Change and Decay (in all around I see)

We decided to celebrate Steve's birthday today because I'm working tomorrow. After coffee and presents, and a Sunday bath, we watched the women's football world cup. Oh dear...England again escaped glory. Or glory escaped them. Spain played better, it's fair to say.

Later we thought about going for a drive to the River Severn, but as soon as we got to the supermarket car park, the rain set in. After a quick shop, we drove home. Listened to some back episodes of Desert Island discs, then CS fell asleep while I did a tiresome jigsaw. Jigsaws are great when I need a distraction from my thoughts.

Meanwhile, friend V had delivered another carload of stuff to our cabin. It's a long story, but she moved out of her house in late July (I helped) and dumped some stuff with us while she stayed in temp accommodation. She then moved into a rented place, but that has turned out to be Most Unsuitable, so she is once again moving stuff into our cabin, while her landlady is on holiday. She has found a new rental through an agency, and will move in on 2nd September. I will give her a hand that day. I've also been helping her find a few things for her new place via the charity shops, as her new flat is unfurnished. To be honest, much as I love scouring old furniture warehouses, I'm bored of the In/Out/Shake it all about aspects of her moves.

Clean Steve and I managed a walk round the cemetery/nature reserve in the evening light, and I pondered the facts that our mother's life seems to be drawing closer to a close, and that maybe CS and I should downsize and move on, before one of us has to move to a care home or the cemetery. I have not been writing about family matters, or indeed about all the other weird things that have been happening to my friends this summer, but TMLHereandThere, who is my eldest sister, is writing it all up. It's exhausting: one family member opposes our mother's proposed move to a care home, and holds joint Power of Attorney with another member. Mother's faculties appear to deteriorate on a daily basis.