so hard to get good help these days

It must be nearly two years now since Aunty moved back to Melbourne to stay with us. It's been wonderful having someone to cook and wash and iron for us, and look after the "kids" if we are away visiting TO's mum.

With our new live-in Filippina house maid to do the floors, I thought I had it made.

JJ told me she is "The Floor Manager"… "Fine," says I, "you can promote yourself, but you are still only getting 35 cents an hour."

Aunty had a nasty fall a year ago which exacerbated some pre-existing conditions, but she has soldiered on. The only setback was the great runaway supermarket trolley disaster of Jan 2013, which means I have had to do the shopping myself, again.

Bummer.

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After my mother passed away in March, I offered to go with Bro 2 to Murchison to clean out her room. "8 o'clock sharp," his email said. I arrived at Murch at 7.50 am, while he sat in Hampton Park fuming because I was late for my ride.

Oops. Communication breakdown.

Bro 2 was going to leave most of mother's stuff behind for the use of new residents. I was happy to leave the wheelchair – the best in the world after 3 months of stuffing around to have it adjusted for her [lack of [ height.

It was made of some super-light super strong space age yankee metal, and had solid rubber tires – at 48 kgs mother had little trouble manoeuvring around her room.

Shampoo, baby powder and more – all of it was useful so I kept it. Some new [still unwrapped] singlets and shirts found their way to the Philippines. [What can I say… mother was a bogan. Tracky pants, flanny shirts and moccasins.]

Asked Aunty if she wanted mother's [unused] wheely walker. "Oh, suppose we should keep it, just in case I need it one day."

Really, I'm only cheesed off because mother had the world's best, full length shoe horn, and some mongrel beat me to it.

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Aunty tripped about 8 weeks ago which has further aggravated pre-existing conditions. The only way the ambos could get her up off the floor was to put their feet toe to toe with hers for balance, because she has very little movement or strength in her arms. Since then she has suffered a great deal of pain in the hip/groin region. The wheely walker has been very handy.

It was hard for her to sleep before because of torn muscles and tendons in both arm sockets [apologies for the medical terminology but I can't think of a simple way to explain it]. Sleeping has become even harder, now, because of the extra effort in turning from one uncomfortable side to another.

TO managed to get her at the top of the cancellation list for when the orthopod returns from leave – TO is certain the problem is muscular and treatable by injections.

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Happy days! For the past 2 days Aunty has been feeling much better. Her cloud of depression and feelings of hopelessness about the future have lifted a little. She sat on the walker in the kitchen while chopping up vegies, but cook she did. Nobody does a better braised steak.

TO's work uniforms hung over the door, freshly laundered and pressed.

Welcome back, Aunty!

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