly focussed on his tablet with a NA beer on the table whilst something is bubbling away in the kitchen. Actually he’d had a beer on the go since first-thing. Not looking good is it?
Finally dinner is served & it’s steak! My departure is clearly cause for celebration, as choice sirloin is reserved for high days & holidays at Deweyland . . .
Mum & I chat & I do my best to be civil to Bob, but I confess it’s very challenging. It’s my last evening & I feel sad for Mum but put on a brave face of course; I feel for her as she’s amazing without a care in the world when she’s content, so in my bias world I feel it’s über simples for Bob to provide that environment for her. Alas not it appears, but we have made progress, & navigate dinner successfully with surprise-surprise Groundhog Day evening finishing with TV & bed here for the last time.
I sleep with the windows open despite it being below-zero outside . . .
