Do you ever have one of THOSE mornings...

where you just want to go back to bed and get out again to restart the day?

This is how today started:

Shower ( bonus!)

Bin day - so last minute rush to try and get all the rubbish/recycling put in the bins before the bin wagons arrive. I was dressed today (another bonus!) - usually my neighbours have to put up with me wandering the street in my pjs.

My dad calls me as I rush past his room with a freshly collected fresh poo bag from the back garden. I tell him that I will be back in a minute, I need to throw it in the bin.

He is still a bit shy of his new carer and is still having issues with his catheter so he wants to change his 'nappy pants' before she comes. He also wants to change his day bag.

That means I have to undo his night bag. Sort that and close his door so he can sort himself out.

I continue the recycling shuffle - tins and bottles need to go out. Haven't even thought about the green bin which is food and garden waste. That needs to go too.

Every time I zoom past with more recycling, I can see him through a slit between his door and the doorframe. He is sitting on his bed fiddling with his catheter - it is a faff trying to weave the leg bands through the day bag. I am trying to give him his independence though so I leave him to it. Although I know he is going to be very frustrated and irritated by it all.

His carer arrives so I ask if she can come in yet . He says 'no'. Fortunately, she understands what he is like so she goes in to the kitchen to make a start on getting his meds ready. He hears me chatting to her and calls to say he cannot find the new pants I had given him five minutes before. I peek through the slit in the doorway and it looks to me as if he has them on. I ask if he has put them on. He says nope. I ask if he is sure. He get angry with me.

[An aside: it is now snowing! Just to add to the wonders of today.]

Just then my husband who is in a rush comes down the stairs and I ask him to go and check on the old man. I get a face from him. I want to laugh. He goes in and tells my dad that he has said pants on already. oi oi oi.

I have asked the carer to tell me if she notices my dad's mind declining further as I have noticed glimpses recently. Trouble is, with the elderly - you never know if it is caused by a urinary infection or something more serious.

To cut a long story short. He gets washed and dressed and when he comes out I ask him how he is today. He tells me he has a pain. I ask 'where'? He says it in his shoulder. I remind him he had a pain like that after his pacemaker was put in. He explains it is not that pain, the doctor has told him it is to do with a water infection???????????

Fortunately, the GP is actually going to be phoning this afternoon.

I explained to the carer we have days like this quite often. It was nice to have someone who understands what it can be like. We had a laugh about it. That helped. It always does, doesn't it?