Not fresh as a daisy

A brief visit to mum's freezer the other day suggested that the freezer door had been left open for a considerable time and all the stuff inside had defrosted. But it was also apparent that the freezer door had been closed and everything was re-frozen to be eaten later. There were impressively long icicles dangling into the top drawer of the freezer from the freezer's roof, and these were stopping the drawer from moving in and out freely.

And there was a veritable ice rink in the bottom of the top drawer where a large puddle had formed and then been frozen over.

Then mum invited me to stay for dinner and offered me fish and prawns to eat.

Rather than upset her, I accepted her invitation but worried enormously that this meal - or a future one - might make one or both of us ill, from eating re-frozen previously thawed food.

Here I am, right as rain, and relieved that I was not unwell after the meal, but now I am terribly worried mum will make herself ill by being a bit careless over her use of the freezer. She eats frozen food every day so is quite reliant on the freezer, but she needs to be sure it will be safe to eat. I can't watch over her, and I am concerned for her health.

Worried about money - well, who wouldn't be?

Mum is worried that her bungalow won't sell, now that she is in a retirement flat. Not many people are buying houses these days, but hers is nice and I'm sure it's just a matter of time before it gets snapped up. And now her friends are telling me that she confides her worries to them, but what can I do?

Mum is not penniless - her savings are not generating the cash from interest that they used to, and she is less well off than she was - just like everyone in the UK. But she is fine and warm and well fed, and I want her to feel happy and secure.

But she has always been a worrier and maybe would worry about something else if it wasn't how much money she has, and whether her house will sell.

I am now also trying to rent the bungalow out and then we will have two options. Watch this space.

not very mobile and not very happy

oh dear, mum is down in the dumps because her bad hip is really slowing her down. She always says 'I'll go out with you anytime day or night' but recently she has been saying no thanks, just go on your own - I'll only slow you down.

I don't mind how slowly we walk round Tesco or how slowly we have a coffee in Debenhams, I just want to be out with mum having a chat and some company.

Then there is the wheeled 'walker'; I want her to have a walker for support as I have seen her in Tesco and she's very stable with a supermarket trolley to keep her safe. But this walker is causing a rift and I have had to stop mentioning it. She has been offered a three-wheeled walker by a neighbour but is resisting, not sure why. 'Another step towards pathetic old age' she says.

All these down in the dumps comments are making her quite unhappy and I have to work much harder these days to keep her spirits up, despite the fact that she is enjoying the company of the other ladies in her retirement complex.

We are going to meet a friend with a jolly baby tomorrow, so perhaps that will buck her up. I hope so.