Spread your wings and fly away

It's no longer a question of staying healthy. It's a question of finding a sickness you like.
- Jackie Mason

Brrrrrr I thought when the alarm went off this morning.

Buried under the covers in bed, the only sign that it was cold outside was the fact the dogs were trying to get as close to the bed as possible, they don't like being cold!

Attempting to get out of bed without breaking my neck I manage to gt to the bathroom which is freezing. Decide against being naked and showering, instead make my way downstairs and make a warm strong cup of tea and some porridge instead. Once I am warm inside I can face that shower.

I am holding out about putting the heating on. When it goes on I end up with a cold. Can't afford time off work at the moment there is far too much to do! Anyway once eldest has had his shower the bathroom will have warmed up a bit lol!

Nigel has left for work. He is in London again, then in Kilburn so will be late home. Youngest has read to me already and has some interesting spellings to learn. Told him that we will have to do that tonight, can't face him struggling this early in the morning.

My grandmother is 97 years young today. She is failing in health and will only eat cheese biscuits and rice pudding, and rarely drinking. It is worrying my mother senseless who has tried everything to get her to eat and drink but so far to no avail. She has had a relatively hard life as no doubt most ppl of her generation has and she comes from a ine of women that live well into old age.

Yet despite working all hours , bringing up three children she gets no help from the state at all, neither does my mother who looks after her.

No I lie, she gets attendance allowance, that is all.

Mum looks after her 24/7. She gave up work by taking early retirement so only has a basic pension coming in. A carer comes in 3 times a day to help mum wash and change her. Mum has to pay for this as nan gets attendance allowance. So far mum and nan have been turned down for every benenfit available - carers allowance, invalidity benefit, you name it they have applied for it. The excuse they have been given is that they are receiving a state pension, which believe it or not, is a benefit. What i thought you paid into that! But no apparently it is a benefit, so because they both get a measley amount of money from the state they do not qualify for any benefit that will help mum financially to look after her mother.

Yet if she had put her in a home, which the state would have had to pay a lot more for, as nan had no assests. It is all crazy!

So mum struggles to look after her, to do her best, and fights on for help - either financially or physically.

Oh well moan over for now. bathroom should have warmed up more now so I am going to face that shower!